No Man’s Sky Adrift expedition available to download this week, free to existing players.
Travellers will have to adapt their survival strategies in this abandoned galaxy bereft of the usual support systems like space stations, trading posts and alien traders.
The unique Iron Vulture starship headlines a vast array of unique and exclusive rewards for those who successfully navigate this, No Man’s Sky’s 13th expedition.
Xbox and Game Pass Travellers in No Man’s Sky have already feasted well in 2024 with the release of the Orbital update, which invited all Xbox players to try the game for free, and Omega, which introduced the ability to customize starships and overhauled space stations for the first time since launch. As we close in on our 8th anniversary in the summer, we are pleased to launch our 13th community expedition, Adrift. It’ll be available for Xbox players to jump in later this week.
No Man’s Sky’s expeditions are a chance for the entire community to come together in a specific place in the universe, which is consequently always alive with Travellers completing the expedition’s unique set of limited-time challenges.
But uniquely, in the Adrift expedition, the galaxy has been abandoned. There is no life to be seen anywhere – no aliens, no space stations, none of the usual network of shops and buildings.
Although everyone awakes on the same planet (the desolate, worm-infested Lapezuk), you will not be together in the usual sense. Communication is consumed by static and the boundaries between each of your individual realities have thickened.
Even the usually-bustling Space Anomaly is eerily silent and devoid of the usual support from merchants and traders. In this forsaken universe you will have to use all your wits and adapt your approach simply to survive. Self-reliance is more critical than ever.
The Adrift expedition is a whole new way to experience No Man’s Sky and a chance to meditate on the darkness of deep space. When the world around us is a constant stream of noise and hubbub, it offers up a silent haven. Will you find it a soothing respite, or an eerie and disturbing void?
No matter how you choose to embrace the Adrift expedition personally, there are, as ever, exclusive and collectable rewards for the willing adventurers including the gnawing scuttler companion, a supply of starship stealth paint, a ghostly frigate, and the unique Iron Vulture starship.
Adrift begins later this week, and will run for approximately seven weeks. We have lots more planned throughout the summer so Xbox players should keep their eyes peeled for further updates.
The distinctive Skyvan is a utilitarian workhorse in a class of its own.
A TOUGH, MULTI-ROLE MACHINE
Microsoft Flight Simulator today introduced the Local Legend 16: the SC.7 Skyvan aircraft that has earned a legendary reputation as a go-to for the world’s toughest air transport missions. The airframe, affectionately dubbed
by some as the “flying shoebox,” has a long and storied history of hauling people and cargo into and out of short, austere airstrips throughout the world. It was conceived, designed, and built to carry the largest loads possible in the most demanding environments. Its boxy fuselage optimizes freight stowage while its large rear cargo door and integrated ramp enable fast, efficient loading and unloading. The high aspect ratio main wing and powerful turboprop engines give it exceptional short take-off and landing (STOL) performance. Its rugged tricycle landing gear allows it to operate from all types of airfields, including grass, gravel, and improvised strips.
BORN OF PRACTICALITY
Short Brothers, based in Belfast, Ireland, began developing the Skyvan in the 1950s to create an aircraft that would prove eminently practical for the widest number of users. They carefully analyzed several cargo and STOL aircraft designs in use at the time and determined the base design would be an enduring standout: it melded a capacious, rectangular fuselage with a high-performance wing and powerful engines. The empennage consists
of a single horizontal stabilizer and two vertical stabilizers, one on each end of the horizontal stabilizer. The main wing is strut braced and houses two engines, one on each side.
The prototype of the Skyvan, powered by piston engines, took its maiden flight on January 17, 1963. Short Brothers then fitted the prototype with turboprop engines and flew it with the new powerplants for the first time in
October of 1963. The company manufactured a total of 149 aircraft (in several variants) until 1986, producing a total of 149.
GLOBAL USE
Over many decades, operators throughout the world have used the Skyvan for several purposes, including passenger service, general cargo, specialty cargo, geotechnical applications, skydiving, aerial photography, air
ambulance, search and rescue, and oilfield support. Notable missions include operations from high altitude airstrips in Nepal, exploration of interior Indonesia, and carrying an antenna for an Apollo mission (from
New Jersey to Florida’s Cape Kennedy, not all the way to the moon). Militaries from nearly two dozen nations have even used the Skyvan for logistical support and several of the airframes continue to fly today.
Crewed by one or two, the Skyvan can carry up to 19 passengers, 5,157 pounds of cargo, or some combination thereof. The SC.7 measures 40 feet, 1 inch in length, stands 15 feet, 1 inch tall, and has a wingspan of 64
feet, 11 inches. It is powered by two Garrett AiResearch TPE-331-2-201A turboprop engines that each produce up to 715 horsepower and each powerplant turns a Hartzell 3-blade, variable-pitch propeller. The Skyvan
has a range of 693 miles, a service ceiling of 20,000 feet above sea level, and climbs at 1,640 feet per minute. It requires 1,581 feet for take-off and it can land in 1,860 feet. It cruises at 173 mph, has a stall speed of 69 mph,
and has a top speed of 201 mph.
INFINITE POSSIBLITIES FOR ADVENTURE
The Skyvan has been expertly recreated in Microsoft Flight Simulator for simmers to enjoy throughout the digital twin of the world. Try your hand at landing on a remote beach in New Zealand, lifting into the sky from the side
of a mountain in Alaska or Borneo, or even exploring the Sahara Desert.
The Short SC.7 Skyvan comes with sixteen liveries including: Airliner – White, Military – Green, Military – Green Camouflage, Military – Grey, Skydive – White, Skydive – Clownfish, Skydive – Pink, Surveyor – White, and Surveyor – Red.
There are infinite possibilities for adventure and exploration awaiting in the Skyvan. It is available in Microsoft Flight Simulator today for $14.99. The sky is calling!
Microsoft Flight Simulator is available for Xbox Series X|S and PC with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Windows, and Steam, and on Xbox One and supported mobile phones, tablets, and lower-spec PCs via Xbox Cloud Gaming. For the latest information on Microsoft Flight Simulator, stay tuned to @MSFSOfficial on X (formerly Twitter).
A diverse and exciting selection of locations from throughout Europe awaits pilots with this latest release.
Microsoft Flight Simulator introduced City Update VII: European Cities II today which features notable locales throughout Europe: Sweden’s Stockholm, France’s Nice and neighboring Monaco, Portugal’s Porto, and Spain’s Barcelona and Madrid. This latest update to the vast and growing Microsoft Flight Simulator experience is certain to captivate and inspire.
The Microsoft Flight Simulator team and its partners captured these renowned cities in exquisite detail using recent high resolution aerial imagery, digital elevation data, and TIN (triangulated irregular network) surface modeling. This latest release invites simmers to choose their preferred aircraft to explore these vibrant locales, from the French Riviera to the skyscrapers of Stockholm.
Simmers will enjoy:
Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm is Sweden’s capital and its most populous city, a national, regional, and global center of industry, education, finance, and culture. The city is built atop several low islands just inland of the Baltic Sea in the country’s southeast. Rich in heritage, the city boasts a vast array of architecture including Stockholm City Hall, the Scandic Victoria Tower, and Riddarholmen Church and surrounding Gamla stan (old town).
Nice, France
Nice is located in southeastern France in the heart of the Côte d’Azur (Azure Coast) near the Italian border. Also known as the French Riviera, this region is famous for the deep blue color of the sky and the matching Mediterranean water. Nice lies at the intersection of the rolling hills, low mountains and the sea. From above, the architecture of Nice presents a tapestry of color, notably earth tones and terracotta. Pilots will bask in broad vistas as well as individual facets of the city, including Nice Cathedral, Place Giuseppe Garibaldi, and Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas de Nice.
Monaco
Located seven miles to the northeast of Nice, Monaco is an independent sovereign city-state surrounded on land by France. It comprises less than a square mile of coastline nestled between mountains and the sea. It has one large beach, Plage du Larvotto, and two ports, Port Hercule and Port Fontvieille. Monaco is a showcase of architecture variety, from Medieval to modern. Notable locations include Fort Antoine Theater, the Prince’s Palace of
Monaco, and the Monte Carlo Casino.
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona, the capital of Spain’s Catalonia, is celebrated as one of the world’s most beautiful cities and is located on the Mediterranean Sea, just south of the border with France. Numerous architectural masterpieces (from the classic to the ultra-modern) are scattered around Barcelona. The list includes Arc de Triomf, the entryway to the 1888 Barcelona World Fair; La Sagrada Família, a renowned cathedral; and Torre Glòries (Torre Agbar), one of the most distinctive works of modern architecture in the world.
Porto, Portugal
Located on the Atlantic coast of northern Portugal, Porto is the second most populous city in the country after the capital, Lisbon. The city originally sprung up during the Roman Empire as a vital trading port and has remained important through the centuries, both regionally and globally. The United Nations recognized Porto’s city center as a World Heritage Site and it, too, is known for its medley of architectural styles, including neoclassical, Baroque, and modernist. The sights from the air over Porto, most notably above “Old Town,” where the Douro River meets the Atlantic Ocean, are spectacular.
Madrid, Spain
Madrid is the capital of and most populous city in Spain, located near the center of the country in the middle portion of the Iberian Peninsula. It is a major global center of industry, finance, culture, and international governance, boasting some of the most spectacular architecture in the world, both classic and recently built. It is well-known for its myriad neighborhoods with narrow, winding streets as well as massive skyscrapers. The sights to explore in Madrid seem endless, but include the Royal Palace of Madrid, Cybele Palace, and the Cuatro Torres Business Area, a modern development comprising the four highest skyscrapers in Spain and four of the ten highest in the European Union.
City Update VII: European Cities II is available FREE to all owners of Microsoft Flight Simulator today. Ensure that your simulator is running version 1.37.18.0 (or a more recent version), download City Update VII, and explore Europe in all new ways. The sky is calling!
Microsoft Flight Simulator is available for Xbox Series X|S and PC with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Windows, and Steam, and on Xbox One and supported mobile phones, tablets, and lower-spec PCs via Xbox Cloud Gaming. For the latest information on Microsoft Flight Simulator, stay tuned to @MSFSOfficial on X (formerly Twitter).
The core intention from the outset has been to give players a taste of what it’s like to be a Space Marine.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 launches for Xbox Series X|S on September 9, 2024, and is available to be wish listed on the Xbox Store.
The beauty of the Warhammer 40,000 universe is that nothing is simple, nothing is clear cut, and it’s made the production of Space Marine 2 an exciting and rewarding experience. How do you make two-and-half-meter tall psycho-indoctrinated killers into relatable characters that an audience will root for? This is the type of fascinating question you’re faced with when you involve yourself in the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, and I’m here to tell you more about this exciting endeavour!
