Tag Archives: Xbox

Game News

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Open Beta Dates Set for August 2026

Leave a comment

Activision has confirmed the open beta schedule for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 — and unlike previous years, Nintendo Switch 2 players get full access during the second weekend at no cost, with no pre-order required. Here’s what Singapore players need to know.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 operators
Image courtesy of Activision

Modern Warfare 4 Open Beta — Two Weekends in August

The beta runs across two consecutive weekends:

  • Weekend 1 — Early Access: 21–25 August 2026. Open only to players who have pre-ordered any edition of Modern Warfare 4 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, or PC (Battle.net / Steam). Nintendo Switch 2 is not included in Weekend 1.
  • Weekend 2 — Open Beta: 28 August–1 September 2026. Free for all players on all platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2. No pre-order required.

Singapore players on Switch 2 who want to try before they buy can jump in during Weekend 2 without spending a cent. Notably, Xbox Game Pass subscribers receive no early access advantage this year — Weekend 1 is pre-order only, full stop.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 Kill Block multiplayer mode
Image courtesy of Activision

What’s Playable in the Modern Warfare 4 Beta

Infinity Ward has confirmed the following content for the beta build:

  • Kill Block — the new flagship multiplayer mode, 10v10 in the Kill Block map. Players race to control a moving zone while holding it triggers elimination of the opposing team.
  • Search & Destroy — the classic round-based bomb mode, returning in full.
  • Training Mobility Course — an optional solo warmup for new players to learn movement mechanics.
  • Skirmishes from 3v3 up to large-scale tactical battles featuring vehicles including tanks.
  • Up to 19 unlockable weapons with customisable loadouts assisted by the new Gunny system.

The beta also introduces Ballistic Authority, a new gunplay philosophy Infinity Ward describes as “no bloom, no guesswork, no doubt” — prioritising precision over random weapon spread.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 | Reveal Trailer — via Call of Duty on YouTube

CoD: NEXT Reveal Event — 21 August

Alongside the start of Weekend 1, Activision is running Call of Duty: NEXT on 21 August — a livestream covering an in-depth breakdown of Modern Warfare 4’s full multiplayer offering, developer insights from Infinity Ward, and new reveals. Think of it as a Day One showcase for anyone still deciding whether to pre-order.

Nintendo Switch 2 Beta — How It Works

Switch 2 players get Weekend 2 access (28 August–1 September) for free. One catch worth noting: pre-orders for the Switch 2 version of Modern Warfare 4 don’t open until 26 August — which is after Weekend 2 begins. That means Switch 2 players have a two-day head start on playing the beta before they can even pre-order, which is either convenient or a little backwards depending on how you look at it. Switch 2 development is handled by Digital Legends in partnership with Infinity Ward.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 gameplay
Image courtesy of Activision

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 — Full Game October 23

Modern Warfare 4 is developed by Infinity Ward, with support from Beenox, Treyarch, and Sledgehammer Games. The setting is the Korean Peninsula: North Korea launches a full-scale invasion threatening global stability, and Captain Price goes rogue to dismantle the system that built him. The campaign drops players into environments ranging from collapsing Korean trenches to city-wide assaults in occupied territory, with Private Park — a young South Korean soldier in his first live combat — as a new playable lead alongside Price, Ghost, and the rest of the Task Force 141 roster.

Multiplayer ships with 12 all-new 6v6 maps on day one, plus large-scale vehicle maps. The extraction-shooter mode DMZ returns, set in a sprawling exclusion zone called Hajin with narrative-driven Story Missions and persistent progression.

Launch platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Battle.net and Steam). Vault Edition holders get early access from 16 October; full launch is 23 October 2026.

If you’re still riding out Black Ops 7’s Season 5 launch on 23 July, the beta weekends give you a natural bridging point before the next annual instalment drops in October. Keep an eye on the Game News section for coverage as CoD: NEXT reveals more.

