This April, the Horizon Festival evolves with Horizon Realms.
This brand-new feature will let players dig into Forza Horizon 5’s history of Evolving World updates. Explore 12 fantastic Evolving World locations: 11 of the best previously limited-time locations and the premiering Stadium Track.
Collect new Horizon Realms-exclusive accolades to unlock four new-to-Horizon reward cars.
Revisit your favorite environments, or discover them for the first time, in Horizon Realms available for every platform on April 25!
A Selection of the Best Evolving Worlds
Horizon Realms gives players the chance to explore a hand-picked collection of some of the community’s favorite previously released Evolving World updates.
Get ready to (re-)discover and adventure though these beloved locations while behind the wheel of your favorite cars:
Stunt Park
Ice Rink
Oval Track
Summer Party
Neon Airstrip
Día de Muertos
Winter Wonderland
Lunar Drift Arena
Retrowave Highway
Cars and Coffee
Stadium Maze
Along with these 11 returning environments, we are bringing the brand-new Stadium Track!
You can also race around this Evolving World with the new permanent race route coming to the game, the Horizon Stadium Circuit. You can find details further into this post.
New Dedicated Accolade Tab
A new Accolade Tab exclusive to Horizon Realms will be added to the game featuring 60+ accolades. While most of them are new to this update, you will also be able to unlock previously released accolades tied to the returning Evolving Worlds that are now accessible with Horizon Realms.
Each of the Evolving World locations featured in Horizon Realms includes 5 new accolades to unlock! Find them under the Horizon Realms Accolades tab. You can also find an Accolade for the Horizon Stadium Circuit under the Road Racing tab.
Complete Horizon Realms Accolades to acquire 12 new badges coming to the game. Plus, for the first time ever, unlocking an accolade will reward the player with #Forzathon Points! Go for a 100% in every Realm and unlock rewards with your newly acquired Points.
Earning accolades will also score new cars for your garage. Complete unique challenges featured on every Realm to unlock four new-to-Horizon reward cars:
Lamborghini’s take on a hyper hybrid, the 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto
Stomp the off-road scene with the 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato
The mightiest version of the Exige, the 2018 Lotus Exige Cup 430
Ride the king of the Ice Age with the 2022 Hennessey Mammoth 6×6
Two Ways to Dive into Horizon Realms
There will be two different ways to experience Horizon Realms:
Skill Mode
Choose one of the Horizon Realms to enter and try to bank as much Skill Score as possible. Each Evolving World has its own separate Skill Score leaderboard, and there will also be a total Skill Score Leaderboard tallying up all points banked on each Realm – so try to take the top spot in all of them!
Earning enough Skill Score will also unlock new player Badges unique to Horizon Realms!
Free Mode
This mode puts the leaderboards to the side and focuses on players having a good time in their favorite Realms.
Enter on your own or with your friends in a Convoy to explore your favorite Realms, obtain Badges tied to previous content updates, unlock accolades to earn #Forzathon Points, and more!
Start Your Engines at the New Horizon Stadium Circuit
Line up at the starting line of a brand-new race route: the Horizon Stadium Circuit! Featuring corners, bends, and racing decorations, this new track will become a permanent race route in the game – complete with its own event icon on the map and Rivals leaderboard!
Score your best time on this new race route in Rivals and Horizon Open and explore the Stadium Track Realm in Horizon Realms‘ Free Mode and Skill Mode.
Explore Nissan’s Heritage with a New Car Pack
Four new cars from throughout Nissan’s automotive history will become available for purchase as Forza Horizon 5 releases for PlayStation 5 with the Nissan Retro Rides Car Pack.
This new DLC pack includes the 1989 Nissan Pao, 1991 Nissan Figaro, 1989 Nissan Scargo, and the 1987 Nissan Be-1.
Add these cars to your collection and customize them how you want!
The Nissan Retro Rides Car Pack will be available starting April 25 for $4.99/€4.99/£3.99. Players who bought the Ultimate Car Pack Collection will receive this Car Pack at no additional cost.
Pre-order Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5 Today!
Forza Horizon 5 is now available for pre-order ahead of its PS5 release on April 29! Visit the PlayStation Store to pre-purchase one of Forza Horizon 5’s different editions.
Standard Edition comes with the complete base game and its free content and features like Horizon Realms.
Get access to an extra 42 cars added with Car Pass by purchasing the Deluxe Edition of Forza Horizon 5.
Upgrade your adventure to the fullest with the Premium Edition. This edition comes with both Forza Horizon 5 expansions (Rally Adventure and Hot Wheels), 42 additional cars from Car Pass, VIP Membership, and extra perks that are included in the Welcome Pack.
Pre-ordering Premium Edition also grants you Early Access to the game, starting April 25, 2025!
No matter which version of the game you choose to pre-order, you will get a special bundle completely free of charge with your purchase including:
Forza Horizon 5’s cover car: the 2021 Mercedes-AMG Mercedes-AMG ONE
5,000 #Forzathon Points which can be used to buy cars and cosmetics
5 Backstage Passes which can be used to unlock any hard-to-find car available in the Backstage Shop
If you’re already playing Forza Horizon 5, be sure to share the news with your PS5 friends and invite them to join us at the Horizon Festival as cross-play will be available between all platforms!
PlayStation 5 Graphics Modes
Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 features two rendering modes to choose from: Performance (60fps) and Quality (30fps).
On PS5 Pro, the Performance mode receives increased visual fidelity, while Quality mode adds ray traced car reflections to Races and Free Roam.
We hope you are looking forward to exploring Forza Horizon 5’s vast open world and features with Horizon Realms across all platforms the game is available on. Remember that you can pre-order any version of Forza Horizon 5 starting today on the PlayStation Store to receive a special bundle; pre-purchasing Premium Edition will grant you Early Access on April 25.
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Blue Prince arrives for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Game Pass on April 10.
Embark on a genre-defying experience in an ever-changing house.
Draft rooms, unravel mysteries, solve puzzles, and develop architectural strategies as you try to track down the mysterious “Room 46”.
We are happy to announce that our genre-defying puzzle adventure, Blue Prince is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC on April 10 – and will be available day one with Game Pass.
Blue Prince is a difficult game to define, so we thought you might like a primer in exactly why and how you’ll find yourself exploring the shifting halls of the Mount Holly manor.
Beginning the Mystery
It’s not every day you inherit a sprawling manor, let alone one that is rumored to have a different floor plan each day. But that is exactly what has happened in Blue Prince, a first-person architectural adventure in which your recently deceased great-uncle has challenged you to find the hidden 46th room of the house. It’s an especially curious task given the mansion only contains… 45 rooms.
Drafting Your Journey
Upon entering the manor, the path you choose to take is up to you. When approaching a closed door, you are shown three different rooms and are given a choice. After your selection, the door opens and the room appears before you. In a way, you are building the house as you explore it, and each new room you create adds another layer of mystery, puzzles, and strategy to your estate. But tread carefully, for at the start of each dawn the manor will reset, and the rooms you saw today might not be the same rooms you find tomorrow.
Treasured Trinkets
The progress you make each day is shaped not only by which rooms you draft but also by what tools and secrets you find within them. You will discover many items that can be used in many creative ways to further your exploration and progress. Among them, you will discover keys to unlock hidden rooms, shovels to dig up treasure, compasses to guide your path, and magnifying glasses to look closer at clues. But the greatest tool is the knowledge you gain each day.
Living Wills and Dead Ends
As you explore this puzzling manor, your journey will take you further into Mount Holly’s depths, where you will begin to discover that there is more to the story than just a mysterious missing room. Unravel a history woven with political intrigue, blackmail, and the strange disappearance of a beloved children’s book author. The deeper you venture into the house, the more you’ll discover.
The game’s special blend of strategy, puzzle, mystery, and repeatability, wrapped into the fabric of Mount Holly’s atmospheric and aesthetically eclectic rooms creates a wholly unique experience that will leave you pondering what lies ahead. Play Blue Prince on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Game Pass Day One on April 10. We look forward to your arrival.
IGN kicked off its annual Fan Fest event today with an exciting new ID@Xbox Showcase, bringing world premieres, Game Pass announcements, release dates, new gameplay and much more from the incredible slate of indie developers working on games for Xbox platforms right now.
From action-roguelikes, to card games, to cozy adventures, to game genres that don’t even have a name yet, this Showcase revealed how wild and wonderful the indie space can be – it’s a celebration of what’s next for gaming.
Read on for every single bit of news you might have missed.
33 Immortals – Launching March 18
We first saw 33 Immortals during 2023’s Xbox Game Showcase, and this long-awaited co-op action roguelike will arrive on March 18. Pitting up to 33 players against hordes of monsters and gigantic bosses, 33 Immortals captures the joy of MMO raids in a more ‘pick up and play’ context. The release date trailer showed us some of its dark cartoon looks, frenetic gameplay, and huge party sizes.
Balatro – Out Today on Game Pass!
This award-winning roguelike poker sensation gets a surprise Game Pass release today, but that was far from the only announcement we got. Balatro is also headed to Windows PC, and we got the fourth Friends of Jimbo collaboration update, bringing themed cards based on (deep breath) Fallout, Assassin’s Creed, Civilization VII, Rust, Slay the Princess, Bugsnax, Dead By Daylight, and YouTube channel Critical Role.
Blue Prince – Launching With Game Pass on April 10
A truly unique experience, Blue Prince combines exploration, puzzles, mapmaking, and card game systems to create a game we’ve truly never seen before. Solve the mysteries of Mount Holly manor by literally piecing its rooms together, and solving mysteries hidden throughout the house you build as a result. Discover its secrets when the game launches on April 10, coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and launching day one with Game Pass.
Buckshot Roulette – Coming to Xbox and Game Pass
This haunting experience makes “gambling with your life” a very literal concept, and has already captivated and horrified PC players. Transforming the (already unpleasant) game of Russian Roulette by introducing a shotgun and some dastardly extra rules, this is a true tabletop strategy game with a grim twist. In today’s show, we learned that Buckshot Roulette is on its way to Xbox and Game Pass – prepare yourself.
Descenders Next – Launching April 9
This sequel to the downhill biking Game Pass sensation, Descenders Next broadens its scope to include multiple ways to go really, really fast down a mountain. Promising to be the ultimate extreme sports game, tackle multiple biomes on snowboards and mountainboards when it arrives on April 9 with Game Pass.
Echo Weaver – Coming to Xbox and Game Pass
This beautifully rendered “Metroidbrainia” draws from classic adventure platformers and the likes of Outer Wilds to create a time looping world where knowledge is your greatest weapon. The trailer offered clues as to how, across multiple loops, you’ll piece together the story and shape of a collapsed utopia and escape the temporal prison you’re trapped within. Echo Weaver is coming to Xbox, with Game Pass.
Herdling – Coming to Xbox and Windows PC
Developer Okomotive created two of the most exciting, mechanic-packed adventures of recent years in the form of Far: Lone Sails and Far: Changing Tides, so you can count us very excited for their first fully 3D outing, Herdling. In a new trailer, we saw much more of how you’ll guide a herd of curious cattle across a ruined world (and the dangers you’ll face along the way) – and learned that it’ll be coming to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC when it launches this summer.
Hotel Barcelona – Launching 2025
This long awaited collaboration between legendary designers Suda51 and Swery is almost upon us. This 2.5D action-platformer pits you against the horror-inspired denizens of the titular hotel, and the new trailer dives deeper into the Slasher Phantom, a brutal game mechanic that summons echoes of the player’s past runs to aid them in battle. We also saw some of the game’s arsenal of deadly weapons and abilities, each designed to turn the tide of battle in the most gruesome ways possible.
Jump Ship – Coming to Xbox Game Preview
Developed by Hazelight (It Takes Two) and Mojang (Minecraft) alumni, this 1-4 player FPS puts you in charge of a spaceship and asks you to take on on-foot combat sections, seamlessly transitioning between the two. The new trailer gives us a taste of how you’ll have to work together to survive, not to mention its tongue-in-cheek approach to bombastic action – plus we learned that it’ll be available in early access through Xbox Game Preview this summer.
Lies of P: Overture – New Story Trailer
We got a closer look at the newly announced DLC for acclaimed Soulslike, Lies of P. The Overture expansion will see Geppetto’s Puppet encounter a mysterious artifact that transports him back in time to the world of Krat in its final days of grandeur. The trailer gives us a melancholy look at Lea, the Legendary Stalker, on her relentless path of vengeance.
The Lonesome Guild – World Premiere
We got a world-first look at the new game from Don’t Nod (Life Is Strange, Jusant), a whimsical action-RPG full of heart, battles, and bonds that change everything. Embark on a heroic adventure as Ghost, a spirit who wakes to find they hold no memories. Build your dream team, switch seamlessly between them to solve puzzles and fight your way through the collapsing world of Etere. The Lonesome Guild arrives for Xbox Series X|S this fall.
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault – Coming to Game Pass
The sequel to the beloved action-RPG that answers the question, “where do RPG merchants get their stock”, Moonlighter 2 takes on a brand new full-3D, isometric look – offering new challenges and rewards as a result. The new trailer shows both your new hometown and shop, and the adventures in store as you adventure to keep your stock flowing. Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Game Pass in 2025.
Outbound – Coming to Xbox in 2026
This gorgeous open-world exploration game sets you off with an empty camper van and sees you turn it into the home of your dreams – alone or together with your friends. Build and explore at your own pace. Scavenge materials, craft, and build in and on top of your vehicle with modular parts. Advance in technology and efficiently use energy to power your home, while adjusting your playstyle to adapt to new landscapes and changing environmental conditions. Outbound is coming to Xbox Series X|S in 2026.
Ratatan – Coming to Xbox
A new game from the creators of the beloved Patapon, Ratatan is a rhythm strategy roguelike that sees you taking increasingly huge groups of minions through a world in which you need to literally conduct your attacks – hit the rhythm and you’ll stay alive. Mix in up to four-player co-op, and you can have over 100 characters onscreen in a single fight. Ratatan comes to Xbox this year.
Revenge of the Savage Planet – Coming to Game Pass on May 8
We got a new look at this co-op exploration adventure by way of an in-universe commercial for the Kindred Catalog – Revenge of the Savage Planet features dozens of fresh and funny upgrades such as the goo cannon, which allows players to create slippery, sticky or flammable surfaces in the world! Or a whip to keep creatures from eating your face! Or a grapple to swing from point to point! Or a lasso to capture creatures and send them back to your Habitat for research. So many tools, so many options, so many ways to play. We don’t have long to wait to try all of this out – Revenge of the Savage Planet arrives for Xbox on May 8, and will be available day one with Game Pass.
Rockbeasts – World Premiere
We got another world-first look at Rockbeasts, a “rock and roll band manager” game in which you playthe manager of a legendary ‘90s band (who just happen to be animals). Lead a band of misfits on a roller-coaster ride to stardom in the age of MTV, rock anthems, and bad haircuts. Rockbeasts is a story-driven, role-playing management game that puts you in the shoes of a manager of an up-and-coming rock band. Your job – take them to the top. It arrives for Xbox Series X|S this year.
Tanuki: Pon’s Summer – Coming to Game Pass
We got another look at this adorable courier life sim after its debut at Tokyo Game Show. The new trailer showed us how we’ll be performing stunt-filled delivery missions alongside relaxing in its bucolic town – from baseball, to sumo practice, to drumming. Tanuki: Pon’s Summer arrives in late 2025, and it’s coming to Game Pass.
Tempopo – Coming to Game Pass on April 17
The newest title from the award-winning team behind Unpacking, Tempopo is a puzzle adventure bursting with music. Playing as Hana, you enter a fantasy world in which you need to conduct the titular Tempopo creatures to solve puzzles scattered across the world’s sky islands – before heading back home and cultivating her garden. The new trailer showed off new gameplay, and revealed that the game will come to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on April 17, and will launch into Game Pass day one.
Tron: Catalyst – Launching June 17
From Disney, publisher BigFan, and the development team at Bithell Games, the new trailer for Tron: Catalyst gave us a closer look at our game’s protagonist, Exo, who is fighting for her survival in the arena. An explosive event has gifted Exo the ability to perceive the glitch tearing apart her home, the Arq Grid, and given her the unique ability to loop time itself. This thrilling isometric action our game offers combat, conversation, and Light Cycle exploration in the city of Vertical Slice. Tron: Catalyst comes to Xbox Series X|S on June 17.
Ultimate Sheep Racoon – Coming to Game Pass
This chaotic side-scrolling, bike riding party game got a new trailer announcing that it’ll come to Game Pass upon release – and then we saw the IGN team playing the game’s 8-player mode. They showed off a variety of different blocks that can hinder your movement or launch you ahead of the competition, two different levels with varying difficulty, and showed how the different power-ups can really make a difference in the race.
Wax Heads – Launching Summer 2026
We got a new look at this slice-of-life narrative game set around running a struggling record store. Showing off its gorgeous hand-drawn looks, the trailer shows more of how you’ll chat to quirky customers with unique tastes, explore a handcrafted record collection, fall in love with bands (and their drama!), or just slack off with your colleagues – whatever gets everyone’s groove back! Wax Heads will come to Xbox Series X|S in summer 2026.
Woodo – Coming to Xbox
This cozy, story-driven game showed off more of its beautiful art style and pieced-together 3D puzzles. The trailer revealed how you’ll build the story by literally building the world, pulling 3D objects from your menus to fill a scene, revealing more of the tale of main characters Foxy and Ben as you go. Woodo is on its way to Xbox Series X|S.
Willkommen bei Next Week on Xbox! Wie immer stellen wir Dir alle neuen Spiele vor, die bald für Xbox Series X|S und Xbox One, Windows und im Game Pass erhältlich sind. Klick Dich einfach durch die Spiel-Details, um mehr zu möglichen Vorbestellungen zu erfahren (Änderungen vorbehalten).
