Team Xbox Celebrates Disability Pride Month

This July, as part of Disability Pride Month, Team Xbox proudly celebrates players, creators, and community members with disabilities. More than 400 million video game players have disabilities worldwide, and we recognize the incredible contributions the gaming and disability community has made in making Team Xbox, and the broader gaming industry, more inclusive and welcoming for everyone.

Disability Pride holds a special place in my heart, as I am not only a Program Manager on our Gaming Accessibility Team, but also a person with disabilities. Most people wouldn’t think of me as having a disability at first glance. In fact, I didn’t know I had disabilities until I was in my 20’s when I was diagnosed as being neurodiverse. Now I know that I have had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder since I was a young child. And, as the years have gone by, I’ve acquired new disabilities due to illness, injury, and trauma. Chronic pain is now part of my life, as is hearing loss, and anxiety and depression related to complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

The reason I share all of this is that if you aren’t already dealing with your own disabilities, chances are very good that someone close to you is. It’s estimated that at least 15% of the world’s population has some form of disability, and the vast majority of those are invisible.

So, this month, we encourage everyone to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the many players with disabilities across the globe who make up the vibrant gaming community, as well as think about those people in your life who also are part of the disability community and what you can do to be an ally for them. For example, one way to support the disability community is to learn about the technologies and tools they use to play. You can do this by taking our free Gaming Accessibility Fundamentals learning path. Or, if you are an Xbox Ambassador, consider completing the Xbox Ambassador Accessibility Explorer Path, a gamified experience that allows Xbox Ambassadors to learn more about accessibility in gaming, as well as try out new gaming accessibility features across PC and console.

As for all of us at Xbox, a source of pride is being able to work to ensure our industry is welcoming of players of all abilities and backgrounds, celebrating and partnering with the Gaming & Disability Community, and investing in solutions to help ensure everyone can play. Because when everyone plays, we all win.

In celebration of Disability Pride Month, check out how Xbox is supporting the disability community to help make gaming a place where everyone feels heard, included, and supported in gaming in a way that brings them joy.

Gaming & Disability Community Stories

We are proud to highlight stories and experiences from members of the Gaming & Disability community, including what Disability Pride means to them. Check out their stories, in their words, below:

MikeTheQuad

He/Him

July marks Disability Pride Month. What does Disability Pride mean to you, personally?
Disability Pride is acceptance of all disabilities. It’s the celebration of all people who have a disability, and not the fact we are proud of our disability, but we are proud of overcoming all the obstacles we face on a daily basis.

How do you “show” or “live” your pride?
I showcase Disability Pride by living my life as a problem solver. Many people with disabilities have to adapt to their surroundings, because we live in an inaccessible world. I overcome these obstacles daily, not letting anything stop me from achieving my goals.

How has gaming enabled you to showcase your pride?
Gaming is my biggest enabler with showing disability pride. My handle “MikeTheQuad” was the name I chose because it immediately draws attention to my disability as a quadriplegic. I’ve actively broken down barriers by showing how I play through my gaming content, in turn inspiring others that they can not only game if they have a disability, but they can use that mentality in everyday life.

Queerlybee

They/them

July marks Disability Pride Month. What does Disability Pride mean to you, personally?

Disability Pride represents a time for the disabled community, which has historically been ostracized and shunned, to be visible and show that we can have pride in our identity and community. Oftentimes, abled people associate disability with a life that is lesser than or not worth living, saying things like “Oh I don’t know how you do that, I could never live like that,” but the reality is that we make the most out of our situation and you would too if you were in our shoes. And it’s important to remember that disability is the only marginalized community that anyone could become a part of at any moment and when/if that happens to you, due to old age, injury or sickness, you’ll be grateful for this community of support we’ve built that will help you when the government/society often fails to do so.

How do you “show” or “live” your pride?

I show my pride by being open about my disabilities and sharing my lived experiences as a disabled content creator; I think this normalizes the experience and helps others feel less alone and like they can open up about their experiences too which can be healing. I curate a space that specifically caters to the disabled and neurodivergent community to have a safe space during this period of the pandemic where it feels as though everyone has moved on and left us behind.

How has gaming enabled you to showcase your pride?

Gaming has created a way for me, as a disabled person, to have accessible income and community. Through simulation games, I’m able to be a storyteller and share both queer and disabled stories that we don’t always see in the media. Seeing other creators talk about the importance of accessibility in games and gaming spaces has inspired me to make it a pillar of my own space… Accessibility for some benefits all, so I highly encourage other creators, game developers and others to talk to disabled gamers and uplift our voices so we can make sure gaming is for everyone!

Shawn stands in front of a step and repeat, smiling at the camera and wearing a grey suit over a maroon shirt.

Shawn Games

He/Him

July marks Disability Pride Month. What does Disability Pride mean to you, personally?

I have been disabled in speech-language for 100% of my life and with fibromyalgia for over 50% of my life without knowing it. I was undiagnosed with lupus for 14 years until getting a confirmed diagnosis this year of fibromyalgia which has allowed me access to care and improvement of my life. Disability Pride allows me to showcase my invisible disabilities that still affect me on a daily basis.

How do you “show” or “live” your pride?

By educating as much as I can about my experience, so others do not have to wait as long as I did for care.

How has gaming enabled you to showcase your pride? Are there characters, stories, or experiences with your community or fellow creators that have positively impacted you?

Queerlybee is a disabled creator in the gaming space whose voice allowed me to feel safe enough to share my experience. Without them being as vocal as they are I know I would not be as vocal as I am today. Having others in the space being vocal about their lived experiences allows more people to know that they aren’t alone in the world and that they also can share their stories. I know we’ll see more diversity in characters in years to come and I am excited to champion them.

