Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they’ve been chewing over. Today, Jim lays his cards on the table after visiting the Pokémon European International Championships…
Head into my brain. Take a left at ‘Obscure Zelda Knowledge,’ go past the door marked ‘Ideas for Cat Costumes #3’ and then turn right when you hit the recording of the Hamilton soundtrack playing on loop. There you will find a dusty old cabinet marked ‘Things I Will Definitely Learn.’
Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Alpha ring today.
It’s important we note that some updates made to these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.
Details can be found below!
System Update Details
OS Version: XB_FLT_2405ZN25398.4396.240404-2000
Available: 2 p.m. PT – April 8, 2024
Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – April 9, 2024
New Features and Experiences
We have exciting news! Alpha users can expect something new coming to their Xbox Update Preview.
Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta)
Starting today, Xbox Insiders playing cloud games via xbox.com/play will notice a controller icon in the guide when connected and playing on a browser. This supports users in connecting a controller when playing on a browser.
Note: Users on browser will need to enable Preview features on their browser to gain access to the feature. This is done by clicking on your profile picture at xbox.com/play and then select Settings and then enable “Preview features.”
Fixes Included
Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:
System
Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.
Audio
Some users have reported experiencing intermittent audio issues across the dashboard, games, and apps.
Troubleshooting: If you do experience issues, please confirm your TV and all other equipment have the latest firmware installed. If you are unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance. You can also find additional troubleshooting tips here: Troubleshoot audio on your Xbox console.
Feedback: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware and troubleshooting further, please submit feedback via Report a Problem when you are experiencing the issue. Use the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”.
Note: Be sure to include as much information as possible about the issue, when it started, your setup, troubleshooting you have completed, and any additional information that will help us reproduce the issue.
Networking
We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to the network immediately on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
Workaround: Wait a minute or two for the connection to establish. If your console still hasn’t connected, restart your Xbox from the Power Center or the guide then file feedback with Report a Problem. Learn more about restarting here: How to restart or power cycle your Xbox console.
As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.
When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.
Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!
If you’re looking for ways to expand Starfield’s replayability, a new “DLC-sized” mod is now available, allowing players to build their own colony, create mechs, and more.
Over on Nexus Mods yesterday, modder TankGirl444 uploaded their latest project, TGs Galactic Colonies Expanse. The creator describes it as a “new DLC-sized mod” for Bethesda’s 2023 space action RPG. The description touts that those who download it will be able to “land on any world and build [their] own empire!”
TankGirl444 explains that the mod took them a month to craft and that it expands on their previous mods that were aimed at improving and expanding player home and building in Starfield. More importantly, it greatly expands the Outpost mechanic, allowing players a more streamlined way to mine materials without having to create different outposts.
The mod’s description also explains that it includes “fully constructed buildings that are prefabricated and buildable.” This includes biodomes, which allow players to plant a small piece of green on desolate and barren wasteland planets.
Interestingly, this mod introduces a farming system where players can farm, craft, and sell fruits and veggies. It even allows you to have your own livestock. Alongside an expansive farming system, the mod features a new workbench called the colony food printer, which adds new food items and recipes.
Yet, the thing I found most intriguing is how this new mod brings functional mechs into Starfield, as seen in the image below. Those who played Starfield or are familiar with the events before the game, mainly The Colony War, will know that mechs have a place in Starfield lore.
Ahead of the game’s release, Bethesda revealed that mechs were in the game, but you could not use them as they were banned after the conclusion of the Colony War. This mod brings back the mechs, letting you craft and use them as a defense for your outposts. It also reveals new turrets and weapons you can craft to defend your virtual property.
Starfield has been out for roughly six months now, and alongside TGs Galactic Colonies Expanse, there are a slew of other quality-of-life mods that help enhance the gameplay experience. Among them are one that improves the frustrating inventory UI, another that provides a map of New Atlantis so you don’t get lost while exploring the massive city, and another that lets you seamlessly travel through space.
Amazon has discounted the SanDisk Ultra 512GB Micro SDXC Card down to $25.99. This is an excellent price for a 512GB Micro SDXC card from a well-known and respected brand. It’s fully compatible with the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and ASUS ROG Ally portable handhelds. It also comes with a SD adapter for devices that only take full-sized SD cards. SanDisk Micro SDXC cards are far and away our most recommended memory cards for the Nintendo Switch console.