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S Ein bahnbrechender 3v3-Taktik-Shooter, geprägt von Dualität. Steuere zwei Körper in Echtzeit und schütze zwei Standorte, gib Dir selbst Deckung, oder setze Dein Leben aufs Spiel. Erkämpfe Dir mit taktischem Gunplay und futuristischer Technik Deinen Ruf.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S Der Eroberer, der in seinem Leben unzählige Herausforderungen gemeistert hat, beschließt, sich zurückzuziehen und ein Einsiedler zu werden. Er möchte einfach in seiner Höhle liegen, weit weg von den Menschen. Doch das Schicksal höchstpersönlich erschwert ihm selbst dieses Vorhaben. Die Gruft, in der er so gerne schläft, ist verschwunden. Nun muss er sich auf die Suche machen und dabei unterschiedliche Rätsel lösen.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery Dieser neue Sammelband von Crime Opera enthält eine Reihe von Kurzgeschichten, die vor, während und nach den Ereignissen der originalen Visual-Novel spielen. Sie alle werden in einem wunderschönen handgezeichneten Stil präsentiert, um die Dramatik, die Emotionen und die düstere Wahrheit über das Leben der Charaktere in der kriminellen Unterwelt authentisch zu transportieren.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery Die Mafia-Erzählung um die Familie Gallos wird um ein neues Kapitel reicher! Diese Geschichte beginnt neun Jahre nach dem Original. Xander Gallo ist inzwischen verbittert, allein und völlig außer Kontrolle. Er bereitet nicht nur anderen Familien innerhalb des Syndikats Probleme, sondern auch den jüngeren Gallo-Mitgliedern.
Xbox Play Anywhere Öffne Autos und Kisten, stöbere in Holzstapeln, durchsuche die Wälder. Die Katzen sind gut versteckt, aber sie miauen, wenn du Dich ihnen näherst. Also hör gut zu, um sie alle zu finden. Es warten mehr als zwölf bezaubernde Winterlandschaften auf Dich, in denen es mehr als 120 kleine Kätzchen zu finden gibt.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S Rette Deine Familie, indem Du Dich als niedliches Häschen auf ein spannendes Abenteuer begibst. Sammle Beeren, lüfte Geheimnisse, die Boni enthalten, bewirf Deine Feinde mit Gegenständen oder springe auf sie, um zu gewinnen. Finde geheime Sterne und wechsle die Kostüme. Besiege die Bosse und erreiche den Endgegner, um die kleinen Hasen aus der Gefangenschaft zu retten. Erkunde grüne Felder, Höhlen, Flüsse, verschneite Berge, eisige Seen, Wüsten und Ruinen.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery Crowns and Pawns ist ein modernes Point-and-Click-Abenteuer. Das Spiel beleuchtet die weniger bekannten Seiten der europäischen Geschichte. Lerne das legendäre Großfürstentums Litauen kennen, decke den bösartigen Zweig des KGB auf, löse Rätsel und folge Hinweisen, um die Geheimnisse des Königs zu lüften, der nie gekrönt wurde.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery Der Kultklassiker aus den Neunzigern kehrt zurück! Glover ist ein charmanter 3D-Plattformer, in dem Du einen magischen Handschuh steuerst, um das Gleichgewicht des Königreichs wiederherzustellen. Rolle, springe und manipuliere Deinen magischen Ball, um Rätsel zu lösen, Herausforderungen zu meistern und den bösen Handschuh zu besiegen, der die Welt bedroht!
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S Bist du bereit, die Segel zu setzen und ein Abenteuer voller Herausforderungen und Reichtümer zu erleben? In Pirate Trails giltst Du als Meisterkartograph*in der sieben Weltmeere. Doch anstatt selbst in See zu stechen, besteht Deine Aufgabe darin, den besten Kurs für Piratenschiffe zu kartographieren, damit diese Schätze sammeln und sicher im Zielhafen ankern können. Drehe und tausche sechseckige Kacheln, um die perfekte Route zu erstellen – aber Vorsicht, ein falscher Weg könnte Dein Schiff direkt zu den Kraken führen!
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S Begib Dich auf eine Reise voller Anomalien und Wiederholungen in Prison Loop, einem fesselnden Puzzlespiel. Teste Deine Beobachtungsgabe, Dein kritisches Denken und Deine Fähigkeit, die Zeit zu Deinem Vorteil zu manipulieren. Erforsche ein Gefängnis voller versteckter Geheimnisse, stimmungsvoller Details und eindringlicher Bilder.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S Zwei der kühnsten Abenteurer von Point County sind in die entlegensten Winkel der Welt gereist und mit einzigartigen Artefakten zurückgekehrt. Stelle sie in Deinem Museum aus und teile die Koordinaten eines neuen Expeditionsstandortes, an dem eine exklusive Sonderausstellung und verschiedene Veranstaltungen stattfinden werden. Die Explorer Edition enthält eine Auswahl dekorativer Gegenstände, die Deine Hallen, Wände und Böden verschönern werden. Außerdem warten exklusive Gegenstände auf Dich, mit denen Du Deine Expert*innen schneller zur nächsten Expedition schicken kannst.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere Ein neues Spielkonzept, inspiriert von dem Klassiker Tower of Hanoi. Baue Türme aus gleichfarbigen Steinen auf einem sechseckigen Spielbrett, das eine mysteriöse Atmosphäre versprüht. Entriegele blockierte Zellen, indem Du einen Turm der gleichen Farbe baust und eröffne neue Wege, um so das nächste Level zu erreichen.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery Eine unscheinbare Prinzessin wurde von einer Gruppe mysteriöser Ninjas aus ihrem unscheinbaren Schloss entführt. Zu ihrem Glück ist ein junger Ninja namens Casey auf die Situation aufmerksam geworden und begibt sich auf die Suche nach ihr…denn er ist der Ninja der Gerechtigkeit! Begleite Casey und erlerne die Kunst des Ninjutsu, während er ein Land voller Geheimnisse und gefährlicher Feinde erkundet!
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S In Monster Hunter Wilds erwartet Dich das ultimative Jagderlebnis. Erfülle Deine Pflicht als Jäger*in, indem Du mächtige Monster aufspürst und diese bezwingst. Sammle Materialien, um damit neue Waffen und Rüstung zu schmieden. Dabei versuchst Du, die Verbindung zwischen den Einwohner*innen des Verbotenen Landes und den Orten, die sie bewohnen, aufzudecken.
Ein interaktives Spielerlebnis, das zum Entspannen einlädt. Du übernimmst die Kontrolle über einen kleinen Papierflieger, dessen Aufgabe darin besteht, die Welt vor bösen Ballon-Dämonen zu retten, indem er durch sie hindurchfliegt. Ein ausgezeichnetes Spiel, um nach einem anstrengenden Tag etwas Dampf abzulassen.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S Der Vorreiter der Golfsimulationen ist zurück! Schlage mit den besten Golfer*innen der Welt ab und zeige Dein Talent auf den berühmtesten Plätzen des Sports. Wenn Du die PGA Tour 2K25 Standard Edition vorbestellst, erhältst Du das Extra Butter x adidas Pack, das Chris McDonald als spielbaren Charakter Chris enthält, dazu. Darüber hinaus erhältst Du drei stylische Kosmetika – Hut, Jacke und Schuhe. Und wenn Du das Spiel bis zum 27. Februar vorbestellst, gibt es die PGA Tour 2K23 Standard Edition (digital) sogar noch gratis dazu!
A major expansion to The Hunter’s Call sends pirates in pursuit of new victories!
The Sea of Thieves has always been a wild, untamed sanctuary for pirates, but in Season 15 the stakes across these scattered islands and open waters are being raised once again! The latest free Seasonal update sees The Hunter’s Call Trading Company vastly expanding their offerings while two uniquely powerful Megalodons join the fray, with further hunt-related excitement set to follow in the months ahead. Here’s what you can expect from Season 15 of Sea of Thieves…
The Hunter’s Call Grows
Season 15 is all about exploring the wilder side of life on the Sea of Thieves, and who better to lead the charge than The Hunter’s Call? This Trading Company, first introduced with our original Anniversary Update in 2019, sets itself apart from the others with a focus on fishing and, as the name would imply, hunting. Until now, pirates have been able to climb to rank 50 by delivering fish and meat to The Hunter’s Call representatives at Seaposts or, more recently, to the Sovereigns on their behalf.
From Season 15, however, The Hunter’s Call undergoes a major expansion. First and foremost, it’s being brought in line with other Trading Companies in terms of ranking prospects, with the reputation cap being raised to 100 and five levels of Distinction added. This means you can continue to progress with the Company well beyond what was previously possible, unlocking themed cosmetics as you go.
You can also choose to raise a Hunter’s Call Emissary Flag for the first time, enabling increased rewards for treasure handed in – but at the cost of making yourself a target for any Reapers lying in wait nearby! At the same time, new Fishing and Raid Voyages provide opportunities to set out in search of Company-specific loot, including exotic Treasured Fish hauled up from the depths and ready to make you rich…
Megalodon Mutations
Growing alongside The Hunter’s Call are the new dangers introduced to the seas, most notably two terrifying Ancient Megalodons that have crossed over from the Sea of the Damned, ready to unleash carnage with abilities that make them substantially more dangerous than any everyday shark.
The Feared Redmaw has risen from the boiling depths, wreathed in flame and wielding a devastating explosive attack to torch any ship that drifts a little too close. Keep your water barrel full to deal with fires breaking out or you’ll quickly find yourself in the hot seat! Meanwhile, the armour-plated Barnacled Dread torments sailors with Eel-ectric invasions, spawning these formidable Ocean Crawlers onto the decks of attacking ships. Repel boarders while using your cannons to chip away at the Megalodon’s coral armour until you can strike the beast directly!
These fearsome monsters offer tantalising loot if you manage to best them, but finding them isn’t always easy. In this, Hunter’s Call Emissaries have the advantage: ships flying a Grade 5 Emissary Flag will be able to track Ancient Megalodon locations using their Map Table and sail headlong into battle…
Hunter’s Gear
With a new Season, as always, comes 100 new levels of Renown to be earned and all the associated rewards! You can work towards earning new themed cosmetics such as Hungering One Hunter’s clothing, as well as a hoard of gold, Doubloons and Ancient Coins – while purchasing a Plunder Pass also lets you unlock the enigmatic Dynasty of the Deep collection and an extra 750 Ancient Coins.
The Pirate Emporium shopkeepers also debut the fabulous Rococo set this month, inviting you to indulge in the finest historical fashion. This collection includes a ship set with optional Collector’s items, weapons, costume and makeup to add some ostentatious flair to all aspects of the pirate life. Inclined towards the edible arts? You may also enjoy the Culinary Cadet Emote Bundle, with four cooking-themed emotes to get you in the gastronomic spirit!
All This and More
To keep the new content flowing steadily, not all of Season 15’s features will be landing at launch! The monthly updates in March and April will deliver further features on the hunting theme, as teased in our Season 15 launch trailer.
Over the next few months, you can expect to take up a new throwable hunting spear that will prove highly effective at taking down wild beasts, and experience a sudden bloom in the range of ambient wildlife you’ll see on your travels. Following that, some decidedly less passive wild boars will be taking up residence across the islands with their own stashes of loot to protect…
To help keep the feisty local fauna under control, The Hunter’s Call will offer pirates new Hunting Voyages, sending them off to seek a savage Grand Boar or trail in the wake of a rampaging Megalodon as it causes chaos across the waves. To get to grips with all the changes coming soon to the seas, be sure to dive into each month’s release notes when the accompanying updates go live!
Shape your destiny as an Envoy chosen by a mysterious god, wielding divine powers to confront ancient threats, unravel hidden mysteries, and decide the fate of the Living Lands.
Forge your own playstyle with four expansive skill trees—Fighter, Ranger, Wizard, and Godlike—and fight using powerful weapons, magic, and unique abilities like Grimoire Snap and Blood Magic.
Your companions are more than just allies—their unique abilities, personal struggles, and choices shape not only your journey but the world of Eora itself.
The wait is finally over—Avowed, Obsidian Entertainment’s highly anticipated fantasy RPG has officially launched! Step into the breathtaking Living Lands, a wild and mysterious island located in the Pillars of Eternity world of Eora, and embark on a journey filled with danger, discovery, and adventure.
Play today on Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app for Windows PC, Battle.net, Steam, and cloud, to experience Obsidian’s latest RPG adventure. Available day one on Game Pass!
A Land in Turmoil
The Living Lands is a frontier unlike any other. This rugged and untamed island has become a haven for exiles, dreamers, and adventurers seeking a fresh start. Its vibrant regions and scattered settlements pulse with life, each hiding untold stories and ancient secrets waiting to be uncovered.
But this land of promise is fraught with peril. The Dreamscourge, a devastating soul-plague, is driving settlers to madness and turning them against one another. The very land itself resists colonization, haunted by echoes of lives long past. As an envoy chosen by a foreign emperor and blessed by a mysterious god, you are thrust into the heart of this chaos. With divine powers at your fingertips and the will to shape your own destiny, you’ll confront ancient threats, unravel mysteries, and decide the fate of the Living Lands. Will you unite its people or watch as their struggles tear them apart? The choices you make will define the future of the Living Lands—and the person you become.
Forge Your Own Path
In Avowed, the power of choice is yours. Create a character and shape your playstyle with four expansive skill trees—Fighter, Ranger, Wizard, and Godlike. Using two separate weapon loadouts, you can play as a stealthy sniper armed with dual pistols and a longbow or a spell-slinging barbarian wielding an axe and a grimoire, or whatever combination of loadouts you choose. This means that the possibilities are endless. Your choices define who you are and how you’ll tackle the challenges ahead.
But you’re not alone on this journey. Your companions each bring their own skills, personalities, and deeply personal stories:
Kai, the steadfast protector, whose calm demeanor and unwavering loyalty make him a dependable shield in battle.
Giatta, a brilliant animancer scientist, whose relentless curiosity drives her to uncover the mysteries of the Dreamscourge, even at great personal risk.
Marius, a lone-wolf hunter, whose sharp wit and tracking expertise make him an invaluable ally in the wilderness.
Yatzli, a fiery Godless expert, harnessing explosive magic and a rebellious spirit. Her disdain for the gods adds complexity to her character and your choices.
Their history, relationships, and perspectives intertwine with your story, adding depth and weight to every decision you make. Will you earn their trust, challenge their beliefs, or forge something more profound? How you guide your companions—and how they influence you—shapes the adventure in unexpected ways.
Your Living Lands, Your Way
Avowed is a game built to immerse you in its world. The Living Lands is a sprawling playground for adventurers, rewarding exploration at every turn. Traverse rugged cliffs, wade through winding rivers, and uncover unique hidden treasures—from ancient elemental weapons to fragments of God Shrine Totems that come together to create powerful new abilities.
Combat is equally immersive, offering a seamless blend of magic, melee, and ranged attacks. Unleash shockwaves with Grimoire Snap, trade health for devastating power with Blood Magic, wield weapons you have upgraded and enchanted, or mix and match abilities to create a playstyle that’s entirely your own. Every encounter is an opportunity to experiment, strategize, and push the boundaries of your party’s potential.
At the heart of Avowed lies its dedication to player choice. Inspired by the freedom of tabletop RPGs, the game puts the power in your hands. Your decisions ripple across the Living Lands, shaping alliances, influencing factions, and determining the fate of your companions. Whether you negotiate peace, spark conflict, or carve your own path through the chaos, your actions leave a lasting impact on the world of Eora.
This seamless blend of storytelling, exploration, and creativity makes Avowed an unforgettable RPG experience, one where every choice matters and every discovery feels personal.
Start Your Adventure Today
Whether you’re a longtime fan of Obsidian Entertainment or new to Eora, Avowed invites you to dive into a world of wonder, danger, and opportunity. With its vibrant setting, unforgettable characters, and deeply immersive gameplay, this is the role-playing experience you’ve been waiting for.
The Living Lands are calling. Gather your courage, forge your path, and let the adventure begin!
Avowed is available now for Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app for Windows PC, Battle.net, Steam, cloud, and with Game Pass. Avowed also supports Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning when you buy the game through the store on Xbox or Windows, it’s yours to play on Xbox and Windows PC at no additional cost, and your game progress and achievements are saved across Xbox and Windows PC.
When you purchase Avowed on Battle.net or Xbox, or have an Xbox Game Pass membership (PC or Ultimate only), and connect your Battle.net and Xbox accounts, it’s also yours to play on Battle.net, Xbox and Xbox App for Windows at no additional cost. Avowed lets you pick up where you left off, bringing all of your saves, game add-ons, and Xbox achievement progress with you.
Avowed Premium Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆651
★★★★★
$89.99
Premium Edition includes: – Avowed base game – Up to 5 days early access – Two Premium Skin Packs – Access to Avowed Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger.
Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment. You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands – an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder? The Weird and Wonderful Living Lands
The Living Lands is a place that feels foreign yet somewhat intrinsic to you as it feels the island itself is calling out to you for help. Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem. Visceral Combat to Play Your Way
Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way. Dig into your grimoire for spells to trap, freeze or burn enemies, bash them with your shield, or use range bows to attack from a distance. Companions as part of your journey
Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities. From a former mercenary to an eccentric wizard, they will be part of your journey with your choices shaping them as you help them with their quests.
Avowed Standard Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆560
★★★★★
$69.99
Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger.
Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment. You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands – an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder? The Weird and Wonderful Living Lands
The Living Lands is a place that feels foreign yet somewhat intrinsic to you as it feels the island itself is calling out to you for help. Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem. Visceral Combat to Play Your Way
Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way. Dig into your grimoire for spells to trap, freeze or burn enemies, bash them with your shield, or use range bows to attack from a distance. Companions as part of your journey
Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities. From a former mercenary to an eccentric wizard, they will be part of your journey with your choices shaping them as you help them with their quests.
For those of you that have been exploring the Living Lands in Avowed, thank you for taking a break to check out the latest Game Pass news! We have some exciting new reveals and exclusive Perks to tease your install buttons. Also, mark your calendars and check out the ID@Xbox Showcase during IGN Fan Fest 2025 on Monday, February 24 at 10am PT for even more Game Pass announcements. Let’s get to the games!
Available Today
Avowed (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – February 18 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one! Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger. Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment. Check out Xbox Wire for Starting Tips to Help You on Your Adventure in the Living Lands.
