Gaming

Apple Arcade launches biggest expansion, adds 30 games

Including some App Store classics

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Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade just added 30 games to its already expansive library in hopes of getting more people to subscribe. The service is introducing two new game categories: Timeless Classics and App Store Greats. Arcade Originals are playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. Timeless Classics and App Store Greats are available on iPhone and iPad.

Timeless Classics includes universally loved, quintessential genres with titles like Good Sudoku by Zach Gage, Chess – Play & Learn, and Backgammon, while App Store Greats brings some of the best award-winning games from the App Store to Apple Arcade, including Threes!, Mini Metro, and Fruit Ninja Classic, all ad-free and fully unlocked.

New originals are also making their way to Apple Arcade like NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition, Star Trek: Legends, and Fantasian (from the creators of Final Fantasy VI).

Here’s some of the games you should look out for

NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition (2K Games)

NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition on Apple Arcade delivers stunning gameplay and the hit basketball simulation experience to the service. From 5-on-5 basketball featuring the latest NBA roster to over-the-top games on Blacktop, “NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition” is filled with a variety of exciting game modes as players step into the shoes of their favourite NBA stars. The game features performance optimisations and higher graphic quality to deliver an authentic NBA experience in all its visual glory on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac.

Simon’s Cat: Story Time (Tactile Games Limited)

The latest game based on the highly popular animated series gives Simon and his cat their biggest challenge yet. When the tranquility of suburban life is threatened by a huge building site, they mobilise the neighbours to help restore the mysterious “wasteland” before the diggers destroy it all. As the clock ticks down, players will solve challenging match-three puzzles to help the community rebuild the gardens under the critical eye of the curmudgeonly next-door neighbour, Mr. Potts, who has a secret ancestral connection to the wasteland, which he intends to keep buried forever.

Star Trek: Legends (Tilting Point LLC)

The fate of the universe is in the player’s hands as they step into the role of their favourite “Star Trek” heroes and villains in the hit franchise’s official team-based RPG. Players will embark on missions, experience epic turn-based combat, and make choices that influence the entire story as they take command of the U.S.S. Artemis. They’ll warp into the Nexus, where they’ll discover new worlds and recruit over 40 of their favourite characters from the entire franchise. Each legend has its own unique set of skills, abilities, and weapons, from Spock’s Vulcan nerve pinch to Worf’s deadly bat’leth.

Fantasian (Mistwalker Corp)

From the creator of Final Fantasy, comes the next breathtaking adventure from industry legend Hironobu Sakaguchi. Fantasian is an exciting, new RPG set against a spectacular backdrop made from over 150 handmade dioramas that blends physical environments and 3D characters.

Meanwhile, classic titles include the following: Checkers Royale, Chess – Play & Learn, Flipflop Solitaire, Good Sudoku by Zach Gage, SpellTower, and Mahjong Titan; and App Store Greats BADLAND, Blek, Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition, Reigns, and The Room Two.

Pricing and Availability

Apple Arcade is available for US$ 4.99/ SG$ 6.98/ PhP 249 per month with a one-month free trial. Customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple TV receive three months of Apple Arcade for free.

Apple Arcade is part of Apple One’s Individual (US$ 14.95/ SG$ 16.95 / PhP 375) and Family (US$ 19.95/ SG $22.95 / PhP 495), monthly plans, with a one-month free trial.

 

Gaming

Street Fighter 6’s first Filipina fighter arrives August 3

Yasmine arrives in August.

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Yasmine | Street Fighter 6

Capcom is celebrating the arrival of Yasmine, the first-ever Filipina character in the Street Fighter series, with an official community event in the Philippines this August.

The Official Street Fighter 6 ‘Yasmine’ Community Event takes place on August 9, 2026 at Salud! by Primera Bar & Restaurant in Palanan, Makati. Doors open at 2:00 PM, with tournament matches, community activities, giveaways, and free play sessions scheduled throughout the day.

Meet Yasmine, Street Fighter 6’s first Filipina fighter

Yasmine | Street Fighter 6

Yasmine joins Street Fighter 6 as the first playable character in the game’s Year 4 roster.

According to Capcom, she learned to fight alongside her older brother under the guidance of her grandfather. After her brother’s disappearance, she returns to combat using high-speed Eskrima techniques while wielding a Karambit knife.

She is joined in the Year 4 lineup by Arjun, Tifa from the Final Fantasy VII Remake series, and Bosch. Her release also coincides with balance updates for the entire Street Fighter 6 roster.

Yasmine becomes available on August 3, 2026 for players who own the Year 4 Character Pass or Year 4 Ultimate Pass.

