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Game Pass September 2026: VF5, RuneScape Dragonwilds and Eight More

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September is looking strong for Game Pass subscribers in Singapore. Microsoft dropped the Wave 1 lineup today, bringing nine games to the service between 1 and 16 September — with RuneScape: Dragonwilds landing Day One on the 15th and Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage joining on the 10th. The sting in the tail: ten games exit the service on 15 September, including Cyberpunk 2077, Dead Cells, and Frostpunk 2. If you have been meaning to finish any of them, now is the time.

SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed key art showing racers in colourful arenas
Image courtesy of tinyBuild

Game Pass September 2026 Wave 1 — Full Schedule

Here is everything confirmed in Wave 1, via the official Xbox Wire announcement:

  • Shelldiver — 1 September (Cloud, Console, PC)
  • SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed — 3 September, Day One (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC) — the frantic online/local racer now supports up to eight players
  • Dice a Million — 4 September (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC) — roguelike deck builder with dice mechanics
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War — 8 September (Cloud, Console, PC)
  • The Royal Writ — 10 September (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC) — medieval roguelike deck builder
  • Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage — 10 September (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC)
  • RuneScape: Dragonwilds — 15 September, Day One (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC)
  • TCG Card Shop Simulator 1.0 — 15 September (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC) — the full 1.0 release of the card-shop management sim
  • Aniimo — 16 September (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC) — creature-catching RPG from Korean developer KRAFTON

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage — Good News for Singapore’s FGC

The standout addition for Singapore’s fighting game community is Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage on 10 September. The expanded release brought rollback netcode, full cross-play between PS5, Xbox, Switch 2 and PC, and a brand-new single-player World Stage mode to SEGA’s long-running 3D fighter. Competitively, VF5 has stayed relevant precisely because of its high execution ceiling — and Game Pass now removes the buy-in barrier entirely for Xbox and PC players who have not yet tried it.

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage Trailer — via VIRTUA FIGHTER on YouTube
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage in-game screenshot showing two fighters mid-battle
Image courtesy of SEGA

RuneScape: Dragonwilds Arrives Day One — Survive the Dragon Queen

Jagex’s survival spinoff RuneScape: Dragonwilds lands Day One on Game Pass on 15 September. Set in Ashenfall — a previously unexplored continent of Gielinor — the co-operative crafting and survival game sends solo players or teams of up to four deep into dragon-infested wilds. Think Valheim’s loop of gathering, building, and boss-fighting, filtered through RuneScape’s skill-levelling DNA. Singapore gamers on PC or Xbox can jump in on launch day at no extra cost beyond their Game Pass subscription.

RuneScape: Dragonwilds key art featuring a warrior facing a massive dragon in a dark landscape
Image courtesy of Jagex

Cyberpunk 2077, Dead Cells and More Leaving 15 September — Act Now

Ten games exit Game Pass on 15 September. The ones worth flagging for Singapore subscribers: Cyberpunk 2077 (Night City is genuinely vast and still worth a second playthrough post-Phantom Liberty), Dead Cells, Frostpunk 2, Spiritfarer, Superliminal, and Deep Rock Galactic Survivor. Download them before the cut-off and your save data stays safe even after they leave the library.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War joining on 8 September also deserves a mention — the campaign’s 1980s spy thriller framing has aged well, and it is a solid stop-gap for the Modern Warfare 4 crowd warming up for later this year.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War title art
Image courtesy of Activision

All Wave 1 games are available to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers in Singapore across Cloud, Console, and PC. Check the full details on the Xbox Wire.

Game News

Son of Thanjai — Chola Empire RPG Gets Spring 2027 Date on PS5, Xbox & Game Pass

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A 30-person studio from Chennai just delivered one of the most striking reveals at Gamescom 2026. Son of Thanjai, the cinematic open-world action-RPG set in the ancient Chola Empire, is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass in Spring 2027 — and based on what developer Ayelet Studio has shown, it looks extraordinary.