DeafGamersTV

He/Him

July marks Disability Pride Month. What does Disability Pride mean to you, personally?

Disability Pride is a celebration as a person not hidden away in the shadow of society. We are out here too and existing just as everyone else is.

How do you “show” or “live” your pride?

I show that I’m proud of being Deaf. I’m proud of my American Sign Language as a culture and language. I show that there should be no reason to fear. Love what makes you smile.

How has gaming enabled you to showcase your pride? Are there characters, stories, experiences with your community or fellow creators that have positively impacted you?

Gaming lets me show that I can’t be backed down by barriers. It allows me to speak up on how to be inclusive & allow gamers with disabilities to be invited to play games.

To learn more about the above Gaming & Disability community members, who earlier this year joined the first Xbox Next Level (XNL) Creator Program, a six-week accelerator designed to help gaming streamers from underrepresented communities, click here.

Updates from Xbox

Two Xbox Adaptive Controller users high-fiving one another at Craig Hospital’s adaptive game night. — Mike and Jake – users of the Xbox Adaptive Controller – enjoy connection, mentorship and friendly competition at weekly adaptive video gaming nights at Craig Hospital – a neurorehabilitation and research hospital in Denver, Colorado, specializing in spinal cord injury and brain injury – as part of the hospital’s adaptive video gaming program, a collaboration between its Assistive Technology and Therapeutic Recreation teams.

Xbox believes that everyone should be able to experience the joys, connection, creativity and fun of gaming, and it is our job to make that happen. For Disability Pride Month, the Xbox Accessibility team is thrilled to announce some new updates, which are all part of our mission to empower gamers around the world to come together to play the games they want, with the people they want, on the devices they want. These include:

New Xbox Adaptive Controller User Guide

On June 28, a new resource called the Xbox Adaptive Controller user guide launched on support.xbox.com. Consisting of new instructional videos, resources, and links to external peripheral options, the guide serves as a comprehensive “one-stop-shop” focused on helping players with disabilities, their family members, and anyone else new to gaming or Xbox learn about what the Xbox Adaptive controller is and how to use it.

Whether you’re completely new to using the Xbox Adaptive Controller and want to check out the “getting started” page (video above), or have the basics of the controller covered and want to explore the “advanced functionalities” page that discusses lesser-known adaptive controller functions like shift mode, un-mapping, action remapping, and more, the guide has you covered!

Check out the full Xbox Adaptive Controller User Guide below, which includes:

Spotlighting 3D-Printed, Accessible Gaming Peripherals

A 3D-printed joystick attachment connected to an Xbox Adaptive Controller.

The team at Xbox has been amazed at the creativity shown in the maker community, a group of innovative individuals and non-profit organizations that identify problems and design inventive solutions by creating 3D-printed peripherals meant to help make gaming with Xbox controllers and Xbox Adaptive Controllers more accessible for those with fine motor disabilities.

In celebration of this impressive work, we’ve partnered with a couple makers, including Adam Breece and Caleb Kraft, to curate a list of some of our favorite 3D-printed peripherals, which can be found in a new article on Xbox’s accessibility support pages. If you have a 3D printer and want to try making some yourself, or want to send a design to a 3D print vendor to make for you, check out our resources.

Xbox Brazil Releases Glossary of Gaming Terms Used by Deaf and Hard of Hearing Players

It’s common for gamers to use different terms while they play, whether it’s drifting in Forza Horizon or anchoring the ship in Sea of Thieves. In May, Xbox Brazil partnered with streamer, content creator and leading Brazilian figure in game accessibility, Jessyka “Suuhgetsu,” to create a glossary of gaming terms commonly signed by deaf and hard of hearing players (like “drift” or “Xbox”). These expressions, also known as “Libras” (the short term for Brazilian Sign Language), were featured on Xbox Brazil’s official YouTube channel. Check out a video detailing Forza Horizon 5 terms above, and the full glossary via Xbox Wire.

Team Xbox is incredibly excited to celebrate and honor Disability Pride Month. We strive to uplift and honor the disability community not only this month, but each and every day. Please stay tuned for even more exciting announcements this fall!

Coming to Xbox Game Pass: Exoprimal, Grand Theft Auto V, Techtonica, and More

What do heists, dinosaurs falling out of the skies, and puzzles all have in common? If it is anything other than “games coming to Xbox Game Pass”, I would very much like to know! We have games coming soon that we announced during the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase (looking at you, Exoprimal), and we even have a surprise return today with Grand Theft Auto V. Let’s get to the games!

Available Today

Grand Theft Auto V (Cloud and Console)
When a young street hustler, a retired bank robber, and a terrifying psychopath find themselves entangled with some of the most frightening and deranged elements of the criminal underworld, the U.S. government, and the entertainment industry, they must pull off a series of dangerous heists to survive in a ruthless city in which they can trust nobody — least of all each other. Includes both the Xbox One and the Xbox Series X|S versions of Grand Theft Auto V.

Sword and Fairy: Together Forever (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Enter a realm that blends ancient mythology with traditional Asian aesthetics in Sword and Fairy: Together Forever! Weaving its tale between the three clans of Human, Deity, and Demon, it puts you in command of a memorable party of characters, each with unique personalities, motives, skills, strengths, and weaknesses.

Coming Soon

McPixel 3 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 6
McPixel 3 is a mind-blowing save-the-day adventure that sees the titular wanna-be hero avert one disaster after another at every turn using unconventional yet entertaining methods of mayhem.

Common’hood (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 11
Common’hood is a squatter settlement simulation game with highly customizable base building tools. Gather salvage materials, grow your own food, research new technology, craft new tools, and build a new home. Common’hood invites you to explore and discover unique characters that will go from strangers to family, helping the community overcome the shortage of food and shelter.

