What Do You Do in a Hobbit Life Sim? Taking a Walk Through Tales of the Shire, Launching Next March

Calliope Ryder, Lead Game Producer, Wētā Workshop

Summary

Tales of the Shire is launching for Xbox Series X|S on March 25, 2025.
Get insights from Wētā Workshop, development team behind the game, in how they built the narrative for this cosy life-sim.
Tales of the Shire is based upon The Lord of the Rings books from J.R.R. Tolkien.

Hullo Hobbits! Exciting news: Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings Game will launch for Xbox Series X|S on March 25, 2025. In this coy life-sim, you create your very own Hobbit to experience the quiet life in the Shire. Based upon the legendary book series by J.R.R. Tolkien, Tales of the Shire ventures to take the path less travelled by providing a rich story with a focus on food, fellowship, and good neighbours.

In the world of Middle-earth, Hobbits are a kind, modest group. They are fond of cooking, comfort, and community. While there have been many tales of bold adventurers outside the confines of the Shire, our game takes a small step back to focus on the relaxing day-to-day activities of these hairy-footed people. Isn’t it time you took a moment to bask in the summer sun, settle by a babbling brook, and relax over a home-cooked meal with a couple good friends? We thought so, too.

To gather around the table, you must first create your own Hobbit, with a variety of very Hobbit-esque choices: face shape, personality, hair-foot style, etc. After character creation, your story begins in Bywater.

This small, growing community is home to a delightful cast of residents, who will request your aid in placing Bywater on the Shire’s map as an official village. A familiar grey bearded steward kindly drops you off at your new home, and, from here, you’ll complete tasks for the many townsfolk. As the name suggests, Tales of the Shire is full of many stories!

There are many Hobbit characters (and even a few non-Hobbits) to meet and help. Perhaps your neighbour needs help mending a fence. Or the elderly Hobbit down the lane asks you to satiate their appetite with a homemade pie. Pay attention as many of the characters come from well-known families such as “Brandybuck”, “Cotton” or “Took.” Completing a task for a character grows your friendship. A big part of just being a Hobbit is building bonds with your neighbours! Through these connections and conversations, you will learn the individual likes, quirks, and tastes of the characters of Bywater.

This knowledge is very helpful when, inevitably, you host a dinner party. Perhaps you’re aware that Marigold, the chatty innkeeper of the Ivy Bush Inn, is fond of sweet, delicious dishes. And, over time, you’ve built a strong friendship with Orlo, the mail carrier of the town. You may discover he’s partial to some fragrant herbs in his dishes. To make a memorable evening for both your friends, you must balance their palates when creating dishes in your kitchen. Impress your guests and they might help you learn more skills or share secret locations only the locals would know.

To make all these delicious meals, you’ll need a bunch of produce. Forage the fields and forests with Delphi, Bywater’s passionate herbalist, and learn where to find mushrooms, berries, and wild grown herbs. Learn how to harvest wild honey or raise chickens with the help of the Cotton family, all providing marvellous ingredients to fill your colourful pantry. Plant a wild country garden with seasonal vegetables and fruits, and customize it with trinkets, decorations, and furniture. You carry out these relaxing activities, and more, at your own pace.

If you’ve perhaps forgotten to plant enough carrots or beans, don’t worry – down in the market, Farmer Cotton and Young Tom Cotton sell an overflow of produce and meats, Sandyman the Miller can be coaxed into making another order of flour, and cantankerous Old Noakes (who has a secret heart of gold) will show you the best spots to find fish. Traders who visit far off lands can offer interesting spices and unusual items not often found in the Shire – only for the experienced home cook looking to expand their repertoire!

Surprise your fellow Hobbits with their favourite dishes, and they’ll likely give you something in return – or expand their available wares for their special customers! Trading is a huge part of the community culture, and a well thought out meal will always invite a gift in return. Hobbits love gifts, and as you embed yourself further in the community, you’ll find yourself overflowing with beautiful items to decorate your home and garden with.

If you’d prefer some shopping, the Burrows’ General Store is always stocked with the finest of Hobbit garments for you to customise your look. Willow, the local builder, is always happy to help you renovate and expand the home – with the help of her precocious daughter, Daisy!

After a peaceful day pottering about the Shire, cosy up in your Hobbit-sized bed for a good night’s sleep. Life moves slowly, but there’s always much to do and see tomorrow!

In the end, there are so many bonds to build in Tales of the Shire and so much to do. While we touch on a few aspects here, stay tuned for more news, details on other game features, and more. We hope you join us for your own Hobbit adventure in Bywater on March 25, 2025. See you then!

The post What Do You Do in a Hobbit Life Sim? Taking a Walk Through Tales of the Shire, Launching Next March appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Tips to Advance Through the First Era of Ara: History Untold

Category: Games

September 23, 2024

Tips to Advance Through the First Era of Ara: History Untold

Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor

Summary

Getting a foothold early in Ara: History Untold is a key to successful transition out of the First Era as quickly as possible; here’s how to make that happen.
Utilizing a mix of Crafting, Expansion, and specific Technology research has helped us — and it can help you!
Ara: History Untold is launching September 24, 2024, for Windows PC, Steam, and day one with PC Game Pass.

There’s a tremendous number of gameplay systems to learn in Ara: History Untold, from Crafting to Research to Prestige, that it will take time to get fully acclimated to its wonderous take on the grand strategy genre. And like many grand strategy games, the more time you spend with it, the more you’ll become acclimated to its gameplay loop, and everything will begin to fall into place — before you know it, the hours will fly by as you become engrossed in your quest to become the greatest ruler ever known.

In my time with Ara: History Untold, I’ve found that one of the keys to success is laying down firm groundwork and getting out of the First Era in 50 Turns or less, while shoring up the necessary Research to help you in the latter phases of the game. The following strategies may not line up perfectly for everyone — depending on which Leader you choose some of these Quality of Life boosts may be more significant — but I’ve consistently found that these strategies have helped me get my footing in the early going and could help set you on the right path as well.

Automate Your Scout

One of the first moves you should make is to set your Scout to ‘Auto-Explore’ the map – you can find this in the lower-left corner of your screen from the circular icon. You can always come back and give them some solid direction later, but for now let them go off and reveal more of the ‘fog of war’ around your starting zone. They’re also great at coming across and collecting various resource Caches on the map, giving you small boosts to Crafting components or resources.

Start Workshopping

Your opening build queue is going to be critical to trying to get out of the First Era as quickly as possible. When given the option to pick your first Improvement, go with Workshop. It will be necessary for you to craft essential supplies that can then be used to help boost yields on your other Improvements, and the Workshop is the place where a lot of this magic happens. This also starts to shore up some trade goods that may come in handy later as you meet other civilizations.

Attaching Amenities

Attaching Amenities to your City, like Jewelry, Feasts, or even Craftable items like Baskets, can help give you a boost to your Quality of Life scale. One of the biggest keys to success in Ara: History Untold is finding every possible way to improve the lives of your people, and utilizing your Amenity boost can help increase traits like Happiness, Prosperity, and others which will feed into not only faster city growth, but helping you accelerate progress to kick off a Golden Age (more on that in a bit).

Research What You Really Need

The Technology tree is full of options – take the time to hover your mouse over these items and read “the fine print.” You’ll see that many of these Technologies also unlock new items to craft at your Workshop, but also unlock critical Improvements that you’ll want to take advantage of as soon as possible (and not pass up when you move out of the First Era).

For example, Ropemaking unlocks Logging Camps – that’s a critical Improvement that’s needed to collect Timber. Others like Grain Storage unlocks the Granary which boosts Farm production all-up, and Pottery unlocks the Ceramic shop which unlocks even more options for Crafting. So, read the fine print and choose a Technology that can help you with boosting your Improvements in this early phase.

Pay for a Rush Pass

If your Projects are not completing as quickly as you’d like, you can always drop some Wealth to reduce the number of remaining Turns it will take for them to complete. You can’t tap this too many times in the early phase of the game; you start with some Wealth, but not that much to throw around just yet. But if you find that you need to get your foundation established and you’re several Turns in already, consider paying for the boost to keep the line moving.

Expand!

By around Turn 11 – 15, you should be coming across your first Claim Generation. Play to the map that you’re given and consider what’s in front of you. Do any of them contain unique Materials (e.g. Horses) to Claim? Do any of them offer a higher production yield to certain Resources? Because this early part of the game is all about getting a foothold, make sure you’re not neglecting a critical need. For example, one time I was several Turns in and discovered I was short of Timber — I had neglected taking that into consideration when choosing which Claims to select. Don’t be me! Have a balanced approach when selecting a Claim.

Settler By Turn 30 (At the Latest)

By around Turn 25 you should be close to maxing out some of your Improvement zone opportunities – time for expansion! Not only so you can continue establishing a foothold in your region, but also ensuring your second City can complement any resources or strategic options that your starting zone may not have (e.g. if you’re not near the sea, make sure your second city is). Get the Settler started in your queue no later than Turn 30 and set them off to Settle a new city – just avoid any hostile Tribes along the way. And tigers. Oh, and lions too.

Enter a Golden Age

Feed your Golden Age bar by increasing various Quality of Life stats for your Citizens like Happiness, Health, Knowledge, Prosperity, and Security — you can find this in the lower-left corner of your screen. All your various Improvements tap into one of these stats in some form or another and the Golden Age bar is keeping tabs on all of these, adding up how much bonus attributes you’re bringing it.

This is also where Crafting comes back to play a central role, like when I talked about Amenities earlier. Being able to attach Crafted items like Jewelry (which boosts Prosperity and Happiness), Feasts (boosts Food and Happiness), and Baskets (increases Prosperity), all help to fill up the Golden Age bar. Once kicked off, you’ll get a Prestige bonus from all sources of Prestige (like Archery and Animal Husbandry) for 25 turns – which is going to be helpful several Eras from now as you’re faced with advancing out of Act 1 against your other opponents.

Try for a Triumph

Speaking of finding ways to boost your Quality of Life bar, if you can manage it, try and pour some Crafted resources into developing a Triumph. For example, Stonehenge can give a significant Knowledge boost, which then feeds into your Golden Age bar, which then helps your placement amongst other Leaders.

