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Sea of Thieves Fifth Anniversary Celebrations and a First Look at Season Nine

Summary

Today’s livestream announced Sea of Thieves’ fifth anniversary celebrations, promising bonuses, supersized in-game events and feature-length documentary ‘Sea of Thieves: Voyage of a Lifetime’
The celebrations also include a jam-packed Community Weekend, which will see 50m Ancient Coins given away throughout the period
The Sea of Thieves Season Nine Content Update trailer also premiered during today’s broadcast, offering a first look at the update coming to shores March 16

It’s been almost five years since Sea of Thieves launched on March 20, 2018, and we’re planning on celebrating the momentous milestone in true style! Starting today, an amazing array of activities, bonuses and swag will be on offer for keen corsairs to collect as they set sail throughout the month of March.

All the details were announced on this evening’s stream, recorded at Rare’s on-site tavern – so if you’d like to catch up on the reveal as it happened, please head over to our YouTube channel for the full unveiling. However, for those of you who might appreciate a word-based whistle-stop tour through March’s seafaring schedule, we can help you out with all the key dates to mark in your calendar now.

Marauder’s Medley

Today saw the kickoff of the Marauder’s Medley Event, with Challenges that revisit updates and additions from Sea of Thieves’ last five years over the course of 10 days. Drop in regularly to complete Goals and unlock cosmetics, and enjoy being taken on a greatest hits tour of some of Sea of Thieves’ most memorable updates.

A Cornucopia of Cosmetics

Joining in with the festivities may be its own reward, but just in case you still need a little push, all players who sail the seas from March 17–22 (10am UTC) will also be awarded the celebratory Lustrous Legend Figurehead.

Players swinging by the Emporium to spend their Ancient Coins will find that their currency travels a little further too, as there’s a huge discount sale active from March 17–28 – including some classic ship sets, costumes, weapons and Sea of Thieves: A Pirate’s Life items. Visitors to the Emporium can also pick up a Down the Hatch Emote for free during this sale!

Twitch Perfect

Anyone hoping to grab more free gear should head on over to their Sea of Thieves Twitch stream of choice from March 16–20. Just a few hours of viewing will help pad out your cosmetic chests nicely, with a suite of sought-after skins available throughout this period. Before you tune in to any participating streamer, just make sure you’ve got your Twitch account linked to guarantee your goodies making it to your pirate safely.

Sea of Thieves: Voyage of a Lifetime

On the anniversary itself, March 20, we’ll be premiering a feature-length documentary about the journey of Sea of Thieves from inception through to today. Featuring previously unseen footage and a candid look at the highs and lows of Sea of Thieves’ development and release, this honest and in-depth doc pulls back the curtain and shows the game’s evolution in the most detailed and raw way it’s ever been discussed.

Community Weekend

The heart of Sea of Thieves has always been its community, so we can’t let an anniversary pass by without a chance to celebrate our pirates during a Community Weekend from March 25–27! Double the length of regular Community events, this special weekend comes with the promise of big multipliers, exclusive login bonuses like the gold and black Community Day flag and Baker’s Barrel Disguise Emote, and a free Pirate Legend Voyage for all who log in while the event is active.

Not only that, but if our players successfully push us to Community Emissary Grade Five, Ancient Skeletons will appear more frequently within the game while the event is still live. These special skellies will have 50m Ancient Coins to hand out before their appearances start to slow once more – so be quick off the mark to ensure you can capitalize! There’ll be more on how this event will work closer to the time, so please keep your eyes peeled for the particulars.

Sea of Thieves Season Nine

While the first half of today’s stream focused on how we’re celebrating the journey so far, the second half focused on the future of Sea of Thieves – namely Season Nine, which will release on March 16. To close out the stream’s shenanigans, the Season Nine Content Update trailer premiered, giving players a full preview of what to expect from the next few months on the seas:

Season Nine’s headlines include a high-value loot item named the Chest of Fortune, which brings its own new Commendations and cosmetics. Players can also expect linked changes to Reaper’s Chests, new Voyages for Captains and Pirate Legends, World Events being better balanced based on crew size and much, much more – including 100 more levels of Seasonal progression for players to work through and earn rewards by raising Renown!