Insurgency: Sandstorm (PC) – July 11
Battle in the war-torn environments of a contemporary conflict through a series of intense co-op and PvP multiplayer modes. Feel every bullet and fear every impact in fierce close quarters combat as your team fights toward victory.

Exoprimal (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 14
Available on day one with Game Pass: Every month is T. Rex awareness month in Exoprimal! Squad up and take down hordes of dinosaurs in a series of endless wargames run by the artificial intelligence Leviathan. Blending PvE and PvP combat with a variety of objectives and powerful exosuits to pilot, no two matches of Exoprimal play out the same.

Techtonica (Game Preview) (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 18
Available on day one with Game Pass: Dig into the sub-surface, bioluminescent world of a rogue alien planet as you explore and construct sprawling factories in Techtonica. Work alone or in co-op to master automation, gather resources, research new technologies, mold the destructible terrain, establish a base of operations, and uncover long-forgotten secrets.

The Cave (Cloud and Console) – July 18
The Cave is an adventure game from Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion creator Ron Gilbert, and Double Fine Productions, the award-winning studio behind Psychonauts and Brütal Legend. Assemble your team of three from seven unlikely adventurers, each with their own unique personalities, and then descend into the mysterious depths.

DLC / Game Updates

Race like Barbie and Ken in Forza Horizon 5 – Available now
Barbie… in Forza?? Check your Message Center today to receive the very special 1956 Chevrolet ‘Barbie Movie’ Corvette EV and Ken’s 2022 GMC ‘Barbie Movie’ HUMMER EV Pickup, now available for download! See ‘Barbie The Movie’ only in theaters July 21. For more details, check out Xbox Wire.

FIFA 23 Women’s World Cup – Available now
Experience the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 now in FIFA 23 at no extra cost. Play for the most coveted prize in women’s football, complete with all 32 qualified nations, stadium dressings, cinematics, match presentations, dedicated commentary, and more.

Hi-Fi Rush: Arcade Challenge! Update! – Available now
Hi-Fi Rush fans, get ready to return to the pit: Tango Gameworks’ rhythm-action brawler is getting not one, but TWO new ways to play in the Arcade Challenge! Update! – a free addition for all Hi-Fi Rush players.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty – Battle of Zhongyuan DLC – Available now
Game Pass members save up to 10%! Conquer new scenarios and face new demons in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty’s first DLC, Battle of Zhongyuan. Take on the demon-plagued Three Kingdoms and overcome the odds of deadly combat!

Sniper Elite 5: Kraken Awakes DLC – July 6
Game Pass members can save 10% on Season Pass Two, which includes the upcoming Kraken Awakes DLC. This final content pack includes a brand-new mission, a new Mod.712 pistol, and skins to complete an all-American look for Karl. Plus, check out the free multiplayer map – The Abandoned Quarry.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks

Madden NFL 23: EA Play Ultimate Team Pack – July 6
Unlock your EA Play Ultimate Team Pack, featuring new players to upgrade your Madden NFL 23 Ultimate Team! Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play members can automatically claim this Pack by entering Ultimate Team from July 6 to July 31.

Sea of Thieves: Obsidian Banjo Pack – July 6
For a limited time, claim items from the prized Obsidian set! This pack contains the Obsidian Banjo, Onyx Compass, and Obsidian Hull. Perk content requires Sea of Thieves to use.

Xbox Game Pass Quests

New July quests are available starting today! Find new Quests by going to the Xbox Game Pass section on your console or on the Xbox Game Pass Mobile app and start earning Microsoft Reward points.

Available Now:

Earn an Achievement (50 Points – Daily) – Earn an achievement in any Game Pass game
Peggle 2 (250 points – Ultimate only) – Hit 100 Orange Pegs
Ghostwire Tokyo (5 points) – Play

Leaving July 15

Don’t let the following games leave without showing a little love! There’s still time to start fresh or pick up where you left off. You can also also use your membership discount to save up to 20% to keep them in your library.

Exo One (Cloud, Console, and PC)
PAW Patrol The Movie: Adventure City Calls (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Spelunky 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)

That wraps us up for this round of announcements! Let us know what game you’re playing next at @XboxGamePassPC and @XboxGamePass on Twitter and make sure you’re following for more updates. Catch you next time!

Celebrate All Things Anime on Xbox and Xbox Game Pass this July

July is the celebration of all things anime on Xbox and Xbox Game Pass from now until the end of the month.

Anime Month is back! Throughout July, fans can enjoy discounts across anime movies, TV shows, and much more, available on the Microsoft Store on Xbox. There is also an Anime Month Game Pass game collection, plus Game Pass Ultimate Perks that include a free season of Naruto Shippuden and a free 75-day trial of premium membership from Crunchyroll.

Up to 80% off anime on Microsoft Movies and TV

Find your new favorite anime movies and TV series, or catch up on the ones you already love, in our massive Microsoft Movies & TV Anime sale. Our collections feature favorites such as ‘Bleach’, ‘My Hero Academia: World Hero Mission’, ‘Sailor Moon’, and more. Game Pass members also get special discounts throughout the sale!

Anime games and perks for Xbox Game Pass Members

Immerse yourself in anime-inspired worlds and stories. Game Pass is celebrating with a month long Anime game collection, ranging from Fuga 2: Melodies of Steel to Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom to High-Fi Rush to Guity Gear -Strive-. This collection will be available to members on Console, PC, and Mobile.

We also have two new Game Pass Ultimate Perks that will be available to members starting in the month of July.

