Lightyear Frontier is available in early access on March 19
Lightyear Frontier is being released for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and via Game Pass, with a demo available today
Find out how Frame Break twisted the farming and mech genres to build something brand new
Get ready to be the exofarmer you’ve always wanted to be, as Lightyear Frontieroffers a wholesome adventure, either solo or with up to 3 friends online, when it touches down in Xbox Game Preview on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and with Game Pass on March 19!
Lightyear Frontier infuses an agricultural twist on mech-based gameplay – offering a new take on the farming sim genre – allowing you to take on your wildest pastoral fantasies on a whole new world. Board your mech and embark away from your interstellar homestead, as you gather new materials, create a sustainable environment, and discover this new world’s ancient secrets. Here’s how we took two very different genres and combined them to create something unique.
Explore A Brave New World, In A Whole New Way
After landing on an alien planet, you’ll be left with nothing but your trusty mech and a gorgeous unknown world to explore. Starting from nothing, it won’t be long until you’re sawing down trees for wood, piercing boulders for rocks, and ploughing through your harvest to earn an abundance of resources to build your very own homestead and make the place your own.
With a whole new twist on the farming genre, Lightyear Frontier puts you in the pilot seat of your very own mech. Use combat-focused tools in a violence-free way, such as a chainsaw and machine gun loaded with seeds, as instead of fighting the wildlife, you’ll use your arsenal to gather resources, shoot seeds into the ground, water crops, and clean up the environment, making it habitable for you and your friends.
Harvest new plants and turn them into materials for buildings or upgrades for your very own mech, bolstering its base capabilities and giving you new tools in the process. You can even personalise your mech’s visual style in any way you see fit, without sacrificing any of your enhancements, ensuring the world and mech you create remain your own.
Be The Pilot You’ve Always Wanted To Be
The idea of Lightyear Frontier is to take the formula established in games such as Stardew Valley and offer players something entirely new. In the early days of development, it was clear a departure from the genre was needed, whilst still maintaining the cosy farming feeling that similar games embody. Our team at Frame Break tinkered around with the idea of using robotic characters in a previous project, and it soon became apparent that this was the hook needed.
Taking inspiration from classic sci-fi movies such as Aliens, and games such as Starcraft 1 & 2, a running theme of mech suits became apparent, spawning the idea of becoming an exofarmer on an unknown world. Watching and experiencing these classic sci-fi stories showcased the satisfying nature of mechs performing everyday activities, which translated perfectly into what we wanted Lightyear Frontier to be.
Whether you are cutting down trees or knocking down rocks to secure more resources, the feeling of piloting one of those mechs means players get the excitement previously seen in genre-defining works such as Aliens, without the stress of tackling deadly monsters, and instead embracing the fulfilling cosy farming duties that the game invites players to try.
Become One With Your Mech
A big emphasis in Lightyear Frontier is the encouragement to take your hulking mech suit into new pastures. You won’t just be harvesting and maintaining your farmstead, as there’s a wide, open frontier to explore from the comfort of your pilot seat. With your trusty mech, venture out into the great unknown, uncovering new mysteries and secrets around every corner.
As you delve deeper into the wild, you’ll find the mech becomes an extension of yourself, with a romanticism seen in the movement, as it makes players feel both powerful and bulky with every hill climbed and valley conquered. The controls have been expertly designed to ensure the weight of the suit is felt but with the ability to still be able to scour the land with ease, living up to our ambition of creating a farming power fantasy.
It took extensive trial and error to ensure newcomers and mech gameplay veterans, from titles such as Titanfall and Armored Core, felt at ease when it came to piloting the mech suit. Over the years, lessons were learnt in crafting an experience that married players from all genres and skill levels, meaning the controls feel natural both on-foot and in your mech. The end result is an adventure that delivers an approach to the farming genre never seen before and brings that child-like fantasy of piloting your very own mech suit to life.
Get A Glimpse Of What Lightyear Frontier Has To Offer Today!
As much as everyone loves reading about the mech suit and what it offers in Lightyear Frontier, we understand the community is eager to get their hands on with the game. With this in mind, we are also excited to announce that a free single-player demo for Lightyear Frontier is available today, alongside the option to pre-order the game!
Begin your adventure in the stars and pilot the mech of your dreams across a beautiful new planet, filled with wondrous sights, sounds, and secrets to uncover. We hope you enjoy this small slice of Lightyear Frontier and join us for the Early Access launch when it lands on March 19!
Lightyear Frontier Demo (Game Preview)
FRAME BREAK, Amplifier Studios
☆☆☆☆☆9
★★★★★
This game is a work in progress. It may or may not change over time or release as a final product. Purchase only if you are comfortable with the current state of the unfinished game. 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! RELAX ON A PEACEFUL WORLD
Live the quiet life as you take in the sights and sounds of your new home. Enjoy a low-stress, combat-free experience without the need to manage things like thirst and hunger. Just focus on farming, exploration, and discovery! Relax to a chill, atmospheric cosmic country soundtrack PILOT AND UPGRADE YOUR MECH
Farm, build, and explore in a customizable mech! Choose from an array of tools, unlock new upgrades, and personalize your mech with an assortment of paint choices and mech parts. TAKE CARE OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT
Carefully manage your relationship with the ecosystem, restoring the surrounding regions by cleaning up the mysterious pollution, clearing out invasive weeds, and mitigating the effects of hazards. Plant new trees to replace the ones you harvest, and ensure a sustainable homestead! PLANT, GROW, HARVEST
Get your new life started by sowing a diverse harvest! Collect seeds of numerous plants as you explore the planet, growing them into fully-fledged harvests. Care for your fields by watering them consistently while enhancing their growth with fertilizer. Trade the harvested crops for credits or turn them into materials for buildings and upgrades. CREATE YOUR NEW HOME
Create the exofarm of your dreams as you turn resources into buildings! Grow your presence as you expand your homestead from basic structures to a fully-fledged, retro-futuristic farm. Make your place your own with alternative color palettes and decorations. EXPLORE A PLANET WITH A PAST
Venture out into the wilderness to discover this new world’s ancient secrets. Team up with your friendly scanner satellite to decipher clues spread across the planet’s varied environments and uncover lost knowledge.
You know, it’s kinda interesting. I’ve basically worked my entire adult life with Xbox, except for a few brief places early on (classics like delivering pizza). I was hired as T1 Support in July 2011 out of an old call center in Beaverton, Oregon. I spent around five years in the support channels moving my way up the ranks.
I started like anyone else at a new job, but I was pretty good at it and had some experience with Networking, so that’s where they put me. From there I was one of the original Xbox Rangers, and I’ve been a member of Tier 3 tech support, a Case Manager, and a Mentor Lead. Oh, I also moved to Washington during this time!
Then, in 2016, Jon [Note For Readers: Jon is also on the Xbox Insider Team.] pings me and says he’s leaving the Rangers to come to XIP. He wanted to see if I was interested in being interviewed to be his replacement to join the Rangers again. I got that gig and worked for the Rangers for another five or so years before Jon tells me about an opening on this team. So, I started here in 2022 and have been working on OS Flighting ever since.
Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Omega ring today.
It’s important we note that some updates made in these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.
Details can be found below!
System Update Details:
OS Version: XB_FLT_2402ZN\25398.3465.240129-2000
Available: 4 p.m. PT – February 1, 2024
Mandatory: 4 p.m. PT – February 2, 2024
Note: This update may not occur automatically before it has already become mandatory. You can always find the most current update as soon as it is available by opening the Guide > Profile & system > Settings > System > Updates.
Remember: Newly enrolled users in this ring are not guaranteed to receive all early updates, but they’ll receive the update prior to the GA release. Additionally, a small subset of users may remain on their current GA build once they enroll until the next system update becomes mandatory for the public. Visit the Xbox Insider Program FAQ to learn more.
New Features and Experiences
We have exciting news! Omega users can expect something new coming to their Xbox Update Preview.
Xbox Game Pass
When launching an Xbox Game Pass title that is leaving the catalog soon, a random subset of users will see we have re-enabled a new dialog which will help clarify exactly when it is leaving and offer an easy path to purchase the game to keep playing even after it has left.
Fixes Included
Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:
Accessibility
Fixed an issue where the voice and keyboard indicators in party chat would not display as expected when using speech-to-text.
Controllers
Fixed an unexpected error indicating there was a problem updating your controller, even when the update was successful.
Guide
Fixes to address some areas of the guide appearing larger than expected.
System
Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
Known Issues
While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.
Audio
We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
When did the issue start?
Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
Does rebooting resolve the issue?
What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.
Game Card
Some users are reporting an unexpected black screen when opening the game card or selecting “Show in Microsoft Store” after it has opened, and we are investigating.
Games
We are investigating user reports of some titles experiencing unexpected display or graphical issues.
Networking
We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.
When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.
Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!
Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Delta ring today.
It’s important we note that some updates made in these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.
Details can be found below!
System Update Details:
OS Version: XB_FLT_2402ZN\25398.3465.240129-2000
Available: 3 p.m. PT – February 1, 2024
Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – February 2, 2024
Fixes Included
Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:
Accessibility
Fixed an issue where the voice and keyboard indicators in party chat would not display as expected when using speech-to-text.
Controllers
Fixed an unexpected error indicating there was a problem updating your controller, even when the update was successful.
Guide
Fixes to address some areas of the guide appearing larger than expected.
System
Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
Known Issues
While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.
Audio
We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
When did the issue start?
Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
Does rebooting resolve the issue?
What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.
Game Card
Some users are reporting an unexpected black screen when opening the game card or selecting “Show in Microsoft Store” after it has opened, and we are investigating.
Games
We are investigating user reports of some titles experiencing unexpected display or graphical issues.
Networking
We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.
When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.
Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!
Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Beta ring today.
It’s important we note that some updates made in these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.
Details can be found below!
System Update Details:
OS Version: XB_FLT_2402ZN\25398.3465.240129-2000
Available: 2 p.m. PT – February 1, 2024
Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – February 2, 2024
Fixes Included
Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:
Accessibility
Fixed an issue where the voice and keyboard indicators in party chat would not display as expected when using speech-to-text.
Controllers
Fixed an unexpected error indicating there was a problem updating your controller, even when the update was successful.
Guide
Fixes to address some areas of the guide appearing larger than expected.
System
Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
Known Issues
While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.
Audio
We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
When did the issue start?
Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
Does rebooting resolve the issue?
What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.
Game Card
Some users are reporting an unexpected black screen when opening the game card or selecting “Show in Microsoft Store” after it has opened, and we are investigating.
Games
We are investigating user reports of some titles experiencing unexpected display or graphical issues.
Networking
We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.
When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.
Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!
How would you say the gameplay elements add to the game’s authenticity to the original work? Would you say that Jujutsu Kaisen fans would feel immersed in the character they are playing?
Misaki Kai: In the previous answer about the characters’ characteristics, I mentioned that we have tried to reproduce as many of each character’s unique traits as much as possible.
For example, Toge Inumaki’s “Cursed Speech” can damage his throat – and that can be particularly dangerous if he uses it against a strong opponent. If you use Cursed Speech, there is a gauge that will decrease. The stronger the opponent, the more significant the decrease. Once that gauge has been depleted, the player will take damage. However, you can recover the gauge by using throat medicine!
Regarding Ryomen Sukuna, we have made it so that, despite the 2v2 combat, you blow up your partner as well as the opponents. This mechanic allows players to feel the actual presence of the King of Curses.
These ideas are drawn directly from the source material, so the player can really experience Jujutsu Kaisen fighting by mastering the character’s Cursed Techniques.
Xbox partners with Gameheads to showcase Black-created games in recognition of Black History Month.
Explore a wide variety of games curated by Black communities at Microsoft.
This Black History Month, we’re sharing the importance of increased representation in gaming at Microsoft.
Gaming is an incredible medium. It has the power to bring people from all walks of life together through the shared experience of play and common connection. I often enjoy mobile gaming as both a quick mini break in the day and a break in between commitments, and PC gaming for more immersive strategy and entertainment experiences. However, more than a medium for creating a fun escape or a way of connecting with friends, video games also have the potential to be an incredible platform to preserve our shared history and honor the stories of people of color in an engaging way that can disarm defenses and build empathy and understanding.
As a corporate officer, a leader in the gaming space, and a woman of color, I am keenly aware that I stand on the shoulders of many trailblazers that came before me. Understanding this rich history as I navigate my day-to-day journey inspires me to pay forward the same mentorship and sponsorship to others that will someday blaze similar trails for those following them. In doing so, I hope this increases representation, further building upon an organization that represents the broad demographics of the gamers we serve.
Microsoft, Xbox, and gamers all benefit from increased representation on every level.
Gamers from underrepresented communities will not only feel like their voices are heard, but have a greater opportunity to see themselves and their history in the characters they explore. As a more diverse population of employees and leaders assume a broader set of positions at all levels of the organization, employees from underrepresented groups will feel a greater sense of belonging and inclusion, such that they can bring their best and more authentic self to the workplace. Similarly, designing games that reflect the diversity of our world and incorporate authentic narratives based on our shared history can promote an understanding of different lived experiences and build unity through gaming. Overall, games are a powerful form of art and storytelling which can both preserve our rich history, especially those of people of color – and allow us to carry that into the future, as we look with hopeful expectation to a more inclusive world.
Give
Gameheads x Xbox Black History Games Showcase
Gameheads helps to prepare student developers for a meaningful career in the games industry – this year we’re taking our partnership with them further than ever before. With our theme of “Louder,” we’re aiming to not only amplify these students’ stories, but to preserve them as well. The games we’re showcasing here are created by students and center around Black history, Black experiences, and Black talent. Xbox also provided a donation to Gameheads to support their commitment to diversifying the pipeline in the gaming industry and empowering the next generation of game developers. This partnership and campaign are a testament to a brighter and more inclusive future for the games industry.
Microsoft Rewards members in the United States can earn and donate points to organizations supporting Black communities with Xbox. The organizations below will be featured on console throughout June:
Gameheads– A tech training program that uses video game design, development and DevOps to create diverse talent and bold new voices, train youth of color for the tech eco-system and prepare them for college, career and civic life. [US]
Cxmmunity– A nonprofit organization committed to increasing BIPOC representation within the gaming and esports industry through STEAM education and career development. [US]
Xbox gamers can earn Rewards points in various ways, such as playing games and completing Game Pass Quests, and purchasing games and other eligible items at the Microsoft Store (exclusions apply). Earn points and redeem them for real rewards. Join us today and donate through Xbox.
Play
Explore Games Curated by Black Communities at Microsoft
Celebrate Black history through the power of play. During February and beyond, you can play a variety of game collections highlighting Black creators, lead characters, and character creation options that include a variety of skin tones and inclusive hairstyles.
A few highlights from these epic collections include:
Redfall (Available with Xbox Game Pass on Console, PC, and Cloud) – Voiced by Queen Noveen, Layla is a Black woman with telekinetic powers and one of the playable heroes in Arkane Austin’s most recent release, Redfall. Not only is she a powerful fighter, but Layla’s story has a fun twist – she can summon her vampire ex-boyfriend to help in battle.
ValiDate: Struggling Singles in Your Area (Available on Console) – Veritable Joy Studios is dedicated to making games that place people of color and LGBTQIA+ characters front and center. With a story written by people of underrepresented backgrounds, their debut game, ValiDate: Struggling Singles in Your Area, features 13 playable millennials, including Black, trans, and non-binary characters.
The Lamplighters’ League (Available with Xbox Game Pass on Console, PC, and Cloud) – Recruit a team of misfits and chase the Banished Court to the ends of the earth in a character-driven story of adventure and intrigue. Playable character options include Lateef, a master of misdirection from Cairo, Egypt; Alexandrite, a Black woman who specializes as a glamour mage; and Judith, a Black engineer that acts as a powerful defensive tank.
Treachery in Beatdown City: Ultra Remix (Available on Console) – Designed by Shawn Alexander Allen and programmed by Manuel Nico Marcano, this beat ’em up offers social commentary on racism through dialogue, action, humor, and brutal realism.
Halo Infinite (Available with Xbox Game Pass on Console, PC, and Cloud) – Led by studio head Pierre Hintze – the first Black studio head in Halo franchise history – 343 Industries continues to celebrate diversity in the Halo Universe and beyond. Hintze was also featured in Project Amplify, a video series showcasing Black voices across Xbox with the goal of educating and inspiring youth interested in careers in the gaming industry.
New Forza Horizon 5 Black History Month Decals
This year’s Black History Month-themed Xbox art, designed by Dominique Ramsey, is now in Forza Horizon 5 as a vinyl: an in-game decal that you can use to customize any car. Show off this unique design on your car using #ForzaBHM on Instagram, X, YouTube, and Twitch for a chance to be featured!
Halo Infinite Celebrates Black History Month with Spartan Customizations
Halo infinite is celebrating Black History Month with a brand-new suite of Spartan customizations! Players logging in during the month of February will gain access to a special armor coating, visor, emblem and nameplate.
Discover
Artist Dominique Ramsey Redesigns the Xbox Logo for Black History Month
Xbox commissioned artist Dominque Ramsey to redesign the Xbox logo in recognition of amplifying Black stories. Her art is heavily inspired by Ethiopian and Nigerian textiles and folk art. She also looked to the Ghanian fabric, the “Kente cloth,” which is known for its bright, striking colors, with each carrying special meaning. Similarly, Dominique thoughtfully chose the palette for this design to spread a message of hope and unity. In her words, “This piece, with its varied colors and textures, highlights that Black people may look different from each other in many ways, but acceptance for our fellow community members sets a wonderful example for everyone around us.”
Xbox Ambassadors Community Spotlight
This Black History Month, we reached out to the Black community of Xbox Ambassadors to ask them about the importance of feeling seen and heard within the gaming industry, and tips for staying safe when gaming. Hear what they had to say below, and at the Xbox Ambassadors blog.