Community feedback has fuelled a lot of Season Nine’s changes and updates, with improvements coming to harpooning treasure, the introduction of a food radial menu and seagulls circling the loot from sunken player ships. Reapers will no longer be able to run into the Devil’s Shroud to make their treasures inaccessible, with loot from these out-of-bounds running ships now spawning to a safer spot nearby – a fairer outcome for chasing crews.

We’ll be revealing more about Season Nine in a Deep Dive video soon, with our developers spilling the beans on new features and their design intent, so make sure you’re subscribed to the Sea of Thieves YouTube channel to catch that when it lands! However, for now, we’re thrilled to be offering such an exciting month for sailors old and new – we’ll see you on the seas!

Find Out More

For more information on the latest Sea of Thieves update, including full release notes, visit the Sea of Thieves website. The update is available for free to all Sea of Thieves players who have bought the game on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11 PC or via Steam, or players who have access to it with Xbox Game Pass. Simply download and install the latest Sea of Thieves update to get access.

New to Sea of Thieves? Find out about the latest free content updates on our What’s New page, get familiar with Who’s Who or pick up some gameplay tips from our Pirate Academy, which provides invaluable information on topics ranging from sailing to swordplay as you prepare for your maiden voyage. Learn more about Sea of Thieves here, or join the ongoing adventure at www.seaofthieves.com where you can embark on an epic journey with one of gaming’s most welcoming communities!

Sea of Thieves

Microsoft Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
951

★★★★★

$39.99

$19.99

Get it now

Xbox One X Enhanced

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Live Gold membership required to play on Xbox One; sold separately.

=========

About the game
Sea of Thieves offers the essential pirate experience, from sailing and fighting to exploring and looting – everything you need to live the pirate life and become a legend in your own right. With no set roles, you have complete freedom to approach the world, and other players, however you choose.

Whether you’re voyaging as a group or sailing solo, you’re bound to encounter other crews in this shared world adventure – but will they be friends or foes, and how will you respond?

A vast open world
Explore a vast open world filled with unspoiled islands, sunken ships and mysterious artefacts. Take on quests to hunt for lost treasure, seek out cursed Skeleton Captains or gather valuable cargo for the Trading Companies. Go hunting and fishing or choose from hundreds of optional goals and side-quests.

Unforgettable stories
Play through the Tall Tales to experience Sea of Thieves’ unique take on a story-driven campaign. With 11 tales to play through across two epic storylines, these immersive and cinematic quests provide around 30 hours of the ultimate pirate fantasy.

Become Legend
On your journey to become a Pirate Legend you’ll amass loot, build a reputation and define a unique personal style with your hard-earned rewards. Adventurer. Explorer. Conqueror. What will your legend be?

A game that’s always growing
With five major expansions and almost a year’s worth of monthly updates, Sea of Thieves is a service-based game that is continually growing and evolving. Check back each month to see what new content has been added.

Paradox Announcement Show 2023 – New Games, Expansions, Gameplay Reveals, and More

It’s time to play some games! Paradox Interactive announced three new titles and more exciting content at the Paradox Announcement Show 2023.

We have been working on some exciting projects for some time and today, with our Announcement Show sponsored by Xbox, we finally shared them all with our fans! Nine new content releases, including full games and expansions for titles in the Paradox catalog.

In case you missed it, you can watch the Paradox Announcement show here!

Let’s start from the beginning, as we kicked off our Announcement Show with The Lamplighters League, an original game created by Seattle-based Harebrained Schemes, featuring globetrotting pulp adventure and strategic turn-based combat set in an alternate, stylish 1930s.