On July 6, Ultimate members can get a free copy of ‘Naruto Shippuden’ Uncut Season 101* and see Naruto Uzumaki take on the Akatsuki to save, his former rival and now Kazekage of the Sand, Gaara!

Then, starting on July 20, get 75-days of Crunchyroll Premium (Mega Fan Plan**) for free with your Ultimate membership. Stream the latest episodes of ‘JUJUTSU KAISEN’, ‘One Piece’, ‘BLUELOCK’, and more, all ad-free. Unlock the World’s Largest Anime Library with thousands of titles, available to watch anywhere.

We hope you take advantage of all that Xbox and Xbox Game Pass have to offer in celebration of Anime Month. Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in the many worlds of anime in our incredible selection of deals!

*USA only. Claim by August 6, 2023.

** Terms and conditions apply. Offer available to eligible new and returning subscribers. Crunchyroll Premium Mega Fan Membership will automatically renew unless canceled after promotional period. Not available in Russia, Cuba, China, Iran, Japan, and Sudan. Must be claimed by 10/20/23 and redeemed by 10/27/23, one offer per account, not valid for previous trial users in the past year.

This Week on Xbox: Wrestling, Moonshine, and New Game Pass Games

Summary

Hitchhiker’s Guide to Doom & Destiny Worlds: Author’s Tips & Tricks Unveiled

Get ready to sail into the realm of Doom & Destiny Worlds, where nerds are heroes, fashion choices are questionable and most “spells” go out in a boom! On the 30th of June you will embark on a journey filled with laughter, friends and some great turn-based strategy!

New players can have a rough time mastering all the game mechanics, so we gathered our top five tips to start your journey with a bang:

1. Craft your way to victory, for base weapons won’t suffice. Don armor and helmets to boost stats and deter enemy laughter. Wild armor and horned helms are the early-game stars, granting stamina for devastating strikes or sturdy defense. Remember, not all heroes can rock sturdy stone gear, so fit those weaklings with wooden sets. Obtaining a Utility Slot armor is a challenge, but get hold of an Anvil and you can craft a Buckler to gain cost-effective dodges and Stamina boosts for your tank.

2. Your journey begins with a humble “Raft”. But wait, there’s more! Hidden in the inventory of your greedy mentor lies the wonder of the seas, known as the “Raftoise”! Snag it and wave farewell to the humble raft. To secure this nautical gem, complete holy patterns, ignite those magical torches and hunt down “Spaghetti Fireflies” under the cover of night. Gather a bounty of 80 Doom-Stones, trade them for the blueprint, and gather the materials needed. Discover the Mask Blueprint in the Moon Tower, craft a Diving mask, and unlock the seafloor secrets. Dive deep, defeat seafloor foes, and claim seaweed and shells aplenty. Oh, and don’t forget to explore the eastern islands for those precious corals!

3. Build, place, relocate! We’ve all been there: you plonk down something like a Crafting Station, a furnace, a cozy couch, or a snazzy torch, only to realize something is just not right. The position feels off, the alignment is wonky, the feng shui is out of whack, or it’s simply triggering your OCD. So, let me introduce you to the Allen Wrench! With this mighty contraption, you can dismantle anything (man-made) from the ground and stash it in your inventory, granting you the power to relocate it wherever your heart desires, without sacrificing a single resource. But here’s the deal: the Allen Wrench isn’t available right off the bat. You’ll need to reach the lofty heights of constructing an Advanced Crafting Station.

4. The level-up system thrives on specialization, not flip-flopping about like a confused chicken! When you choose your destiny, my friend, embrace it fully. Start strong by assembling the classic RPG dream team: Tank, Striker, Healer, and Controller, each representing a stat. While a couple of early hiccups won’t ruin your day, spreading your stats too thin will delay your access to those glorious final-tier talents. Remember: a beefy Tank yearns for top-tier protection, his Magic and Agility need to take a back seat. Swift note: the game has grown with heaps of new weapons and armor. Forge mighty “multi-class” builds that transcend the limits of mono-stats, but brace yourself, it’s a challenge for the seasoned heroes.

5. Magic packs a punch but guzzles Mana Points. Fear not, for MPs slowly replenish at the end of turn or with consumables. Want a tip? In the first turns, the healer might feel a bit useless, so why not make them the designated MP provider for the all-powerful wizard? Unleash powerful spells or debuffs right from the start, aided by the healer’s MP items. For control spells like sleep, let the healer and wizard act last to disable the most dangerous foe. And when it’s time for multi-strike spells, let the healer and wizard steal the spotlight, while the tank and striker polish off the leftovers.

Psst! Are you still with me? Well, congratulations! You’ve unlocked a super-secret multiplayer tip just for you! When you’re playing with friends, only the lucky soul who snags the blueprint gets to craft it. If you are not the chosen one simply send a craft request to your friend using the handy-dandy “Order” option, or better yet, kindly ask them to whip up a copy of the blueprint for you at the trusty Desk.

And finally, let’s tackle the conundrum of confusing inventories. Craft yourself some specialized bags! These marvellous creations possess a magical quality—they collect all loot of a specific type, no matter which player initially claimed it from the ground. Say goodbye to inventory chaos and hello to organized treasure hoarding!

Happy looting and may the spirit of adventure shine upon your quests!

Doom & Destiny Worlds

Heartbit Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆
1

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

Unveiling the Ferryman: A Journey into Charon’s Design in Smite – An Exclusive Interview with One of the Game Designers

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Lermy, a talented Game Designer who has contributed to the creation of several Gods in Smite, including Yu Huang, Ishtar, and Martichoras. Today, we go behind the scenes into the design process behind the highly anticipated addition of Charon, the Ferryman. Lermy sheds light on the inspiration, challenges, and unique characteristics that make Charon a standout character in Smite.