Guiding Principles
Our core intention from the outset has been to give you a taste of what it’s like to be a Space Marine. To achieve this, we need gameplay that makes you feel empowered to a level far beyond your average shooter. Everything, from weapons, abilities, and combat mechanics, to sounds and visuals, needs to be infused with the immense power of a Primaris Space Marine. An example of how we’ve handled this is the lack of a cover system in the game. Space Marines rarely use cover because their armour is so good. Typically, forward is the only direction that matters.
Our second core pillar has been to convey the sense of scale that you find in all Warhammer 40,000 literature – you’ll find yourself equipped with devastating weapons, but also at the center of a brutal battle for supremacy. The carnage you witness must embody the epic scale of Warhammer 40,000 warfare. We’re talking about conflicts that take place on a galactic level; whole solar systems consumed by war. You can already get a glimpse of this in the trailers we’ve released so far, with shots showing the sheer number of enemies, the allied forces holding them back, the massive artillery bombardments and the battles raging in all three dimensions.
Finally, we’re committed to making Space Marine 2 feel like a Warhammer 40,000 story. This means working very closely with Games Workshop, along with some of their Black Library authors, to ensure that the story is faithful to the universe from which it is born.
Warhammer Skulls – the ultimate festive of Warhammer video games returned today, with a showcase hosted by Rahul Kohli.
It included a world premiere for Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus 2, and new content for a plethora of Xbox Warhammer games.
The celebration includes a week-long sale, with exclusive discounts on Warhammer games.
The ultimate Festive of Warhammer video games returned today – Warhammer Skulls just aired, bringing news for Xbox Warhammer games, and huge discounts.
Hosted by huge Warhammer fan, Rahul Kohli, returning for the second year in a row, the Skulls Showcase kicks off an exciting week of world premieres, as well as new announcements and content reveals for Xbox fans. Alongside this celebration, players can expect huge deals and discounts on the Xbox and Windows Store, with up to 80% off savings during the event.
Let’s take a closer look at the announcements, reveals, and updates included in the Warhammer Skulls Festival:
Xbox fans are no doubt delighted to hearWarhammer 40,000: Mechanicus 2 has been announced following its World Premiere trailer at Skulls. It showcased an early look at the story, as well as revealed that both the Mechanicus and(!) the Necron factions will be playable this time around. Furthermore, critically acclaimed composer, Guillaume David returns once again, expertly bringing the setting to life with awe-inspiring music, while the gripping continuation of the Mechanicus saga is being handled by veteran author Ben Counter, best known for his Black Library novels. Mechanicus 2 promises to be everything the beloved original was and more.
That wasn’t all though, Focus Entertainment and Saber gave us our first look at Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s 3-player co-op campaign and online multiplayer elements. That came alongside the announcement that digital pre-orders are now live, giving fans a chance to secure their chosen edition right away ahead of its September 9 release.
In celebration, you can now pick up these great Xbox Design Lab Space Marine 2 controllers. Check out the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 design here, and the Xbox Wireless Controller design here.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun also returned, announcing a new DLC expansion, Forges of Corruption. The indomitable Malum Caedo will be thrust back into action battling corruption in the forges of Graia. Fans can expect new levels, enemies and weapons, as well as a new Horde mode – all wrapped in its classic Boomer-shooter, retro style. Can’t wait to slay heretics? You can wishlist the new DLC now, and play the base game on Game Pass today.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is back after a great start with its first expansion, Void Shadows, set to release on August 8. Giving us our first glimpse at the secretive Genestealer Cult and the new Death Cult Assassin companion, Void Shadows is set to take fans even further into the darker side of the Imperium.
Also part of the showcase were trailers for Season 5 of Blood Bowl 3, which showed off the new Necromantic Horror faction (coming June 11), a huge teaser from Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector, letting us know that Astra Militarum and some new free units will soon be joining the fight, not to mention updates for Game Pass favourite Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, which announced a new free update, Secrets of the Machine God, arriving on June 25.
Additionally, World of Tanks: Modern Armor showed off its celebration of Warhammer 40,000 with the mighty Rogal Dorn tank coming to Xbox, while Call of Duty reminded us that it’s your last chance to get the Warhammer 40,000-themed Tracer packs. Over on Windows PC Total War: Warhammer 3gave us a glimpse at the free next Legendary Hero, Karanak.
The fun doesn’t stop there though – Game Pass subscribers can use Xbox Free Play Days to try out multiple Warhammer games between May 23-26, including Blood Bowl 3, Rogue Trader, Realms of Ruin and Vermintide 2.
Now, that’s a lot of Warhammer to get your teeth stuck into! And that’s just some highlights of the awesome Warhammer content coming soon. Don’t forget, you can check it all out, and grab some great deals, on the dedicated Warhammer Skulls Festival landing page. Thanks for reading!
Competitive arena shooterXDefiant is now available to play for free on Xbox Series X|S, kicking off with a preseason and featuring five Ubisoft franchise-inspired factions – Phantoms, Cleaners, Libertad, Echelon, and DedSec – each with their own unique abilities and skills. Five game modes will also be available at launch: Occupy, Domination, Zone Control, Escort, and HotShot. The last mode in particular has become a hit with players during the game’s early access betas, and Associate Creative Director Scott Crisostomo and Systems Designer Patrick “Aches” Price are here to tell us more.
In HotShot, players must not only eliminate their opponents, but also pick up the bounty tokens that they drop. Picking up a fallen foe’s bounty secures a point for your team, while picking up a bounty from your own fallen teammate denies your opponents that point. The player currently holding the most bounties in the match becomes the HotShot and is marked for all players to see, but also gains enhanced movement and aim down sights (ADS) speed, and, most importantly, earns three points for every bounty they pick up.
“It was a blast to observe,” said Price after last year’s Closed Beta. “Players loved becoming a super soldier with super-fast movements and ADS speed. Watching how players were playing HotShot showed that we were on track when it came to create a mode that players hadn’t seen before.”
Due to the unique abilities of its factions, XDefiant doesn’t feature a Team Deathmatch mode (TDM) at launch. Instead, the developers saw HotShot as a way to satisfy the free-flowing run-and-gun pace of TDM, while still keeping the objective-based philosophy that their faction gameplay was designed for.
“HotShot became almost like a moving objective,” says Crisostomo. “You want to pick up the other team’s bounties, but when there’s an enemy HotShot, you want to take them out. And when your team has a HotShot, you want to protect them.”
Because bounties are worth three times as many points when picked up by the HotShot, what could have been a freeform game mode has an extra layer of depth and strategy. “The smart play is to actually run as a group and don’t try to race to pick everything up,” says Crisostomo. “Instead, get your kills, but call the HotShot over to pick them up.”
With enhanced movement and aiming speed, the HotShot is the most powerful player in the match, but they’ve also got a massive target on their back. Not only does eliminating the HotShot stop the opposing team from cashing in on the sizable point bonus for bounties, but the HotShot also drops three times as many bounties when they’re killed. “We felt like players should be rewarded when they take out the HotShot, since the HotShot has so many advantages,” says Crisostomo. “That means taking out the HotShot and picking up their bounties almost guarantees you’ll be the next HotShot.”
XDefiant launches with four other game modes: In Occupy, teams must earn points by capturing an ever-changing zone. In Domination, teams fight for control of three static zones. Escort sees one team attempt to move a package along a linear path while the other team tries to stall them. Zone Control challenges attackers to capture sequential zones as they progress through a map, while defenders must fight to stop them until time runs out.
Don’t miss your chance to be the HotShot, XDefiant is available now on Xbox Series X|S!
XDefiant
UBISOFT
☆☆☆☆☆500
★★★★★
XDefiant is a free-to-play, first-person online arena shooter where you compete in fast-paced clashes. With cross-play available at launch, you will be able to play with friends on a variety of platforms. Customized Loadouts
Choose from a large arsenal of weapons, attachments and devices to optimize the way you play. Combine any weapon with any Faction, and unlock new options as you play to perfect your playstyle. Factions
Factions are drawn from iconic Ubisoft worlds and represent distinct classes, each with unique abilities and Ultras. Choose any character from any faction to assemble your team of 6 players. Change your Faction at any point during play to adapt to your strategy. Maps, Modes, and Mayhem
Play in a diverse range of 14 maps at launch across several different arena and linear modes including Zone Control, Escort, Occupy, and more. Fight in casual matches or climb the tiers in competitive ranked mode. New Content Every Season
Every three months will bring a new season that includes a brand-new Faction, new characters, new maps, new weapons, new cosmetics and events. As a live game, XDefiant will continue to deliver an exhilarating experience season over season, with a wide variety of fresh and fun content. This game leverages Smart Delivery allowing access to both the Xbox One title and the Xbox Series X|S title.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II has finally arrived – the next chapter of Senua’s riveting journey as she battles for survival through the myth and tyranny of Viking Iceland. At Hellblade developer Ninja Theory, the ultimate goal is to ‘Create Life Changing Art With Game Changing Tech’ – a mantra that has soaked into every single element of the game’s design.
To celebrate the launch of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, we’re thrilled to present our complete, four-part series that dives into four core elements of the game – Narrative, Combat, Audio, and Environment. With insight collected from inside the studio itself, as well as stories and lessons from Hellblade’s creative leads, you’ll get an exclusive look behind the curtain at Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II’s pursuit of true immersion.
All of these features are free of story spoilers and safe to read before you get stuck into Hellblade II. Alternatively, you can return after you’ve played for some extra insight into the design of this groundbreaking game. Enjoy!
Today we are proud and excited to launch Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming and Game Pass.
In Hellblade II, the sequel to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, we see the return of Senua in a brutal battle for survival through the myth and tyranny of Viking Iceland. It is a game from the heart, where our small team of around 80 developers have crafted an experience that aims to immerse you in Senua’s world and story. Our bold mission as a studio is to ‘Craft Life Changing Art with Game Changing Tech’, by which we mean we aim to push the boundaries of technology and techniques in order to create a game, and an experience, that leaves you thinking and feeling.
Immersion drives our work at Ninja Theory, with our belief being that if we can immerse you in Senua’s Saga, we can take you on an unforgettable journey. Our belief is also that believability is the route to this immersion, and so our team has painstakingly worked to bring our reality into Senua’s.
The game is set in real locations in Iceland, recreated through satellite data and photogrammetry. Our characters are digital doubles of real people and their costumes first made as real clothing through historically authentic techniques and materials. And all our character animations starts life as real movement from our incredible cast on our performance capture stage.