Game News

Halo: Campaign Evolved Goes Gold — SG Early Access Starts This Thursday

Leave a comment

Halo Studios has officially confirmed that Halo: Campaign Evolved has gone gold — development on the 1.0 version is complete, and the game is on track for its July 28 global release. For Singapore players, that means the wait is almost over: early access kicks off this Thursday, 24 July, for Premium and Collector’s Edition owners, with the full launch following on Tuesday, 29 July.

As we covered earlier this month, this marks the first time a mainline Halo campaign has ever come to PlayStation — so PS5 owners in Singapore are finally getting their shot at the Chief.

Master Chief faces off against a Covenant Elite in Halo: Campaign Evolved
Image courtesy of Halo Studios / Xbox

When Can Singapore Players Start?

The global release date of July 28 at 8 AM PDT works out differently for the Asia-Pacific region. Halo Studios confirmed in the official launch FAQ that Singapore and other Asia-Pacific markets are on the same schedule as Japan:

  • Premium & Collector’s Edition early access: Thursday, 24 July 2026 (SGT)
  • Standard Edition global launch: Tuesday, 29 July 2026 (SGT)

If you were planning to buy a physical copy at local game retailers and electronics shops, the disc should be on shelves for the 29 July date — physical availability in retail was confirmed as part of the July Community Q&A.

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

What the July Community Q&A Revealed

Alongside the gold announcement, Halo Studios published a detailed community Q&A on Halo Waypoint answering fan questions ahead of launch. A few highlights that were not part of earlier coverage:

  • Machinima Mode is included — it supports freecam, lowered weapons, and controlling a Spartan without needing skull unlocks, so content creators and long-time fans of the original’s machinima scene will have tools to work with from day one.
  • Weapon dropping works differently here: you can drop a weapon for a teammate without automatically swapping to whatever is on the ground, which sounds small but makes co-op much cleaner.
  • Friendly fire can be toggled on or off by the fireteam leader — handy for co-op sessions where you’d rather not grief your squadmates.
  • AI behaviours have been improved since the earlier preview build that media played ahead of launch.
  • LASO mode uses a curated assortment of skulls rather than all 42, making it — per the team — “technically more like LAASO.”
A Warthog with turret blazes through an icy Forerunner cave in Halo: Campaign Evolved
Image courtesy of Halo Studios / Xbox

Operation: METEORITE — The Three New Story Missions

Every edition of the game includes Operation: METEORITE, a brand-new three-mission arc set a year before the events of the original Halo. The prequel follows Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson on a clandestine UNSC operation aboard a Covenant research vessel — it is effectively new canon, filling in story that Halo: Combat Evolved only implied.

Cortana rendered in stunning detail in Halo: Campaign Evolved
Image courtesy of Halo Studios / Xbox

Editions, Pricing and Game Pass

The game launches at USD 49.99 for the Standard Edition. The Premium Edition (USD 59.99–69.99) adds five days of early access — so Thursday 24 July in Singapore — along with a digital art book, weapon skins, armour cosmetics, and a digital manual. The Collector’s Edition at USD 199.99 is available via Halo Waypoint and mirrors the Premium digital bonuses with physical extras.

If you are on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass, the Standard Edition is included in your subscription at launch — no extra charge. That is genuinely one of the better deals in gaming right now if you have not picked up Game Pass yet.

Pre-ordering the digital version before 7:59 AM PDT on 28 July also nets you the Foundry Armory Pack — legendary-style cosmetics for the Master Chief’s Mark V Mjolnir armour — which is also bundled with physical copies.

Sgt. Johnson leads a UNSC squad in Halo: Campaign Evolved's Operation Meteorite prequel missions
Image courtesy of Halo Studios / Xbox

Steam Deck Verified, Handheld Optimized on Windows

One more piece of good news for portable players: the July Q&A confirmed Halo: Campaign Evolved has earned Steam Deck Verified status (the highest Steam Deck rating) and is rated Handheld Optimized on Windows handhelds. Given how popular handhelds are becoming in Singapore’s gaming scene, that is worth flagging — the Chief plays just as well lying on your sofa as he does at a desk.