Andy: Thank you for joining us today, Lermy! Could you introduce yourself and share your role as a Game Designer on Smite?

Lermy: It’s a pleasure to be here! I’m Lermy, a Game Designer for Smite. In my role, I collaborate with a team of talented individuals to bring new Gods to life and ensure a captivating gameplay experience for our players.

Andy: Let’s dive right into Charon, the latest addition to Smite’s God roster. Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind this fascinating character?

Lermy: Charon is an intriguing character deeply rooted in mythology. As the Ferryman of the Underworld, he predates Hades and holds the responsibility of managing the souls in the afterlife. Being the son of Nyx or Nox, as some may know her, Charon ensures everything is in order within the realm of the Underworld – mainly on his boat. Using the five rivers of the Underworld, he’ll guide the souls to the afterlife as long as they pay the toll; otherwise, they remain in the Styx.

Andy: Fascinating! What led the design team to choose Charon as the next character in Smite?

Lermy: After the release of Maui, our previous Guardian character, we wanted to offer a different experience to our players. Maui is quite showy – definitely check out his cinematic if you haven’t had a chance – but with Charon, we aimed for a true neutral character. Charon embodies the concept of carrying out his daily duties in a balanced manner. He wants to clock into his job, put in his hours, and then clock out. It was about time we brought Charon, a highly requested character, into the game, especially since the community’s interest grew significantly over time.

Andy: The design process sounds intriguing. Could you walk us through the stages of bringing Charon to life in Smite?

Lermy: Certainly! It all starts with exploring the character’s themes. We gather various departments, provide them with a brief on the character’s traits, and discuss potential concerns. Then, we dive into creating the character’s kit, which can be quite challenging. We usually develop three different kits to explore different directions for the character. Eventually, we narrow it down to the most promising kit. Once we have that final kit, we present it to the leads of all the departments for approval. Once signed off, the team begins working on bringing Charon to life.

Andy: Charon’s design seems to stand out among other gods in Smite. How did you balance the spooky elements with the need for him to feel unique in the game?

Lermy: Balancing Charon’s design was indeed an exciting task. Typically, Charon is depicted as frail and decrepit in other media, but we wanted to give him a distinct appearance in Smite. We decided to make him skeletal, a characteristic we hadn’t explored before. Additionally, we made him bulky, resembling a lich lord, while ensuring he felt like part of the Underworld family, alongside Hades and Persephone. And, of course, we couldn’t overlook the boat. It’s an integral part of Charon’s identity

Andy: Do you have anything else you’d like to say to the community?

Lermy: Charon is a really unique tank and I think players will be really excited to see him zooming on the map and moving the souls around.

Paddle into battle with Charon in Smite’s newest Update. Watch the Update Show on July 6, 2023 to learn more.

SMITE

Hi-Rez Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
1549

★★★★★

Get it now

Xbox One X Enhanced

Enter the Battleground of the Gods

Join 40+ million players in SMITE, the world’s most popular action multiplayer online battle arena. Become a legend of myth, enter the Battleground of the Gods, and play FREE now!

100+ Gods
Unleash each deity’s unique strategies, legendary weapons, and earth-shattering powers. Rain lightning down upon your foes as Zeus, assassinate from the shadows as Loki, or transform and trick your foes as the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. Which God will you choose?

Unique Perspective
Unlike other MOBAs, SMITE puts you directly onto the battlefield with a third-person action viewpoint. From blind-side ambushes to aimed shots, a new pantheon of strategic possibilities awaits.

Become Godlike
Never played a battle arena before? Don’t worry. Auto-buy, auto-level, and the deathmatch-like Arena mode let you jump right into divine MOBA action. Aspiring pro? Top the ladders, join a competitive team, and you too could be playing at the SMITE World Championship.

It’s A Jungle Out There! Discover The Exciting New Update Coming to Stranded: Alien Dawn

Stranded: Alien Dawn is set to receive an exciting free update that will transport players to an entirely new frontier: The Saltu region. This lush, untamed environment is the game’s most diverse and colorful biome yet, and will also introduce several challenges to test players’ survival strategies. In this blog, we will delve into the fascinating features of this new biome and explore the unique challenges it presents.

Volatile Weather Patterns

Survivors will find themselves surrounded by towering trees, thick undergrowth, and bounteous wildlife. Navigating this dense foliage can prove tricky, as visibility is reduced. Saltu’s volatile weather patterns can also lead to sudden downpours which drench the landscape, thunderstorms with intense lightning strikes, and thick mists – all of which increase the difficulty for the survivors.

Players will also have to contend with oppressive heatwaves and humidity. Surviving in extreme weather conditions requires careful planning and preparation, such as finding shelter, crafting appropriate clothing, or managing limited resources to combat the elements and keep the food from decomposing in humid conditions. The ability to adapt and react swiftly to changing weather patterns will be crucial for survival.

Surviving the Saltu region demands constant vigilance against tropical diseases. The humid climate provides an ideal breeding ground for illnesses such as: Swarm Fever, Blood infections, and Gut Worms. Players must take precautions, craft medicinal remedies, and seek out natural treatments to counter the risks. Meanwhile, Xenoflora Blight may spread through healthy plants and damage crops if left unmanaged, leaving the group without a harvest.

Meet The Local Wildlife

The Saltu region is home to a wide variety of creatures, and the Jungle Update introduces a host of new alien wildlife. From the Noth and Shogu, two unique animals arriving in the Jungle Update, to the various insectoids and their nests. Players must learn to coexist with these creatures or face dire consequences.