It is not only our presentation that is based in ground-truth reference, but so to are the narrative themes in Senua’s journey – in particular Senua’s experiences of psychosis. Senua is a person who lives in an unshared reality. She sees things that others don’t, hears things that others don’t and has unique beliefs about the world.
In order to realize Senua’s experiences of psychosis in a truthful way we have, as we did on Senua’s Sacrifice, worked closely with our friends and partners in the world of neuroscience and lived-experience. Their generosity, openness and support has given us the opportunity to understand what living with psychosis can be like, in the hope that Senua feels like a real person going through a very personal mental health journey.
I’d like to take this as an opportunity to thank our team and collaborators for devoting themselves to Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II as a true passion project. I’d also like to thank you, our fans, for your support throughout the development of Hellblade II. It has meant so much to us.
Now, it is time to turn down the lights, put your headphones on and join Senua for, what we hope is, an unforgettable journey into Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Xbox Games Studios
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$49.99
The sequel to the award winning Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Senua returns in a brutal journey of survival through the myth and torment of Viking Iceland. Intent on saving those who have fallen victim to the horrors of tyranny, Senua faces a battle of overcoming the darkness within and without. Sink deep into the next chapter of Senua’s story, a crafted experience told through cinematic immersion, beautifully realised visuals and encapsulating sound.
2017’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was an exceedingly special game. A bold, brash direction for Ninja Theory, the decision to craft a short, narrative experience revolving around mental health was a brave leap, but one that ultimately paid off. Now, seven years later, the studio is gearing up to reveal a sequel to Senua’s story, built with the same love and care, but expanding on the debut in every conceivable way.
In the run up to launch, we’ll be bringing you the story of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II from inside the studio itself, as well as stories and lessons from Hellblade’s creative leads. This is Ninja Theory’s ultimate form, filled with industry-leading talent, groundbreaking technology, and one of the most unique approaches to game development you’ve ever seen to fulfil the ultimate goal – the pursuit of true immersion.
When it comes to the environments showcased in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, breathtaking doesn’t quite cover it. Despite its linear story, the game showcases a sense of scale that adventures like this don’t often offer, and everything you see is rooted in a familiar realism. Where most games of this kind would confine you to corridors, valleys, and other means of obscuring your view, Hellblade II’s vistas often stretch to the horizon, giving you a sense of the sheer size of Senua’s journey ahead. The idea is clear – this is literal worldbuilding, rooting your journey in a much, much, bigger story.
During our visit to Ninja Theory, we had the opportunity to speak to key creative leads about how the studio achieved this sense of place through location scouting and research, to bring an ethereal, yet believable recreation of medieval Iceland into Hellblade II.
As Minecraft turns 15 years old, we wanted to take a look back. As one of the most important (and best-selling) games of all time, Minecraft and Mojang’s journey has been incredible to witness – starting as a one-person creation and blossoming into a truly world-changing proposition.
With that in mind, we thought we’d take you back over the biggest moments in Minecraft’s history, year-by-year:
2009: Launching Classic Edition
Image credit: Jan Willem Nijman
On May 16, 2009, it all began. Inspired by the likes of Infiniminer and Dungeon Keeper, Markus ‘Notch’ Persson had begun work on what was initially known simply as “Cave Game” a week earlier, before settling on a catchier title: Minecraft: Order of the Stone. Then he was convinced to choose an even catchier title: Minecraft. What came to be known as the Java Classic Edition lacked much of what we’ve come to know from the game – but the building blocks (pun very much intended) were there.
Classic would generate a world, and allow you to dig and build freely, creating your own geometric slices of paradise in its technicolor world. Over the course of the year, Classic would split into Creative and Survival modes, ushering us closer and closer to the Minecraft we’ve known for a decade and a half.
2010: Minecraft Gets Its Crafting System – Plus Minecarts and Multiplayer
By January of 2010, Minecraft had already amassed over 100,000 players – but some of its most fundamental improvements were still to come – not least making good on that “Craft” part of the title. A crafting system was added late that month, introducing the familiar wood-iron-diamond ‘level’ system for items, and changing, well, everything about how we played the game. Dig-loot-craft-repeat was born.
But that was far from the only major change. By June, minecarts had appeared in the game, changing how players could travel through their worlds and, in August, the first version of multiplayer in Survival mode popped up. So much of Minecraft’s popularity is built on playing with your friends, and this was the first time we could see a glimpse of how huge that would be for the game.
2011: Minecraft 1.0 Released – and the First Port Arrives
If you want a sense of how fast Minecraft grew, consider this. By January of 2011, the game hit a million players. But July, that had jumped to 10 million. And, to top it all off – all of this came before the game had launched its full 1.0 version. That came on November 18, 2011. What came to be known as Minecraft: Java Edition was released during Minecon 2011, bringing everything millions of players were already loving to an even wider audience – even an “ending” to the game with the Ender Dragon boss fight.
And we can’t ignore that 2011 also saw the game’s first-ever non-PC ports. Minecraft: Pocket Edition launched exclusively for the Xperia Play smartphone in August, followed quickly by an iOS version – from these small beginnings, Minecraft would spread across practically every modern gaming device over the years, becoming the phenomenon it has been in the process.
2012: Minecraft Gets Lego-fied, Comes to Xbox 360, and Gets the Pretty Scary Update
If you wanted to pinpoint the moment where Minecraft became more than just a game, look no further than when Lego officially confirmed that Minecraft – in many ways the brick-building hobby’s digital cousin – would become an official set. Lego Minecraft Micro World allowed you to build four cubic vignettes from Minecraft in real-life, complete with Steve and Creeper mini-figs.
In the world of gaming itself, 2012 was no less important. This year marked the first meeting of Minecraft and Xbox, as Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition launched in May, offering a console version of the game to millions of new players. This console edition became the basis for Minecraft’s off-PC future – from here, we’d see the game appear on almost every new Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo console over the years.
We also saw a landmark new update: Pretty Scary brought a host of new mobs to fight off, and also brought one of the most important blocks in the game’s history – the Command Block became the basis for some of the most impressive creations in Minecraft, adding a level of programming that would allow magnificent ideas to spring forth.
2013: The Redstone Update Changes Everything and Horses Ride In
If 2012’s Command Block was the start of something special, 2013’s Redstone Update was when it got really special. Redstone, a block that allows players to power various elements of the game, had already been introduced, but this update opened up a host of new opportunities. Redstone could now be used to power pressure plates, change how rail blocks worked, detect daylight and much, much more. From here, players began to experiment with how far Redstone could take their creations – all the way up to creating working 8-bit computers inside the game.
On the less complicated side of things, we also got the Horse Update, which changed the game in a more adorable way, allowing you to tame and ride the majestic, blocky beasts and travel your world in a new way. Notably, this was a major moment for how Mojang worked with its community – the Horse Update was inspired by a mod, Mo’ Creatures, and shows how the game has been worked on with the fans themselves (many of whom went onto be Mojang developers, too).
2014: Microsoft Acquires Mojang and The Bountiful Update Blooms
I might not even be writing this article if it weren’t for 2014 – when Microsoft saw quite how earth-shaking Minecraft had become and acquired Mojang for $2.5 billion. After two years of working closely together, the two companies came together to shape the future of the game, which has only continued to grow in the decade since.
In the game itself, the Bountiful Update represented an enormous improvement. Built over a full 10 months, Bountiful saw massive changes to the codebase of the game, invisibly improving everything about the experience – but it also brought floating islands, underwater temples, killer rabbits, and much more.
2015: Minecon Breaks Records, and the HoloLens Demo Wows
Since humble beginnings in 2010, Minecon had been bringing fans of Minecraft together to celebrate the game – and had subsequently become the home of some of the game’s biggest releases. Come this year, it had become a truly enormous affair – record-breaking, even. Held in London, Minecon 2015 sold 10,000 tickets, earning a Guinness World Record for the largest convention in history for a single game.
2015 also saw Mojang showing just how creative it could get with its ideas – the Minecraft HoloLens demo became one of the most talked-about E3 presentations of recent years. The mixed-reality headset could effectively create parts of a Minecraft world amid the real world around you, offering a perspective on the game no one could have imagined. While it never became a full product, it’s a brilliant evocation of how restlessly creative Mojang is with its game.
2016: Hitting 100 Million Sales, and Minecraft: Education Edition Launches
There was no doubt that Minecraft was already a worldwide concern, but 2016 saw its biggest cultural landmark yet – passing 100 million copies sold. In 2016, 53,000 people were buying Minecraft every day – and four copies were even sold in Antarctica. The game has now passed triple that number, but it was here that Minecraft truly set out its stall as one of the most-loved, most important games of all time.
Its influence was so strong, in fact, that 2016 also saw the launch of Minecraft: Education Edition (now simply Minecraft Education). Developed alongside Xbox Game Studios, this version of the game was designed to be used in the classroom, and has allowed kids to build collaboratively, learn from educators inside the game itself, and been updated to include worlds that help learning on Cyber Safety, natural history, and much, much more.
2017: The Better Together Update Unites Players, Minecraft Marketplace Empowers Them
For years, players had been able to get Minecraft on their consoles, but 2017’s Better Together helped make that all the more significant. This was the moment that Mojang began to bring platforms together, allowing anyone with the Bedrock Edition of the game to play together, no matter what device they were playing on. It was a gigantic step, and a true piece of Minecraft magic.
In the same year, Mojang doubled down on its commitment to its community with Minecraft Marketplace – a store that sells curated creator-made skins, texture packs, and maps. Effectively, it offered modders – a huge part of Minecraft’s success over the years – to make money from their creations, and opened the door to literally millions of more people to access their hard work.
2018: Update Aquatic Opens Up New Worlds
70% of Earth is covered with water, and while that ratio may differ in your Minecraft world, that’s still a lot of space you might otherwise not see. Not so after Update Aquatic – the biggest update to Minecraft’s oceans saw new mobs, blocks, and mysteries added to the game’s underwater realms.
From dolphins and turtles to the only-slightly-horrifying Drowned enemies, there was a lot to play with under the sea, not to mention buried treasure, shipwrecks, and reefs to explore.
2019: 10 Years of Minecraft, and the Village & Pillage Update Storms In
A decade is a very long time in gaming, but it was just the start for Minecraft. The 10-year anniversary of the game went hard, not least with a beautiful map that acted as an interactive museum about the game itself – and a re-release of the Classic Edition of the game to show you just how far the game had come.
Looking forward, we also saw the Village & Pillage update, which populated your world in new ways. Revamped villages (and their villagers) now sprung up across the biomes, offering trading, jobs, and more ways to interact. But to combat all this loveliness, we also saw the addition of Pillagers, a new faction of bandit mobs who’d roam the map looking to spoil your good time. Also, pandas were added, which is only ever a good thing.