Son of Thanjai – Official Gamescom 2026 Trailer — via XBOX on YouTube

The Story: A Betrayed Chola Prince Finding His Way Home

Vinnendiran gazes at a Chola temple complex at dusk in Son of Thanjai
Image courtesy of Ayelet Studio / Xbox

Son of Thanjai drops you into an alternate-history 11th-century Thanjavur — the beating heart of the Chola Empire — as Vinnendiran, a young prince who loses everything. Betrayed and exiled from the palace, he must traverse a fractured kingdom gripped by invasion and famine, learning what it truly means to lead rather than simply inherit.

Ayelet Studio has meticulously reconstructed the Chola world through the lens of the ancient Tamil Tinai system — a classical framework that categorised landscapes by mood and ecology. The result is a living open world of rice plains, coastal ports, temple courtyards, arid vassal territories, and market streets, populated by NPCs who respond dynamically to how Vinnendiran presents himself. As the studio puts it: “Life in Thanjai moves with or without you.”

Combat Built on Kalaripayattu — One of the World’s Oldest Martial Arts

The Surulvaal whip-sword spinning in a ring of fire in Son of Thanjai
Image courtesy of Ayelet Studio / Xbox

The signature weapon is the Surulvaal — a flexible, ribbon-like whip-sword rooted in real South Indian martial traditions. Combat draws directly on Kalaripayattu, widely regarded as one of the oldest codified martial arts in the world, weaving acrobatic strikes, finishing chain attacks, and momentum-based combos into a fluid system. Alongside the Surulvaal, players wield the Aruvaal (a curved short blade) and the Valari (a traditional disc-like throwing weapon), each suited to different combat contexts.

Vinnendiran unleashes the Valari in a multi-enemy battle in Son of Thanjai
Image courtesy of Ayelet Studio / Xbox

There are no magical tracking instincts or glowing enemy outlines — stealth, intel gathering, and reading the environment are all part of the toolkit. Open-world traversal includes mounting horses, elephants, and bulls, and the Gamescom trailer shows how the world scales from intimate temple-street encounters to wide battlefield engagements.

Why Singapore Gamers Should Pay Attention

Vinnendiran walks through the bustling streets of Thanjavur in Son of Thanjai
Image courtesy of Ayelet Studio / Xbox

Singapore has one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant Tamil communities, and the Chola Empire sits at the heart of that heritage. The Cholas were not just a regional South Indian dynasty — at their peak, they were a maritime superpower whose naval reach extended across the Bay of Bengal into the Malay Peninsula and beyond, leaving architectural and cultural echoes across the region we now call home. Seeing that history rendered in Unreal Engine at this fidelity, as the backdrop for a fully realised open-world RPG, is genuinely unprecedented.

For Singapore gamers who have spent years playing through Norse, Greek, Japanese, and Feudal Chinese settings, Son of Thanjai offers something closer to our own cultural orbit — and it arrives day-one on Xbox Game Pass, meaning local subscribers can jump in without an additional purchase. No SGD pricing has been confirmed for standalone copies; we’ll update when that changes.

Explore more game news on GameTrader, including the rest of our Gamescom 2026 coverage.

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

Fable Gets Release Date and Combat Demo at Gamescom 2026

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Playground Games has finally answered the question every fan of the beloved RPG series has been asking: Fable launches February 23, 2027, and Gamescom 2026 just gave us our first proper live look at how the reboot fights.

Fable | XBOX Games Showcase 2026 — via XBOX on YouTube

Release Date Locked In: February 23, 2027

After years of carefully managed reveals, Playground Games — the studio behind the Forza Horizon series — has confirmed a firm launch date. Fable arrives simultaneously on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam, with day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass. Standard and Premium editions are now open for pre-order.

