Gaming

ASUS brings the ROG Zephyrus S (GX701) with RTX graphics to the Philippines

The most compact 17-inch gaming laptop

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Shortly after the launch of AMD Ryzen-powered gaming laptops, the ASUS announced the Philippine arrival of the ROG Zephyrus S (GX701). The gaming laptop was first introduced at CES earlier this year and it brings 17-inch display goodness in the body of a typical 15-inch laptop.

The first generation Zephyrus with a 15-inch display is about the same size as this new 17-inch model, making it the most compact 17-inch gaming laptop available. Don’t let its size fool you, because it has the most powerful NVIDIA graphics available for laptops.

The new ROG Zephyrus S (GX701) sports a Full HD panel with 144Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA G-Sync support. It’s even Pantone Validated for color accuracy.

Inside is an Intel Core i7-8750H processor paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20-series graphics. Since it’s a gaming laptop, it’s not lacking in ports. It has two USB-C (one with Power Delivery and DisplayPort), three full-size USB 3.1, HDMI 2.0, and a headphone jack.

It has all the features we know and love about Zephyrus S laptops including individual RGB backlighting and the unique Active Aerodynamic System which now has anti-dust tunnels to keep the cooling system clean.

In the Philippines, the Zephyrus S (GX701) will come in three configurations. The cheapest one will have 16GB DDR4 memory, 512GB PCIe SSD, and RTX 2060 for PhP 139,995. The mid-tier RTX 2070-equipped variant is selling for PhP 169,995. If you really wish to have the top-dog variant with RTX 2080 Max-Q plus 24GB DDR4 memory and 1TB PCIe SSD, you’ll have to shell out PhP 209,995.

Considering that the similarly specced ROG Strix Scar II sells for less cash, the ROG Zephyrus S (GX701) is indeed quite pricey. Basically, you’re paying a premium for the slim design and a couple of extra features.

Pre-orders start March 1 until March 10 in ROG concept stores nationwide and Octagon in Glorietta. The laptop will be sold in select stores after the pre-order period.

SEE ALSO: ASUS launches new AMD Ryzen gaming laptops on a budget

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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