The next big update we reserved for our beloved Crusader Kings III. Alexander Oltner, the Game Director of Crusader Kings III, joined us in the studio to talk about the next expansion, “Tours and Tournaments”, which adds new actions and adventures for characters, with new ways to gain prestige at home and abroad!

The team at Paradox Tinto, our studio in Sitges, Spain, came to visit us in Stockholm to tell us more about Europa Universalis IV: Domination. In this new expansion pack, many of the most popular and powerful nations are getting updated mission trees and other historical details, in an add-on with truly global reach: it’s time to change history once again!

Talking about ever-evolving scenarios, alternate stories, and looming dangers, we invited the Game Director of Surviving the Aftermath to share some interesting details about their last expansion “Rebirth.” Thanks to terraforming, it seems that with this expansion your colonists can finally see the light at the end of the Aftermath!

In our Announcement Show, we wanted to celebrate the 8th Anniversary of Cities: Skylines coming up on March 10. But we didn’t do just that…we also took the next step for the franchise and announced Cities: Skylines II!

Much more happened during the show, we also shared updates for Stellaris and Age of Wonders, so, let’s go back and rewatch the whole thing! 2023 is going to be memorable and we can’t wait to see you creating your own stories with our games.

This Week on Xbox: New Releases Galore! Destiny 2: Lightfall, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, and More

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for March 6 to 10

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

Great New Games Spotlight has officially kicked off and we’re excited to bring you a ton of games every week for the next six weeks — more than 100+ new games will launch on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One between February 28 and April 10 – and if you spend $50 on eligible games and movies, you can receive 2,500 Microsoft Rewards points! Get more details here.

Romancelvania – March 6
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Take a bite into Romancelvania, a darkly comic genre mashup, combining side-scrolling action and tongue-in-cheek romance into one completely absurd and unforgettable adventure. Play as a lovelorn, brooding Drac who, after a century of moping around post-heartbreak, is thrown into a monster reality-dating show, hosted by the Grim Reaper.

Sentry Paragon – March 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

In this isometric action game where enemies are coming at you in droves, try to defend yourself and survive against the growing and strengthening threat by making the right strategy and moves.

Caverns of Mars: Recharged Box Art Asset

Caverns of Mars: Recharged – March 8

Descend into tunnels beneath the surface of Mars in a mad dash to destroy the reactor and furthest depths of the enemy’s base. Dodge debris, clear out obstacles, and blast enemies, all while conserving ammunition as you descend at high speed into enemy territory.

Cions of Vega – March 8
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Guide a father as he searches the countryside and a mysterious cult-like town in hopes of bringing his daughter home. Accompanied by his brother, Logan, you’ll need to search for notes, drawings, keys, and other clues along the way.

Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse Box Art Asset

Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse – March 8
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Originally released in Japan in 2008 as the fourth game in the Fatal Frame series, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse returns for current-gen platforms with upgraded graphics along with new modes and costumes. After returning to Rogetsu Isle following a supernatural event when they were younger, a group of teenagers will learn to rely on the Camera Obscura, a camera with the power to capture and seal away unthinkable horrors, as they attempt to discover the truth of their haunting past.

KartRider: Drift – March 8

KartRider: Drift is coming to Xbox with free-to-play online cross-platform kart racing and deep customization. Race in a variety of modes on different tracks with players across the globe in this latest entry to the KartRider series.

Monster Energy Supercross 6 Box Art Asset

Monster Energy Supercross 6 – March 8
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Mud, sweat, fun and adrenaline: find the rider in you and jump into the action with Monster Energy Supercross 6. Live all the emotions of the Monster Energy Supercross 2022 Championship with the official bikes, riders, and tracks. Take advantage of the wide range of settings to customize every detail of your game experience, freely choosing the amount of realism and riding ease.

Super Arcade Football – March 8

A fast-paced football game where you don’t get to catch your breath. With simple controls that let anyone pick up and play, online and local multiplayer, and more, every match is sure to grab your attention from kick-off until the final whistle.