Be a Good Neighbor… For Now

It probably goes without saying but try not to pick any fights. Or at least don’t until you’re certain you can win. Or better yet try and be friends with everyone that you meet in the early going. I’ll repeat it again: You should be focusing on establishing your foothold in the region with resource growth, Improvements, and Claim generation, not having to deal with skirmishes. That being said: It wouldn’t hurt to have Archery as your second or third technology researched so you can ward off any unwanted raids on your city and to clear out any hostile creatures.

Why Not Go for Six?

As you’re nearing Turn 50, you should be close to finishing up your fifth Technology research – thus kicking off the choice to advance to the Next Era (Bronze). If you’re in a good position among the other Leaders, try for clearing off all the remaining starting Research options because they will be beneficial for you long-term, allowing for a greater number of Crafted Goods to create and Improvements that will be needed on other terrain as your empire grows.

What’s Next?

Following the guidance throughout this piece should have you advancing out of the First Era by about Turn 50 or so. Once done, the next phase of the game will continue to be a mix of what you have been doing (establishing a foothold in your region, mustering some troops for defense, crafting items for potential trade and yield boosts). Your key, at this point, is ensuring you’re putting yourself in a good enough position to survive out of Act 1 – it’s effectively a race to the Iron Age to ensure your spot in the pool. Hopefully I’ve helped you do that here today. Good luck!

Ara: History Untold is launching September 24, 2024, for Windows PC, Steam, and day one with PC Game Pass.

Ara: History Untold Deluxe Edition Preorder Bundle

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Build a nation and lead your people throughout history to the pinnacles of human achievement as you explore new lands, develop arts and culture, conduct diplomacy, and go head-to-head with your rivals to prove you are the greatest ruler ever known. It’s Your World Now.

The Deluxe Edition Includes
• Ara: History Untold Base Game
• Exclusive Leader Collection – featuring five exclusive leaders not included in the base game including: Charlemagne, Genghis Khan, Yoo Gwan Soon, Hildegard and Boudicca.
• Modern Leader Skin Set – enhance five Ara: History Untold leaders (Elizabeth I, Genghis Khan, Nefertiti, Sappho and George Washington) with the Modern Leader Skin Set, featuring modern versions of their in-game costumes.

With your pre-order of the Deluxe Edition receive the Gilded Leader Skin Set.

Ara: History Untold Standard Edition Preorder Bundle

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Ara: History Untold is an evolution in historical grand strategy, featuring beloved classic PC strategy mechanics alongside innovative gameplay like a national crafting economy, true simultaneous turn resolution, a non-linear technology tree, and cloud-backed synchronous/asynchronous multiplayer – all with an expansive and vibrant presentation where you can zoom out from surveying the very edges of your empire all the way down to your citizens living their daily lives. In Ara, there are no pre-set paths to victory, leading to endless possibilities. Your choices will define the world you create, your experience, and your legacy.

Explore an Immersive Living World

Explore a dynamic living world filled with life and charm across sweeping landscapes ranging from tropical jungles to sand-swept deserts as you discover the resources you need to develop your nation. Witness the world come to life in vivid, realistic detail as citizens move throughout the world and react dynamically to times of health and sickness, war and peace, wealth and despair with unique biomes, cultures, and eras representing the diversity of human experience.

Build Your Nation

Serve your people and grow your prestige with numerous Improvements, from forges to libraries, citadels to cathedrals, public parks to industrial factories – as well as a global variety of the greatest architectural Triumphs ever conceived and built by human hands.

Guide your people through the eras of human discovery

Nurture your people’s brilliance and invention as you progress your Nation through twelve unique Technology Eras, making the hard choices about where to focus your Nation’s greatest minds. As you near the end of each Era, you’ll have to decide how fast to push your scientists along the path to the future – at the risk of the present.

Oversee a rich and detailed national economy

Harvest the bounty of the natural world and deploy the labor of your people with a depth-filled National Crafting system. Will you manufacture Amenities – like lavish feasts – to provide your cities and citizens with powerful benefits, or invest in the creation of Equipment – the weapons of war – to prepare your Armies to defend your nation or conquer your rivals? Whatever paths you choose you’ll need to carefully optimize your resources and production to achieve the most efficient systems if you want to outpace your rivals to fortune and lasting glory.

Rule Your Way

Choose from dozens of history’s most influential figures to embody as you reshape the world through your choices. The unique and varied global Leaders and Nations in Ara emphasize a wide variety of different playstyles. Experiment with gameplay-impacting Traits and powerful Leader Abilities drawn from the effect they had on world history. Whether friend or foe, each Leader has a distinct personality based on their historical background that informs their AI behaviors.

Experience True Simultaneous Turns

Every turn each nation’s actions and choices resolve simultaneously, leading to suspense, anticipation, unique outcomes, and surprising twists on the classic turn-based formula. The fate of your people will be determined by your decisions and your ability to predict your opponent’s next move, putting your skill as a leader to the ultimate test.

Defend your people by land, sea, and air

Warfare in Ara is presented in the Living World, as thousands of years of military conflict reflect the progress and martial prowess of your people. Develop technologies to advance your weaponry against your rivals, hone your wartime economy and industry to gain the edge, and outthink your opponent’s strategies as maneuvers resolve authentically at once thanks to the power of True Simultaneous Turns.

Prove Your Worth in Online Multiplayer

Combining the speed and surprise of True Simultaneous Turns with the power of the cloud – multiplayer in Ara is fast, seamless, and able to be enjoyed asynchronously with a wide range of options to tailor you and your friend’s experience to the way you want to play together.

A Microsoft Account is required to play online multiplayer.

Ara: History Untold Deluxe Upgrade Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

The Deluxe Edition Upgrade Bundle Includes
• Exclusive Leader Collection – featuring five exclusive leaders not included in the base game including: Charlemagne, Genghis Khan, Yoo Gwan Soon, Hildegard and Boudicca.
• Modern Leader Skin Set – enhance five Ara: History Untold leaders (Elizabeth I, Genghis Khan, Nefertiti, Sappho and George Washington) with the Modern Leader Skin Set, featuring modern versions of their in-game costumes.

The post Tips to Advance Through the First Era of Ara: History Untold appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: How Iconic RPGs of the Past Led Me to Create Beyond Galaxyland

Category: Games

September 23, 2024

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: How Iconic RPGs of the Past Led Me to Create Beyond Galaxyland

Sam EnrightCreator, Beyond Galaxyland

Summary

Take to the stars in this planet-hopping adventure-RPG.
Battle strange creatures and bosses in active turn-based combat.
Beyond Galaxyland launches for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One tomorrow!

Tomorrow’s launch of Beyond Galaxyland marks the end of a personal journey that’s far older than the six years it’s taken me to develop the game itself. In fact, my fascination and love for the turn-based RPG genre started way back in the late 1990s, with one game in particular: Square’s iconic Chrono Trigger.

I have very fond memories of growing up and watching my cousins play the game on their consoles; it helped break new ground and – alongside a small number of its contemporaries – set the foundations for the genre for years to come. So I knew when I was developing Beyond Galaxyland that it was important I understood what made that game so special to me 20 years previously.

Firstly, it has a great story… who doesn’t want to experience a fantasy time-travelling adventure to stop the end of the world? And secondly, it has impeccable pacing – despite being a turn-based RPG, a genre typically known for extended campaign lengths, Chrono Trigger is just 15 hours long. It also has a depth behind its apparent simplicity and shows that more doesn’t always equal a better experience for players.

These two pillars were critical and inspiring to me. I knew I wanted to tell a grand and epic story, while also ensuring Beyond Galaxyland had a pacing similar to my favourite game, while perhaps making the runtime closer to that of a movie (or limited TV series).

It’s why the story of Beyond Galaxyland is arranged into two distinct parts: the story that occurs before our hero – high schooler Doug – and his newly formed party of pals return to [redacted] and battle [more redaction], and after, when the story sees them take the fight to [even more redaction] in a valiant attempt to save Earth. (You didn’t think I’d spoil some of the key story elements of the game in this post, did you?)

Turn-based RPGs lend themselves so perfectly to stories of this nature. In addition to the RPG classics of the mid-to-late-1990s, I was influenced by some classic TV shows and movies: Alien, Aliens, Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy… Actually, this list could go on and on. While I wanted it to feel epic and cinematic, mixing light-hearted humour with serious moments and themes, I simultaneously wanted to ensure Beyond Galaxyland was pacey: as such, it’s a game with no filler, level grinding, or artificially extended storylines.

Another childhood favourite that went on to inspire me is the original Final Fantasy VII, which I think gets its battle pacing so, so right: the combat in the game is quick, snappy, and rewarding. It’s something I’ve tried to pay homage to in Beyond Galaxyland, all the while adding my own spin on things. Beyond Galaxyland has an active battle system that requires players to press the attack button with every strike against enemies, as well as the need to time their defence when under attack themselves. It’s also why players have the ability to capture and then unleash any of the creatures collected during the adventure (including some of the 25 bosses strewn across the zoo-like collection of planets that make up Galaxyland itself) against their opponents.

Most of all, I hope Beyond Galaxyland doesn’t just feel like a nostalgic experience for players. When I set out to make it, I wanted to push the boundaries of this genre in ways it might have developed if more people had seen in Chrono Trigger what I saw, back at my cousins’ house over 25 years ago: Beyond Galaxyland is fast-paced and compact (for the genre), and avoids grinding gameplay. It also combines gameplay from other genres, including puzzles and platforming, photography, and even retro-style racing!

Don’t get me wrong, I do want this game to also feel nostalgic for those who fell in love with those classic games just as I did. It’s a bit of a contradiction, but I hope Beyond Galaxyland feels both familiar and also new, innovating within the confines of this classic genre. Most of all, I just hope it transports players to another world as all those games did for me.

Beyond Galaxyland

United Label

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$17.99

$14.39

Pre-order

Inspired by classic sci-fi movies, Beyond Galaxyland is an intergalactic, 2.5D adventure-RPG set among the stars. Step into the sneakers of high-schooler Doug, as he’s whisked away to ‘Galaxyland’ – a zoo-like solar system of planets – on an epic quest to save Earth itself.