Coming Soon
EA Sports F1 24 (Cloud, Console, and PC) EA Play – February 20 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Join the grid and chase podium glory with unlimited access to EA Sports F1 24, coming soon to The Play List. Members can master every turn and feel at one with the car with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta), PC Game Pass, or Game Pass Ultimate via EA Play. Plus, score in-game rewards including 5,000 XP monthly.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – February 20 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is an isometric RPG by Owlcat Games, set in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium. As a powerful Rogue Trader, you command a starship, assemble a crew, and explore the Imperium, making fateful decisions in tactical, turn-based combat.
Watch Dogs: Legion (Cloud, Console, and PC) – February 25 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Explore a massive urban open world featuring London’s many iconic landmarks and fun side activities where you can recruit (and play as) anyone. Everyone you see has a unique backstory, personality, and skill set for unique situations. Team up with your friends to complete new four-player co-op missions and PvP matches online.
In Case You Missed It
Ryse: Son of Rome Available with Cloud Gaming Game Pass Ultimate
Jump back in this immersive action-adventure story of struggle, brutality, and heroism with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta). Amidst the chaos of the late Roman Empire, become soldier Marius Titus and embark on a perilous campaign to avenge the death of your family and defend the honor of Rome. In Gladiator Mode, step into the Colosseum and fight for the glory, spectacle, and entertainment of the crowds.
DLC / Game Updates
Sea of Thieves: Season 15 – Starting February 20
Sea of Thieves is more exciting than ever as new life abounds across the waves. Set forth on new Voyages for The Hunter’s Call, grapple with wild boars and deadly sea monsters, master using hunting spears and more, with new features to enjoy each month.
Ark Survival Ascended: Astraeos DLC – Available Now Game Pass members save 10%! Embark on your next epic odyssey within the world of Ark with Astraeos! Explore and immerse yourself in an elysian land of colossal proportions, steeped in Greek mythology. At over 260km², this massive new map is overflowing with stunning scenery, ancient ruins, and sacred temples. Face off against powerful new bosses, alpha dino variants with enhanced loot, and a fearsome miniboss lurking in mysterious caves.
Forza Motorsport: Update 17 – Available Now Update 17 celebrates cars that are fun, compact, and performant. Race four new-to-Motorsport cars: 2023 Toyota Camry TRD, 2022 Hyundai i20N, 2022 Toyota GR86, and 2021 Hyundai #98 Elantra TCR. Get the 2021 Toyota Yaris GR and 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5N in the Challenge Hub.
Age of Mythology: Retold – Immortal Pillars Expansion – March 4 Game Pass members can save 10% on their pre-order of Immortal Pillars, the highly anticipated first expansion for Age of Mythology: Retold. Harness the power of ancient Chinese mythology and discover a world where gods, monsters, and legends collide in an epic new chapter of mythical strategy.
Game Pass Ultimate Perks
Find all these Perks and more in the Game Pass section on your console, Xbox mobile app, or Xbox app on Windows PC to find new in-game content, consumables, and offers included with your Game Pass Ultimate membership.
Madden NFL 25: EA Play Supercharge Pack – Available Now Madden NFL 25 is now on The Play List. Get your Ultimate Team ready for the gridiron with the Supercharge Pack.
Minecraft: 1 Month Marketplace Pass – Available Now Get access to the Marketplace Pass for 1 month! Discover 150+ pieces of content including worlds, skin packs, add-ons and more refreshed monthly. This Perk requires a payment instrument to redeem. Terms apply.
Monster Hunter Now: MH Now Bundle – Available Now Claim 2 Ultra Hunting Tickets, 2 Paintballs, 2 Potions, a Wander Orb, and a Tigrex crafting material for weapons and armor. This Perk content requires Monster Hunter Now (mobile) to use. Valid only for iOS and Android versions of the game.
MultiVersus: MVP Pack 5 – Available Now The MultiVersus MVP Pack offers in-game content to further customize and boost your play for Game Pass Ultimate members. MVP Pack 5 includes a Rare Banner – Bun Power and a Legendary Taunt – Treat Break.
Naruto 4-Movie Collection: Free movies – Available Now (US Only) Claim four Anime classic movies including Naruto Shippuden The Movie: Blood Prison, Naruto Road to Ninja, Naruto The Last, and Boruto: The Naruto Movie. More Naruto titles are on sale during Anime month. Available in the US only.
Leaving February 28
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Whether there are loose ends to tie up or you still want to try these out, this is your call to jump back in. Remember to use your membership discount to save up to 20% on your purchase to keep it in your library.
F1 22 (Console and PC) EA Play
Gris (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Maneater (Cloud, Console, and PC)
PAW Patrol World (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Space Engineers (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Wo Long Fallen Dynasty (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Yakuza 3 Remastered (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Yakuza 4 Remastered (Cloud, Console, and PC)
We’re adding more games over time to the ‘Stream your own game’ collection for Game Pass Ultimate members. Go to Xbox.com/Play to see the list of available cloud playable games to stream on supported devices if you own them.
As always you can tune into Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox on social for a reminder when these “coming soon” announcements turn into “play today.” Otherwise we’ll be back here to talk more games soon. Cheers!
Willkommen bei Next Week on Xbox! Wie immer stellen wir Dir alle neuen Spiele vor, die bald für Xbox Series X|S und Xbox One, Windows und im Game Pass erhältlich sind. Klick Dich einfach durch die Spiel-Details, um mehr zu möglichen Vorbestellungen zu erfahren (Änderungen vorbehalten).
Game Pass / Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere Willkommen im Land der Lebenden, einer geheimnisvollen Insel voller Abenteuer und Gefahren. Avowed, ein Fantasy-Rollenspiel aus der Ego-Perspektive vom preisgekrönten Team von Obsidian Entertainment, spielt in der fiktiven Welt von Eora, die erstmals in der Pillars of Eternity-Reihe vorgestellt wurde. Game Pass Ultimate- und PC Game Pass-Mitglieder können das Avowed Premium Upgrade Add-on erwerben, um bis zu 5 Tage Early Access, zwei Premium Skin-Sets und Zugang zum Avowed Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack zu erhalten.
Blow it up ist ein Physik-Zerstörungsspiel mit leichten Puzzle-Elementen. Dabei feuerst Du Bomben ab, um Feinde zu zerstören, die sich hinter Turm-ähnlichen Konstruktionen verstecken. Meistere sieben einzigartige Bomben in einer realistischen Physiksimulation und erkunde über 70 Level voller Chaos.
Verbessere und verwalte Zoos, um der Top-Tycoon in Idle Zoo Park zu werden! Restauriere alte Zoos und baue neue, füge verschiedene Tiere hinzu, um die Attraktivität und die Einnahmen zu steigern, baue einkommensgenerierende Orte und locke mehr Besucher*innen an, um Dein Zooimperium zu vergrößern und den Tycoon-Status zu erreichen!
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S Reise zurück in die 90er Jahre und erlebe den prägenden Sommer von vier Highschool-Mädchen, die durch ihre wachsende Freundschaft, ihre Punk-Band und ein unerklärliches Ereignis, das ihr Leben für immer verändern wird, eng zusammenrücken.
Tauche ein in die zauberhafte Welt von Bee Flowers, einem bezaubernden Puzzlespiel, in dem Du fleißige Bienen durch sechseckige Gitter lenkst, um bunte Blumenfelder zu bestäuben. Mit seiner entspannenden Spielmechanik und den immer schwieriger werdenden Puzzles bietet das Spiel die perfekte Kombination aus Strategie und Entspannung.
Tauche ein in kreative Bauaktivitäten, indem Du im Build Lands-Modus drei Inselwelten wiederaufbaust oder im Land Editor Deine eigenen Kreationen erschaffst und mit anderen teilst. Dank einer großen Auswahl an Baublöcken kannst Du vielseitige Strukturen gestalten – von Berghütten und Burgen bis hin zu dichten Wäldern und einzigartigen Designs.
Mona reist wieder durch die Dimensionen! Nach ihren Abenteuern trifft sie ihren göttlichen Beschützer, bevor ein magisches Portal sie in eine zusammenbrechende Welt schickt. Dort findet sie sich in der verfallenen Interdimensionalen Universität der Magie wieder. Nun muss sie in diesem Wimmelbild-Abenteuerspiel atemberaubende Welten mit einzigartigen Herausforderungen, Kreaturen und Verbündeten erkunden.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S Ein wunderschön gestaltetes 2D-Plattformspiel, das für ein entspannendes und dennoch fesselndes Erlebnis sorgt. Mit faszinierenden handgezeichneten Landschaften und einem beruhigenden Soundtrack werden die Spieler*innen eingeladen, eine ruhige Welt voller leichter Herausforderungen und fesselndem Gameplay zu erkunden.
Ein First-Person-Survival-Horror-Spiel mit Found-Footage-Elementen. Es erzählt die Geschichte eines Jugendlichen, der 1998 versehentlich in die Tiefen von „The Backrooms“ fällt.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery Ein 2D-narratives RPG, das in einer von Osteuropa des 19. Jahrhunderts inspirierten Welt mit modernem Twist spielt. Begleite Liza, eine junge Vampirin, die mit ihrer Moral und der übernatürlichen Welt ringt, in die sie hineingezogen wurde. Wirst Du Deine Menschlichkeit bewahren oder tiefer in das Grauen abgleiten, zu dem Du geworden bist?
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery Goro Majima, ein berüchtigter Ex-Yakuza, findet sich nach einem Schiffbruch plötzlich auf einer abgelegenen Insel im Pazifik wieder. Ohne Erinnerung – nicht einmal an seinen eigenen Namen – begibt er sich auf die Suche nach Hinweisen auf seine verlorene Vergangenheit. An seiner Seite ist Noah, ein Junge, der ihm das Leben gerettet hat. Doch schon bald geraten die beiden in einen gefährlichen Konflikt zwischen skrupellosen Verbrechern, modernen Piraten und zwielichtigen Gestalten – alle auf der Jagd nach einem legendären Schatz.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery Ein böser Fluch hat das Land heimgesucht und die Toten in lebende Leichen verwandelt. Die einzige Möglichkeit, die Nation vor dem Untergang durch die Armeen der Untoten zu bewahren, ist die Vernichtung der Untoten. Doch ganze Heere von Soldat*innen wurden ausgelöscht und in Zombies verwandelt. Nur ein Mann hat die Fähigkeiten, unbemerkt in feindliches Gebiet einzudringen und den Anführer zu stürzen – der Meister der Tarnung, Ninja-Meister Toru!
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere Weiche aus und blockiere die herannahenden Katzen! Benutze Power-Ups, um das Blatt zu wenden. Wenn Du schon immer Deine Freund*innen mit einem riesigen Laserpointer oder mit einer Käsekanone abschießen wolltest, kannst Du das jetzt tun! Pass nur auf die fliegenden Wollknäuel auf.
Du dachtest, sie kommen aus dem Weltall? Falsch gedacht! In diesem legendären Shoot ‚em up aus der Heimcomputer-Ära, das für moderne Plattformen neu aufgelegt und originalgetreu nachgebildet wurde, liegt es an Dir, eine Alien-Invasion aus den Tiefen des Ozeans zu stoppen!
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S Bay Breaker ist ein Spiel, bei dem man durch ruhige Meereslandschaften navigiert und mit einem Boot Bälle verschießt, die Felsen zerschlagen. Die Spieler*innen sammeln Juwelen und Münzen, die in den Levels versteckt sind. Zerstören alle Blöcke und verdiene Verzauberungen, um Deine Fähigkeiten zu verbessern.
Ein Arcade-Spiel für jedes Alter. In 40 Levels musst Du mit Geschick und schnellen Reflexen alle Blöcke auf dem Bildschirm zerstören. Die Blöcke werden im Laufe des Spiels immer schwieriger, so dass Du clevere Strategien entwickeln musst. So bleibst Du am Ball und hast nach jedem Level das Gefühl, etwas erreicht zu haben.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery Dr. Cavor wird von den mysteriösen Seleniten im Inneren des Mondes gefangen gehalten. Er versucht, zur Oberfläche und von dort zur Erde zu entkommen, aber zuerst muss er sich den Bewohner*innen der Mondunterwelt stellen, deren Katakomben komplex und tödlich sind!
Ein elektrisierender Twin-Stick-Shooter, der Dich in einen Wirbelwind aus Action und Intensität stürzt. Tauche ein in ein fesselndes Erlebnis mit blitzschnellem Gameplay, das Deinen Adrenalinspiegel in die Höhe treibt und Deine Reflexe schärft.
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere Nach vielen Jahren der Kämpfe beschloss eine Gruppe Wikinger*innen, dass es an der Zeit war, neue Länder zu erobern. Mit dem Schutz des Gottes Njord macht sich ein neuer Clan, der sich auf die Navigation spezialisiert hat, auf die Suche nach Ruhm! Ordne in diesem Logik-Puzzlespiel die Dörfer auf den Inseln an, um ihr Herrschaftsgebiet zu erweitern!
Optimiert für Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery Lulu’s Temple fordert Dich heraus, Dich in eine tiefe, schreckliche Pyramide voller gefährlicher Feind*innen, Fallen und Geheimnisse zu wagen. Schlüpfe in die Rolle einer*eines neugierigen Archäolog*in, die*der in einen Tempel hineinstolpert und sich einschließt. Benutze Deine mächtige Waffe, um die Untoten zu vernichten, und Deine Fackel, um Dir den Weg zu leuchten.
Der Meister der Golfsimulation ist zurück! Schlage mit den weltbesten Golfer*innen auf den berühmtesten Plätzen der größten Golfbühnen der Welt ab. Bestelle PGA Tour 2K25 Legend oder die Deluxe Edition vor, um ab dem 21. Februar bis zu sieben Tage früher auf das Spiel zugreifen zu können. Mit der Legend Edition wertest Du Dein Spiel und Deinen Look mit sechs zusätzlichen Inhaltspaketen voller leistungsstarker Upgrades, schicken Kosmetika und einem neuen spielbaren Charakter sowie dem Clubhaus-Pass Premium (Saison 1-5) auf.
Xbox One X Enhanced Ein gemütlicher Slice-of-Life-Visual-Novel, der in einer fiktiven Version von Wellington, Neuseeland, spielt. Geboren als Fuchs in den Wäldern Koreas, trägt Miho die Erinnerung an einen Reisenden in sich, der ihr einst Freundlichkeit zeigte und von seinem Zuhause sprach. Jetzt, mehr Mensch als Fuchs, hat Miho eine lange, lange Zeit damit verbracht, diese Person zu suchen.
Das ultimative Rennen hat begonnen – und Du bist eine*r der auserwählten Fahrer*innen der Erde! Tritt in einem außergewöhnlichen Turnier jenseits von Zeit und Raum an, ausgerichtet von den Gottheiten der Galaxie. Jedes Planetensystem entsendet eine*n einzige*n Fahrer*in, um auf 27 atemberaubenden Strecken voller gigantischer Titan*innen um den Sieg zu kämpfen. Doch die Einsätze sind hoch: Wenn Planeten verlieren, droht ihnen die Eliminierung.
The Living Lands are full of exciting adventure, hidden treasure, captivating secrets… and danger!
We’ve compiled some of our favorite tips and strategies to help you on your first steps into the world of Avowed.
Avowedis launching February 18, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app for Windows PC, Battle.net, Steam, cloud, and will be available on day one with Game Pass. Start playing today by picking up the Avowed Premium Edition on the Xbox Store, Battle.net, and Steam. Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass members, and standard edition owners can purchase the Avowed Premium Upgrade Addon for early access.
The Living Lands is ripe with adventure, excitement, and a significant amount of danger – and we’re here to help. We’ve been exploring Avowedfor a while now and throughout our time with Obsidian’s next great RPG, we’ve come away with a few tips to share with new adventurers who are about to take their first steps into this new corner of Eora. These are not meant to be an all-encompassing guide to the Living Lands, but we think you might benefit from one or two of these to help you on your journey.
Explore!
Avowed is a deeply inviting game – each of its open zones are truly dense, not just with the typical quests and side quests, but hidden treasure, buried lore, and points of interest. If something looks or sounds a little odd, there’s almost always a reason for that.
Did that NPC just say something interesting as you passed? They might not have a quest marker over their head, but that doesn’t mean it won’t kick off a cutscene when you talk to them. Does that out-of-the-way balcony look a little too conspicuous? Work out a parkour route to it and you might just find – to take an example – a room full of spirits and treasure.
And it’s not just solid ground that is brimming with treats – the waters of The Living Lands are also ripe with goods. Secrets are scattered across the bottoms of riverbeds, underground pools, and most importantly, nestled behind waterfalls, making it worth your while to take a dip wherever you can.
If you can resist the urge to plough on with the main story, there’s so much to discover here.
Don’t Neglect Upgrades to Your Equipment
Unlike a lot of RPGs, your ability to tackle tougher quests is tied to your gear more than your level – which means you should be thinking about upgrades to your equipment often at the workshop in your Party Camp. Quests are clearly marked in your Journal with skull ratings. No skull showing? You’ll be fine. One skull? It might be tough but be careful and you’ll make it through. Three skulls? Here be some ferocious enemies.
While you can find better equipment as you travel, it’s often more efficient to simply upgrade what you have, using crafting materials you’ll find all over the world to incrementally improve your weapons and armor. Find your preferred items and keep levelling them when you can, and your progression will keep feeling smooth.
Here’s a tip to speed up the gather/trudge to camp/upgrade/return to what you were doing process: Once you’ve gathered what you need for an upgrade, you can fast travel to a previously established Party Camp to do your business from almost anywhere by popping open the map. Then when you’re ready to get to exploring, select Exit to Previous Location at the Adra Stone or preferred fast travel point, to pick up exactly where you left off. Easy!
And remember: You can easily send items directly to your Party Camp from your Inventory at any time by pressing the X button if you become over encumbered. And you can break down any unused weapons or items by holding down the X button from your inventory – helpful if you’re coming up short on crafting ingredients like wood and metal.
Speak to Your Companions
At the Party Camp, you’ll always have a chance to catch up with your travelling companions – and this can be more practical than you might think. You’ll know when a party member wants to speak to you when you see their icon pop up with a speech bubble on the left of the screen. Once you head to Party Camp, aside from learning their backstories (and filling out your own), you may even stumble on some real benefits.
For instance, early on, Kai may bring up that he’s been studying your fighting style, and has some pointers. You can ask him to train you in his own style, leading to permanent stat buffs that would have taken multiple levels’ worth of upgrades to get. It’s a huge bonus, simply for stopping for a chinwag.