“I have a checklist that I go over before each stream. I ensure materials with personally identifiable information are stored somewhere safe and away from my camera. My line of thinking is ‘If I can see it, you can see it.’ If [I have] apps [turned on that] create on-screen notifications, I turn those to ‘Do Not Disturb’… Being a woman online, especially a Black woman tends to have its stressors… I’ve learned that people tend to just do things to get a reaction from you. The best method is honestly not to engage with people like that. Block and report!” – selenadeon5x
“Gaming has helped me connect to other Black gamers in meaningful ways. Having a community of people that have similar experiences and upbringings who can support and encourage each other.” – BLACKB0MBER
Xbox Community Designs Now Available as Dynamic Backgrounds
You asked, we made it happen! All our community artwork is now available as dynamic backgrounds on console. Dominique Ramsey’s Black History Month 2024 Xbox Sphere is available today – follow these steps to apply it:
Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide.
Select Profile & system > Settings > General > Personalisation > My background > Dynamic backgrounds.
You can choose between Games, Xbox, or Abstract dynamic backgrounds. Choose the background art that you want with the A button.
Join Team Xbox as we elevate Black voices and games in celebration of Black History Month!
Get ready to embark on a thrilling adventure, explore a dark fantasy world, and test your strategy skills with Free Play Days! One Piece Odyssey and Gord are available this weekend for Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to play from Thursday February 1 at 12:01 a.m. PDT until Sunday, February 4 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
Additionally, Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is free for all Xbox members from Thursday February 1 at 12:01 a.m. PDT until Sunday, February 4 at 11:59 p.m. PDT (Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate not required).
Game Pass Core will give players access to our advanced multiplayer network, a select collection of over 25 games to play with friends around the world, and exclusive member deals! Read more about Game Pass Core at Xbox Wire.
How To Start Playing
Find and install the games on each of the individual game details page on Xbox.com. Clicking through will send you to the Microsoft Store, where you must be signed in to see the option to install with your Xbox Game Pass Core or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. To download on console, click on the Subscriptions tab in the Xbox Store and navigate down to the Free Play Days collection on your Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
Keep The Fun Going
Purchase the game and other editions at a limited time discount and continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event! Please note that discounts, percentages, and title availability may vary by title and region.
Free Play Days (Game Pass Core or Game Pass Ultimate Required)
ONE PIECE ODYSSEY
Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.
☆☆☆☆☆179
★★★★★
$59.99$23.99
One Piece Odyssey Optimized for Xbox Series X|S Enjoy the adventures of One Piece Oddysey for free during Xbox Free Play Days! Until February 4, join the Straw Hat Pirates on their adventures around the mysterious island of Waford!
Gord
Team17
☆☆☆☆☆34
★★★★★
$34.99
Gord Optimized for Xbox Series X|S Gord is a dark-fantasy, adventure-strategy game set in a hostile land inspired by Slavic mythology. Besieged by vile creatures, you must build to survive. But to prevail, you must conquer the darkness beyond the gates. Command the Tribe of the Dawn and lead the conquest that will shape the kingdom.
Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆249
★★★★★
$39.99$31.99
Xbox Game Pass
Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition For years you’ve battled armies and made history your story. Now it’s time to make history once more with a new breakthrough in strategy gaming – introducing Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition, now available on Xbox consoles. * Includes native inputs for Xbox controller, console-specific user interface, and a new tutorial designed for first time players to help achieve easy setup and success.
Don’t miss out on these exciting Free Play Days for Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members! Learn more about Free Play Days here and stay tuned to Xbox Wire to find out about future Free Play Days and all the latest Xbox gaming news.
If you’re an indie fan, you should be watching Xbox closely. With ID@Xbox — an initiative helping independent developers self-publish on Microsoft’s console — offering opportunities like the empowering Developer Acceleration Program and recently announced spotlight Indie Selects, Team Green has been building an impressive ecosystem for gaming’s greatest smaller-scale gems. In its more than ten-year run, ID@Xbox has collaborated with a mind-boggling lineup of indie creators — some of the most astounding being developers making spectacular games with limited teams.
To salute and highlight these mighty-but-tiny developers, I present Xbox’s take on a 30 under 30 list. It’s a celebration of thirty teams accomplishing a Herculean task: producing phenomenal experiences with less than thirty developers. Below, you’ll find some of the indie scene’s top-tier creators sharing their thoughts on the struggles, advantages, impactful reflections, and lessons learned while working with a small team to build something larger than life.
There is no particular order to this list, but I have to start somewhere. And what better place to begin than Tunic’s creator, now taking the name Isometricorp Games? The leader of this studio, Andrew Shouldice, is mostly content to sidestep the spotlight. Whenever I’ve had the opportunity to talk to him, he’s extolled the efforts of his fellow developers. This go-around was no different.
The Team
Although we’re not actually a studio, the TUNIC team is made up of some world-class folks. Kevin Regamey was the Audio Director, crafting the game’s soundscape along with the rest of his team at Power Up Audio. Terence Lee (Lifeformed) and Janice Kwan wrote and performed the soundtrack. Eric Billingsley was brought on as a level artist, but ended up working on everything from coding fish behaviour to implementing keyboard controls. Beyond that core team, we also worked closely with our publisher, Finji, as well as Felix Kramer, who helped with early business development and production.
Beginnings
When I quit my job in 2015 to start working on what would become TUNIC, I knew that I would need help with sound and music. I had no idea if I’d be able to support myself long enough to finish a game, so I certainly didn’t have the confidence to formally start a game studio. Instead, I partnered with collaborators on a rev share basis.
Challenges
There’s a lot of problem-solving! Instead of there being an established way something is done (like there might be in a large studio), every task is a new puzzle to solve. That could be a piece of tech that you need to research or write, or it could be some sort of organizational method. How should you handle build distribution? Websites? Scheduling meetings? Going to a conference/show? A lot of this was helped by working with a publisher who had systems or wisdom for that sort of thing.
Benefits
Any time I hear tales from people working in larger studios, the story is usually that everything takes a lot longer and needs to endure some amount of administrative rigour.A small team can experiment much more quickly, relatively speaking.
Memories
There are a few. The Microsoft E3 press conference in 2018 was a big one. The team was sitting in the audience in Microsoft Theatre and got to see our trailer run, larger than life. It was thrilling and surreal.
Launch day was also very weird. In the stress and logistics of getting everything ready, pressing all the right buttons at the right time, etc., I had sort of forgotten that this was the moment of truth. Hearing that people liked it and that it connected with them was a wave of catharsis I was not expecting.
Advice
Hard to say! TUNIC took a long time to make, and that was in large part due to repeated iteration – some of that iteration (most, I hope) was legitimate and served to make the game better. Some of it was just me second-guessing myself. I wish I was better at knowing the difference, but I don’t know if that counts as advice!
More practically: Starting in 2017, I logged all of my development time. If I could go back to 2015, when I started working on the game, I might tell myself to start that logging right away. I might also suggest more rigorous note-taking. I used a combination of paper and digital notes during development, but never fully adopted the habit of a daily devlog. That might have been useful!
This studio’s upcoming, aquatically-themed Soulslike has been topping my most anticipated charts since it was announced. What you might not know is my fixation on Aggro Crab’s serious-but-cheeky work goes back to its first title, Going Under. So, when I met studio head Nick Kaman, who is acting as the voice for his team, we got to share a fun moment of excitement when I recognized parts of the first game’s world showing up in Another Crab’s Treasure.
The Team
Our team is the best. We’re 13 strong now, with 11 of us full-time wrapping up Another Crab’s Treasure and two new folks spearheading the prototype for Game 3. Most of us work in person at our office in Seattle, but there’s been more working from home as the days get colder and darker.
Beginnings
Our studio started as the result of two nerds with the privilege to be able to try their luck making video games instead of getting a real job straight out of college. Enough of a safety net, in fact, for Aggro Crab to be the third game studio I “founded” in my early twenties. Caelan and I met in the University of Washington Game Development Club, and to make a long story short, we turned out to be a good match. Nothing really took off, though, until we got our real big break, landing a publishing deal for Aggro Crab’s first game, Going Under. With a strong concept of “cursed tech startups” and a publishing deal to go with it, that game ended up propelling us into something today that kiiiinda looks like a legitimate indie game studio.
Challenges
As a small studio, you gotta do a bit of everything. We bit off a bit more than we could chew on this game – Another Crab’s Treasure is a big project we hope can be worth your time – in the Souls genre where masterpieces like Elden Ring exist. So, as we approach the finish line, we’re definitely feeling the pressure.
On top of that, for everyone on the team who didn’t work on Going Under, this is their first time releasing a commercial project. It’s a team of juniors, and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way! Everyone has risen to the occasion and should be immensely proud of themselves for what we’re about to put out.
Benefits
Small teams are fun! We try not to use the word “family” but to steal a term from One Piece, “nakama” feels appropriate. It’s like a pirate crew, right? It’s a journey we’re all in together in search of this huge potential success. Unlike on AAA teams, everyone’s individual contributions and personal tastes make up such a large percentage of the final result. I think there’s a sense of pride that comes with that. Plus, with a smaller team, you can take bigger risks. You don’t need to make a blockbuster that’s guaranteed to sell a billion copies. It’s okay to appeal to a more niche audience. We like to take an already popular genre and put our weird twist on it, and with a smaller team, that’s pretty doable.
Advice
Read contracts carefully!
Memories
Part of game development is the early phases where the whole thing has to be kept in the dark. It’s tough because you don’t know how people will react; you have no sense of whether what you’re making will resonate with other people or if it’s…stupid. So when we got that opportunity to announce, and I saw our trailer with our team at the office at like 7 AM, I was shaking (crying, throwing up, etc). All day, we watched as positivity and excitement flooded in for a game we’d been toiling on in secret for over a year, and, fun fact, a game I had the idea of seven years prior. What used to be a half-assed concept from college for a hermit crab that could wear trash as shells to get powers like Kirby or something was now real. I had reached a point in my career where this pipe dream had funding, a team, and freaking Nintendo behind it, and there was no better feeling.
Imagine a rainy, grey, and overcast afternoon. Cold and struggling with an umbrella, you walk through a doorway to find a world of glittering sunlight, stately rooms, and blooming flowers. This was my most recent experience with Botany Manor and my first meeting with its creative director, Laure De Mey. I heard many of her answers for this article from her own lips and, happily, get to share them as Ballon Studios claims a spot on this list.
The Team
We haven’t launched Botany Manor just yet, but the main team we’ve had throughout production consists of 5 people. I started the game wearing many hats, though my primary job is programming and design, which then grew into the role of Creative Director once I assembled my team. I was really lucky to find some very talented people who wanted to join the project: Thomas Williams (Audio Designer), Tim Steer (3D Artist), Jim Bending (Animator), and Kitt Byrne (2D Artist and Designer).
Beginnings
I started working on Botany Manor in my spare time. I’ve always loved the Tomb Raider games, and the part I enjoyed the most was walking around in Croft Manor, Lara Croft’s house. When I moved to the UK from Belgium, I was beyond excited to see that you can actually visit places like that in real life. All of that led to the idea of a game where you can just explore a beautiful manor without any pressure or combat. I also love nature and science, so adding plant growing and researching as a main gameplay mechanic tied those two ideas together.
The biggest reason I created my own project and studio is because I want to create the kinds of games I would love to play, but no one seems to be making. Whenever manors are depicted in games, they tend to be creepy or scary, and I wanted to share with the world how beautiful and interesting they really are. I’m very grateful Whitethorn Games believed in this vision and eventually signed the game that allowed me to realize my goal!
Challenges
Because we don’t have a physical studio and we’re all living in different parts of the UK, I’d say a big challenge for me was learning how to efficiently work remotely. There’s a fine balance between trusting each other, communication, having meetings, and, at the same time, giving each other space.
When you have limited time and limited budget, you want to make sure you’re all on the same page and check in with each other regularly, but you also want to allow people to do their own thing and decide their own schedules.
One thing that really helped our team was having a call every morning where we didn’t talk about work. It allowed us to become friends and joke around with each other, and it made sure we always gave each other the benefit of the doubt. We also met up in person a few times, where we’d play through the whole game to see everyone’s work put together, and then we’d go out for a nice dinner together.
Benefits
So many! First of all, it allows you to do many parts of game development, and you don’t have to stick to one discipline. In our team, everyone would chip in ideas for puzzles, plants, and art. If you have a cool idea, sometimes it’s quicker to just go ahead and try it rather than having to convince and pitch it to everyone above. Keeping the project ‘loose’ like that allowed us to make decisions very quickly, which was especially helpful when we needed to cut down on scope or change puzzles that weren’t working so well. Being a small team, we all carried a lot of responsibility and ownership for our own work but also cared just as much about everyone else’s. As a result, a lot of love and passion went into this game.
Advice
This may seem like an obvious one, but always trust your gut! There were times where the original vision of the game was slipping, and it took me a while to understand why I wasn’t happy with the current state. I was a little apprehensive to make big design decisions and change things, but eventually, I did, and I’m really happy how things worked out and wish I did it sooner. I guess that’s maybe another piece of advice, to not worry as much as I did and trust the process!
Memories
Generally, the happiest memories are from becoming friends with my team and us all hanging out together. But one more specific one is when I went to GDC and was able to showcase Botany Manor for the first time. Seeing it up on a big screen and enjoyed by people was an amazing experience, but it was also a little bit nerve-wracking!
Johnny Galvatron, creative director at Beethoven & Dinosaur, is pretty much what you’d expect from a rockstar-turned-indie-dev. Read his answers in a tone of voice blending enthusiasm, irreverence, and candor, and you’ve pretty much got it.
The Team
There were eight of us at launch! Only a couple of us had even worked in the industry before. We were fresh meat. We were illustrators, musicians, VFX artists, teachers, shelf-stackers and Woolies, goblins. We had a lot to learn. Making The Artful Escape with this talented band of misfits was an unbelievable journey.
Beginnings
I had been touring the world in a rock band for aroundfive years. I’d barely been home in that time. Touring had lost its glamor; I was tired, and I never wanted to leave the house again. I wanted to cocoon myself away. Lacking the proper mandibles for a cocoon, I started working on a video game about rock ‘n’ roll. This became The Artful Escape. I was joined by Sean Slevin and Justin Blackwell, and we launched a small Kickstarter for the game. Over this period, we were contacted by a few publishers, one of them being Annapurna Interactive. During the Kickstarter, they called me and said, “Will you be showing the game at PAX Melbourne?” “Yes,” I lied. We quickly got a table organized and had three months to complete a playable demo of the build. Annapurna arrived at 11 AM on the first day, played the demo, took me out to lunch, and that’s how the studio was born.
Challenges
Upskilling. Having a handful of team members means everyone’s creativity and technical skill must be spread over multiple disciplines. You’re always learning, you’re always dipping your toes in strange ponds. It’s challenging, exciting, and, I think, another great aspect of being on a small team.
Benefits
Every team member can contribute to meaningful creative decisions, from shaders to character arcs. There’s something great about collaborating on a piece where every team member feels they own it. Team members’ styles and idioms can come across in ways that might get ironed out in larger productions.
Advice
Not everyone likes Led Zeppelin, and they’re the greatest of all time. Don’t worry about the audience. Make what you wanna make.
Memories
Sitting in a stadium in LA at the Xbox Games Showcase and seeing my game premiere on the cinema screen in front of a crowd of thousands. Blew my mind tank.
Cococucumber, besides being one of the most fun names to say on this list, can boast of creating two titles with ID@Xbox that vary wildly from each other. So, I found it surprising when director and producer Vanessa Chia explained the projects’ productions were actually sandwiched between each other.
The Team
Hello! We’re Cococucumber, a definitely under thirty people studio based in Canada. Although our team size tends to vary during production, we shipped Ravenlok with ten people full-time, filling multiple roles. It’s a formula that has worked for us on our previous game, Echo Generation, and it allows some flexibility for the team to try different roles depending on the project’s needs. We hope to grow our team on future projects and would love to retain the special feeling that comes with being part of a tight-knit team.
Beginnings
Cococucumber began in 2014, and it was our vision to develop original games with the freedom to express ourselves creatively. Before we started the studio, Martin Gauvreau (co-founder) and I wanted to work on projects that inspired us, and so this was our way of taking a chance on ourselves. It’s important for us to create original games since we are able to take more creative risks and explore a different way of making games with a small team.
Challenges
One of the most significant challenges for a small studio like Cococucumber is resource management. With a limited team size, each person often wears multiple hats, juggling between creative work and the logistical aspects of game development. This means balancing time between working on production and the administrative tasks that are essential to keep the studio running. For instance, while focusing on the creative aspects of Ravenlok, we also had to manage budgets, marketing strategies, and partnership negotiations.
Another challenge is staying competitive in an industry dominated by larger studios with bigger budgets and teams. This requires us to be innovative, not just in our game designs but also in how we market our games. We have to be more strategic in our decisions, often taking calculated risks to ensure our games stand out.
Benefits
Working in a small team means that everyone has a voice, something that would be impossible otherwise. We often have meetings with the whole team via video conference, talking through a broad range of subjects from storytelling, game design, animation, characters backstories, and level design to explore what the next game we’ll make should be. Each team member, regardless of their position or seniority, has a chance to speak, share their thoughts, and give feedback.
As our team size grows, we may find that there needs to be more hierarchy and structure; however, the upside of a larger team is that we will be able to tackle more ambitious projects.
Memories
The reception for Ravenlok by players of all ages and across the world was certainly the most impactful memory. As we had not experienced this level of success before, it was a validation of our efforts and the multitude of decisions we took in the long development of Ravenlok. We’re grateful to everyone that took the time to explore the world we created, and all the kind words we received. We’re excited to keep working on a new free update coming soon that will let players experience the enchanting world of Dunia like they never had before.