The February 2027 window puts Fable in a packed early-year calendar alongside Final Fantasy VII Revelation and other heavy hitters. For Singapore players, the simultaneous PS5 and PC launch is welcome news — no console-exclusivity wall to wait behind, whatever platform you are on.

First Live Combat Demo: What Gamescom 2026 Showed

Fable gameplay screenshot showing the hero exploring the village of Silverbrook in Albion
Image courtesy of Playground Games

On August 26, Playground Games took the stage at the Xbox booth in Hall 7 of Cologne’s Koelnmesse for what Xbox Wire describes as “the first time ever” Fable has had a live demo theater presentation for the public. Game Director Ralph Fulton led the showcase, putting the focus squarely on how combat feels in motion.

The system is built around fluidity: players chain melee swings, ranged attacks, and magical abilities mid-encounter, switching styles without breaking momentum. Xbox Wire puts it as a combat style that lets players “forge something that feels uniquely your own.” An extended gameplay demo released earlier in the year showed combat emerging organically from social situations — a brawl breaking out mid-conversation in a town square — underscoring that Albion will not separate its action from its world simulation.

A Living World: 1,000-Plus NPCs and a Choice That Matters

Fable morality system dialogue scene with a character choice affecting the fate of a pig in Albion
Image courtesy of Playground Games

Albion in this reboot is populated by more than 1,000 individually handcrafted NPCs, each with their own voice performance. Every house in the game can be entered. The morality system that defined earlier Fable entries returns in full: actions witnessed by NPCs and the reputation your hero builds over time shape both how the world responds and how the story plays out.

Gamescom attendees watching the live demo saw this in action with a scene involving a talking pig — whether it lives or dies hangs on the player’s choice, and the ripple effects are felt in how Albion’s residents treat your hero afterward. It is exactly the kind of small-but-consequential moment that made the original games memorable, and the moment that has fans most cautiously optimistic that Playground Games has understood the assignment.

The main antagonist is voiced by Hayley Atwell, the MCU’s Peggy Carter, playing a character who genuinely believes they are the hero of the story — a classic Fable subversion of RPG conventions.

Albion’s Look: A World Worth Exploring

Fable Albion environment screenshot showing a lush orchard and countryside setting
Image courtesy of Playground Games

Visually, Fable leans into a heightened, painterly version of fantasy England — sun-dappled orchards, mossy stone villages, and rolling countryside that somehow manages to feel both cosy and epic in the same shot. Playground Games’s pedigree in rendering open worlds (see: every Forza Horizon game of the last decade) is evident in every screenshot.

Singapore Players: Here’s What to Know Before February

Fable hits PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam) simultaneously on February 23, 2027. Singapore Xbox Game Pass subscribers get it from day one at no extra cost. No confirmed SGD pricing has been announced yet for the standard or premium editions; watch the PlayStation Store SG and Steam for regional pricing closer to launch. Pre-orders are open now on participating platforms.

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

Once Human Is Free on PS5 and Xbox This Week — PC Players Can Carry Over Their Progress

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Singapore gamers who’ve spent hundreds of hours in Once Human on PC are about to get a second home for their survivors: Starry Studio and NetEase Games are bringing their post-apocalyptic open-world shooter to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on 25 August 2026 — completely free. Asia players see the launch on 26 August.

Once Human on Console: What’s New

Once Human console version first-person gameplay showing players battling a giant mutant monster
Image courtesy of Starry Studio / NetEase Games

The headline feature for the console launch is a brand-new first-person perspective that PC players have never had — you can toggle between first-person and the existing third-person camera at will, giving a more immersive feel for exploration and combat. On PS5 and Xbox Series X|S you also get a choice between two graphics presets:

  • Quality Mode: 4K at 60 fps
  • Performance Mode: up to 120 fps

PS5 players get full DualSense integration: distinct low-frequency rumbles for the game’s towering Deviants, precise trigger resistance calibrated to different weapons during boss fights, and elastic tactile feedback on loot pickups. It’s the kind of haptic work that rewards playing with a headset on.

