Xbox Insider Release Notes – Alpha Skip-Ahead (2408.240221-2200)

Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring today.

It’s important we note that some updates made to these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.

Details can be found below!

System Update Details

OS Version: XB_FLT_2408GE26063.1506.240221-2200
Available: 2 p.m. PT – February 23, 2024
Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – February 24, 2024

Fixes Included

Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:

System

Various stability and performance fixes.
Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
- Note: Users participating in Preview may see “odd” text across the console. To learn more visit: What’s This? Learn More About Pseudo-Loc in Preview.

Known Issues

While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.

Audio

Some users have reported experiencing intermittent audio issues across the dashboard, games, and apps.
- Troubleshooting: If you do experience issues, please confirm your TV and all other equipment have the latest firmware installed. If you are unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance. You can also find additional troubleshooting tips here: Troubleshoot audio on your Xbox console.
- Feedback: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware and troubleshooting further, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”.
  - Note: Be sure to include as much information as possible about the issue, when it started, your setup, troubleshooting you have completed, and any additional information that will help us reproduce the issue.

Guide

We are aware the chat mixer in the guide may not behave as expected, and we are working on a fix.

Networking

We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to the network immediately on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
- Workaround: Wait a minute or two for the connection to establish. If your console still hasn’t connected, restart your Xbox from the Power Center or the guide then file feedback with Report a Problem. Learn more about restarting here: How to restart or power cycle your Xbox console.

As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.

If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.

When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.

Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.

For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!

The post Xbox Insider Release Notes – Alpha Skip-Ahead (2408.240221-2200) appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Game hubs are available now for Xbox Insiders on PC

Introducing game hubs

Earlier this month, we started rolling out game hubs to Xbox Insiders on PC and a subset of Xbox App on PC players worldwide. Game hubs were built on your feedback around depth, progression, and more ways to connect with your games. With game hubs, you’ll be able to track your progress over time, discover the latest content and add-ons, connect or compete with your friends, get the latest news from developers, and more. This version of game hubs is just the beginning. We have another wave of updates coming soon, including ways to view your local game captures and browse other games from the same publisher. We can’t wait to hear your feedback on what’s there now and what you’d like to see in future updates.

You can access game hubs from the Xbox App on PC — just click on the game in your library or the left sidebar. Now, let’s run through some of the exciting content you will find here:

The essentials. At the top of the page, you’ll see the essentials like game info alongside options to play, install, or update the game. You’ll also see a quick link back to the details page, where you can purchase the game to own, see reviews, or add it to your wish list. Lastly, you’ll find information like when you last played, your total playtime, an achievement summary, and friend overviews. This area will also be used for important notifications like letting you know when a game is leaving Game Pass so that you can use your discount before it’s gone.

Featured content. We want to make sure you don’t miss what’s new, so you’ll see the latest available add-ons at the top of the game hub when they release with pricing info and a link to purchase.

Friends who play. No more shuffling through the app. Compare progress, view profiles, see who’s in-game, and even send your friends a party invite all from the same place.

Achievements. Easily track your overall achievement and Gamerscore progress, any hero stats you might have accumulated, and your next closest unlocks with the help of the achievements section. To see the full list of achievements you’ve earned and the ones you’re missing, you can always click ‘show all.’

All add-ons. Whether it’s the newest car pack in Forza Motorsport or more Ancient Coins to stuff your coffers for Sea of Thieves Season 11, we have you covered. You can browse available and owned add-ons directly from the game hub.

HowLongToBeat. We heard how much you enjoyed this feature on the details pages for participating games, so we made sure to bring it over to game hubs, too. Whether you’re looking to finish up the main story or going for a completionist run, HowLongToBeat will help you compare your playtime against community sourced completion data.

From the developer. Here, you’ll get the latest updates, announcements, tips, and tricks from the game’s developers. Find the latest news related to your favorite games directly from the teams behind them.