2020: Nether Update Takes Us Deeper Underground, and Minecraft Dungeons Arrives
The Nether had long been an object of fascination and terror for Minecraft players, offering a whole other dimension to the game. But the Nether Update changed this world of danger forever, adding new biomes and mobs that turned it from a curious, dangerous place into a true realm to explore in itself.
Meanwhile, Mojang also saw fit to release the biggest Minecraft spin-off yet – Minecraft Dungeons twisted the original game’s basics into an all-new action experience. In partnership with Double Eleven, this game offers a new story-driven approach to the Minecraft universe, transforming familiar items, mobs, and blocks into dungeon crawling essentials.
2021: Minecraft Passes 1 Trillion Views on YouTube, While Caves and Cliffs Emerges
YouTube has been an incredibly important part of Minecraft’s history, with creators across the globe enjoying and sharing the game, and becoming famous in their own right as a result. If you want a sense of quite how intertwined the two became, Minecraft became the first entertainment franchise to break through the 1 trillion views mark on YouTube. As YouTube itself put it: “If each of those one trillion views were just one second long, that would add up to over 30,000 years.” Please, take it from me, don’t try and catch up on all of it.
Inside the game, we saw an update so massive it had to be split into two parts. Caves & Cliffs was the most ambitious update Mojang had ever put together to this point, not only adding the expected new mobs, items, and blocks, but adding entire new biomes and overhauling how Minecraft worlds themselves were generated.
2022: New Default Skins Added and The Wild Update Bursts Forth
Skin-swapping had been easy for a long time, but good old default skins Steve and Alex were probably a little lonely come 2022. Enter Noor, Sunny, Ari, Zuri, Makena, Kai, and Efe – new default skins that let players express themselves more easily than ever while jumping into their world.
Meanwhile, the Wild Update included even more new biomes on top of 2021’s Caves & Cliffs, including the Deep Dark, a biome only found underground, replete with ancient cities to discover, and the terrifying, blind Warden enemy. Also: frogs!
2023: Minecraft Legends Offers Another New Adventure, and Trails & Tales Launches
Minecraft Dungeons was only the start. Last year, Minecraft Legends arrived to offer another new look at how Minecraft could be adapted. This action strategy game zoomed way out to offer you a bird’s eye view of the Overworld – and an army of mobs to help you protect it from Piglin hordes.
In Minecraft itself, the Trails & Tales update offered new means of self-expression in your world, not to mention added new stories underground with the addition of archeology in desert biomes. Count yourself lucky if you find the new, rare Cherry Blossom biome – and maybe find your way there on the new camel mob, which has space for you and a friend on its back.
2024: Looking to the Future
And so we reach 2024, asMinecraftturns 15. You might think Mojang might want a bit of a break, but not so – they’ve already released the Armored Paws drop, and announced a massive birthday sale, but there’s so much more still to come. From the upcoming Tricky Trials update to secrets yet to be revealed, this 15th year is, somehow, only the beginning.
Minecraft
Microsoft Studios
☆☆☆☆☆2017
★★★★★
$19.99$9.99
Xbox One X Enhanced
Xbox Game Pass
Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles. Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs. Scale craggy mountains, unearth elaborate caves and mine large ore veins. Discover lush cave and dripstone cave biomes. Light up your world with candles to show what a savvy spelunker and master mountaineer you are! FEATURES: If you can dream it, you can build it. Put your imagination and limitless resources to work with Creative Mode.
Battle mobs, construct shelters and explore the landscape – it’s all in a day’s work when you try to survive and thrive in Survival Mode.
New tools, locations and spaces are yours to explore, thanks to our regular updates. Cross-platform play for up to eight players across Windows, PlayStation, Nintendo, Xbox and mobile devices.
Discover skin, texture and mash-up packs from the community! Find out more at minecraft.net/marketplace. REALMS PLUS:
Play with up to 10 friends cross-platform in worlds that exist any time, anywhere – and get access to over 150 pieces of Marketplace content. Try a free 30-day trial in-app and learn more at minecraft.net/realms/bedrock. You can also play Minecraft with Xbox Game Pass – check it out at xbox.com/gamepass.
Add an 11th team to the grid and make them your own with F1 Manager 2024’s new Create A Team mode
Deeper management tools and new broadcast options bring the world of F1 to life like never before
Discover the real F1 data powering your every decision
Do you have what it takes to write your own legacy in Formula 1? F1 Manager 2024 accelerates onto Xbox consoles on July 23, placing you in the hotseat of a team competing in the world’s most prestigious motorsports championship. This year, for the first time ever, you will be able to add your own 11th team to the grid, designing your own route to the podium as you customise the look of your team and seek sponsorship to support your lofty goals.
F1 Manager 2024 utilizes hundreds of real-world data points taken from the sport in the most authentic and immersive experience to date. But just how does that data affect how you’ll be managing your team?
New to the series this year is the Mentality System, which gives you a greater understanding than ever before into the personal ambitions and characters of your team. To do this we wanted each driver and staff member to react in a more human way, for them to have ambition, opinions, and expectations about how you and your team are performing. To do this we looked at real-world data regarding their careers. How many wins do they have? How many races have they competed in? Did they compete in F2 or F3? Have they developed a championship winning car?
We use this type of data to make each individual’s history and experience drive how they react and respond to the world they live in. This also allows our drivers and staff to develop and change over time just like in real life as the data points we use are constantly updating and changing, which in turn changes how they perceive the world. Putting two previous World Championship winners in the same car won’t guarantee results, as they’re still hungry for race wins. Likewise, someone who’s new to the F1 paddock will be happy to see their experience build. Fail to keep your stars happy, and rival teams can take advantage of this to poach them to their own teams.
Authenticity is at the core of the F1® Manager series, so this commitment to real-world data forms the foundations of our driver and staff ratings. From the individual Driver attributes to each staff member’s abilities in building a car or operating at a race track, everything is balanced according to real life results and historic data. For example, a 1st – 20th ranking of the number of laps done on each compound of tyre in every Grand Prix since 2020, how efficient those strategies were at those races, plus car performance weightings to ensure fairness in the results, allows us to indicate an initial smoothness rating for a driver.
Revamped UI in F1 Manager 2024 shows you how important each area of the car is, in anticipation of the next few races. This information is generated using calculations that amalgamate real tyre, lap time and performance data directly from our partners at F1, such as best sector times in Qualifying, or speed differential between using or not using DRS through a Speed Trap. This level of commitment to the real-world data spreads throughout every part of the game, from the strategies you’ll use on track to the development of future talent through the new Affiliates system, allowing you to recruit the stars of the future from F2, F3 and beyond.
Once you’ve got your team set up, our race simulation brings the action to life with broadcast-like cameras, including the strategic new Heli-cam. How each car performs across each of the 24 circuits is informed by more real-world data which we work on with the F1 Motorsport team. Our engineering team run thousands of simulated scenarios on every lap and every corner to produce a wealth of information, identifying each car’s opportunities to overtake and how they perform. These simulations are fed by data such as overall lap times from previous Grand Prix, weather conditions and the rate of tyre wear, ensuring every race in F1 Manager 2024 feels authentic and realistic to F1 fans.
You can dive into the data yourself and create a legacy with your own team when F1 Manager 2024 releases on July 23 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Pre-order ahead of launch to receive an additional exclusive Create A Team preset livery replicating the F1 2024 Show Car, or choose to enhance your experience with 10% off the suggested retail price of F1 Manager 2024: Deluxe Edition, which adds five classically inspired patterns to Create A Team mode, whilst an additional five fictional Race Replay scenarios offer unique single-race challenges.
F1® Manager 2024 Deluxe Edition
Frontier Developments
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$44.99$40.49
Preorder the F1® Manager 2024 Deluxe Edition now to receive:
Create A Team F1® 2024 Show Car preset
5 Create A Team Classically Inspired Livery Patterns
5 Custom Race Replay Scenarios
A 10% Prepurchase Discount The F1® Manager 2024 Deluxe Upgrade Pack contains 5 classically inspired livery patterns for use in Create A Team and 5 custom race replay scenarios that will push even the most strategic Team Principal to the limit. Lead your team to glory in F1® Manager 2024. A new Formula 1® season has arrived, and with it, the most comprehensive F1® management experience to date. Build a legacy with one of 10 official F1® constructors or create your own team for the very first time. Plan and direct your team’s strategy and watch as your driver’s execute your commands in thrilling F1 races, brought to life with a broadcast-quality presentation. Manage your drivers, staff, car development and facilities throughout multiple seasons to give your team the best chance to claim a spot on the Formula 1 podium. NEW FOR 2024 CREATE A TEAM
For the first time in the series, create your own team to challenge the grid and forge a new legacy. Customise every element of your team from your origin and livery design to logo and racing suits. Recruit the right staff and drivers and negotiate with sponsors for placement on your car. DEEPER MANAGEMENT
The dramatic world of F1 comes to life on and off the track with the brand-new Mentality System. Manage the personalities and needs of your staff and drivers in the pursuit of success. Keep your stars happy to avoid allowing rivals from poaching your talent, disrupting your team’s trajectory towards the top. Build a legacy by fostering talents from F2 & F3 to add to your own affiliate pool. Access the stars of the future and ensure their success is your success. F1 RACES BROUGHT TO LIFE
Circuits visuals have been refreshed for the official 2024 season, including the returning Shanghai International Circuit. Improved track marbling and enhanced use of real-world data mean racing lines are clearer than ever, with enhanced trackside detailing providing the best-looking visual presentation to date. Helicam provides a strategic bird’s eye view on the action, giving you a new perspective when executing and evolving your race day plans Races present ever-evolving challenges and opportunities with the introduction of Mechanical Failures. Can you mitigate these issues as they arise to stay on track? Ensure you are in position to capitalise on rivals‘ issues and claim unexpected results. MORE TO DISCOVER
· 2024 F1® Sprint race format
· 2024 driver and staff roster, including drivers from development and team academies
· Improved approachability including refreshed data visualisations, the option to simulate the full race weekend, and enhanced tutorials
· Race Replay returns for another thrilling season, allowing you to relive and redefine moments from the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship™
This is represented in action as I watch Senua engage in a conversation with several new characters across her journey. The Furies are in conflict each time, debating Senua’s reactions, running through potential responses and justifications with a mind-bending pace. But Senua is no longer a prisoner to this cacophony, she can see past the influence of the voices and decide for herself how to proceed in that moment. Does this person need my help? Will they hurt me? Senua can find her own answers through the noise just as the player does, and we can feel her emotions and considerations reflected in the style, tenacity and placement of the sound, similar to a score for a movie.