Pay Attention to Companion Abilities
You’re not the only one levelling up in your party – for every few of your levels, your companions will also open up the opportunity to learn or upgrade an ability, and some of these can be gamechangers. Every active ability they learn can be accessed easily in combat, and while your party members will use them on their own, we highly recommend working them into your combat loop.
For example, if you’re playing primarily as a magic user, it may mean you do a lot of damage but also take a lot of damage. Kai’s ability to leap onto an enemy can not only stun them but taunt them as well, meaning you can get out of a pinch by redirecting their ire onto him, letting you step back and drop ice knives out of a blizzard without fear. It’s saved us more times than we can count already.
Your Map is Your Guide… and Your Shopping List
The Living Lands are a colorful, visually dense world, filled not only with awe inspiring sights, but lots of stuff you’re going to want to pick up. The best way to separate the signal from the (beautiful) noise? Your minimap.
In the early game, the biggest limiter to your being able to upgrade is the ‘Paradisan Ladder’ – these handy plants are usually hidden away in crannies in and outside of settlements, just out of sight. And if you’re having trouble locating them, make sure you check for an up or down icon on the marker. That will give you better insight on where to look.
Back to that mini-map: it not only shows the location of harvestable plants, but there’s a specific icon just for that Paridisan Ladder (and later, its more potent varieties like Hylea’s Talon). It looks like this (left). Now you can spare the occasional glance at the map to get what you need, but keep your eyes focused where they’ll already be drawn to: the danger and beauty of The Living Lands.
Examine All of the Abilities
Building out your character and assigning abilities is one of the highlights of customization in Avowed. And even though you may start approaching combat as a specific build type, like Fighter, Ranger, or Wizard, you should know that as a classless game, there are many complimentary abilities hiding within each of these trees that can help you become a well-rounded adventurer.
For example, even though you may be going down the Fighter branch, one of the most helpful abilities that you can get early on is Parry, which is located under the Ranger branch as a passive ability. So, it’s worthwhile to take some time and look over all the abilities afforded to you which can be helpful in creating a balanced character as you set out on your adventure. And if you find that you’d like to change your build later, you can reset everything by spending your skeyts.
Utilize Combat Techniques
As much fun as it could be to just swing wildly at your enemies, there is a strategic flow to battle in Avowed where being able to step aside from attacks, blocking them, or masterfully parrying them to run up the stun meter are key to your survival in the Living Lands.
One of the key indicators you want to pay attention to in combat are the colored circles that will appear on enemies – putting points into Perception can help here. For example, if you see a red circle on an enemy as they’re about to attack, that’s unblockable so you should be nimble and dodge (A button) that attack. Or if you see a white diamond hovering over the location of an enemy while aiming with a rifle, pistol, or bow, that’s a weak point you should focus your attack on.
Weapon Swapping
This is for those of you who (like us) were so dang excited to jump into Avowed, that you somehow breezed through the section of the opening level that explained that you can hot-swap between two weapon builds by tapping Y on your controller or hitting U on your keyboard. Now that admission is out of the way, this is one of the more important aspects of combat for you to utilize and master, and it all comes down to how you like to play, giving you flexibility in how to approach a variety of enemies and combat situations.
A few of our favorite combos include pairing an arquebus with a sword and shield, giving us a great option to use in wide open areas or while navigating narrow caverns. Another pairing we like is having a pistol and shield mixed with a grimoire and wand, providing a mix of magic-based and projectile-based attacks (with a shield to help guard attacks as you load your pistol). Or if you prefer a quieter approach, we were also partial to wielding a two-handed bow in one loadout setting and a combination of a wand and grimoire in the other, which helped for stealthily picking off enemies before launching into a flurry of aggressive magic after being discovered.
Go Treasure Hunting
A good way to get off the beaten path and to explore more of Eora is to pick up bounties or unearth treasure maps to not only line your pockets with new weapons and crafting materials, but to get a better sense of the world around you – and you never know what you’ll stumble upon as you dive deeper into the Living Lands. Once acquired, treasure maps won’t simply drop a marker on your map, oh no. They artistically illustrate an area – maybe a cave, a path by a river, etc, with a classic X marking The Spot. Commit that vista to memory, because the only way you’ll find that treasure is by paying attention. And even then, don’t expect a chest to just be sitting on the beach, but the map should get you close enough to hear the telltale twinkling of treasure. My precious!
Use Your Environment
There’s a logic to the lay of the Living Lands if you take the time to assess what’s in front of and around you. See some xaurips up ahead surrounded by tall grass? Perhaps a stealthy approach could work best. Notice that brick wall that’s hanging on by a thread? A well-thrown grenade — or, if you’re lucky, a well-aimed shot at a nearby exploding barrel — can give you a surprise advantage against a group of enemies. Mysterious ice looking plant located above a body of water? Shoot it down to create an ice platform for you to jump on.
Another mantra that has been repeating for us as we explored pockets of the Living Lands was ‘anything but the front door’ – there is often an obvious, visible entrance to a building or area, but entering could cost you a fair few lockpicks. Instead of using up those precious picks in the early game, consider scouting around the location you’re exploring – perhaps there’s a hidden window to crawl through or a weak wall that you can destroy. This often offers an alternate route in that saves your lockpicks and may even give you an upper hand on any nasties lurking inside.
The point here is to not always rush into every situation (although that too can be fun) but recognize the way the land and world is presented to you for your adventure. Player freedom is at the heart of Avowed and all these unique ways to approach it is intentional. So have some fun experimenting on the ways to utilize the environment to your advantage.
Don’t Forget Your Grimoire
Even if you find yourself focusing your abilities as more of a Fighter or Ranger, you’ll discover that always having access to a Grimoire of Elements (which you get for free at the start of the game) will come in handy more times than you can count.
Yes, it can be effective in battle, but it’s also very useful at helping you solve many of the environmental puzzles. For example, being able to cast lighting spells to activate an electronic switch or being able to burn away a batch of cobwebs that could reveal a shortcut that wasn’t available to you before.
So even if you’re not wielding it in your off-hand, make sure you give it a little spot in your inventory. You’ll never know when you’re going to need it (spoiler: you’re going to need it).
Avowed is launching February 18, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app for Windows PC, Battle.net, Steam, cloud, and will be available on day one with Game Pass. Avowed also supports Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning when you buy the game through the store on Xbox or Windows, it’s yours to play on Xbox and Windows PC at no additional cost, and your game progress and achievements are saved across Xbox and Windows PC.
When you purchase Avowed on Battle.net or Xbox, or have an Xbox Game Pass membership (PC or Ultimate only), and connect your Battle.net and Xbox accounts, it’s also yours to play on Battle.net, Xbox and Xbox App for Windows at no additional cost. Avowed lets you pick up where you left off, bringing all of your saves, game add-ons, and Xbox achievement progress with you.
Avowed is currently available for pre-order on the Xbox Store, Battle.net, and Steam. The Premium Edition (or Premium Upgrade Addon for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members or standard edition) offers up to five days early access, two premium skin packs, and access to the Avowed Digital Artbook & Soundtrack.
With Atomfallcoming to Xbox and Game Pass in just over a month (arriving on March 27), today we released the latest trailer for the game. Featuring brand new gameplay, the trailer highlights the main features that you will experience when you enter the quarantine zone.
I thought now would be a good time to give you more information on some of the game’s key features and what you can expect when you play Atomfall. For those who haven’t had chance to see the trailer yet, take a look:
The trailer starts at the very beginning of the game. You wake up in a dark and eerie bunker and are met by a wounded man in a hazmat suit who immediately asks who you are and asks for your help. The problem is you don’t know who you are, or how you got there.
He tells you that you are inside a quarantine zone, built around the Windscale Atom plant following a nuclear disaster.
Set in the luscious British countryside in 1962, Atomfall is a fictionalised telling of what happened five years after true events in Northern England. It is a game about investigation and discovery – as you try to uncover the mystery behind what really happened at Windscale, but also who you are and what you’re doing there.
There is plenty to explore beyond the rolling hills of Cumberland, including a picturesque village, bandit camps, caves, tunnels, and mysterious buildings and facilities left abandoned by the British Atomic Research Division. All of these will hold their own secrets for you to discover.
You will find clues about what has happened and learn more about the colourful characters you meet along the way – but there is no clear single “truth”, and different people interpret what happened in different ways. This feeds into the game’s ‘Leads’ system, our new take on traditional gaming quests.
Some information that you uncover will open a Lead in the game. You can choose to track this down to uncover further secrets and hopefully get closer to some form of the truth. All the Leads in the game are completely optional, and all connect in one way or another to the larger mystery. As a result, the path you take through the game and the storyline is entirely up to you.
Another source of Leads is the cast of characters you will meet along the way. One of the first you may meet is Nat Buckshaw, who you find playing his guitar in the ruins of an old house. He is an extremely talkative chap and more than happy to give away everything he knows just to have someone to talk to.
However, with Nat and indeed everyone you meet along the way, you can never be sure who to trust and whether they are trying to use you for their own means.
Some characters also act as Traders, for example Molly the Tinker, who can be found in the Dale. In fact, one of the Leads that Nat provides, helps you to find Molly. Resources are scarce in Atomfall, and money is useless, so all trade is done by barter – striking a good deal with a trader can be vitally important. Each of them will prize different sorts of assets. One may want food and bandages, while another needs weapons. Careful observation and making a balanced trade will enable you to get the resources you need to survive.
One valuable tool you can trade for is the metal detector (you can either find one as you search the countryside or barter for one.) The metal detector is a vital asset as you scavenge for further resources. Atomfall is as much a game of survival as it is exploration – the resources, weapons and ammo you find will be vital if you are to find out what happened at the Windscale nuclear plant.
To aid you in the hunt for resources, you’ll be able to find metal detectors. Once you have one, you will hear it beep as you come within range of something to find. You then need to equip it and use it to find your treasure – whether that be some scrap metal, medical supplies or ammunition.
And you’ll need all the ammunition you can find – supplies are tight! Gangs of bandits litter the countryside, and they will think nothing of attacking on sight. Whether you choose to engage or run for cover is your choice but there are likely to be times when you will have no choice but to fight.
Raising a gun to someone who is only armed with a melee weapon may well be enough for them to be the one who retreats. Whether your gun is loaded or not, only you will know…
No matter what, you will need to be ready to adjust your strategy on the fly, using all the tools at your disposal to make it out alive. Melee combat, both armed and unarmed, will be vital. Sometimes, aiming a swift kick at an opponent in order to stagger them back is all the time you have to reload, and can be a life saver.
You are going to have to find ways to adapt and make do with what you have as you track down leads in the search of the truth… or at least one version of it.
We have only scratched the surface of the challenges, mystery and intrigue you discover in the quarantine zone. We cannot wait for you to get your hands on Atomfallwhen it launches on Game Pass as well as on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC on March 27.
Atomfall
Rebellion
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
A survival-action game inspired by real-life events, Atomfall is set five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster in Northern England.
Explore the fictional quarantine zone, scavenge, craft, barter, fight and talk your way through a British countryside setting filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, cults, and rogue government agencies.
From Rebellion, the studio behind Sniper Elite and Zombie Army, Atomfall will challenge you to solve the dark mystery of what really happened.
Player Driven Mystery: Unravel a tapestry of interwoven narratives through exploration, conversation, investigation, and combat, where every choice you make has consequences. Search, Scavage, Survive: You’ll need to scavenge for supplies, craft weapons and items, and fight desperately to make it out alive! Desperate Combat: With weapons and ammunition scarce, each frenetic engagement will see you blend marksmanship with vicious hand-to-hand combat. Manage your heart rate to hold a steady aim and ensure you have the energy you need to reach for your cricket bat and land the killer blow. Green and Unpleasant Land: The picturesque British countryside, with rolling green hills, lush valleys, and rural villages belie the dangers that await you. Navigate cult-controlled ruins, natural caves, nuclear bunkers and more as you explore this dense, foreboding world. Reimagining Windscale: A fictional reimagining of a real-world event, Atomfall draws from science fiction, folk horror, and Cold War influences to create a world that is eerily familiar yet completely alien.
2024 was a year for Age of Empires and Age of Mythology players and —a year shaped by your passion, creativity, and epic moments. Thanks to your dedication, it’s been an incredible year not just for the community, but for the franchise as a whole. Together, we’ve had an incredible year. We kicked things off with the New Year, New Age showcase, crowned champions at Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado, connected with many of you at Gamescom, and celebrated the launches of Age of Mythology: Retold and Age of Empires Mobile. Along the way, we expanded the franchise in new ways and welcomed over 10 million new players—reaching an incredible milestone of 60 million Age of Empires players worldwide.
Our players continue to influence the many ways in which the franchise moves forward. Today we’re thrilled to start 2025 by unveiling what’s ahead. Settle in, because we’ve got a lot to share!
Immortal Pillars Expansion Launches March 4, Pre-Order Now
For Age of Mythology: Retold players, the wait is almost over! After revealing the Immortal Pillars expansion for Age of Mythology: Retold at Tokyo Game Show, we’re excited to announce it will launch on March 4th – and pre-orders are live now! Packed with brand-new content, this expansion introduces the Chinese pantheon, alongside stunning new maps, myth units, and gameplay features. Check out some highlights of all the exciting content here!
*As a reminder, if you already own the Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition, Immortal Pillars is yours at no additional cost – jump in and play on day one!
Age of Empires II: DE and Age of Mythology: Retold coming to PlayStation 5
I’m delighted to share that we are giving fans more choice to play where they want by bringing Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Age of Mythology: Retold to PlayStation 5.
Playing across all platforms is a game-changer for our franchise, and it’s all about bringing our community together. This isn’t just about convenience—it’s about growing and strengthening the Age community. With cross-play, we’re creating one global battlefield where every strategy, every empire, and every player matters.
Age of Mythology: Retold on PlayStation 5
First, on March 4, Age of Mythology: Retold will expand into new myths, new cultures, and welcome new players alongside the Immortal Pillars expansion release. We will welcome PlayStation 5 players to adventure with Arkantos, choose their pantheon, and fight for divine blessings with all the same content available in the Xbox and PC versions. PlayStation 5 players will also be able to purchase Immortal Pillars, and expand their Age of Mythology: Retold experience with the all-new Chinese pantheon.
PlayStation 5 Bonuses:
Get the Premium Edition for 5-day early access to Age of Mythology: Retold starting February 27th, access to the new Immortal Pillars expansion on March 4th, and much more!
Pre-order now and enjoy two exclusive Blessings for the Arena of the Gods mode.
All game updates from March 4th onwards will go to all platforms simultaneously – Steam, Windows Store, Xbox and PlayStation 5 – and players will be able to play together.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on PlayStation
This spring, the globally beloved Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition will make its debut on PlayStation 5. Alongside this release, we’ll be dropping one of the most exciting DLC expansions for Age II: DE yet, packed with fresh new content, new civilizations for Ranked play, and ready for all players to enjoy together across all platforms – PC, Xbox , and PlayStation 5.
While we’re keeping some details under wraps until spring, here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming.
No matter where you are or what platform you prefer, you can now unite with friends, challenge rivals, and share your passion for Age of Empires and Age of Mythology.
Two DLCs Bring Exciting New Ways to Play Age IV in 2025
Big news for Age of Empires IV players! Last year we shared we were working on new DLC for Age of Empires IV, and now we’re back with even better news. We’re not rolling out one DLC in 2025 – we’re actually rolling out two!
With these DLCs, we’re expanding upon concepts we’ve introduced previously, like variant civilizations, with your feedback in mind. Variant civilizations allow us to capture diverse strategic tactics and military forces afforded to various historical bodies, and we’ve got some very exciting ones in development, one of which we’ve heard the community’s been wanting since the release of The Sultans Ascend. Not only are we changing up strategic gameplay with these variants, but we’re also spending time on the fine details: we’re introducing a large set of new units and buildings and, in some cases, updating the overall visuals of many shared units and buildings to assist with better readability and make sure your experience feels fresh! In addition to adapting the variant civilization concept, we’re also exploring unique game modes in both 2025 DLCs that focus on shorter and repeatable experiences – these modes will encourage you to try out new playstyles while also allowing you to adapt your skills and test your mettle over time.
Excited to learn more? You won’t have to wait long! The first of these two DLCs, Knights of Cross and Rose, is set to launch this spring. This DLC brings fresh new gameplay experiences to the Age IV community, allowing players to lead two well-known armies inspired by history and offering a solo mode that will challenge even the most skilled strategists.
Stay on the lookout for a deep dive soon. The Age IV team is excited to share what they’ve been cooking up!
Age of Empires Mobile: The Journey Continues
In just four months since launch, Age of Empires Mobile has captivated millions of players worldwide and brought new fans to our community. From Halloween mayhem to the Mightiest Empire contest, governors have been busy expanding kingdoms and leading legendary heroes like Boudica and Lu Bu to victory.
February brings a host of new features and events to enhance your gameplay experience:
Battle of Dawn: A campaign set in a legendary temple is about to unfold. Secure ultimate victory by transporting temple relics and employing class skills. With four stages leading to cross-server combat, there’s plenty to look forward to.
Stellar Glory: This new event activates a battle zone mode letting you face off against governors from different kingdoms.
Valentine’s Day Cosmetics: Obtain exclusive themed items like the Heart Hunter’s Circus Citadel Theme and Passionate Reverie Troop Set.
Josephine’s Treasure Hunt: Follow Princess Josephine and compete in three events; Celestial Chronicles, Path of Starlight and Alchemist’s Secret Art. Earn dice items to roll and earn points. Move around a game board to earn rewards!
Stay tuned for these exciting updates and new features in February.
To celebrate Age of Empires Mobile, we’ve also got an exclusive gift code for the first 20,000 users to redeem it! Code: AoEMVLTN
Making History in 2025
This is just a glimpse of what’s shaping up to be an extraordinary 2025. We’ve got plenty more surprises in store, so make sure you’re following our community channels and reading our blogs at ageofempires.com to stay up to date.
Please continue to send us your feedback, your thoughts and what you’d like to see next across our social channels, forums, Discord and Steam.