Until March 9, a Quest will available in the Xbox Insider Hub (open or install clicking here) for players enrolled in the PC Gaming preview. As a reminder, you can always give us suggestions for the app or leave feedback by clicking on your Profile card inside the Xbox App and then selecting Feedback from the dropdown menu. We can’t wait to hear from you as we work to bring more improvements to game hubs and the Xbox App on PC.

How to get Xbox Insider support and share your feedback

If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please join our community on the Xbox Insider subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help. We always recommend adding to threads with the same issue before posting a brand new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Don’t forget to use “Report a problem” before posting—the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.

Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today. We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.

For more information on the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter at @XboxInsider and this blog for release notes, announcements, and more. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding the PC Gaming preview.

The post Game hubs are available now for Xbox Insiders on PC appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Age of Empires Reveals Jam-Packed 2024 with its New Year, New Age Livestream

The post Age of Empires Reveals Jam-Packed 2024 with its New Year, New Age Livestream appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 26 to March 1

Category: Next Week on Xbox

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 26 to March 1

This is Next Week on Xbox! This weekly feature shows you all the games that are coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass! You can find more information about these upcoming games below and click on their profiles for more details (release dates subject to change). Let’s get started!

Bio Inc. Redemption

Klabater

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Bio Inc. Redemption – February 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A complex biomedical simulator in which you make life or death decisions. Create the ultimate illness to infect and torment your victim or play as the head of a medical team and hopefully find a cure to save your patient. Will you be the plague or preserve humanity?

TRUDOGRAD

ATENT GAMES LLC

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Trudograd – February 27

Trudograd is a standalone story expansion to Atom RPG. Explore a vast open world, containing 40+ hours of gameplay and 45+ populated locations. Your goal is to travel to a giant post-apocalyptic metropolis that withstood the tests of nuclear obliteration and social collapse. There you must find what is thought to be humanity’s last hope in fending off the menace from outer space!

BROADSWORD: WARLORD EDITION

Hoplite Research LLC

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$29.99

Pre-order

Broadsword: Warlord Edition – February 28

Experience turn-based strategy gameplay as players move from mission to mission in the Middle Ages. Command one of five different armies: the English, The French, the Spanish, the Poles or the Hapsburgs. Lead different types of units into battle , and control special hero units such as Henry III, Joan of Arc, Wladylaw I of Poland, and Peter of Castile, among others whose special ‘hero’ powers can affect the entire battlefield.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake

505 Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake – February 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Hailed by critics when it was originally released, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is back! Faithful to the gameplay and touching story from 2013, guide two brothers on an epic fairy tale filled with discovery, loss, adventure, and mystery. With their father suffering from a deadly illness, two brothers must bravely set out to find the “Water of Life,” the one cure that can save him.

Cook, Serve, Delicious!

Vertigo Gaming Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Cook, Serve, Delicious! – February 28

A deceptively easy game to learn but incredibly challenging to master as you progress from owning a rundown zero-star café into a five-star world famous restaurant. Manage your restaurant as you balance out your menu with thirty foods and hundreds of recipes, compete in cooking television shows and mysterious tournaments, and upgrade your equipment while battling robbers, impatient customers, and lots more!

QUByte Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Match Village – February 29

A minimalist puzzle and strategy experience about combining buildings to build villages on beautiful, procedurally generated islands. Combine buildings to create your villages and cities on endless islands scattered around the world and enjoy relaxing atmosphere – no resource management or armies, just focus on building.

Eldgear

KEMCO

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Eldgear – February 29
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A tactical strategy RPG set in a fantasy world. In the vast unexplored land of Argenia, where hundreds of nations are crowded together, a new era is about to begin, leaving behind the medieval era and entering the era of magical civilization. In turn-based battles, you can choose your own strategy, whether you dash alone like lightning, or advance steadily like the earth. Immersive and enjoyable pixel animations take place to enhance the battle experience.

Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions

SHUEISHA GAMES Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$24.99

Pre-order

Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions – March 1

Become Captain Velvet Meteor and help Damien conquer his fears in a tactical adventure enjoyable for players of all ages and skill levels. Damien’s life is flipped upside-down when his family moves him to Japan. A shy boy, he copes with his newfound loneliness with the power of his infinite imagination and creates an imaginary hero named “Captain Velvet Meteor”.

Dynacat

Replayne

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Dynacat – March 1
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Dynacat’s home has been invaded by an army of robots who are draining energy from the land and storing it in the form of magic crystals. Follow Dynacat on an adventure to fight back against the robots and protect the land from withering. A fast-paced 3D platforming game with an isometric perspective – speed through stages by using platforms, springs and other stage elements to overcome obstacles. If you’re going fast enough you can even run on walls!

The Mobius Machine

Madruga Works

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$24.99

Pre-order

The Mobius Machine – March 1
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

A classic 2D adventure game with detailed 3D visuals. Explore an interconnected world filled with brutal lifeforms and malfunctioning machines. Find your way through abandoned facilities and perilous environments, on the surface and in the depths of this remote alien planet. Choose your own path and explore a complex open world, discovering it in your own way.

Ufouria: The Saga 2

Red Art Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Ufouria: The Saga 2 – March 1
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

In this family-friendly platformer sequel, rampage through the fluffy feltwork arts-and-crafts recreation of the world of Ufouria, with your trusty crew from the original game in this exploration-based action side-scroller. Of course, newcomers to Ufouria are welcome too!

M.A.D. Cows

Cascadia Games LLC

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$4.99

Pre-order

M.A.D. Cows – March 1
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Militant. Armed. Domestic. Cows! An exciting, retro, action-platform game. Mow down aliens. Buy better guns. Rescue cows, dogs, raccoons, and more. For centuries, the aliens mutilated cattle with little to no consequence. Finally, the cows had enough. They organized. They trained. Now they are ready… for their revenge!

One More Dungeon 2

Ratalaika Games S.L.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

One More Dungeon 2 – March 1
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A dungeon crawler roguelite in a fantasy setting. As a nameless adventure seeker, you venture into an ancient dungeon full of secrets, traps, and hostile creatures. You wake up in the ruins of an ancient fortress, held captive by giant sentient snails. Use a wide arsenal of magic staves, melee weapons, and forbidden artifacts to fight your way through the crowds of enemies and make it out alive!

Frontier Pilot Simulator

RAZAR s.r.o.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Frontier Pilot Simulator – March 1
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Embark on a thrilling journey as a Frontier Pilot in this immersive sci-fi cargo sim, where dynamic missions, seamless trading, and a vast alien world await your exploration. Take command of customizable and upgradeable VTOL craft, navigate challenging weather conditions, and push your piloting skills to the limits.

Colorful Boi

Webnetic s. r. o.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Colorful Boi – March 1

Xbox Play Anywhere

Prepare for an adrenaline-fueled journey like no other! This captivating platformer boasts 63 levels of intense gameplay, filled with treacherous traps. Colorful Boi will push your skills to the limit and deliver an unforgettable gaming experience. Are you ready to conquer all the challenges and become the ultimate platforming champion?

The post Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 26 to March 1 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Xbox Insider Release Notes – Xbox App [2402.1001.23.00]

Hey Xbox Insiders! We are releasing a new Xbox App for Windows build to Xbox Insiders who are enrolled in the PC Gaming Insiders preview! Thank you all for being Xbox Insiders. Continue read to learn about fixes and known issues. Make sure that you update the Xbox app, and Gaming Services to ensure you get all of the fixes!

Versions of PC Gaming prerelease products:

Xbox App version: 2402.1001.23.0

Released: 5:00 p.m. PT – Feb 21st 2024

Game Bar version: 7.124.2141.0

Released: 5:00 p.m. PT – Feb 15th 2024

What’s new?