An all-new take on the beloved RPG adventures of old, prepare for a journey like no other, skyrocketing through teeming jungles, neon-lit cities, and cybernetic casinos, with each new planet brimming with intriguing characters, fiendish adversaries, and many other surprises.

Accompanied by Doug’s pet guinea pig – the pistol-wielding Boom Boom – and a sentient robot called MartyBot, together you must defend the world against an all-powerful entity known only as ‘The End’, before it conquers the Universe itself…

No pressure.

A Bold New Take on the Classic Sci-Fi Caper!
Experience firsthand all the thrills and spills of a retro sci-fi adventure, in an all-new take on the fish-out-of-water tale that sticks you right in the centre of the action! Laughter, loss, peril and friendship, Beyond Galaxyland has it all and then some, dipped in a dazzling layer of neon-tastic pixels.

Explore a Solar System of Extraordinary Worlds
From the blizzard-swept planes of Arcos to the tropical jungle ravines of Erros, the neon-buzzing cities of Neo to the arid sand dunes of Xalm, explore a cosmic cluster of unique worlds, each with its own quests, environmental puzzles, and out-of-this-world characters.

Overcome Cosmic Foes in Tactical Turn-Based Combat
Engage in strategic turn-based battles against a vast range of galactic nemeses, with time-responsive defensive gameplay to minimise damage. Each party member has a range of unique abilities at their disposal, but for an additional tactical advantage, sneakily scan your enemy pre-battle to discover their strengths and weaknesses.

Experience Epic Boss Battles
Each planet boasts its own distinct perils, but none more so than the epic bosses you’ll encounter throughout your extraterrestrial travels, including colossal space dragons, flesh eating flowers, and the all-knowing bionic behemoth that is Mother Brain.

Capture Enemies to Use in Battle
Successfully capture the many weird and wonderful creatures you encounter, to later unleash them in battle, with each possessing a number of exclusive abilities. Will you acquire every last one?

The post Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: How Iconic RPGs of the Past Led Me to Create Beyond Galaxyland appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Why Frostpunk 2 is A True and Creatively Necessary Sequel

Category: PC Gaming

September 20, 2024

Why Frostpunk 2 is A True and Creatively Necessary Sequel

Kuba StokalskiFrostpunk 2 Co-Director & Design Director

In the corridors of 11 Bit Studios, there’s an old saying: the hardest challenge for a band is recording a second album that surpasses the debut. This sentiment echoed through our minds when thinking about a sequel to Frostpunk. The first game was designed not necessarily to be followed by a direct sequel but to establish a world that could host different kinds of games. And yet, here we are, more than six years later, on the eve of Frostpunk 2’s launch on Windows PC and PC Game Pass.

Creating something new always comes from a desire to say something fresh—whether it’s a new idea, a new story, or an innovative gameplay experience. The challenge for us was to ensure we had something meaningful to say about life in a post-apocalyptic city that would resonate just as deeply as the first game, but on a much larger and more evolved scale. We wanted to explore new aspects of human survival that felt both familiar and entirely new, delivering a true and creatively necessary sequel.

It didn’t feel right to simply have players survive a harsher winter or a more violent storm. That wouldn’t push the boundaries or fulfil our ambitions. By late 2019, the vision for Frostpunk 2 had begun to take shape, taking a significant step beyond basic survival. A 30-year leap forward, in fact—because that’s how much time has passed between the first and second games. While the original Frostpunk was all about keeping a single city alive and holding onto hope in an all-freezing world of despair, the sequel treats society itself like a fluid. Humanity has tamed the frost, and now it’s time to grapple with ideologies and visions of the future.

As the newly elected Steward, replacing the deceased Captain, it’s the player’s role to manage this fluid society—a society that can flow, boil, or even ignite. Players must navigate the needs of factions, knowing when to push for votes, even if it means becoming entangled in a web of conflicting promises. Sometimes, it’s better to step back, letting the whims of delegates play out, and observe the consequences. Frostpunk 2 is not about authoritarian rule, but about political and ideological conflict.

The “society survival” aspect of the first game is elevated in Frostpunk 2. To truly feel the weight of long-term decisions, we’ve scaled up the game. Instead of days, weeks and months pass. Instead of constructing individual buildings, you’ll be building entire districts. The societal impact is also more profound in Utopia Builder mode, which is similar to the Endless mode from the original game. Here, players can freely develop their cities and societies, unhindered by the narrative constraints of the campaign.

And for those eager to take their creativity further, we’re introducing mod support with our Frostkit tool. Starting in beta, it will eventually allow players to modify nearly every aspect of the game—from maps and models to entire scenarios. With all of this, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome players back to the frozen world of Frostpunk 2, launching today for Windows PC, with Game Pass.

Frostpunk 2

11 bit studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Frostpunk 2 elevates the city-survival genre to a new level. Take the role of a Steward and lead your city through a cascade of calamities taking place in a postapocalyptic, snowy setting. Build large city districts with their string of endless needs and demands. Navigate through conflicting interests of factions that populate your metropolis. As the needs of the city grow and factional power at its core rises, only you can steer the society towards an uncertain future.

The city grows
The world is overtaken by an ever present winter, which makes expansion of the city the only way for the survival of mankind. In order to grow, the metropolis needs resources like coal and oil, just like its citizens require food and warmth. In Frostpunk 2, it’s your job to tackle this never ending circle of supply and demand.

City districts
Your city is divided into zones serving different purposes, such as housing or extraction. It’s up to you to build new ones and make sure that those already existing work in perfect unison.

Special buildings
In time, you will have to build places like City Hall or Research Institute. Inside these buildings, you will put forth laws and projects to ensure that your city develops in the proper direction.

Colonies
To ensure that your city growth will not falter, you have to venture into the frostland. There, you can build extensive colonies that will provide all the necessary resources.

Perlis of human nature
The number of your citizens steadily grows, making the task of governing them and satisfying their demands all the more challenging. As the Steward you will have to maneuver carefully across the interests of many groups inhabiting the city.

New Londoners
Your citizens can form communities and factions, each with different ideas for the city’s future. In the Council Hall you’ll put forth laws and negotiate them with the faction’s delegates.

Council Hall
Support of every faction inside the Council Hall costs dearly, as one’s faction ascension breeds discontent among others. That means you have to carefully think through every alliance.

Towards progress
The Research Institute is where you forge the city’s future. Each new project must be entrusted to a faction, forcing you to maneuver and form strategic alliances.

Factions
People of your city want to have a voice in how you run things. Each faction has its own ideology and ideas for the future, yet they also have one thing in common – insatiable thirst for power. Choose your allies in the Council Hall wisely.

Story Mode and Utopia Builder
The story of Frostpunk 2 introduces a multi-chapter saga set in the frozen wastes. Spanning across the life of the Steward this campaign lets you feel the burden of leadership as you take the responsibility for thousands of lives. At the same time, the sandbox mode called Utopia Builder with infinite play time leaves you room for boundless social and infrastructural experiments.

The post Why Frostpunk 2 is A True and Creatively Necessary Sequel appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Hit the Pitch Early in EA Sports FC 25 with EA Play

Category: Games

September 20, 2024

Hit the Pitch Early in EA Sports FC 25 with EA Play

Charlie FortescueDirector, Global Corporate Communications, EA

EA Sports FC 25

Get ready for nail-biting championship moments with EA Sports FC 25. EA Play* members can kick off a 10-hour trial of the game today – seven days ahead of the game’s launch – and experience more ways to win for their club in the most authentic EA SPORTS football game ever.

EA Sports FC 25 brings an unrivaled level of authenticity, brought to life through a roster of players from the biggest clubs and leagues from around the world. Members can team up with friends in their favorite modes with the new 5v5 Rush, and manage their club to victory as FC IQ delivers more tactical control than ever before. In addition, the game’s new formats of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League will all feature in the game’s Career and Tournament modes, bringing a fresh game experience to players.

Alongside early access, EA Play members can also secure special in-game EA Sports FC 25 rewards, including the EA Play Welcome Pack (available until October 31) where members can find their new star player, Football Ultimate Team Draft Tokens and seasonal club rewards like the Clubs Teamwork Protective Glasses.

EA Sports NHL 25

The benefits continue for EA Play members as they move from the pitch to the ice! Starting September 27, EA Play members will be able to control every inch of the ice in EA Sports NHL 25 with a 10-hour trial, days ahead of the game’s launch.

September Rewards

In addition to early access to EA Sports FC 25 and EA Sports NHL 25, EA Play has something for every type of gamer. A full list of all the great content to EA Play this month can be found below:

Apex Legends Bright Idea Weapon Charm – Now to September 30
Battlefield 2042 Cobalt Protector – Now to September 24
EA Sports F1 24 5000 XP Boost – Now to September 30
EA Sports College Football 25 Loyalist Ultimate Team September Pack – Now to September 30
Madden NFL 24 MUT September Pack – Now to September 30
EA Sports FC 25 Clubs Teamwork Protective Glasses – Now to October 31
EA Sports FC 25 EA Play Welcome Pack– Now to October 31
EA Sports FC 25 Ultimate Team Draft Token – Now to October 14

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass PC members receive EA Play with their Game Pass subscription. Members can experience the world of EA with unlimited access to a collection of top titles, trials of select new games, in-game member rewards and more.

Members can unlock the thrill of their next favorite game with up to 10-hour trials of EA’s latest titles such as EA Sports Madden NFL 25, EA Sports College Football 25, F1 24, EA Sports WRC and the upcoming EA Sports FC 25 and EA Sports NHL 25, in addition to access to an unrivalled collection of EA’s best-loved series and top titles, including Madden NFL 24, EA Sports FC 24 and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

Visit the EA Play page for more details, and to stay up to date on the latest from EA Play, follow EA Play on, Instagram, or X. Please see EA.com/EA-Play/Terms for terms and conditions.

*Conditions, limitations and exclusions apply. See https://tos.ea.com/legalapp/eaplay/US/en/PC/ for details

The post Hit the Pitch Early in EA Sports FC 25 with EA Play appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for September 23 to 27

Category: Next Week on Xbox

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for September 23 to 27

Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!