Armor up and rally your forces—it’s time to charge into 2025 like Zeus commanding the skies, Joan of Arc leading her crusade, or Genghis Khan conquering the steppes – and I’ll see YOU on the battlefield!! 🛡️⚔️
Willkommen zurück! Wie immer haben wir spannende Neuigkeiten, Spieleankündigungen und Updates dabei. Apropos Neuigkeiten: Davon gab es auf der Developer_Direct 2025 jede Menge. Falls Du die Show verpasst hast, kannst Du Dir hier noch einmal die Highlights ansehen:
Far Cry New Dawn (Cloud, Konsole und PC) Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Du wachst im postapokalyptischen Hope County, Montana, auf – 17 Jahre nach einer globalen Nuklearkatastrophe. Stelle Dich dem Kampf gegen die Highwaymen, die versuchen, die letzten verbliebenen Ressourcen zu erobern.
Bald verfügbar
Another Crab’s Treasure (Konsole) – 5. Februar Jetzt enthalten im Game Pass Standard
Ein Soulslike-Abenteuer, das in einer verwüsteten Unterwasserwelt spielt. In der Rolle des Einsiedlerkrebses Kril musst Du den Müll um Dich herum als Schutzschild nutzen, um den Angriffen Deiner Feinde standzuhalten, die Dir weit überlegen sind. Begib Dich auf eine epische Schatzsuche, um Deine entwendete Muschel zurückzukaufen und die dunklen Geheimnisse hinter der Verschmutzung des Ozeans zu ergründen.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (Konsole) – 5. Februar Jetzt enthalten im Game Pass Standard
Versammle Deine Verbündeten für Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, das große JRPG-Abenteuer. Stellen Dein sechsköpfiges Team aus mehr als 100 Held*innen zusammen und lenke Dein Schicksal in dieser atemberaubenden 2,5D-Welt, die von Krieg, Intrigen und Magie geprägt ist. Verwalte Deine Stadt mit lebendigen Charakteren, meistere aufregende Minispiele und freue Dich auf eine unvergessliche Geschichte mit grenzenlosem Charme.
Starfield (Xbox Series X|S) – 5. Februar Jetzt enthalten im Game Pass Standard
Mit Starfield liefern die Bethesda Game Studios, das preisgekrönte Entwicklerstudio hinter The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim und Fallout 4, ihr erstes neue Universum seit 25 Jahren. In diesem Rollenspiel der nächsten Generation, das inmitten der Sterne spielt, kannst Du Dir Deinen eigenen Charakter erstellen und Dich mit ihm auf eine epische Reise begeben, um das größte Geheimnis der Menschheit zu lüften.
Madden NFL 25 (Cloud, Konsole und PC) EA Play – 6. Februar Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Überwinde die Verteidigungslinien und erhalte unbegrenzten Zugang zu Madden NFL 25, das bald Teil der Play List sein wird. Als Mitglied des PC Game Pass oder des Game Pass Ultimate kannst Du das Spielfeld via EA Play auch über Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) dominieren. Sei schnell und sichere Dir von 6. Februar bis 6. März ein exklusives Supercharge Pack.
Kingdom Two Crowns (Cloud und Konsole) – 13. Februar Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Standard
Ein Comeback in die Game Pass-Bibliothek! Im brandneuen Solo- oder Koop-Kampagnenmodus von Kingdom Two Crowns geht es darum, Dein eigenes Königreich aufzubauen und es vor Bedrohungen zu schützen. Lerne neue Technologien, Einheiten, Feinde und Geheimnisse in der nächsten Evolution der preisgekrönten Mikrostrategie-Reihe kennen!
Avowed (Cloud, PC und Xbox Series X|S) – 18. Februar Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Direkt zum Release verfügbar! Willkommen in den Living Lands, einer geheimnisvollen Insel voller Abenteuer und Gefahren. Avowed ist ein First-Person-Fantasy-Action-RPG des preisgekrönten Teams von Obsidian Entertainment und spielt in der fiktiven Welt von Eora, die Du vielleicht noch aus der Pillars of Eternity-Reihe kennst. Game Pass Ultimate- und PC Game Pass-Mitglieder haben die Chance, das Avowed Premium Upgrade Addon zu erwerben, um bis zu fünf Tage früher loszuspielen, zwei Sets von Premium-Skins und Zugang zum digitalen Artbook und Original-Soundtrack von Avowed zu erhalten.
Falls Du es verpasst hast
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (Cloud, Konsole und PC) – ab sofort verfügbar Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Das hochgelobte und legendäre Spiel aus dem Jahr 2008 kehrt grafisch überarbeitet zurück! Ninja Gaiden 2 Black erweckt die rasante Ninja-Action des legendären Helden Ryu Hayabusa und dessen tödliches Drachenschwert zum Leben. Stürze Dich in die Schlacht gegen furchterregende Feinde, kämpfe um Dein Leben und schlüpfe in die Rollen der Charaktere Momiji, Ayana und Rachel. Weitere Informationen gibt es auf Xbox Wire DACH.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor verfügbar für Xbox One und Cloud Gaming (Beta) über EA Play Game Pass Ultimate
Kämpfe gegen die Dunkelheit in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, dem Preisträger des IGN-Preises für das beste Actionspiel des Jahres 2023 – jetzt in der Play List! Du bist Mitglied des Game Pass Ultimate? Dann setze Cal Kestis‘ Reise auf Xbox One oder über Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) via EA Play fort.
DLC / Game Updates
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 02 – ab sofort verfügbar
Freue Dich auf vier neue 6v6-Multiplayer-Maps, beliebte Modi wie das Gun Game sowie einen neuen Multiplayer-Modus, in dem Du Dir einzigartige Buffs verdienen kannst. Für den Zombie-Modus gibt es ebenfalls eine brandneue Karte: The Tomb. Begib Dich auf die Suche nach dem mysteriösen Wächter-Artefakt! Die Jagd war noch nie so aufregend wie jetzt. Weitere Infos findest Du auf dem Call of Duty Blog.
No Man’s Sky Worlds Part II Update – ab sofort verfügbar Das neueste kostenlose Update für No Man’s Sky, Worlds Part II, bringt Milliarden neuer Sterne und Planeten mit sich (darunter epische und volatile Gasriesen, Tiefsee-Ozeane und neue Biome), massive Upgrades für das Lighting, verschiedene Terrains und das Wasser.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Vorteile
Schaue regelmäßig in den Game Pass-Bereich auf Deiner Konsole, in der Xbox Mobile App oder der Xbox App für den PC, um neue Ingame-Inhalte und Angebote zu entdecken. In Anzahl und Inhalt können die Vorteile je nach Region, Plattform und Zeit variieren.
Stumble Guys: RIP Streamer Pack – ab sofort verfügbar
Schnapp Dir den RIP-Streamer-Skin, das Emote „Ban Hammer“ sowie 250 Edelsteine und 50 Token in diesem spaßigen Multiplayer-Knockout-Battle-Royale!
Diese Spiele verlassen den Game Pass
Die folgenden Spiele werden die Game Pass-Bibliothek am 15. Februar verlassen. Doch es gibt noch mehr als genug Zeit, sie zu spielen, bevor sie verschwinden. Nutze Deinen Mitgliedschaftsrabatt von bis zu 20 Prozent, um sie in Deiner Sammlung zu behalten.
A Little to the Left (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
Bloodstained Ritual of the Night (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
EA Sports UFC 3 (Konsole) EA Play
Indivisible (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
Merge and Blade (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
Return to Grace (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
Tales of Arise (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
Wir fügen der Sammlung „Streame Dein eigenes Spiel“ für Game Pass Ultimate-Mitglieder kontinuierlich weitere Spiele hinzu. Hier findest du die Liste der über die Cloud spielbaren Titel, die Du auf unterstützten Geräten streamen kannst, wenn Du sie besitzt.
Wir sind schon bald mit weiteren Ankündigungen zurück. Stelle in der Zwischenzeit sicher, dass Du den sozialen Kanälen des Game Pass, des PC Game Pass und Xbox folgst, um keine Neuigkeiten mehr zu verpassen. Cheers!
Wir feiern Black Culture auf der ganzen Welt: Xbox würdigt die vielfältigen Ausdrucksformen der Black Culture und hebt den Einfluss afrokaribischer, afrolateinischer, afrikanischer und afroamerikanischer Traditionen in Spielen hervor.
Entdecke Spiele, die von schwarzen Entwickler*innen gestaltet wurden und Geschichten mit schwarzen Protagonist*innen: Xbox stellt eine umfangreiche Liste von Spielen vor, die die Vielfalt schwarzer Persönlichkeiten widerspiegelt.
Aufstrebende schwarze Entwickler*innen im Rampenlicht: Xbox ist stolz darauf, aufstrebenden Schwarzen Entwickler*innen Gehör zu verschaffen und ihre einzigartigen Perspektiven und Beiträge im Gaming genauer vorzustellen.
Der Black History Month bietet eine gute Gelegenheit, sich der Vielfalt der Black Culture bewusst zu werden. Von den Rhythmen afroamerikanischer Musik bis hin zu afroamerikanischen Traditionen erstreckt sich die Kultur über den gesamten Globus, wobei jede Region ihre ganz eigenen Geschichten, Ideen und Überzeugungen einbringt. In diesem Jahr möchten wir Stimmen aus allen Ecken der Welt Gehör verschaffen und Spiele vorstellen, die die volle Bandbreite Schwarzer Geschichte widerspiegeln.
Die Schwarze Geschichte ist nicht eindimensional – sie ist geprägt von Generationen der Widerstandsfähigkeit, der Freude, der Innovation und des Gemeinschaftsgeistes, die über verschiedene Länder, Kontinente und Sprachen hinweg geteilt werden. Mit den von uns kuratierten Spielen wollen wir diese unterschiedlichen Perspektiven hervorheben und die Schönheit und Komplexität der Schwarzen Kultur in all ihren Facetten feiern.
Xbox ist stolz darauf, die nächste Generation Schwarzer Creator zu unterstützen, die mit den von uns entwickelten Spielen und den von uns angebotenen Programmen die Zukunft der Spieleindustrie mitgestalten. Die aufstrebenden Stimmen bringen frische Perspektiven ein und kreieren innovative und kulturell reichhaltige Erfahrungen, die die Spieler*innen über Jahre hinweg begeistern werden. Wir möchten die Entwickler*innen fördern und ihnen eine Plattform bieten, auf der ihre Geschichten gedeihen und neue Talente und Spieler*innen inspirieren können.
Xbox setzt sich auch weiterhin für die Unterstützung von Kreativen ein, die inspirieren, herausfordern und unterhalten. So wollen wir dazu beitragen, dass sich ihre Geschichten weltweit verbreiten und gefeiert werden.
Minecraft feiert den Black History Month mit Aufklärung, die positiven Einfluss auf die Community nimmt
Im Rahmen des Black History Months setzt Minecraft seine Bemühungen fort, den Stimmen Gehör zu verschaffen, die Aufklärung über Schwarze Geschichte zu fördern und die Power der Community zu unterstreichen. Über die Plattformen von Minecraft und Microsoft stellt Minecraft schwarze Creatorauf seinem Marktplatz vor. Außerdem arbeitet das Spiel mit schwarzen Persönlichkeiten zusammen, um die Geschichte der Bürger*innenrechte zu vermitteln und unterstützt gemeinnützige Organisationen, die in und mit Schwarzen Communities arbeiten.
Lessons in Good Trouble ist eine immersive Erfahrung, die den Spieler*innen aufzeigen soll, wie wichtig es ist, für das Richtige einzutreten. Entwickelt von Minecraft Education in Zusammenarbeit mit den Pädagoginnen Natasha Rachell und Felisa Ford, wurde Lessons in Good Trouble seit seiner Veröffentlichung im Jahr 2020 bereits mehr als sechs Millionen Mal heruntergeladen. Über den aktualisierten DLC lernen die Spieler*innen John Lewis kennen und erfahren mehr über seine zentrale Rolle in der Bürgerrechtsbewegung sowie über die Ursprünge und den Einfluss seiner gewaltfreien Philosophie. Vom kolonialen Indien über Selma, Alabama, bis hin zum Südafrika der Apartheid und darüber hinaus erfahren die Spieler*innen von Lessons in Good Trouble, dass sie die Macht haben, in ihren eigenen Communities für Veränderungen zu sorgen. Das Spiel ist kostenlos auf dem Minecraft-Marktplatz und als kostenlose Demo für Minecraft Education erhältlich.
Ergänzend zu den Bildungsinhalten wird auf dem Minecraft Marketplace die Arbeit schwarzer Creator hervorgehoben, damit ihre Beiträge gefeiert und einem globalen zugänglich gemacht werden können.
Darüber hinaus arbeitet Minecraft mit der Cxmmunity Foundation zusammen, um die Sichtbarkeit unterrepräsentierter Communities im Esport- und Gaming-Bereich durch STEAM-Entwicklung zu erhöhen. Halte den gesamten Februar über Ausschau nach der Cxmmunity Foundation, die auf den sozialen Kanälen von Mincecraft hervorgehoben wird, um mehr über die Organisation zu erfahren und ihre Programme hier zu testen.
Durch die Schaffung eines Raums, in dem verschiedene Stimmen und Geschichten Gehör finden, kreiert Minecraft eine integrative Gemeinschaft, die auf Bildung, Kreativität und sozialem Wandel beruht.
South of Midnight: Eine Reise durch die Folklore der Südstaaten
Wir freuen uns, Dir mit South of Midnight ein innovatives Third-Person-Action-Adventure vorstellen zu können, das die facettenreiche Kulturlandschaft des Amerikanischen Südens in den Vordergrund rückt. Du schlüpfst in dieser Southern Gothic-Geschichte in die Rolle von Hazel, einer jungen Frau, die über eine uralte und sehr mächtige Fähigkeit verfügt. In der Welt von South of Midnight wimmelt es geradezu vor Mythen und Folklore. Du erkundest eine Welt, die von der Geschichte, der Kultur und den Traditionen der Regionen geprägt ist. Der Schwerpunkt liegt hierbei ganz bewusst auf der Schwarzen Geschichte, die in das Erbe der Südstaaten eingebettet ist und sonst oft übersehen wird.
South of Midnight zeigt beispielhaft, dass eben auch Spiele dazu in der Lage sind, Schwarze Kultur, Folklore und Widerstandsfähigkeit ins Rampenlicht zu rücken, während sie eine Geschichte erzählen, die so facettenreich und komplex ist wie die Region, die sie repräsentieren.
South of Midnightist ab dem 8. April 2025 für Xbox Series X|S, die Xbox App für Windows PC, auf Steam und der Cloud erhältlich. Außerdem ist das Spiel direkt zum Release im Game Pass enthalten.
Entdecke Spiele mit schwarzen Protagonist*innen, die von schwarzen Entwickler*innen gestaltet wurden
Feiere Schwarze Geschichte durch die Power des Gamings. Im Februar und darüber hinaus kannst Du auf eine Sammlung an Spielen zugreifen, in denen schwarze Persönlichkeiten eine Hauptrolle einnehmen oder in denen Du bei der Charaktererstellung auf unterschiedliche Hautfarben und Frisuren zugreifen kannst.
Wirf einen Blick auf einige Highlights unserer Xbox Game Collection, mit der wir den Black History Month begehen.
Spiele mit schwarzen Protagonist*innen und Geschichten
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition – The African Royals Das ultimative RTS-Spiel kehrt zurück! Lerne das Herz Afrikas kennen und erkunde einen neuen Kontinent der Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition mit zwei brandneuen Zivilisationen und ihren Königreichen, den Äthiopier*innen und den Hausa! Dank der einzigartigen Age-Up-Mechanik kannst Du in jedem Zeitalter neue Allianzen schließen und Ihren Einfluss nutzen, um die Einheiten Deiner Verbündeten anzuheuern oder deren Technologien zu erforschen.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Das Spielestudio A44, die Macher*innen von Ashen, liefern ein explosives Souls-Lite, in dem Götter, Göttinnen und Waffen in einem Kampf um die Zukunft der Menschheit aufeinanderprallen. Das Tor zur Unterwelt wurde geöffnet, wodurch die Götter, Göttinnen und ihre Armeen der Toten entfesselt wurden. Die Länder von Kian werden belagert, die Stadt Dawn steht am Rande der Zerstörung. Es ist Zeit für die Armee der Koalition, zurückzuschlagen. Begib Dich mit Rache, Schießpulver und Magie auf eine epische Reise, um die Götter zu besiegen, das Tor zu schließen und die Welt zurückzuerobern.
Baldur’s Gate III Entführt, infiziert, verloren. Du verwandelst Dich in ein Monster, doch mit der Verkommenheit in Dir wächst auch Deine Macht. Schmiede eine Geschichte über Freundschaft und Verrat, über Opfer und das Überleben, über die Verlockung der totalen Macht. Gefangen in einem Konflikt zwischen Teufeln, Göttern und finsteren jenseitigen Mächten, werden Du und Deine Gruppe über das Schicksal der Vergessenen Reiche bestimmen.
Mortal Kombat 1 Es liegt uns im Blut! Entdecke das Mortal Kombat-Universum, das vom Feuergott Liu Kang zurück ins Leben geholt wurde. Mortal Kombat 1 läutet mit einem neuen Kampfsystem, neuen Spielmodi und Fatalities eine neue Ära des ikonischen Franchise ein!
Streets of Rage 4 Die legendäre Streets of Rage Reihe, die zu den besten Beat ‚em up-Serien aller Zeiten gehört, kehrt mit einer meisterhaften Hommage an die klassische Action zurück. Streets of Rage 4 ist nicht umsonst für sein zeitloses Gameplay und die von elektronischen Rhythmen inspirierte Musik bekannt. Das Spiel baut auf dem Gameplay der klassischen Trilogie auf und bietet neue Mechanismen, wunderschöne handgezeichnete Grafiken und einen Soundtrack der Extraklasse.
Aerial_Knight’s We Never Yield Ein actiongeladenes und akustisch fesselndes Erlebnis, bei dem es im Singleplayer- oder im kooperativen Multiplayer-Modus darum geht, Hindernisse und Feinde zu überwinden. Im Singleplayer-Modus kannst Du beide Charaktere gleichzeitig steuern, was eine zusätzliche Herausforderung darstellt! Herzzerreißende Beats begleiten die heldenhaften Brüder durch die tödlichen und beängstigenden Umgebungen des Spiels, während sie durch ein gefallenes Königreich jagen, das eine Vielzahl von Herausforderungen bereithält. Spiele Aerial_Knight’s We Never Yieldnoch heute!