Advice
My advice: “Finish one game before making another one!” It took over four years to complete Ravenlok because we made another game in between. We completed a prototype for Ravenlok in 2019 and started production later that year, but when the pandemic hit in early 2020, we put a hold to Ravenlok to make Echo Generation.
It would have been much faster to just stay focused on Ravenlok and get it done before moving on to a new game. But then, if I had to listen to this advice, the game would not be what it is today! This break in production allowed us to gain more experience and a fresh perspective when we began Ravenlok the second time. We all love how the game turned out in the end, so perhaps this was what this project needed to find its identity.
Day of the Devs 2022 was a memorable event, in part because I got to go hands-on with Little Kitty, Big City. Then, as now in his thoughts on the studio, lead game developer and director Matt Wood’s passion for the project and its adorable protagonist is obvious.
The Team
It started with a team of just one! Little Kitty, Big City began with me and my kids. I was brainstorming with them on a little game, teaching them programming. One of the ideas they wanted to explore was just the simple concept of, what if…you played as a cat? So, I guess you could say the studio started with me, plus my kids!
In the past two years, though, the team has grown to a core group of three to five people, with a handful of others helping out here and there. I’ve also hired a studio to handle sound and music and another studio to help me with marketing, PR, and publisher-like services.
Beginnings
When the studio started four years ago, I’d been working on games for a solid twenty-two years. It was time for a change and a good time for me to finally set out on my own. I felt like I had the skill set to work on my own game, and I was ready for new and different challenges. I also just wanted to make games that a wider range of people would be interested in playing.
One of the ways I wanted to challenge myself was by making a game that didn’t rely so much on conflict. I’m a dad. I play games with my kids, and I wanted to make a game that people could happily play with THEIR kids, something that brings joy, connection, humor, and maybe a little light-hearted mischief. That was really important to me.
Challenges
I think one really unique aspect about the studio is that it is made up of contractors who live all over the world. This game is a global effort. Along with a global team comes challenges with time zones but also diverse cultural viewpoints, which is a total benefit!
There’s also the obvious stuff, like the fact that since we’re so small and we don’t have a huge budget, we need to work very efficiently and always be making smart decisions.
But the biggest challenge is time. My wife jokes that my team needs to clone me. There are so many working parts as a small studio, so many aspects to manage, direct, communicate, coordinate, unexpected and crucial investigations and side projects, in addition to the actual game-making work that needs to be done. Wearing so many hats usually means that I end up being the bottleneck most of the time. People are always waiting on me.
Benefits
Small teams are agile and adaptable. Decisions can be made quicker. We have practically zero overhead. We can pivot fast, explore new ideas, and discard quickly if it’s not working out and do it all in a short timespan. People on the team also have the opportunity to take on new challenges and grow. There are so many more opportunities for new learning and self-development.
Advice
Don’t overscope the design. Seriously. Cut it back. More. Now do half of that. And be ready to trim even more. Also, buy a better chair earlier and keep going to the gym.
Memories
The first time everyone working on the game came together to help with the first trailer. It was very much a group effort, and it really helped put things into focus for us all. Then, showing that trailer to my family and watching their delight and excitement at the potential of the game. Such a great memory!
Noel Berry, in working with me for this list, gave his title as game developer. However, I suspect this is just about as understated as the studio’s name: Extremely OK Games. Its flagship title, Celeste, is widely acknowledged to be one of the best indie games of all time.
The Team
We’re a small tight-knit team of friends based in Vancouver, Canada, although during the development of Celeste a lot of the team was working remotely from Brazil and Seattle. After finishing Celeste in 2018, the rest of the team moved up to Vancouver to work in person full-time. The core team is under ten people!
Beginnings
Forming the Celeste team felt very organic to me and was based around finding friends to collaborate with and make something cool. It was less about “starting a studio” and more around “We want to make this game. Who can we ask to work on it with us?” The team itself started with TowerFall, Maddy’s previous game, where she worked with Amora (our Artist) and Pedro (our Pixel Artist). When Maddy and I started on Celeste together, it felt very natural to invite them to collaborate on it as well, along with Power Up Audio (our Sound Designers), Lena Raine (our Composer), and Heidy (our Operations Manager).
Challenges
When you’re a small team every individual ends up taking on a lot of varied roles, which is both really fun but also can be very challenging. It’s a bit of a balancing act, where you need to learn a lot of different things to get a game out the door, but don’t want to stretch yourself too thin. One day you might be programming some cool-looking clouds, the next day fighting weird issues with the save system, and the day after, in a meeting trying to figure out how a trailer announcement might work.
Benefits
I’ve only ever worked in small teams (or entirely solo), so I don’t have the experience of a larger production to contrast with. That said, I’ve always really enjoyed the atmosphere and creative freedom smaller teams bring. We make every decision and we’re in full control over the art we’re creating, and I really appreciate that aspect of what we do.
Advice
Not to crunch!!! We worked too hard at the end, and I think we should have just given ourselves a little more time. At the time, it felt like there was an urgency to get the game out the door, but in retrospect, I think we could have taken more breathing room and been better off for it. When you work for yourself, it can be easy to accidentally be always working.
Memories
For a long time during development, we weren’t really sure how the game would be received, or if there was much there besides a “tough platformer.” There was a point where that shifted, though, around the end of Chapter 6 — once the boss fight with Badeline was in — where everything “clicked” for the entire team. This moment really helped us gain perspective on what the game was and how it had all come together. Before that, nothing really felt certain.
The president and founder of Fire Hose Games, Eitan, places the number of the studio’s devs at just below the 30 mark, making it one of the larger teams gracing this collection. Still, as his responses highlight, there was more than enough work to go around for the employee-owned enterprise.
The Team
Fire Hose Games had twenty-two people at launch. We’ve grown a little since then, and we’re at twenty-four now!
Beginnings
I started Fire Hose coming out of grad school at the MIT Game Lab. The first two people to join were friends I knew from MIT, and the name itself is an MIT reference (“learning at MIT is like drinking from a fire hose”). Our first office space was in a basement office off campus that happened to be the same place that Ms. Pac-Man was made some 27 years prior (and which has an interesting story itself).
Prior to starting Fire Hose, I had been the first employee hired at a small French biotech start-up, and while working there, I saw that anyone can start their own company. It just takes an unbelievable amount of hard work and determination. Starting my own studio was a combination of that experience, MIT’s pro-start-up culture, the birth of modern indie development in 2005 thanks to the rise of downloadable games, and my own naivete (“how hard can it really be?” — pretty hard, it turns out).
Challenges
Fire Hose never took on investment money and is entirely employee-owned (we’re very proud of this). But we needed money so we could buy burritos and pay rent. So, we wound up doing a lot of contract work for other games over the years, which was an interesting way for us to build up experience and get to work on some fun projects. We got to do early design and prototyping for Harmonix’s Dance Central, we got to do the Games for Windows Live port of Twisted Pixel’s Ms. Splosion Man, and we got to work with Harmonix again on Rock Band Blitz. It’s difficult switching between working on games for other people and making your own IP.
Benefits
The best benefit, in my opinion, is how much input everyone gets. It’s really motivating to be able to own entire systems/features, and the folks on our team are super talented and creative developers who want that level of input. You wind up seeing a lot of pride going into the game.
The other benefit is a sort of clarity when it comes to feature prioritization. Because we know we have limited bandwidth, we have to be very smart about which features to support and which to ignore. We apply lots of polish to the ones we choose to tackle and treat the ones we ignore as design constraints to work around.
Advice
Probably to make Kerbal Space Program instead of my first game! But maybe some better advice would be to make sure there is an audience for your game before making it. It’s easy to fall into the trap of making a game you’re passionate about without first looking to see if anyone will want to buy it.
Memories
Nothing beats releasing a game, watching fans have fun playing, and seeing the creative ways people overcome the challenges you set out for them. The first day releasing Techtonica to our fans was definitely my most impactful memory from development. It was incredible seeing how quickly they built huge factories (bigger than anything we had built), and the whole team had a blast hanging out in our Discord and sharing in the excitement. It was a big moment for us.
Bright Memory: Infinite hit the gaming scene like a tidal wave. The previously unknown studio, FYQD, blew away fans and critics alike with the first glimpse of the game’s vivid detail and frenetic action. That the game began its life as a solo project was even more startling.
The Team
When I was developing the Bright Memory games, the FYQD-Studio office was just me and myself. When I ran into problems during game development, I would sometimes outsource temporary staff to help me out.
Beginnings
To tell the truth, when I first set up the studio, I originally just wanted a brand to promote the game with instead of my own name so that the game and studio would have a nice official brand effect.
Challenges
Usually, I’m in charge of writing the story, designing the gameplay, balancing in-game numbers, level design, background art, and all the gameplay-related programming in the game. Most of everything else was made using online commercial assets and/or outsourcing and then implemented into the game. This is a huge workload, but I really enjoy it because I can control the direction of game development however I want. Although it’s pretty time-consuming, I have a better grasp and control over the quality of the game.
Benefits
A small team makes it easier to quickly decide on the direction to take during game development. If your team has a lot of people in charge of the same thing, then you might need to spend a few hours to communicate the main points of the task to the whole team, and you’d have to make sure that all of them can produce the expected results within the set timeframe.
This is a time-consuming process for many teams. I used to work in a large-scale game development company, and at the time we were developing a relatively simple game mechanic. From writing the proposals to communicating through the right channels to actually implementing the feature in-game, and then the final debugging process, this took around five whole days. When I do it myself, I don’t have to write any documents or communicate my ideas to anyone, so I can make something similar in just one to two days.
Advice
I might tell myself that when I’m making my very first game, I don’t always need to make a game that’s so complicated and so grand in scale. The most important part in game development is how to use your limited time and resources to emphasize and strengthen the most interesting parts of the game.
Memories
Right now, the only thing I can think of is how much I enjoyed the process. I was super engrossed in it and spent ten to twelve hours every day on game development. Of course, it was really tiring, and I almost forgot how to live a normal life. But even though game development is such a complicated process and there are parts I simply can’t make something of top-notch quality due to my own limitations, life is a continuous process of overcoming your limits over and over again, and I believe that one day I’ll be able to make an even better game to show everyone.
The creators behind one of the biggest indie hits in recent memory hardly need an introduction. Instead, I’ll let co-founder (also artist, animator, composer, and game designer!) Marcus Bromander speak for himself and the Among Us studio.
The Team
We were three people by the time the game launched — one programmer (Forest W.) and two artists (me and Amy L). But we all wore a lot of different hats, of course.
Beginnings
I’ve always wanted to make games. I grew up in the perfect time where programs like RPGMaker and Flash were just becoming easy to access. At the time, I was heavily involved in Newgrounds, and I started off learning how to make animations and uploading them. From then on, I started making basic games on my own and kept learning from there, uploading it for the Newgrounds community. My biggest project at the time was a series called Henry Stickmin, which was a choose-your-own-path adventure with multiple endings.
Eventually, I hit a limit where I couldn’t program the ideas I had. Luckily, in college, I met Forest, who would eventually be the other co-founder at Innersloth. We might have met at a party or through a mutual friend. I can’t exactly recall. Either way, we became really good friends due to our shared interests. He was a strong programmer, and we worked really well together, plus filled each other’s weak spots. After a few years, we teamed up to make Innersloth so that we could finally start making games together.
Challenges
One thing that’s been really tough is balancing the live game aspect of development with such a small team. We have quality of life improvements that are needed, as well as adding new content. Everything feels like it wants to be done at once, but we have to prioritize and balance all those things. With so many players, there’s a lot of pressure, especially if things go wrong and players experience bugs. It wasn’t like before when there weren’t as many eyes on us, and we could fix it as we went.
Benefits
I would say the biggest benefit is being able to be involved with many different aspects of the game and influence the direction it goes in or have your personality be in it. It’s easier to see the bigger picture when there’s only so many people you need to communicate with, and people can feel like they can have a real impact on the game they work on. It’s a real sense of ownership you don’t necessarily get in bigger teams.
Advice
Make the codebase more flexible! A big struggle during most of the development has been adding features that the game hadn’t planned to have in the first place.
Memories
We would have weekly meetings at one of our houses while working on Among Us. I have fond memories of brainstorming and discussing different designs we were working on. Sorting out problems. Naming the game. (Fun fact: “Alien Among Us” led to just calling it “Among Us”.) It was nice to have a focused space where we could hash things out and throw it into the game without having to jump through a lot of hoops.
Iron Gate Studio’s Valheim ignited players’ love of the survival genre by offering them the chance to sail into the world beyond death as a Viking and conquer its fantastical creatures and plentiful landscape. Richard Svensson, Iron Gate’s CEO, explains how the mega-hit kicked off with an initial group of four developers.
The Team
Today, there are thirteen people in our team, not counting external parties. When we launched Valheim as an early access title in 2021, we were just four people (one programmer, one designer, one artist, and one community manager). Most of the game, however, at that point was made by only one person (me).
Beginnings
I had been in the gaming industry working as a programmer for roughly ten years and was starting to become increasingly bored with my everyday tasks at the time. Meanwhile, I had this idea and an early prototype for a game that started to become interesting. I talked with my fiancée about it and our economic situation (she could support us both at least for a year) and figured if I was ever going to do something like this, the time was now. So I did. And after working on the project at home for about a year, I got my old colleague Henrik Törnqvist to join me, and we started the company. We also got a publishing deal with Coffee Stain publishing and thus, we had some economic backing to continue working on the game. That’s a very simplified version of our origin story.
Challenges
Well, the obvious one is to design our game in a way to enable us to actually complete it with a small team. The art style in Valheim was chosen to be unique and at the same time be something that I myself, as a non-3D-artist, could work with and create assets for.
Another challenge was using free/open-source software wherever possible. For me being a Linux user for as long as I can remember, this was, however, not a hard choice to make.
Benefits
[Being a small studio] makes it easy to navigate the waters of game design. We can quickly make decisions and iterate on our game. With a larger team, this becomes gradually harder as planning needs to be done way in advance to work efficiently, etc.
Advice
Keep following your vision and your intuition.
Memories
Actually taking the step and sending in my resignation letter to my former employer. This was probably the hardest choice in my life.
With native Portuguese speaker Juliana Oliveira Hamdeh dictating answers to her fellow co-founder Leonardo Castanho Barbosa, Little Leo Games’ story began to emerge. Their first game, a dice-focused, deck-building roguelike, was released just months ago, so the duo’s path to the 30 under 30 list is fresh in their mind.
The Team
Two people were at the start of the development: the founders of the studio, Leonardo and Juliana, and the development started in April 2020.
The first prototype of the game was a physical one, and the base didn’t change that much; the health bar, purification vs. corruption mechanic, and dice are there from the first physical prototype. A few weeks later, we ended up with our first digital prototype, and we started sending it to all of our friends to test out the game. One of our friends, André, got interested in the game and joined the team as Lead Artist and Game Designer.
We hired our Art Director, Doug, in January 2021, and with his unique art style, he brought Astrea to a whole new level. After ending a mockup using Doug’s art, we started looking for a publisher with the new mockup in the pitch deck, and while we were negotiating with publishers, we hired Bianca, our UI/UX artist and VFX artist, the person responsible for the hundreds of icons in the game.
She entered the team in May 2021, and later, our second programmer, Felipe, joined the team because I wasn’t able to take care of all the programming. He entered to rescue me in September 2022, and we ended up with six members on the team.
Beginnings
We are actually a civil engineer (Leonardo) and a lawyer (Juliana), but during college, we met some developers at an indie dev event (BIG Festival) in 2012 here in São Paulo, Brazil. Talking with indie devs that were already making games made us realize the possibility of making a living out of games.
After graduating, we worked on our fields for a while, but a crisis came, and we lost our jobs. We were really lost and didn’t know what to do. Then, the perfect opportunity to try out starting our own studio came about, and that is what we did. In the end, we opened our studio in 2018 and then finally started Astrea in April 2020.
Challenges
The amount of work and the need to wear too many hats. This definitely doesn’t help with productivity, and when you have more than one role, your stress levels increase.
Benefits
Easier communication definitely. We don’t need to have a whole chain of people to make some decisions. We just hop on a call and make the decision without needing a supervisor or something like that. Another good thing is that making everyone aligned is much easier – we didn’t have to make fixed daily meetings or even weekly meetings to keep everyone on the right direction. We simply communicate on a daily basis, and when necessary, we just hop on a call.
Advice
Trust your gut – what will make your game stand out will come from inside your heart and from your gut feeling. It is important to research references, but be careful not to end up copying the references. Find out what makes your game unique, and with that in mind, you can use the references to make your game better and more consistent.
Memories
Definitely seeing all the things come together when our beta testers tested the game with all the mechanics and art/music assets in place. We felt the game was working as we planned – the engine was working, the players were doing exactly what we wanted, and they were having fun!
I’ve never met anyone who has played Luis Antonio’s game, Twelve Minutes, who didn’t have an opinion on it, which made it interesting to be able to dive into the creator’s opinions in turn and see how the star-studded title came to be.
The Team
The team was organically built throughout the development process. Initially, it was just myself for about two years. At the peak of production, we had around ten people, and by the time of release, the team consisted of about six to seven members.
Beginnings
I had a couple of concepts I wanted to explore but never found a studio willing to bet on them. These were risky and experimental ideas not designed for everyone. So, eventually, I decided to pursue them myself, leading to the creation of Twelve Minutes.
Challenges
Specifically for Twelve Minutes, the biggest challenge was role overlap. Being solo for a significant duration at the beginning meant that, later in development, I found myself wearing too many hats. I was responsible for all the game’s programming, which became a bottleneck as the team expanded.
Benefits
Working with a smaller team allows for greater creative freedom and flexibility. Decisions are made quickly, and changes can be implemented without the need for extensive bureaucratic processes.
Advice
I would tell myself that a project will always cost 2x or 3x more and take at least twice as long as you initially think it will.