Our friends, and developers of Stranded: Alien Dawn, Haemimont Games, have been working hard to craft an Xbox experience players will remember. They said, “Players can venture deep into the untamed heart of Saltu, a lush jungle region teeming with exotic wildlife and botanical wonders. Prepare to conquer the untold challenges of survival amidst the captivating allure of new creatures and flora.”

They also had an insider tip for surviving in the new region: “Keep a keen eye out for Purpleleaf, a remarkable source of construction materials. While not suitable for direct consumption, its transformative properties shine when it comes to crafting delectable kimchi.”

Embrace challenges, prepare for the unknown, and embark on an exhilarating adventure where conquering the alien wilderness is the ultimate testament to your survival skills.

Other new content available in the free Jungle Update includes:

Area Flags & Work Areas:
Players can now assign survivors to specific ‘working areas’ by using ‘area flags’ device.
Special Equipment/Tools:
Survival Kits
Harvesting Tools
Good Luck Charms
Respirator Masks
Night Goggles
Signal Flares
Grenades
Electromagnetic Umbrellas
New Building, Cooking & Crafting Recipes:
Purpleleaf – cloth, shelter, kimchi. roof
Vegetable Oil – palm oil
Dandelion Spores – tea, healing balm
Coconuts – fermented wine
New Devices:
Area Flags
Purpleleaf Sleeping Spot
Purpleleaf Shelter
Purpleleaf Fence
Purpleleaf Animal Shed
Arcade Machine
Bench-press
VR Set
New ‘Living Mist’ Expeditions:
Human Screams
Leap of Faith
Mysterious Bunker
Ancient Temple
Abandoned Hut
Hidden Stash
New Challenges & Music
A New Survivor
New Achievements
Photo Mode

Stranded: Alien Dawn’s Free Jungle Update is out now and available on Xbox Series X|S. Don’t forget to join the Stranded: Alien Dawn Discord and you’ll never miss any news! Make sure to keep your eyes open for information about our brand-new survivor coming to the game and our developer journals with even more information of what is to come. You can also follow the game on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, or join the discussions on the Frontier Forums.

Stranded: Alien Dawn

Frontier Developments

☆☆☆☆☆
90

★★★★★

$34.99

Get it now

Brave a new world in Stranded: Alien Dawn, a planet survival sim placing the fate of a small marooned group in your hands. Forge your story through compelling and immersive strategic gameplay as you make vital decisions to protect your survivors from starvation, disease, extreme weather and more. From basic camps to fortified bases, create a stronghold to defend the survivors from attacks by alien creatures that roam an expansive and deadly alien world. Experience an epic and unpredictable journey.

· Discover an expansive, living 3D world with remarkable flora and fauna.

· Manage your survivors’ needs, health and happiness.

· Construct and evolve your own unique base, and devise cunning defences to protect it and survivors from being attacked.

· Plant, grow, harvest and hunt down food. Stockpile useful resources and salvage material from fallen space debris.

· Research technologies to expand your horizons.

· Provide heat, light, devices for relaxation and more to keep survivors on top of their game, ready to face the next challenge.

· React to fluctuating weather and environmental events.

· Learn to play with the integrated tutorial system.

AN UNFORGIVING WORLD
Stranded: Alien Dawn pushes you and your survivors to the brink. Limited resources, unpredictable weather, illness and hostile alien creatures make it hard to establish a foothold on an unforgiving world. The next challenge is never far away, requiring construction of an increasingly robust base using advanced resources and improved defences.

STRANDED SURVIVORS
Ensure your group’s physical and mental wellbeing by providing weapons, medicine, and much-needed entertainment. Every survivor has a unique backstory, varying levels of ability in key skills, and both positive and negative traits. Only by improving their skills and maximising their potential will you survive.

AN UNPREDICTABLE JOURNEY
In Stranded: Alien Dawn, every playthrough is unique. Experience a journey driven by random story events, alien wildlife threats and adverse weather. There will be setbacks; devise your own innovative solutions to problems and manage multiple crises at the same time. However, actions have consequences and as you strive to plan ahead, you must make difficult choices to shape the story of your survivors, balancing short and long-term outcomes with risk and reward.

MODULAR BASE-BUILDING
Design and build your base on an alien world and transform it from simple shelter to high-tech outpost. Protect it with perimeter defences, decorate it with furnishings, introduce automated devices such as defensive turrets, and discover new technology to create your own functioning space pad.

Microsoft Flight Simulator Releases City Update III: Texas

Take to the skies above The Lone Star State to explore the grandeur that many of its cities offer.

The Microsoft Flight Simulator team is excited to announce its latest addition to the ever-expanding Microsoft Flight Simulator experience, City Update III: Texas.

Texas, the second largest state in America, is renowned for some of the most diverse and beautiful urban landscapes in the nation. Microsoft Flight Simulator City Update III: Texas is a meticulously curated selection of the urban regions that best represent the spirit of the “Lone Star State,” including Abilene, Austin, Cedar Park, San Antonio, Schertz, Temple, and Waco. All these cities lie within or near the “Texas Triangle,” the area where most of the state’s population reside and home to its most stunning architectural creations.

The update was generated using aerial imagery collected in collaboration with our partners at Bing Maps and Vexcel. The data was then assembled to create the most realistic digital renditions to date of these cities offered in Microsoft Flight Simulator. Simmers can embark on aerial odysseys throughout each city featured in the update or string metropolitan areas together in long cross-country journeys. Pilots can explore Austin’s Frost Bank Tower, San Antonio’s renowned Alamo and the Brazos River, and Waco’s own Suspension Bridge. Like the vastness of Texas skylines, the possibilities are endless.

Microsoft Flight Simulator City Update III: Texas is available free today to all owners of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Make sure that your simulator is running version 1.33.8.0, download City Update III: Texas, and relish in the incredible sights of these great Texas cities. The sky is calling!