“We are representing abstract concepts with sound,” Garcia Diaz adds. “What does guilt sound like, and what is our vision of guilt for Senua? How do we interpret sadness, or euphoria, or rage?”
“We are not just recreating a sound, we are creating a character’s reality, and this is our way of interpretating these emotions [for Senua] with sound and music and voices, all tied together to create one moment.”
“We are not just recreating a sound, we are creating a character’s reality, and this is our way of interpretating these emotions.”
David Garcia Diaz
Three’s A Crowd
While Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an insular journey that follows Senua alone with the accompaniment of the Furies representing how her psychosis manifests, Hellblade II will see Senua encounters new characters in the world for the first time. She’ll engage in dialogue with these strangers, and face the trials of navigating relationships while handling the overwhelming, unrelenting narration of her condition.
In one Hellblade II scene, Senua meets a stranger that is being held captive by Viking slavers. In this moment, she’s conversing with him directly, but the voices are at odds with what both parties are saying out loud.
“You have to consider – what happens if there is a conversation between three people? What does that sound like to everyone involved?” Garcia Diaz adds.
While I’m at the studio I’m shown a snippet of the Furies in action. Performers Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalan take part in an unscripted performance depicting Senua moving through a cave. Through headphones, I hear a haunting narration of the surroundings, their thoughts seamlessly falling into a flow state. But what I see is the two actors circling both sides of the head-shaped Neumann microphone sitting between them like vultures picking at a carcass – allowing their voices to feel as though they’re moving through your head, as they would do for Senua Even in this brightly-lit room, I’m on edge after 30 seconds of this experience, the unpredictable hisses and snarky giggles picking at my brain. Garcia Diaz likens the experience to jazz – it’s atmospheric, moving and some of its best parts are created out of improvisation, not a pre-agreed script.
Disney Dreamlight Valley’s Dreamlight Parks Fest In-Game Event is available from May 15 – June 5
Complete daily and weekly Disney Parks-inspired duties to earn exclusive free rewards
Collect replicas inspired by iconic Disney Parks popcorn buckets!
The entire Disney Dreamlight Valleyteam is grateful for players checking out the latest update, Thrills & Frills! Starting today, we’re thrilled to present even more reasons to play with the launch of a new in-game event, the Dreamlight Parks Fest, and the introduction of iconic Disney Parks popcorn buckets! Here’s everything you need to know.
Players can talk with Scrooge McDuck to kick off the event by unlocking new Disney Parks-inspired cupcake recipes. However, Scrooge McDuck isn’t the only Villager who’s getting into the spirit of the event. All the Villagers are excited to try out some special cupcake recipes inspired by real treats players can get at Disney Parks! By making cupcakes for the Villagers and completing other tasks around the Valley, players will be able to craft popcorn buckets based on beloved Disney characters like Stitch and Figment. That’s right – now players can have some of their favorite Disney Parks-inspired popcorn buckets in their Valleys too!
We know how much avid Park goers love collecting popcorn buckets, we’ve got a few collectors on the team, too! The Disney Parks popcorn buckets are not just simple snack containers but popular collectibles that carry memories of adventure-filled days. Celebrating cherished Parks memories in-game or aiding in creating new ones, they are the perfect addition to the Dreamlight Parks Fest.
With so many incredible designs featured over the years, we took inspiration from our own memorable trips to the Parks to recreate some of our favorite popcorn buckets – from a big jar of “Hunny” from Disney’s Winnie the Pooh to the enchanted carriage from Disney’s Cinderella.
It was important to us to be accurate with the 1-to-1 recreations of these memorable Parks popcorn buckets. To add a little surprise and delight for players, we made every popcorn bucket interactable – players can open them and see all that buttery popcorn inside!
The Dreamlight Parks Fest event will run from May 15 to June 5, giving players three weeks to complete the event and collect all the rewards, and don’t worry – players will still be able to keep and display your popcorn buckets long after the event has ended. We would appreciate seeing how players are displaying the buckets in their Valleys and learning about their favorite popcorn buckets. Everyone can join the event now and collect them all, then share pictures with us by tagging Disney Dreamlight Valley on social media!
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Gameloft SE
☆☆☆☆☆337
★★★★★
$39.99$31.99
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass
INCLUDES 8,000 MOONSTONES* Disney Dreamlight Valley is a hybrid between a life-sim and an adventure game rich with quests, exploration, and engaging activities featuring Disney and Pixar friends, both old and new. Once an idyllic land, Dreamlight Valley was a place where Disney and Pixar characters lived in harmony—until the Forgetting. Night Thorns grew across the land and severed the wonderful memories tied to this magical place. With nowhere else to go, the hopeless inhabitants of Dreamlight Valley retreated behind locked doors in the Dream Castle. Now it’s up to you to discover the stories of this world and bring the magic back to Dreamlight Valley! Discover the Secrets of Dreamlight Valley
Free the Dream Castle from the insidious grip of the Forgetting, and unlock the unique Realms of well-loved Disney and Pixar characters, including great queens and kings such as Anna and Simba. Each Realm contains unique challenges with puzzles to solve in the quest to bring friendship back to the Valley. You’ll start your adventure in the Valley, but your journey will take you to infinity… and beyond! Explore what lurks in the Forest of Valor and brave the deepest caverns as you take on challenges from iconic Disney and Pixar heroes and villains. Who knows who—or what—you might discover. Forge Friendships with Disney & Pixar Characters Garden with WALL•E, cook with Remy or kick back and fish with Goofy. What better way to collect, craft, and rebuild the Valley than with a friend! From beautiful princesses to nefarious villains, every Dreamlight Valley resident brings their own story arc, quests, and rewards. Meet up in daily hangouts and make friends with some of your favorite Disney and Pixar characters. Restore the Valley to Its Former Glory Free the Valley from the grip of the Forgetting and return Dreamlight Valley to its former greatness by making it your own. In Dreamlight Valley, you can build the perfect neighborhood that is just for you with a fully customizable layout, creative landscaping, and thousands of decorative items. Will you settle on the Beach next to Moana, or call Buzz Lightyear your next-door neighbor in the Plaza? Express Your Disney Style Bring out your inner princess, villain, or Disney bounder! Assemble unique outfits and decorate your home with thousands of fantastic items. Using the Touch of Magic tool, you can even create your own designs with Disney- and Pixar-inspired decals! With the in-game Camera, get ready to snap a sunset selfie with Mirabel, capture a culinary creation with Remy, or simply cherish a moment. A Game in Constant Evolution New content means that there’s always something fresh to explore. Meet new characters in the Valley, check out the latest clothing and furniture collections in Scrooge’s Store, and complete challenging in-game events! Be sure to dream your way back to Dreamlight Valley regularly to discover new adventures! *Moonstones are an in-game currency that can be collected for free by performing tasks in the game or be purchased using real money. They are used to unlock the premium track of the Star Path (a battle-pass-inspired system that grants in-game cosmetic items as a player completes various tasks and missions). Moonstones can also be used to accelerate progress in the Star Path. Additionally, Moonstones can be used to purchase cosmetic items from the in-game store.
2017’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was an exceedingly special game. A bold, brash direction for Ninja Theory, the decision to craft a short, narrative experience revolving around mental health was a brave leap, but one that ultimately paid off. Now, seven years later, the studio is gearing up to reveal a sequel to Senua’s story, built with the same love and care, but expanding on the debut in every conceivable way.
In the run up to launch, we’ll be bringing you the story of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II from inside the studio itself, as well as stories and lessons from Hellblade’s creative leads. This is Ninja Theory’s ultimate form, filled with industry-leading talent, groundbreaking technology, and one of the most unique approaches to game development you’ve ever seen to fulfil the ultimate goal – the pursuit of true immersion.
Motion capture has been part of Ninja Theory’s heritage for a long time, and for good reason. The studio established itself as a pioneer in performance capture for games with 2007’s Heavenly Sword and has continued to innovate since. Now, with greater access to state-of-the-art technology – including its very own performance capture studio nestled within the walls of its Cambridge HQ – Ninja Theory is once again primed to break its own barriers within Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.
Ninja Theory utilised performance capture in the first Hellblade for its cinematic moments, but in Hellblade II, almost every in-game movement is performed by real-world actors and scanned in, to ensure the most realistic, human experience possible in-game. According to Studio Head Dom Matthews, capture for the combat sequences alone took almost 70 full days to complete.
“We see performance capture as a tool to deliver character performance in the purest way possible,” Matthews says. “We took that opportunity because it ties into our goal of doing everything we can to achieve immersion and keep it.”
You’ll never feel that more than in Hellblade II’s unique approach to combat – which stands simultaneously as a testament to Ninja Theory’s deep belief in their way of doing things, but also as a brand-new experiment for the restlessly creative studio.
Benoit has been working at Ubisoft for nearly 20 years, having contributed to projects like Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, For Honor, Watch Dogs, Immortals Fenyx Rising, and now as Game Director on Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In talking with Benoit, we learned more about the decision to set the game in feudal Japan, how the dual protagonist system has been improved since Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, and how this newest game will fit within the continuity and evolution of the RPG mechanics from Origin, Odyssey, and Valhalla.
Fans have been waiting for a feudal Japanese Assassin’s Creed for many years – why was now the right time?
Game Director Charles Benoit: After each new installment, we look at a wide range of possible settings and what would make the most sense for the brand, between our past and future projects. We felt that feudal Japan was the best fit right now, with our two core pillars as the focus, combat, and stealth, and how it fit the best with Japan’s unique fantasies of the Samurai and the Shinobi.
This is a familiar setting for gamers – how does this game differentiate its take on the setting?
Benoit: We’re at the end of Sengoku era, in a turning point of Japan history. Assassin’s Creed is well known for its depiction of the history and accurate recreation of the world and it’s what players can expect with Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
We’re showing real historical figures, such as Oda Nobunaga and a lot of events that happened during that time, so you’re not only playing in feudal Japan, but learning about this fantastic time period.
Also, we’re giving the opportunity to the players to live not just one, but the two best fantasies of Japan: the Samurai and Shinobi.
Derham notes that most people have some sort of internal monologue active when we’re being spoken to, but it’s mostly not at the foreground, and it’s also not audible: “Imagine if every time someone was talking to you, you had that constant commentary on what they’re saying, maybe even arguing about the meaning. Every time Senua meets a new character, the voices are going to react to that.”
Fletcher accentuates this by describing a big step in the understanding of psychosis from a research perspective, which revolves around the meaningfulness of experiences for those living with psychosis. They’re not just neural noise – the experiences are constructed in the same way we all construct our reality.
“What’s exciting to me about Hellblade II is the growing interest that people can entertain two levels of reality,” Fletcher says. “Senua may have the darkness and the voices, but at the same time, she can recognise and be part of other people’s constructions too.”