Game Hubs – Users will notice several new sections located on the individual pages for each game that they have installed. When you select a game listed in My Library or by simply clicking on a title in the left hand navigation bar, you will notice several new items shown on the page such as new content available for the title or information about your friends who play the title.

Xbox App Bug Fixes:

Fixed an issue where users were not able to copy images in Captures

How to Get Xbox Insider Support

Don’t forget! If you encounter any issues, you can leave feedback by navigating to the feedback option on your profile menu.

You can also provide feedback, as well as interact with the community, on the Xbox Insiders Subreddit. Please be as specific as possible when providing feedback.

When posting to the subreddit, please look through most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to threads with the same issue before posting a brand new one. This helps us support you the best we can!

For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information!

Thank you to everyone who participates in the Xbox Insider Program! Your feedback helps us continue to build a great gaming experience in the Xbox app on PC.

The post Xbox Insider Release Notes – Xbox App [2402.1001.23.00] appeared first on Xbox Wire.

The Making of Geometry Survivor, Out Now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

A Survival Shooter Like No Other

Innovation often comes from blending distinct genres to create a new, engaging experience for players. Geometry Survivor is a testament to this creative process, merging the fast-paced shooting action of Geometry Wars with the addictive progression and survival elements of Vampire Survivors.

The Origin of the World of Geometry Survivor

The idea for the game originated from a desire to combine the high-adrenaline gameplay of classic arcade shooters with the strategic depth and character progression found in modern survival games. Geometry Wars provided the perfect template for the game’s intense shooting mechanics, renowned for its vibrant visuals and dynamic enemy patterns. Meanwhile, Vampire Survivors offered a blueprint for incremental progression and survival against overwhelming odds, where players enhance their character’s abilities over time to withstand hordes of enemies.

Our aim was to create a game that not only pays homage to these influences but also create a game that stands on its own as a unique title. The core concept revolves around navigating a large arena, surviving against waves of enemies, and evolving the player’s abilities through strategic choices.

Overcoming the Obstacles for Challenging Gameplay

Blending two distinct gameplay styles presented several challenges for the development team. One of the primary hurdles was balancing the game’s pacing. The team needed to ensure that the shooting mechanics complemented the progression and survival aspects without overwhelming the player or making the game too easy.

Another challenge was designing enemy patterns and progression systems that would keep players engaged over time. We had to conduct extensive testing to fine-tune the difficulty curve, ensuring that the game remained challenging yet fair.

Unique Features of Geometry Survivor

A fundamental element of the game harks back to the essence of arcade classic shooters, where a player’s bullet would immediately annihilate an enemy ship, disintegrating it into fragments. We decided to use a simplistic health system where each entity can be eliminated with a single bullet.

This departure from the conventional damage/health paradigms introduces distinctive challenges in the design of varied and engaging weaponry. Given the one-shot kill mechanic, the game strategy involves flooding the screen with enemies spaced at various intervals. Each adversary exhibits unique movement behaviors, which, when combined, result in highly challenging combat scenarios.

Players are required to adeptly navigate through hordes of enemies, making tactical use of weapons to dispatch foes before becoming overwhelmed.

High Performance Highlights

The implementation of the Entity Component System (ECS) in Unity significantly contributed to enhancing the performance of Geometry Survivor, enabling the game to achieve a solid and high framerate even during intense gameplay moments. ECS architecture separates data and behavior, which allows for more efficient data access and manipulation, reducing the overhead typically associated with object-oriented programming. This approach was particularly beneficial for Geometry Survivor, where the screen can be inundated with numerous enemies, projectiles, and effects simultaneously. By utilizing ECS, we were able to take advantage of highly optimized, multithreaded code execution, ensuring that the game’s performance remained fluid and responsive.

This optimization was crucial for maintaining the fast-paced action and visual clarity that were central to the game’s design, providing players with a seamless and engaging experience without compromising on graphical fidelity or gameplay complexity. We hope you enjoy Geometry Survivor! The game is available now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

Geometry Survivor

Brain Seal Ltd

☆☆☆☆☆
3

★★★★★

$7.99

Get it now

Xbox One X Enhanced

Geometry Survivor is a rogue-lite auto shooter where you must survive for 20 minutes. Fight against waves of geometry ships, defeat their formations and survive the grid world.