The interior of Installation 04 stretches out against a breathtaking planetary vista in Halo: Campaign Evolved
Image courtesy of Halo Studios / Xbox

Nine days to go — or four if you have the Premium Edition. You can follow all our gaming news coverage here on GameTrader.SG.

Game Industry News, Game News

Fallout 3 and New Vegas Remasters Confirmed — Bethesda Also Puts Fallout 5 in Pre-Production

Leave a comment

Bethesda Game Studios has been busy. In a sweeping studio update published today (17 July 2026), the developer confirmed it is actively developing remasters of both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas — two of the most beloved entries in the franchise — and officially acknowledged that Fallout 5 is now in pre-production. For fans in Singapore who got pulled into the Wasteland through Amazon’s hit TV series, or who grew up with the originals back in the day, there is a lot to unpack.

Bethesda Fallout roadmap announcement July 2026
Image courtesy of Bethesda Game Studios

What Bethesda Officially Confirmed Today

The studio’s update touched on every major franchise in its portfolio, but the Fallout segment drew the most attention. Bethesda confirmed three active Fallout projects beyond the live-service Fallout 76:

  • Fallout 3 Remaster — in active development at Bethesda Game Studios
  • Fallout: New Vegas Remaster — in development, with Obsidian Entertainment (the studio that made the original) involved
  • Fallout 5 — officially in pre-production, described by Bethesda as the franchise’s “long-range destination”

Bethesda was candid about what it is not yet ready to share: “While we’re not announcing any dates today, we have been working on remasters for both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas.” No platforms, no release windows. Industry reporter Jason Schreier has suggested Fallout 3’s remaster is targeting a 2027 window, but that remains unconfirmed by Bethesda itself.

Fallout 3 and New Vegas Remasters — What We Know So Far

Fallout 3 cover art — remaster in development
Image courtesy of Bethesda Game Studios

Fallout 3 (2008) set the open-world blueprint for the modern Fallout era, dropping players into a post-nuclear Washington D.C. with a memorable story and a atmosphere that still holds up. Fallout: New Vegas (2010), developed by Obsidian, is widely regarded as the writing high point of the series — its faction-driven narrative and dense worldbuilding have a devoted following across Southeast Asia. Both games have been unavailable on current-generation hardware through official storefronts, making these remasters genuinely welcome news for anyone who missed the originals or wants to revisit them on a modern TV.

Fallout New Vegas key art — remaster confirmed
Image courtesy of Bethesda Game Studios

The involvement of Obsidian in the New Vegas remaster is particularly significant. Rather than Bethesda overhauling a game it did not originally build, the original creative team is back — raising hopes that the remaster will be sympathetic to what made New Vegas special rather than rebuilding it in a new engine from scratch.

Fallout 5 and the Creation Engine 3 Future

Fallout New Vegas NCR Ranger — franchise entering a new era
Image courtesy of Bethesda Game Studios

Fallout 5 is early pre-production, which in practice means it is not Bethesda’s day-to-day focus right now — The Elder Scrolls VI holds that position. “Fallout 5 remains our long-range destination,” the studio stated. Both TESVI and Fallout 5 are being built on Creation Engine 3, Bethesda’s next-generation internal toolset, which the studio says is designed to let multiple teams develop multiple games simultaneously. That explains how the developer can be working on four Fallout projects at various stages without TESVI slipping further.

Obsidian’s New Game, the TV Show Surge, and the Bigger Picture

Today’s announcement builds on what we covered last week: Obsidian is developing a separate, all-new Fallout title — distinct from the New Vegas remaster — which Bethesda also reaffirmed in today’s update. That means the franchise now has potentially four projects in development simultaneously, a level of investment unseen since the early 2010s.