Memories
The most impactful memory was seeing players genuinely captivated by the game during early demos at events. Transitioning from something merely interesting to having people line up to play it was extremely gratifying.
“Immerse yourself in post-revolutionary Mexico City with: Mexico, 1921: A Deep Slumber. An emotional and intriguing narrative adventure video game about the awakening of a country,” exclaims the currently unreleased game’s Steam page, which helps to cut through the title’s enigmatic look. Luckily, Paola Vera, general director at Mácula Interactive, was able to clear up even more about both the game and the studio making it.
The Team
It all started with me, a programmer, an artist, an animator, and a really big idea. It’s been three years since that, and Mácula has since turned into a big family. The team has, of course, fluctuated in size during the development, but right now, we’re a group of 12 colleagues, friends, fans of our own history and culture. We have different profiles ranging from cultural management, history, cinema, animation, philosophy, photography, digital art, programming, teaching, illustration, and audiovisual production. We have been working together for over two years now in 1921, and it’s been an incredible experience. I’m very proud of the commitment, talent, and hard work poured into this project by every single one of the people that’s helped us.
Beginnings
Mácula was born in the middle of the COVID pandemic. My partners and I used to work making TV commercials, documentaries, behind the scenes for TV, movies, etc. And when the pandemic hit, every single project we were on was cancelled or indefinitely postponed, so we had a lot of free time. One of my partners pulled out this incredible thing he had written. It wasn’t a story, it wasn’t a book, it wasn’t exactly a script… but it was moving and exciting and honestly captivating. So, when he said he wrote that for a video game, I understood why it wasn’t really a script, and it wasn’t really a book. We had never written a video game, let alone made one, but that feeling of captivation, the need we felt to share that story, is what pushed us to give it a try. And here we are three years later with a great team working on a video game to tell that story.
Benefits
The best part is the closeness, the warmth of it. I think smaller teams can not only communicate better but it also encourages empathy towards the other’s work. I think the chain of how our work influences others’ is so clear with smaller teams that it is very hard not to always do your best, not only for you, but for you friend and the project.
Advice
Don’t be afraid to showcase early, to test early, to show the game early. I think being open about the process can sometimes be very beneficial for projects and teams. Learn to listen, and always trust your gut. When it doesn’t feel right, it’s not right.
Memories
Recently, an acquaintance reached out because our game had made him want to learn more about his grandfather’s past since he came to México from Korea in the 1920s, exactly the decade we’re exploring in the game. It’s really exciting to know that what we always wanted to spark people’s interest in history is actually working… and the game isn’t even out yet!
Birth, like its developer Madison Karrh, is singular. There really isn’t anything else like the game, even in a scene known for its creative and unique titles. ID@Xbox’s horde of small indie creators is dazzling, in part because titles like this shine through the program.
The Team
I am a solo developer inspired by libraries, bones, and bugs.
Beginnings
I am a programmer by trade and spent my early twenties writing software at companies while making games on the side. I have SO MUCH FUN with every aspect of development – I am just obsessed with sitting at my desk and making things. After releasing a few small games, I pitched Birth to WINGS and received funding from them, so I was able to quit my job and work on it full-time, which is just a dream.
Challenges
As someone who makes personal games, any negative reviews I get can feel especially hurtful. I have tried to build up a tough skin, but I am still very, very soft inside. Also, marketing a game is very hard, especially something niche like Birth. If I was to bring someone on in the future, it would for sure be someone that could handle the PR and marketing full-time.
Benefits
As a solo developer, I have full control over what I make. I can think of an idea while walking my dog in the morning and implement it that morning if I want.
I think making something by yourself and showing it to someone is a really vulnerable experience. Small teams have the ability to depict smaller, more personal stories than larger teams that need to make more money to sustain themselves.
Advice
I would go back and tell myself to use Monogame! I have switched from Unity to Monogame for my next game, and I am having so much fun with it. There are a lot of learning curves, but it is a very joyful way to work.
Memories
I took Birth to several different showcases during the last year of development, and I got to meet so many other developers that I have looked up to and made so many sweet friends. Making games, like any craft, can be a very lonely experience, so it is comforting to hang out with people who are equally as obsessed with making games as I am.
I had the remarkable opportunity to meet with the team behind Dungeons of Hinterberg for a hands-off preview when the game was revealed last summer. Leading the presentation were studio founders Regina Reisinger and Philipp Seifried, who were gracious enough to dive even deeper into their game’s creation here.
The Team
When we started working on Dungeons of Hinterberg in early 2020, it was just Philipp and Regina doing a prototype. In autumn of 2021, we started hiring, and since then, our studio has grown to ten people. We also have a lovely dog that’s part of our team and provides everyone with emotional support and motivation.
Beginnings
We’re a couple and have actually worked together at two other game companies before. When we both found ourselves out of a job at the beginning of 2020 (as well as stuck at home due to the pandemic), we decided that it was the perfect moment to make a long-standing dream come true and work on our own project. We came up with the idea and concept for Dungeons of Hinterberg and immediately felt that this could be something special that we really wanted to do.
Our goal was always to build a studio that is small but can pull off impressive and fun games, and we think we’ve built a great team for that.
Challenges
With a team as small as ours, it’s great to have people who are good at several things and can work very flexibly throughout the project. On the flip side, that can mean that sometimes we lack specialized skills or knowledge for specific tasks, for example, a technical animator for more complex animation work. Usually, we compensate for that by hiring specialized freelancers to support us in those specific areas when needed.
Another thing is neither of us are full-time managers. Both Philipp and Regina do a lot of studio management, go to events, do press and marketing work, but at the same time, also work on the game. We do have a dedicated producer who is in charge of planning and managing the team, but even she does some work on the actual game, like additional writing. Juggling these responsibilities can be challenging at times.
Benefits
As mentioned above, having a small team of generalists allows us to be quite flexible and get work done without too much overhead and dependencies. We come to the office a lot in person, which means that creative exchange – giving feedback or solving problems – can take place via personal communication, something that we value a lot.
We founded this studio because we love working on games, so one of our goals is to always stay at a size where everyone can be hands-on with any project that we do.
Advice
It’s probably the typical takeaway that everyone warns you of, and yet you always underestimate it until you experience it yourself: Most things take longer than planned. Even if you planned for a buffer. And that does not only go for art or code for the game. It’s also applicable to things like hiring – if you really want to get something right, expect it to take a while.
Memories
In the very beginning, while working on the prototype for Dungeons of Hinterberg, we used to tweet about the project and show gifs online, and it got us a lot of attention and great feedback, which we really enjoyed. After we signed deals with our partners in 2021, we had to stay silent for quite a while, up until the official announcement. We were incredibly honored to have our announcement trailer be part of the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2023! After such a long silence, seeing our first official trailer shown on the big screen in LA and online, together with so many other amazing games, was an absolute highlight for the whole team and a milestone we are incredibly proud of.
An indie fan favorite, there’s no way to put together a list of Xbox’s biggest little teams without throwing Slime Rancher creators Monomi Park on it. Among the interesting tidbits co-founder and CEO Nick Popovich shared about the studio is the fact that the group grew from a duo of developers to nearly three score by the time the sequel was released.
The Team
We launched the original Slime Rancher with only two full-time staff (myself and Monomi Park’s other co-founder, Mike Thomas) with some additional help from a couple of our friends. This seems almost impossible in hindsight, and by the time we launched Slime Rancher 2 we had twenty-seven full-time staff at Monomi Park.
Beginnings
After running a game at SEGA, I felt confident enough to start a studio and make my own games. But I’ve wanted to run a game studio for as long as I can remember. It was hand in hand with my wanting to design my own games. And I think that’s crucial to running a successful studio: You need to make running the studio part of the dream, not just making the games. Otherwise, you’re much better off hiring someone to run the business, as you will lose sight of all that while making the games. A bakery is so much more than just the cake.
Challenges
Everyone wears a lot of hats. Almost everyone at the studio is responsible for multiple different aspects of the project or works across multiple departments. So much of this is because you often don’t have the specific discipline or sometimes even the right department yet for the task at hand, and you simply need to figure it out with what you’ve got. But that also leads to trying a bunch of new things all the time, and it can certainly keep the week exciting.
Benefits
For me, I really enjoy being able to picture exactly who would be working on what at any given time. It means that when we’re coming up with new things we can tweak them to complement the specific skills an individual may have, and it makes the projects feel more personal or more like someone is expressing their individual talents.
Advice
I think I would go back to the original Slime Rancher development and say, stop trying to make procedural generation work. We spent a bunch of time trying to get a randomly generated world working, and it was an early lesson in what I call “That’s the Whole Game,” where you don’t realize the single feature you’re developing could easily devour all the resources you have for the entire project. Avoid those features if you can.
And then I would hand myself a 2023 Sports Almanac.
Memories
When Slime Rancher originally shipped, it changed the lives of Mike and I – that felt great because, more than anything, it made life feel secure. But then when we shipped the sequel and the team was nearly 30 people and I saw them all with their loved ones at our launch party, I felt incredibly proud that 30 families were being sustained through the very silly game that we make here. I believe a company should be responsible for the well-being of its people, and I am happy with every passing day that Monomi Park delivers on that.
Shawn Alexander Allen, director at NuChallenger sat down to look over the studio’s journey and its partnership with Microsoft’s indie-focused program. As he started thinking about making games in his early teenage years, the road to Treachery in Beatdown City was a long one.
The Team
NuChallenger has always been a small team of folks. Like many independent studios, our team has grown and shrunk over the years. It has gone from being just me to seven-plus people and back down again. Treachery in Beatdown City started with some art made by me and music made by Inverse Phase, our musician. It was a thought experiment and not necessarily a game when I was first working on it.
Beginnings
NuChallenger was born out of my eagerness to make my own games. In some respects, it was born when I was 15, and I first decided making games was absolutely my future. I was enthralled with the indie games movement of the Aughts, and I had met some awesome devs at some parties and then eventually GDC. These folks were making the future, and I was already a fan of many of them and their work.
I left Rockstar Games back in June of 2012, and we were able to sign an initial deal with Sony for PlayStation Mobile soon after. We needed an LLC, and for years I had believed I would call my studio “NuChallenger,” and so it was born after some LegalZoom paperwork and a bunch of money for filing. (Don’t found your LLC in NY!)
Challenges
The biggest challenge is stability. Teams in the US typically don’t get any funding from the government, so everything we worked with was earned from somewhere else. And any hiccups can and will affect who you can keep on.
My goal is to make sure we have health insurance and reliable pay for everyone, even with a potential six months to a year delay – but it takes a lot of work to get to a funding level where your company is capable of providing that.
Other challenges arise from when anyone with certain knowledge needs to dip for whatever reason – as I said in a GDC talk (called surviving going from AAA to indie, funny enough). If you’re a team of two, you’re two bricks stacked up to make a faux wall. Take away one brick, and you’re just a lone brick, unable to do much.
Benefits
The biggest benefit is autonomy. You don’t have a massive company’s future on your back, so you can, I guess, be more unconventional and just follow your gut more. I was going to say, “Take more risks,” but I really dislike the idea that sticking to big-budget formulas isn’t risky in its own right… Besides indie dev, I’ve worked in smaller and bigger teams in corporate, and I’ve seen how hard it can be to move the needle in a bigger team. In a smaller team, everyone can be heard, and you have the ability to just be a lot more flexible.
I don’t think it’s as easy to list the benefits as much as the challenges, but I believe the benefits, in some ways, far outweigh the challenges.
Advice
There’s a lot, but if I had to pick one, it would be “promise less and try to over-deliver when you can.”
At the end of the 2020 release, we had a card promising more, and I hadn’t really seen if the game would even perform on the market, so it was foolish to promise anything at that point.
Memories
It’s not just ONE memory. It’s every time I see someone’s eyes light up when they realize what we’re doing. When I see folks laughing at my writing. When people see the game for what it’s really trying to do instead of wanting it to be something else. Treachery in Beatdown City is the thing I am most proud of and most embarrassed by, so when people bounce off it, it feels personal. When people love it, it’s also personal.
The team’s latest release might be the last case of the titular protagonist, but this 30 under 30 studio is far from finished. However, they might have trouble making it on the list in the future, considering creative director Bartłomiej Lesiakowski was leading a group of a category-pushing twenty-nine people when the game was released.
The Team
Hi, we’re Plot Twist, a compact team based in Kraków, Poland. At the time of The Last Case of Benedict Fox’s launch, our team consisted of twenty-nine dedicated individuals that are pure game enthusiasts and love board games!
Beginnings
Plot Twist has a rich history spanning fourteen years but under another company name. Originally operating as Awesome Industries, we initially focused on work-for-hire games before transitioning into software development. The core mission, though, has always been to craft narrative-driven, bold, and innovative games. With the conception of Benedict Fox, we felt the time was right to fully commit to our creative vision. It was our first game, and because of that, we created the Plot Twist brand, starting a new beginning for our team!
Challenges
Operating as a small studio presents a myriad of challenges, with multitasking being a significant hurdle. Team members often find themselves juggling roles, switching from writing to producing or quality assurance, level design to tool creation, game design to working with voice actors, and so on. The ability to contribute across various domains is both a challenge and a testament to our team’s versatility.
Benefits
The advantage lies in the intimate connection between challenges and benefits. With each team member involved in diverse aspects of a project, there’s a profound sense of responsibility and influence. Working in a smaller team allows individuals to leave a lasting mark on the game, shaping it in a deeply personal way. Benedict Fox is truly our game with a lot of heart in it.
Advice
A valuable lesson we’ve learned is to “cut more, cut early.” Detach from specific solutions and actively seek the core essence of your game. By trimming early in the development process, you expedite the discovery of your game’s true nature. If you know exactly how your game will look at the end of the development process… guess again.
Memories
The most memorable moments were the initial playtests following the implementation of all of the features. Witnessing people engage with the game in its entirety after working for some time after specific parts was heartwarming. It reinforced the team’s efforts and provided clarity on the next steps in development. It provided a much-needed boost to the team’s morale in the middle of the development cycle. Working on a game for two to three years is a task you need full commitment and, because of that, lots of motivation. The role of morale is not to be ignored, especially in a small startup studio.
Chair and co-owner of Marjaana Auranen eagerly explored Red Stage Entertainment’s origins and the development of Skábma – Snowfall for this feature. One of her biggest senses of accomplishments came from being able to share parts of the indigenous Sámi culture with a broad audience.
The Team
There were nine people on the team when we launched Skábma. Our core team has pretty much stayed the same since.
Beginnings
Me and my colleague Sahin Cengiz studied scriptwriting, producing, and directing for Film and Television in the University of Applied Sciences. We worked together on projects and noticed we actually fit pretty well together! We shared the same ambitious dreams of working on our own projects – and telling stories we had to tell or they would never be told.
We both liked creating stories for film and TV but quite often ended up talking about our favorite stories in video games. Games felt like the best platform to tell diverse stories in diverse ways.
At the end of the day, it was a mixture of coincidence and luck that led us to actually start our game company. We were still thinking: films, games, something else? But then, our concept for the world’s first console game inspired by indigenous Sámi got funded. That settled it.
Challenges
On top of the challenges that all small studios have (AKA trying to make gourmet dinner from a carrot, a potato, campfire, and a stick when the bigger studios have the whole food market and fully equipped modern kitchen to work with), our unique challenge was simply the game’s thematics: there weren’t any games about indigenous Sámi when we started this journey, and only a few people had even heard about the Sámi.
So, how can we ever translate that into a game?! And do it so that it has the right balance of authenticity and accessibility.It was not easy to transform a whole culture into a game; we had to pick and choose what parts to address and what to leave out.
Benefits
Communication is much easier. Almost everyone is working in the same room, and the dangers of misunderstandings and errors are smaller. We also have to be more efficient, and we don’t have the luxury of taking too many detours, so we get things done fast.
The whole team knows each other and cares about each other. That creates a workplace where people want to come to, even on cold and dark Monday mornings. It’s also easier to manage a small team’s well-being. When the team enjoys working together, shares their challenges, seeks answers together, and supports one another, there isn’t much more we need to do. People work better in small teams, and it is easier for individuals to excel in what they do.
Advice
Rest every once in a while. It’s easy to drown yourself with work when you’re doing what you love, but as the project continues, the workload does not decrease but only increases. So make sure you rest, make room for that in your schedule, and take a moment for your own wellbeing.
Memories
My most impactful memory is when we began the recording sessions with our Sámi voice actors. After months in my writer’s dungeon alone, trying to transfer characters who lived in my head into a script, it was rewarding to see them really come to life. The characters I saw and heard in my head were finally speaking, and not only that but speaking one of my peoples’ languages: Northern Sámi. Hearing my favorite character, Nana, speak was an emotional moment. I recognized that voice right away, that, yes, this is definitely Nana who was speaking, the character I learned to care for and love so much during my writing process.
While the game is not out yet, a demo for Psychroma is now available for those attracted to its mind-altering, cybernetic style. But while we can’t experience the full title, co-founder of Rocket Adrift, Lindsay Rollins, lifts the veil on what’s been happening at the studio behind the story.
The Team
We are Rocket Adrift, a three-person team made up of myself, Sloane Smith, and Titus McNally. We have been making games since 2018. Our Mission as a developer is to tell personal narratives that highlight the perspectives of LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC experiences while also showcasing an outsider lens to Canadian culture. We began development on Psychroma in 2021, a few months after the release of our first game, Raptor Boyfriend: A High School Romance.
Beginnings
Rocket Adrift actually began as an animation studio in 2017, producing animated web series on YouTube such as The Infringers, Catra from HR, and finally, the Rocket Adrift Animated Series.
Our first game, Raptor Boyfriend, was initially pitched as a web series. But we decided to pivot to games instead, as the animated web series format failed to reach new opportunities for growth on YouTube.
