The Year of the Dragon is here, featuring the return of fan-favorite Mischief and Magic prop hunt, past Lunar New Year game modes, new rewards, and all new skins in the shop. Read on to discover what adventures and rewards await when you log onto Overwatch 2.
Prop Hunt Returns
To kick things off, Mischief and Magic, which first premiered in Season 5, is back with an updated ruleset and an additional map to play on. Rouge Kiriko has snuck off to the Lijiang Night Market, and it will be up to Knight Genji to figure out if she’s hiding as a firework rocket, a paper lamp, or over a dozen other possible props. Genji will have to be careful this time though, as he now takes a small amount of damage whenever he uses his melee to check a spot. Careful coordination with your teammates on where to search will be key to your success. Catching Kiriko or using your Dragonblade will help restore your health. The team that wins three rounds will be victorious.
Play Lunar New Year Event Modes
Lunar New Year also brings back three fan-favorite arcade brawls. Play Capture The Flag, a 5v5 brawl to capture enemy flags and bring them back to your base while preventing your opponents from doing the same. Step up the pace with Capture the Flag Blitz, a fast-paced version of Capture the Flag with flag bases closer to each other, where teams will need to strike hard and fast at their opponents if they want to score.
Bounty Hunter, the Deathmatch free-for-all game mode, also returns, where players seek out the one who has a bounty on them and then become the bounty target themselves. Score points faster while being the top target hunted by your opponents. Fireworks will fly as you play in these fun modes throughout the Year of the Dragon event.
Complete Challenges for New Rewards
Year of the Dragon also brings new rewards and a bountiful amount of bonus XP to complete your Season 8 Battle Pass. Test your skills in Prop Hunt and complete games in Overwatch 2 to earn up to 50,000 bonus XP. The Dragon Dance series of collectible sprays also returns with earnable new sprays for all Overwatch 2 heroes. Finally, prove yourself as the ultimate Mischief and Magic player and complete challenges to earn limited-time titles that you can only earn this year.
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon Today
The Year of the Dragon seasonal event starts today. Players who log in now through February 19 will earn the Year of the Dragon player icon for free.
Starting next week, you can collect stylish Lunar New Year-themed skins for your heroes available in the in-game shop, including Turtleship Legendary D.Va, Dragonfire Legendary Bastion, and Thai culture-inspired Mystic Swan Legendary Mercy.
We wish you good fortune this Lunar New Year, and we’ll see you in game.
Have you checked out Arduino Docs lately? If it looks different, that’s because we can finally reveal the makeover we’ve been working on for months – in line with our constant efforts to learn, improve, and share all of it along the way!
You can always count on Arduino Docs
Arduino Docs is our public and collaborative repository of info, tech specs, and tutorials. It is a huge mass of online resources that we create, organize and maintain also thanks to our amazing community’s contributions (managed via GitHub: here’s how you can help if you are interested).
With 75+ current hardware products documented, hundreds of tutorials, and dozens of datasheets, it’s definitely the go-to resource center any time you have a new Arduino product, want to learn a new skill, or need help to figure something out! Want to host a web server on your brand new MKR WiFi 1010? Can’t wait to dive into the ultimate manual for your Opta micro PLC? Wondering how to set up a security system using ML? Need a solid starter guide for Arduino Cloud, the IDE 2, or Arduino in general? Arduino Docs has you covered, with specific and updated information to support all of this and so much more.
What’s new and improved!
Open-source through and through, Arduino Docs is a shared space that’s wonderfully alive with updates and new ideas. But it can also get messy and confusing – and that’s why we decided to revamp its design and architecture completely, to improve your experience and navigation.
Our goal was to make all the resources more accessible: easier to find, easier to consult. That’s why you can now explore a new and improved Arduino Docs:
It welcomes you with a new homepage. Don’t know where to start? Pick one of the main sections featured here: choose between hardware, software or Cloud, and see what each one has to offer.
It has a sidebar so you never get lost. The side menu mirrors the main sections and drills down so you always know where you are as you browse documentation.
It streamlines finding hardware info. Datasheets and tutorials specific to each component are now presented within its dedicated page.
It helps you get started. As much as we’ve worked on making specific items more intuitive to find, we know sometimes you’re just curious about discovering more about a broader subject. That’s why we’ve included new suggestions to get started with the Arduino Cloud or MicroPython, and you’ll see a whole Learn section prominently displayed.
It looks (and works) better on mobile. A big improvement for smaller devices!
The myriad resources and open-source nature of the project remain the same. But they now live in a neater home, where it’s easier and faster for you to find everything you need to discover, learn, make, and share your knowledge about Arduino.
In our series of community stories, we celebrate some of the wonderful things young people and educators around the world are achieving through the power of technology.
In our latest story, we’re heading to Vivek High School in Mohali, India, to meet Sahibjot, a 14-year-old coding enthusiast who has taken his hobby to the next level thanks to mentorship, Code Club, and the exciting opportunity to take part in the Coolest Projects 2023 global online showcase.
When he was younger, Sahibjot loved playing video games. His interest in gaming led him to discover the world of game development, and he was inspired to find out more and try it out himself. He began to learn to code in his spare time, using tutorials to help him develop his skills.
Keen to share the joy he had experienced from gaming, Sahibjot set himself the challenge of creating a game for his cousin. This project cemented his enthusiasm for coding and developing games of his own.
“I always felt that I have played so many games in my life, why not make one and others will enjoy the same experience that I had as a child.
For my cousin, I made a personal game for him, and he played it and he liked it very much, so once he played it, I felt that, yes, this is what I want to do with my life.” – Sahibjot
Mentorship and collaboration
While continuing to hone his computing skills at home, Sahibjot heard that his school had started a Code Club. After initially feeling nervous about joining, his enthusiasm was bolstered by the club mentor, Rajan, talking about artificial intelligence and other interesting topics during the session, and he soon settled in.
At Code Club, with support and encouragement from Rajan, Sahibjot continued to develop and grow his coding skills. Alongside his technical skills, he also learned about teamwork and working collaboratively. He embraced the opportunity to help his peers, sharing his knowledge with others and becoming a mentor for younger club members.
“Last year, we joined this coding club together and we became friends. He’s a very friendly person. Whenever we need him, he just quickly helps us. He helps us to troubleshoot, find any bugs, or even fix our codes.” – Akshat, fellow Code Club member
A global opportunity
The next step for Sahibjot came when Rajan introduced him and his fellow Code Club members to Coolest Projects. Coolest Projects is a celebration of young digital creators and the amazing things they make with technology. It offers participants the opportunity to share their tech creations in a global, online showcase, and local in-person events celebrating young creators are also held in several countries.
Sahibjot was eager to take part and showcase what he had made. He submitted a Python project, a ping-pong game, to the online showcase, and was very excited to then see his creation receive a special shout-out during the Coolest Projects global livestream event. He was delighted to share this achievement with his friends and family, and he felt proud to be representing his school and his country on a global stage.
“I told everyone around me that there was going to be a livestream and I possibly might be featured in that, so that was really exciting. I learned a lot about just not representing my school and myself as an individual, I learned about representing my whole nation.” — Sahibjot
Sahibjot’s passion for computing has helped shape his aspirations and ambitions. Looking to the future, he hopes to use his technology skills to benefit others and make an impact.
“Using code and technology and all of the things like that, I aspire to make effort to do something with the world, like help out people with technology.” — Sahibjot
Inspire young creators like Sahibjot
To find out how you and young creators you know can get involved in Coolest Projects, visit coolestprojects.org. If the young people in your community are just starting out on their computing journey, visit our projects site for free, fun beginner coding projects.
For more information to help you set up a Code Club in your school, visit codeclub.org.
Join us in celebrating Sahibjot’s inspiring journey by sharing his story on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.
This has taken a few weeks longer this time, simply due to the sheer amount that changed under the hood in Bookworm, but the bug-fix release is now ready and can be installed from today via Raspberry Pi Imager, or downloaded from the usual place on our website. Or, to upgrade an existing image, simply use the updater icon on the taskbar, or (if you’re more old-school) open a terminal and type
$ sudo apt update
followed by
$ sudo apt full-upgrade
This update includes improved support for encrypted connections in WayVNC; the latest version of Thonny; Mathematica and Scratch 3 working on Raspberry Pi 5; and a bunch of other small bug fixes and tweaks. But we thought we’d give you a little bonus in this release too…
A few weeks ago, Eben wandered past my desk, and remarked, “wouldn’t it be nice if we had a dark theme?” (He’s not the first person to suggest this, but he is the boss, so I tend to pay more attention when he suggests things!) And as it happened, I wasn’t particularly busy that day.