The timing is notable. This studio-wide roadmap arrived less than two weeks after Xbox announced workforce reductions affecting over 400 Bethesda and ZeniMax employees. The update reads, in part, as a reassurance that the franchise pipeline remains intact. Bethesda also confirmed Fallout 4 has crossed 35 million copies sold; Fallout 76 will receive a major new expansion called Raven Rock in 2027, a prequel story set in the same D.C. Capital Wasteland as Fallout 3; and that Season 3 of the Amazon TV series is in production following Season 2’s ten Emmy nominations.

For Singapore gamers who discovered Fallout through the TV series — which was one of Prime Video’s biggest global launches — the remasters offer a natural next step into the source material. Fallout 3 in particular holds up as one of the best single-player RPGs of its generation, and a remaster on PS5 or current-gen hardware would make that leap far more accessible. Stay with Game News as platform confirmations and release windows emerge.

Game News

The Blood of Dawnwalker Launches 3 September — Ex-Witcher 3 Director’s Dark RPG

Leave a comment

The Blood of Dawnwalker — the debut dark fantasy RPG from Rebel Wolves, a studio co-founded by Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — lands on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on 3 September 2026. Published by Bandai Namco Entertainment and built on Unreal Engine 5, it has been quietly shaping up as one of the most intriguing action RPGs of the year, and Singapore players should have global-launch access from day one.

What Is The Blood of Dawnwalker?

The Blood of Dawnwalker — Official Gameplay Trailer, via IGN on YouTube

You play as Coen, a young man cursed after being bitten by the vampire lord Brencis, who rules the mountain valley of Vale Sangora in an alternative 14th-century Carpathian Mountains during the Black Death. Brencis has Coen’s family captive. The goal: free them before 30 in-game days run out.

That countdown is not just a story device — every skill you learn, every ruin you explore, every side quest you take burns from the clock. Rebel Wolves calls the structure a narrative sandbox: you can tackle Vale Sangora’s regions in any order, make branching dialogue choices that change what NPCs share with you, and still reach a self-contained ending every playthrough.

Human by Day, Predator by Night

Coen faces a monstrous undead enemy in directional sword combat during daylight
Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves / Bandai Namco Entertainment

The day/night cycle is central to how The Blood of Dawnwalker plays. By day Coen fights as a mortal: a directional sword combat system rewards matching your inputs to the attack angle to conserve stamina, while ignoring the system drains you fast. It is methodical, punishing, and grounded.

At night the vampire half takes over. Coen gains Shadowstep — a teleport-dash that repositions him instantly — plus wall-crawling for verticality, and blood-drain attacks that simultaneously hurt enemies and restore his health. The shift in speed and aggression between the two modes gives the gameplay a rhythm that sets it apart from typical action RPGs.

Brencis, the Villain — and a Self-Contained Story

Vampire lord Brencis — the ancient, pale antagonist of The Blood of Dawnwalker
Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves / Bandai Namco Entertainment

Brencis is the ancient vampire lord who rules Vale Sangora and controls Coen’s family — the pressure behind every decision you make. He is not a background threat; the 30-day timer exists because of him, and his defeat (or survival) shapes the ending.

Rebel Wolves has been clear that this is a complete, standalone story. Game Director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz confirmed in the official Bandai Namco announcement: “Each installment in the series will be a standalone game with its own story, without narrative cliffhangers, unresolved plot threads, or time travel ideas.” A separate CGI teaser hints that future Dawnwalker Saga entries will jump to different centuries and settings, but the first game wraps its own arc fully.

