Gaming

New avenues open for aspiring esports athletes

Brands are going all in!

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Competitive gaming has been around for quite a while now and in the Philippines, aspiring to be a professional gamer might not be too far fetched of a dream anymore.

The Nationals

Inspired by the PBA or Philippine Basketball Association, brands have come to together to form The Nationals — the first franchise-based esports league in Southeast Asia. The inaugural season will feature five teams and three games.

Here are the five teams:

  1. Bren Epro
  2. HF Emperors
  3. Cignal Ultra Warriors
  4. PLDT-Smart Omega
  5. Suha-XCTN Punisher

These five teams will compete in three games on three major platforms: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang on mobile, Dota 2 on PC, and Tekken 7 on PS4. A sixth team — STI — will join the league on June 2018 after the Dota 2 competitions.

Sizzle reel of fans hyped for The Nationals

Each game will have two conferences. The two conferences will comprise a double round-robin group stage and single-elimination playoffs. Winners of the two conference will then face off later on for the season finale.

The Nationals will be run like any other professional sports league. Commissioner Ren Vitug is hopeful the league will provide a platform where talent can be nurtured.

A tested league model in the Philippines

The franchise-based approach might be alien to international observers whose participants comprise of either clubs or city-based teams. However, it’s a tried and tested formula in the Philippines.

The PBA, which was founded in 1975 and is the longest-running professional basketball league in Asia, is also franchise-based and has been the model for other sports leagues in the country.

While that league is experiencing some issues in gate attendance, it is still running thanks in large part to the financial backing of its member franchises. It stands to reason that this league model might prove to be successful in the Philippines.

The Esports Center

Elsewhere, major Philippine telecommunications company Globe has launched The Esports Center or ESC. It’s a pop-up that will run from March 9 to 24 at Play Nation in UP Town Center, Quezon City. Globe says the ESC hopes to provide a venue where the entire esports community can come together.

The ESC also welcomes those who are into gaming and want to break into the esports industry but are not exactly sure where to start. Globe SVP and Head for Content Business Nikko Acosta says the ESC hopes to serve as the “venue to upgrade [the gamers’] knowledge and gauge their skill levels with others through peer learning.”

Present during the launch was Team Liyab — Globe’s own esports team which was built in partnership with professional gaming organization Mineski.

Team Liyab poses with shoutcaster Rikucasts

Other than mobile and PC arenas, the ESC will also have a place called The Studio. Here, those who are more interested in becoming streamers instead of esports athletes will have a place and the tools to learn more about the craft.

Brand support key in esports growth

Esports has seen a major rise in recent years and brands in the Philippines are going all in. The proclamation of overall support which include not only the athletes’ training and finances but also their emotional, mental, and physical well-being all sound very promising.

All of these are still in the infancy stages, but the prospect for growth and the continued support by brands and fans alike could push the industry to heights once reserved only for traditional athletes. If this continues, it might not be long before we’re having debates about who the G.O.A.T. esports athlete is.

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Gaming

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are coming to the Switch

Both games will be available starting February 27.

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February 20, 2026

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Millennials, prepare to have your nostalgia get hit right in the feels. Nintendo has officially announced that Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are coming to the Switch.

This year, the Pokémon franchise is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Naturally, with Pokémon Day coming up, it’s only right to celebrate the event with something huge. Finally, two of the most prolific titles in the series are coming to a modern console.

Originally released in 2004, Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen were remakes of the original Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue. At the time, the two titles reimagined the older games for the Game Boy Advance. Additionally, they introduced new post-game content set in the Sevii Islands, where Ho-Oh, Lugia, and Deoxys reside in the Kanto region.

Based on the short teaser trailer, the upcoming Switch versions will feature all of both games’ content. It will likely be remastered for the Switch’s larger screen.

To showcase more of the Switch version, Nintendo is hosting a Pokémon Presents on February 27. The brand has not mentioned anything about a potential physical version yet. However, they do promise that both games will be available on the Nintendo eShop as soon as next week’s Pokémon Presents concludes. Each game will cost US$ 19.99.

SEE ALSO: A Pokémon leak reveals an MMO-style remake of Hoenn, Sinnoh

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Gaming

LG unveils UltraGear evo, redefines 5K gaming with AI Upscaling

Next-gen gaming displays

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February 18, 2026

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LG Electronics has introduced the UltraGear evo, a new premium gaming monitor brand. It was first debuted at CES 2026.

The UltraGear evo line includes 5K-and-above resolution gaming displays in OLED, MiniLED, and ultra-wide formats. They are designed to deliver high definition, speed, and immersive gameplay.

To make things work, LG developed the world’s first 5K AI Upscaling technology. This on-device AI solution enhances content in real time without requiring GPU upgrades.

The three primary offerings are the 39GX950B, 27GM950B, and 52G930B. Here’s a quick breakdown for each:

39GX950B

  • 39-inch 5K2K OLED gaming monitor
  • AI Scene Optimization
  • AI Sound
  • Dual Mode
  • Allows users to switch between high-res 165Hz and ultra-fast 330Hz

27GM950B

  • World’s first 5K New MiniLED gaming monitor
  • Significantly reduces blooming using 2,304 local dimming zones
  • Zero Optical Distance technology
  • Supports 5K AI Upscaling, Dual Mode up to 330Hz

52G930B

  • Massive 52-inch display
  • 240Hz refresh rate
  • Panoramic 12:9 viewing experience
  • 1000R curvature

LG positions the new UltraGear evo lineup as a major leap forward in gaming displays. They eliminate trade-offs between brightness, contrast, speed, and screen size.

The lineup will again be showcased at CES 2026, including a “Dream Setup” installation and racing simulation using the 39-inch model.

An additional UltraGear GX7 (27GX790B) will be launched globally. It is a 27-inch QHD Tandem OLED gaming monitor with 540Hz refresh rate and Dual Mode support.

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Gaming

PlayStation 6 reportedly delayed to 2029 because of RAM shortage

The Switch 2 might also get a price hike this year.

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February 18, 2026

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PlayStation 5

The current console generation is arguably a tepid one, especially compared to preceding generations. Though the PlayStation 5 certainly has its certified hits, it’s difficult to classify the home console as a quintessential piece of hardware that everyone must own. All eyes are now on what comes next, the PlayStation 6. However, because of an ongoing RAM shortage, those curious eyes might have to wait a little bit longer.

As you probably know, an ongoing RAM shortage is currently terrorizing the entire tech world. Upcoming devices are getting delayed, and currently available ones are expecting a price increase sometime this year. The unannounced PlayStation 6 is reportedly part of the first group.

According to Bloomberg, the shortage has pushed the projected release of the next console to 2028 or 2029. The delay is apparently disruptive to Sony’s plans.

There aren’t a lot of rumors swirling around the PlayStation 6 yet. However, the absence of news, coupled with anticipated titles like the remake of the God of War trilogy far off into the future, hints that PlayStation is waiting for the right time.

On the other hand, the same report claims that the Nintendo Switch 2 is part of the second group of RAM shortage victims. That is, Nintendo is reportedly considering a price hike for the currently available console this year.

To be clear, neither Nintendo nor Sony have confirmed anything happening to their respective consoles, current or otherwise. However, the shortage is a very real thing. Even if its effects aren’t readily felt now, it’s still expected to spread throughout the industry in the medium term.

SEE ALSO: PlayStation might soon let you buy PC games

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