– One hand gameplay: Use just one hand to control the direction of your ship
– Auto-Shooter: Your weapons fire automatically, letting you concentrate on staying alive
– Weapons: Each run allows you to get a unique combination of weapons
– Credits: Earn credits and permanently unlock new upgrades
– Enemies: Enjoy the multitude of enemies each with their own AI
– 20 minutes of intense gameplay
– Retro visuals and music straight from the 80s
– Delicious gameplay!

Geometry Survivor is the ultimate survival game, do not miss it!!

The post The Making of Geometry Survivor, Out Now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S appeared first on Xbox Wire.

There’s a Secret High-Tech Simulation Inside Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator

Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator is, you guessed it, a cozy gardening simulator. It’s a game about planting flowers, enjoying their growth and decorating the garden to your heart’s content. It all comes with a deep focus on non-punishing gameplay, a light story, and a stunning, anime inspired art style. But under that delightful exterior, you might be surprised at how much thought and processing power has gone into the simulation itself.

At Stillalive Studios, we take pride in our expertise in simulation games and their underlying technology. As we started fleshing out the idea of a gardening game, we realized it would be easy enough to create the basic simulation – some of our studio have quantum physics degrees. But the challenge we set ourselves was this – could we create a gardening game that hid all the simulation complexity under a coziness as pleasant as a cup of warm tea on a cold winter’s eve?

Our Producer is a Florist

It all starts with Kay, our producer. She’s the one that manages the Garden Life project at Stillalive. Kay knows a lot about flowers, as she was a florist in her past professional life. Putting together flower arrangements for festivities and weddings, Kay won prestigious Gold and Silver medals at the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show in London. This knowledge had to be put to good use in a cozy gardening game. With her on the team, we had one of the puzzle pieces down – next, we needed to conquer the tech itself.

Why Does Garden Life Need a Lot of Tech, Anyway?

Computers are not very good at randomness: the little quirks and irregularities that make nature so diverse and interesting. When artists create 3D models, the computer is always going to recreate those models exactly. We couldn’t imagine anything less cozy than a garden full of identical flowers, like a legion of Stormtroopers growing in lockstep. And this is where our tech department set out to find ways of breaking these patterns – adding randomness and quirks back into the cold determinism of computer processors.

Flowers often only play a background role in games. But in a gardening game, flowers are front and center. They need to look stunning. One of our design goals was therefore to make every flower look unique. So unique that a full garden of flowers would look natural, as in real life. No copies. No Stormtroopers. No tricks.

This Is Where Our Sim Background Shines

Every flower model in Garden Life is generated on-the-fly. This is our recipe:

The flower starts on the ground, where the first stem segment is generated and grows.
When the segment is finished, a new segment is spawned.
The growth direction for the new segment gets a kick in a random direction so the stem does not grow in a straight line.
At every new segment and depending on the flower, there is a random chance that a leaf grows out of the stem, or that the stem splits into two segments.
The more segments the plant spawns, the bigger the chance to produce the final flower at the top, finishing the growth process.
Depending on the flower type, the top gets another kick in a random direction for good measure.

This simple recipe allows for so much variation and produces organic, beautiful-looking flower beds. Every flower has leaves at different places. Some stems are shorter, some longer, with random variations in growth direction here and there.

To realize the variety of flowers we have in the game, every specimen has a slight variation of this recipe. How big and long are the stem segments? How straight, interwoven? How many segments can there be, determining the total height of a plant. And while sunflowers grow very tall and have one stem, Hellebores grow in small bunches, and Roses go all-in on the bushy, entangled structure.