Microsoft Flight Simulator is available for Xbox Series X|S and PC with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Windows, and Steam, and on Xbox One and supported mobile phones, tablets, and lower-spec PCs via Xbox Cloud Gaming. For the latest information on Microsoft Flight Simulator, stay tuned to @MSFSOfficial on Twitter.

Microsoft Flight Simulator Premium Deluxe 40th Anniversary Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
376

★★★★★

$119.99

$95.99

Get it now

From light planes to wide body jets to gliders and helicopters, fly highly detailed and accurate aircraft in the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition. The world is at your fingertips.

The Premium Deluxe 40th Anniversary Edition includes everything from the Deluxe Edition plus 5 additional highly accurate planes with unique flight models and 5 additional handcrafted international airports.

Premium Deluxe Additional Aircraft
• Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
• Cirrus Aircraft SR22
• Pipistrel Virus SW 121
• Textron Aviation Cessna Citation Longitude
• Zlin Aviation Shock Ultra

Premium Deluxe Additional Airports
• Denver International Airport (USA)
• Dubai International Airport (United Arab Emirates)
• Frankfurt Airport (Germany)
• Heathrow Airport (United Kingdom)
• San Francisco International Airport (USA)

Explore Your World
• Vivid and Detailed Landscapes – Immerse yourself in the vast and beautiful world that is our planet with over 1.5 billion buildings, 2 trillion trees, mountains, roads, rivers and more.
• Living World – The Earth is vibrant and ever-changing and so is the world of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which includes live traffic, real-time weather, and animals.

Earn Your Wings
• Aircraft – Hone your pilot skills in a variety of aircraft from light planes to commercial jets with comprehensive flight models. Every aircraft includes highly detailed and accurate cockpits with realistic instrumentation.
• Checklist System – From pro to beginner, scale your level from full manual to full assist with interactive and highlighted instrument guidance and checklist.

Test Your Skill
• Live Weather -The weather engine enables users to switch on the live weather mode to experience real-time weather including accurate wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rain and more.
• Day and Night Engine – Experience flight at any time of day or year allowing for night VFR, visual flight rules, navigation.
• Aerodynamic Modeling – A state-of-the-art physics engine with over 1000 control surfaces per plane allows for a truly realistic experience.

Microsoft Flight Simulator has fulfilled the aspirations of aviators worldwide for 40 years. Celebrate the award-winning franchise with the 40th Anniversary Edition, loaded with all-new features, aircraft and content that span the history of aviation.

The 40th Anniversary Edition update introduces:
• 1 true-to-life Airbus A310 Airliner
• 2 helicopters and 14 heliports
• 2 gliders and 15 glider airports
• 7 famous historical aircraft including the Hughes H-4 Hercules (aka the Spruce Goose)
• 4 classic commercial airports
• 24 classic missions from the franchise’s past

Microsoft Flight Simulator Standard 40th Anniversary Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
244

★★★★★

$59.99

$47.99

Get it now

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

From light planes to wide body jets to gliders and helicopters, fly highly detailed and accurate aircraft in the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition. The world is at your fingertips.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition features 37 airplanes, gliders, and helicopters with unique flight models, 25 handcrafted airports, 4 classic commercial airports, 14 heliports and 15 glider airports.

Russian Subway Dogs – Making a Game about the Mutts of the Moscow Metro

Summary

The real-world inspiration behind Russian Subway Dogs.
The basics of being a stray.
Simulation is our secret sauce.

Russian… Subway… What?

Our game Russian Subway Dogs is out today on Xbox One! It’s a single screen arcade game inspired by the real-life stray dogs of the Moscow Metro. I’m going to share how we ended up creating a game with such an unusual theme, and the novel approach we took to add depth, humor and variety to its classic score chasing gameplay.

The seeds of the idea started around a decade ago when I read an article online about a handful of strays that had learned to navigate Moscow’s maze-like subway system. If you’re not familiar with these clever canines, they really do make a daily commute to downtown Moscow, scavenge for food from passing pedestrians, and then return home to the quiet suburbs each night to sleep. One of these dogs was so beloved they even built a memorial statue in his honor!

While reading up on these strays I also discovered the incredible architecture of the city’s subway stations. These aren’t just simple tiled hallways in flat colors. Styles range from a church-like station, complete with stained glass windows, to a super modern Mondrian-inspired design of intersecting lines and rectangles.

The dogs were cute and clever, and the Soviet-era subway stations were grand and palatial (seriously look them up). I knew we had to make this game!

Eat ‘em up Gameplay

So, adorable animals? Check! Beautiful backgrounds? Check! But how does it play?

As the titular Subway Dog you run back and forth along each subway platform trying to keep yourself fed. A stamina bar acts as a combination hunger and life meter, constantly draining while you scramble for food to refill it. Trains pull up to the station, regularly unloading commuters eating and drinking a variety of tasty snacks and beverages for you to steal. A quick bark behind them is all it takes to have them tossing up their food for you to snatch from the air.

Of course, you’ll have some competition, as those trains also bring in rival strays and a ridiculous array of subway wildlife. Everything from subway pigeons, to subway bears will be after your food, losing you points and potential stamina if they snag any snacks.

You clear out this competition with the aid of some very volatile vodka. Carried by random passengers, these bottles of booze create a fiery explosion when they hit the ground. Time your mighty barks just right and you can bounce the bottles around in the air. This is a crucial skill, since vodka explosions will cook wildlife and toast food, creating more filling and higher scoring meals!

Juggling multipliers and air catching combos allows skilled players to turn a minor meal, worth a few dozen points, into a fancy feast, worth thousands. It’s high risk / high reward because if a rival dog grabs a valuable meal those points will be subtracted from your score, netting negative points. Ouch!

