Gaming

Final Fantasy VIII Remastered has a release date!

So soon yet, not soon enough!

Published

August 20, 2019

Leez

After our heartstrings were played with by the Final Fantasy VIII Remastered teaser, fans have swarmed with tons of memes predicting and wondering how specific scenes would appear with stunning new visuals. Well, our memes and dreams are about to either come true or get shut down because Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is getting released on September 3, 2019!

Final Fantasy VIII and why fans love it

Final Fantasy VIII was a game that plotted itself in a fantasy world while digging into an emotional story-line of war and love. The game focuses on a group of young mercenaries led by Squall Leonhart. They’re adventure begins with a striking conflict: Ultimecia. Ultimecia is a sorceress from the future who possesses Edea and wants to compress time. In this quest, Squall encounters friends who inevitably join his quest to keep the world in its balance.

Final Fantasy VIII was the first of its series to reinvent the active time battle wheel without ignoring its roots. The game allowed more customization which ultimately allowed players to work around weaponry, armor, and summons that drastically affected characters’ combat style. These seemingly small tweaks in gameplay gave players breathing room to pick how they wanted to play the game making it all the more immersive.

While its predecessor, Final Fantasy VII, had 3-dimensional models, it didn’t significantly refine designs as much as Final Fantasy VIII. Every element in the game expressed more detail with as much accessible technology as Square could get their hands on. From the planet that showed a level of meticulous detail we hadn’t seen in the series before, to the hilarious “you’re the best looking guy here” memes, Final Fantasy VIII was weirdly ahead with visuals at the time.

**What’s new with Final Fantasy VIII Remastered?**

First, and obviously, enhanced visuals. The announcement trailer that was revealed in E3 this year made it loud and clear that each element of the game — characters, enemies, objects, and summons — were all refined and enhanced.

Second, battle assists. Final Fantasy VIII Remastered allows you to activate a booster to max out health points (HP) and active time battle (ATB) bars that trigger limit breaks at any point players need. Regardless, you will lose HP when you get hit with a critical attack that renders more damage than your HP, or by lethal damage.

Third, turning off encounters. Final Fantasy VIII Remastered has setting you can use to allow you to turn off random encounters. This is incredibly useful when you’re out of potions, phoenix downs, and need to run to the nearest shop. This doesn’t apply for event battles that need to be done to further the game’s plot.

Fourth, battle speed boosts. The game lets you accelerate time by a factor of three. If you want to breeze through easy battles or rush through level grinding, this feature is useful. This feature isn’t applicable for certain scenes and movies.

Gaming

2026’s The Game Awards will stream live on Disney+

Published

November 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Annually, The Game Awards have become a sort of second Christmas for gamers. Besides a celebration of the past year in the world of videogames, the event hosts trailers for games of the upcoming year and beyond. Though it’s already free on several platforms, viewers can now tune in to Disney+ to watch this year’s Game Awards.

Hosted as always by Geoff Keighley, 2026’s The Game Awards will happen on December 10 at 7:30pm ET. Most of the event will award the best titles of various categories for the year. Several publishers and developers also use the event to announce their upcoming titles. It’s for these reasons that a lot of gamers catch the event every year.

This year, The Game Awards is streaming live on Disney+. This is in addition to its usual platforms including Twitch and YouTube. The Disney+ stream will be available in the United States and select territories internationally.

For now, gamers can also vote on their picks for various categories via the event’s website.

On the other hand, Disney+ has been pushing live events more adamantly. In the Philippines, for example, the platform is the home for live NBA coverage. Though it’s not as strong as Netflix’s gaming push with its assortment of free games, Disney+’s addition of the annual awards show is a worthy go for gamers.

Accessories

Secretlab brings Pikachu, Gengar, and Eevee to its Pokémon gaming chair collection

Pokémon-themed gaming chairs

Published

November 13, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Secretlab is bringing some iconic Pokémon to your gaming setup. The Secretlab Pokémon Collection introduces three new TITAN Evo gaming chairs inspired by Pikachu, Gengar, and Eevee.

Each chair features distinct design elements inspired by its respective Pokémon. The collection also incorporates microsuede and velour detailing for added texture and depth.

Fans can find several hidden details throughout the designs. These include each Pokémon’s Type symbol and Pokédex number on the backrests. The collection also pays tribute to the original 151 Pokémon.

Three Pokémon, three distinct designs

The Secretlab TITAN Evo Pokémon Pikachu Edition puts everyone’s favorite Electric-type Pokémon front and center.

Pikachu appears in plush velour detailing against bold Electric-type symbols. The chair features 11 unique Pikachu motifs across its side wings. A black-to-yellow gradient completes its overall design.

Fans can also spot the differences between male and female Pikachu.

Meanwhile, the Secretlab TITAN Evo Pokémon Gengar Edition embraces a darker aesthetic. Gengar takes center stage on the backrest alongside Ghost- and Poison-type symbols.

Gastly and Haunter also appear across the side wings. A spectral purple gradient ties the entire design together.

Finally, the Secretlab TITAN Evo Pokémon Eevee Edition celebrates Eevee and its eight evolutions.

Eevee appears on the backrest with plush velour detailing. The chair features warm cream-and-brown gradients and a Normal-type symbol. Its design also incorporates all eight Eeveelutions, from Vaporeon to Sylveon.

The TITAN Evo experience

Beyond their Pokémon-inspired designs, all three chairs retain the Secretlab TITAN Evo’s ergonomic features.

The chair uses medium-firm, patent-pending cold-cure foam. This material contours to the body while providing weight distribution and pressure relief.

Its sculpted pebble seat base features gently sloping side wings. These guide users toward the middle while leaving room to switch sitting positions.

The TITAN Evo also features 4-way L-ADAPT lumbar support. It moves up, down, in, and out to accommodate the natural curvature of the lower back.

Secretlab’s SoftWeave Plus fabric provides a soft, breathable knit surface. Its construction also allows detailed Pokémon motifs to appear throughout the material.

Availability

The Secretlab Pokémon Collection features the Pikachu, Gengar, and Eevee Editions of the TITAN Evo.

Interested buyers can learn more about the collection through Secretlab’s official website, Shopee, and Lazada.

Gaming

How to change your Nintendo eShop region

Hint: You can’t find it on your Switch.

Published

November 11, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

With Nintendo finally opening the eShop and Nintendo Switch Online in the Philippines, you might be wondering how you can switch your account’s region to the right country. After all, before today, you might have set your shop to the neighboring Singapore or other countries that aren’t named the Philippines. If you’re in the same boat, here’s a quick how-to, so you can enjoy paying for services in Philippine peso.

First, you need to log into your Nintendo Account. Take note: you can do this only through their website via a browser, so don’t fiddle around with your Switch or Switch 2 just yet.

Upon logging in, you’ll be redirected immediately to your profile’s information, including your country or region of residence. Just click Edit and select your desired country in the drop-down menu.

Nintendo will then present you a few notices regarding changing your region. The important bit is that you can’t carry over your account balance to the next region. So, if you have a hefty sum tucked away in your current region, it might be wise to spend it before switching. Likewise, your credit card might not work if it was issued from the current region.

Once you agree to the terms, everything’s set!

All you need to do is access the eShop on your console and sign in again. Afterwards, the corresponding services should be in your currency of choice.

For a list of detailed changes and prices, check out our coverage here.