Our PiXflat theme has been around for a few years now – we launched it along with Raspberry Pi OS Buster back in 2019. It started out as a mildly tweaked version of the default GTK theme called Adwaita, but it changed quite a bit over the years, so now doesn’t have all that much in common with Adwaita any more.
A theme is basically a big CSS (cascading style sheet) file as used for styling web pages, e-books and the like, which defines the appearance of every widget used to draw applications. (A widget is a user interface element such as a button or a text label.) You can set the colour, the font, the background and numerous other aspects for each widget, and you can set different values depending on whether the widget is active (e.g. a button which is being pressed), whether it is disabled, whether the mouse pointer is over it, and so on. And when I say it is a “big” file – it’s really big: PiXflat is around 4500 lines.
Dark mode
Creating a dark theme can be relatively easy, or really hard, depending on how the colours have been defined in your original theme. If all your colours are defined as variables, it is relatively easy – but if all your colours are hard-coded values then it is rather more time-consuming. In PiXflat, as in Adwaita before it, the colours were all hard-coded! So the first job was to go through 4500 lines of CSS and find all the hard-coded colours, replacing them with variables, and then setting those variables to the original hard-coded values so I didn’t break the original light theme.
Then, having done that, it was time to consider how each one of those colours should change to produce a suitable dark appearance. The obvious first step was simply to invert each colour, so that black became white and so on. The trouble with this is that while what you end up with is indeed dark, it doesn’t usually look that good.
So then the hard work began – choosing exactly which contrasting colour was going to be used in the dark theme to replace the light version. This involved setting the values of around 70 colour variables to create a set that worked together; you have to take into consideration having sufficient contrast between elements so that you can still see everything clearly, so that text is still readable against darker backgrounds, so that the colour change when you move the mouse over an element is still obvious, and so on. And it all interacts, so you find that if you tweak one colour, you then need to tweak four or five others to keep all the contrast correct.
Endless themes
From past experience with PiXflat, creating a theme is very much like the proverbial painting of the Forth Bridge; it’s never really finished, because you keep making little tweaks. But the theme which I have called PiXnoir – the dark version of PiXflat – is now ready to use; like PiXflat it will doubtless continue to evolve over time, but the first version is included in this release.
We’ve made it easy to switch between the themes. Just open ‘Appearance Settings’ from the ‘Preferences’ section of the main menu, go to the ‘System’ tab, and switch the ‘Theme’ option from ‘Light’ to ‘Dark’. Most applications will load the new theme on the fly, but some applications – particularly Geany and Calculator – use their own internal themes as well, so you’ll need to close those first if they are running in order to get the theme to change
Living off the grid is a dream for many people, but it also presents unique challenges that are otherwise absent in our urban-centric lifestyles. One of the largest adjustments one has to make is the lack of readily available power, as it typically comes from renewable wind/solar or generator setups. In element14 Presents host Kaleb Clark’s case, his Honda EU-7000iS generator works in combination with some solar panels around his property, although the generator is located nearly 200 feet away and downhill, making it a very tough journey to operate in bad weather.
After finding a bypass cable with one pair of leads for enabling the generator and another pair for powering on the starter motor, Clark got a couple relays that could bridge their contacts together programmatically. In order to communicate the current output of the generator, solar panels, battery, and if the motor should run, a pair of Arduino Nano 33 IoT boards were chosen for both the house and generator sides of the project. They send data through Wi-Fi and MQTT to stay in consistent synchronization while either one is also connected to a few seven-segment display modules and MAX7221 LED drivers for showing the most recent data.
While inside the house, Clark is able to simply hold down a button and watch how the generator across his property roars to life and begins producing measurable power output to the display. More information about this project can be seen in Clark’s video below!
“Amid the sound of firecrackers, a year has come to an end,” and what better way to welcome the good fortune that the new year brings than with a nice drive through the Horizon Festival’s new features. This celebration will not last two weeks, though; the Horizon Festival has four weeks of content to celebrate this new lunar cycle. Each of these weeks comes with a reward car featuring some of the greatest vehicles to ever come out of the Middle Kingdom! Take it a step further and purchase the Chinese Lucky Stars Car Pack which includes three cars destined for greatness made in China and a VW that stole the country’s heart. Your luck doesn’t end there; thirteen previous reward cars make their way back to the Festival as Autoshow cars are available from January 30. Another firecracker blast from the past sets in with the extended night cycle that makes a return for this series. Gather your family for an amazing, traditional dinner, and some laps around the Horizon Festival with the Lunar New Year Update!
Release Notes & Game Fixes
New Features:
13 Previous Exclusive Reward cars added to the Autoshow
9 Lunar New Year EventLab Props
1 Lunar New Year Collector Accolade
Chinese Lucky Stars Pack becomes available for purchase
5 new unlockable Festival Playlist Reward Cars
Limited Timed Series Features
— Evolving World: Stadium Drift Arena
— Evolving World: Dragon Drone Show
— Evolving World: Fireworks collectible
2 Badges: Feeling Lucky, Lunar Dragon
Returning Extended Nights
Bug Fixes
Improved the audio for the 2008 Aston Martin DBS
Fixed issues that occurred while trying to redeem a car through the message center
Fixed issues with players getting kicked out of the Weekly Trial
Solved the issue causing “Tropical Storm” and “Dust Storm” not to show up in Photo Mode during Spring Season
Fixed cosmetic issues on the 1970 Fast X Dodge Charger, 1966 Fast X Chevrolet Impala, and the 2022 Gordon Murray T.50
You can find a list of issues we are currently investigating here.The Troubleshooting Hub is always open for you to leave any reports you have.
The Year of the Dragon is Here.
People born on a Dragon year are said to be full of energy and drive; the Horizon Festival is no different of course!
From tracks to props, dragons will flood the Festival to celebrate the Lunar New Year along with many other features to discover.
Crouching Tiger, Drifting Dragon
The Stadium twists and turns into a Drift Arena!
Whatever path you decide to take on this track, be true to yourself. The Drift Arena’s curves and bends will have you using every ancient secret of drifting to go on a complete lap. Driving around certain areas of the raceway or near its corners will trigger a smoke effect. Hold your drift, don’t let it catch you off guard!
Besides the myriad of tight corners, multiple red dragons dance through the course creating rings you can drive through. Keep exploring the Stadium and find the Fireworks Collectible hidden inside it.
A Dragon watches over as you burn rubber in the tight corners and twists of the Drift Arena!
Watch a Dragon Dance Done the Horizon Way.
Once you are done burning rubber, the Drift Arena will be hosting a Drone Show at night during the four weeks of Lunar New Year starting on February 1.
During daytime, drones will turn into traditional lanterns that will line up in the pattern of a dragon and prance along the sky as the drones do at night.
Building Your Own Tradition.
The spirit of Lunar New Year celebrates creativity with nine new props to use for your EventLab creations all with a season motif.
Give your tracks an impressive guardian and unique look using the Lunar Dragon. Provide the community with a place to moon gaze including the Lunar Lookout on your creations.
These are the nine props and decorations added in this new update:
Decoration
— Lunar Dragon Head
— Lunar Dragon Body
— Lunar Dragon Tail
Ramps & Platforms
— Lunar Lookout
Walls & Fences:
— Lunar Barrier Gold
— Lunar Barrier Red
Signs & Flags
— Lunar Flag Gold
— Lunar Flag Red
Firework Box
What’s in this Year’s Red Envelopes
The biggest hitters that ever came out of China make an appearance at the Horizon Festival as Lunar New Year’s Reward Cars. Go deeper into Chinese automotive culture and history with the Chinese Lucky Stars Car Pack which will be available for purchase for USD $4.99 / GBP £3.99 / EU €4.99 On January 30
To top it all off, the cars our community chose to return are finally in the Autoshow; snatch these ghosts from the past before they fade away!
Returning Rewards in the Autoshow.
It seems luck is in your favor this year, as the Autoshow will feature thirteen cars during these four weeks.
The long-awaited returning reward cars are here. Our community picked ten previous reward-exclusive cars from a list of options to become available on the Autoshow, and they are finally here! Get those credits ready to grab the rewards you missed starting January 30.
Make room in your garage for three Asian newcomers hitting the Festival’s Autoshow on Lunar New Year. From racing to family, these cars are waiting to be modified and turned into your favorite ride.