Systemic Simulation is Our Secret Sauce!

This basic eat’em up gameplay forms the foundation for Russian Subway Dogs‘ truly unique addition to the arcade genre: systemic simulation. This goes by other fancy names like “multiplicative design”, “chemistry engines” or just plain “emergent gameplay” but what it boils down to is that all the parts in the game interact with every other part in a way that feels something like the real world, or at least a fun cartoon logic version of the real world.

In Russian Subway Dogs this means that any fire source will cook food and melt snow. Snow cools cooked food or can freeze a flopping fish creating a block of ice that can be sent skittering across the stage. The same power-up that lets you bark fire can be eaten by a rival dog, giving it firebarks instead, and of course, those fire barks also cook food! You can also feed bears before cooking them, fattening them up to produce higher quality meats or feed them chocolate (toxic to dogs) producing poisonous meat. Almost everything in the game has multiple uses and interactions!

The result is there are tons of secret tricks to discover and exploit. Every mix of food, people and wildlife on the platform holds its own strategic possibilities and interesting split-second decisions to make.

We Brought Guests!

Russian Subway Dogs includes two different play modes:

Endless is a modern take on the classic score chasing experience. Compete for the top spot on the online leaderboard, while surviving as long as you can. It borrows some modern procedural tricks and auto balancing to keep every session fresh, unique and challenging.

Campaign has you traveling from station to station with hand crafted challenges and over 100 unique sub-missions from your feline friend, The Proletaricat, such as beating a level while sticking to a vegetarian diet, or cooking a “Bear-B-Q”.

Throughout Campaign you will unlock over a dozen playable critters including several from your favorite indie games such as Rad Shiba and Nacho from VA-11 Hall-A, Horror from Nuclear Throne, Uay Chivo from Guacamelee! and more.

Whether you’re a dog lover, a cat lover or a… whatever-Nidhogg-is lover, I hope you’ll grab a subway pass and take a ride with us!

Russian Subway Dogs

Spooky Squid Games Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$14.99

$13.49

Get it now

A fast-paced arcade game inspired by the real-life stray dogs of the Moscow metro. Take your orders from the Proletaricat while stealing food, juggling vodka, cooking bears, and more! Features both a lengthy campaign and pick-up-and-play arcade mode.

A new game from Spooky Squid Games, creators of the cult classic platforming slash ‘em up They Bleed Pixels.

Dive into Relaxation with Placid Plastic Duck Simulator, Out Now on Xbox

Placid Plastic Duck Simulator is an innovative and whimsical project that takes a unique approach to gameplay. Prepare to be immersed in a breathtaking 3D environment where you’ll find yourself surrounded by rubber duckies, romantic sunsets, unexpected visitors, and chill music (a truly aesthetic experience if you are a vaporwave aficionado).

But let me explain all of that in greater detail since you are probably wondering: What do I have to do in Placid Plastic Duck Simulator? Well, it’s very simple: Nothing! In PPDS, you create your own narrative as you collect all 101 different ducks and watch them interact with each other and the environment. Some ducks even have unique actions, so get ready to be surprised by the occasional troublemaker.

As a rubber duck, you have zero responsibilities, and you are not required to learn any skills (except for patience). Sit back, relax, and embrace your role as a powerless witness. The nostalgic melodies emanating from the radio will transport you to a place of pure comfort. Observe an airplane soaring across the expansive blue sky, whisking away to unknown destinations. There’s an abundance of activities to engage in, but for now, it’s all about embracing tranquility with the ducks, for true joy lies in the company you keep.

As your collection grows, you are able to give names to your duckies, which might or might not reflect their personality, for that additional comic touch. Some of their special abilities are linked to a specific time of the day, which is one of the reasons why the game has a day and night cycle (the other reason is purely aesthetic). Also, you can make every duck quack if you want, and some of them have special quacks, naturally.

The game also offers two different settings, so you can choose if you feel like having some waterfront relaxation in the summertime, or rather a cozy blanket-warm unwinding while it’s snowy outside. Picture yourself nestled by the fireplace as the sun sets, enveloped in peaceful melodies that create a sanctuary for your soul. Outside the window, the occasional snowfall adds a touch of magic to the atmosphere. Now you are basking on a tropical island amidst the vast expanse of a tranquil sea, where extraordinary things await those with the patience to uncover them. In the world of Placid Plastic Duck Simulator, time moves slowly, allowing you to truly savor the beauty that surrounds you.

After the success it had during its first year as a PC game, where it gathered an unbelievable amount of positive reviews from all kinds of players, Placid Plastic Duck Simulator finally arrives on Xbox! The date is June 27th, so get ready to embark on a quacktastic journey.

The cutest rubber ducks are waiting for you this summer.

Placid Plastic Duck Simulator

Tunnel Vision Studio

☆☆☆☆☆
3

★★★★★

$8.99

Get it now

A relaxing 3D environment where you experience life as a rubber duck, Placid Plastic Duck Simulator is an experiment to induce calm and bliss. You’re up for a reinvigorating stay at your favorite seaside pool. Or mountain pool, if you prefer the snow.

You are not alone. More than 100 different ducks will slowly and happily fall into the pool with you, each with their own style and demeanor.

Float on the water, sunbathe, dip your beak, go down the slide. The radio is playing a nostalgic tune.
Here comes the night. Look at the stars. Turn off the radio, listen to the waves in the dark. Dream.
The sun is rising. The sky is blue. Slide down into the second pool.
An airplane is rushing somewhere, there’s stuff to do.

Not for you.

Live in the present moment, enjoy life.

Everything is going to be alright.