Ara: History Untold Deluxe Edition Preorder Bundle

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Ara: History Untold – September 24
Game Pass

Coming day one to PC Game Pass! From Oxide Games and Xbox Game Studios, Ara: History Untold is an evolution in historical grand strategy, featuring beloved classic PC strategy mechanics alongside innovative gameplay. Build a nation and lead your people throughout history as you explore new lands, develop arts and culture, conduct diplomacy, and go head-to-head with your rivals to prove you are the greatest ruler ever known. It’s your world now. Pre-install today to get ready to play on day one.

Beyond Galaxyland

United Label

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$17.99

$14.39

Pre-order

Beyond Galaxyland – September 24
Smart Delivery

Inspired by classic sci-fi movies, Beyond Galaxyland is an intergalactic, 2.5D adventure-RPG set among the stars. Step into the sneakers of high-schooler Doug, as he’s whisked away to ‘Galaxyland’ – a zoo-like solar system of planets – on an epic quest to save Earth itself.

Bloomtown: A Different Story

Twin Sails Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Bloomtown: A Different Story – September 24
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Bloomtown: A Different Story is a narrative JRPG mixing turn-based combat, monster taming and social RPG set in a seemingly pleasant 1960s Americana world. Play as Emily and her younger brother Chester sent on their summer holiday to their grandpa’s cozy and quiet town. Children starting to disappear, nightmares getting more real… Something’s not right, especially for a 12-year-old girl with an adventurous mind!

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed

THQ Nordic

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$59.99

Pre-order

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed – September 24
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed brings the magic of Disney to life in a vibrant 3D platformer. This beautiful remake sends Mickey Mouse on an epic journey through Wasteland, a realm of forgotten Disney characters. As Mickey, you will dive into a fantastical world and, armed with paint and thinner, shape your adventure and the fate of this alternate world.

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Expansion

Warner Bros. Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$49.99

Get it now

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns (Expansion) – September 24

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns expansion is a massive drop of story, modes, skins, palettes, new and adjusted moves, bloody new Brutalities, all-new Animalities, and other bits, chunks, and tweaks that reintroduces three klassic characters whose pedigree and backstories both in and out of game stretch back almost to the beginning of the Mortal Kombat Universe.

Farmer Survivors

Afil Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Farmer Survivors – September 25
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

In Farmer Survivors, the excitement of arcade blends with the unpredictability of roguelike games. Each playthrough is unique, with elements of randomness for items and abilities. With each Wave, you will face increasingly stronger and larger quantities of enemies, testing your survival skills to the limit.

Ricky Recharge

Silesia Games Sp. z o.o.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Ricky Recharge – September 25

Ricky wakes up all alone in a robot apocalypse. Little did they know that this was exactly what he had been waiting for! Try to achieve the highest score while staying alive as long as possible! Synchronize your gun polarity with the robots to score maximum points! Keep recharging your gun and use your hard-earned coins to upgrade your abilities!

ZombFarm

Eastasiasoft Limited

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

ZombFarm – September 25
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Engage in rewarding life sim elements and farming mini games while avoiding the undead that roam the nearby woods! ZombFarm is a life sim with an undead twist, presented in top-down pixel art style. Can you turn the farm around and turn it into a flourishing success while braving the zombie threat of the dark forest?

3 Minutes to Midnight

Scarecrow Studio

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Xbox One X Enhanced

3 Minutes to Midnight – September 26
Xbox One X Enhanced

3 Minutes to Midnight pays homage to the golden era of gaming while forging its own path with innovative gameplay and storytelling. Whether you’re a fan of brain-teasing puzzles, compelling narratives, or just a good laugh, this game is your ticket to an unforgettable experience.

63 Days

Destructive Creations

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$34.99

Pre-order

63 Days – September 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A real-time tactics game developed by Destructive Creations that’s set during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, immersing you in the role of a resistance fighter in German-occupied Warsaw, you’ll lead a resistance group to fight for independence and revenge, using stealth, tactics and teamwork.

Creepy Tale: Some Other Place

Sometimes You

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$9.99

$7.99

Pre-order

Xbox One X Enhanced

Free Trial

Creepy Tale: Some Other Place – September 26
Xbox One X Enhanced

Creepy Tale: Some Other Place tells a completely new story that takes place in our fairytale world. A dynamic quest awaits you, packed with vivid events and characters. We pay great attention to detail and make our games with love. Share our passion for scary stories and dive into a dark tale filled with wonderful music and stop-frame animation. Awaiting you are a load of interesting puzzles that will bring pleasure to players of any age.

Exographer

Abylight Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Exographer – September 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Exographer is an exploration game based in science. Become an explorer, stranded in an alien planetoid, and discover the secrets of an extinct civilization. Gain new powers to avoid dangers and obstacles in your journey and use your camera to reveal particles and hidden clues.

The Holy Gosh Darn

Yogscast Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

The Holy Gosh Darn – September 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Rewind time and save the future in this hilarious time-travelling adventure game. In six hours, Heaven will be destroyed. Unless you can save it. Use your powers of time travel to jump freely between the past and present across Heaven, Hell, Earth, and Helheim. Uncover information in one timeline to alter things in another in a bid to stop heaven from going bang. Again.

Iron Meat

Retroware

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Iron Meat – September 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A fast-paced, run-and-gun shooter that immerses players in a world overrun by The Meat, an all-consuming interdimensional biomass. With a mix of classic arcade and console mechanics, players will battle against mutated victims and machines, dodge bullet barrages, and crush bosses in nine levels of gore-ific brutality. As Vadim, fight back against The Meat and stop the terrors spawned from scientist Yuri Markov’s experiments on the Moon.

MONOPOLY®

Ubisoft

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Monopoly – September 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Monopoly is back with a fresh look and an improved game experience. Buy, sell, trade properties, and grow your empire in this faithful adaptation of the game we all grew up with! Roll the dice, start the game, and dive in to explore an exciting, fully animated 3D city.

Night Slashers: Remake

Forever Entertainment S.A.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Night Slashers: Remake – September 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Night Slashers is a pulse-pounding, horror-themed beat ’em up game, in a nightmarish world filled with bloodthirsty creatures and unspeakable horrors. Prepare to step into the shoes of the unlikely heroes, as they battle hordes of supernatural foes and terrifying monsters. You’re not just fighting for survival: you’re battling to save the world from a supernatural apocalypse.

Shadows of Doubt

Fireshine Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Shadows of Doubt – September 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

An immersive sandbox detective stealth game set in a fully simulated sci-fi noir city of crime and corruption. Think like a private investigator and take on jobs to earn cash on your path to catching a serial killer. If you don’t catch them – they will kill again…

THRONE AND LIBERTY: Early Access Pack – Standard

Amazon Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$39.99

Pre-order

Throne and Liberty (Early Access Pack) – September 26

Throne and Liberty captures the essence of classic MMORPGs while introducing new gameplay elements, adding depth and excitement at every turn. Choose your dual-weapon loadout to customize your approach on the battlefield, or morph into creatures of the land, water and sky to traverse the vast and seamless world. Prepare for an unforgettable adventure where you’ll need to gather your guild, prepare for battle and claim the throne.

Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition

Team17

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition – September 26

It’s been 25 years since the intrepid invertebrates flung themselves onto our screens. To celebrate this, the much-loved Worms Armageddon returns in a special Anniversary Edition. Re-live 1999 with this faithful rendition with all the hilarious fun and madness you know and love.

EA SPORTS FC 25 Xbox Series X|S

Electronic Arts

☆☆☆☆☆
262

★★★★★

Get it now

EA Sports FC 25 – September 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

EA Sports FC 25 has the best players from the biggest clubs and competitions around the globe, with match data from the world’s top leagues powering how 19,000+ players move, play, and win in every match. New additions to Manager and Player Career let you live out the biggest storylines from the real-world with Live Start Points; rewrite the stories of past icons with today’s teams in Player Career; and for the first time, play an authentic Women’s Career experience, taking control of a club or player from the top five women’s leagues. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members with EA Play can experience a 10-hour trial of EA Sports FC 25 starting on September 20.

egg boy

China Yousoi Co.,Ltd.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$16.99

Pre-order

Egg Boy – September 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A casual shooting parkour game full of challenges. You will fight rabbits, and the rabbits’ weapons are distinctive carrots. Simple operation, extremely easy to use, move freely on the field, rush to the finish line, be careful where you step, don’t fall, otherwise you will be in danger!

Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports

GameMill Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$49.99

Pre-order

Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports – September 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Play against your friends featuring four classic sports: Basketball, Soccer, Golf, and Tennis. Avoid the wacky obstacles and gain power-ups to incite chaos against your friends and family as you control your favorite Looney Tunes character. Play your way in this 4-player local co-op sports arcade game and choose the character that best suits your play style.

Anarkade

Blowfish Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Anarkade – September 23

A multiplayer arena shooter with pixel art graphics that mixes fast, intense matches with 2D platforming mechanics that are easy to learn but deceptively hard to master, featuring power-ups and a variety of deadly weapons while fighting on randomly generated arenas in local or online matches.

Ctrl Alt Ego

Klabater

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Ctrl Alt Ego – September 24

A unique hybrid that blends open-ended puzzling, first-person exploration, and creative problem-solving — all wrapped in a captivating mystery about the nature of consciousness. With no physical form, you must navigate this strange world by transmitting yourself between robots and devices, each with their own unique capabilities.

Ducky Dash

Old School Vibes

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Ducky Dash – September 25

A tribute to classic handheld games, featuring a charming green monochromatic palette and a retro soundtrack that evokes nostalgia. Embark on an exciting journey with a fearless little duck, using your Dash skills to overcome obstacles and explore vibrant worlds.

Lunacy: Saint Rhodes

Iceberg Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Lunacy: Saint Rhodes – September 26

Lunacy: Saint Rhodes is a first-person survival horror game. Explore your dark family history and experience a gut-wrenching feeling of terror. You are being watched; never alone, never safe.

Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles

Akupara Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$24.99

Pre-order

Astrea: Six Sided Oracles – September 26

A Dice-deck-building roguelike that flips the script on deckbuilders by using dice instead of cards and a unique dual “damage” system: Purification vs Corruption. Build a dice pool strong enough to purify Astrea’s out-of-control corruption and save the Star System.