Tell Me Why Don’t Nod, das Studio hinter dem beliebten Franchise Life is Strange, präsentiert ein neues story-basiertes Abenteuer. In diesem intimen Mystery-Spiel nutzen die wiedervereinigten Zwillinge Tyler und Alyson Ronan ihre übernatürliche Verbindung, um die Erinnerungen an ihre liebevolle, aber schwierige Kindheit zu enträtseln. Tell Me Why spielt in der wunderschönen Kleinstadt Alaska, wo Du auf authentische Charaktere triffst und schwierige Entscheidungen treffen musst. Während Du Erinnerungen aus der Vergangenheit heraufbeschwörst, werden sich Deine Entscheidungen auf die Beziehung der Zwillinge auswirken, die Stärke ihrer Bindung bestimmen und den weiteren Verlauf ihres Lebens prägen. Spiele Tell Me Why noch heute!
Forza Horizon 5 Dein ultimatives Horizon-Abenteuer wartet auf Dich! Erforsche die lebendigen und sich ständig weiterentwickelnden Landschaften Mexikos und genieße grenzenlosen Fahrspaß in Hunderten der besten Autos der Welt. Nimm an einer spannenden Verfolgungsjagd und damit an unserem neuen 5v1-Mehrspielererlebnis Hide & Seek teil.
El Paso, Elsewhere El Paso, Elsewhere ist ein übernatürlicher, Neo-Noir Third-Person-Shooter. Jage Werwölfe, gefallene Engel und andere verdammte Kreaturen in einer lebhaften Zeitlupen-Liebeserklärung an Action-Klassiker. Kämpfe Dich durch ein realitätsveränderndes Motel, Stockwerk für Stockwerk. Rette die Opfer von Draculae, dem Herrscher der Vampire. Vernichte den Bösewicht, den Du geliebt hast – auch wenn das bedeutet, selbst zu sterben.
Jay & Silent Bob: Mall Brawl Jay und Silent Bob: Mall Brawl ist ein vollwertiges 8-Bit-Retro-Beat ‚em Up-Erlebnis mit umfangreichen Leveln, mächtigen Bossen, coolen Kombos und respektlosen Anspielungen auf das View Askewniverse. Mall Brawl kann im Singleplayer-Modus gespielt werden, in dem Du strategisch zwischen Jay und Silent Bob wechselst, oder mit Freund*innen im kooperativen Multiplayer-Modus. Kämpfe Dich durch Mall-Ratten, Kriminelle und Sicherheitskräfte, um Deinen Weg aus dem Einkaufszentrum heraus und zurück zum Quickstop zu finden. Spiele Jay & Silent Bob: Mall Brawlnoch heute!
Rising Voices: Aufstrebende schwarze Kreative, die die Zukunft des Gamings mitgestalten
Xbox freut sich, Nicodemus Madehdou ins Rampenlicht zu rücken, den visionären CEO und Gründer von JumpButton Studio, dessen Weg in die Spieleindustrie ein Zeugnis für Durchhaltevermögen, Leidenschaft und die Kraft der Gemeinschaft ist. Nachdem er 2004 von Liberia in die USA gezogen war, musste sich Nicodemus zunächst an eine neue Umgebung gewöhnen. Durch Online-Spiele wie RuneScape fand er jedoch schnell Anschluss. Dieses Schlüsselerlebnis weckte in ihm den Wunsch, Spiele zu entwickeln, die Menschen zusammenbringen und soziale Barrieren abbauen. Zusammen mit seinen Freunden Daniel Ostermiller und Calbert Warner gründete Nicodemus JumpButton Studio mit dem Ziel, integrative und kulturell bedeutsame Spielerlebnisse zu schaffen.
JumpButton Studio hat seinen Sitz in Philadelphia und stützt sich auf den kulturell-historischen Hintergrund der Stadt sowie auf starke Bildungseinrichtungen wie die Drexel University, um eine florierende lokale Gaming-Community zu fördern. Nicodemus setzt sich dafür ein, Philadelphia zu einem Zentrum der Spieleentwicklung zu machen. Zudem sorgt er dafür, dass talentierte Student*innen vor Ort die Möglichkeit erhalten, ihre Karriere in der Industrie beginnen zu können, ohne dafür die Stadt verlassen zu müssen.
Aufstrebenden Entwickler*innen gibt Nicodemus wertvolle Ratschläge aus seinen eigenen Erfahrungen mit den Höhen und Tiefen der Branche. Er betont, wie wichtig es ist, belastbar zu sein, aus Fehlern zu lernen und gegenüber Teammitgliedern und Investoren transparent zu sein. Nicodemus schöpft Kraft aus Mentor*innen, Kolleg*innen und seiner Community. Er ist davon überzeugt, dass der Aufbau starker Beziehungen für den langfristigen Erfolg in der Spielewelt unerlässlich ist.
Sein Team bei JumpButton arbeitet derzeit an zwei aufregenden neuen Spielen. Das erste Spiel trägt den Titel The Piece, ein originelles Spiel, in dem Graffiti-Kunst lebendig wird. Das Team freut sich darauf, das Spiel zuerst unseren Community vorzustellen und ist gespannt auf die Reaktionen und Gedanken der Spieler*innen. Ihr zweites Spiel ist Our Passing Thoughts, ein Koop-Abenteuer, das aus den Herausforderungen der Isolation während der Pandemie COVID-19 entstanden ist. Das Spiel erforscht die Macht der Kommunikation, der Verletzlichkeit und der Verbindung durch seine einzigartigen Mechanismen.
In Our Passing Thoughts teilen sich die Spieler*innen Fähigkeiten wie Springen oder Angreifen und sind so gezwungen, auf eine Art und Weise zusammenzuarbeiten, die den wahren Wert von Vertrauen und Opfern in Beziehungen offenbart. Das Spiel ist so konzipiert, dass es sich mit den Spielern entwickelt und sie herausfordert, mit den Bedürfnissen des anderen zurechtzukommen und gemeinsam stärker zu werden. Our Passing Thoughts soll noch in diesem Jahr veröffentlicht werden und zielt darauf ab, ein Spielerlebnis zu schaffen, bei dem die Verbindung zwischen den Spieler*innen ebenso wichtig ist wie das Gameplay. Folge ihnen auf jeden Fall auf den sozialen Plattformen unter @opt_thegame.
Hintergrundbilder und dynamische Hintergründe
Das Xbox-Design für den Black History Month ist ab heute als Xbox-Hintergrundbild und als dynamisches Hintergrundbild für die Konsole verfügbar – folge diesen Schritten, um das dynamische Hintergrundbild zu verwenden:
Drücke die Xbox-Taste auf Deinem Controller, um die Anleitung zu öffnen.
Welcome to our first “Coming Soon” announcement for 2025! And special welcome to all you new friends that picked up gaming hardware the last few weeks. Let’s get you prepped for what to install or play next. To the games!
Available Today
Road 96 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – January 7 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Returning to the Game Pass library, Road 96 is a crazy, beautiful road-trip. On this risky road trip to the border, you’ll meet incredible characters and discover their intertwined stories and secrets in an ever-evolving adventure. But every mile opens a choice to make. Your decisions will change your adventure, change the people you meet, and maybe even change the world.
Coming Soon
Lightyear Frontier (Game Preview) (Xbox Series X|S) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Start your interstellar homestead in this peaceful open-world farming adventure! Build your sustainable exofarm, grow alien crops, customize your mech, and explore a new world full of mystery with up to three friends!
My Time at Sandrock (Console) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Just like My Time at Portia, My Time at Sandrock takes place in a wholesome post-apocalyptic world 300 years after the Day of Calamity destroyed most modern technologies. Gather resources to build machines, befriend locals, and defend Sandrock from monsters — all while saving the town from economic ruin!
Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders (Xbox Series X|S) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Join Robin Hood and his unwavering band of outlaws in 12th-century England on their mission to free Nottingham. Travel across various regions, build up a secret hideout village and help the denizens of the surrounding lands. Complete quests, construct various builds, craft a broad range of items, and freely explore locations inspired by both myth and history in this open-world RPG with base-building features.
Rolling Hills (Console) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Serve sushi as a robot chef in Rolling Hills, a life sim about running your own restaurant in a cozy village. Make new friends, purchase ingredients, enhance your shop, and improve the lives of your neighbors as you perfect your craft!
EA Sports UFC 5 (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) EA Play – January 14 Game Pass Ultimate
Unleash your fury and get unlimited access to EA Sports UFC 5, coming to Game Pass Ultimate via EA Play. Plus, members can score the Bruce Lee Bundle and play as alter egos of the father of mixed martial arts, available at no additional cost in the Perks section from January 14 to February 11.
Diablo (PC) – January 14 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Return to the legendary town of Tristram in Diablo, the groundbreaking action-RPG that defined the genre, coming to Game Pass on January 14! With its satisfying progression, deep character customization, and intense battles, Diablo delivers an unforgettable journey through a dark gothic fantasy world.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks
New year, new Perks! Check the Game Pass section on your console, Xbox mobile app, or Xbox app on PC on a regular basis to find new in-game content, consumables, and offers included with your Game Pass Ultimate membership.
First Descendant Season 2: Ancestors Bundle – Available now Play the next-generation looter shooter, The First Descendant, and elevate your experience with the exclusive Season 2: Ancestors Bundle! Customize your Descendants and weapons with unique styles and enhancements!
Vigor: Coast Guardian Pack – Available now Beneath the shimmering northern lights on the frozen coast of Anniken, a silent lighthouse overlooks the Outlands. Gear up and carry the legacy of this iconic landmark into every battle with the Coast Guardian Pack.
Apex Legends: Feelin’ Lucky? Weapon Charm – Available now Add some flair to your arsenal with the Feelin’ Lucky? Weapon Charm. Equip this to your favorite weapon and battle for glory, fame, and fortune in style.
Metaball: Punk Pack – January 7 Metaball is a free-to-play, crossplay-enabled multiplayer sports game with fast-paced action. The Punk Pack unlocks seven colorful and cool legendary outfits!
Leaving January 15
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon, so be sure to show them some love and jump in before they go. Remember to use your membership discount to save up to 20% to keep them in your library.
Common’Hood (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Escape Academy (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Exoprimal (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Figment (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Insurgency Sandstorm (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Those Who Remain (Cloud, Console, and PC)
We’ll be back to our usual twice monthly announcements, so keep tuned here and to Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox on social for all the updates on when “coming soon” turns into “available today” to play. Be back soon!
We’re focused on bringing more games to more people around the world, on the devices you choose to play with. Millions of Game Pass Ultimate members are already using Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) to play great games from the Game Pass catalog on various devices.
Today, we’re excited to announce our collaboration with LG Electronics to bring the Xbox app to their new LG Smart TVs later this year. This means Game Pass Ultimate members will be able to play their games directly from the Xbox app on supported LG Smart TVs via Xbox Cloud Gaming. This gives players even more choice in how they enjoy their favorite games.
Soon, players with LG Smart TVs will be able to explore the Gaming Portal for direct access to hundreds of games in the Game Pass Ultimate catalog, including popular titles such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and upcoming releases like Avowed (launching February 18, 2025).
Stream Your Own Game
We also recently announced that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can stream select games they own, outside the Game Pass catalog. This feature will also be available on the Xbox app with LG Smart TVs, allowing Game Pass Ultimate members to stream over 50 games they own, including NBA 2K25, Hogwarts Legacy, and more.
We’ll share more details on the Xbox Cloud Gaming experience with LG TV in the coming months. To learn more about Xbox Cloud Gaming and how you can play across TVs and browsers on supported devices like smartphones, PCs, and tablets, visit xbox.com/cloudgaming.
Say hello to our newest Agent, Tejo, who’s joining our roster from Colombia.
As part of the Initiator class, Tejo specializes in flushing out enemies with a unique kit consisting of information gathering, explosions, and a concuss.
Those who have strategic game sense and understand how the enemy plays will be able to thrive on this Agent.
“This should be simple enough. I flush them out. You finish them.” This statement from Tejo perfectly encompasses our newest Initiator-class Agent, the well-dressed man of action.
Hailing from Colombia, Tejo will undoubtedly shake up the gameplay with his unique kit that flushes out enemies using a top-down approach. Tejo will require you to think proactively and strategically–analyzing the situation mid-round and using his abilities to help clear the way for your team.
Tejo’s abilities, which revolve around flushing out enemies, consist of 3 outputs: information gathering, damage, and concuss effects:
Stealth Drone: Throw and possess a stealthed drone that, upon activation, creates a small sonar pulse at its location.
Guided Salvo: Pull up a map to target one or more missiles towards a location. Upon reaching their location, the missiles explode twice, pushing enemies off of angles.
Special Delivery: Toss a grenade that bounces once (sticks to players immediately), sticks, then winds up and explodes. Explosion concusses.
Armageddon: Cast a wave of explosions, forcing enemies to move in the direction of your choosing.
The perfect teammates for Tejo will be those who can quickly follow up on the space he creates. Let’s take a closer look at how that’s done.
Stealth Drone
Whether your team is attacking and attempting to take a site or defending and playing retake, having a drone can be extremely impactful. Especially on maps where there are a lot of corners to clear, it allows your team to take space safely or be prepared to fight for that space. Since drones are great pieces of utility, the enemy team is often prepared to shoot down whatever you’re using to take space. Tejo’s Stealth Drone is unique in that it’s invisible at long range, giving you more time to grab information about where the enemy team could be.
“Drones typically give a lot of baseline value of information gathering, but we wanted to give this drone a little spin where the information is secondary, and the effect of suppressing an enemy is why you take this drone over others,” Game Designer Ryan Cousart tells us.
Guided Salvo
When we asked the devs, “Why rockets?”, Cousart smiles and says, “Because rockets are sweet.”
In addition to rockets being sweet, they made sense thematically for what the devs were trying to accomplish.
“When you start putting things like a map targeter or world placements on Agents, you force people to think about the game more proactively and more strategically. We wanted something to lead your team in and show you the effect of telling your team, ‘Hey something is going to happen.’ We could’ve used anything but we landed on rockets for these reasons,” Cousart adds.
Tejo’s abilities, which revolve around flushing out enemies, consist of 3 outputs: information gathering, damage, and concuss effects. “There’s a lot to consider and be careful about when deciding the output of an ability. Damage as an output is a lot more permanent than a concuss or a flash. It’s worthwhile to explore though and I think we’ve landed in a pretty good spot but that’s one we’ll need to keep a really sharp eye,” states Cousart.
Special Delivery
“With how naturally ‘guns down’ his other abilities are, Tejo really needed something that was just simple to understand and simple to cast but still captured that feeling of being explosive but directed. I wanted Special Delivery to be a quick, like, ‘Let’s fight’ button”, states Cousart.
Unlike the other abilities where Tejo needs time to set up the play, Special Delivery allows him to initiate a fight quickly in the moment. Whether or not an enemy is there for the concuss, using the ability there will give them the confidence they need to take that space. One thing is for certain – even if players can use the ability quickly, we won’t be surprised when players are making fancy lineups to get that perfect angle to land on that perfect circle.
Armageddon
“Tejo’s rockets are really only valuable if you’re following up on the pressure that’s created. But the sweet spot is when you fire your rockets and you force people to move and then while they’re moving, you’re able to capitalize on them having to reposition. Tejo would be great with another Agent that can go in very fast, like Neon, who can capitalize on the distance he casts his abilities from,” notes Character Producer, John Goscicki.
Tejo’s ult, Armageddon, is something enemies will need to be aware of round-to-round. Watch that scoreboard and check how many ult points he’s away from being able to use it, since it can heavily impact the flow of a round. The wave of explosions will force enemies to move in a direction of Tejo’s choosing or at least have players moving further back, since the site will be difficult to hold. This will give his team the perfect opportunity to follow up and take control of the space he just created.
Everyone can play Tejo but those with strategic game sense can make this new Agent really shine. All of Valorant’s Agents are unlocked for Game Pass members, so step up to the challenge and learn to use him to your advantage before everyone else.
In the words of Tejo, “We can stand around all day talking about killing them… or we just do it.” So what are you waiting for?
VALORANT
Riot Games
☆☆☆☆☆783
★★★★★
Xbox Game Pass
VALORANT is a character-based 5v5 tactical shooter set on the global stage. Outwit, outplay, and outshine your competition with tactical abilities, precise gunplay, and adaptive teamwork. DEFY THE LIMITS
Blend your style and experience on a global, competitive stage. You have 13 rounds to attack and defend your side using sharp gunplay and tactical abilities. And, with one life per-round, you’ll need to think faster than your opponent if you want to survive. Take on foes across Competitive and Unranked modes as well as Deathmatch and Spike Rush. CREATIVITY IS YOUR GREATEST WEAPON
More than guns and bullets, you’ll choose an Agent armed with adaptive, swift, and lethal abilities that create opportunities to let your gunplay shine. No two Agents play alike, just as no two highlight reels will look the same. FIGHT AROUND THE WORLD
Each map is a playground to showcase your creative thinking. Purpose-built for team strategies, spectacular plays, and clutch moments. Make the play others will imitate for years to come.
Die Feiertage gelten als Zeit der Besinnung und das bedeutet für uns, dass wir mehr als genug Zeit haben, um in die Welt der Videospiele einzutauchen. Was am besten zu dieser Jahreszeit passt, sind gemütliche Spiele. Titel, die die Entspannung fördern und das Stresslevel niedrig halten, dabei aber genauso einfallsreich sind wie ihre actionreichen Pendants.
Wir haben eine breite Auswahl an Titeln zusammengestellt, mit denen Du es Dir so richtig gemütlich machen kannst. Damit Du genau das Richtige für Deine Stimmung findest, sind unsere Vorschläge unterteilt in verschiedene Kategorien. Also schnapp Dir ein heißes Getränk, mache es Dir in einer dicken Decke gemütlich und wirf einen Blick auf das, was Dich rund um die Feiertage erwartet.