Once Human | Global Console Launch on Aug 25 (PT) — via Once Human on YouTube

Cross-Play and Cross-Progression with PC

Once Human giant Deviant creature towering over a ruined post-apocalyptic cityscape
Image courtesy of Starry Studio / NetEase Games

For the SEA community that has been grinding Once Human on PC since the July 2024 launch — and it was genuinely massive here — the most important detail is this: full cross-play and cross-progression across PC, PS5, Xbox and mobile. Link your existing account through Settings → Account → Link Account before the console launch and your character, items and progress carry over seamlessly.

That means Singapore’s PC squads can now recruit their console-only friends without splitting lobbies, and anyone who wants to switch to a controller on the sofa keeps their full save intact.

What You Get at Launch

Once Human co-op combat showing two players with custom gear fighting mutant enemies in an industrial zone
Image courtesy of Starry Studio / NetEase Games

Console players start with access to all six complete scenarios, dedicated PvP modes and Starry Studio’s stated 300+ hours of content at launch — this isn’t a stripped port. Co-op scales from four-player squads up to eight-player Hive groups, and base-building remains as deep as the PC version.

The game is free to download with optional cosmetic packs (a US$9.99 Starter Pack and US$14.99 Radiance Pack for pre-orders if you want early cosmetics), but nothing paywalled affects gameplay.

If you haven’t tried Once Human yet, the console launch is an easy entry point — it’s one of the better-executed survival games to hit Asia in recent years, and free is hard to argue with. Check it out on the PS5 and Xbox storefronts from 26 August SGT.

Game News

Witcher 3: Songs of the Past Expansion — What We Know Before Tuesday’s Reveal

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Geralt of Rivia is heading back on the Path — and this Tuesday, Singapore gamers will get their first proper look at what he has been up to. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past, a brand-new full-scale expansion from CD PROJEKT RED, was confirmed in May 2026 and has been one of the most anticipated reveals of the year. The wait ends at Gamescom Opening Night Live on 25 August, where the very first footage of the expansion will be unveiled.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past Gamescom Opening Night Live reveal promo
Image courtesy of CD PROJEKT RED
The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past DLC Expansion Announced Ahead of 2027 Release — via IGN on YouTube

What Is Songs of the Past?

Songs of the Past is the third expansion to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, joining the acclaimed Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine packs that released back in 2015. CD PROJEKT RED describes it as a full-fledged expansion comparable in scale to those two previous releases — not a small DLC top-up. Players return as Geralt of Rivia for a new adventure, with confirmed activities including monster hunting, fighting injustices across the Northern Realms, and yes, rounds of Gwent.

The expansion was officially announced on 27 May 2026, almost ten years to the day since Blood and Wine launched. It targets PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC — next-gen and PC only. CD PROJEKT RED had originally considered a 2026 window but shifted the release to 2027, citing a commitment to delivering the best possible result for players.

The Team Behind It

Songs of the Past is being co-developed by CD PROJEKT RED and Fool’s Theory, a Polish studio staffed by industry veterans who previously worked on The Witcher 3. It is worth remembering just how large the franchise’s footprint is: the original Witcher 3 has sold more than 65 million copies since its 2015 release and accumulated over 250 Game of the Year awards. The bar is high, and the returning talent at Fool’s Theory is exactly the kind of foundation to clear it.

A Bridge to The Witcher 4

Songs of the Past also serves as a narrative bridge leading into The Witcher 4, which will feature Ciri of Cintra as the protagonist and kick off a brand-new trilogy at CD PROJEKT RED. Rather than swapping Geralt out abruptly, this expansion gives the White Wolf one more chapter on the Path before Ciri steps into the spotlight. For fans who have spent hundreds of hours in Geralt’s boots, that framing makes Songs of the Past essential context for everything that comes next in the series.