Challenges
We all wear many hats. Along with being executive producers, founders, and managers, we also have to work within our own specializations, including programming, design, asset production, composing, and marketing. Another challenge is maintaining a flat structure, with all of us at the decision-making table, from the overall studio operations to the level design of Psychroma.
Benefits
Having the ability to pivot quickly when plans change or when we are inspired by new ideas has been very crucial to our ability to finish projects. Communication between us is also key, and it helps having a small team with the ability to hop on a video call or meet in person regularly for anything from day-to-day to important business decisions. One of our core values as a team is that despite everything, we are friends first. We strive to support each other in myriad ways, and having that support and friendly atmosphere really allows us to flourish and create our best work.
Advice
For one, I would tell myself not to sweat the small stuff and that it is our ability to collaborate and our determination that got us here today. I would also urge us to believe in our abilities as developers; even if we are new to this, we can still teach ourselves what we need to know in order to succeed. Lastly, we should understand that we have a lot on our shoulders and that we can reach out for and accept help outside of ourselves. Being a part of a larger community is hugely impactful to your ability to achieve your goals.
Memories
When we realized the kind of game we wanted to make would allow us to explore things that we were going through in our personal lives, it was terrifying but also exciting. Being able to open up and explore what it means to be transgender, black, queer, or neurodivergent in a dystopian future not unlike our own was like unearthing a story that we had been waiting to tell before we even knew ourselves.
Sea of Stars is one of last year’s most decorated games, earning nominations and awards at everything from Geoff Keighley’s The Game Awards to the Golden Joysticks. What’s one more accolade to throw on the shelf? In honor of the occasion, Thierry Boulanger, who acts as Sabotage Studio’s creative director and CEO, gives us a behind-the-scenes tour of the studio.
The Team
Twenty-five [people were at the studio when Sea of Stars launched]! One key thing about our team is that we don’t have managers, easily one of the best reasons to maintain a relatively small size moving forward.
Beginnings
After eight years in the industry as a gameplay coder, I felt ready to transition over to design. When it became clear that it would not happen with my then-employer, I pitched the idea of a small studio modernizing retro genres to some friends I had made along the way. And one thing leading to another, we’ve been working together on our terms ever since!
Challenges
As a small team, we can’t afford to have people in full-time positions for certain things like negotiating opportunities, doing PR, legal, and finances. This means we have to wear many hats and that sometimes there can be a time of need for more than one hat at a time. We’ve been sailing fairly smoothly, but we are keeping in mind that it could become overwhelming if we don’t keep an eye on what’s coming on all fronts.
Benefits
Definitely how fast we can move and try ideas, along with no one above us to ask approval from before pursuing our creative instincts. It’s also great having everyone together on one common production floor. A CEO without an office is the only CEO I care to be!
Advice
Definitely trusting the process more. It was a lot being a startup on top of directing my first game, but in hindsight, a lot of the worrying provided little value.
Memories
Hearing Mitsuda’s first guest track for the project. The backstory here is that his music made me sort of awaken to wanting to be a creator back when I was ten. It was already surreal that he accepted to contribute to the game we were making, but it didn’t really sink in emotionally until I heard some notes from him. That’s when I was able to picture him working at his station, applying his craft at bringing to life the imaginary world I had the honor of trying to paint for him (using words). It felt like we were both putting efforts towards the same goal, a feeling that’s hard to express, but I will definitely say is a career highlight!
Truly, this list holds a litany of my favorite developers of all time. However, there are a few names that touch my life personally. Shedwork’s Sable was one of the first games I had the privilege to review at Game Informer, making the chance to understand it better through director Daniel Fineberg all the more exciting.
The Team
Shedworks is a two-person company, run by myself and my business partner Gregorios Kythreotis. I was the lead programmer on Sable, and Greg was the art director and game designer. Though being a small team, we both wore many other hats as well. For the development of Sable, we brought on freelance contractors at different stages of development to help with the roles that we couldn’t handle between us, such as audio and animation. By the time Sable launched, the team was about a dozen people, including me and Greg.
Beginnings
Greg and I started the studio in 2014. We both graduated from university that year and thought of it mostly as a way to teach ourselves the skills we’d need to go and get ‘real’ jobs in the industry. Nine years later, and here we are – still no proper jobs! We spent the first few years releasing small free-to-play mobile games and doing contract work to pay the bills. Eventually, we had enough saved up to start working on a demo for Sable, and in 2017, we were able to secure a publishing deal with Raw Fury, which allowed us to concentrate on Sable full-time.
Challenges
I think one of the biggest challenges is that because you have so few staff, every team member has to take care of multiple different jobs. Besides what you might think of as your regular day job, there’s always a million other things like managing production schedules, doing payroll, handling social media comms – the list goes on. You will always find yourself doing things you probably didn’t have in mind when you dreamt of starting your own studio.
Benefits
I think the biggest advantage for us is that it keeps the cost of making games relatively low. It obviously means we are limited in the kind of games that we can make with such a small team, but it also reduces the need for those games to be mega-hits that have to make enough in sales to pay for hundreds of people’s salaries. We can choose to make more niche, experimental games that mean a lot to us personally.
Advice
I would tell myself to think carefully about an open-world game! I’m pretty proud of how Sable turned out, but it’s a hugely ambitious undertaking. Because of this, it’s rare to find indie games in the genre – instead, we’re going up against massive studios making games like Assassin’s Creed and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I guess that ambition is part of what made Sable stand out though – I wouldn’t want past me to get too disheartened.
Memories
We did a little team retreat to a cabin in Norway mid-way through production, which was pretty magical! It was a chance to hang out and spend some time together, and also to talk through our ideas and collaborate closely with people. Most of our team worked remotely around the world, so getting to meet up like that was really special.
Studio MDHR hit like a bolt from the blue with its first reveal of the unbelievably stunning Cuphead. The team’s art is as heavenly as the game’s challenge level is devilish. If you are looking to offer praise or plees regarding either of those aspects of the game, co-directors Chad and Maja Moldenhauer would be the people to look for. They were happy to fill me in on the impactful studio.
The Team
Maja Moldenhauer: As I’m sure you’ve heard from so many independent developers, studio size can be deceptive! So, I first want to acknowledge that we would never have made it across the finish line when launching Cuphead without the tireless efforts of dozens and dozens of contract and part-time team members in departments ranging from localization to quality assurance to sound effects and music performance. And this doesn’t even begin to touch on the wonderful folks working alongside us at platform partners like Xbox, whose own internal teams were integral to helping bring Cuphead to fans. With all of that said, we were a core team of approximately fifteen to twenty by the time we shipped!
Beginnings
Chad Moldenhauer: Something that makes our studio unique is the fact that, in many ways, we started decades ago before we even knew it! My brother Jared and I – both co-founders of Studio MDHR – grew up doing almost everything together, from watching vintage cartoons to spending hours beating classic games with one another.
As adults, we went into different career paths, but ultimately, we could never stop thinking about the prospect of one day making a game together that embodied all the titles we loved so much as kids. So, in our limited spare time (evenings, weekends, etc.), we began tinkering away at possible game ideas – heavily inspired by the recent successes of indie developers like Team Meat and Jonathan Blow. We experimented with many different ideas, even taking some projects through to the solid prototype stage, but it wasn’t until we landed on the early vision for a character with a cup for a head that we really felt that special spark!
Challenges
Maja Moldenhauer: I imagine that these challenges aren’t completely unique to our team, but the need to “wear many hats at once” is something I think a lot of independent developers and small teams deal with. In a larger studio with hundreds (or thousands) of employees, every discipline you can imagine – from art and animation to business, marketing, and event planning – all have departments of their very own, filled with people whose sole job it is to handle those aspects of a game’s development. On a small team of twenty or less people, those critical tasks end up spread across a much smaller number of people, and you often find yourself having to take on the equivalent of several jobs at once throughout a game’s production! Don’t get me wrong: this can be exciting and fulfilling, too, but time is a finite resource, and you have to think much more carefully on a smaller team about the ramifications of taking time out of core development to handle other things – even though it might be necessary to do so in the end!
Benefits
Chad Moldenhauer: To add to Maja’s answer, I think the other side of the coin as a small team is that while people often have to spin many plates, there is also much less bureaucracy and administrative process! Rather than sending a message to a manager, who forwards it to a department head, who weighs in on a decision with a large group, you’re almost always just reaching out directly to a colleague and sharing a fun idea or interesting concept. The speed of decision-making ends up being much quicker as a result, as there are less “stakeholders” necessary to get on board before moving forward, and it’s easier to get consensus by jumping on a quick call with a few team members. This sense of nimbleness allows us to move really quickly when we think of something we want to test out or change!
Advice
Maja Moldenhauer: We set out to make Cuphead because it was the kind of game we knew we would play, and that love for the concept drove us through the development process. However, amidst the harder and more grueling parts of development, I think it can be easy to feel that this private project that no one has really seen yet only exists as a success in your mind and worry that it won’t do well enough to give you a chance to stay together as a team and make something else you love. So, with all of that said, I think if I could go back in time and impart one lesson during development, it would be to “stay the course” and believe fully in the idea we had as a team, and lose less time (and sleep!) to worry!
Memories
Chad Moldenhauer: This is a hard one to pick, but I think it has to be launch day. After many of the hardest months of development with our distributed team, we flew out to LA and saw one another in person to celebrate this thing we had all made together. Better still, we got to see others play the game and begin reading reviews and stories online of fans experiencing Cuphead for the very first time. To say that it was a whirlwind would be a massive understatement, but it was a surreal moment that I don’t think any of us will ever forget.
Murder, music, and magic blend together in last year’s melodic release, Stray Gods. But what was it like for the developers crafting this new take on the Greek pantheon’s tales? I turned to managing director Liam Esler to find out.
The Team
We had twenty-two excellent humans on our team when we launched Stray Gods with our publisher, Humble Games. Summerfall is a team of people from very different backgrounds and experience, many of whom have come from other industries, paired with some experienced senior talent and incredible junior talent! We’re very passionate about growing our team in the right ways and trying to give opportunities to the people who work for us whenever we can.
Beginnings
We started Summerfall because we wanted to create a place we’d never had the opportunity to work at – a company that made narrative-driven titles where people were prioritized over the games that they make.
Elie Young, David Gaider, and I began discussing the idea of working together in 2017 and formally started the company in 2018. We started by sitting down and grilling each other about what we cared about, what our strengths and weaknesses were, what our biggest fears were – kind of like the ultimate terrifying speed date. We quickly realized we worked well as a team, and we complemented each other in unique ways, and that was that – Summerfall was born.
Challenges
Budgets and resourcing are always very difficult but often become constraints that force us to be creative in clever ways. So much of Stray Gods was born from the inherent challenges of being a small studio, and while those constraints are always very difficult to deal with, they often lead to the most interesting results.
Ultimately, though, keeping a small team afloat, especially when we refuse to crunch and try to treat everyone the best we can, is tough! Money – and, therefore, stability – is always a huge factor.
Benefits
Being in a smaller team means you can be a lot more communicative, collaborative, and agile; everyone can be involved easily, and everyone can have ownership over their part of the project. You get to build close bonds with everyone on the team, which makes working together so much easier and more fun.
Advice
Take the time to enjoy it more! You’re working with some of the most talented people you ever have on one of the most unique projects you’ll likely ever get to work on. Take a breath and enjoy that experience rather than being so stressed about making sure everything is running smoothly! Trust that the team can handle things, and you don’t need to fix every problem yourself.
Memories
There are so many amazing memories! One of my favorites was sitting in the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles in April 2023, preparing for our live-streamed Myth & Music show. We’d been planning it for months, and it had been a wild ride – we had so many things go wrong, but the team at our publisher, Humble Games, did an incredible job helping us pull it together and put on an awesome show. Listening to Laura Bailey, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Anjali Bhimani, and Troy Baker rehearse. Being in a room of people who were so passionate about what we were doing and with an audience who were so excited for us. It was very special.
You didn’t think I was going to leave Coffee Talk creator Toge Productions off a top developer’s list, did you? The coffee-making, deep-talking sim series is a mood like no other, offering players the chance to share in and help resolve the struggles of its relatable, though fanciful, characters. Here’s the tea on the studio from AJ Sitompul, audio director and project manager.
The Team
There were six team members while launching the first Coffee Talk, and most of the members had their first experience leading their roles, e.g., me as the project manager. When we continued developing the second episode, the team was nearly similar, with the exception of the main writer, as the previous main writer and designer, the late Fahmi (who passed away years after the release of Coffee Talk), was no longer part of the team, and we had to find another member to fill the role. There were five core members, with several important supporting members helping the development.
Beginnings
To put it simply, the origins of the studio can be traced back to the time when the original members who founded the studio were still international undergraduate students studying abroad at a university in Australia. They were majoring in game technology, and as part of the final assignment, the group made a simple game project. Since then, Toge was born. CEO Kris Antoni Hadiputra is exceptionally passionate about making games, so after they graduated, he carried on and kept pursuing his dream of creating games and also helping other people reach that same dream together.
Challenges
One of the unique challenges was, as we’re quite a small team, sometimes the members of the team experienced development issues or creativity blocks, but they didn’t know where to share or to ask for a solution. But we all believed in the vision and kept going, pushing more to find the solution themselves. I realized that the smaller the team, the more you need to be able to trust and support one another because there are only a few of us. We got lost once in a while, and miscommunication often happened, especially when the team worked remotely, but we learned a lot from that experience.
Benefits
Maybe we’re not bothered by complex communication flow and hierarchy, so we have a simpler way to communicate every piece of the designs, technical parts, every issue coming up, etc. It should be easier to share the vision and direction of the game with everyone involved in the development.
Advice
I learned a lot of things as a project manager, and I would tell myself that I should be more active in bridging the communication between the game director and the development members as it is utterly important to not only keep clear game direction and identify problems ASAP while in development, but also to keep everyone on the same page and working in one direction so that they won’t get lost or clueless and frustrated. We realized that understanding each other, including our personal condition when working as a team, is also important. Sometimes, we forgot about that, especially when we were too focused on getting the game done.
Memories
While developing Coffee Talk 2, though Fahmi was no longer part of the development team, some members were still in contact with him and asked for any suggestions and insights, as we also wanted to keep the soul from the first Coffee Talk. Hearing that he passed away suddenly, we were truly devastated and feeling a heavy loss. He’s the main reason why Coffee Talk exists, and we needed to adjust the stories to leave remembrance of Fahmi as the original creator. We agree that that’s the most impactful one.
What is it like to reach for the skies as a development studio of one and make it onto Xbox’s 30 under 30? What does it take to make that kind of migration? How many bird references can I fit into one intro? Well, the answer to the last question is about two. But you’ll have to read Tomas Sala’s take below to quench your curiosity about the rest.
The Team
For the majority of development, just me, and legally, it’s a studio of one. But I work with Benedict Nichols, who’s an award-winning composer, for all things audio, and Wired Productions has teamed me up with Stefan Wijnker for porting during the final phases. Beyond the marketing and QA folks at Wired Productions, that’s all.
Beginnings
I started in the industry by founding a small studio that still exists, and I mostly did work for hire (including for Little Chicken Game Company), but I left them after fifteen years because I ended up in an extended burnout. Turns out I’m not a great leader or manager, which is the role you are supposed to grow into, but something that isn’t a fit for the more chaotic artist types like me. Luckily, I discovered I enjoy working on more artistic projects mostly by myself, which allows me to work at a pace and pressure that fits my temperament. Literally, with the support of ID@Xbox, I was able to step away from that studio fully and take the two years I needed to complete The Falconeer without any distractions and start my career as what’s mostly a solo dev.
Challenges
Well, besides the regular challenges of getting any game out the door and finding sufficient success to make another one, my main challenges are maintaining a healthy mode of working, especially toward the release of a game. I found it easier to release a game with a team as some of the burden gets shared when things go wrong, which inevitably is the case. When you are by yourself, there is no one to share with, the good or the bad. I find myself working with my publisher to map out alternative launch strategies and roadmaps. For my new game, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles, this led to an “evolving demo,” basically shaping and updating the game while people play it – it’s an open development strategy intended to prevent some of the launch anxiety by giving folks a taste of the game at very early stages.
Benefits
The most efficient meetings on Earth. Basically, for me there is some truth in not having to discuss and find consensus – everything is done right in the flow of things. This really gives my wings during development as I can just focus on what needs to be done and get to it. I also get to experiment and get lost in creative diversions, which are both a lot of fun and something I need to keep my wits up. The risk here is of course getting lost in your own mental maze, as reflecting by yourself is something that’s quite a bit harder. But again, adapting your processes and strategies to make sure that if you do not reflect, your players and audience will do it for you, actually works in keeping things from going off the rails entirely.
Advice
“You cannot please everyone.” I think the smaller your team, the closer you get to personal expression. I think it becomes inescapable that some form of anxiety around the opinion of your audience starts to form. For me, that becomes fairly extreme at times, and I find it isn’t a great basis for making good design decisions. You start to add features or make choices that are geared to alleviating your fear of failure. Choices that you consider safe but might turn off the audience that naturally fit what you are making. In a field where the player is king, it is also good to realize you cannot please everyone all of the time, and that’s perfectly fine.
Memories
I think my most powerful good memory (there are also less pleasant ones; coming down with COVID close to release is one) is that I was able to have a conversation with players on the game’s Discord about the game and its emotional themes/how it resonated with them. To find some of what you put into a game reflected back, changed by the unique perspectives of the players, was truly a wonderful first for me.
Tanya Kan holds the dual titles of director and executive producer for Vivid Foundry’s recent release, Solace State. The game’s website hosts an impressive slew of indie awards and, after landing on this list, can now add one more prize to its digital trophy case.
The Team
All of us are drawn together by a passion for telling emotional and reflexive game narratives! We’re a distributed team with many developers based in Ontario, Canada. We are a team of 23 developers and collaborators, including folks who contributed cultural and narrative consultation. This is especially important to the Vivid Foundry team because we want the stories to be informed and inspired by real, lived experiences, especially bringing a voice to those from marginalized communities!