Super Arcade Racing – March 8

A retro-inspired racing game with an intriguing story, online and local multiplayer, and more than 80 unique tracks with full car customization.

Zapling Bygone – March 8
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Play as an alien hive-mind who murders bosses, steals their abilities, and wears their skulls. Zapling Bygone is a twisted metroidvania where you murder your foes and steal their abilities by wearing their skulls. Make every inch of the alien planet your playground as you learn its secrets and use them to your advantage.

Clash: Artifacts of Chaos – March 9
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Play as Pseudo, a master of martial arts who lives as a recluse in the strange land of Zenozoik. When you cross paths with the Boy, a small creature whose mysterious powers have attracted the attention of Gemini, the Mistress of the Artifacts, you decide to protect him, unaware that much greater forces are involved.

Figment 2: Creed Valley – March 9
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Nightmares have shattered the Moral Compass, making The Mind unable to function properly. Dusty and his ever-optimistic sidekick, Piper, must travel to Creed Valley, where The Mind’s ideals are formed to restore peace. A journey filled with musical showdowns and mind-bending puzzles await in this action-adventure game set in the human mind.

Papetura – March 9

Papetura is a labor of love and a love letter to both the craft of paper modeling and to old-school adventure games. Let the game transport you into a world of imagination and immerse yourself fully in paper fantasy as the soft and fragile music of Floex sets the mood for your journey.

Space Tail: Every Journey Leads Home - Box Art Asset

Space Tail: Every Journey Leads Home – March 9

A 2.5D adventure platformer that immerses the player in a deep, emotional plot, and lets them explore new planets and interact with alien civilizations. A story about self-exploration, transformation, and understanding of the world around us.

Transport Fever 2: Console Edition Box Art

Transport Fever 2: Console Edition – March 9
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

The classic transport simulation genre has a new gold standard with Transport Fever 2. Discover a whole new world by navigating transport routes through land, water, and air. Provide the world with the transport infrastructure it needs and make a fortune with custom-made transport services. Carry people on their way to work or play and be the reason cities grow and thrive.

Titanium Hound – March 9

A retro-looking cyberpunk game where you pilot a huge and agile exoskeleton to crush hordes of crazed security drones and abominations while working to uncover a global conspiracy.

Volley Pals – March 9

Simplified arcade volleyball where you hit the ball and pass it to your opponent’s field. However, in Volley Pals, you can also do many other interesting things including but not limited to: invading your opponent’s area, using your opponent’s service before they do, increasing the height of the net, playing rock/paper/scissors, and various other things.

Zombie Derby: Pixel Survival Box Art Asset

Zombie Derby: Pixel Survival – March 9
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Get in the driver’s seat and put the pedal to the metal! Smash your way through hordes of zombies and countless obstacles in a rip-roaring racing arcade. Experience the zombie apocalypse like you’ve never seen it before.

EvilUP – March 10
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

An adventure for roguelike and RPG fans. Fight with bloodthirsty monsters, explore the dark corners of the labyrinths, and improve your skills and character development with challenging quests, various equipment, numerous types of enemies, and random generation of levels that will make your every attempt unique.

Flashout 3 – March 10

Take part in an exciting, head-to-head fight to the finish in Flashout 3, featuring ultra-fast ships, loops, jumps, and razor-sharp turns! Test your skills on the most impressive sci-fi racing tracks and try not to fall behind by unleashing rockets, guns, bombs, and mines to help you level your competition.

Creepy-Cute Indie Adventure Meg’s Monster Now Available on Xbox Series X and Xbox One

Summary

Meg’s Monster is now available to purchase on Xbox Series X and Xbox One.
Meg’s Monster is an emotionally-charged RPG featuring a duo of delightful characters.
A new twist on the “saving the world” formula.

Ever wonder what would happen if you were an invincible player in an RPG? Meg’s Monster is available now on Xbox consoles and combines a heartfelt story with a unique twist: The main character shrugs off almost every hit, but he has to protect his newly found friend if he wants to protect his world from a sudden disaster.

