Gaming

Bandai Namco announces Unknown 9: Awakening

Coming this fall

Published

June 10, 2024

Manila Connoisseur

Ever wondered what it feels like when you can shift from the real world to a different dimension? How about doing that while trying to save humanity? That’s the premise of the new third-person, narrative-driven action adventure from Reflector Entertainment. As announced by Bandai Namco, Unknown 9: Awakening will drop this fall on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Steam.

The game’s trailer has already been released, showing players more on Haroona, the story’s protagonist. Unknown 9: Awakening revolves around her and her ability to venture into the Fold, a mysterious dimension that overlaps our own. In the clip, she can be seen fending off enemies while showing her astral projection.

Saving humanity

Throughout the game, Haroona will master her unique connection to the Fold. Not only that, she is able to channel its powers into the normal world. However, that ability does not go unnoticed. Haroona quickly becomes the target of the Ascendants, a splinter faction of a secret organization known as the Leap Year Society, which wants to use the Fold to alter the course of human history.

The trailer also mentions Reika, who has been Haroona’s mentor ever since she was a child. Reika has trained the main character for years on the intricacies of the other dimension. She has also oriented Haroona regarding the “Unknown 9,” the game’s enigmatic immortal figures wanting to preside all over humanity’s knowledge.

Unfortunately, Reika dies at the hands of the radical antagonist Vincent Lichter. He believes that the Unknown 9 have kept humanity from realizing its true potential for far too long. As a leader of the Ascendants and a former student of Reika himself, Vincent has committed himself to freeing the world of their influence once and for all, so humankind can take control of its own destiny.

Haroona disagrees with this, and sets off on a journey to stop him. In the process, she will have to prevent humanity’s best-kept secrets from falling into the wrong hands.

Entertainment

Box office: Brand New Day set to surpass US$ 2 billion, drives Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 resurgence

Sony Pictures’ fourth Tom Holland feature film sets records

Published

August 13, 2026

GadgetMatch

The box office performance of Spider-Man: Brand New Day has been nothing short of spectacular.

Sony Pictures’ fourth feature film featuring Tom Holland as the titular protagonist broke the domestic opening day record.

This feat narrowly beat the previous record set by another Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film in Avengers Endgame.

That strong opening continued in the next few weeks as Brand New Day became became the fastest to reach the US$ 500 million mark, breaching the milestone in just seven days, per LA Times.

The movie is already the highest grossing film of 2026, beating Toy Story 5.

Which such massive success so far, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is on pace to beat Avengers: Infinity War for worldwide total gross.

With over US$ 1.7 billion grossed in just two weeks, the film is projected to surpass any point between the US$ 2.1 billion to US$ 2.3 billion mark.

It will become only the eighth ever film to surpass that mark once it reaches at least US$ 2 billion.

The others are: Avatar (2009), Endgame (2019), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), Ne Zha (2025), Titanic (1997), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), and Infinity War (2018).

However, Endgame still holds an advantage, thanks to its international launch in major markets. The epic conclusion to the MCU’s Infinity Saga grossed US$ 2.79 billion during its 2019 run. And you will have to adjust that value slightly due to inflation.

In the Philippines, a strong market, Brand New Day has just eclipsed the PhP 1 billion mark, which is roughly about US$ 17.2 billion.

For comparison, it will definitely surpass Infinity War at some point, while Endgame grossed PhP 1.8 billion total or about US$ 34.56 billion at the time.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 experiences resurgence

Moreover, the film’s success also triggered a transmedia halo effect with Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 also experiencing a resurgence in sales and player engagement.

Per IGN citing Alinea Analytics, since the film’s release, the game sold over 300,000 more copies across PlayStation 5 and Steam within a two-week span.

This is the equivalent to over US$ 11 million in revenue for Sony and Insomniac Games.

Plus, for the first time since the title’s launch in 2023, it experienced more than one million daily active users.

A combination of movie hype plus some timely discounts contributed to the game’s resurgence, also proving that the Spider-Man franchise has always been one of the biggest and most relevant IPs of all time.

Gaming

Ghost of Yotei gets a story expansion in October

The Complete Edition comes with the expansion and a roguelike mode.

Published

August 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Ghost of Yotei is a classic RPG experience set in the same universe as its predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima. In my opinion, Atsu’s journey of revenge feels a lot more fun than Jin’s battle to save his homeland. If you’re in the same boat, Ghost of Yotei is coming back on October 1 with brand-new content.

Without delving too much into spoiler territory, Ghost of Yotei has a conclusive ending. Rather than shoehorning a forced epilogue, Echoes of Sekigahara, the title of the upcoming story expansion, explores Atsu’s past.

As with Tsushima’s expansion, Echoes of Sekigahara features a new map with new enemies, weapons, and collectibles. It will be set in two different time periods.

Besides the story expansion, the upcoming update also has a new mode called Most Wanted, which Sucker Punch Production describes as their “spin on a roguelike.” The mode explores Atsu’s experience as a headhunter, feeding her with bounties and earnable perks.

The two new content expansions will come with in the upcoming Ghost of Yotei Complete Edition. The new edition, coming on October 1, will also come with the co-op Legends mode. It also has a few perks and customization options. The edition will sell for US$ 70.

If you already have the base edition, you can grab an upgrade for only US$ 15. If you don’t want to pay for the upgrade, the game is still getting a few minor tweaks.

Gaming

Marvel Wolverine Limited Edition PS5 bundle SEA pricing

Available in Battle Yellow and Adamantium Limited Editions

Published

August 12, 2026

GadgetMatch

The first look for the Marvel Wolverine Limited Edition PlayStation 5 Console bundle and accessories have just released.

The console inspired by the raw power of Wolverine and Insomniac’s Battle Reborn suit (Battle Yellow) and claws (Adamantium).

Along with its preview, here are the suggested retail price (SRP) details for markets in Southeast Asia:

PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – Marvel’s Wolverine Battle Yellow Limited Edition Bundle

SG$ 849
MYR 2,799
IDR 11,399,000
THB 20,990

DualSense Wireless Controller – Marvel’s Wolverine Battle Yellow Limited Edition and Adamantium Limited Edition

SG$ 115
MYR 419
IDR 1,549,000
THB 2,890
PhP 5,411
VND 2,399,000

PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro Console Covers – Battle Yellow Limited Edition and Adamantium Limited Edition

SG$ 101
MYR 369
IDR 1,359,000
THB 2,590
PhP 4,767 (Battle Yellow only)
VND 2,099,000 (Battle Yellow only)

The bundle and accessories will be available beginning September 15 in limited quantities. Pre-order will start from August 19 in local retailers, save for the PS5 and PS5 Pro console covers.

In Singapore, DualSense Wireless Controller – Marvel’s Wolverine Adamantium Limited Edition will be available exclusively through select retailer channels in limited quantity.

Marvel’s Wolverine releases on September 15 for PlayStation 5 consoles.