10 Returning Cars (announced with Community Choice):
1990 Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer
2010 Aston Martin One-77
2021 Lamborghini Sian Roadster
2021 Rimac Nevera
2010 Ferrari 599XX
1971 Porsche #23 917/20
1962 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso1990
1967 Ferrari #24 Ferrari Spa 330 P4
2018 Italdesign Zerouno
1965 Peel Trident
3 New Cars
2019 Hyundai Veloster N
2020 Xpeng P7
2021 Lynk & Co 03
Chinese Lucky Stars Car Pack
Collect and drive four of China’s biggest golden stars!
The latest Car Pack for Forza Horizon 5 includes 4 cars made locally and VW’s biggest hit in China. Take a deeper look at the vehicles featured in the Chinese Lucky Stars Car Pack.
2022 Lynk & Co 05+
Reading a plus sign at the end of a car’s name can only mean one thing: it’s time to ramp up the crazy.
Adding 14 more horsepower and 29 lb-ft of torque, the 2022 Lynk & Co 05+ does exactly that, turning a regular SUV into a crossover vehicle with a need for the track.
The Co 05+ has been fitted with a multi-link independent suspension system and a new body kit with wings and a front lip to improve downforce.
Lynk & Co’s signature SUV has the power, styling, and gear to take over the Horizon Festival this series!
2023 MG Cyberster
The spiritual successor of MG’s TF is finally here with a dash of Chinese spice and three times to power to make the wait worthwhile.
Enter the 2023 MG Cyberster, an electric convertible equipped with an all-wheel drive system and an engine capable of producing 536 bhp. This automotive fist of electronic fury can accelerate from 0-100 kmh in just 3.2 seconds, putting it right with the big hitters of the Festival.
MG’s legacy combined with the best of Chinese engineering make the MG Cyberster one of your best choices for a light cruise or the harshest of races.
2022 Wuling Hongguang Mini EV Macaron
What is not to love about the 2022 Wuling Hongguang Mini EV Macaron? Agile body, lovely name (translates to sunshine in English), electrically- powered, a paintjob you can almost taste…this lovely macaron is a warrior of the concrete jungle!
They say, “simplicity is the key to brilliance”, and this small vehicle is designed to deal with everyday urban challenges took it as its core. This practical little car is in the race to become number 1 in your heart.
Turn this panda into the ultimate Dragon Warrior with a few customization tweaks and skadoosh around the Horizon Festival this series!
2012 Volkswagen Santana
The German wonder that stole China’s heart, the 2012 Volkswagen Santana is arriving to the Horizon Festival this series.
Considered VW’s biggest hit on the Asian continent, the Santana was one of the first European cars affordable in China. This made it the first choice for taxis and government vehicles.
Germany’s Chinese connection will provide you with a ton of charm, countless hours of fun, and (above all) a ton of customization opportunities. Snatch yours this series with our latest Car Pack.
If you weren’t sure how to spend those red envelope earnings, this is your sign to get the Chinese Lucky Stars Car Pack for $4.99 USD available for purchase now.
Festival Playlist
Four weeks of great luck and rewards come in with Lunar New Year.
This month’s reward cars feature Horizon newcomers from the Asian continent including Hyundai, Lynk & Co, and MG.
Take a look at five amazing reward cars you will be able to unlock this series.
2022 Hyundai Kona
The first week of this Festival Playlist brings a crossover SUV from Korea, the turbocharged and freshly overhauled 2022 Hyundai Kona.
The 2022 model received a very fitting makeover with its exterior being almost entirely a new design with more sportive lines and finishes. To wrap up the changes and upgrades, the Kona was fitted with a 195-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
Whether you want to turn the Kona into an off-roading legend or have it perform at its best on the road, you will be able to unlock and modify it to your pleasing for 20 PTS on the first week of the Festival Playlist.
2022 Hyundai IONIQ 6
The performance model in Hyundai’s line of electric vehicles will reach the Horizon Festival as a Series Reward for Lunar New Year.
The 2022 Hyundai IONIQ 6 is an EV with an aerodynamic look and function that not only makes it run more efficiently, but it also allows it to perform like a sports saloon on the track. The IONIQ 6 can take off from standstill to 100 kmh in just 5.1 seconds.
An electric car that screams performance with its flaps, aerodynamic mirrors, and wheel gap reducers, the Hyundai IONIQ 6 is a great pick for those looking to use less gas and still be fast.
2022 Lynk & Co 02 HB
Yes, you guessed right: HB stands for hatchback, which is another word for “I’m going to have so much fun in this car”.
The 2022 Lynk & Co 02 HB is the Chinese company’s shot at giving the world a hot hatch they can Phoenix dance in. This model is equipped with the Volvo Drive-E 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that we have seen in the Swedish company’s S60, XC70, and V70.
To put their own spin to it, the 02 comes with an overpower option that boosts its torque from 350 Nm to 380 Nm, and let’s this small powerhouse dash from 0 to 100 in 6.2 seconds.
Drift Arena and a hot hatch, need we say more?
2020 Hyundai i30N
More power, more responsiveness, and a sportier body kit; the 2020 Hyundai i30N is getting front of line to become your favorite hatchback to drive around the Horizon Festival.
A 2.0 – liter, 4-cylinder turbo engine capable of producing 353 Nm of torque along with its brand-new 8-speed dual clutch transmission makes this car worthy of an invitation to the hot hatch party that takes place every day at the Festival.
Not straying too far away from its five-door rivals, the i30N can hit a top speed of 250 kmh and reach 100 from nothing in 6.1 seconds.
If not for all the fun a stock hatchback can bring, unlock this car for 20 PTS on the third week of Lunar New Year and see what kinds of sauce you can add with your own customization.
2023 MG MG7
Another one of MG’s staples makes a revamped comeback in the 2023 MG MG7. This new version of a classic comes with a design that puts together luxury and sportive performance.
The new MG7 is geared with a 2.0-liter turbo engine capable of putting out 257 hp and producing 405 Nm of torque, catering to fans of speed; and packs it up inside a stylish outside design.
The return of the MG should be celebrated along with the New Year, and we do not know a better way to do this than taking it to the track and scoring some fast times.
What’s next
We travel back to Across the Atlantic in European Automotive.
New reward cars from the greatest car makers on the planet along with a brand-new Car Pack to drive and collect.
Along with new props and badges, this new update will bring every class to Rally Adventure Rivals!
With the rapid advances in digital technologies like artificial intelligence, it’s more important than ever that every young person has the opportunity to learn how computers are being used to change the world and to develop the skills and confidence to get creative with technology.
Crown copyright. Licensed under the Open Government Licence.
There’s no better way to develop those abilities (super powers even) than getting hands-on experience of programming, whether that’s coding an animation, designing a game, creating a website, building a robot buggy, or training an AI classification model. That’s what tens of thousands of young people do every day in Code Clubs all over the world.
Lessons at 10
We were absolutely thrilled to organise a Code Club at Number Ten Downing Street last week, hosted by the UK Prime Minister’s wife Akshata Murty as part of Lessons at 10.
Crown copyright. Licensed under the Open Government Licence.
Lessons at 10 is an initiative to bring school children from all over the UK into Number Ten Downing Street, the official residence of the Prime Minister. Every week different schools visit to attend lessons led by education partners covering all kinds of subjects.
Crown copyright. Licensed under the Open Government Licence.
We ran a Code Club for 20 Year 7 students (ages 11 to 12) from schools in Coventry and Middlesex. The young people had a great time with the Silly eyes and Ghostbusters projects from our collections of Scratch projects. Both stone-cold classics in my opinion, and a great place to start if you’re new to programming.
Crown copyright. Licensed under the Open Government Licence.
You may have spotted in the photos that the young people were programming on Raspberry Pi computers (the incredible Raspberry Pi 400 made in Wales). We also managed to get our hands on some cool new monitors.
Mrs Murty’s father was one of the founders of Infosys, which ranks among the world’s most successful technology companies, founded in India and now operating all over the world. So it is perhaps no surprise that she spoke eloquently to the students about the importance of every young person learning about technology and seeing themselves as digital creators not consumers.
Crown copyright. Licensed under the Open Government Licence.
We were lucky enough to be in one of the rather fancy rooms in Number Ten, featuring a portrait by John Constable of his niece Ada Lovelace, the world’s first computer programmer. Mrs Murty reminded us that one of the lessons we learn from Ada Lovelace is that computer programming combines both the logical and artistic aspects of human intelligence. So true.