Dark Light

Mirari&Co. Pty, Ltd.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Dark Light – September 26

A post-apocalyptic cyberpunk action-platformer with intense hack ‘n slash combat. Explore the unknown, enhance your abilities with cyberwares, and face off against supernatural entities to seal the Dark Void and end the eternal darkness.

Cube Railway

Colossus Game Studio

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Cube Railway – September 27

A puzzle game where players must strategically fit blocks to complete a railway track and set the train in motion. Reach the next level by correctly placing the cubes within the designated spots on the track.

Redneck Joe Vs The Swamp Zombies

Cloud5 Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Redneck Joe Vs the Swamp Zombies – September 27

Embark on a thrilling journey of action and survival in this engaging third-person shooter, you take on the role of brave and fearless Joe, a typical swamp Redneck, whose courage will be tested amid a frightening zombie apocalypse.

Murder Is Game Over: Deal Killer

Ratalaika Games S.L.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Murder Is Game Over: Deal Killer – September 27

Join Detective Guy and his trusty sidekick Cleo the clue-sniffing dog as they investigate the sudden and shocking death of a powerful video game publishing executive. Holed up inside an isolated Alpine hotel during a treacherous blizzard, our detective must search for clues, interview suspects, solve the mystery, and bring the guilty party to justice.

Iron Sea Defenders

8floor ltd

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Iron Sea Defenders – September 27

Defend your fort from attacks by showcasing your tactical skill. Build cannons, save money, destroy the enemy with the help of secret weaponry and keep your wits about you. This unique historical setting will allow you to immerse yourself in an atmosphere of real and uncompromising battle. Varied enemies, powerful cannons and secret weaponry which will drive your enemy to despair – all of this in a new Tower Defense game!

The Unexpected Quest

OverGamez

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

The Unexpected Quest – September 27

An adventure game with strategy and management elements in a medieval fantasy setting. Embark on quests, hunt down treasures and manage your resources as you build, battle, cast magic and brew potions to bring order to a world on the brink of disaster.

Emergency Crew

8floor ltd

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Emergency Crew – September 27

Embark on heroic disaster relief missions in this casual Emergency Crew strategy game. With a huge variety of missions, 40 levels, and an in-depth story about a team of heroes. Save people, rebuild the ruined city, fight the marauders who have come and establish the necessary resources wisely.

The post Next Week on Xbox: New Games for September 23 to 27 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Free Play Days – 505 Games Takeover Featuring 10 Games

The 505 Games Publisher sale is now live! Not only can you enjoy huge discounts across several titles in their portfolio, but Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can check out a selection of their games for free as part of Free Play Days.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, Terraria, Crime Boss: Rockay City, Stray Blade, Miasma Chronicles, Assetto Corsa Competizione, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and Portal Knights are available this weekend for Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to play from Thursday September 19 at 12:01 a.m. PDT until Sunday, September 22 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

Additionally, Ghostrunner 2 is free for all Xbox members to try from Thursday September 19 at 12:01 a.m. PDT until Sunday, September 22 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. (Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate not required) with a 3-hour limited trial. Additionally, Control is free for all Xbox users to try until Sunday, September 22, with Free Play Days for All!

How To Start Playing

Find and install the games on each of the individual game details page on Xbox.com. Clicking through will send you to the Microsoft Store, where you must be signed in to see the option to install with your Xbox Game Pass Core or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. To download on console, click on the Subscriptions tab in the Xbox Store and navigate down to the Free Play Days collection on your Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

Keep The Fun Going

Purchase the game and other editions at a limited time discount and continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event! Please note that discounts, percentages, and title availability may vary by title and region.

Free Play Days For All

Ghostrunner 2

505 Games

☆☆☆☆☆
116

★★★★★

$39.99

$15.99

Get it now

Ghostrunner 2
Experience the adrenaline-pumping postapocalyptic cyberpunk action of Ghostrunner 2 by developer One More Level. Nominated for Best Action Game at the 2023 Game Awards, prepare for a mind-blowing dystopia where speed and precision are key. Test your reflexes and strategy in a world where one wrong move could be your last! You will race across neon-lit landscapes, dodge bullets, and slash enemies with your arsenal of katanas. This sequel amps up the intense parkour mechanics and introduces new enemies, environments, and abilities. The ultimate challenge awaits—can you save Dharma tower?

Control

505 Games

☆☆☆☆☆
382

★★★★★

$29.99

$7.49

Get it now

Xbox One X Enhanced

Xbox Game Pass

Control
Director, get ready to discover a world unknown in Control, the award-winning action-adventure game from the talented team at Remedy Entertainment. A corruptive presence has taken over the Federal Bureau of Control and it’s down to you to find out what’s going on (and to stop it!) So, what are you waiting for? Go grab your Service Weapon and head deep into the Oldest House.

Free Play Days (Xbox Game Pass Core or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Required)

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

505 Games

☆☆☆☆☆
458

★★★★★

$49.99

$32.49

Get it now

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
Discover the rich world of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, where your decisions shape the fate of over 100 companions. Developed by Rabbit & Bear Studios, this 2.5D JRPG blends classic turn-based combat with modern storytelling and an intricate town-building system. Beyond the battlefield, take on the role of a leader, managing your own fortress. Cultivate resources, upgrade your headquarters, and unlock hidden advantages that can turn the tide of war as you expand your influence across the land. Unveil a dynamic narrative as you set off on a tale that spans nations, where ancient magic and political intrigue collide, challenging you to navigate the delicate balance between war and peace. Traverse stunning environments, build alliances, and battle fierce enemies in this unforgettable adventure.

Terraria

505 Games

☆☆☆☆☆
1851

★★★★★

$19.99

$7.99

Get it now

Xbox Game Pass

Terraria
With over 59 million copies sold globally, Terraria offers an expansive 2D sandbox world where your imagination is the only limit. Join developer Re-Logic on a timeless experience exploring vast underground caverns, fighting against powerful bosses, and building elaborate constructions using thousands of unique items. Engage in massive multiplayer sessions, where you can collaborate with friends or compete in thrilling PvP combat to see who reigns supreme in the sandbox. As you embrace this pixelated paradise, uncover floating islands in the sky, mysterious temples, and ancient artifacts that hold the key to transforming your world. With continuous updates, Terraria keeps evolving, adding new dimensions to its already rich gameplay, ensuring there’s always a reason to return.

Crime Boss: Rockay City

505 Games

☆☆☆☆☆
227

★★★★★

$19.99

$13.99

Get it now

Crime Boss: Rockay City
Play Crime Boss: Rockay City for FREE! This co-operative, organized heisting game can be played either solo in the single-player campaign or with friends in multiplayer. Start levelling up and earning rewards in the latest progression system and enjoy tons of new content from our recent updates. Add Crime Boss: Rockay City to your library and save up to 30%.

Stray Blade

505 Games

☆☆☆☆☆
92

★★★★★

$19.99

$12.99

Get it now

Stray Blade
Forge your path in Stray Blade, an action-adventure developed by Point Blank Games that puts you in the role of a skilled explorer in the Lost Valley of Acrea. Every step you take in this ever-changing world could reveal hidden passageways or forgotten relics. Master an intricate combat system and face deadly creatures as you unravel the mysteries of the realm. Prepare for a Soulslike challenge alongside your magical companion Boji in a rich narrative that transcends death itself. Overcome beautiful yet dangerous landscapes, discover ancient secrets, and shape the future of Acrea with your choices. From the ruins of ancient god-kings to the mysterious artifacts scattered across the valley, your journey uncovers not only treasure but the lost legacies of fallen rulers.

Miasma Chronicles

505 Games

☆☆☆☆☆
139

★★★★★

$34.99

$19.24

Get it now

Miasma Chronicles
From the creators of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden comes Miasma Chronicles, a beautifully crafted tactical, turn-based adventure. Join Elvis and Diggs as they battle their way through New America to find Elvis’ mother and uncover the secrets of Elvis’ glove. Take on battle oversized frogs, rebellious robots and overcome the mystery entity, known only as the ‘Miasma’. In this turn-based tactical adventure, you will need all your wits and cunning to uncover the secrets of these brothers.

Assetto Corsa Competizione

505 Games SpA

☆☆☆☆☆
244

★★★★★

$39.99

$11.99

Get it now

Assetto Corsa Competizione
Experience the adrenaline-fueled world of competitive racing like never before! Immerse yourself in the intense realism of Assetto Corsa Competizione (the Official GT World Series game) on Xbox Series X/S. Unleash your inner racer and conquer the tracks with precision and skill and get ready to ignite your passion for speed. Enjoying the game? You can continue racing by purchasing the game at 70% off for a limited time only. Keen to expand your experience? Be sure to check out all the available DLC.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

505 Games

☆☆☆☆☆
295

★★★★★

$39.99

$11.99

Get it now

Xbox Game Pass

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is an exploration-focused, side-scroller action RPG packing all the best features you’ve come to know and love from the metroidvania genre into a single, content-packed game. Experience Bloodstained FREE for a limited time only!

Portal Knights

505 Games

☆☆☆☆☆
228

★★★★★

$19.99

$5.99

Get it now

Xbox One X Enhanced

Portal Knights
Become the ultimate Portal Knight in this cooperative, 3D sandbox action RPG from the team at Keen Games. After the Fracture, the world has split apart, and the Hollow King aims to rule Elysia. Only you and your band of adventurers can save the day! Explore a wide range of islands, take on inhabitant’s quests and gather useful resources to craft powerful items. Between defeating your foes and helping others out, why not also build a place to store your treasures and call home. Elysia needs a hero, are you ready?

Don’t miss out on these exciting Free Play Days for Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members! Learn more about Free Play Days here and stay tuned to Xbox Wire to find out about future Free Play Days and all the latest Xbox gaming news.