“Senua may have the darkness and the voices, but at the same time, she can recognise and be part of other people’s constructions too.”
Professor Paul Fletcher
Senua’s willingness to be part of other people’s stories – as we briefly mentioned earlier regarding her choice to save someone who is a stranger to her – also showcases another aspect of how she’s moving past certain experiences that made her so insular.
“Her psychosis had influenced her relationships with other people to a point where she was weary and withdrawn from the world, Derham says. “What we’re showing now is her starting to overcome that, depending on who she meets, and we’re showing that her perspective is just as valuable as anyone else’s.”
“Some people will react to her with harshness or horror, but some will see her differently, and she’ll find common ground and share positive experiences with them. It’s really exciting to watch Senua explore these interpersonal dynamics and relationships with other characters, and how she can help them.”
Our commitment to foster a safe, welcoming, and inclusive gaming community is powered by the ongoing investments and innovations we make to protect players and promote positive play. Today, we are releasing our fourth Xbox Transparency Report, which demonstrates our advancements in promoting player safety and our commitment to transparency.
At Xbox, we remain dedicated to advancing the responsible application of AI to amplify our human expertise in the detection of potential toxicity. We have a unique opportunity to create industry-leading safety innovations that better protect our communities, leveraging Microsoft’s investments that combine the latest generative AI advancements with human expertise and judgement.
Our progressive approach to leveraging AI to categorize and identify harmful content is guided by Microsoft’s Responsible AI Standard and allows our human moderators to focus on the more complex and nuanced harms, ensuring that our actions to safeguard the gaming community are accurate, consistent, and fair.
Early AI-supported investments include:
Auto Labeling helps to classify conversational text by identifying words or phrases that match criteria and characteristics of potentially harmful content. This approach uses AI to analyze reported text content and helps community moderators quickly sort out false reports so human moderation efforts can be focused on content that is the most critical.
Image Pattern Matching, powered by advanced database and image matching techniques enables rapid removal of known harmful content and identification of emergent toxic imagery.
Among the key takeaways in the report:
Effective New Ways of Protecting Players: Player behavior on Xbox voice chat has meaningfully improved since the launch of our new voice reporting feature. The feature has been effective in enabling players to report inappropriate verbal behavior with minimal impact to their gameplay. Since its launch, 138k voice records have been captured utilizing our ‘capture now, report later’ system. When those reports resulted in an Enforcement Strike, 98% of players showed improvement in their behavior and did not receive subsequent enforcements. Additionally, we have updated our proactive approach to more effectively prevent harmful content from reaching players (3.2 million more lines of text than last report, or 67%), allowing players to engage in a positive way. We will continue to invest in features that protect and enhance the Xbox player experience.
Understanding of Enforcements Leads to a Safer Community: The Enforcement Strike System was launched last year to promote positive play while helping players understand the severity of a violation. Since its launch, 88% of those who received an Enforcement Strike did not engage in activity that violated our Community Standards to receive another enforcement. We also reduced suspension lengths overall for minor offenses. Of enforcements that would have previously resulted in a 3-day or more suspension, 44% were given a reduced length. The combination of these results shows that the majority of players choose to improve their behavior after only one suspension, even when it is short.
Blocking Inauthentic Accounts Before They Have Impact: We have been continuously investing in ways to spot inauthentic accounts, which has allowed us to quickly block many of them as soon as they’re created, preventing them from affecting our players. Our improved methods prevented millions of inauthentic accounts from being used as soon as they are created and have led to a decline in the number of proactive enforcements on inauthentic accounts for the first time in two years, with enforcements dropping from 16.3 million in the last report to 7.3 million.
Outside of the Transparency Report, our team continues to work closely to drive innovation in safety and improve our players’ experience:
Launch of Microsoft Family Safety Toolkit: Microsoft understands that parents and caregivers are busy, and that the tech landscape keeps evolving. This toolkit provides guidance on how to leverage Microsoft’s safety features and family safety settings to support and enhance digital parenting, plus guidance for families looking to navigate the world of generative AI together. We’ve also included links to a selection of informational resources already made for parents, such as the Family Online Safety Institute’s How To Be A Good Digital Parent Toolkit.
Microsoft’s Annual Global Online Safety Survey: This survey seeks to better understand the digital ecosystem and individual’s experiences online. We share our results publicly so that others can benefit from the insights as we collectively strive to create a safer online environment. The survey looks at how people of all ages perceive the opportunities and risks posed by technology.
Building a better online community with Minecraft Education’s Good Game: This recent addition to the CyberSafe collection of immersive learning worlds is a story-based adventure aimed at helping players from ages 8-18 understand the responsibilities, tools, responses and strategies that foster empathy and enable healthy online interactions. Minecraft Education users can find CyberSafe: Good Game in the in-game lesson library. The world is also available for free for Minecraft Bedrock players in the Minecraft Marketplace.
Together with our players, we continue to build a strong and supportive community for everyone, free from intimidation and distractions. We are dedicated to improving our safety features to foster our connection to players through feedback and in-game reporting, and to apply layers of protection more effectively. The AI solutions we release are all part of the journey we are taking to build a safer and more welcoming environment for all, because everyone deserves to play comfortably and experience the joy that gaming has to offer. Thank you for taking part in this journey with us.
Immerse yourself in high-performance Track Toys including the lightweight Ginetta G40 Junior.
Celebrate the cars that are blurring the line between production road cars and high-end racecars in Forza Motorsport Update 8. Expand your garage with track-worthy machines and put them to the ultimate test in special events across Career, Multiplayer and Rivals.
Update 8 rolls out for download starting Monday, May 13 at 10:00 AM PT / 5:00 PM UTC on Xbox Series X|S and PC via the Microsoft Store and Steam. Spotlight cars and new in-game events begin on Wednesday, May 15 at 5:00 PM PT (12:00 AM UTC on Thursday, May 16).
Game Improvements and Release Notes
Today’s update introduces new fixes and experience improvements to Forza Motorsport, including tweaks to how Safety Ratings are calculated in Featured Multiplayer, a gloss-matte slider in the Livery Editor, a new Tire Wear scale option for Free Play and Private Multiplayer, and changes to Drivatar AI braking behavior.
Firstly, we’ve introduced a Vinyl Material tool to the Livery Editor which can be used to uniformly adjust all vinyl materials on a car from matte (non-reflective) to glossy (reflective). This includes a reset option to revert all vinyls to match car paint glossiness. Imported designs from Forza Horizon 5 using its similar feature will automatically inherit these values.
We’ve added a Tire Wear Scale option to Free Play and Private Multiplayer, allowing adjustments to the rate at which tires are worn. 1x is the default value. At 2x, tire wear will occur twice as fast. Values range from .5x to 10x. This setting is found in the Event Setup Rules tab and in the Fuel & Tire menu when on track.
We’ve updated Safety Ratings in Featured Multiplayer by increasing the number of previous races the Safety Rating uses to determine your rating from 10 to 20, and by making on-track collisions more impactful to Safety Rating. These changes will take effect after your first race in Update 8.
In addition, we’ve improved the matchmaking algorithm to search for a narrower range of Safety Ratings compared to your own. For example, players with an ‚S‘ Safety Rating should no longer be matched with players who have ‚E‘ and ‚D‘ Safety Ratings. Groups will be connected to matches based on the player with the lowest Safety Rating.
We’ve removed the 2020 KTM X-Bow GT2 and the 2020 Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 from the Forza GT Series and added them to the Modern Factory Racecar Series in Featured Multiplayer. Meanwhile, the 2019 Porsche #70 Porsche Motorsport 935 has been added to the Forza GT Series. We’re currently working on recategorizing Forza GT racecars into separate spec divisions and expect to push these changes into the game this summer.
Finally, we’ve reduced unnecessary braking scenarios for Drivatar AI opponents. Examples of this include braking while attempting to pass, two cars wide in corners, at the apex of corners, and on straights.
Mobil Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Forza Motorsport
In celebration of its 50-year anniversary, we’re excited to reveal a partnership with Mobil 1, which will include a series of exciting in-game Rivals events starting this summer.
To kickstart this special collaboration, Maple Valley has been updated to “Mobil 1 Presents Maple Valley” with new track signage featuring Mobil 1 branding. Check it out the next time you are racing through the sweeping turns and beautiful, fictional woods of New England.
Numerous fixes and improvements have been made to Maple Valley and Mid-Ohio in Update 8. Check out the release notes for the full overview of these adjustments.
Career Tour – Track Toys Tour
The Track Toys Tour invites you to experience high-performance cars that you could see hot lapping on the racetrack.
Compete in a single-make race series with Ginetta Juniors. This affordable entry point into motorsport for enthusiasts will see you behind the wheel of the nimble yet extraordinary 2019 Ginetta G40 Junior. Despite only 100 horsepower, the lightweight G40 has emerged as the most successful junior racing car on the circuit!
Weekend Warriors sees you racing cars like the exceptional 2015 Porsche Cayman GTS which could be taken to the track on a Sunday before being driven to work the following day. Whether it is on the road or the racetrack, this Cayman GTS tackles every twist and turn at high-speed without issue!
Appreciate the unforgettable shape and undeniable performance of the iconic Caterham R500 in Kit Caterhams. This driving machine must be skillfully handled. Despite its light chassis, the R500 catapults from 0 to 60 in just 2.9 seconds thanks to its 267 horses!
And finally, enjoy a celebration of purpose-built track cars like the aerodynamic 2019 Elemental RP1 in Track Toys. This lightweight car delivers a thrilling 320 horsepower from its 2-liter turbocharged engine! Not only does its massive low-pressure diffuser look truly incredible, but its aerodynamic capabilities create a truly staggering amount of downforce, ensuring you always have full control of the RP1 on the track.
Complete all 4 series in the Track Toys Tour to receive the ultimate racing warrior, the 2019 Porsche #70 Porsche Motorsport 935. This car’s exterior details are inspired by Porsche’s racing legacy, including rims and aerodynamics that pay homage to the 935/78 racecar –nicknamed the Moby Dick – as well as 919 Hybrid LMP1-inspired LED taillights. Enter the Reward Showcase with the 935 to take on a field of hypercars built for the track.
Series within the Track Toys Tour do not have to be completed in a particular week – you have until June 27, 2024, to finish this latest Featured Tour. Spotlight cars are available at a discount for the week during which they are featured.
Spotlight Cars and VIP Discounts
Spotlight cars are featured in the Showroom every week, available for you to acquire with a temporary 30% discount using in-game credits. Update 8 will showcase four Spotlight cars, one each week, three which are either new or returning to Motorsport.
These Spotlight cars can be used in the Track Toys Tour, as well as Spotlight Series events in Featured Multiplayer and Spotlight Rivals.