Beginnings
I knew that I always wished to tell video game stories about the challenge of fighting for democracy from the civilians’ perspective. There are so many riveting tales that can come from philosophical questions of freedom and justice, and I am excited to explore this in gameplay and narrative choices. I came from a political science and cinema studies background in university, so I’ve always had this desire to make philosophies and theories feel fascinating and entertaining. Starting a game studio meant the ultimate challenge of exploring different roles while working on such heady themes with amazing and talented people.
Challenges
One of the biggest challenges is not having the resources for the substantial market research that a studio with a publisher or a larger studio may have. Even when I am fortunate enough to connect with industry mentors and studio owners who share their knowledge and expertise, the marketplace can change within months because it’s so fast-paced. Since I must balance my time between development, marketing, administration, and business planning, it’s easy for a more “unknown quantity” like market analysis and marketing to fall behind. It’s also difficult to release games that’s on-trend. Even though we’re very proud of how polished our core game mechanics are and how timeless our storytelling is, there’s a lot more luck involved when we have so little market analysis to guide our marketing strategies.
Benefits
Really unique ideas get quickly floated to the top at our dev team! And everyone has such a major impact on the game and how it’s perceived. For example, Seamus Ly, our Lead Developer, has put such an indelible mark on the game with the scenes that he did camera work on, notably a car chase scene and a hostage scene, and he also worked on numerous backend tools that made the level design possible. Additionally, since we’re looking at our progress together during sprint meetings, it feels great to validate together how elements of the game feel!
Advice
I’d give myself the advice to take care of my health better. I wrote so much in Solace State’s fictional game story itself about the characters’ mental health while they grow in their character arcs, but I barely gave myself that space to be compassionate to myself when I am stressed and under pressure. I’m my own worst critic, though. Overcoming this is a progress, and it takes some real, hard work.
Memories
Going to both in-person events and streaming events and chatting with folks who are excited about our game is just the best.
Another deeply impactful memory is the process of interviewing protesters and advocates for human rights to help the game narrative be much more resonant and lived in. Those are some memories that I won’t ever forget because they matter to me on such a human level.
Another studio making an appearance on this list with a game set to release in the near future, Vivid Foundry’s CEO and creative director Allan Cudicio, saw his debut title hit early access in December of last year. While the team is still in the midst of development, Cudicio was able to slip away long enough to give me some insight into his studio.
The Team
We were just about five people, and we are now more than double that. Twin Drums, on top of being a black and queer owned studio, has always been a majority women and non-binary company.
Beginnings
Twin Drums was born from my desire to tell more Black and Afrocentric stories in games. After attempting with varying degrees of success to tell such stories in larger organizations, I realized that starting my own studio was the best way forward.
Challenges
Fundraising can be very challenging, as well as finding the right balance between senior and junior folks (which is especially important if you want to hire more diverse teams)
Benefits
Agility is one – things can be pivoted and discussed quickly. Company culture is also easier to maintain when everyone knows each other.
Advice
Never ever compromise on your company values. Things will get tough, but eventually, they always get better. Trust me.
Memories
It’s hard to pick one, but probably some of the feedback of underrepresented folks (Blacks, Queers, Plus-sized folks) saying how they felt seen through our game.
In all honesty, I was in shock when Thunder Lotus’ name popped up in Microsoft’s summer showcase last year. And then I almost fell over when I saw the one-time Spiritfarer developer was making an action game set in hell. Stephan Logier, creative director at Thunder Lotus, has a lot of explaining to do. Thankfully, he came prepared.
The Team
Twenty people are working on the 33 Immortals dev team. The team was built from the ground up over time since 2018, with the goal of developing an online multiplayer game. It’s a charming collective of talented individuals who share a passion for creating beautiful and distinctive online games with a soul.
There are actually two development teams working in parallel within the Thunder Lotus studio. The founding dev team has been working together since 2014 and most recently produced the cozy management game Spiritfarer. We actively share knowledge and expertise across teams, drawing constant inspiration from the incredible work happening here.
Challenges
We are developing a game designed for 33 players, but our team is not large enough to conduct comprehensive testing with the full player count. Initially, we looped in the studio’s second dev team for play sessions, but during the first year, even that didn’t amount to 33 players, making it insufficient for comprehensive testing. Consequently, we focused our testing efforts on specific aspects of the game. Over time, the Thunder Lotus team scaled beyond 33 members, allowing us to finally playtest the game with the intended player count.
Being a small team, we face limitations in dedicating ample time and resources to every aspect of game development. Our goal is to create the best possible game, emphasizing what truly matters to the player and striving for uniqueness and high quality. The decision of which features to prioritize is challenging, as we aim to ensure that every addition to the game has a significant impact on the player experience. Fortunately, the 33 Immortals team is highly agile, with members possessing diverse technical and artistic skill sets. We collaborate closely to find innovative solutions for creating content and implementing features.
Beginnings
William Dubé, CEO of Thunder Lotus: In 2014, I quit my job as a mobile game designer to put a game on Kickstarter.
At the time, I had no idea what the game was, just that I wanted to make a PC indie game. I had been watching all these projects achieve huge success on the crowdfunding platform and was playing all these great indie games, like Rogue Legacy, Hotline Miami, Super Meat Boy, Binding of Isaac, Minecraft, etc., and I thought to myself, “Why not me?”
Luckily, I had a bunch of friends who could help with the campaign, with art, animation, music and putting the actual Kickstarter video together. After 6 months of work (I spent 3 planning), the campaign went live! Thanks to support from friends and family, we were able to get a solid first 24 hours and the rest was history.
Looking back, I was in a quite fortunate position: the job I had had previously was for a social game start-up that had been founded by AAA veterans. I had so many people with tons of experience to learn from. Working in a start-up was immensely beneficial as well, as I was able to absorb learnings from the ups and down of the entrepreneurial life (though it was as an employee). I had tremendous support from my parents, who both had entrepreneurial families, so lots to learn from there. My father still works with me as our accountant and financial advisor. And finally, a wonderful girlfriend, now fiancée and mother of my children, who was with me every step of the way.
Benefits
One significant advantage of working with a smaller team is the ability to foster an agile decision-making process. In my experience, having previously been part of teams exceeding eight hundred people spread across different studios worldwide, coordinating efforts to create a single game often led to complex and lengthy decision processes. In contrast, with 33 Immortals being a smaller team, it enables swift decision-making across all facets of game development. Each team member’s contribution holds importance for the game’s success, and we emphasize both craftsmanship and ownership. Efficient communication and quick decision-making prove to be invaluable assets when tackling the challenges associated with developing our “pick-up and raid” approach to the roguelike genre.
Another significant advantage of working with a small team, in my opinion, is the ability to listen and reflect on direct feedback from anyone on the team. It provides a more human-centric approach to collaboration. As a Creative Director, I am committed to ensuring that all good ideas find their way into the game. The smaller team size allows me to engage with and learn from every team member’s perspective on the game. This approach provides me with a deeper understanding of the diverse viewpoints regarding the game’s dynamics, a crucial element, in my opinion, for developing multiplayer cooperative experiences that facilitate unexpected situations and player-driven narratives.
Advice
The advice I would give to my past self would be: “Hey! Creating a fun, stable, and visually appealing multiplayer game while simultaneously building a team is a process that requires time!”
Memories
The world premiere reveal at the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2023 was an amazing moment for us. 33 Immortals was finally revealed to the world after being in development for several years. Part of the team was in the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, and another part was in Montreal. We all watched the summer showcase live, and we were elated to witness our game being introduced by Sarah Bond, President of Xbox, and hear the audience cheering when seeing the thirty-three-player co-op feature in our reveal trailer.
Way back in 2020, I launched my first game on Xbox in the form of The Falconeer, an Xbox Series S|X launch title that combined a hostile, flooded open world full of political intrigue, with supernatural and spiritual overtones all seen from the vantage point of Falconeers, skilled riders of giant building sized warbirds that fought each other with lances that charged from the stormy skies.
Four years later I’m asking you to return to the Great Ursee with the next entry in the series, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles – set 40 years after the events of The Falconeer within the same flooded open world. But whilst The Falconeer focused on tight aerial combat and moment to moment thrills, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is an open world builder with freedom and expression at its core. Build sprawling towns, spires, and fortresses as hubs for trade, or rallying grounds for conquests.
The demo for Bulwark has just landed on Xbox consoles – here’s some useful tips that will help you make the most of your time with it as you reforge a shattered world.
Demo Tips
Experiment in Freebuild Mode
The included opening tutorial gets you to grips with how you’ll grow from simple wooden outposts to sprawling cityscapes in the hostile world of The Great Ursee. There is also a freebuild mode, which allows you to build without the need to locate resources, and upgrade any of your towers at will. This mode is perfect for experimenting with how you build, or simply enjoying the art of painting the landscape and embracing chaotic creativity!
Keep an Eye on Your Resources
Bulwark treats resources a little differently than other builders, instead of collecting X amount of a resource to build a specific unit or building, you must locate each resource type and link its extractors to the buildings you want to upgrade. The number floating above an extractor will tell you exactly how many ‘building jumps’ that resource is effective for, so optimising the routes your resources take to get to your towers is important for creating huge sprawling citadels.
Use the Right Captains
Some resource nodes will be far from your initial settlement, scattered across the restless waters of the Ursee. You’ll need to set a pair of harbours (indicated by an anchor icon on your surveyor’s target reticule) for pick up and delivery of your resources.
You’ll need to hire captains to transport these goods for you You’ll start with a set amount, unlock more in the soul tree or via random events. Each captain has vessels designed to carry certain types of cargo. Don’t forget to bring workers out to the resources to upgrade the extractors and increase their efficiency!
Keep an Eye on Your Trade Routes
Speaking of trade routes, you can see the path that each ship will take as it ferries your precious cargo across the Ursee, though be sure to install defences along the routes where possible and pay attention to updates from your advisor – there are opportunities that would rather raid your supply lines than scavenge for their own.
Unlock and Use Commanders
Commanders are powerful units that live within fully upgraded towers – converting them to their faction’s aesthetic and providing useful boosts to your economy, defences to your creations and trade routes, or units to escort your surveyor and act as a war band.
More commanders can be recruited through random events (question marks in the world map) or by simply expanding your settlement and increasing your population (progress can be checked in the soul tree)
Use the Photo Mode With Bulwark’s super flexible photo mode you can control the time of day, apply depth of field and camera positioning completely detached from any unit.
Want to turn it from night to day and soar across the Ursee to capture a whale breaking the waters by your port whilst in the middle of a raid – go for it! You can also choose to pause the action when in photo mode, or allow events and time to play out, perfect for video capture or time lapse photography as you manipulate the time of day.
Finally, Bulwark stores every single brick you build and commits the action to memory – just click the stick while in photo mode and watch your creation build itself brick by brick from where you started to really show off the scale of your achievement and progress!
I hope you enjoy the Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles demo, whether you’re a fan of The Falconeer returning to try your hand at creation rather than destruction, or this is your first adventure in the Great Ursee – there’s a restless world out there waiting to be tamed and built upon – and I can’t wait to see what you create.
Thank you!
Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles Demo
Wired Productions
☆☆☆☆☆5
★★★★★
A FRESH TAKE
Paint the landscape with ever more complex and stunning fortifications simply by building up from humble wooden structures to colossal defensive ‚command towers‘. Connect your towers through a freeform network of walkways and battlements to supply resources and defences.
Build a refuge for the scattered people of this broken world and they will build their houses and industries powering your ambitions, AN OPEN WORLD OF WAVES AND LORE
Extend your empire across many islands in this open world through a network of trading ships, discover new locations to build or conquer, and learn about the ancient history of the Ursee and its people in this continuation of the Falconer Saga. A DIVIDED WORLD
Who you invite into your home determines your political alignment, unlocking new commanders and their flying units, war or trade-ship captains, new building options and architecture. DEFEND YOUR BULWARK
Some in this world will eye your progress with envy, and violence and conflict will come for your settlements, and it will do so from the air. Your defences need to be strong, your towers mighty and your commanders with their warbirds, dragons and mighty airships need to be ready!
2024 is going to be a great year for Xbox players. Across Xbox consoles, PC, Cloud, and Game Pass, you’ll find a truly special line-up on the way. As you saw in the recent Developer_Direct broadcast, our teams and partners are bringing world-class experiences to Xbox platforms. With new ideas, long-awaited sequels, incredible exclusives, and more all on the way, no matter what kind of game you’re looking for, you’ll find it on Xbox.
To try and cram it all into a single article would be impossible, but we’ve arranged a choice selection of just some of the upcoming games into categories, to give you a sense of what’s coming this year to Xbox and PC.
Avowedsees Obsidian taking us back to the world of Eora (the setting of the Pillars of Eternity franchise), and into the unexplored Living Lands, a fantastical, vibrant island filled with adventure and danger. As with all of Obsidian’s games, it’s going to be a journey to remember – this fantasy action RPG is built around the studio’s mantra of playing “your worlds, your way,” including opportunities to approach story and combat in multiple ways, as you ultimately uncover a mystery that affects not only you and your party, but the fate of the Living Lands themselves. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC and cloud (and available with Game Pass on day one) this fall.
Advance into a New Age of Grand Strategy with Ara: History Untold
The team at Oxide Games is comprised of strategy gaming veterans – many who have worked on the acclaimed Civilization franchise together. Now they’re paving their own path to create a game they’ve always wanted to make, while finding new ways to build upon the framework of what makes the genre so great to begin with.
With an innovative crafting and simultaneous turns system, unique leaders, and a pedigree of talent behind them, Ara: History Untold isn’t just shaping up to be the next great grand strategy game – it’s planning to usher in a whole new arena of innovation to the genre that has us excited to advance into this next age with them. Ara: History Untold arrives this fall on Windows and Steam, and will be available with PC Game Pass on day one. We recommend that you Wishlist the game on Steam for the latest breaking game news.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Makes Its Haunting Return
Ninja Theory reignites the journey of Senua inSenua’s Saga: Hellblade II, the long-awaited sequel to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. The story follows Senua’s next steps across a stunning 10th Century Iceland, taking you through dark and dangerous encounters, seen through the eyes of someone who experiences psychosis, and all intertwined in a truly unique audio-visual experience – rooted in staying true to its remarkable predecessor. We can’t wait to jump back into this unique gaming world, which tells an immersive, brutal story about facing the darkness within and without. Senua returns on May 21 for Xbox Series X|S, PC and Cloud, and will be available with Game Pass on day one.
Join a New Adventure in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
This new journey starring the legendary archaeologist comes from the award-winning team at MachineGames – the minds behind Wolfenstein: The New Order and Wolfenstein: The New Colossus – in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games and executive produced by Bethesda Game Studios’ Todd Howard.
Set between “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “The Last Crusade”, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is a first-person, single-player adventure that will take you all over the world, uncovering clues and solving an ancient mystery. Become the adventurer in a race against sinister forces. Your journeys will take you from the hallowed halls of the Vatican and the arid deserts of Egypt to the lush and sunken temples of Sukhothai and the frigid peaks of the Himalayas.
Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is coming later this year to Xbox Series X|S and PC, and will be available with Game Pass on day one.
Soar to New Heights with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
This brand-new simulator is designed to take advantage of the latest technologies in simulation, cloud, machine learning, graphics and gaming to create the most sophisticated, immersive and awe-inspiring flight simulator of all time. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024goes beyond letting us polish up those virtual pilot wings on our uniforms, it will allow us to pursue our dream of an aviation career.
With features like aerial firefighting, search and rescue, commercial flights, remote cargo ops, VIP charter service, air racing, and more, we’ll not only be experiencing the joy of flight, but experience the pilot career we always dreamed of. The sky is calling – Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 takes off on PC and Xbox Series X|S this year, and will be available with Game Pass on day one.
Gear up and for a brand-new take on action-RPGs in Towerborne, a new adventure from Banner Saga developer Stoic and Xbox Games Publishing. A colorful tale of courage and heroism with a rich arsenal of weapons and combat abilities, Towerborne will offer a ton of replayability and charm, set in a gorgeous, dynamic world that evolves as players progress. Towerborne will make its grand debut for Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2024, and will be available with Game Pass on day one.
There’s a reason open worlds are among gaming’s most popular places – the scope they offer for freedom, discovery, and self-expression are unmatched by most. Thankfully, there are some very big hitters coming in 2024. Star Wars Outlaws is the first-ever open world Star Wars game, set between the events of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Fight, steal, and outwit crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted. Final Fantasy XIV Online arrives on Xbox for the first time this year, welcoming you into its huge, beautiful MMO world, and inviting you to explore every inch with your friends.
2024 also sees the long-awaited return of two cult classic franchises with wide open worlds. Dragon’s Dogma2brings us another eldritch blast of Capcom’s unique action-RPG, mixing high fantasy with some truly outlandish combat – once you’ve taken down a cyclops with a meteor, you’ll know why people loved the first game quite so much. STALKER 2 (coming on day one to Game Pass) will reintroduce us to The Zone after many years away, asking you to explore a mutating world by way of intense, painstaking survival action.
If turn-based role playing fans thought they were eating good last year, with celebrated entries such as Baldur’s Gate 3 and Sea of Stars, it’s time to loosen that belt another notch; a feast of massive adventures is on the menu in 2024. Following November’s more action-focused Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, RGG Studio shifts focus back to turn-based battle in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, out now. This one’s as epic as it is wacky, with a full island-building game embedded as an optional diversion from Ichiban’s adventures in Hawaii – the first game in the series set outside of Japan. This week, Atlus revisits one of the most beloved RPGs of all time with Persona 3 Reload (coming on day one to Game Pass), complete with overhauled visuals, new music and voice performances, and modernized gameplay features.