Spaß auf der Farm
Landwirtschaftssimulationen sind der Ursprung des Cozy Gamings. Sie bieten Erholung in friedlichen Welten, in denen wir nach Herzenslust Gemüse anbauen, mit Freund*innen abhängen und Abenteuer erleben können. Egal, ob Du Dir ein Spiel ohne Kämpfe oder eine leichte Herausforderung wünschst – unsere Sammlung bietet alles, wonach Du suchst.
Nachdem Du in Stardew Valley das alte Ackerland Deines Großvaters geerbt hast, begibst Du Dich auf eine Reise, um dieses verwilderte Grundstück in ein wunderschönes Zuhause zu verwandeln. Auf dem Weg dorthin verbesserst Du Deine Fähigkeiten in den Bereichen Landwirtschaft, Fischerei und Kampf und schaltest neue Gegenstände frei, die Dir im Handwerk und beim Kochen nützen. Du lernst die Bewohner*innen der Stadt kennen, schließt Freundschaften und verliebst dich sogar. Vor kurzem ist für Stardew Valley das Update 1.6 mit vielen neuen Inhalten und Funktionen erschienen. So kommen nicht nur Neueinsteiger*innen, sondern auch erfahrende Farmer*innen auf ihre Kosten. Spiele entweder allein oder mit bis zu acht Freund*innen im Koop-Modus.
Wenn Du Lust auf Landwirtschaft im galaktischen Maßstab hast, ist Lightyear Frontier genau das Richtige für Dich. In diesem Open-World-Abenteuer kannst Du das interstellare Gehöft Deiner Träume errichten. Erforsche eine geheimnisvolle Welt, entschlüssele die Geheimnisse des Planeten und hilf dem Ökosystem auf diese Weise. Dieser gemütliche Simulator eignet sich gleichermaßen für Fans von Landwirtschaftssimulatoren und Robotern. Über den Online-Multiplayer können bis zu drei Freund*innen an Deinem Abenteuer teilhaben.
In dieser lebhaften und lässigen Landwirtschaftssimulation lässt Du das hektische Stadtleben hinter Dir und errichtest ein verträumtes Paradies auf Coral Island. Hier kümmerst Du Dich um die Ernte, pflegst Tiere und wirst Teil einer liebenswerten Gemeinschaft von mehr als 70 einzigartigen Charakteren. Die Insel bietet außerdem viele aufregende Outdoor-Aktivitäten: Gehe auf Insektenjagd, angle oder tauche ab in das örtliche Korallengriff, um dort nach versteckten Schätzen zu suchen. Nimm das Leben, wie es kommt, in diesem entschleunigten Simulator voller Charme.
Gemütliche Puzzles
Wenn das Leben auf dem Bauernhof nichts für Dich ist, weckt vielleicht diese Auswahl an Puzzlespielen Dein Interesse. Hier geht es nicht um knifflige Rätsel, sondern um gemütliches Erforschen und friedliches Puzzeln, verpackt in wunderschöne Kunststile. Meistere die Aufgaben in Deinem Tempo.
In diesem friedlichen Puzzlespiel kannst Du innehalten und an den Rosen riechen. Schlüpfe in die Rolle von Arabella Greene, einer Botanikerin im Ruhestand, die die Gärten ihres Herrenhauses restaurieren will. Nutze Deinen grünen Daumen, um Rätsel zu lösen und erforsche das Anwesen, um den idealen Lebensraum für eine Sammlung vergessener Pflanzen zu finden und mehr über Arabellas Leben zu erfahren.
Mach es Dir gemütlich in diesem wunderbar charmanten Puzzlespiel, in dem das Aufräumen Spaß macht. Stapele und organisiere eine Vielzahl von Haushaltsgegenständen – von losen Schrauben bis hin zu Speisekammerregalen, in mehr als 100 einzigartigen und intuitiven Szenarien. Wenn Du Freude an einem aufgeräumten Zuhause hast, ist A Litte To The Left genau das Richtige für Dich.
In diesem Rätselspiel mit okkultem Hintergrund schlüpfst du in die Rolle eines Pflanzenhändlers, der auf der Suche nach neuen Pflanzenarten ist. Dem Spiel gelingt der Spagat zwischen „ruhig“ und „gruselig“. Mit deinem wachsenden Wissen über Flora und Fauna kannst Du die Geschichte von Strange Horticulture beeinflussen und die dunklen Geheimnisse rund um die malerische, aber unheimliche Stadt Undermere entschlüsseln.
Unbeschwerte Abenteuer
Vielleicht bist Du auf der Suche nach etwas, das zwar ein wenig interaktiver ist als ein Puzzlespiel, dafür aber nicht den Druck von Kämpfen oder großen Entscheidungen mit sich bringt. Manchmal braucht man einen Ort, an dem man spannende Umgebungen erkunden, leichte Quests lösen und ein wenig Action erleben kann, um sich abzulenken. Streife als Katze durch eine große Stadt oder wage Dich auf einen stimmungsvollen Kletterausflug in diesen unbeschwerten Abenteuern!
Erkunde als kleiner Alligator eine liebevoll gestaltete Insel, auf der neue Freund*innen und versteckte Geheimnisse auf Dich warten. In jeder Ecke der Insel sind Aufgaben versteckt. Auf Deinen Abenteuern, die durch Wälder bis hoch auf Berggipfel führen, wirst Du schnell neue Freund*innen finden. Das Spiel ist ein schöner Zeitvertreib, wenn Du auf der Suche nach Herausforderungen bist, die Du in Deinem eigenen Tempo angehen kannst.
Dungeons of Hinterberg kombiniert aufregende Kerkertouren mit gemütlichen Gemeinschaftsdynamiken. In der Rolle der Protagonistin Luisa begibst Du Dich in das malerische Städtchen Hinterberg. Obwohl die dortigen Dungeons voller Gefahren sind, dienen sie heute als Touristenattraktionen. Du kannst jeden Tag aufs Neue entscheiden, ob Du die Dungeons erkunden oder Dich lieber in der Stadt entspannen willst. Du bist völlig frei in Deinen Entscheidungen und so kannst Du es in Hinterberg auch ganz ruhig angehen lassen.
Erlebe die Großstadt aus der Perspektive einer Katze in Little Kitty, Big City – einem gemütlichen Erkundungsspiel mit vielen Bereichen, die nur darauf warten, entdeckt zu werden. Als neugieriges kleines Kätzchen mit einer großen Persönlichkeit bahnst Du Dir in Deinem eigenen Tempo den Weg durch die Straßen. Dabei freundest Du Dich mit streunenden Tieren an, erledigst Quests und hinterlässt natürlich auch etwas Chaos. Und das Beste: Du kannst Dir sogar ein Hütchen aufsetzen!
Spiritfarer ein gemütliches Managementspiel, in dem es um die Erforschung der Sterblichkeit geht. In der Rolle von Stella segelst Du durch eine idyllische Welt und triffst dabei auf neue Geisterfreund*innen, um die Du Dich kümmern musst, bevor Du sie schließlich ins Jenseits entlässt. Farme, schürfe, fische, koche und fertige Dir deinen Weg über die mystischen Meere. Wenn Du magst, kannst Du sogar eine*n Freund*in einladen, in der Rolle von Stellas Katze Daffodil mit Dir zu spielen.
Erklimme neue Höhen in Jusant, einem meditativen Action-Puzzle-Abenteuerspiel. Ausgestattet mit einer Reihe von Kletterwerkzeugen ist es Dein Ziel, die Spitze eines hohen Turms zu erreichen, doch die Freude kommt von der Reise und nicht vom Ziel. Während Du kletterst, entdeckst Du neue Pfade und wunderschöne Biome. Je höher Du kletterst, desto besser werden auch Deine Fähigkeiten. Erklimme den Turm in Deinem eigenen Tempo, ohne Angst vor dem Absturz zu haben und genieße die Sehenswürdigkeiten, denen Du auf Deinem Weg begegnest. Abgerundet wird das Erlebnis von einer stimmungsvollen Umgebung und entspannter Musik.
Outdoor-Abenteuer kannst Du auch mit A Short Hike erleben, das Dich mit auf einen friedlichen Ausflug durch die Berglandschaft des Hawk Peak Provincial Parks nimmt. Als kleiner Vogel lernst Du eine lebendige Landschaft kennen, die zahlreiche Geheimnisse birgt. Auf Deinem Weg zum Gipfel lernst du viele nette Charaktere kennen.
Wenn Du auf der Suche nach einem magischen Abenteuer bist, solltest Du unbedingt die Bewohner*innen von Dreamlight Valley kennenlernen. In dieser Mischung aus Lebenssimulation und Entdeckungsreise freundest Du Dich mit ikonischen Disney- und Pixar-Figuren an und nimmst Herausforderungen von Held*innen und Schurken an. Darüber hinaus hast Du die Möglichkeit, Dein eigenes Haus einzurichten, individuelle Designs zu entwerfen und Dreamlight Valley für Dich und Deine neuen Freund*innen in altem Glanz erstrahlen zu lassen.
Erzählerische Leckerbissen
Wenn Du Dich nach einer guten Geschichte und einem gemütlichen Spiel sehnst, sind diese story-basierten Titel vielleicht genau das, wonach Du suchst. Stürze Dich als Fotograf*in in eine handgezeichnete Reise oder erlebe ein stilvolles Claymation-Abenteuer im Weltraum – Geschichten gibt es überall zu entdecken.
Entdecke Deine*n inneren Künstler*in in Chicory, einem Top-Down-Abenteuerspiel voller lebendiger Charaktere. Auf der Suche nach dem Superstar Chicory, der auf mysteriöse Weise verschwunden ist, setzt Du Deine kreativen Kräfte ein, um Rätsel zu lösen, Deinen Freund*innen zu helfen und die ergreifende Geschichte hinter dem Geheimnis zu ergründen.
In Toem siehst Du die Welt buchstäblich durch eine neue Linse. Packe Deine Kamera ein und begib Dich auf eine bezaubernde Expedition, um die versteckten Geheimnisse in einer magischen Welt zu entdecken, in der es allein darum geht, den perfekten Winkel zu finden. Triff schrullige Charaktere, lass Deiner Kreativität beim Fotografieren freien Lauf und genieße Deinen Streifzug durch eine wunderschöne, handgezeichnete Landschaft.
In diesem Point-and-Click-Abenteuer, das unter Wasser spielt, schlüpfst Du in die quietschenden Schuhe des titelgebenden Protagonisten Harold, einem Laborassistenten, der an Bord eines Unterwasserraumschiffs arbeitet. Du triffst auf seltsame und wundervolle Kreaturen und lernst mehr über die Vergangenheit der Menschheit in diesem gemütlichen Abenteuer voller futuristischem Retro-Charme.
Befriedigende Reinigungsarbeiten
Wenn Du am besten zur Ruhe kommst, indem Du ein großes Durcheinander aufräumst, warum tust Du es dann nicht vom Sofa aus? Hier findest Du eine gemütliche Auswahl an Titeln, in denen es darum geht, zu schrubben, zu sortieren und zu gestalten, um darin Entspannung zu finden.
Ziehe Dich an und begib Dich auf ein Reinigungsabenteuer, bei dem Du jedes Fleckchen Schmutz entfernst – von einem einfachen Lieferwagen bis hin zu einem ganzen U-Bahnstieg. Je weiter Du kommst, desto herausfordernder werden die Level. Allerdings wird so auch Deine Ausrüstung immer besser. Und wenn Du gut aufpasst, erfährst Du sogar noch lustige Geschichten über die Stadt Muckingham und ihre Bewohner*innen, während Du ihre Umgebung zum Glänzen bringst.
In House Flipper wirst Du zu einem einköpfigen Renovierungsteam. Nimm eine Reihe von Aufträgen an, um Geld zu sammeln und kaufe heruntergekommene Immobilien, um sie in spektakuläre Prachtbauten zu verwandeln. Mit einer breiten Auswahl an Werkzeugen kannst Du die Wände einreißen, Farbe auftragen und jeden Raum bis ins kleinste Detail nach Deinen Wünschen gestalten.
In diesem story-basierten Puzzlespiel verfolgst Du das Leben eines unsichtbaren Protagonisten, während er durch zahlreiche Wohnungen zieht. Du packst die Besitztümer unterschiedlicher Menschen aus, platzierst diese in der Wohnung und erfährst so mehr über ihre Geschichte, ihre Erinnerungen und andere Hinweise aus ihrem Leben. Nutze die persönlichen Schätze, um gemütliche Wohnumgebungen zu schaffen.
Gemütliche Nostalgie
Manchmal geht nichts über die warme Umarmung eines vertrauten Gefühls. Am besten erzeugt wird dieses durch eine Spiele-Serie, die wir von früher kennen. In der Weihnachtszeit geht es vor allem darum, Erinnerungen zu wecken und diese zu teilen. Mit dieser Auswahl an Reboots wirst Du im Handumdrehen in Erinnerungen schwelgen – ganz gleich, ob Du ein Lieblingsspiel für Dich selbst aufleben lässt, oder es einem geliebten Menschen vorstellen willst.
Rette die Drachenreiche aus den Klauen des Bösen in dieser neu aufgelegten Sammlung der originalen Spyro-Trilogie. In der Rolle des titelgebenden violetten Drachens gleitest Du wie damals durch die Welt, befreist Deine Verwandten aus Kristallgefängnissen, sammelst Schätze und rettest Dracheneier vor dem Verderben. Es ist ein gemütliches Jump’n’Run-Abenteuer für alle Altersgruppen. Und was noch besser ist: Die liebevoll gestalteten Remakes sind im Xbox Game Pass verfügbar.
Erlebe Deine Jugend neu mit dieser Sammlung der ersten drei Crash Bandicoot Spiele, die das nostalgische Jump’n’Run-Erlebnis um einen modernen Twist ergänzen. Begib Dich zusammen mit einem Lieblingsbeuteltier auf die Jagd nach Dr. Neo Cortex und dessen Crew. Ganz egal, ob Du das Spiel bereits kennst, oder es zum ersten Mal erlebst: Du wirst eine wunderbare Zeit haben, wenn Du Dich durch die überarbeitete Version der klassischen Trilogie springst und drehst.
Bist Du bereit für die Rückkehr zur berühmten Monkey Island? Die Affeninsel hat sich zum Schlechten gewandt und wird nun von dem hippen Captain Madison beherrscht. Schlüpfe erneut in die Rolle von Guybrush Threepwood und erlebe die überarbeitete Form des klassischen Point-and-Click-Gameplays, das die originale Serie so besonders gemacht hat. Scherze mit alten und neuen Freund*innen und löse Rätsel, während Du Dich auf hohe See wagst und die neuen Anführer*innen von Melee Island konfrontierst.
Another key element for The Great Circle’s take on the character was in having him change over time – MachineGames isn’t looking to create a static icon of who Indiana Jones is, but offer a meaningful exploration of how he grows after ‘Raiders’ and before ‘The Last Crusade’. That comes down not just to the story, but the game itself – MachineGames has found ways of hinting at Indy’s personal growth through mechanics.
“There are several ways we have worked with this,” begins Torvenius. “Throughout the game we reward the player with Adventure Points. These points can be spent to unlock skills that you find in ability books. These are basically new skills you learn throughout the adventure – and all these skills and moves you unlock have been carefully crafted to fit the character of Indy. Some of these are things like more health or stamina and others are related to handling the whip – all features intimately tied to Indiana Jones. This gives a sense of experience building up.
“We also have a visual progression with his hat and jacket becoming a tad more beaten up throughout the experience, and the same goes for the journal. Indy’s journal becomes more and more built out, and shows stains and scribbles on the pages to emphasize the player’s journey. All of these things combine to work together very nicely – the player will never be left feeling that the character of Indy is not evolving throughout the game.”
And, of course, playing the majority of the game in first-person plays a major part here too. While it may seem a challenge to set the game within a character so defined by his look, it gave MachineGames a chance to use their experience within this area – particularly in the recent Wolfenstein games.
“We knew this was super important challenge from the get-go,” says Andersson. “Luckily, this is not our first rodeo. Big parts of the team have worked together on story-driven first-person games all the way back to The Chronicles of Riddick and The Darkness. Also, I think the Wolfenstein series surprised the world by having a very interesting and relatable character with B.J. Blazkowicz, so we have had a lot of experience with this.”
“One important thing that has been part of our DNA for a very long time – and is definitely something that helps create great characters – is that we put story front and centre,” adds Torvenius. “We always start with a strong narrative, and we always end with a narratively strong ending. And our experience is weaving those stories tightly with solid gameplay.
“Having the perfect mix of strong cutscenes and interesting gameplay, driven by an interesting character that is complex with many nuances, that continues to evolve throughout the game, is crucial. A good story survives everything and that’s why we’re always so very focused on getting the story just right.”
Indiana Jones has a feeling. It’s not just in the more tangible elements – the stories, the hero, or the music – it’s also in the way it was filmed, the minutiae of choreography, and the tone. Those ineffable qualities are what have made this series so beloved, and so lasting. And that’s a very difficult thing to recreate in a video game.
It presented Indiana Jones and the Great Circle developer MachineGames with an extra challenge – not only did the team have to create a fantastic, modern-feeling game, but one that simultaneously captures the magic that swirls around the movies. It comes down to a question of balance: making a compelling game that still looks, feels, acts, and sounds like the movies it’s drawing inspiration from.
In speaking to developers across MachineGames, it’s fascinating to hear how that was achieved, mixing modern game design with traditional filmmaking techniques, all in service of creating something that hits the sweet spot MachineGames has been striving for.
Perhaps one of the best examples of the deep thinking applied comes out of a single scene – one you might even describe as incidental.
‘Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark’ contains perhaps one of cinema’s best-known jokes. A crowd parts, and our hero is faced with a menacing swordsman, brandishing a scimitar. He chuckles darkly, passing his sword from hand to hand, before twirling it with expert precision – a show of how tough this fight will be. Indy grimaces, pulls out his revolver, and drops him with a single shot. What we thought was about to be a fight scene becomes a punchline. It’s perfect.
And it’s exactly the kind of scene that shouldn’t work in a video game. This is effectively the intro to a boss battle – this guy should have multiple attack patterns, three different health bars, the works. As it turns out, that very scene may have started as the challenge the team faced – but it became part of the solution:
“That scene is a very good example of type of humor that one can experience in the classic Indy movies – priceless!”, says Creative Director Axel Torvenius. “What we absolutely have been inspired by from that, and similar scenes, is that very humor. To have varied, engaging and rewarding combat encounters has been very important – but to make sure we spice them up with the Indy-humor has been equally important.”