The post Free Play Days – 505 Games Takeover Featuring 10 Games appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: The Many Enhancements That Make This the Most Ambitious Flight Sim Ever

Category: Games

September 19, 2024

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: The Many Enhancements That Make This the Most Ambitious Flight Sim Ever

Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor

Summary

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 takes the franchise further than ever before with groundbreaking new elements like worldwide Aviation Careers, a white-knuckle Challenge League system, and a brand-new World Photographer mode.
The representation of Earth, the “digital twin,” graphically takes a leap forward with a jaw-dropping enhancement of the ground detail, the inclusion of worldwide ship traffic, the first ever implementation of helipads, glider airports, oil rigs, and vertical obstructions around the world all the way to the addition of dozens of animal species worldwide.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 — available for pre-order today on the Microsoft Store — will launch in a variety of editions on November 19, 2024, and the Standard Edition will be available on day one with Game Pass. All pre-orders will receive the De Havilland Canada CL-415 firefighting aircraft to use instantly in Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020).

2020’s Microsoft Flight Simulator was by far the most successful entry in Microsoft’s longest supported franchise. It redefined what was possible from a flight simulator by utilizing a mix of cloud-based worldwide map data, cutting-edge photogrammetry, machine learning techniques, and a real-time worldwide weather simulation. These offerings, along with a complex physics system that allowed for highly sophisticated flight models, all made the famous franchise a household name again.

Now with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on fast approach for a November 19, 2024, release date, we got our first deep dive into the game, and discovered how much more impressive the entire flight simulator experience is about to become for fans. From the digital tourist to a novice flyer to the most advanced pilots, it’s shaping up to have something for everyone to enjoy.

“Since we launched Microsoft Flight Simulator in 2020, we have seen 15 million people come to the simulation and be interested in what we do,” explains Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann. “When you compare that number to the previous biggest launch we had, which was Microsoft Flight Simulator X, it took 16 years to get to 5 million users. So there has been an explosion in the flight simulation hobby and it’s because of the community and excitement that everybody’s bringing [to Microsoft Flight Simulator].”

Earning Your Wings

One of the features I’m most excited to see come to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (MSFS 2024) is its Career System, designed to bring a comprehensive and immersive experience for all manner of piloting skills. The system cleverly mimics the experience of how real-world pilots start their aviation careers. “You can pick any single airport on the planet and start your career there, which means that you are going to take your lessons at this location. Your first job can be anywhere, and I mean anywhere, in the world,” explains CCO of Asobo Studio David Dedeine. “You will start as a rookie pilot and meet a mentor who will explain to you how the career works and guide you through the very first steps in the career.”

The Career System introduces new elements to the simulation like pre-flight procedures, logging flight paths, and choosing from a vast amount of mission objectives. Advancement is tracked through a certification tree where you can learn the skills to fly various types of aircraft – each of which comes with a training session to help you master those skills. Later, specializations will unlock a variety of missions, such as Search and Rescue, Commercial Flights, Firefighting, and many more.

“You are not going to have to spend five years of your life to do the actual exam. It’s a simplified version, but still, it will explain to you the basics of each of those different activities, from commercial pilot to tailwind, airliner, transport, etc.” Dedeine adds. “Performance for these missions is evaluated by several factors like following ATC instructions, taxi paths, and flight parameters. Completing these missions successfully nets you credits and reputation, which you can then use to save up and buy your own plane and eventually manage your own fleet.”

Once you have earned enough money to run your business with your personally-owned aircraft, a new phase in MSFS 2024 opens in which you’ll be directly responsible for your aircraft; every landing, every bump on the runway, is going to impact the warranty of your planes, affecting the cost to keep them maintained. Effectively, MSFS 2024 includes a management sim inside the wider flight sim.

“This is basically the management of your fleet,” Dedeine elaborates, “because you will buy more planes at some point to allow you to engage in a different type of activity. Maybe you want to buy your own airliners and expand your fleet across the world. This new Career System is a big chunk of the innovation we introduce in MSFS 2024, and I think it’s never been done at this level of variety and quality before.”

If there was a ding against the 2020 version of Microsoft Flight Simulator, itwas that each of its individual experiences, like Bush Trips and Landing Challenges (which are still fun), rarely felt connected to each other. It was akin to putting on a greatest hits album, giving you the best bits without experiencing what the journey was like to get there. This is what I’ve wanted from a flight simulator for such a long time, and having a chance to create my own virtual pilot journey from start to finish sounds like it’s going to keep me flying for a long, long time.

Improving the “Digital Twin”

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is also bringing massive enhancements to the simulated Earth by increasing the detail of its virtual environment by a factor of 4,000. For instance, the ground will no longer be a mere heightfield; it now features tiny stones, rocks, gravel and grass all modeled in 3D. This ground detail impacts your aircraft’s wheels as they interact with the various surfaces affecting take-offs and landings. Improved sky and atmospheric lighting, especially during sunrise and sunset, with varying displays of colors based on the makeup of the clouds ensuring accurate temperatures for all light sources. New cloud types like cirrus clouds will better simulate the highest levels of our atmosphere, while the dynamic weather has been improved as well, increasing the density to make storms and other weather phenomena much more realistic and impressive to fly through.

“We can basically get every rock on Earth now; it’s unbelievable,” Neumann adds. “We updated the aerial imagery for the entire world, and we set up a team of specialists that gather digital elevation maps from across the planet. The result of these last four years of work is that we now have an unprecedented level of ground detail. Nobody else has anything like this.”

And it’s not just inanimate objects that are getting massive improvements. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is attempting to populate its digital Earth (the “digital twin”) as close to our real world as feasible by introducing a large cast of diverse human characters and locally-significant vehicles, all adding to the overall realism of the simulation. For instance, there’s real-time ship tracking so you can see cargo ships move throughout the world as you would in real life. You can see passengers inside airliners or moving from one location to the next in airports. And because landing just about anywhere in the world is one of the key features, due to the much more detailed environments, the development team worked closely with partners like Frontier (creators of Zoo Tycoon and Planet Zoo) to introduce many species that bring the world to life.

“We have species separated into two groups. For wild animals, we are using a fantastic database (GBIF – the Global Biodiversity Information Facility) to place animals across the world both in their appropriate habitats and in roughly appropriate quantities to get close to realistic densities. For domesticated animals, we are using our field detection (which is also used for activities like Aerial Application) to place species like cows, sheep, goats and horses across the planet. We can essentially now go sheep herding or cow herding with helicopters, which is super fun,” Neumann explains.

Powered By the Cloud

Another big area of improvement that’s planned is addressing the installation size. It’s no big surprise how much space Microsoft Flight Simulator takes up on your console or PC (it’s a lot). So, it’s refreshing to hear how this is one of the biggest things that is being addressed in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. By tapping into the latest cloud streaming technology, installation size has been trimmed down to about 30 GB to get you in your seat and flying as quickly as possible, streaming in the higher detailed areas that are only necessary for your flight path; why install all the data for the United States when you’re intending to just fly over Europe for the evening?

“The very important thing is overall bandwidth consumption is way down, because you only download what you really see when you see it, and we don’t pre-download at like hundreds of gigabytes,” explains CEO and Co-Founder of Asobo Studio Sebastian Wloch. “Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) already had over two petabytes of data on the cloud. That was the whole world data. We kept adding to that, but we still had planes, airports, meshes, points of interests like castles, and textures that were all installed. That’s the part that kept growing with the marketplace content, which had grown to 2 TB. Now we integrated everything into the cloud, and it is all streamed and kept into a rolling cache on the hardware. You don’t have to install any new World Updates; they’re just streamed seamlessly.”

It’s all highly optimized and tailored to each player’s experience. For example, if you fly over a large international airport, you won’t need to have the highest quality version of the mesh downloaded on your system. The simulator is only going to pull the lowest or medium quality version, leaving the higher quality assets streamed on demand through the cloud for when you’re closer.

Another impressive addition to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will be its “soft body simulation” for hot air balloons. These balloons will be simulated across 6,400 surfaces giving a realistic reaction to heat density — when you turn on the heater, the air will heat up, and it’s going to inflate the massive balloon.

“You will see the balloon inflated and get lighter. Combustion happens, and the balloon goes up. Banners are physically simulated, so they will flap in the wind, just exactly like tissue with the rope attached,” explains Wloch. “Also, we now have parachutes. For example, the Cirrus Vision Jet, which you can fly, has a parachute system that can be deployed when needed.”

Attention to Detail

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is launching with one of the most largely diverse groups of highly detailed aircraft systems than any flight simulator has ever come with before. It isn’t just how good these aircraft look – and they certainly look fantastic – but also the care and attention that has been given to these systems.

“The reason that we wanted to focus on this experience so much and to build things like flight planning and pre-flight activities into the simulator is because we wanted to make sure everyone had the opportunity to take advantage of those kind of capabilities and those kinds of experiences,” explains Co-Founder of Working Title Simulations Christopher Burnett. “One of the things that has impacted simmers in the past is that flight simulators have often used outside tools to do their flight planning or preflight activities, and those came with some barriers to entry, things like cost or maybe complexity, that kept a lot of them from doing that.”

Now you’ll be able to go through the entire preflight experience, from planning to briefing for things like weather, and then executing that flight on some of the most detailed cockpits and avionics systems that we’ve ever seen in a flight simulator. The new flight planning tool supports anything from small flight plans all the way up to larger, more complicated paths using the same kind of tools that airline dispatchers use for their long commercial flights.

“We’ve also got several commercial aircraft systems that we’re bringing into MSFS 2024,” Burnett explains. “The 737 Max 8 avionics package is one of those. Of course, we’ve got the 787 and 747 8i as well. Then something exciting that we’re working on is the Boeing 747 400 LCF, also known as the Dreamlifter. This is a purpose-built aircraft that Boeing made to help them with the manufacture of the 787. They expanded it and now simmers can use this to fly aircraft parts around. We’ve partnered with Boeing to faithfully recreate this aircraft and the 747 400 avionics package that goes with it. We’ve got a ton of great avionics in the simulator.”