Vaunted developer Vanillaware is known for its visually distinct RPGs, and it’s bringing its first-ever titleto Xbox in March, the stunning tactical RPGUnicorn Overlord. The much-anticipatedEiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (coming on day one to Game Pass) promises an immersive JRPG experience with a focus on rich storytelling. Players can look forward to intricate town-upgrading mechanics and engaging combat, exploring a world brimming with diverse characters and compelling narratives. Finally, one of the most striking titles at last year’s Xbox Games Showcase, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a new fantasy RPG from some of the creative minds behind the Persona series.
Horror is one of the most captivating genres in gaming. Designed to thrill while pulling you into a world of terror, these types of games have a way of staying with you even after the lights have come back on. 2024 might be upping this a notch with one of the masters of modern gaming horror, The Chinese Room, bringing us into their newest universe with Still Wakes the Deep(coming on day one to Game Pass). You’ll be stranded on a warping North Sea oil rig being seemingly consumed by a supernatural entity. Sounds fun; sign us up.
Some of these fearful encounters in 2024 will be returns to the familiar. Supermassive Games is taking the reins from Tarsier Studios with Little Nightmares III, bringing their horror pedigree to this beloved puzzle-platform horror adventure series. We’ll also be taking a return trip into Red Barrels’ excellent survival horror series with The Outlast Trials. One of the newest features there will be the opportunity to play with friends within the walls of a corporate-controlled sanitorium.
Speaking of returns, we’ll also be treated to a long-awaited arrival of a new Alone in the Dark, now with a reimagined take on a horror gaming classic starring David Harbour and Jodie Comer as playable protagonists.
Perhaps one of the most exciting parts of gaming is finding a brand new series, and a brand new world, to explore, shape, and fall in love with. 2024 is going to offer many, many opportunities to do that, with multiple games marking the start of brand new journeys for players. From Xbox, Towerborne and Ara: History Untold are the beginning of brand-new series, but our partners are also bringing a bevy of new ideas to the table.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn weaves together brutal melee, gunplay, and magic for a fantasy narrative that looks strikingly original. Meanwhile, Dungeons of Hinterberg(coming to Game Pass on day one) will take us to a fantastical version of the Alps, The Plucky Squire will jump between 2D and 3D in its storybook world, and 33 Immortals (coming to Game Pass on day one) turns the action-roguelike template into a never-before-seen 33-player co-op experience.
Sometimes, the only thing better than getting lost in a new world is sculpting that world yourself – “simulator” can mean many things in gaming these days, and 2024 brings ample opportunity to sculpt an empire, or create peaceful hangouts along with friends.
In Manor Lords(coming on day one to PC Game Pass), dynamic, medieval settings meet real history in a fresh take on city-building and real time strategy. For a quieter adventure, take your mech for a stroll through the cozy cosmic hills of Lightyear Frontier(coming day one to Xbox Game Pass), an open-world farming adventure that can be explored alone or with friends.
And of course, as we mentioned above, Flight Simulator 2024 takes flight this year, so be sure to keep your eyes to the virtual skies (and Xbox Wire) for updates.
Returning to a story you know and love can be the ultimate joy, and 2024 is packed with shiny new spins on some classic titles. Explore the depths in Tomb Raider I – III Remastered, which includes the first three games in the classic series complete with upgraded graphics. Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster also promises a triumphant return to a classic tale of good vs. evil, complete with stunning new visuals that’ll entice old and new Star Wars fans alike. Plus, you can relive an Xbox indie gem with Braid: Anniversary Edition, a lovingly updated version of the time-bending platformer, complete with charming new graphics, improved sound, and developer commentary.
Many of the stories and worlds that we already love are making big comebacks this year. Tekken 8 – out now – is on top form, with cutting edge combat, stunning visuals and a bombastic new story – it’s the perfect instalment for new and returning fighting fans to jump into.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2by The Chinese Room takes players to the dark underbelly of Seattle, where vampires struggle for survival and supremacy. As an Elder vampire, players meet compelling characters, navigate complex political relationships, stalk the streets for prey, and engage in intense combat to uncover the city’s secrets. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 launches later this year, ending our 13-year wait to step back into the boots of Captain Titus as he hacks, slashes and boltguns through hordes of vicious Tyranids in a glorious sequel.
A fresh entry into the enchanting Mana series – and its first appearance on Xbox consoles – is also on the way. As we discovered during Developer_Direct, Visions of Manapromises a beautiful reimagining of the series’ vibrant worlds, breathtaking environments and heartwarming characters, all within an epic RPG.
First impressions are everything, and this year is bringing some games that will open your eyes as much as they expand your mind. In a true, ‘I never thought I’d see that in a game’ moment, Harold Halibut(coming to Game Pass on day one) is a handmade adventure built with traditional stop-motion techniques – imagine a playable Wes Anderson movie set on a submerged spaceship and you’re on the right track.
Rise of the Golden Idol is a sequel to the beloved (and truly bizarre) detective game Case of the Golden Idol, and brings with it a style that somehow fuses the painterly and the grotesque while evoking classic ’90s point ’n’ clicks. Open Roads(coming to Game Pass on day one) on the other hand blends a 3D world with beautiful, graphic novel-style characters to striking effect, helping to tell the story of a mother and daughter embarking on a road trip and uncovering long-lost family secrets.
From our partners, you can of course expect Fortniteto continue to grow in truly unexpected ways, Destiny 2 will receive its epochal The Final Shape expansion, and Apex Legends will celebrate its fifth anniversary. That’s not to mention the likes of Grand Theft Auto Online, the EA Sports catalogue, Rainbow Six Siege, and many, many more.
With all of these new games on the way, don’t forget that Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass already contain hundreds of titles for you to try out – your new favorite game might already be waiting for you. Encompassing console, PC, and cloud (with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate), Game Pass offers new games, new genres, and new ideas, wherever you want to play.
2023 saw some incredible games join the service, and 2024 will be no different. We’ve already started strong with the likes of Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Resident Evil 2, and many more joining Game Pass in January, and the year ahead is looking very good – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Persona 3 Reload, Manor Lords are just a few of the titles on their way. Make sure to check back with Xbox Wire to find out what’s coming, and when.
Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Alpha ring today.
It’s important we note that some updates made in these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.
Details can be found below!
System Update Details:
OS Version: XB_FLT_2402ZN\25398.3465.240129-2000
Available: 2 p.m. PT – January 31, 2024
Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – February 1, 2024
Fixes Included
Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:
Accessibility
Fixed an issue where the voice and keyboard indicators in party chat would not display as expected when using speech-to-text.
Controllers
Fixed an unexpected error indicating there was a problem updating your controller, even when the update was successful.
Guide
Fixes to address some areas of the guide appearing larger than expected.
System
Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
Known Issues
While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.
Audio
We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
When did the issue start?
Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
Does rebooting resolve the issue?
What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.
Game Card
Some users are reporting an unexpected black screen when opening the game card or selecting “Show in Microsoft Store” after it has opened, and we are investigating.
Games
We are investigating user reports of some titles experiencing unexpected display or graphical issues.
Networking
We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.
When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.
Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!
Room of Depression portrays the story of Moon, a seemingly ordinary woman living with depression. Players can guide Moon through their life journey,, from resistance to acceptance, from inner conflict to liberation, in this heartfelt narrative.
Room of Depression is available now. We sincerely invite you to join us and experience this journey together.
Moon lies about being fine to avoid worrying her friends, struggles to sleep at night due to overwhelming thoughts, and faces difficulty concentrating on work. Through numerous details in the game, players can empathize with the challenges of depression and resonate with the protagonist.
Room of Depression employs soothing, almost nonexistent music, accompanied by long stretches of light dialogue, presenting you with a somewhat closed and oppressive inner world. As Moon, navigating the daily tunnel of life, will you ever feel a sense of loss? Repeating the same things every day, seeing the same scenes in the bright spots of the tunnel, hoping for a sudden disappearance. We all experience numerous people and events every day, but in your heart, these things leave no shadow, inexplicably melancholic, a daily weight…
Room of Depression is filled with interactive details, focusing on portraying the impact of depression. For instance, during conversations with others, some words, though simple, are hard to say, like the straightforward ‘unhappy,’ which, out of consideration for others, turns into a hesitant ‘I’m fine.’ The game requires you to awkwardly drag these letter bubbles, depicting the inexpressible feeling, aiming to showcase the oppression that depression brings. There’s also the heavy feeling of tearing off the calendar, where every day is the same, and time helplessly slips away.
Playing this game gives you a sudden illusion of, “I might exhibit some mild signs of depression.” You’ll have difficulty concentrating on tasks, have restless sleep, a constant sense of chaotic thoughts, lacking both passion and joy—beautiful memories smoothed away by time, leaving only the helplessness of sadness. This is a day in Moon’s life, seemingly ordinary like ours but filled with various oppressive thoughts.
The concept behind Room of Depression is from games like Florence, Hell Blade, which do not serve as entertainment but rather express some messages and want to raise the player’s feeling associated with issues like being lovelorn, psychosis and blindness.
As we immerse ourselves in Moon’s story, we may realize that there are countless Moons around us, individuals grappling with similar internal battles. Perhaps by understanding Moon’s story, we can extend our empathy and assistance to the countless Moons in this world, contributing to a collective effort to support those facing their own challenges.
Room of Depression
IndieArk
☆☆☆☆☆7
★★★★★
$9.99
Is there anyone around you that suffers from depression? Do you really understand depression? This game allows you to enter a world of people who suffer from depression and understand how to deal with people with depression properly. „Room of Depression“ is an adventure game on Steam that focuses on the atmosphere and experience of depression. Players experience Moon’s daily life. Her encounters may be as ordinary as any passer-by but her world is very different from others. The big and small events in life affect her differently because she suffers from depression. Depression is a common mental illness around the world, especially in developed cities. The mission of this work is to not only explain depression, but to let players have a taste of depression themselves through the game experience. We will donate part of the game revenue to charity fundraising projects, and you are welcome to join us.
It’s a new year and a time to reset, reflect and think about what the next few months has in store.
Here on the Age of Empires team, we’ve got a LOT lined up for 2024. Instead of trying to summarize it in a lengthy blog post, we decided to make a show of it! We’re excited to announce the “New Year, New Age” livestream on February 23rd at 10:00 am PT (1:00 pm ET / 18:00 UTC).
With so much to come in 2024, we want to show our players around the world what to expect from the Age of Empires franchise this year. We’ll be revealing more information on some of our most anticipated titles for 2024 – so expect to see a sneak peek of Age of Mythology: Retold and a first look at Age of Empires Mobile. If you’re eager to know what’s next for our games already in your library, don’t worry, we’ll have updates for those titles too.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition: We’ll reveal a brand-new campaign-focused expansion and an extended look at exclusive gameplay.
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition: After giving our players a new way to play for free in 2023, we are excited to reveal a new DLC with new civilizations.
Age of Empires IV: Coming off our best-selling expansion ever with The Sultans Ascend, we will share updates on an upcoming brand-new season and a new in-game reward.
Age of Empires Mobile: TiMi Studios, the award-winning developer, will share a first-time look at gameplay and give us a behind the scenes look into their studio. The team will share their passion for Age of Empires and their vision to bring the franchise to new and existing fans alike.
Age of Mythology: Retold: The team will take us behind the curtain in the studio to show how they are developing this beloved game for a new, modern experience. Fans can expect a unique unveiling of a few mythological creatures that you won’t want to miss.
Lastly, making a return appearance after hosting our 25th anniversary show, Welyn, will be streaming the event on his Twitch channel. He’ll give his expert impressions and reactions to all the news, reveals, teases and gameplay.
Mark your calendars for February 23rd at 10:00 am PT to watch on the channels listed below:
We’re so grateful to get to spend another year bringing established and new players all over the world more Age of Empires content. We hope you’ll join us at New Year, New Age as we take a look at what’s to come.
Stay tuned to Age of Empires channels for more details about the show over the next coming weeks.
Palworld has been played by more than 7M players on Xbox, and is the biggest 3rd party launch in Game Pass history.
Palworld is the most-played 3rd party day one release via cloud gaming with Game Pass Ultimate.
Palworld (Game Preview) is out now for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows PC, and is available with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
It’s no secret that Palworldhas been sweeping the gaming world since its Early Access launch earlier this month – and we’re happy to announce that, in its first ten days as part of Xbox Game Preview, Xbox players have made it the biggest 3rd party Game Pass launch in history! You’ve also helped Palworld to become the most-played 3rd party day one launch on Xbox Cloud Gaming with Game Pass Ultimate.
Across console and Windows PC, Palworld has welcomed more than 7 million players, and has recently reached a peak of nearly 3 million daily active users on Xbox, making it the most-played game on our platforms at that time.
Speaking to Xbox Wire, CEO of developer Pocketpair, Takuro Mizobe, said: “The response from fans has been tremendous and it’s incredible to see the millions of players around the world enjoying Palworld. This is just the beginning for us and Palworld, and the feedback we’re gathering while in Game Preview will allow us to continue to improve the experience for Pal Tamers across all platforms.”
For those yet to become a Pal Tamer themselves, Palworld is an online open world game that sees players dropped into a mysterious land and given the ability to capture over 100 Pals, monsters with a range of abilities – both in battle, and in surviving in a hostile world. Battling, crafting, building are all a part of the experience, and it’s proven a huge draw for players across the world.
Palworld is available in the Xbox Game Preview program, meaning there’s much more to come as Pocketpair refine the experience ahead of a full 1.0 release. Developers are listening to player feedback, and have started applying their learnings to the game already – and they know cross-play is one of the largest requests from fans, and are working quickly to address it.
On Xbox’s part, we’re working with Pocketpair to help provide support for Xbox versions of the game. We’re providing support to enable dedicated servers, offering engineering resources to help with GPU and memory optimization, speeding up the process to make Palworld updates available for players, and working with the team to optimize the title for our platform.
Palworldis available now for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows PC through the Game Preview program. It’s available for Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass members, and can be played through Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership.
Palworld (Game Preview)
POCKET PAIR, Inc.
☆☆☆☆☆981
★★★★★
$29.99
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass
Free Trial
This game is still under development. It is subject to change before its release as a finished product. Please purchase only if you are comfortable with the game in its current state. Q. What kind of game is this?
A. In this game, you can peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate.
Pals can be used to fight and breed, or they can be made to work on farms or factories.
You can even sell them or eat them. ▼Survival
In a harsh environment where food is scarce and vicious poachers roam, danger waits around every corner. To survive, you must tread carefully and make difficult choices…even if that means eating your own Pals when the time comes. ▼Mounts & Exploration
Pals can be mounted to traverse the land, sea and sky—allowing you to traverse all kinds of environment as you explore the world. ▼Building Structures
Want to build a pyramid? Put an army of Pals on the job. There are no labor laws for Pals, so exploit them to your heart’s content. ▼Production
Find a variety of useful Pals to make fire, generate electricity, or mine ore so that you can live a life of comfort. ▼Farming
Some Pals are good at planting seeds, while others are skilled at watering or harvesting crops. Work together with your Pals to create an idyllic farmstead. ▼Factories & Automation
Letting Pals do the work is the key to automation. Build a factory, place a Pal in it, and they’ll keep working as long as they’re fed—until they’re dead, that is. ▼Dungeon Exploration
With Pals on your side you can tackle even the most dangerous areas. When the time comes, you might have to sacrifice one to save your skin. They’ll protect your life—even if it costs their own. ▼Breeding & Genetics
Breed a Pal and it will inherit the characteristics of its parents. Combine rare pals to create the strongest Pal of them all! ▼Poaching & Crime
Endangered Pals live in wildlife sanctuaries. Sneak in and capture rare Pals to get rich quick! It’s not a crime if you don’t get caught, after all. ▼Multiplayer
Multiplayer is supported, so invite a friend and go on an adventure together! And of course you can battle your friends and trade Pals, too.
Note: PvP will be implemented in a future update Collect all kinds of exciting Pals to fight, farm, build, and work for you in this completely new multiplayer, open world survival and crafting game!
Released in 2013, and directed by the singular Josef Fares, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was a truly unique game. After their father falls ill, the game follows two, well, brothers as they set out into a strange and often dangerous world – with the twist being that a single player controls both characters simultaneously. They must cross dangerous lands, face deadly foes and rely on each other more than they ever have before to find a cure, leading players through a beautiful world by way of action-packed puzzles and obstacles.
Almost a decade after the original game’s release, nothing has quite replicated this game’s mixture of unique controls and emotive storytelling. So, with our remake, we’ve concentrated on not just how to bring a modern classic back to life, but to preserve and enhance this incredible, one-off experience.
Remaking a Masterpiece
Our philosophy throughout the Remake process was to enhance the original, not distort. As we began to study the game, we realized that everything in Brothers, each environment, the puzzle, and interaction, is there for a specific reason and has its own goal to help support the overall story. Our job then became to modernize the experience while keeping everything that made the original special and memorable.
Gameplay in Brothers is designed primarily for a unique, single-player experience (though local co-op is also included). As you explore, one controller controls both brothers and their ability to interact with the world. Each brother has their own unique abilities that will be required to solve the various puzzles and enemies they encounter.
For the remake, we put in a lot of effort on perfecting the character controls for a seamless, elevated experience. Controller inputs are more responsive than the original, and animations have been remade from scratch for precise movement and transition between actions. For example, when the older brother helps the younger brother climb a ledge, it’s seamless and smooth with each brother affecting the other. And that’s just one of hundreds of interactions we’ve worked to perfect.
We’ve also remade the puzzle and enemy AI to ensure a fun and challenging experience that goes beyond what was possible in 2013. Being chased by dogs or avoiding a charging Troll is a more dynamic thrill now. We thought about making the puzzles more difficult, but felt that would defeat the narrative goals of each section. Because of this, we wanted to improve the look and feel and performance of each puzzle without needlessly making it more difficult just for the sake of making it more difficult.