A global movement
Since Code Club’s launch in April 2012, it has grown to be the world’s largest movement of free computing clubs and has supported over 2 million young people to get creative with technology.
Crown copyright. Licensed under the Open Government Licence.
Code Clubs provide a free, fun, and safe environment for young people from all backgrounds to develop their digital skills. Run by teachers and volunteers, most Code Clubs take place in schools, and there are also lots in libraries and other community venues.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation provides a broad range of projects that young people use to build their confidence and skills with lots of different hardware and software. The ultimate goal is that they are empowered to combine their logical and artistic skills to create something original. Just like Ada Lovelace did all those years ago.
Crown copyright. Licensed under the Open Government Licence.
All of our projects are designed to be self-directed, so young people can learn independently or in groups. That means that you don’t need to be a tech expert to set up or run a Code Club. We provide you with all the support that you need to get started.
Smoothly emulate fifth- and sixth-generation consoles including Playstation, Nintendo Game Boy Advance and GameCube, Sega Dreamcast and more. What’s more, there’s a whole new homebrew scene to discover, with brand-new games being made for these classic consoles.
Arts & Crafts with Raspberry Pi
Technology and creativity are inclusive and Raspberry Pi brings the two together. These projects stop people in their tracks because they either look good or perform tasks that are just sheer, plain fun.
The best Raspberry Pi projects
We’ve got a fantastic selection of project showcases this month. Such as this OneInchEye for solar photography. It can capture 4K images at 30fps (frames per second) or 20MP at 12fps for RAW recording.
Learn to use Raspberry Pi’s RTC funcitonality
Our step-by-step tutorials walk you through the process of learning to use Raspberry Pi. Amongst other tutorials, this month is this fantastic step-through of the new RTC (real time clock). Attach a lithium battery to Raspberry Pi to automatically turn the device on and off while keeping perfect time.
Play games on Beepy
We’re still smitten with the Beepy device that turns Raspberry Pi into a PDA (personal digital assistant) with a BlackBerry-style keyboard. In keeping with the theme this month we’re looking at a range of text adventures and other games you can play on this diminutive device.
Learn to use a synthesizer
We adore this Bullfrog Synth developed in association with Richie Hawtin (aka Plastikman). Inside a RP2040 is used to generate audio and integrate MIDI control while a series of wires are used to link the various synth elements together. It’s the ideal way to learn about sound generation.
Raspberry Pi at Maker Faire Shenzen
Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton attended one last big event before Christmas: Maker Faire Shenzen. Joining them was Seeed Studios, a Raspberry Pi Approved Reseller, showing off their wares and hunting down cool Raspberry Pi projects in the process. It was a busy event full of talks and cool stalls!
Save 35% off the cover price with a subscription to The MagPi magazine. UK subscribers get three issues for just £10 and a FREE Raspberry Pi Pico W, then pay £30 every six issues. You’ll save money and get a regular supply of in-depth reviews, features, guides and other Raspberry Pi enthusiast goodness delivered directly to your door every month.
This book is packed with information on retro gaming. In particular, it covers how to retro game with Raspberry Pi 5 in a lot of detail. Learn to use all the major emulation systems, and recreate retro consoles up to the Dreamcast and Sony Playstation generations. It’s packed with homebrew software and new games being developed for original systems. This year’s retro gaming guide is bigger than ever: 180 pages. Each page is packed with classic gaming goodness. We’re incredibly proud of this one and we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did writing it.
Use ready-made emulation software to quickly and easily turn Raspberry Pi into a huge range of retro consoles and computers. It’s easy to set up a retro gaming console and we’ll show you how. You’ll even learn how to build your own portable gaming consoles and finally achieve that dream of owning your own arcade machine.
Rediscover those systems from your childhood
We’ve got the latest information hot from The MagPi team on how to emulate a whole new generation of consoles. From the Nintendo GameCube, to Sony PlayStation, and the Sega Dreamcast. Discover how to play new games on these classic systems with Raspberry Pi.
Meet incredible makers and hear all about their builds
We’ll show you how to download retro games and emulate them with Raspberry Pi computers. You’ll discover how to build your consoles, both handheld and television-based and hear from some of the best makers around. They share their secrets to successful emulation.
Discover a thriving homebrew scene
There are hundreds of developers making games every bit as good as back in the 1980s and 1990s. And they’ve only got better at making classic games. We’ll show you how to find new games for classic consoles, and how to get involved with this incredible gaming scene.
They were assaulted by many traps and Guardian Constructs that Kulle had set for them in case they tried to meddle in his experiments. Many of Kulle’s former Horadrim brethren died in their quest to hunt him down and deliver justice.
When the Horadrim finally succeeded in capturing Kulle, they discovered he had made himself impossible to kill through the use of dark arcane spells. The Horadrim separated his body and head, sealing them away to prevent any forces from ever attempting to resurrect Kulle ever again.
Kulle’s Constructs
In Season of the Construct, you will come across one of Zoltun’s allies from earlier in his life as a mage. You will need to work with Ayuzhan of Caldeum, who worked with Zoltun long ago to create The Loom.
A device of extraordinary power, the Loom was originally created with the intent to save humanity. Ayuzhan knew Zoltun at a time before his morality was corrupted by the power of the soulstones, a more optimistic young Mage than the one the history books now remember.
With Kulle long since dead, the Loom has been corrupted by Malphas to create the deadly mechanical Constructs now tasked with humanity’s ruin. From January 23, make your final stand against the sinister powers of The Loom in Diablo IV’s Season of the Construct, and earn your own Seneschal Companion and fight against the twisted machinations of Kulle’s legacy.
Plunge beneath the waves and get straight to the action with our latest free update!
A new Season has begun! Introducing a complete overhaul of the Voyage system, this latest Sea of Thieves update enables you to dive to your destination of choice directly from your Quest Table, while vastly expanding the rewards and progression pathways on offer.
Arriving on January 23rd, Season 11 brings with it a fresh 100 levels of Renown and rewards to be earned alongside all the other improvements bundled in. Like previous Seasons, the update is free for all players across all the usual platforms – just install the most recent version of the game and you’re ready to go. While it’s downloading, check out our Season 11 Launch Trailer for a quick overview of everything you’ll be able to explore!
At its heart, Season 11 is focused on getting you to the content you want to play faster than ever before. To do that, this update introduces a Quest Table to your ship to help revamp your Voyage experience. Now, rather than having to stop at an Outpost to buy new Voyages, you’ll be able to access them directly from your ship wherever you happen to be.
Once you and your crew have decided on what type of outing you’d like to go on – whether that’s undertaking a traditional Voyage for a Trading Company, digging into the lore of a Tall Tale or battling your way through a themed World Event like a Skeleton Fort or Ashen Lord – you’ll have two transportation options: sail to your destination in the traditional way, or, if you want to jump right into the fray, dive beneath the waves to head straight there.
The option of diving not only makes Voyages more viable for shorter game sessions, it opens up access to World Events not currently active on your server. Even better, these on-demand Events, known as Raid Voyages, are undertaken on behalf of a specific Trading Company and offer the corresponding loot, so you’ll always know what kind of reward you’re working towards. If you’re striving to progress with a specific Company, taking on a Raid Voyage and emerging victorious will net you a nice reputation boost.
Be warned, however! You won’t be able to take any loot with you if you decide to dive right to your next destination. To get the full payout from your hard work, you’ll need to stop by an Outpost (or The Reaper’s Hideout) and cash in first. But all is not lost if you can’t make it all the way there – rather than all rewards being tied to loot delivery, you’ll now receive some Company reputation immediately on completion of a Voyage, so you’ll never walk away with nothing to show for your efforts.
To keep up with all these new ways of earning reputation, the Trading Companies are expanding. With the exception of The Hunter’s Call, all Companies will now enable pirates to raise their reputation all the way up to level 100. Once players hit that momentous mark, they’ll be able to unlock their first Distinction and earn some sparkling hand jewellery to show off their accomplishment. With five levels of Distinction waiting to be earned and new rewards and Quest Table options to unlock along the way, this gives even long-time players plenty of new ground to cover!
With so many changes coming to fundamental systems across Sea of Thieves, there are bound to be a lot of questions floating around about Season 11. To answer some of the most pressing ones, and to ensure that players have all the information they need to get right to the good stuff, members of the development team took the time to sit down in front of the camera and share their secrets in our most recent Deep Dive!