As mentioned above, computers are not very good at coping with randomness. While there are tricks to make hundreds of identical models run smoothly, it was a long and winding road to optimize performance for on-the-fly generated 3D geometry. We’re very happy with the outcome! Together with our anime-inspired art style, Garden Life simply looks gorgeous and promises many hours of relaxing gameplay.

Garden Life is out today for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.

Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator

Nacon

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$39.99

Get it now

Using appropriate gardening techniques and your creativity, bring an abandoned plot back to life, and experience the joy and peace that cultivating your own garden brings.

• ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES – In Garden Life, there’s no miracle solution: your plants will only flourish with dedication, the right tools and appropriate gardening techniques!

• DESIGN THE GARDEN OF YOUR DREAMS – Using the grid free placement, sow the seeds of your choice and use decorative elements to bring your designs to life. Through the procedural growth simulation technology developed specifically for Garden Life, every plant is unique and adapts to their environment.

• NURTURE YOUR GARDEN – Take care of your seedlings by identifying their individual care requirements; water, fertilize, and clip your plants to maintain their natural beauty and nurture them to health.

• DISCOVER DIFFERENT VARIETIES – Unlock your creativity by breeding beautiful variations and discover the full potential of each plant.

• MEET COLOURFUL CHARACTERS – Help your friendly neighbours by fulfilling their gardening requests and receive rewards such as new plant varieties, tools, and decorations.

• RELAX – After a busy day, unwind and experience the calming ambiance of your garden in a soothing world with relaxing sights and sounds.

The post There’s a Secret High-Tech Simulation Inside Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Bringing the Unique Style of DC’s Peacemaker to Mortal Kombat 1

Category: Games

February 22, 2024

Bringing the Unique Style of DC’s Peacemaker to Mortal Kombat 1

Nick Nicastro, Design Manager, NetherRealm Studios

After working at NetherRealm Studios for more than 10 years, I have experienced my fair share of memorable days as part of the design department, but the day we all learned we would be designing Peacemaker for Mortal Kombat 1 was certainly one of the best. The only concern I had was the possibility of designers fighting each other on who would take the coveted role of point person. In all seriousness though, when we heard this news, we immediately started sharing clips from the show and brainstorming ideas.

The reason for all the excitement speaks to how much we love the character and series. The humor resonates with our own, and I think if we were to design our own superhero, it would be heavily inspired by elements of Peacemaker.

From day one, it was clear to us that translating Peacemaker into Mortal Kombat 1 was going to be exciting. The first part was to craft a gameplay design around a core set of attacks and special moves while then layering in reference after reference and adding very specific details to the way the attacks look and feel. This meant watching and re-watching scenes of show while meticulously noting details that stuck out to us.

One of our favorite scenes from the show was the first time we get to see Peacemaker use the Sonic Boom helmet. The butterfly girl he had been fighting leapt into the air to attack, but Peacemaker was able to activate Sonic Boom in time to vaporize her. It was a shocking moment as we are left with a shot of Peacemaker sitting on the ground completely stunned at what just transpired.

When we went to create Peacemaker’s Brutality with the Sonic Boom, we wanted to mimic very specific details that stood out to us like capturing that last shot of Peacemaker sitting on ground in total shock. Additionally, we created a Brutality from the scene in the show where he made a homemade grenade using a tank shell. We even created new blood splats with bigger spreads and longer meteors of meat bits to better mimic those on the show. In all, this is the part of the design process that we have a lot of fun with.

As we were developing Peacemaker in Mortal Kombat 1, we believed it was critical to showcase his over-the-top personality everywhere possible. This becomes a summation of nuances, voiceover, dialog, motions, and mannerisms that are keys to how we wanted to convey Peacemaker’s unique personality to the audience. This is always important but especially in this case because of how familiar players are with this character, and anything slightly off will be noticed right away.

Fortunately, we had the pleasure of working directly with John Cena who delivered an impeccable performance (no surprise) as Peacemaker in the game, adding the ultimate level of credibility to the voice capture and dialog. In the mocap studio, we closely studied Peacemaker’s mannerisms, oftentimes bringing up clips from the show on the big screen and comparing them with the actor’s performance as we captured the motions to ensure they were reading like Peacemaker. As you might expect, there were a lot of laughs in between takes as some of the more the comedic moments were shining through.