An Enchanting World Remade
From icy rivers and soaring heights, to a giant’s castle and dangerous caves, there is just as much beauty as danger.
Along with the controls and animations, we’ve paid particular attention to the amazing environments that the brothers must traverse. As the brothers begin their quest, you’ll roam though their enchanting home village full of thatched roofs and beautiful flower beds, sheep pens and flowing streams. Quickly, you’ll leave the safety of the village and begin to climb treacherous mountains and scale along cliff faces that drop off into nowhere. As the story and adventure moves further from their idyllic village, the tone and themes of the game grow darker.
Throughout the game we worked to maintain proper balance between foreground and background elements as well as enhancing the overall look, especially in cutscenes. To accomplish this balance, we used extensive dynamic lighting, something the Unreal 5 engine is excellent at, along with foreground and background depth of field, and camera positioning to make all of the remade characters, structures and graphic elements as beautiful and impactful as possible.
A Journey To Remember
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake is a classic, remarkable game, one that we are not only honored to work on, but a game that we feel a responsibility to remake with the utmost care and attention to detail.
If you’ve played the game before, we think you’ll discover new things to love about the Remake. If you’ve not played it before, this is your chance to experience a game unlike anything you’ve played before, and now it’s improved with the latest graphics improvements, music and more.
It’s an experience you’ll always remember.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake launches on Xbox Series X|S February 28.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake
505 Games
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
Guide two brothers on an epic fairy tale filled with discovery, loss, adventure, and mystery. With their father suffering from a deadly illness, two brothers must bravely set out to find the “Water of Life,” the one cure that can save him. With no option for failure the brothers must rely on each other using their individual skills to protect one another and overcome the obstacles ahead in this unforgettable journey. A TIMELESS CLASSIC REMADE
Hailed by critics when it was originally released, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is back! Faithful to the gameplay and touching story from 2013, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake features rebuilt characters and landscapes based on the original and has been updated to the latest generation of graphics, performance, and gameplay. Paired with a re-recorded soundtrack with a live orchestra, prepare for an emotional experience that will take your adventure to all new heights. EMBARK ON A FANTASTICAL EPIC Solve puzzles, discover hidden stories, traverse dangerous locations, and fight deadly bosses. In single-player mode, navigate this story as both brothers in tandem or play in local co-op with a friend, each controlling one of the brothers as you play together. GET IMMERSED IN THE EMOTIONAL WORLD OF BROTHERS
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is full of hidden details that reward those who seek them out. In addition to the original hidden treats and rich storyline, the remake has added new secrets to be discovered.
A Little to the Left comes to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and via Game Pass on February 15.
Play on mobile devices for the first time via Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Learn more about this peaceful puzzle game with our five reasons to check it out.
Hey there, I’m Annie, co-founder of Max Inferno, a studio I started with my partner Lukas Steinman. Lukas and I have always loved making things together – Halloween costumes, scavenger hunts, dance moves, pun-induced groans, and poorly rhyming cooking songs. When the opportunity arose to make our first game, A Little to the Left, we never imagined it would sell over a million copies in its first year, and win the hearts of such a wide audience.
This experience has allowed us to continue to do what we love, and our game’s journey is about to take another big leap, as it’s coming to Xbox on February 15 with Xbox Game Pass. Here’s why we think you’ll love our tidy little puzzler.
Peaceful Puzzling
A Little to the Left is all about tidying messes into pleasing arrangements, without worrying about timers or fail-states. It’s peaceful and accessible, with simple controls that anyone can quickly understand. We took a lot of inspiration from our own lives to make this game, which is why many of the objects you’ll be sorting are based on things in our home… like the clock my dad gave me that I mustn’t forget to wind every Wednesday, or a funny bird lamp from Lukas’s grandmother. Please be careful when handling the glassware, that was a gift as well…
Cleanliness is in the Eye of the Beholder
Some puzzles in A Little to the Left have multiple solutions, which offer players different ways of seeing. It’s fun to have to switch one’s method of observation, as everyone seems to have a different take at first glance. If you need any help, we implemented a fun hint system that lets you erase just as much of the hint that you want to see. You can also use the option to “Let It Be” and skip a puzzle entirely. Don’t worry, you won’t miss anything by choosing to move on from a level – you can skip every single puzzle in the game if you just want to see what comes next.
Cat’s on the Table
We know cats play by their own rules, and it’s precisely this irreverence to our imposed will that makes us love them even more. Throughout A Little to the Left, you’ll sometimes see your carefully cleaned puzzles ruined by a playful cat, who swipes away your hard work just when you think you’re finished. The cat is based on our own cat, Rookie – who continues to surprise us daily with new tactics, and who reminds us to not take ourselves too seriously.
From the Sofa to Space
The start of the game presents rather mundane items to sort. These are relatable situations, like that junk drawer a lot of people have, or the act of fixing a slightly crooked picture frame. As the game progresses, there is a sense of absurdity that grows, as to what things are to be tidied, and how. Later, you’re asked to fix the reflections in a mirror or fast-forward time to perfectly line up a shadow. These later levels may make you wonder about the nature of control… They’re also some of our favorite puzzles in the game – we hope you like them too!
Touch to Tidy
We’re very excited to be a part of Xbox Game Pass and to share our game with the massive audience of gaming fans on Xbox. Being part of Xbox Game Pass also allows us to bring A Little to the Left to mobile devices for the first time, thanks to Xbox Cloud Gaming’s Native Touch controls. You can grab and move objects with your hands, or use a compatible controller on the go if you prefer. From the beginning, we wanted every control scheme to feel great to use, so we hope you try them both out and see which you prefer.
A Little to the Left comes to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One with Xbox Game Pass on February 15. The main game will also launch alongside our DLC, Cupboards & Drawers (available separately for $5.99), which includes over 25 new levels and adds extra layers of complexity with tons of objects to tidy into tight spaces and secret compartments. We hope you have a great time discovering our game and experiencing the funny little moments throughout it – we had a lot of fun making it together and are so grateful to have had the opportunity.
Introducing the newest collection of Xbox Wireless Controllers: the Vapor series in Xbox Design Lab and the Xbox Wireless Controller – Dream Vapor Special Edition. In this collection, each top case features a dynamic pattern that is unique to every controller. If you are familiar with the Xbox Wireless Controller – Stormcloud Vapor Special Edition, you have seen how this misty pattern creates a subtle and textured look that only you can call yours.
The Vapor series with Xbox Design Lab brings some of the most unique controller designs available for your customization, offering six top case options with swirling color patterns. If green is your thing, the Electric Vapor top case merges the bold Electric Volt and the iconic Velocity Green, while the Nocturnal Vapor top case draws you in with its Dark Green and Grey swirl. Feel the heat with the Fire Vapor top case, featuring a fiery red and orange swirl, or opt for the cool and collected Stormcloud Vapor, with a sleek blue swirl design. If pink and purple are your power colors, look no further than the Cyber Vapor top case, showcasing a lively pink and purple swirl, or enter in the dreamy hues of the Dream Vapor top case with its soft pink and soft purple swirl.
Once you’ve selected one of these unique Vapor top cases, it’s time to personalize further by choosing from a variety of button and thumbstick styles. You can even enhance your design with metallic triggers and D-pads, rubberized side and back grips, and add a personalized engraving for the finishing touch.
Alternatively, enter dreamland with our newest Special Edition design, the Xbox Wireless Controller – Dream Vapor. Using the pink and purple top case from the Vapor collection, we’ve dreamt up a Special Edition controller that highlights the best that this colorway has to offer. The subtle pink-purple swirl is extended to the rest of the design, featuring soft pink thumbsticks, bumpers, triggers, and hybrid D-pad. What you’ll find unique about this Special Edition controller is the inclusion of purple rubberized side grips, soft pink ABXY buttons with purple accents, and an exclusive Dynamic Background that brings this amazing design over to your Xbox Series X|S console.
All controllers within the Vapor Collection include all the incredible features fans can expect with our newest generation of controllers. This includes a battery life of up to 40* hours of gameplay, allowing you to stay immersed in the action for longer. Enter every reality of gaming via the Bluetooth and Xbox Wireless connection, enabling you to connect and play on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, iOS and Android devices.
You can chat with your friends using any compatible headset and share your most unbelievable gaming highlights using the dedicated Share button on your controller. Use the Xbox Accessories app to remap your controller buttons and create custom controller profiles for your favorite games, giving you endless potential to elevate your gaming experience.
The Vapor Series is available now with Xbox Design Lab, where you can choose from the six Vapor designs to create a completely customized controller. You can also pre-order the Xbox Wireless Controller Special Edition – Dream Vapor today in select Xbox markets worldwide for $69.99 USD ERP. Visit Xbox.com or your local retailer, including Microsoft Store, for more information.
We’re also introducing the newest addition to the Xbox Icon Collection – The Vapor Hoodie. Inspired by the two-color swirl of the new Xbox Vapor wireless controllers, our Icon Collection Vapor Hoodie is available in 3 print colors each with its own unique swirl pattern: the orange and red Fire Vapor, the purple and pink Cyber Vapor, and the green and electric volt yellow Electric Vapor. Available only in the Xbox Gear Shop.
*Battery life varies with usage and other factors. Testing conducted by Microsoft using standard AA batteries in preproduction units. Button mapping available via Xbox Accessories app for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10/11; app for Windows PC requires compatible USB-C cable (sold separately).
From February 6, 10 a.m.-February 20, 10 a.m. PST players in both Seasonal and Eternal Realms can bask in the resplendency and joy of the Lunar Awakening limited-time event. A mysterious phenomenon is manifesting throughout the shrines of Sanctuary, enchanting them with immense and prosperous power. Celebrators believe this to be their Ancestors, blessing them from beyond the grave to celebrate this joyous occasion!
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Identify and activate Lunar Shrines throughout all areas and activities found within Sanctuary. While active you will earn 50% bonus XP (multiplicative) and have 30% increased movement speed, a plethora of buffs, all while earning Ancestors Favor reputation.
Lunar Awakening has Dawned
To fully enjoy the revelry of Lunar Awakening, travel to Ked Bardu and head to the Northern section of town. Once there you’ll meet Ying-Yue, the leader of the Lunar Night Market. This market is your central hub for Lunar Awakening, where you’ll redeem your Ancestor’s Favor reputation for extravagant Lunar Renewal themed rewards.
Lunar Shrines are spread throughout Sanctuary. Fight your way through both dungeons and the overworld, activating Lunar Shrines and slaying monsters to earn copious amounts of Ancestors Favor reputation.
Lunar Shrines can be identified by their appearance, adorned with a Dragon in celebration of Lunar Awakening. Lunar Shrines also have a unique Map icon, making them easy to identify from a distance.
During Lunar Awakening, Nightmare Dungeon Sigils have a chance to have an Ancestor’s Favor dungeon affix which guarantees only Lunar Shrines spawn for that dungeon. In addition to the extra Shrines, you will also receive 10% bonus Glyph XP once the Dungeon is complete! All Nightmare Dungeon Sigils with the Ancestor’s Favor Affix will retain it once the event has ended, so feel free to stockpile away for days long after the Moon has set on Lunar Awakening.
Lunar Shrines and Ancestors Favor
Lunar Shrines are coursing with a mysterious and immense power. Celebrators of the Lunar Awakening believe this power to be the returning spirits of our ancestors, adorned to mark the special occasion. During the Lunar Awakening, some Shrines have been replaced with Lunar Shrines, with an updated appearance to match the festivities! Lunar Shrines function similarly to typical Shrines; but they have been augmented for an extra punch to celebrate this festive event.
Lunar Shrines provide an exciting bonus effect on top of their regular Shrine power, the Lunar Shrine effects are listed below.
Augmented Lunar Shrine Effects:
Artillery Shrine – Casts have a chance to summon a holy bomb.
Blast Wave Shrine – Each explosion summons a cluster bombardment.
Channeling Shrine- Increased attack speed and chance to reset cooldowns.
Greed Shrine – Chance to summon a Treasure Goblin. While the Shrine is active, 25 kills summons a Treasure Goblin, and 50 kills summons a second.
Lethal Shrine – Chance to instantly execute a struck monster, causing Fear on surrounding monsters. Note: this includes Elites, but excludes Bosses and other Players.
Protection Shrine – You reflect all incoming damage. Damage reflected scales with Level and World Tier.
On top of these powerfully amplified effects, Miserly spirits spawn immediately when a Lunar Shrine is activated, allowing you to immediately capitalize on the Shrines’ specific gameplay augmentation.
Additionally, Lunar Awakening themed Whisper bounties are available throughout the event making them an excellent place to earn Ancestors Favor reputation while appeasing the Tree of Whispers!
Don Lunar Garments and Shine
There are 10 Ancestor’s Favor reputation levels in total to earn, and 6 different Lunar themed cosmetic rewards to unlock. Lunar Awakening themed garments will also be available in Tejal’s shop, materializing to adorn your wanderer in threads befitting this joyous occasion.
Celebrate with Ying-Yue and bask in the glow of Lunar Awakening when it arrives on February 6! -The Diablo IV Team
Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Omega ring today.
It’s important we note that some updates made in these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.
Details can be found below!
System Update Details:
OS Version: XB_FLT_2402ZN\25398.3453.240125-2000
Available: 4 p.m. PT – January 30, 2024
Mandatory: 4 p.m. PT – January 31, 2024
Note: This update may not occur automatically before it has already become mandatory. You can always find the most current update as soon as it is available by opening the Guide > Profile & system > Settings > System > Updates.
Remember: Newly enrolled users in this ring are not guaranteed to receive all early updates, but they’ll receive the update prior to the GA release. Additionally, a small subset of users may remain on their current GA build once they enroll until the next system update becomes mandatory for the public. Visit the Xbox Insider Program FAQ to learn more.
New Features and Experiences
We have exciting news! Omega users can expect something new coming to their Xbox Update Preview.
My Games & Apps – Improved Filtering and Sorting
We’ve added some new filters and sorts to My Games & Apps to help you find exactly what you’re looking for! You can now filter games by Accessibility Options, Supported Languages, and Technical Capabilities. Additionally, subscription tabs have been updated to sort by recently added making it easier to see what’s new. Of course, you can always change the sorting if you prefer something else. Just head to My Games & Apps then Full library where you can find all the new filtering and sorting options.
Settings – Access Restrictions
We have updated the Access restrictions page in Settings by moving the existing options under a new menu for Access restrictions options. Additionally, we have added new options to allow use of the Edge web browser, setting Home console, and to delete profiles on sign out. To view these new options, navigate to Settings > System > Access restrictions.
Xbox Wireless Controller – Thumbstick Calibration
For users in the US who have independently replaced the circuit board on their Xbox Wireless Controller and Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 or users in all regions experiencing minor thumbstick issues, we now offer a user-guided self-calibration tool for thumbsticks through the Xbox Accessories App.
Note: The support article linked at the end of the experience is currently unavailable. This will be available in the future.
Experience Changes
Please be aware this Xbox Update Preview includes the following experience or feature updates.
Capture & Share
Screenshots captured on Xbox Series S consoles will now have a maximum resolution of 1080p, matching the maximum resolution for game clips.
Fixes Included
Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:
Capture & Share
Fixed an issue which could prevent uploading captures to OneDrive.
Home
Fixes to improve unexpected errors loading Home during sign in.
Installation
Various fixes to improve unexpected issues when installing or updating various games and apps.
System
Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
Known Issues
While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.
Audio
We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
When did the issue start?
Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
Does rebooting resolve the issue?
What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.
Game Card
Some users are reporting an unexpected black screen when opening the game card or selecting “Show in Microsoft Store” after it has opened, and we are investigating.
Games
We are investigating user reports of some titles experiencing unexpected display or graphical issues.
Networking
We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.
When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.
Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!
Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Delta ring today.
It’s important we note that some updates made in these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.
Details can be found below!
System Update Details:
OS Version: XB_FLT_2402ZN\25398.3453.240125-2000
Available: 3 p.m. PT – January 30, 2024
Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – January 31, 2024
New Features and Experiences
We have exciting news! Delta users can expect something new coming to their Xbox Update Preview.
Xbox Game Pass
When launching an Xbox Game Pass title that is leaving the catalog soon, a random subset of users will see we have re-enabled a new dialog which will help clarify exactly when it is leaving and offer an easy path to purchase the game to keep playing even after it has left.
Fixes Included
Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:
Capture & Share
Fixed an issue which could prevent uploading captures to OneDrive.
System
Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
Known Issues
While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.
Audio
We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
When did the issue start?
Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
Does rebooting resolve the issue?
What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.
Game Card
Some users are reporting an unexpected black screen when opening the game card or selecting “Show in Microsoft Store” after it has opened, and we are investigating.
Games
We are investigating user reports of some titles experiencing unexpected display or graphical issues.
Networking
We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.
When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.
Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!
Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Beta ring today.
It’s important we note that some updates made in these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.
Details can be found below!
System Update Details:
OS Version: XB_FLT_2402ZN\25398.3453.240125-2000
Available: 2 p.m. PT – January 30, 2024
Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – January 31, 2024
New Features and Experiences
We have exciting news! Beta users can expect something new coming to their Xbox Update Preview.
Xbox Game Pass
When launching an Xbox Game Pass title that is leaving the catalog soon, a random subset of users will see we have re-enabled a new dialog which will help clarify exactly when it is leaving and offer an easy path to purchase the game to keep playing even after it has left.
Fixes Included
Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:
Capture & Share
Fixed an issue which could prevent uploading captures to OneDrive.
System
Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
Known Issues
While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.
Audio
We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
When did the issue start?
Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
Does rebooting resolve the issue?
What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.
Game Card
Some users are reporting an unexpected black screen when opening the game card or selecting “Show in Microsoft Store” after it has opened, and we are investigating.
Games
We are investigating user reports of some titles experiencing unexpected display or graphical issues.
Networking
We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.
When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.
Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!
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