All these enhancements, from addressing install size, entirely new forms of photogrammetry and an unprecedented digital twin of Earth, the enhanced learning system, the vast and innovative Career System, were not the only things that the development team was excited about. They are, as Neumann explains, all the result of carefully listening to the wishes and dreams of Microsoft Flight Simulator’s passionate community. The community feedback was welcomed and embraced by the dev teams and became the guiding principles in the creation of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 “We are making this new simulator for the community, and we are working directly with the community and it is through this fantastic collaboration that MSFS 2024 is able to take flight simulation to the next level,” Neumann shares.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is shaping up to be the most ambitious commercially available flight simulator that has ever been undertaken – and it’s not even close. It’s fun to think about how many decades some of us have been “flying” in front of our PCs now, and it’s impressive to see how Microsoft’s longest-running franchise wasn’t content to just settle for sticking the landing a few years ago – it wants to keep soaring and bring all of us along for the ride. Time to buckle up.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 — available for pre-order today on the Microsoft Store — will launch in a variety of editions on November 19, 2024, and the Standard Edition will be available day one with Game Pass. All pre-orders will receive the De Havilland Canada CL-415 firefighting aircraft to use instantly in Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020). The Standard Edition comes with 70 aircraft and 150 upgraded airports; Deluxe Edition will include 10 additional aircraft and five extra airports; the Premium Deluxe will have another 15 aircraft (total of 95); and then there’s the Aviator Edition for those who want everything which comes with all of the above plus the 30 planes that have been released in the Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) Marketplace for a grand total of 125 planes with that edition.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Aviator Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$199.99

Pre-order

Aviator Edition
Explore the world with our largest fleet of aircraft and take simulation to new heights while pursuing your aviation career within Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The Aviator Edition includes everything from the Premium Deluxe Edition plus the entire fleet of 30 Microsoft-published Marketplace aircraft developed for Microsoft Flight Simulator between 2021 and 2024.

Advanced Simulation
·       Enhanced physics system allows 10,000+ rigid-body surfaces that enable the simulation of any shape of aircraft. Soft body physics supports cloth, ropes, balloons, and more. Improved ground and water handling further enhance realism.
·       New, highly accurate aircraft systems including electrical, pneumatic, fuel and hydraulic systems, payload and passenger systems, and avionics like the Universal UNS-1 FMS and Honeywell Primus Epic 2. Preflight inspections and walkaround checks add to immersion.
·       Plan your flights with a groundbreaking flight planner which supports both IFR and VFR map layers, IFR charts, route planning, fuel and payload planning, vertical profile planning, and ETOPS planning. It also provides airport information including weather and NOTAMS and is available native in the sim, on mobile devices or web browsers for flight planning outside the simulator.

Explore Our Visually Stunning Digital Twin
·       Explore our most detailed re-creation of planet Earth to date. Enhanced digital elevation maps, over 500 TIN (triangular irregular network) cities and more than 100,000 square kilometers of countryside photogrammetry allow for visually stunning digital twin experiences. More than 150 airports, 2,000 glider airports, 10,000 heliports, 2,000 points of interest, and 900 oil rigs have been carefully hand-crafted while a procedural system generates all 40,000 airports, 80,000 helipads, 1.5 billion buildings, and nearly 3 trillion trees our planet.
·       Land anywhere and, for the first time in Microsoft Flight Simulator, exit your aircraft to explore 27 highly detailed biomes with hundreds of species of vegetation, dynamically created details including grass, rocks, and flowers – all influenced by seasonal changes. The all-new photometric lighting system renders the world more accurately than ever before, and enhanced weather features such as new cloud types, auroras, and other weather phenomena produce fresh and compelling atmospheric experiences.
·       The world comes alive with a vast array of land-based wildlife in their natural habitats and free-ranging livestock across the entire globe. The oceans and waterways are teeming with live, worldwide maritime traffic ranging from large tankers and cargo ships to trawlers, tugs, and more. A richly diverse, regionally accurate representation of humanity brings life to the airports, aircraft, and passenger cabins of the world. Enhanced real-world air traffic populates the skies and airport tarmacs with hundreds of accurately depicted aircraft models and dozens of officially licensed liveries.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Premium Deluxe Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$129.99

Pre-order

Premium Deluxe Edition
Explore the world with our largest fleet of aircraft and take simulation to new heights while pursuing your aviation career within Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The Premium Deluxe Edition includes everything from the Standard Edition plus 25 additional aircraft and 10 additional handcrafted international airports.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Deluxe Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$99.99

Pre-order

Deluxe Edition
Explore the world with our largest fleet of aircraft and take simulation to new heights while pursuing your aviation career within Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The Deluxe Edition includes everything from the Standard Edition plus 10 additional aircraft and 5 additional handcrafted international airports.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Standard Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$69.99

Pre-order

Standard Edition
Explore the world with our largest fleet of aircraft and take simulation to new heights while pursuing your aviation career within Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The Standard Edition includes over 65 aircraft and 150 handcrafted airports.

Fly with Purpose
·       Launch your aviation Career wherever you choose in the world. Gain experience, build your reputation, and complete certifications to gain access to authentic aviation activities ranging from Medevac, Remote Cargo Ops, Aerial Firefighting, Search & Rescue and more, all the way to becoming an Airline Passenger Transport Pilot. Set out on a truly global aviation adventure with virtually unlimited missions across the planet.
·       Compete against other pilots in the all-new Challenge League mode or hone your skills in dozens of Activities ranging from exciting Rally Races and Precision Landings to Low-Altitude challenges and more. Fly head-to-head in the iconic Red Bull Air Races and the legendary Reno Air Races, including the new Roswell courses.
·       Be a World Photographer and travel across our beautiful planet to capture awe-inspiring natural vistas, visit famous landmarks, and record these adventures with pictures in your travel book. Unique photo challenges test your creative eye along with your piloting skills while you strive to capture the perfect moment.
Advanced Simulation
·       Enhanced physics system allows 10,000+ rigid-body surfaces that enable the simulation of any shape of aircraft. Soft body physics supports cloth, ropes, balloons, and more. Improved ground and water handling further enhance realism.
·       New, highly accurate aircraft systems including electrical, pneumatic, fuel and hydraulic systems, payload and passenger systems, and avionics like the Universal UNS-1 FMS and Honeywell Primus Epic 2. Preflight inspections and walkaround checks add to immersion.
·       Plan your flights with a groundbreaking flight planner which supports both IFR and VFR map layers, IFR charts, route planning, fuel and payload planning, vertical profile planning, and ETOPS planning. It also provides airport information including weather and NOTAMS and is available native in the sim, on mobile devices or web browsers for flight planning outside the simulator.

The post Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: The Many Enhancements That Make This the Most Ambitious Flight Sim Ever appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Overwatch 2: Creating Sound for Support Hero Juno That is Out of this World

Category: Games

Overwatch 2: Creating Sound for Support Hero Juno That is Out of this World

Summary

Check out Juno, the newest support hero in Overwatch 2
Find out about Juno’s abilities, and how the audio helps brings them to life
Learn the stories behind the sounds with insight from Juno’s design team

Hello Overwatch 2 fans and fellow sound engineers! Recently, we welcomed the newest hero and Martian colonist Juno to Earth and into the Overwatch mission in Season 12. As the senior sound designer for her, I thought I’d share a bit about creating the sound identity for Juno, and how my journey through the world of sound design led me there.

Discovering My Passion

Like Juno finding her footing on Earth, my path to designing her sound profile began at Berklee, where I initially went to study electric bass. Music has always been my first love, but as I immersed myself in different aspects of audio production, I discovered a fascination with sound design. Ultimately this led to a decision to chase a career in sound design. Unfortunately, life events led to the tough decision to leave Berklee, but I still wanted to break into the industry and begin making connections. Since I was just starting out, I began creating sound design music and shared it with anyone who would listen. It was a hustle that paid off when I landed a few gigs making sample packs for large sample pack companies. These jobs may have been small potatoes, but they were incredibly educational and helped me build a solid starter reel of work.

Joining the Overwatch 2 Team

With a growing portfolio, I found a job at a third-party audio company, where I worked up to a senior role, gaining experience and refining my skills. It wasn’t long before I felt ready to take on a more significant challenge—a position in an AAA work environment. My opportunity came when I applied for a position on the Overwatch 2 team. The application process was intense—I interviewed and tested while battling my first case of COVID—but despite the hurdles, I was accepted for the role of Senior Heroes Designer. Within the first year, I was entrusted with designing Juno, my first hero.

Designing Juno

Juno uses her space-age technology to solve any problem that enters her orbit, and her spunky and energetic personality called for a sound design that was lighthearted and fun. Her primary fire and torpedoes are quick burst weapons, so they needed to be punchy and concise, clean and satisfying. One of the challenges was in balancing her primary fire to fit both a medical healing device and a laser gun. The team went back and forth on this element, tweaking it until we found the perfect equilibrium that felt right for Juno.

For her cosmic abilities, I experimented with some unconventional techniques. To capture some otherworldly effects, I used de-noising plugins on tonal sounds like bass synths and glassy textures. This was one of the most fun parts of the process because it allowed for a lot of creative freedom.

Juno’s retro aesthetic meant I could lean into a more cliche “pew pew” gun style. I took modern sounding shots and blasts and processed them with quick filter and pitch sweeps to give them that vintage “pew” quality.

Creating the sounds for her mech and foley provided another interesting challenge. I wanted them to sound minimal yet authentic, while avoiding anything too plastic or toy-like. So, I took a trip to Home Depot and found various items I could experiment with to add a unique layer of authenticity to her mechanical sounds. The objective was to find rubber and soft plastic items that could be mixed, so I ended up using some plumbing supplies, a plastic paint bucket, and a plastic plunger. I also took a trip to a local sporting goods store and found some great sounds using a catcher’s mitt and a collapsing camping bucket.

All in all, Juno’s sound identity is plucky future-retro. Keep an ear out for Juno’s unique sounds—knowing the story behind them might just make your next game even more enjoyable!

An Experience to Cherish

Designing Juno has been a rewarding experience, both professionally and personally, and seeing the positive feedback from the Overwatch community has been the cherry on top. My journey from Berklee dropout to creating sounds for a beloved game like Overwatch 2 has been filled with twists, turns, and invaluable lessons.

Check out my latest character designs in the World of Warcraft x Overwatch collab, where I added sound to bring to life the iconic Widowmaker/Sylvanas skin!

If you’re an aspiring sound designer or simply curious about the process, I hope this window into my experience inspires you to follow your passion, no matter the obstacles. Until next time, happy gaming and noise-making!