In addition to the On Demand overhaul arriving with this Season, a lot of work has gone into fine-tuning and rebalancing existing Voyages and events to give you a smoother experience and ensure the rewards (including some new rewards!) feel satisfying. Find a shipwreck or a Message in a Bottle while out exploring and you can be sure the effort you invest in it will be worthwhile. With Chests of Fortune also out there among the Fleets of Fortune marked by a distinctive red ship cloud, the emergent world is very much alive…
And as always, a new Season includes a range of new rewards to enjoy. 100 new levels of Renown come with unique cosmetics and currency to claim, while the optional Plunder Pass purchase offers players the chance to unlock a whole host of Well-Travelled Trader ship and clothing items. Meanwhile, the intimidating Boarhunter ship, clothing and weapon bundles make their debut in the Pirate Emporium for anyone with Ancient Coins to spend!
Everything on offer in Sea of Thieves Season 11 is out now, ready for you to explore at your leisure. If you’re not sure how the new Voyage system works, or if you’re new to the game and just finding your feet, take a moment to check out the brand new Trading Company tutorials via your Quest Table. The Pirate Lord will walk you through everything you need to know! Or if you’re an old hand looking for a bullet-pointed breakdown, make the latest release notes your next destination.
After that, it’s time to weigh anchor and get sailing! All the excitement of the seas is closer at hand than ever before…
Since November, registration is open for Mission Space Lab, part of the European Astro Pi Challenge 2023/24. The Astro Pi Challenge is an ESA Education project run in collaboration with us here at the Raspberry Pi Foundation that gives young people up to age 19 the amazing opportunity to write computer programs that run on board the International Space Station (ISS). It is free to take part and young people can participate in two missions: Mission Zero, designed for beginners, and Mission Space Lab, designed for more experienced coders.
This year, Mission Space Lab has a brand-new format. As well as introducing a new activity for teams to work on, we have created new resources to support teams and mentors, and developed a special tool to help teams test their programs.
A big motivator for these changes was to make the activity more accessible and enable more young people to have their code run in space. Listening to feedback from participants and mentors, we are creating the opportunity for even more teams to submit programs that run on the ISS this year, by offering a specific activity and providing more extensive support materials.
A scientific task
For this year’s mission, ESA astronauts have given teams a specific scientific task to solve: to calculate the speed that the ISS is travelling as it orbits the Earth. People working in science often investigate a specific phenomenon or try to solve a particular problem. They have to use their knowledge and skills and the available tools to find ways to answer their research question. For Mission Space Lab, teams will work just like this. They will look at what sensors are available on the Astro Pi computers on board the ISS, develop a solution, and then write a Python program to execute it. To test their program, they will use the new Astro Pi Replay software tool we’ve created, which simulates running their program on board the ISS.
The Astro Pi computers
To help teams and mentors take part in Mission Space Lab, we are providing a variety of supporting materials:
Our mentor guide has everything mentors need to support their teams through Mission Space Lab, including guidance for structuring the mission and tips to help teams solve problems.
Our creator guide helps young people design and create their programs. It provides information and technical instructions to help young people develop their coding skills and create a program that can be run on the Astro Pis on board the ISS.
We have created an ISS speed project guide that shows an example of how the scientific task can be solved using photos captured by the Astro Pi’s camera.
We have also run virtual sessions to help mentors and teams familiarise themselves with the new Mission Space Lab activity, and to ask any technical questions they might have. You can watch the recordings of these sessions on YouTube:
The Astro Pi Replay tool
Astro Pi Replay is a new simulation tool that we have developed to support Mission Space Lab teams to test their programs. The tool simulates running programs on the Astro Pi computers on board the ISS. It is a Python library available as a plug-in to install in the Thonny IDE where teams write their programs. Thanks to this tool, teams can develop and test their programs on any computer that supports Python, without the need for hardware like the Astro Pi units on board the ISS.
The Astro Pi Replay tool works by replaying a data set captured by a Mission Space Lab team in May 2023. The data set includes readings from the Astro Pi ‘s sensors, and images taken by its visible-light camera like the ones below. Whenever teams run their programs in Thonny with Astro Pi Replay, the tool replays some of this historical data. That means teams can use the historical data to test their programs and calculations.
The Mediterranean sea with the coastlines of Sicily and Tunisia
The Irish Sea with the coastlines of Great Britain and Ireland
The coastline of southern Egypt and the Red Sea
One of the benefits of using this simulation tool is that it gives teams a taste of what they can expect if their program is run on the ISS. By replaying a sequence of data captured by the Astro Pis in space, teams using sensors will be able to see what kind of data can be collected, and teams using the camera will be able to see some incredible Earth observation images.
If you’re curious about how Astro Pi Replay works, you’ll be pleased to hear we are making it open source soon. That means you’ll be able to look at the source code and find out exactly what the library does and how.
Get involved
Community members have consistently reported how amazing it is for teams to receive unique Earth observation photos and sensor data from the Astro Pis, and how great the images and data are to inspire young people to participate in their computing classes, clubs, or events. Through the changes we’ve made to Mission Space Lab this year, we want to support as many young people as possible to have the opportunity to engage in space science and capture their own data from the ISS.
If you want a taste of how fantastic Astro Pi is for learners, watch the story of St Joseph’s, a rural Irish school where participating in Astro Pi has inspired the whole community.
Submissions for Mission Space Lab 2023/24 are open until 19 February 2024, so there’s still time to take part! You can find full details and eligibility criteria at astro-pi.org/mission-space-lab.
If you have any questions about the European Astro Pi Challenge, please get in touch at contact@astro-pi.org.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a fun party game for iOS and Android that presents players with the challenge of cooperatively defusing a virtual bomb. It is a bit like those “no, cut the blue wire!” scenes in movies, because only one player can see the bomb. The other player(s) has access to information about the bomb and good communication is necessary to guide the first player through the disarming process. Inspired by that game, Heath Paddock built this physical escape room-in-a-box for his friends that looks like a blast to play.
This self-contained escape room works almost exactly like Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, but lets the player in charge of defusing interact with a physical “bomb.” If they wait too long or mess up the disarming process three times, the bomb explodes and the players lose.
As with Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, this device has several modules that each act as distinct puzzles. For example, one module has an LED matrix “maze” that the defuser must guide a dot through. But they can’t see the walls of the maze, so they have to rely on instructions from the “expert” player that has access to the documentation.
One Arduino oversees the whole game, tallying failed attempts and counting down until detonation. And each module also has its own dedicated Arduino to read the inputs and set the outputs (such as LEDs and displays) for that specific puzzle.
To keep everything in sync, Paddock developed his own communication protocol. It allows any Arduino to send a message to the central Arduino by passing it along a serial chain that goes through every Arduino in the box. That chain forms a big loop, so every message will eventually reach its destination.
This project is a delight to see in action and looks like a lot of fun. It takes the proven gameplay of Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes and adds tactility to enhance the experience.
“For us, creating these choices, like the big ones that affect the outcome of a quest, or the wellbeing of certain characters or communities are just as important as the smaller choices that you make in navigating a dialogue and, in subtle ways, influencing your relationship with another character,” said Patel. “All of it is really centered around letting the player be the main character in this setting.”
It’s important to note that for all we’ve now seen of Avowed, there’s much, much more to explore throughout the Living Lands. In fact, the specific quest in Shatterscarp we covered “is entirely discoverable, which means it’s also entirely missable.” In terms of scope of the game, Paramo compares with another recent Obsidian title, “it’s open-zone, size comparable to The Outer Worlds areas on the larger side, and [with] multiple paths essentially to tackle combat situations, or avoid them.”
According to Patel, sharp-eyed players will have much more to seek out throughout their time with Avowed: “One of the big delights of being a developer on a game like this is creating so much for players to find, and knowing that not everybody’s going to seek it out, and not everybody’s gonna find it, but knowing that the players who do are really going to enjoy the secrets they discover.”
Avowed launches this fall on Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC – for more information please visit the Avowed website.
Avowed
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger.
Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment. You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands – an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder? The Weird and Wonderful Living Lands
The Living Lands is a place that feels foreign yet somewhat intrinsic to you as it feels the island itself is calling out to you for help. Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem. Visceral Combat to Play Your Way
Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way. Dig into your grimoire for spells to trap, freeze or burn enemies, bash them with your shield, or use range bows to attack from a distance. Companions as part of your journey
Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities. From a former mercenary to an eccentric wizard, they will be part of your journey with your choices shaping them as you help them with their quests.