Gameplay-wise, Peacemaker was designed to have a straight-forward and accessible playstyle. We wanted to prominently feature both his helmet attacks and coordination with Eagley, the character’s loyal bald eagle sidekick. For the helmet attacks, we needed to design special moves that supported both his gameplay design and references we felt were important from the show. For his helmet-centric moves, he will employ his torpedo attack and anti-gravity abilities that allows him to float up and slam down over opponents, with the enhanced version of this move acting as an evade with additional options to cancel out.

For Eagley’s attacks, we were looking to design meaningful special moves that would be helpful in certain situations. For instance, Eagley can attack an opponent’s Kameo Fighter, mauling them and shutting down their use. For a few of us, the funniest move Peacemaker has is his blow dart special move, which fans should recognize from The Suicide Squad(2021)movie. In-game, he is in the same sneaking stance and can move forward and back while holding the blow dart, which can be released at any time and is designed to hit opponents out of the air.

It would be an understatement to say it was a privilege for us to design and develop Peacemaker in Mortal Kombat 1. This was one of the most collaborative and fun experiences we’ve had as a design group so far. We feel that Peacemaker is a great fit for the Mortal Kombat Universe, and we can’t wait for players to get their hands on him. Peacemaker will be available on Feb. 28 as part of the early access period for Mortal Kombat 1 Kombat Pack owners, followed by wide availability on March 6. A trial version of Mortal Kombat 1 will be available to play for all Game Pass Core and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers as part of Xbox Free Play Days from March 7-10, with access to all multiplayer game modes, the first two chapters of the cinematic Story mode, the base roster of iconic characters, and more.

Mortal Kombat 1

Warner Bros. Games

☆☆☆☆☆
367

★★★★★

$69.99

$41.99

Get it now

It’s In Our Blood!

Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by the Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and fatalities!

MK1: Kombat Pack

Warner Bros. Games

☆☆☆☆☆
293

★★★★★

$39.99

Get it now

The Kombat Pack includes the Johnny Cage character skin featuring voice and likeness of actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme (available now), along with 6 new post-launch DLC playable characters and 5 new post-launch Kameo Fighters. Kombat Pack also includes 1-week early access to all DLC playable characters.

DLC Playable Characters (All Coming Post-Launch)
Omni-Man (Invincible)
Quan Chi
Peacemaker (DC’s Peacemaker)
Ermac
Homelander (The Boys)
Takahashi Takeda

DLC Kameo Fighters (All Coming Post-Launch)
Tremor
Mavado
Janet Cage
Ferra
Khameleon

The post Bringing the Unique Style of DC’s Peacemaker to Mortal Kombat 1 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Xbox Insider Release Notes – Alpha (2403.240219-1730)

Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Alpha ring today.

Details can be found below!

System Update Details

OS Version: XB_FLT_2403ZN25398.3813.240219-1730
Available: 2 p.m. PT – February 21, 2024
Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – February 22, 2024

Fixes Included

Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:

Accessibility

Fixes to improve narrator readout in the profile section in the guide.

System

Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
- Note: Users participating in Preview may see “odd” text across the console. To learn more visit: What’s This? Learn More About Pseudo-Loc in Preview.

Known Issues

Audio

We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
- Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
  - When did the issue start?
  - Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
  - Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
  - Does rebooting resolve the issue?
  - What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
  - And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.

Networking

We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
- Workaround: Wait a minute for the connection to establish. If your console still hasn’t connected, restart your Xbox from the Power Center or the guide. Learn more here: How to restart or power cycle your Xbox console.

If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.

For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!

The post Xbox Insider Release Notes – Alpha (2403.240219-1730) appeared first on Xbox Wire.