512GB SanDisk Ultra Micro SDXC Card for $25.99
If you’ve started compiling a collection of digital games, you probably already know just how limited the Switch’s base storage capacity. The Switch and Switch OLED consoles have 32GB and 64GB of internal storage, respectively, with some of it reserved for the OS. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom uses up 16GB and Breath of the Wild about 13.5GB. If bought digitally, those two games alone would take up all of your internal storage on the OG Switch console. There’s only one expansion slot in the Switch console so you want to make sure you get the biggest card you can afford.
The SanDisk Ultra Micro SDXC card is compatible with virtually any device that accepts the Micro SDXC card standard. That includes the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and the ASUS ROG Ally. It boasts a U1 A1 rating with read speeds of up to 150MB/s. This is the perfect card for the Switch because the Switch console cannot take advantage of higher speeds (its card reader is limited to U1 A1). However, if you want to get a Micro SDXC card for your smartphone, GoPro, DSLR, or any other device that can benefit from faster speeds, you might want to check some other excellent Micro SDXC cards that having a U3 A2 rating.
It’s odd to think back on a time before Baldur’s Gate 3 – and even stranger to think that the sprawling Dungeons & Dragons RPG was actually kicking around for a long while before its 1.0 release blew up awards shows, social media feeds and fan-fiction hubs last summer. Putting the game out into early access at the end of 2020 – multiple years before it was ready for a full release – worked out very well for Larian though, so it’s maybe no surprise that they plan to do exactly the same with whatever comes next.
Friday the 13th: The Game continues to be a legal nightmare for anyone involved. The team behind the Resurrected mod announced that the project’s future is up in the air after receiving a copyright infringement claim.
Announced on the official Friday the 13th: Resurrected Discord and X/Twitter, the team behind the project announced it received a cease and desist letter from an attorney representing Horror, Inc., which owns the rights to the Friday the 13th film franchise. The cease and desist letter, which is attached to the post below, mentions that the fan mod is an “unauthorized use” of the IP, describing it as an “unlicensed, knockoff Friday the 13th video game.”
As you may be aware, we have received a cease and desist from @joshgeller2 who works for @GreenbergGluske and is Horror Inc’s legal representative. With that, the project is most likely over but we do plan to work on other projects. We are still waiting for response from some… pic.twitter.com/Uk2QORRRvg
In the post, the team behind Friday the 13th: Resurrected states the project is has been canceled in response to the letter. They plan to pursue work on another project. The team notes that it’s “still waiting for response from some people we have contacted,” but is currently working on erasing all of the content behind the project, including the official X/Twitter account and the recently launched website.
“It’s a shame that someone wants to fight against a fan-made project with no profit made,” the team behind the project wrote. “It wasn’t our intention to ‘hurt the brand’ as Horror Inc. claims we did.”
Friday the 13th: Resurrected’s development team initially planned to announce a release date next Monday, April 15. The project was designed as a free mod based on the 2017 horror game. The mod would have been free to own and include dedicated multiplayer services and fan-made content, including new characters and skins.
The fan project aimed to revive the horror game after its publisher, Gun Interactive, announced it was delisting at the end of 2023. While the game remains playable for those who bought it before its delisting, Gun Interactive plans to shut down the servers altogether on December 31, 2024. Before its delisting, Gun Interactive was forced to halt development of the new game roughly two years after its release; among the canceled content planned for Friday the 13th, The Game included a werewolf mode, with gameplay similar to Fortnite’s Imposters mode or most notably, Inner Sloth’s social deduction game Among Us.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
Buckshot Roulette is simple, and simply unsettling. Sat across the table from a mysterious opponent clad in a deeply unnerving toothy mask, you pick up a shotgun loaded with shells. Then, you decide whether to point the gun at your opponent or yourself, and pull the trigger. Some of the shells are live, and others are blanks. Guess correctly, and you get to go again.
Sometimes, you want to just escape from reality and lose yourself in a new, fantastical world. And sometimes, you want to do so for hours on end. When you want to set up a long-term board game night or ongoing campaign with a group of likeminded and passionate board gamers, we’ve got you covered with our list of some of the best legacy board games around. Some of these games are also light on difficulty, creating a low barrier to entry for newer players.
Taking place over the span of multiple decades, Betrayal Legacy is a 13-episode campaign set within the same creepy mansion. In it, each player assumes the role of a generational family member exploring the house and enduring the Haunt, where one player may or may not betray the rest of the group. Players have a lot of creative license here, because as you play through the campaign, you’re crafting the story by the actions and choices you make – some of which are permanent and will affect the game next time you play, incentivizing multiple playthroughs.