Forza Motorsport VIP Members also get an exclusive 15% discount on the 2014 BAC Mono in the Showroom. This is one of the few single-seat production cars that’s not only street legal, but ready to take on any track with its unique blend of formula racecar and aircraft-like design. Duke it out with this exhilarating track toy on the Mono a Mono VIP Rivals event and shave off those milliseconds at Yas Marina – South Circuit to secure your spot on the community leaderboard.
In addition, starting with Update 8, VIPs can look forward to an exclusive 15% discount on a car every week in the Showroom. Exclusive discounts for VIP Members in Update 8 include the following cars:
With each update to Forza Motorsport, the Open Class Tour gets refreshed with new events and a new reward car.
Open Class Tour is where you can continue the journey of your favorite cars. Cars that you’ve already built in a different Builders Cup series can be further levelled up and upgraded in the Open Class Tour.
Enter the Open Class Tour with your favorite cars across D, C, B, and A Classes and take on opponents racing inexpensive and highly modifiable production cars that you would expect to see at your local track on the weekend.
Complete the Open Class Tour in Update 8 to receive the 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupé. Its incredible blend of performance, handling and practicality makes it the perfect choice for those seeking an exhilarating driving experience, especially in the Reward Showcase where you can race with other cars in its class.
With Forza Motorsport Update 8, the Open Class Tour in Career mode has been migrated from the Builders Cup tab to the Featured tab. The Open Class Tour will be found in the Featured tab going forward.
Featured Multiplayer – Spec and Open Series
As mentioned in the release notes, with Update 8, Featured Multiplayer introduces tweaks to how Safety Ratings are calculated, an updated matchmaking algorithm and small car changes to the Forza GT Series with more updates to this division planned for summer.
Here’s a look at your Featured Multiplayer calendar of upcoming events for Update 8:
Lotus 3-Eleven Spec Series – May 15-22
The 3-Eleven is an open-cockpit, mid-engine screamer that exemplifies Lotus founder Colin Chapman’s mantra “simplify, then add lightness.”
Early Factory Racecar Series – May 22-29
Bespoke racing versions of some of the most sought-after cars from the late 80s and 90s, now valued in millions of dollars by savvy collectors.
Mazda Miata Spec Series – May 29 – June 5
The popular MX5 ‘94 version of the best-selling Mazda Miata is perfectly balanced to handle the most demanding road courses with the speed and agility of cars costing much, much more.
Modern Factory Racecar Series – June 5-12
Race through a field of ultimate track day specials in the Modern Factory Racecar series. These mid-engine production cars feature unique upgrades designed to achieve extreme performance metrics and ensure victory on the track.
Featured Rivals
Set your fastest lap times across exciting new Rivals events in Forza Motorsport Update 8.
Compete for the leaderboard in this month’s Featured Spec Rivals event! Choose your favorite Forza Touring Car and challenge your skills and precision to achieve your fastest lap at Virginia International Raceway – Full Circuit. Cars have been pre-tuned for optimal competition but can be further adjusted to suit your playstyle.
Later in the month, we’re opening a special Rivals event where you can experience the ultimate track car developed to pay tribute to a world-famous driver – the McLaren Senna – at the same track where he achieved several victories, Silverstone – Grand Prix Circuit. The Senna is one of the lightest and most driver-focused cars McLaren has ever built, with uncompromised performance and aerodynamics that unleash their true capabilities on the racetrack.
Remember that every week a new Spotlight Rivals event will present an opportunity for you to challenge your skills in the latest Spotlight car!
Hi everyone, Dom Matthews here, Studio Head at Ninja Theory. On May 21 we releaseSenua’s Saga: Hellblade II on Xbox Series X|S and on PC. It will be a proud moment for our team and those that have contributed to our development journey. Today, I’d like to celebrate the contribution of our mental health consultants, with the release of ‘Senua’s Psychosis’, a feature video that details how, by way of collaboration, Senua’s experiences of psychosis in Hellblade II are rooted both in neuroscience and in real lived experience.
When the idea for telling the story of a character who experiences psychosis was first thought of, we knew instantly that we had a responsibility to understand the subject thoroughly. With this intent in-hand, we started a collaboration with Professor Paul Fletcher, Professor of Health Neuroscience at University of Cambridge, which in-turn led to us building a partnership with Recovery College East and other groups of people who, like Senua, have had real lived experience of seeing and hearing things that others don’t and having unique beliefs about the world. What started off as an exercise in hoping to learn, quickly transitioned into a creative collaboration where the openness, honesty and enthusiasm of our collaborators gave us the chance to not only portray Senua’s experiences truthfully – but enhance our character, her world and her story.
In Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, we were so honored to hear from fans that Senua’s journey had helped them understand psychosis a little more. For some, it helped them to understand their own experiences. For others, it helped them to understand the experiences of loved ones. And for many, it helped them to build empathy for the millions of people who struggle daily with mental health challenges.
As we approach the launch of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II my hope is that once again we can, for some, give a taste of what it can be like to hear voices, to see things that only you can see and to be driven by beliefs that may be unusual to others. Several weeks ago, I was excited to share the stage with our collaborators at Hellblade: A Journey of the mind, a conference, hosted in partnership with Cambridge Neuroscience, dedicated to exploring the theme of how Senua’s psychosis has come to life in Hellblade. For those interested, you can watch the full conference here. The conference was a reminder to me of how fortunate we have been to work with our mental health collaborators, a special group of people that have, throughout our development, dedicated themselves to helping us tell Senua’s story as someone who’s experiences could very well be those of a real person.
In today’s video, I’m proud to introduce you to Paul, Eddy and Kathy and I thank them, and all our collaborators, for their immense contribution to Hellblade.
For further information on the themes discussed in this video, please visit hellbladehelp.info.
It’s hard to believe, but we’re now in our third month of Indie Selects – and the hits just keep on coming. The team have picked some amazing games this month. We’ve played them, we’ve loved them, and we feel confident that you’ll like them too.
April’s Indie Selects include an interactive, playable historical artifact, two completely different approaches to building, and even a lo-fi, jazzy space shooter. As always, you can find the whole list in one easy-to-access spot on the Xbox Store, right now. With that in mind, here’s the list (in no particular order):
Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is a work of passion from the same solo developer behind the original Falconeer. In this iteration, the universe of that game is expanded into vast new territory, and you’re tasked with building the ultimate settlement in an oceanic world. It’s a relaxed, immersive city builder for the most part, serving up an open world where you can scavenge for resources to support your ever-expanding creation.
Later in the game you can open up trade routes and defend your city from invaders, or even become the invader yourself, taking on rival civilizations. It’s really the unique world here that sets this game apart from other city builders: you start with a simple island village, and then expand out into, and over, the seas, with steampunk-inspired flying ships and gothic architecture. You can really play Bulwark any way you like and it’s easy to get sucked into, building and exploring for hours.
Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles
Wired Productions
☆☆☆☆☆24
★★★★★
$19.99
Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is an open world builder with freedom and expression at its core, allowing players to build sprawling towns, spires, and fortresses that become hubs for trade, or rallying grounds for conquests. Carve your legacy into a world shattered by the decisions of those who came before you, tower by tower, wall by wall, sculpting from the daunting cliffs and perilous waters of an unforgiving landscape that refuses to be tamed. Tasked with rebuilding a civilization devastated by the aftermath of a war 40 years prior, you are in command of creating the last great settlement upon the Great Ursee – a vast, fantastical oceanic world filled with lost myths, breath-taking vistas and danger. From humble docks and wooden jetties, you will scavenge resources and grow your settlement as your population and creations grow ever grander, sculpting monumental stone towers and battlements that scrape the skies, where airships and giant warbirds rule. Create trade routes and strike alliances with other factions scattered across the waves, acquiring powerful Captains and Commanders to protect your creations and utilise their aid in exploration – or muster your own battlegroup to strike at them, waging war upon your ancient enemies. This world and its choices are yours to make – what legacy will you leave behind? What creations will bear your name? Build Your Bulwark.
Veteran “flippers” will love the revised mechanics and new content, and will completely lose themselves in the sandbox building mode, in which you can design and build your own original creations. But you don’t have to be an experienced flipper to have fun – it’s super easy to jump in and start painting, renovating, and remodeling, bringing new life to the old, shabby buildings in your town.
There’s even a story mode, where an old pal unveils the secrets of each house under renovation to you. Hard to believe that a game that involves painting, sweeping and hammering – things you’re not likely to see many of us here on the ID team doing in real life – on our “favorites” list, but there are a lot of dedicated flippers on the team now.
House Flipper 2
Frozen District
☆☆☆☆☆80
★★★★★
$39.99
The Flipper’s new groove It doesn’t matter if you’re a makeover veteran or if you’re only starting out – you’ll feel at home in no time!
House Flipper 2 introduces new mechanics and revamps the ones from the original game.
The good old hammer, the trusty paint roller, and the sturdy mop, all await your return! The new visuals make our fixer-uppers look crisp as never before! Another brick in the wall Why renovate a house when you can just build one? Unleash your creativity in the Sandbox Mode! Use it to recreate real-life buildings or design projects that exist in your imagination.
Remember: building from scratch is no easy task! But let’s face it, it’s definitely worth putting in extra effort to design the house of your dreams. Once upon a time… Between the mountain tops and the endless sea, there lies the town of Pinnacove.
A place where time slows down, and the friendly residents are ready to entrust you with their homes.
Can you discover some of the stories within these walls?
Your old pal Tom, who seems to know everybody in the neighborhood, will gladly share some local knowledge with you. Sea of opportunities In House Flipper 2, you are the foreman!
You get to decide what ‚relaxing gameplay‘ means!
Do you enjoy building? Choose the Sandbox Mode which allows you to construct houses from scratch. Or maybe you prefer cleaning and decorating? In the Story Mode, you will delve into long and engaging renovation projects, as well as deal with some quick jobs.
Sit back and relax, here comes the new age of House Flipper!
Picture the Australian Outback after the apocalypse with man-eating spiders, raiders, and even blood-thirsty kangaroos. Is it Mad Max? No, this is Broken Roads, a deep RPG that introduces a novel Morality System to mix up the genre. What kind of character will you be? Much is decided in advance as you set out your character’s visions and ideals, which then influence what kind of story you’ll experience.
Much of the game involves discovering, befriending and influencing the vast cast of characters you’ll encounter on your journeys, as you peel back the many layers of the detailed story. It’s an ambitious game that is infused with Australian culture, dialect and humor.