New Platforms, New Players: Four Fan-Favorite Xbox Games Coming to Nintendo Switch and Sony Platforms

At Xbox, we strive to create games that inspire, entertain, and connect players from around the world. As a publisher and platform we are committed to meeting players where they are, by bringing more games, to more people, and on more devices. And at the heart of all we do are our players, and the vibrant communities that they build around the games they love.

Today we are announcing that four fan-favorite Xbox games will be coming to Nintendo Switch and Sony platforms this spring. The studios that built these celebrated games have drawn on their multi-platform experience to open the worlds they created to even more players and communities.

Pentiment from Obsidian Entertainment, a truly unique, critically acclaimed, and award-winning narrative adventure game with a striking visual style inspired by history itself will be coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch on February 22.

Hi-Fi RUSH, the award-winning and beloved rhythm-based action game where the world syncs to the music from Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks will be coming to PlayStation 5 on March 19 at midnight UTC, with pre-purchase available on PlayStation 5 digital storefronts on February 21.

Grounded – also from Obsidian Entertainment – a co-op survival adventure phenomenon that has welcomed 20 million players into the backyard, will be coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch on April 16. Cross play will be supported across Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and PC.

Sea of Thieves, the shared world adventure game from Rare, will be coming to PlayStation 5 on April 30 – and will be available to wishlist by PlayStation 5 players starting tomorrow, February 22. Having built a passionate community of more than 35 million players from around the world, the support of cross play for Xbox, PlayStation and PC will allow players to experience epic pirate adventures with friends on more platforms.

These titles join franchises like Minecraft, Call of Duty, Overwatch and Diablo – which already reach players and fans on multiple platforms – and we’re excited for more players to experience these worlds and stories on more platforms.

Whether it’s Nintendo Switch and PlayStation players surviving in the backyard together in Grounded, or PlayStation players getting to live a pirate’s life in Sea of Thieves, with cross-play, these multiplayer titles available will bring more people together and continue to grow their communities of players.

Last week on The Official Xbox Podcast, we also discussed how our Xbox consoles will continue to provide a flagship experience for players. This is what it means to be a part of Xbox:

The biggest games in the world will be on Xbox.   
Our first party games will come to Game Pass day one. 
A robust and innovative multi-year hardware roadmap.
Compatibility with your library is a priority, inclusive of cross-play, cross-save, and robust cloud features.  
Xbox will continue to help game creators find the biggest audience possible.

And as we shared at Developer_Direct, earlier this year, players can look forward to Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Avowed, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and more on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass this year.

There’s never been a better time to play, and we can’t wait for more players to experience these great games.

The post New Platforms, New Players: Four Fan-Favorite Xbox Games Coming to Nintendo Switch and Sony Platforms appeared first on Xbox Wire.

System Update Details

Fixes Included

Known Issues

How to get Xbox Insider support and share your feedback

Bio Inc. Redemption

TRUDOGRAD

BROADSWORD: WARLORD EDITION

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake

Cook, Serve, Delicious!

Dead End City

STAR WARS<img decoding="async" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;">: Dark Forces Remaster

Pecaminosa – A Deadly Hand

Tamarak Trail

Welcome to ParadiZe Pre-order

PopSlinger

Match Village

Eldgear

Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions

Dynacat

The Mobius Machine

Ufouria: The Saga 2

M.A.D. Cows

One More Dungeon 2

Frontier Pilot Simulator

Colorful Boi

A Survival Shooter Like No Other

The Origin of the World of Geometry Survivor

Overcoming the Obstacles for Challenging Gameplay

Unique Features of Geometry Survivor

High Performance Highlights

Geometry Survivor

Our Producer is a Florist

Why Does Garden Life Need a Lot of Tech, Anyway?

This Is Where Our Sim Background Shines

Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator

Mortal Kombat<img decoding="async" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;"> 1

MK1: Kombat Pack

System Update Details

Fixes Included

Known Issues

STAR WARS: Dark Forces Remaster

Mortal Kombat 1