Official @thewitcher account announcing Songs of the Past at Gamescom Opening Night Live
Image courtesy of CD PROJEKT RED

When to Watch — Singapore Times

The first footage drops during Gamescom Opening Night Live, hosted by Geoff Keighley. For Singapore fans the airtime is Wednesday 26 August at 2:00 am SGT (that is Tuesday 25 August at 8:00 pm CEST / 2:00 pm ET / 11:00 am PT). The show will stream live on the official gamescom YouTube channel and on Twitch. If 2am is not happening, the VOD will be there when you wake up on Wednesday.

After ONL, CD PROJEKT RED will have the expansion available on the show floor at Booth B030/A031 in Hall 8.1 from 26 to 30 August — so expect the gaming press to be filing hands-on impressions through the week. For more on what else is on the way this year, check out our game news coverage.

Game News

Grounded 2 Comes to PS5 on August 11 with Into the Abyss

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Obsidian Entertainment’s shrink-ray survival hit is finally coming to PlayStation 5 this Tuesday — and it’s arriving alongside what the studio is calling one of the biggest updates the game has ever seen. Grounded 2 launches on PS5 in Early Access on 11 August 2026, paired with the free Into the Abyss update dropping simultaneously on all platforms.

A New World Beneath Brookhollow Park

Since Grounded 2 launched on Xbox and PC in July 2025, the pond at the heart of Brookhollow Park has been visible but largely off-limits. Into the Abyss blows it wide open. For the first time, players can explore both the surface and the full depths beneath it, uncovering new locations, creatures, and mysteries that stretch from the shoreline all the way down into the dark.

Grounded 2: Into the Abyss Official Update Extended Announcement Trailer — via IGN on YouTube

The pond is split into three distinct environmental zones, each with its own atmosphere, hazards, and secrets. Above water, two new overland biomes — the Mountains and the Bayou — ring the pond with fresh terrain and their own discoveries. Below the surface, the deeper you dive, the stranger things get.

Player character facing a massive boss creature in the depths of Grounded 2's Abyss
Image courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment

New Creatures, Old Nightmares

The pond is not empty. The koi fish makes its return from the original Grounded, now looming even larger against tiny shrunken players in open water. Joining it is the diving bell spider, an arachnid that traps air bubbles to breathe underwater — and will make life very difficult for anyone exploring the shallows. Both are fully fledged threats designed around the new underwater combat and evasion systems.

A large beetle-like creature with red fungal growth lurking near a neon-lit food stand in Grounded 2
Image courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment

The Toe-biter Buggy and New Diving Gear

Staying submerged for any length of time requires preparation. Players can unlock a progression of diving suits that increase how long they can remain underwater, opening access to deeper pond zones as their equipment improves. On the surface, the new Toe-biter Buggy is an amphibious vehicle that can charge across land and skim over water alike — essential for navigating the expanded map without being picked off mid-swim.

Player riding the Toe-biter Buggy amphibious vehicle across the teal pond in Grounded 2
Image courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment

Into the Abyss also reworks the Pneumatic Transit System (PTS) — the game’s fast travel network — making it upgradeable via science skills and components. It’s a quality-of-life addition aimed squarely at co-op squads covering large stretches of Brookhollow Park together.

PS5 Players Finally Get Shrunk In

Grounded 2 has been an Xbox console exclusive since its Early Access debut, available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, and Steam. That changes on 11 August. The game arrives on PS5 in Early Access (Game Preview) at USD $29.99 — check the Singapore PlayStation Store for local pricing. Into the Abyss content is included from day one.

Grounded 2 — Official PlayStation 5 ‘Into the Abyss’ Trailer — via IGN on YouTube

For Singapore players already on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate — which is available locally — Grounded 2 is included in your subscription with no extra charge. The Into the Abyss update is also free for every existing Xbox and PC owner, regardless of how they purchased the game.