Broken Roads
Versus Evil, LLC
☆☆☆☆☆18
★★★★★
$39.99
Born of a love for traditional computer role-playing, Broken Roads provides a rich, engaging narrative in which players make their way across a desolated future Australia. Blending together traditional and all-new role-playing elements on top of a classless system offering nearly unlimited character development options, Broken Roads presents players with an original morality system: the Moral Compass. This novel design sees dialogue options and questing decisions influence, and be influenced by, a character’s philosophical leaning. Features • All-new post-apocalyptic setting
• Unique morality system influencing dialogue, quests and character development
• Authentic Australian locations and environments
• Blend of traditional and original RPG mechanics
• Up to 5 party members
• Turn-based tactical combat
• Hand-drawn artwork
• A content-rich and densely-crafted world
If you’re under the age of 40 or so, and you’re not from the UK, you could be forgiven for not having heard of games like Attack of the Mutant Camels or Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time. But now’s your chance to rediscover some of the wildest and weirdest games to come out of the ’80s and early ’90s. Not only the games: developer Digital Eclipse serves these classics up in their landmark “interactive documentary style”, and takes you into the mind of creator Jeff Minter, and through the entire history of the iconic British Video game company, quixotically named Llamasoft.
If you played any of the originals – like Jeff’s signature shooter Gridrunner – on systems such as the Sinclair ZX81, the Commodore VIC-20, or the Atari 1040 ST (this writer’s favorite computer of all time) you’ll absolutely fall in love with these remasters. But if you’re entirely new to Jeff and his trippy games, you’ll find the Llamasoft story to be a fascinating journey into video game history – a history that you can jump into and play.
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story
Digital Eclipse
☆☆☆☆☆7
★★★★★
$29.99
Gridrunner. Revenge of the Mutant Camels. Tempest 2000. Llamatron. In the British gaming universe of the 80s and 90s, nobody made games like Jeff Minter. Now, in a new interactive documentary from Digital Eclipse, you can play the history of one of the weirdest, wildest game developers to ever exist – a man who loved shooters and sheep, lasers and llamas. LLAMASOFT Journey back in time to an era of cassette tapes, photocopied zines, and README.TXT. An era in which a kid with a Commodore VIC-20 and dreams of radioactive sheep could become one of Britain’s best-known game makers. A virtual museum of design documents, playable games, and all-new video features tell the fascinating story of a true independent game designer. PLAY THE ACCLAIMED ORIGINALS Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story includes 42 classic games from 8 different platforms, from Jeff Minter’s earliest work on the Sinclair ZX81 and Commodore VIC-20, to later work on the Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Atari 800, and deep into the 16-bit era with the Atari ST and Atari Jaguar. GRIDRUNNER: REMASTERED Jeff’s signature shooter masterpiece Gridrunner gets an all-new look from Digital Eclipse, updated into thrilling modern graphics and sound – while still running the core of the Commodore 64 version for 100% gameplay accuracy. GAMES, GAMES, GAMES Sheep In Space. Andes Attack. Attack of the Mutant Camels. Matrix. Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time. Hellgate. Laser Zone. And many more. All the Minter classics you’ve heard of (and several you probably haven’t), now with new quality-of-life features to make playing them more fun than ever before. Two of Jeff Minter’s earliest „light synthesizers,“ Psychedelia and Colourspace, are also included, with all-new options and features optimized for controller-based play. Finally, Jeff’s demo of Attack of the Mutant Camels for the unreleased Konix Multi-System console is also included. THE GOLD MASTER SERIES New from Digital Eclipse (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, The Making of Karateka), the Gold Master Series presents iconic games in an innovative „interactive documentary“ format, putting the shared history of games and their creators into one comprehensive package.
Speaking of classic games, the original Grandia dates back to 1997, and Grandia II came out in 2000. Both iconic RPGs have been lovingly remastered in the Grandia HD Collection. Groundbreaking in their time, the series featured a novel dynamic attack system, deep skill progression, and an extensive and immersive storyline.
New UI enhancements, updated HD cinematics, and tweaks to gameplay make the games feel modern and fresh, while maintaining the original classic characters and stories. If you didn’t get a chance to experience these incredibly influential RPGs, which really defined the idea of “going on an adventure” in a game, now is your chance to set out on that quest.
Grandia HD Collection
GungHo Online Entertainment America, Inc.
☆☆☆☆☆36
★★★★★
$39.99
The highly-anticipated Grandia HD Collection for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S are here! Get your hands on two games that changed the landscape of RPGs forever, in beautiful HD graphics. GRANDIA: Dive into the captivating journey of Justin and his allies as they race against the sinister Garlyle Forces. Unravel the mysteries of a forgotten civilization and immerse yourself in an RPG hailed as a timeless classic, inspiring generations of games to come. GRANDIA II: Step into the shoes of Ryudo, a jaded Geohound with a heart, as he embarks on a magical quest alongside a group of unlikely allies. Their journey is riddled with twists and turns as they seek a divine weapon to save the world. Delve deep into this tale where the line between good and evil blurs, and everything is open to question…
Imagine mashing up a classic top down “shoot-‘em-up” with a lo-fi, chill-out music channel and you’d end up with something very much like Super Space Club. Usually “shmups” go for more of a frenetic, kinetic vibe with lots of angry aliens and what not, but Super Space Club opts for a much more relaxing tone, while also serving up some great space combat.
You can select different weapons, ships and pilots to customize the build you want to take into battle, which is a nice plus-up to the genre. And nothing is more satisfying than mowing down wave after wave of aliens while grooving alone to some jazzy, lo-fi tunes.
Super Space Club
GrahamOfLegend
☆☆☆☆☆5
★★★★★
$14.99
Super Space Club is a colorful endless arcade gunner set to the backdrop of chill, lo-fi music. As a club of skilled misfit pilots, defend the galaxy by taking on galactic forces and completing a series of thrilling missions. In space, everyone can hear you groove. Sling fireworks with the explosive Olly, or dish out ship-seeking shots with the stealthy Roscoe? With a variety of pilots, ships, and weapons at your disposal, choose the perfect build and soar across the stars through physics-based thrusting. As you’re taking down enemies and completing objectives, be wary of your ship’s energy. Depleting energy could leave you vulnerable to devastating damage. Don’t get too comfortable after coming out on top, as the next wave is always right around the corner. Despite the challenge that gameplay may bring, space can be quite dope. Missouri-based audio duo Fat Bard provides the backdrop of lo-fi beats and chill-hop tunes featuring vocal artists from around the globe. Paired with a vibrant and colorful cool-toned aesthetic, Super Space Club delivers a relaxing yet challenging arcade experience unlike any other.
Moreover, players’ behavior on and off the track will greatly influence Riders’ Market dynamics. As I mentioned earlier, last year we introduced a rivalry system as well as a fictional social network where riders, teams, and manufacturers interact with each other. The evolution of rivalries as well as likes and replies on the fictional social network will fuel rumors about possible future transfers, which players will be able to keep an eye on through a dedicated menu of the career mode.
The Riders Market is the last major piece we needed to fully shape the game and the series itself, and I can’t wait to see our fans getting the most out of it. Will there be a day when we see the young, predestined Pedro Acosta challenging the eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez in the same team? Or maybe we are about to witness Fabio Quartararo’s new legacy away from Yamaha? History is still to be written.
MotoGP 24 will be available on May 2, 2024, on PlayStation5, PlayStation4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.
We’re excited to invite all Xbox Insiders on Xbox Series X|S to sign up early for the THRONE AND LIBERTY – Confidential Closed Beta starting on April 10th. Join now to secure your spot for the playtest!
THRONE AND LIBERTY is a free-to-play, multiplatform MMORPG where the winner takes all, but there is no single path to victory. Set in the vast open world of Solisium, you’ll need to adapt your fight to survive and thrive through strategic decisions in PvP, PvE or both as you encounter evolving battlefields impacted by weather, time of day, and other players. Take up arms, join others and sign up today.
How to Participate:
Sign-in on your Xbox Series X|S console and launch the Xbox Insider Hub app (or install the Xbox Insider Hub from the Store first if necessary)
Navigate to Previews > THRONE AND LIBERTY – CLOSED BETA
Select Join
Wait for the registration to complete and be directed to the Store and install THRONE AND LIBERTY – CLOSED BETA
NOTE: THRONE AND LIBERTY – Closed Beta begins on April 10th. Join now to earn a spot for the playtest and to install the game early. On April 10th, in game servers will open to allow you to play. You’ll also receive an Xbox Insider notification when the playtest begins.
NOTE: This playtest is only available on Xbox Series X|S consoles.
NOTE: Limited space is available and offered first-come first-served.
How to Provide Feedback:
If you experience any issues while playing THRONE AND LIBERTY, don’t forget to use “Report a problem” so we can investigate:
Hold down the home button on your Xbox controller.
Select Report a problem.
Select the Games category and THRONE AND LIBERTY – CLOSED BETA subcategory.
Fill out the form with the appropriate details to help our investigation.
Other resources:
For more information: follow us on Twitter at @XboxInsider and this blog for release notes, announcements and more. And feel free to interact with the community on the Xbox Insider SubReddit.
Um dir ein optimales Erlebnis zu bieten, verwenden wir Technologien wie Cookies, um Geräteinformationen zu speichern und/oder darauf zuzugreifen. Wenn du diesen Technologien zustimmst, können wir Daten wie das Surfverhalten oder eindeutige IDs auf dieser Website verarbeiten. Wenn du deine Einwillligung nicht erteilst oder zurückziehst, können bestimmte Merkmale und Funktionen beeinträchtigt werden.
Funktional
Immer aktiv
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugang ist unbedingt erforderlich für den rechtmäßigen Zweck, die Nutzung eines bestimmten Dienstes zu ermöglichen, der vom Teilnehmer oder Nutzer ausdrücklich gewünscht wird, oder für den alleinigen Zweck, die Übertragung einer Nachricht über ein elektronisches Kommunikationsnetz durchzuführen.
Vorlieben
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff ist für den rechtmäßigen Zweck der Speicherung von Präferenzen erforderlich, die nicht vom Abonnenten oder Benutzer angefordert wurden.
Statistiken
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff, der ausschließlich zu statistischen Zwecken erfolgt.Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff, der ausschließlich zu anonymen statistischen Zwecken verwendet wird. Ohne eine Vorladung, die freiwillige Zustimmung deines Internetdienstanbieters oder zusätzliche Aufzeichnungen von Dritten können die zu diesem Zweck gespeicherten oder abgerufenen Informationen allein in der Regel nicht dazu verwendet werden, dich zu identifizieren.
Marketing
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff ist erforderlich, um Nutzerprofile zu erstellen, um Werbung zu versenden oder um den Nutzer auf einer Website oder über mehrere Websites hinweg zu ähnlichen Marketingzwecken zu verfolgen.