Sailing is a great way to get outdoors and explore the open waters, yet it can also pose some risks to the pilot and passengers if they are unfamiliar with how the boat handles under different wind conditions. As Kif Scheuer notes in his project write-up, traditional instruction relies on simple 2D illustrations, so he decided to take it a step further and build a highly interactive demonstrator that can affect a model sailboat in a more realistic/physical manner.
Because this device is meant to simulate sailing, Scheuer needed some sort of wind generator in the form of a 5V PC fan that was powerful enough to move the boat’s sail. It’s mounted onto an aluminum arm that is positioned on the output shaft of a NEMA17 stepper motor, thus allowing the Arduino UNO Rev3 to pivot its direction. Similarly, the boat was also hooked up to another stepper motor so that it could turn according to the fan’s updated position along its arc. The other electronics include a display for showing the current mode, a potentiometer for user interaction, and several buttons that control the mode/fan angle.
Once assembled, the user is able to switch between the various modes: manual, selective, random, and wind, with this last mode enabling the user to pivot the fan rather than the boat to observe how the sail reacts. You can read more about the sailing demonstrator on Instructables.
Three is the magic number, and extending the annual event that celebrates our community from one to three days will make for a very special edition this year. Today, we are finally announcing the dates for Arduino Days, taking place on March 21st, 22nd and 23rd, 2024. Mark your calendars, and bookmark the dedicated website for up-to-date information as we get closer to launch.
Now in its 11th year, this is the event that brings together all Arduino users and shines the spotlight on the most outstanding projects and ideas – across the world! We’ve had some great contributions in the past: remember Jeanne Harignordoquy’s World Wind Radio in 2023, or the Blue Box Project by Judit Giró Benet and Billy Chen in 2021? All sessions will be broadcast in live streaming (and later remain available on our YouTube channel) for maximum accessibility and visibility.
This year, we look forward to showcasing a huge range of applications, from industrial-grade solutions to wow-worthy prototypes, and from educational tutorials to completely original ideas that put a twist on our ecosystem. We’ll also treat our community to some exciting new product announcements, behind-the-scenes from our collaborations with industrial partners, and deep dives on current trends like Edge AI, TinyML, real-time monitoring, and so much more. Stay tuned!
The Call for Speakers
We will share the complete three-day agenda in the run-up to the event, but first… we want to give you the chance to be part of Arduino Days with your most impressive and interesting projects! Submit yours following the easy process on the dedicated website.
Should you be selected as a speaker for the 2024 edition, our team will be in touch to support you in producing the most effective video or presentation for the Arduino Days lineup – so you can be sure to make the best of your 10 minutes at the center of our stage.
We are also currently accepting submissions for organized events around the world, to take place during Arduino Days (either online or in person). If you want to be part of this incredible network of initiatives, tell us more by answering the call! All submissions will be featured on our website for a boost of visibility, and selected organizers will receive an exclusive package of communication material.
Whether you want to speak at Arduino Days or add to the celebrations with your own original event, we can’t wait to see your suggestions – and for the whole Arduino community to see YOU!
Watching back a slideshow of some of your favorite times of the past years is a great way to reflect on what’s happened and get excited for the future. The Electronic Cats crew wanted to incorporate this concept into a more simplified, interactive form which resulted in the Garrita project.
Garrita is a homemade platform that lets an Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi with GIGA Display Shield transform into a highly mobile slideshow thanks to its larger onboard memory capacity and convenient layout. This year, the Electronic Cats were able to take their image shifter concept even further with Michi: an existing project that turns any conductive object into a capacitive touch-sensing controller. Whenever one of Michi’s inputs are toggled, the board sends a signal to the GIGA R1 WiFi that causes the current slide to advance to the next one.
In order to go from a locally stored image to something on the Display Shield, users first transform their images into a more suitable format via the LVGL conversion tool. Once downloaded, the resulting files can be easily bundled into a Sketch before they become accessible in the application code. To see more about how the Electronic Cats built Garrita, you can read their write-up here on Hackster.io.
Fractals are shapes that contain complex detail however closely you look at them, or however far you zoom in. Often, they are self-similar: if you zoom in on the small-scale detail, you find it resembles the overall shape. Some of the most familiar forms that have fractal features are ones found in nature, like fern leaves and frost patterns, and we bet we’re not the only ones who call Romanesco “fractal cauliflowers”.
They are also beautiful. Fractal art can be created algorithmically by software, with the results usually represented as still digital images or animations. It all kicked off in the mid-1980s, so it’s the kind of thing that’s likely to be right up our street.
The maker kept the assembly pretty simple, cutting a small hole in the picture frame’s back mount panel to slip the display HAT’s ribbon cable through, with the project’s Raspberry Pi left free-floating behind it. The e-ink display itself fits snugly inside the frame, with a card mount providing a little breathing space between the display and the glass.
Software setup
Getting the software going looks to be as elegantly easy as the hardware. All the code you need is on GitHub, including a step-by-step guide in the README. It generates part of a Mandelbrot set with dimensions to suit the e-paper screen, then renders it for display.
Fellow maker Rob Weber has added extra code to the GitHub repository from the Omni-EPD project. The additional code allows for more electronic display types to be used.
We’re not going to get into what the Mandelbrot set is, but Jimi Sol in this here video seems to do a great job of explaining.
“I bought the panel from the Waveshare Amazon store,” says Karl. “For the 7.5 in Waveshare panel, I’d recommend getting an 18×24 cm frame [like this one].” Karl also ordered a custom frame from Best4Frames: “I ordered mine around 15×9.7 cm, which is one of the smallest cutouts they can make.”
“The picture mount is good for aesthetics,” explains Karl alongside offering “extra protection.” A small slit on the side of the back panel of the frame allows access to the ribbon cable. “I attached it to the header which comes with the Waveshare panel, and which goes directly on [Raspberry] Pi Zero.
“Those of you who are more gifted in building might be able to come up with an enclosure, but in my build Raspberry Pi is free‑floating,” says Karl.
It’s going to be a good year for Xbox players. At today’s Developer_Direct show, we provided deep-dives into five new games launching across Xbox Series X|S, PC, Game Pass and/or cloud – all of which will arrive later in 2024. Development teams at Xbox, Bethesda, and even one of our third-party partners invited you into their studios to showcase extended gameplay, reveal key information, and more.
During the show, we visited the studios behind Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avowed, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, and Ara: History Untoldto find out more about each one. Members of each development team gave us a look into their creation, with new information, and offered a tantalizing glimpse of what’s to come this year. All four of these games will arrive on day one with Game Pass, and will contribute to what’s going to be another huge year for members, delivering incredible games throughout 2024.
Plus, in a special surprise, we heard from the team at Square Enix to learn a lot more about Visions of Mana, the first new mainline entry in the Mana series in over 15 years, and its debut on Xbox platforms. With participation from developers on 3 continents, it was a truly global show.
Here’s a summary of everything we announced and covered during Developer_Direct:
Avowed – Launching Fall 2024
Xbox Series X/S, PC, Cloud – Joining Game Pass on Day One
Avowed Game Director Carrie Patel gave us a first deep-dive into the gameplay in Obsidian’s upcoming fantasy action RPG, from its dynamic combat, to its thoughtful reactivity, to its “colorful, vibrant, strange” world set in the Living Lands. Avowed continues Obsidian’s signature style of creating games with deep themes and player choice at the forefront.
Not only will you make narrative decisions that can impact changes in the game down the line, but Avowed is also looking to offer choice in combat. Gameplay Director Gabe Paramo discussed not only how varied your weaponry will be – with melee weapons, ranged guns and bows, and magic-based wands (even dual-wielded wands!) to name a few – but how flexible combat can be, allowing you to quickly change loadouts for enemy encounters. Swappable loadouts mean you can approach combat however feels right to you.
Art Director Matt Hansen then explained how the Living Lands is a mysterious island made up of wildly varied regions offering visually diverse backdrops and intriguing settings to explore. With secrets hidden throughout the regions, you’ll take in barren deserts, verdant forests, blighted wastes, volcanic biomes, and more.
That’s not all for Avowed, however – make sure to tune in to the Xbox Podcast on Monday, January 22 for an exclusive interview with some of Obsidian’s developers, offering even more information on the gameplay reveal.
Get ready to carve your own path through Avowed when it launches this fall for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud – and arrives with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass on day one. For more information please visit the Avowed website.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – Launching May 21
Xbox Series X/S, PC, Cloud – Joining Game Pass on Day One
Ninja Theory took us behind the scenes at their studio in Cambridge to take a look at Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, meet some of the team and learn more about the craft behind their new title, which is now in the final months of development.