Editions and Pre-Order Details

The Blood of Dawnwalker Collector's Edition contents — PureArts Coen figurine, steelbook, world map and world compendium
Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves / Bandai Namco Entertainment

Four editions are available:

  • Standard — base game on all three platforms
  • Eclipse Edition — adds a digital World Compendium, game soundtrack, and comic book
  • Day One Edition — physical only; includes the game, a steelbook, and a 13”×16” world map
  • Collector’s Edition — all Day One Edition contents plus a 9-inch Coen figurine by PureArts and a 60-page hardcover World Compendium

Pre-ordering any edition unlocks the Sangoran Wayfarer’s Armor Set as an early-unlock — it can also be obtained in-game later.

What Singapore PS5 and PC Players Should Know

Coen and a female companion share a narrative moment by firelight in The Blood of Dawnwalker
Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves / Bandai Namco Entertainment

The Blood of Dawnwalker is a global release from Bandai Namco, so Singapore PS5 and PC gamers should be able to grab it at launch on 3 September. Bandai Namco titles typically land at major game retailers and electronics chains here at or near the global date. An SGD retail price has not been confirmed at the time of writing — check the official Dawnwalker site and local storefronts as launch approaches.

For RPG fans who loved the narrative depth of The Witcher 3 or the demanding combat of Elden Ring, this is a September to watch. It lands a week before Tokyo Game Show 2026, making it one of the last big releases before the convention season kicks off. Keep an eye on our Game News section for pricing updates as they come in.

Game News

Palworld 1.0 Is Out Now — Sky Islands, Wing Pack Flight and PvP Mode Go Live

Leave a comment

After more than two years in Early Access, Palworld by Pocketpair has officially launched as Version 1.0 — and it is live right now on Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass, and Mac. This is the game’s biggest single update, adding new regions, a flight mechanic, expanded combat systems, and a full PvP mode.

Palworld 1.0 — open-world base building and Pal combat
Image courtesy of Pocketpair

World Tree and Sky Islands — Palworld’s New Endgame

The showpiece of Palworld 1.0 is the World Tree endgame zone, a massive new area that brings the main story to a close and serves as the gateway to the floating Sky Islands high above Palpagos. The Sky Islands introduce fresh biomes, new Pals to discover, and a level of vertical exploration that the base game never offered. Getting around up there requires the new Wing Pack — a dedicated gear slot that lets your character glide and fly freely, without taking up a Pal team slot. Some weapons reportedly support aerial combat while using it.

Palworld Sky Islands — floating biomes above Palpagos
Image courtesy of Pocketpair

Weapon-Transforming Pals, PvP, and a Breeding Overhaul

New Pals in 1.0 include a reported “sword-eel-type Pal” that physically transforms into a wieldable blade mid-combat — the kind of creative creature design that made Palworld go viral in the first place. Alongside new Pals, Pocketpair has added a dedicated PvP mode where players can battle each other using weapons, mounts, and Pals. Advanced breeders get Genetic Recombination, a new system for fine-tuning Pal traits and performing legendary Pal fusions.

Palworld 1.0 combat with new Pals and weapons
Image courtesy of Pocketpair
Palworld 1.0 Official Launch Trailer — via Pocketpair Palworld on YouTube

No Price Hike — What It Costs on Steam, PS5, and Game Pass

Pocketpair had originally floated the idea of increasing the price at 1.0, but confirmed ahead of launch that the game would keep its existing price as a thank-you to the Early Access community. On Steam, Palworld is currently S$18.20 (30% off its regular S$26.00 — check Steam for the current price as sales windows can shift). The game is also included with Xbox Game Pass at no extra cost. PS5 and Xbox buyers can find it on the PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store respectively at their regional pricing.

Existing Early Access owners on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation receive the 1.0 update for free. Your saves carry over, though Pocketpair recommends starting fresh to experience the reworked systems fully.

Palworld 1.0 — base building and crafting systems
Image courtesy of Pocketpair

Palworld launched in January 2024 and became one of the fastest-selling games in Steam history, breaking two million concurrent players in its first week. Whether 1.0 pulls back lapsed players or wins over a fresh audience on PS5 and Mac, it is a notable moment for a game that went from viral phenomenon to a genuine full release — all without the Nintendo lawsuit ending things early. Keep up with the latest at our Game News section.