If you enjoyed this post, consider joining our community forum where we discuss all things Overwatch 2 and sound design. Your thoughts and feedback are always welcome!

Juno is available now in Overwatch 2 – play for free on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC now.

Overwatch® 2

Blizzard Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆
2019

★★★★★

Get it now

Xbox One X Enhanced

Xbox Game Pass

Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl featuring new heroes and maps, different ways to play, and unique cosmetics! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your allies as one of Overwatch’s 40 distinct heroes. Team up with friends, take them into battle across 25+ futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes.

Overwatch 2 – Season 12: New Frontiers

Prepare for an interstellar journey to discover new frontiers as this season introduces Juno, a formidable new Support hero hailing from Mars. Then, battle through two new maps in the Clash game mode where you’ll engage in an intense tug of war for the win! Unleash ancient Egyptian divinity with the new Mythic Anubis Reaper Hero Skin and smite your foes as the sun God Ra sends down a blazing heavenly sword animation to mark your kills with the upcoming Mythic Ana Weapon Skin. And don’t miss out on adding Legendary Bast Doomfist and Oni Ana to your collection from the Premium Battle Pass. Play for free to earn 600 coins, 1500 credits, plus the Apep Zarya and Polar Lucio skins.

The Overwatch League Token will no longer be purchasable after December 9, 2024. The OWL shop will remain open until at least December 2025, with limited inventory purchasable with players’ remaining OWL token balances.

The post Overwatch 2: Creating Sound for Support Hero Juno That is Out of this World appeared first on Xbox Wire.

How The Elder Scrolls: Castles Builds on Fallout Shelter to Create a Fascinatingly Authentic Elder Scrolls Spin-Off

Category: Mobile Gaming

September 18, 2024

How The Elder Scrolls: Castles Builds on Fallout Shelter to Create a Fascinatingly Authentic Elder Scrolls Spin-Off

Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief

Almost a decade ago, Fallout Shelter transformed the Wasteland we knew into a mobile management game, turning players into Overseers for their very own vault. It was a worldwide smash, taking what we loved about Fallout and transmuting it into something brand new – and now Bethesda Game Studios is taking that idea further, with a whole new franchise, in The Elder Scrolls: Castles.

Available now for iOS and Android, Castles builds on what Fallout Shelter began, allowing you to control rulers and their subjects as you build a thriving castle in the world of Tamriel. As Bethesda Game Studios’ Director of Mobile Games, Craig Lafferty puts it:

“Castles is the spiritual successor to Fallout Shelter. In Castles, you’ll take on the role of the right hand of the king or queen and manage your kingdom from the ground up. You’ll build the castle of your dreams, rule over your subjects, and make critical decisions about your kingdom’s future as you build your dynasty.

“Every day in our world is a year in the game. Time passes, subjects live and die, and rulers change as you build your dynasty. Eventually you will need to find new resources and items to keep your castle growing. Craft and equip outfits and weapons to your subjects and send them on epic quests to battle classic Elder Scrolls creatures and enjoy the rewards.”

Key to the team’s work has been taking what players loved about Fallout Shelter and (often quite literally) building on it, while capturing the vibe of a whole new world. “Our goal has been to build on everything players loved about Fallout Shelter, but with a ton more content, features and things to do in-game. We know that players loved building their vault in Shelter but wanted more ways to customize and make it their own. Because of that, in Castles, you can fully customize a built castle at any time, and these changes impact not only how your castle looks like ‘visually’, but it can also affect gameplay to some extent.”

That means your castle isn’t just a growing series of rooms, but dynamically reacts to what you do – build a new wing and zoom out and you’ll notice that your changes have resulted in new turrets and offshoots of the wider building. Add to that the ability to decorate your castle (with added benefits for each decoration you choose), and you have a place that feels distinctly yours. “We’ve aimed to provide players with as much castle-building flexibility as possible” adds Lafferty. “We look forward to seeing all the fun TES castles that fans will create!”

Customization goes deeper than you might imagine – every new subject you attract to your castle or birth as a baby has a distinct personality that can affect their roles. Some characters may be better suited to crafting tasks like working at a mill, or in the forge, while others may be perfect for heading out on combat-heavy quests to earn rare materials. Some of these traits can be very odd – a personal favorite was my Haunted subject, who’d periodically be chased by a ghost… who could also do their work for them.

And atop them all is your ruler – you can choose your king or queen, and their heir, which can affect things wildly. “The ruler’s traits affect everyone in the Castle,” says Lafferty, “whether it’s through their rulings or general influence over the subjects. For example, a ruler’s personality trait could make subjects more productive, but less happy at the same time. So, paying attention to your ruler’s traits/personalities can affect the overall happiness and productivity of your subjects roaming within Castles’ walls.”

Your ruler has more to do than simply sit on a throne, however. Castles introduces a rulings system – you’ll periodically be presented with choices that can affect everyone from individual subjects to the fate of the kingdom around you.

“We’ve spent a lot of time on the rulings system, making sure it was fun and easy to make rulings, at the same time, ensuring that decisions have a noticeable impact on the subjects in your Castle,” explains Lafferty. “Sometimes you’ll see an immediate impact on a subject’s happiness, or a material benefit from a ruling. But others take more time to become more obvious. And rulings can lead to immediate assassination of your ruler or a subject if you’re not careful with your decisions. So, how you rule over your dynasty has a real impact on your subjects and how long your ruler stays in power.”

There’s a lot more to this than you might expect from a mobile game – and it’s been designed to evolve over time, always offering something new for you to rule over. With each in-game year taking a real-life day to pass, Castles is designed to offer something new for you constantly. “This is where the growing a dynasty and building a lasting legacy really comes into play,” says Lafferty. “The passage of time means the player needs to always have a proper succession plan in place for the heir to the throne.

“We did a lot of work in the game design to ensure that subject relationships and how long a ruler reigns are elements that players can work towards improving. Players also need to continue to improve their gear type and level to progress through the quests. It’s an important mechanic within the game. We have a Dynasty Level system, with rewards that continues on endlessly. Our goal is to update the game regularly with new dynasty levels, quests, events, and challenges.”

On top of this, Castles is designed to be a treasure trove for Elder Scrolls fans, and the more you play, the more you’ll see how the game ties into the wider world. “We’ve worked particularly hard to make sure that Castles feels as authentic as possible to the Elder Scrolls Universe,” explains Lafferty. “And die-hard fans will be able to pick up on this when playing the game.”

From the game’s score, to the sheer number of classic Elder Scrolls races included as subjects (who form their own distinct factions within your castle) to even the smallest pieces of dialogue (“dialogue bubbles often have direct and indirect references to The Elder Scrolls universe, lore and locations – including some references only the hardcore fan will recognize”), there’s a lot to discover here.

You can even pick up unique subjects who’ve appeared in other Elder Scrolls games. “For example, [Skyrim‘s] Ulfric is a legendary subject, and so is the Adoring Fan,” teases Lafferty. “These legendary subjects have various unique traits that player can take advantage of to elevate their Castles experience… From assigning them to stations for more effective output, to making babies and carrying those traits further.”

Both the game itself and its connections to The Elder Scrolls will only get deeper over time. Castles may only just have arrived, but the team has a lot of plans in place for how it can grow. “We have tons of ideas for more content – we really had to force ourselves to stop adding new features and focus on releasing the game! All to say that we have so many great ideas that will be coming into the game. From simple elements, like new decorations, to whole new ways to play the game and interact with friends.”

Right now, the game’s seeing a Redguard-themed event (including the ability to transform the look of your castle entirely), but we’ll see Castles take on multiple Elder Scrolls locations over time. The team is also planning on expanding the game’s quests, and has some still-secret plans for how to celebrate real-life holidays in your virtual kingdom.

It may have begun as a successor to Fallout Shelter but, Castles is already evolving into something truly new – pick your rulers wisely, and see how far this goes.

The post How The Elder Scrolls: Castles Builds on Fallout Shelter to Create a Fascinatingly Authentic Elder Scrolls Spin-Off appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Summary

Summary

Automate Your Scout

Start Workshopping

Attaching Amenities

Research What You Really Need

Pay for a Rush Pass

Expand!

Settler By Turn 30 (At the Latest)

Enter a Golden Age

Try for a Triumph

Be a Good Neighbor… For Now

Why Not Go for Six?

What’s Next?

Ara: History Untold Deluxe Edition Preorder Bundle

Ara: History Untold Standard Edition Preorder Bundle

Ara: History Untold Deluxe Upgrade Edition

Summary

Beyond Galaxyland

Frostpunk 2

EA Sports FC 25

EA Sports NHL 25

September Rewards

Ara: History Untold Deluxe Edition Preorder Bundle

Beyond Galaxyland

Bloomtown: A Different Story

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed

Mortal Kombat<img decoding="async" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;"> 1: Khaos Reigns Expansion

Farmer Survivors

Ricky Recharge

ZombFarm

3 Minutes to Midnight

63 Days

Creepy Tale: Some Other Place

Exographer

The Holy Gosh Darn

Iron Meat

MONOPOLY®

Night Slashers: Remake

Shadows of Doubt

THRONE AND LIBERTY: Early Access Pack – Standard

Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition

EA SPORTS FC<img decoding="async" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;"> 25 Xbox Series X|S

egg boy

Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports

Anarkade

Ctrl Alt Ego

Ducky Dash

Lunacy: Saint Rhodes

Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles

Dark Light

Cube Railway

Redneck Joe Vs The Swamp Zombies

Murder Is Game Over: Deal Killer

Iron Sea Defenders

The Unexpected Quest

Emergency Crew

How To Start Playing

Keep The Fun Going

Free Play Days For All

Ghostrunner 2

Control

Free Play Days (Xbox Game Pass Core or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Required)

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

Terraria

Crime Boss: Rockay City

Stray Blade

Miasma Chronicles

Assetto Corsa Competizione

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Portal Knights

Summary

Earning Your Wings

Improving the “Digital Twin”

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Attention to Detail

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Aviator Edition

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Premium Deluxe Edition

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Deluxe Edition

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Standard Edition

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