In the video we learned more about Senua’s new journey, which leads her to Iceland, a harsh and brutal land ravaged by myth and tyranny. We were given a new look at Senua’s experiences of the world, seen through her eyes as someone who experiences psychosis, and saw some of Senua’s visceral and violent battles with the Draugar. We also heard more detail on what players can expect from the game’s story and how binaural and spatial audio will sink player’s deep into the world of Hellblade.
With a studio mission of crafting life-changing art with game-changing tech, Ninja Theory are pushing the boundaries of fidelity, richness and immersion. You can join Senua on her new quest, May 21. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is available to wishlist on Steam and pre-install on Xbox Game Pass now.
Visions of Mana – Launching Summer 2024
Xbox Series X|S, PC
In a surprise appearance, Square Enix joined the show to present Visions of Mana, the first new mainline entry in the series in over 15 years, and its debut on Xbox platforms. Series producer Masaru Oyamada presented a sneak peek at the gorgeous new RPG, sharing gameplay and behind the scenes footage before its launch in Summer 2024.
Koichi Ishii – father of the Mana series and creator of many of its iconic monsters – discussed the implementation and design of the enemies in Visions of Mana, and introduced the adorable new animal companions, “pikuls” and explained the design process behind them.
Oyamada then shared some details regarding the game’s score and revealed that the tracklist for Visions of Mana contains 100 songs in total, including works from musical talent who worked on previous Mana games. Oyamada also shared details of the adaptive music system that allows seamless transition from map exploration to battles, demonstrating a snippet of the background music changing as you enter or leave combat.
Oyamada also revealed that in Visions of Mana, The Elementals will assist the player in battle in the form of specialized items, which will each have a different effect in combat. Combined with aerial combat that allows for weapons and magic to be used in mid-air, the combat is fast-paced and flexible.
Visions of Mana launches Summer 2024 on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC!
Ara: History Untold – Launching Fall 2024
PC – Joining PC Game Pass on Day One
The key leads at Oxide Games debuted an all-new look at gameplay and shared an overview of the key features coming to Ara: History Untold during today’s Developer Direct. Viewers learned more about Ara’s crafting system, unique approach to simultaneous turns, and more.
You can learn more about this innovative new historical grand strategy game with our in-depth interview with Design Director Michelle Menard and we will have more to share in the coming months leading up to Ara’s launch this fall on PC and with PC Game Pass. For the latest breaking news follow the Ara: History Untold social channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram/Threads) and wishlist the game on Steam.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – Launching 2024
Xbox Series X/S, PC – Joining Game Pass on Day One
The official reveal of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was debuted during Developer_Direct with over 13 minutes of gameplay footage and developer insights. This new journey starring the legendary archaeologist comes from the award-winning team at MachineGames – the minds behind Wolfenstein: The New Order and Wolfenstein: The New Colossus – in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games and executive produced by Bethesda Game Studios’ Todd Howard. Find out more on Bethesda.net.
Other Streams
Blizzard held a DiabloIV Developer Update Livestream earlier today that dug into the horrors waiting for you beneath the sands of Kehjistan in Season of the Construct, launching January 23, and introduced the competitive leaderboard activity called The Gauntlet. Associate Director of Community Adam Fletcher, Game Design Manager Daniel Tanguay, Quest Designer Madeleine James, and Lead Class Designer Adam Jackson spoke about the new Seneschal companion, Hazard-filled dungeons called Vaults, a new Questline, and more – all of which surfaces in Season of the Construct. Additionally, the group gave a quick look at The Gauntlet leaderboards and wrapped up the livestream by answering questions from the community in a Q&A session.
Shortly after Developer_Direct, ZeniMax Online Studios kicked off The Elder Scrolls Online 2024 Global Reveal, unveiling the game’s next major Chapter, including the new zone, storyline, and other major features. You’ll be able to read more about what was revealed on Xbox Wire and Bethesda.net as soon as that show concludes.
Looking Ahead
Today marks just a small selection of the games coming to Xbox this year. With our own studios and our incredible partners bringing a diverse set of incredible experiences to Xbox consoles, PC, Cloud, and Game Pass, there’s going to be something new for every kind of player. To find out more, make sure to return to Xbox Wire later this month, when we post a round-up of some of the most exciting games coming to Xbox platforms in 2024.
Visions of Mana is a game of many firsts. It’s the first entirely new mainline Mana game for more than 15 years. It’s the first game to offer such sprawling 3D worlds and freedom to explore them. And – perhaps most excitingly for the readers of this blog – it’s the first Mana game to release on Xbox!
Of course, that means that some of you may not be entirely familiar with this franchise. You may be wondering: What makes this one of the most beloved Square Enix series out there? Why did this announcement and trailer for Visions of Mana shown at The Game Awards 2023 – and its surprise appearance in Developer_Direct – make people so giddy and excited?
Let’s start by introducing you to this brand new adventure:
What is Visions of Mana?
This sprawling new single-player action RPG puts you in the shoes of Val – a curious and carefree young man and skilled fighter. One eventful night, his childhood friend is chosen as an alm – someone who must travel to the Mana Tree and rejuvenate the flow of mana power. Val joins her as the Soul Guard to protect her on her journey, and an epic adventure begins.
As Val, you’ll explore vast areas, battle monsters, gain allies, and uncover the many secrets of this expansive world. And what a world it is! As you can see from the screenshots and trailer, it’s a beautifully vibrant game with rich colors and expressive characters.
The beauty is matched by equally appealing combat. Aerial combat allows for physical and magic attacks in mid-air, and the grand and mysterious powers of the Elemental spirits can assist players in the form of specialized weapons.. It’s fast-paced, strategic, and endlessly satisfying.
In short, it’s a perfect entry point for those of you yet to experience a Mana game, as it brings together everything great about this incredible series.
What is the Mana series?
The Mana games are a long-running series of fantasy RPGs that typically feature fast-paced, action-based combat, appealing visuals and music, and stories that center around themes of nature and the majestic Mana Tree.
It’s one of the most immediately enjoyable series, with exciting combat, colorful worlds, and a desire to always innovate. Here’s how Mana Series Producer Masaru Oyamada defines it:
“There are different opinions on what makes a Mana game – as the Series Creator Koichi Ishii always tries to do something new with each game after all.
“I think we’ve managed to capture all of these elements in one consistent visual style for Visions of Mana, which really reflects the spirit of the series.”
Masaru Oyamada, Mana Series Producer
“But from my own perspective, I think there’s very much a distinctive Mana style that is easily recognizable to everyone. You can see it in the Tree of Mana illustrations by the great Hiroo Isono, in Mr. Ishii’s unforgettable monsters, and in the characters that inhabit these worlds.
“I think we’ve managed to capture all of these elements in one consistent visual style for Visions of Mana, which really reflects the spirit of the series.”
Each Mana game is a standalone adventure, with its own characters, stories and even gameplay mechanics. There’s rarely any narrative connection between them – instead they’re connected by elements like repeating monsters, such as the adorable rabites.
In other words, you can jump into any Mana game as if it’s your first, and Visions of Mana is no different. In fact, it’s a particularly great place to start as it’s the first entirely new mainline Mana game in more than 15 years!
A Brief History of Mana
Yes, it’s really that many years! The Mana series is one of the longest-running and most beloved RPG series out there, harking all the way back to the long-long-ago of 1991.
Introductions of Mana
Final Fantasy Adventure/Mystic Quest, from Collection of Mana (2019)
You’d be forgiven for not realizing the first game was the beginnings of the series, as for its North American release the first game was titled Final Fantasy Adventure, and – to make things even more confusing – in Europe, it went by the name Mystic Quest (Of course, that’s not to be confused with the 16-bit Mystic Quest, which is an entirely different game. And one that has an alternate name in Europe too – Mystic Quest Legend. As you can see, regional game-naming could get very convoluted back in the 90s).
Whichever name it went by, Final Fantasy Adventure can be considered the first Mana game. It put players in the shoes of a bold hero who must prevent the Dark Lord and his assistant Julius from destroying the Tree of Mana and thus the world.
Many of the elements that would come to define the series started here – action-based combat, themes of nature and the Tree of Mana, incredible music, and a strong visual style.