Game News

Wuthering Waves 3.5 Hits Xbox Today — Mengzhou and Xuanling

Leave a comment

Wuthering Waves Version 3.5, Blade of Past Resounds, Lingering Dream Hymns, is live today (10 July, servers opened at 11 AM SGT) — and it lands with the game’s biggest platform expansion yet: a full debut on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass, simultaneous with the version update. Singapore Xbox players can download and start today, free-to-play, while existing PC and mobile Rovers keep all their progress thanks to full cross-save.

Wuthering Waves open world city at night
Image courtesy of Kuro Games
Wuthering Waves Xuanfang Trailer | Eisodus — via Wuthering Waves on YouTube

Wuthering Waves 3.5 Xbox Launch Details for Singapore Players

The Xbox release arrives day-and-date with Version 3.5, covering Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass. Performance targets 60 FPS on Series X and 30 FPS on Series S. Crucially, the game is free-to-play on Xbox — no Game Pass subscription is needed to download and start, though Game Pass subscribers receive an exclusive in-game cosmetic Sigil on top of the base game.

Cross-progression is fully supported. Any account you have been building on PC, mobile, or PS5 — your characters, Echoes, Union Level, and story progress — carries straight over to Xbox without any migration step needed. For Singapore gamers who picked up WuWa on mobile and have been curious about a big-screen experience, now is the time.

Wuthering Waves 3.5 combat screenshot
Image courtesy of Kuro Games

New SP Character: Yangyang: Xuanling — What Singapore Pullers Need to Know

Version 3.5’s headline banner is Yangyang: Xuanling, the game’s first-ever SP (Special) character — an alternate, more powerful form of the long-standing four-star Yangyang. She is a five-star Havoc element Sword user and a heavy-attack main DPS, with her kit built around the Havoc Bane status as a core mechanic. Her signature weapon is the Azure Oath sword.

Phase 2 brings Suisui, Yangyang’s younger sister, as a five-star Glacio Rectifier — the game’s latest HP-scaling healer and team buffer. Suisui’s story role is central to Chapter IV’s narrative, so even players who skip her banner will encounter her throughout the update. The Phase 1 rerun banner features six existing five-stars for players who missed them.

All Rovers also receive a free new element form: Rover: Electro is unlocked through the main story and does not require any spending.

Wuthering Waves Version 3.5 character ability burst
Image courtesy of Kuro Games

Mengzhou: Land of Xuanfang — The New Region

The other centrepiece of 3.5 is Mengzhou: Land of Xuanfang, the second region of Huanglong and the largest new area added since Rinascita. Described by Kuro Games as a “city of mechanisms” blending classical Chinese architecture with hidden machinery, Mengzhou spans four distinct areas: Xuanfang Hold, Xuan Peaks, Fang Peaks, and Yuan Hills. Expect the full WuWa open-world package — Autopuppet machines you can pilot, new world quests, a Mingshen system, returning Expedition Motorbike traversal, and a story arc that runs across versions 3.5 through 3.7.

Wuthering Waves 3.5 Rover in combat
Image courtesy of Kuro Games

Events, Free Codes and Quality-of-Life Updates

Version 3.5 brings four concurrent events: Virtual Crisis (the patch’s headline limited-time event), Tacet Crisis (a Vampire Survivors-style survival minigame), Denia Hologram (a new boss-style challenge live from today), and Endstate Matrix (the latest endgame cycle). A standout QoL addition lets players assign a different voice-over language per character — helpful if you prefer specific dubs for specific Resonators rather than a single global setting, as Kuro Games confirmed in the 3.5 patch notes.

Free redemption code WUTHERINGGIFT gives 50 Astrite and bonus materials and is permanently available — redeem it in-game under Settings → Redemption Code if you have not already. Additional launch-day codes are expected to drop via the official Wuthering Waves YouTube channel and social accounts throughout the day.