Grounded 2 player character wearing lava-stone armour in a golden-lit park setting
Image courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment

One Year In, a Much Larger World

Grounded 2 launched in Early Access roughly a year ago on Xbox and PC, and the team has been building on it steadily since. Into the Abyss is the clearest sign yet of how ambitious the full release will be. As Obsidian’s Chris Parker told GamesRadar, “Launching on PS5 effectively makes this our second launch” — a remark that undersells neither the scope of the update nor the scale of the new audience the studio is courting.

Two players running from a giant crustacean enemy near a food truck in Grounded 2's Brookhollow Park
Image courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment

If you’re browsing other game news from the week, Grounded 2’s PS5 launch on 11 August is one of the bigger multiplatform moments of the month — and for survival fans in Singapore, it’s the freshest reason yet to dive in.

Game News

Attack on Titan 3 Release Date Dropping Tonight — Tune In at 10:50 PM SGT

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Koei Tecmo is finally naming the day. The publisher has confirmed a dedicated livestream that will reveal the official release date for Attack on Titan 3 — and it is happening tonight. Singapore fans have until 10:50 PM SGT (Monday, 3 August) to mark their calendars.

Scout facing the Colossal Titan in Attack on Titan 3
Image courtesy of Koei Tecmo

When and Where to Watch the Attack on Titan 3 Release Date Stream

The stream goes live on 3 August 2026 at 10:50 AM EDT / 3:50 PM GMT / 10:50 PM SGT. Head to Koei Tecmo America’s official YouTube channel to catch it live — the broadcast is estimated to run around 10 minutes and will cover:

  • The official release date reveal
  • Details on the Deluxe Edition
  • Various bonus and pre-order information
  • Additional gameplay footage highlighting the game’s special features

As we covered when Koei Tecmo locked in a winter 2026 release window, the game targets PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam — all platforms available in Singapore.

Attack on Titan 3 — Gameplay Reveal Trailer via KOEI TECMO AMERICA on YouTube

Everything Confirmed About Attack on Titan 3

Omega Force’s third entry in the series is the most ambitious yet. For the first time, the game covers the complete story of Attack on Titan from beginning to end — from the fall of Shiganshina all the way through the Rumbling and its aftermath. The Nine Titans appear for the first time in a mainline AoT action game.

Scout using omni-directional mobility gear in Attack on Titan 3
Image courtesy of Koei Tecmo

The signature omni-directional mobility (ODM) gear combat has been refined to deliver the most acrobatic encounters in the series. Titans come with new attack patterns and behaviours, and a new Casual Mode means players who are primarily here for the story can experience the full game without getting blocked by difficult bosses.

Build Your Squad and Shape the Story

You step in as a fully customisable Scout Regiment protagonist rising through the 104th Cadet Corps. Forging bonds with series characters like Eren, Mikasa and Armin unlocks unique battle abilities and special cutscenes, weaving your custom soldier into the anime’s biggest moments.

Young Eren and Mikasa in a quiet scene from Attack on Titan 3
Image courtesy of Koei Tecmo

Beyond direct combat, Exterior Scouting Missions let you explore the world between battles, establish supply bases, and manage territorial resources — a strategic layer earlier entries in the series did not have.

MAPPA Is Handling the Opening Animation

Koei Tecmo has confirmed that MAPPA — the studio behind Attack on Titan: The Final Season — will produce the game’s opening animation, with Final Season action animator Arifumi Imai directing. One detail to be aware of: this animation is being added post-launch via a free update, so the day-one build will not include it.

Aerial ODM combat against a Titan in Attack on Titan 3
Image courtesy of Koei Tecmo

Singapore: What to Expect After Tonight

All four target platforms are sold here — PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S and Steam (PC) — so local availability should not be an issue. A Singapore or regional price has not been confirmed; the stream tonight may include pre-order details. Watch our Game News section for a follow-up as soon as the date drops, and tune in tonight at 10:50 PM SGT if you want to be first to know.