Frosthaven / Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
The original Gloomhaven may be out of print, but its stand-alone sequel Frosthaven is in stock and ready for adventure. This is a fantasy-themed cooperative game where players take on the roles of adventurers and skirmish their way through various tactical combat scenarios. Consisting of tons of these scenarios, Frosthaven is a long-term campaign best enjoyed if you’re sticking with the same group throughout. Setting up and learning the game takes a while, but it’s worth it for dedicated gamers, and it’s great for repeat playthroughs. For a more less daunting and more streamlined take on the same game world, be sure to check out the more Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion as well. Your gaming group can even use the same characters in both games.
Star Wars: Imperial Assault
Thrust yourself into the Galactic Civil War, where you can play as either the Rebel Alliance or the Galactic Empire. Choose between two game modes: campaign and skirmish. In campaign mode, you fight against the Empire in a series of continuous scenarios and experience the detailed narrative taking place after the destruction of the Death Star. The gameplay consists of tactical combat where players will utilize over 250 playable cards to outfit their heroes, modify weapons, and develop your character’s skills.
Roll Player Adventures
Roll Player Adventures is a tightly-designed choose your own adventure-style fantasy cooperative roleplaying game. Not exceptionally challenging, Roll Player Adventures is a good pick for entry-level campaigners with hundreds of different cards, tokens, and dice to help supplement your session. You can also create your own character or import a preexisting one. Gameplay is done through dice manipulation with your fast-growing deck of cards, essentially modifying rolls to complete combat encounters or other challenges.
One Deck Dungeon
What do you get when you mix Roguelike video game mechanics with a quick and easy fantasy card game? You get something like One Deck Dungeon. With the game’s Campaign Mode, players can take control of one of five heroes and choose from four difficulty levels to adventure through the dungeon, defeating bosses and learning talents while filling out their character’s campaign sheets. Like other legacy-type games, talents earned will be carried over into future playthroughs, incentivizing you to play on higher difficulties and experience more of what the campaign has to offer!
Mortum: Medieval Detective
More narrative-focused and mechanics-lite, Mortum: Medieval Detective is a cooperative game of mystery and deduction. Consisting of three decks that make up just as many scenarios, the goal of the game is to work your way through the story and solve the surrounding mysteries through classic detective work and keeping track of time via the game pieces. Settle in, as one scenario takes upwards of two hours, and each story leads into the next, creating a fully immersive campaign.
Looking for board games on a budget? Check out our list of the best cheap board games. If you’re more in the mood for something spooky, check out our picks for the best horror board games. And if you don’t have a whole lot of spare time, take a glance at our favorite quick-playing board games.
When Bethesda was working out how to turn their popular Elder Scrolls RPGs into an online behemoth to rival World Of Warcraft back in the late 00s, the initial pitch was “Elder Scrolls with friends,” creative director Rich Lambert tells me. A simple idea on paper, perhaps, but one that proved to be a lot more complicated in the realisation of it. Zenimax Online Studios was founded in 2007, a year after The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion landed to universal critical praise, but it wasn’t until seven years later that The Elder Scrolls Online finally released for PC in 2014. At launch “we were walking this weird line between ‘online game’ and ‘Elder Scrolls game’,” Lambert says. “We didn’t do either of them particularly well.”
Ten years later, though, The Elder Scrolls Online is thriving. At last count, the game has over 24 million players galloping about the plains of Tamriel, and later this June, it will receive its eighth major Chapter expansion, Gold Road, which adds Oblivion’s West Weald to the game and wraps up the mystery of the new Daedric Prince that arrived at the end of the previous expansion, Necrom. But the path ESO has taken to get here hasn’t been nearly as glittering, with its PC launch in particular generating “a lot of feedback”, as studio director Matt Firor told press at the game’s tenth anniversary event last week. In fact, it wasn’t until ESO came to consoles in 2015 that the game really found its voice, says Lambert. “We had to really figure out what we wanted to be, and we chose ‘Elder Scrolls’. As soon as we hit that core pillar of ‘It’s Elder Scrolls first, online second,’ then it really just helped inform everything we’ve done since.” Trouble is, when the thrust of ESO’s development straddled the launch of two very different Elder Scrolls games, even nailing down that first part of the pillar proved to be more challenging than expected.