Community tournament and exclusive merchandise

Yasmine | Street Fighter 6

The Makati event will feature a double-elimination tournament, beginning with Best-of-3 matches before switching to Best-of-5 during the Top 8 Finals.

The schedule includes:

  • 2:00 PM: Doors Open, Player Check-in, Controller Button Checks, and Free Play Warmups
  • 3:00 PM – 3:15 PM: Welcome Speech & Official Street Fighter 6 Yasmine Gameplay Showcase
  • 3:15 PM – 5:00 PM: Tournament Pools
  • 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM: Top 8 Finals (Main Stage Broadcast) & Prize Presentation Ceremony for Champion, 2nd and 3rd Placements.
  • 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM: Premium Community Giveaways, Group Photo Ops, and Closing Remarks
  • 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Free Play and Community Networking

Attendees can also receive exclusive event merchandise while supplies last, including a Yasmine-themed T-shirt, lanyard, keychains, and themed food and refreshments.

Capcom says admission is subject to venue capacity and will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Watch the event online

Yasmine | Street Fighter 6

Fans who cannot attend in person can watch the tournament live through the Capcom Asia Official YouTube Channeland the Enduins Games Official YouTube Channel.

Capcom also teased additional announcements, including appearances from cosplay personalities, fighting game veterans, and content creators, which will be revealed closer to the event.

Street Fighter 6 Yasmine community event details

  • Date: August 9, 2026
  • Time: 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM
  • Venue: Salud! by Primera Bar & Restaurant, Palanan, Makati City
  • Tournament: Double-elimination (FT2, Top 8 FT3)
  • Livestream: Capcom Asia Official YouTube Channel and Enduins Games Official YouTube Channel
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Gaming

Most of the world’s PlayStations will be officially useless by 2028

PlayStation’s disastrous no-disc policy is now a lot worse than you thought.

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PlayStation 5 DualSense

Last week, we lamented the loss of the PlayStation disc. As we described, the loss isn’t just a major blow to nostalgia for aging gamers, but it also puts a huge question mark on game ownership. Well, there’s another wrinkle that the world is slowly realizing. By deleting physical discs, PlayStation has effectively blockaded their entire service from countries without an official online store.

If you haven’t heard, PlayStation is ceasing the production of physical discs for new games starting 2028. The console will become an all-digital platform. Now, we can blather on and on about how this sucks for ownership, but all gamers will still have access to games online at the very least. Right?

Wrong.

Not every country has an official PlayStation Store or the ability to create a PSN account. In fact, a staggering amount don’t; 121 countries (or 62 percent of the entire world) don’t have official access to the online storefront.

If you live in any of these countries, you’re likely familiar with some unofficial solutions: that is, setting your country elsewhere where the store exists. But, because it’s an unofficial solution, doing this is technically against PlayStation’s policies and can result in bans.

That being said, as noted by users on Reddit, this means that, on a very technical and legal level, these 121 countries will no longer be able to buy physical or digital games starting 2028. Because of a clarified policy, you can still play older games, but if you want to play the latest Call of Duty or NBA 2K, you are out of luck.

There’s no official list of affected countries, other than those collated by others manually. But if you’ve never been able to set your own country on the PlayStation Network, you’re a part of it.

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Gaming

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced comes to life at Skypark Macau

Themed event lets fans experience the game in real life from July 17 to 26

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Assassin’s Creed fans are invited to celebrate the launch of Black Flag Resynced through a limited-time themed experience at the Skypark Macau Tower.

The experience will run from July 17 to 26, and will feature elements from the title brought into a real-world setting. There’s themed installations, photo opportunities, and exclusive event rewards.

Aside from that, there is a concept art gallery and replica props inspired by the action-adventure.

The experience opens to the public from 11:00 A.M. on Friday, and will remain available until the last Sunday of the month.

It will be more fulfilling to come on the first day, as there will be exclusive merchandise sold only on July 17.

Guests who purchase the game on-site, or present proof of purchase of the game at the event will be eligible to redeem an exclusive item, available only until supplies last.

Moreover, those who complete an eligible activity during the Assassin’s Creed event period at Skypark Macau will receive a paper scroll replica of  the “Letter for Duncan Walpole”, while supplies last.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is a faithful remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag. Rebuilt from the ground up and powered by the latest Anvil engine, the game features updated visuals, enriched gameplay, and new narrative content.

Set during the Golden Age of Piracy, the game invites players to sail the Caribbean as Edward Kenway. The rebellious pirate captain is drawn into the centuries-old conflict between Assassins and Templars.

As the protagonist pursues glory and fortune, he crosses paths with legendary figures such as Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, and Calico Jack. All this while the fate of everything the pirates have built hangs in the balance.

The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

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