Taken on a wider level, this tells us a lot about MachineGames’ approach – in almost every regard, the team has gone the extra mile to help capture the movies’ magic, even if they’re not an immediately natural fit for gaming, in a new form. And as you’ll see, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Matinée Idol
“Sitting as close as possible to the original look and feel of ’80s cinema was something we wanted to get right from the beginning,” explains Torvenius. “There was never an interest in reinventing the look or feel of Indiana Jones – the core ambition was always to make sure it really hit home in terms of having a style close to ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’.”
You might be surprised at just how deep that effort goes. The team scrutinized the early films, not just for their tone and writing, but for technical detail. What color palettes and film grading were used? Which kind of film stock was in the cameras? How did the original audio team record sound effects? What kind of stunt work was done? And from there, the hard work began – translating those original techniques into not just a modern context, but an entirely different medium.
Some of the stories here are fascinating. Torvenius explains that the team studied how the original film teams created their sets, and applied those rules to locations in the game:
“Obviously in games, the big challenge is that you can constantly peek behind the curtain and go ‘backstage’ – you can roam freely and break the composition. But there are many locations throughout the game where we know from which direction the player will come, or where they will exit and what type of scenery they will see. So we identified those early and pushed those further so we can set the scene more in certain places.”
For cutscenes, which are naturally more controlled, the team could go further: “Another big thing we did for this project was to have a Director of Photography on set for all the cinematic filming in the motion capture studio,” continues Torvenius. “We had the talented Kyle Klütz helping us and working in the mocap studio with this huge, heavy camera dolly rolling around to make sure we captured the right amount of velocity in pan, angular movement, composition and framing. Once we transfer this data into the cutscene shots in the game engine, it gives us a very solid start in terms of a camera work that feels reminiscent of the early Indiana Jones movies.”
Pitch Perfect
Sound is just as important as look for Indiana Jones, of course. From the iconic John Williams score, to the “feel” of its effects, to the iconic Wilhelm Scream (yes, it’s in the game), the soundscape of the movies is just as nostalgic as the look and story.
“The first thing we did was try to identify the core elements of that Indiana Jones sound,” says Audio Director, Pete Ward. “What did we have to nail to evoke the feeling of playing as Indy, in a cinematic way? We sat down as a team and watched all the Indy movies again, and we realized there were several things we absolutely had to get right – Indy’s voice likeness, the musical score, the whip, the revolver, and the punches. There were other things too, like the sound of the puzzles, and the fantastical elements, where we constantly referenced the original movies and [original Indiana Jones sound designer] Ben Burtt’s sound design.”
It led Ward’s team down some unexpected paths. The aim wasn’t to reuse sound effects directly from the game, but reproduce them as faithfully as possible to serve the game’s needs – which in some cases meant returning to techniques used by the original team more than 40 years ago.
“We did hundreds of hours of original recordings, using props like the whip, the fedora, the leather jacket, and lots of different shoe types on lots of different surfaces,” continues Ward. “For impacts in particular, we also used techniques originally used by Ben Burtt and his team, like beating up leather jackets with baseball bats. We also used practical effects where possible, like plucking metal springs with contact mics attached, to get some of that old-school vibe in our spectacular set pieces.”
The result is a game that sounds reminiscent of an ’80’s movie – it’s still naturalistic, but listen closely and you’ll find it comes across in a different way from most modern games.
The same went for the score – John Williams’ soundtracks are among the most recognizable in cinema history, but the aim was never simply to impersonate them. MachineGames brought in composer Gordy Haab to achieve that – a fitting choice given that he’s won awards for his work on multiple Star Wars games by drawing heavy inspiration from Williams, while making them his own.
“Gordy was such a great composer to work with for this project – he really nailed the style and tone, and was able to emulate and seamlessly extend the original score where needed, while also creating entirely new themes for our story and characters that fit perfectly within the Indiana Jones universe,” enthuses Ward. “We were very careful about where and when we first hear certain themes as well – the Raider’s March is the iconic, instantly recognizable theme for Indiana Jones, and we wanted to incorporate it at the right moments, but also develop our own musical story with our own new themes.”
But the risk of creating new elements amid such an iconic score is that they’ll stick out –and again, MachineGames went the extra mile to ensure that this didn’t happen. Haab and Ward researched how the original soundtracks were recorded, and even recorded in the same studio, Abbey Road. Amazingly, they even found out that they’d created accidental connections to the original along the way:
“We even had a couple of session musicians who played on the original sessions for Raiders,” explains Ward. “It was a lovely moment when they came to the control room after the session was finished and told us that!”
Telling the Tale
But where look and sound allowed the team to look back at what had come before, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s story needed to be something entirely new, yet totally fitting for both the franchise – not to mention the game’s setting between ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘The Last Crusade’. For Lead Narrative Designer Tommy Tordsson Björk, it required a different kind of research.
“Indiana Jones has an incredibly rich lore with movies, comic books, games and more that we could dig into and use in different ways, not only for immersing the player in Indy’s world, but also to connect the different stories and characters. In this regard, our great working relationship with Lucasfilm Games helped us enormously.
“From there, a lot of our work when developing the worldbuilding has been devoted to researching the 1930s, and then filtering it through lens of what we call an ’Indy matinée adventure’ to make it feel both authentic and true to the story of this world.”
You’ll see that commitment not just to the Indy series itself, but for the time period in which it’s set, in the ways characters talk, the world around you, and even down to the era-appropriate spelling of Gizeh. MachineGames – and the connection of many of its developers, including Björk, to the acclaimed Starbreeze – means that the team has a lot of experience working with established franchises, from The Chronicles of Riddick to The Darkness, and it’s an experience that guided them in this new endeavour.
“The approach that we’ve had on all of our games is to make them as true to what made the originals so great. We don’t want to retread what has already been told, but instead move into new territory that evokes the same tone and spirit,” says Björk. “I think what the development of Indy has taught us is the importance of letting the character control the path of both the story and the gameplay, because this franchise is so much defined by Indy and who he is to an even greater extent than the previous games we’ve worked on.”
Playing With History
And that leads us to the final piece of the development puzzle – turning the history of a movie series into a playable experience. How do you capture the excitement of a tightly-edited, linear movie in an interactive experience, where every player will choose to do things slightly differently, and take their Indy in different directions?
Part of that is in returning to the movie making of it all, by grounding so much of what we play in real-life performance:
“We have done so much motion capture for this game! I think this is most motion capture and stunts we have ever done,” says Torvenius. “And some of the scenes we have in the game are quite wild from a stunt perspective. We shot a number of scenes at Goodbye Kansas in Stockholm, which has a ceiling height of almost 8 meters, just because some scenes required stunts to be performed from that height.
“We’ve been working with some very talented stuntmen and women throughout the production and together with our talent director Tom Keegan I dare to say we have some of the strongest action scenes from a MachineGames perspective yet. When it comes to capturing the look and feel of the stunts and action sequences in the early Indiana Jones movies, it has been a combined effort from various members within MG; obviously our Animation Director Henrik Håkansson and Cinematic Director Markus Söderqvist has an important part to play here for look and feel of animations. And then the audio work from Audio director Pete Ward and his department also plays an important part in making sure everything sounds true to the movie.”
But even the smallest elements have been scrutinized, like throwing a simple punch, for example:
“It has been very important to make sure the combat feels fun and rewarding and easy enough to get drawn into but then hard to master for the ones that likes to crank up the difficulty settings,” explains Torvenius. “We definitely wanted to capture the cinematic feel of the melee combat! Getting those heavy cinematic impact sounds in, having a good response from the spray of sweat and saliva as you punch someone in the face, interesting animations, and the behaviour of a hulking opponent coming towards you.”
This depth of thought is everywhere in the game. Puzzles have been designed with the spirit of whether they might feel right for the movies; locations given the buzz not just of real-life, but a film set; and even the ability to use almost any disposable item as both a distraction and a weapon is drawn from the comic spirit of the movies.
“One of the core ingredients in Indiana Jones is definitely humour. It is something we have worked hard with across every aspect of the game: environmental storytelling, script and VO, in cutscene and story beats, and it absolutely needs to be conveyed in the minute-to-minute gameplay, such as combat. And it is not only the tools you use but also a lot of hard work from the engineer and animation teams to make sure we have interesting, rewarding and fun take down animations. And on top of all of that you also need the best possible audio! And when that cocktail is shaken just the right amount, voilà – out comes something very delicious and fun!”
Which brings us all the way back round to that iconic scene with the swordsman. In a normal game, no, that scene might not make sense when translated to a video game context. But in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle? Well, MachineGames has put in the research, the work, and the commitment to ensure that, while you’re playing this game – from solving spectacular puzzles to near-slapstick combat – it’ll feel worthy of those classic movies.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle comes to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC (with Game Pass), or Steam on December 9. Premium and Collector’s Editions will offer up to 3 days of early access from December 6.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™: Digital Premium Edition
Bethesda Softworks
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$99.99
Pre-order now or Play on Game Pass* to receive The Last Crusade™ Pack with the Traveling Suit Outfit and Lion Tamer Whip, as seen in The Last Crusade™. *** Live the adventure with the Premium Edition of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™! INCLUDES: • Base Game (digital code) • Up to 3-Day Early Access** • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants Story DLC† • Digital Artbook • Temple of Doom™ Outfit ***
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark™ and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them – Indiana Jones™. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard. YOU ARE INDIANA JONES Live the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles. As the brilliant archaeologist – famed for his keen intellect, cunning resourcefulness, and trademark humor – you will travel the world in a race against enemy forces to discover the secrets to one of the greatest mysteries of all time. A WORLD OF MYSTERY AWAITS Travel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond. When a break-in in the dead of night ends in a confrontation with a mysterious colossal man, you must set out to discover the world-shattering secret behind the theft of a seemingly unimportant artifact. Forging new alliances and facing familiar enemies, you’ll engage with intriguing characters, use guile and wits to solve ancient riddles, and survive intense set-pieces. WHIP-CRACKING ACTION Indiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. But the whip isn’t just a weapon, it’s Indy’s most valuable tool for navigating the environment. Swing over unsuspecting patrols and scale walls as you make your way through a striking world. Combine stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay to combat the enemy threat and unravel the mystery. THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY Venture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps. Indulge your inner explorer and unearth a world of fascinating secrets, deadly traps and fiendish puzzles, where anything could potentially hide the next piece of the mystery – or snakes. Why did it have to be snakes? *Game Pass members get access to all pre-order content as long as Game Pass subscription is active. **Actual play time depends on purchase date and applicable time zone differences, subject to possible outages. †DLC availability to be provided at a later date.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™ Standard Edition
Bethesda Softworks
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$69.99
Pre-order now or Play on Game Pass* to receive The Last Crusade™ Pack with the Traveling Suit Outfit and Lion Tamer Whip, as seen in The Last Crusade™.
***
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark™ and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them – Indiana Jones™. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard. YOU ARE INDIANA JONES Live the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles. As the brilliant archaeologist – famed for his keen intellect, cunning resourcefulness, and trademark humor – you will travel the world in a race against enemy forces to discover the secrets to one of the greatest mysteries of all time. A WORLD OF MYSTERY AWAITS Travel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond. When a break-in in the dead of night ends in a confrontation with a mysterious colossal man, you must set out to discover the world-shattering secret behind the theft of a seemingly unimportant artifact. Forging new alliances and facing familiar enemies, you’ll engage with intriguing characters, use guile and wits to solve ancient riddles, and survive intense set-pieces. WHIP-CRACKING ACTION Indiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. But the whip isn’t just a weapon, it’s Indy’s most valuable tool for navigating the environment. Swing over unsuspecting patrols and scale walls as you make your way through a striking world. Combine stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay to combat the enemy threat and unravel the mystery. THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY Venture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps. Indulge your inner explorer and unearth a world of fascinating secrets, deadly traps and fiendish puzzles, where anything could potentially hide the next piece of the mystery – or snakes. Why did it have to be snakes? *Game Pass members get access to all pre-order content as long as Game Pass subscription is active.
Welcome back to the regular “help me pick out what to play next” list (or maybe that’s just me) with Game Pass! We have more games waiting for you to boot up and play on PC, console, and cloud. Let’s jump in!
In Case You Missed It
But first, quick shout out to those who tuned in this last week for the Xbox Games Showcase, where we showed off 18 games that will be coming Day One to Game Pass! Check the recap of the whole show here, and we’ll keep you updated on the Wire for when you can start to play some of these games soon.
Available Today
Still Wakes the Deep (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) Available on day one with Game Pass! From the award-winning developers at The Chinese Room comes a terrifying tale of isolation. You are trapped on an oil rig in the North Sea, running from an unknowable horror that has come aboard. With no escape and no way to fight back, all you can do is survive. Learn more about Still Wakes the Deep in Xbox Wire’s hands-on preview.
Coming Soon
My Time at Sandrock (Cloud, Console, and PC) – June 19 Just like My Time at Portia, My Time at Sandrock takes place in a wholesome post-apocalyptic world 300 years after the Day of Calamity destroyed most modern technologies. Gather resources to build machines, befriend locals, and defend Sandrock from monsters — all while saving the town from economic ruin!
Keplerth (PC) – June 20 Try to survive on a hostile alien planet in this 2D sandbox RPG, where you can choose to live alone or fight side-by-side with your friends in the online multiplayer mode. Survive, build, farm, fight, and explore your way to victory in this open-world adventure!
EA Sports FC 24 (Cloud, Console, and PC) EA Play – June 25 Welcome to the Club – EA Sports FC 24 is coming to PC Game Pass and Ultimate via EA Play on June 25, just in time for UEFA EURO 2024. Lead your nation against the best and challenge for international glory as champions from across The World’s Game go head-to-head to become Champions of Europe.
SteamWorld Dig (Cloud and Console) – June 26 A platform mining adventure with strong Metroidvanian influences. Take the role of Rusty, a lone mining steambot, as he arrives at an old mining town in great need. Dig your way through the old earth, gaining riches while uncovering the ancient threat that lurks below…
SteamWorld Dig 2 (Console and PC) – June 26 SteamWorld Dig 2 is making a return to the Game Pass library, taking you on a platform mining adventure forged in Metroidvania flames. When an old trading town is struck by mysterious earthquakes, it’s up to a lone steambot and her unlikely companion to uncover what trembling terrors lie beneath.
Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – June 27 Join Robin Hood and his unwavering band of outlaws in 12th-century England on their mission for a free Nottingham, as you travel across various regions and build up a secret hideout village and help the denizens of the surrounding lands. Complete quests, construct various builds, craft a broad range of items, and freely explore locations inspired by both myth and history in this open-world RPG with base-building features.
DLC / Game Updates
Minecraft: Tricky Trials Update – Available now Venture into the Tricky Trials Update! Team up or go solo and discover new decorative blocks, hostile mobs, items, weapons, paintings, and the trial chambers – a sprawling structure stuffed with traps and treasures for every player!
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks
Smite: Summer Sizzle Pack – Available now Ignite your fights with the Summer Sizzle Pack in the free-to-play action MOBA game, Smite! Unlock the gods Danzaburou, The Morrigan, and Fenrir as well as their voice packs and emotes. Plus, unlock a 3-Day Account Booster!
Monster Hunter Now: New Season Bundle – Available now Hunt monsters in the real world on your mobile device! Celebrate Monster Hunter Now’s Season 2 with a bundle that includes new monster materials and other awesome bonuses! Claim one Ultra Hunting Ticket, a Paintball, a Potion, a Wander Orb, and a material for crafting Basarios (new monster with the next update!) weapons and armor. This Perk content requires Monster Hunter Now mobile game to use (available free-to-play).
Leaving Soon
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon, be sure to check the dates below and don’t forget to use your 20% membership discount on games you would like to keep!
Leaving June 30
FIFA 22 (Console and PC)
F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Stranded Deep (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Sword and Fairy Together Forever (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Leaving July 5
Cricket 22 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Stay tuned to @XboxGamePassPC and @XboxGamePass, and @Xbox for updates and when you can start scratching games off your backlog. Cheers!
“We are putting tons of work into making sure what we put on the screen looks like it’s ours (ownable) and belongs in our world. Everything tells a story from the scratches and bite marks on the wooden stock of a gun to the way your beloved vehicle has been assembled,” explains Laybourn. “We think carefully about the mood and tone of any given time of day right down to the tape used to hold your shoe together. The quality of games (in general) is so high, it’s really about what you’re saying and how. State Of Decay has always struck a tone that people love. It’s got heart and soul, a great blend of horror and beauty, levity, and depth… these ingredients need to come through regardless of the fidelity of the assets.”“
Speaking of ingredients, you can also expect to see survivors that have become quite adept at… well… not getting eaten, by surviving several years into the apocalypse. This, in turn, has evolved into a resourceful era where clothing, supplies, and weapons have been modified to accommodate their needs — expect weapons to have mismatched barrels with heavily modified magazines, or clothing reinforced with armor plates. They’ve “leveled up” in this maker culture to be more eclectic because the world of State of Decay 3 has been “picked over” by now, and finding components to modify their existing weapons will be much more likely than looting a wholly formed one that’s ready to go.
This also means that players will be able to customize their play experience to a greater depth than they have in the past. Undead Labs believes that investing time to craft “your” crossbow vs finding a few generic crossbow types is going to be a lot more fun and will help reinforce State of Decay 3’s unique setting.
This type of feature feeds back into the principles of the studio: ingenuity, adaptability, and collectivism that were all on display in the newest trailer. “We chose to present something that felt very cinematic in its presentation to tell a bit of a story, to be a tone and a mood and signal an intention about where we’re taking the franchise. And I think the trailer succeeds on that,” says Holt.
For now, the team is hard at work on the game, and will have more to share at a later date around co-op, customization, and other fun features that they can’t quite get into detail just yet (but they sound very cool). As it stands, State of Decay 3is primed to be the tip of Undead Labs’ creative spear, serving as the vehicle for their continued evolution — and we can’t wait to see more.
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