News
Pokémon at 30: Massive slate of events, pop-up store, more to highlight anniversary
Celebrating 30 years of Pokémon through fun runs, activations, more
A massive slate of activities, events, and gatherings are lined up to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pokémon.
In the Philippines, which has been one of the world renowned anime franchise’s consistently strong markets, a partnership has been forged between Pokémon and SM Supermalls for a pop-up experience that will serve as the flagship destination for local enthusiasts.
Dubbed the “Celebrate 30 years of Pokémon at SM Malls” campaign, the multi-month celebration will kick off at the SM Mall of Asia in Manila starting October 2026.
The cornerstone of this retail rollout is the Pokémon Center Pop-Up Store, a six-month installation packed with exclusive merchandise directly from the brand.
Pokémon RUN 30
Beyond retail, the milestone will bring an active, real-world dimension to the capital with Pokémon RUN 30: The Philippines Edition.
This interactive running event is likewise slated in early October at the Mall of Asia complex.
Participants will become active trainers as they run a themed 5K course with filled with special interactive challenges.
Runners can test their spirit at designated Pokémon Gym obstacle points, rehydrate at designated Pokémon Centers, and collect unique stamps to complete real-world Pokédex search sheets.
Moreover, the venue will also host a free-entry public Festival Zone. This area will be complete with live Pikachu parades, meet-and-greets, and specialized gaming experience areas.
PokéXciting campaign
The extensive rollout is part of a broader, coordinated “PokéXciting!” campaign stretching across major target markets in the Asian region to bridge the gap between legacy and newer generational platforms. To supplement the global anniversary rollout,
The Pokémon Company has additionally aligned its sports entertainment footprints with major international institutions.
Back in Japan, Pokémon has established a sweeping partnership with Japan’s professional football league, the J.League.
All 60 professional football clubs across the league’s three tiers have officially been assigned a specific partner Pokémon. These are tailored to reflect each team’s regional mascots or club identities.
Fans attending home matches throughout the campaign will receive exclusive merchandise on match days.
This includes one million limited-edition reusable eco bags that showcase Pikachu alongside their home club’s specific partner pocket monster.
News
Samsung might launch the Galaxy S26 FE next week
A new event is hinting at the smartphone’s debut.
It wasn’t too long ago when Samsung launched the new Galaxy Fold and Flip series. Historically, the brand is done for the year after two major Galaxy Unpacked events. However, if you’re still hankering for a few more morsels of Galaxy devices, Samsung is hosting another event next week, which might mean the debut of the Galaxy S26 FE.
This week, Samsung has just released an official invite for a Galaxy Event on August 27. The invite itself looks like a tray with two glasses of matcha and a coaster in between them. It’s visually similar to a modest camera setup, hinting at a new smartphone coming during the event.
Because Samsung has already filled its usual quota of flagships and foldables, it’s highly likely that the event is meant for the Galaxy S26 FE. The Galaxy FE series is Samsung’s way of extending the life cycle of the current generation of Galaxy phones, while also catering to another segment of the market.
As for what the Galaxy S26 FE might hold, it looks like AI might be a prime focus. Samsung confirms that the invite graphic has AI-generated images. The text accompanying the graphic also indicates that AI will be a part of the event.
It’s only a week left before the August 27 event, so we’ll get to know more about everything soon.
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Review
Gaming
Leaked Grand Theft Auto VI footage surfaces online
The leakers says they are protesting the game’s lack of a physical release.
We’re nearing the dreaded date that all game publishers are rightfully fearing: the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI. Since we’re so near, it’s only right that Rockstar Games starts teasing their upcoming game, which is officially happening later this month via a special presentation on Netflix. However, ahead of that highly anticipated date, a leaker has apparently leaked the footage in protest of the game’s lack of a physical release.
Let’s parse that out piecemeal. First up, Rockstar Games is scheduled to release an extended first look at Grand Theft Auto VI through Netflix on August 27. If you don’t have the platform, the publisher will release the same footage on more public outlets six hours later. The footage will represent our biggest peek at the game after months of relative silence.
Secondly, a leaker has released the said footage ahead of time. Now, this isn’t the first time that a major leak spoiled details about the game. Previously, a leak was the first to reveal that the sixth entry in the series is getting two playable protagonists.
Third, the why: The leaker says that they will continue to reveal more information about the game to protest the game’s lack of a physical release. Like new PlayStation games next year, Rockstar Games does not plan to release a disc version of the game.
The footage itself
And, finally, the leak itself. Rockstar Games is currently issuing DMCA notices against anyone posting the leaked footage. It lends credence to the authenticity of the footage but also ensures that we can’t post the leaks themselves.
If anything, there are two reportedly legitimate clips, while others were seemingly generated with AI. The first clip has Jason, one of the two protagonists, playing basketball in his hideout, which gives him a stat boost. The clip confirms the return of minigames you can play in between missions.
The second clip sees Jason fight with a truck driver after a traffic incident. He kills the driver with a wrench, which earns him a two-star wanted level and summons a police chase as the series often does.
There’s not much to glean from these two short clips. In fact, it’s hard to say whether this footage represents the final release or something left over from previous leaks. Thankfully, Rockstar Games is releasing the official extended look soon on August 27.
After that, Grand Theft Auto VI launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19.
Accessories
Apple is working on AirPods with built-in cameras
References to the wearable were spotted inside a new macOS beta.
The launch of operating system betas is a cause of celebration for those digging into what’s next for a brand. No other company does that better than Apple. Today, Apple released a new release candidate for macOS Tahoe 26.7. As expected, the release has a treasure trove of references to unreleased devices, including a new type of AirPods with built-in cameras.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. The references include a slew of unreleased iPads, Macs, and HomePods. Since these devices are already expected to come out, they’re hardly worth nothing. This includes the iPhone 18 series. If anything, the references confirm the iPhone Ultra, the rumored entry into the foldable market, but that’s it.
Now, the more interesting inclusion is a pair of AirPods with cameras. Despite the controversies surrounding cameras on smart glasses, Apple is reportedly building audio-based wearables with cameras themselves.
In a short demo video (also obtained from the macOS beta via MacRumors), the AirPods can apparently “save” things that it sees, including a book you might want to search for later. In that way, the built-in camera acts more like a voice assistant, rather than a recording device.
Though the references don’t confirm a launch date, it’s likely that the camera-based AirPods will come out sometime soon. After all, why would a blatant reference be inside a publicly available beta?
SEE ALSO: The iPhone 18 might sell out for an unexpected reason
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