Wuthering Waves is free-to-play on PC (official launcher), iOS, Android, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S as of today. For more gaming news and free-to-play coverage, check our latest posts.

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 Industry News

Obsidian Is Making a New Fallout Game — And Avowed 2 Is Dead

Leave a comment

Obsidian Entertainment — the studio that gave us Fallout: New Vegas, one of the most beloved RPGs ever made — is reportedly returning to the Fallout universe. According to reporting by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, a new game in Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic franchise is now in development at Obsidian, with studio design director Josh Sawyer leading the project. The bad news for fans of the studio’s last title: the Avowed sequel is dead.

Avowed — Official Launch Trailer – via XBOX on YouTube

Josh Sawyer Is Leading a New Fallout Title at Obsidian

The new project is in early development and led by Sawyer, who was previously directing a separate role-playing game described by Bloomberg’s sources as structurally and thematically similar to Fallout — but outside the franchise entirely. That original game has now been shelved in favour of an actual Fallout title. No platforms, release window, or title has been publicly confirmed. Obsidian and Xbox have not issued an official statement.

For Singapore’s PC and Xbox gaming community, this is the kind of news worth sitting with. Sawyer directed Fallout: New Vegas — the only Fallout game not made by Bethesda itself, and still widely considered the high-water mark for the series’ storytelling, moral depth, and faction-driven design. Many Singapore and Southeast Asian RPG fans grew up with New Vegas as a formative game. The prospect of Sawyer returning to Fallout, with a full mandate from Microsoft and the full weight of Obsidian behind him, is the most exciting RPG development announcement in years — even if the game is years away.

Avowed 2 Was Killed Before It Could Be Announced

Avowed gameplay — combat with enemies on a coastal beach
Image courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment

The Avowed sequel was well into development and on track to be publicly announced within the coming year, according to sources who spoke to Bloomberg. The cancellation did not come from technical or creative failure — by all accounts it was going well. It came from a strategic decision by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who is reorienting Microsoft’s gaming investments around fewer, higher-profile bets following the company’s wider restructuring announced earlier this month.

An Avowed sequel — solid and well-received, but not a blockbuster seller — apparently did not clear that bar. Bloomberg reports that some Obsidian employees who worked on the sequel will remain attached to it in a holding capacity while the Fallout project ramps up, in the hope of one day reviving it. Whether that happens depends entirely on how Microsoft’s broader gaming recovery shapes up over the next few years.

52 Obsidian Staff Let Go in Latest Xbox Cuts

Obsidian Entertainment logo
Image courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment

A WARN notice filed in California — received and reported by Jason Schreier’s Game File newsletter — confirms 52 employees were let go from Obsidian’s Irvine studio, roughly a quarter of its total headcount. These cuts are the most concentrated to hit any single Xbox studio in the current round of layoffs and represent a meaningful loss of institutional knowledge and development capacity, even as the studio pivots to an ambitious new direction.

What’s Still in the Pipeline at Obsidian

Avowed first-person gameplay — discovering trap wires in a forest
Image courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment

Obsidian is not shutting down or retreating. The studio will continue producing DLC for The Outer Worlds 2 and is actively developing Grounded 2, the sequel to its popular co-op survival game. The new Fallout project is the centrepiece, but Obsidian remains a multi-project studio — a leaner one now, but still operating across multiple titles.

For Singapore players who played Avowed via Xbox Game Pass or picked it up on Steam, nothing about the original game changes. The sequel cancellation does not affect the base game or any existing content. As for the new Fallout title: there is no SEA release window yet, and given the project appears to be in early stages, realistically we are looking at several years. But if Obsidian’s track record in this franchise is anything to go by, it will be worth the wait. Watch this one. Check back at Game Industry News for any further updates.

Game News

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

Leave a comment

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.