Secrets of Mana
Secret of Mana (2018 Remake)
Final Fantasy Adventure/Mystic Quest was a hit with players and critics alike and made a strong start for the series. But it was the second game in the series, 1993’s 16-bit Secret of Mana, where it truly defined its identity.
This incredible RPG introduced many of the familiar monsters and gameplay elements that continue into Visions of Mana, such as the ring menu for quickly selecting spells and items. It’s also overflowing with personality – this is a game where you’ll battle ducks wearing army-issue helmets, fast-travel through a cannon man operated cannon and meet and help Santa Claus.
It was followed up by the then Japan-exclusive Trials of Mana – another celebrated RPG of its time.
Generations of Mana
Legend of Mana (2021 Remaster)
The next game in the series, 2000’s (released 1999 in Japan) Legend of Mana, was another boldly experimental game, which gave players unprecedented freedom over how their adventure unfolded. Its beautiful visuals, sublime soundtrack and unstructured approach to storytelling made for a unique game that won many fans.
As the new millennium progressed, more Mana games would be released, including a portable remake of Final Fantasy Adventure titled Sword of Mana, dungeon-crawler Children of Mana, the last new Mana game to be released on consoles, Dawn of Mana, and even a real time strategy game for handhelds, Heroes of Mana.
Over the last decade, there have also been a number of rereleases and remakes, which introduced a new generation of fans to this incredible series. Even so, there was an appetite for something new – and now it’s arriving as Visions of Mana.
“It’s been around 10 years since I took over as Mana series producer, but one of my ambitions from the beginning was to put out a completely new game on consoles.”
Masaru Oyamada, Mana Series Producer
Producer Oyamada explains why it was finally time for a new console adventure:
“It’s been around 10 years since I took over as Mana series producer, but one of my ambitions from the beginning was to put out a completely new game on consoles.”
“However, there had already been quite a gap since the previous entry when I took the reins of the series, so I was a little unsure as to how many fans actually wanted to see a new Mana game.”
“So first, we decided to release various remakes and remasters to both renew interest among past fans of the series and give newcomers a chance to experience the series. Following the good reputation for the Trials of Mana remake, it became clear that we could realistically make the kind of game we’d long been imagining.”
“Visions of Mana is that game.”
Which Brings Us to Visions of Mana
Visions of Mana offers a fresh new take on the series, with large areas to explore and a rich story, all portrayed with a beautifully colorful visual style.
That was something that the team was particularly eager to capture, as Mr. Oyamada explains:
“I asked the development team to try to create character models that captured the atmosphere of character designer HACCAN’s illustrations, and experiment to see if they could make a world that incorporated the beautiful depictions of nature from the artist Mr. Hiroo Isono.
“During this process of experimentation, I also managed to secure the support from Mr. Koichi Ishii, the creator of the Mana series and designer of many of its classic monsters, asking him to oversee the updating of his past monster designs into 3D for current generation graphics. All this led to a world that I felt was recognizable at a glance as being from the Mana series.
“With the visuals and the setting decided on, the team was inspired to come up with many different ideas about what kinds of battle mechanics and gameplay elements would work best in this gorgeous world, filled with nature and overflowing with the power of the Elementals. These were gradually worked up into the final game.”
Visions of Mana will release in Summer 2024 on Xbox Series X|S and on Windows PC. To stay up to date with news about the game, be sure to follow the team on social media:
But we’ll had hand over to Mr. Oyamada for the final word:
“Visions of Mana takes the core elements that made the Mana series, such as the warm and inviting world, monsters and epic tales of new encounters and emotional farewells and pushes them to a new level. And it’s coming the Xbox for the first time!
“We’re working hard to get the game ready, and I hope Xbox fans look forward to an awesome experience!”
Hi, everyone! Your local, friendly Aibius Corp. PR rep here to tell you about the latest free Title Update coming to Exoprimal, and just in time, too – Exoprimal is on sale for 50% off across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC now through January 30! Buckle up because we have two new 10-player co-op missions with boss fights – including a truly special Monster Hunter crossover – new Exosuit variants to take for a spin, a new map to explore, more rigs and modules to augment your gameplay, and out-of-this-world cosmetics that’ll have you looking like you’re living in 3043 while everyone else is stuck in 2043. Don’t check your calendar, check out what we have in store for you!
We’re proud to share that our roster of Exosuits will be expanding with a set of unlockable β (Beta) variant suits! Just like the α (Alpha) suits before them, these suits have unique weapons that change up the way you play, adding new ways to roast dinosaurs and toast the competition. And that’s not the only roster that’s getting an upgrade: the list of missions provided by Leviathan, who we’ll remind you is our extremely stable, reliable, and trustworthy AI, is also expanding with two new 10-player co-op missions!
The Barrage Beta Variant Exosuit
First up, we have the Neo Triceratops. This multi-horned terror has been uphanced on its journey through time, resulting in fun-tastic mutations that you wouldn’t see on a normal dinosaur. While a typical Triceratops is a challenge on its own, this is a particularly vicious fight that requires rival squads to work together as a team of 10. Skilled Exofighters who exhibit how teamwork makes the dream work will be rewarded with bonus existence. Do your best out there!
In addition, Aibius Research and Development has recorded what appears to be a Rathalos from the Monster Hunter series (based on data recovered from charred Exosuits). While we’ve seen our fair share of dinosaurs, we haven’t seen anything quite like this. Rathalos is capable of flight, fire breathing, and devastating attacks with its tail, claws, and body. We’ve even received reports that small, raptor-like creatures called Velociprey tend to show up alongside the Rathalos as well. Good luck coming back in one piece! Remember, per your employee agreement, Aibius is not responsible for any on-the-job loss of pieces.
Following in the footsteps of Monster Hunter: World, seasoned Exofighters may begin to see monster tracks across a variety of maps while working towards Dino Survival objectives. In Monster Hunter: World, gathering up enough tracks will help guide you to the monster that you’re looking for. What do you suppose that means if you gather enough of them in Exoprimal? (That’s your cue to go find some tracks, Exofighters!)
The new Stealth Rig in action.
We’re also pleased to bring some additional information on this monstrous encounter to you, courtesy of Exoprimal’s development team!
Several members of Exoprimal’s dev team have also worked on Monster Hunter titles in the past, so they felt that bringing these two worlds together was a natural fit. It makes sense, really, as both Exoprimaland Monster Hunter are about a team of people working together to take down fearsome foes. When fans expressed their hopes that there would be a crossover with Monster Hunter in the future, the Exoprimal team decided that they’d lock it in.
In addition, the Rathalos is an iconic monster from the storied series, so it felt like a natural fit to include this flying wyvern as both a representative of Monster Hunter and as a formidable threat in Exoprimal. Based on player feedback and the popularity of 10-player missions, the dev team adjusted the scope of this boss battle to ensure it was both fun and challenging for a 10-player hunting party.
Valentine’s Day skins.
The dev team also made sure that the Rathalos’ movements and attacks are true to Monster Hunter, re-creating the thrill of the hunt for Exofighters while reinforcing the role-based co-op gameplay and strategy that Exoprimal is built on. We won’t spoil the details, but fans of Monster Hunter who know the tricks of the trade will have an edge when it comes to fighting the Rathalos. Meeting certain conditions will also change the in-game music. Make sure you’re communicating with your fellow Hunters – er, Exofighters – to work together and make your hunt successful!
That about wraps things up for us, but there’s even more included in Exoprimal’s Season 3 update, including new Monster Hunter cosmetics, a new season of the Survival Pass, limited-time campaigns for Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day, and a Double XP Campaign on top of the rigs, modules, map, Exosuit variants, and boss fight missions we already mentioned. Exoprimal is available now for 50% off, so don’t miss out on your opportunity to pick it up while it’s on sale and join the hunt on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (also available with Game Pass)!
Exoprimal
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$59.99$29.99
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass
Exoprimal is an online, team-based action game that pits humanity’s cutting-edge exosuit technology against history’s most ferocious beasts – dinosaurs. Exosuits are grouped into different roles, and players will pilot these exosuits to hold firm against overwhelming dinosaur swarms in online-only, team-based action game modes.
Dino Survival, the main game mode, sees two teams of five players compete in a variety of PvE and PvP missions.
Players will be transported to the scene of the latest dinosaur outbreak and follow Leviathan’s guidance to complete objectives. The team that completes the mission first will emerge victorious. Whether players are engaging the other team directly, or fighting alongside them against a common enemy, the aim is to accomplish objectives as quickly as possible. Missions vary depending on player skill and other factors, meaning no two matches will unfold the same way.
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