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

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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July 13, 2026

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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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Echoes of Aincrad out now for consoles, PC

Deluxe, Ultimate Editions available

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July 11, 2026

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Bandai Namco’s new action RPG Echoes of Aincrad is now available on consoles and PC. The title is set in the breathtaking floating castle of Aincrad from the Sword Art Online universe.

Along with the Standard Edition, the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions are now available on PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

The Deluxe Edition includes the base game, plus an expansion pack and Death Game Mode early unlock.

Meanwhile, the Ultimate Edition comes with all inclusions from the Deluxe Edition. Plus, players will get the game’s “Unanswered//butterfly” Bonus Contents App that features a Special Anime, Digital Artbook, and Digital Soundtrack. They’ll also secure an Armor Pack.

Echoes of Aincrad starts with players being trapped inside a deadly medieval MMORPG. Here, dying in the game means dying in the real world.

Players will enter a vast living world to shape their fate, customizing avatars with unique skills, gear, and abilities to transform how they fight and survive.

In the process, they will be able to master a fluid combat system to adapt to choices, explore epic quests, and join forces with those who share the same peril.

A launch trailer has also been released to celebrate the availability of the game.

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Gaming

Microsoft dictates that a new Fallout game is coming

Microsoft cancelled an Avowed sequel to focus on Fallout.

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July 10, 2026

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Bethesda used to be a bastion for RPG experiences. Today, however, the company prefers living off its older properties such as Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76. For a while now, the question has been: When will Bethesda release a new game in either of their two biggest franchises? Well, according to a report, a new Fallout game might be coming soon.

As of late, Microsoft has been restructuring its studios. In fact, the company might shut down the studio behind the Dishonored series and the upcoming game based on Marvel’s Blade. Now, as part of that reshuffling (via Bloomberg), Obsidian Entertainment has been told to cancel a sequel to Avowed and focus on a new Fallout game.

It’s a huge change. Microsoft has notably stayed away from its more popular franchises for a while now. The latest Fallout game is still Fallout 76. The latest Elder Scrolls game has been in development for a long, long time now. Only DOOM, via last year’s The Dark Ages, got a new title recently.

To be clear, it’s unknown whether we’re getting the true Fallout 5 or another iteration of the online 76. If it’s really the fifth mainline entry in the franchise, it’s coming at a very opportune time. The franchise is currently on a high, riding the popularity of the TV series of the same name. Fans will surely enjoy a follow-up.

To fuel things further, Josh Sawyer, the director behind the universally lauded New Vegas, is reportedly spearheading the production of the new game.

SEE ALSO: Fallout on Prime Video: What inspired producers to create series

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