There is a place known as the Underworld where monstrous creatures snack on humans that find their way into the land. Unfortunately for the lost girl Meg, she’s in grave danger… until Roy comes in. An invincible ogre that’s the strongest in the land, he reluctantly decides to help her reunite with her mother. However, there’s one little problem: If she starts crying, then the Underworld will be destroyed. Players will need to guide Roy to reunite Meg with her mom in an adventure filled with quirky characters and dangerous enemies.

While the story of Meg’s Monster revolves around Meg and Roy, there are a number of cool creatures to encounter. The Council consists of four intimidating (but well-meaning) monstrous members, and each enemy has a quirky personality that oozes out of each battle. Each fight will come with a unique creature and a different way to navigate the fray. The turn-based battle system also keeps you on your toes, even when you can tank hits with ease. You need to help Roy balance dishing out damage while protecting Meg from harm.

Meg’s Monster is Odencat’s most ambitious title so far. This is our first title made specifically for consoles, and our team has put their heart and soul into creating a story that will stay with you long after the credits roll. From the amazing soundtrack of Reo Uratani (Monster Hunter, Atelier Ryza 2, Hi-Fi Rush)and Laura Shigihara (Deltarune, Plants Vs. Zombies, Rakuen) to the luscious pixel art of Tomas Praestholm, we’ve made sure that this journey is a memorable one.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for taking the time to experience Meg’s Monster on Xbox. Stay tuned for more updates, and have fun!

Meg’s Monster

Odencat

☆☆☆☆☆
4

★★★★★

$14.99

$13.49

Get it now

Welcome to the Underworld—a land of monsters and mutants who eat humans for breakfast.

One such monster—a hulking ogre by the name of Roy—has no interest in eating humans. But one day, he and his best friend Golan stumble upon a lost little girl named Meg, and discover something truly terrifying: the moment she starts wailing in fear, a blood-red hue washes over the sky, and the earth itself begins to tremble and quake.

That’s right: this small girl’s tears hold the power to bring forth the apocalypse—and the only way to stop it is for them to help find her mother so she can make it safely back home.

Meg’s Monster is a short, story-driven JRPG with a big twist. Players control Roy, who begins the game with 99,999 HP and is virtually untouchable—but the real concern is keeping Meg safe, because if she starts crying, it’s game over for everyone. Players will have to master the unique mechanics and mini-games baked into each battle, all while protecting Meg and using her favorite toys to keep her pacified.

Over the course of their journey together, Roy and Meg will encounter a host of quirky and colorful characters, all lovingly rendered in Odencat’s trademark vibrant pixel aesthetic that makes even scary monsters look cute. There’s plenty of drama and intrigue to be found here—and even previously defeated enemies can be befriended through optional sub-events.

What begins as a relatively simple and heartwarming story about two unlikely friends ultimately expands into something much greater, as Roy and Meg slowly begin to unravel the mysteries surrounding the Underworld and themselves. The result is an emotional journey that, like any good storybook, will remain in your heart for years to come.

Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism is Coming to Xbox – Will the Soviets Win?

Summary

Pre-order Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism with 10% off, launching March 9th.
The third installment of the turn-based Strategic Mind wargame series, set in WWII.
Rich storytelling with about 60 minutes of cutscenes, challenging gameplay with advanced mechanics, and expanded strategic possibilities.

Hello there, Xbox wargamers!

This is Oleksandr Sienin, I am the COO and developer from Starni Games. Today I wanted to bring to your attention Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism, which is the third installment of Strategic Mind series coming to Xbox One with Xbox Series X|S compatibility.

The first installment Strategic Mind: The Pacific, about the fight between the USA and the Empire of Japan, was brought to Xbox One by our porting partner and publisher Klabater, on June 26th, 2022. The second, Strategic Mind: Fight for Freedom, showing World War II from the Allies’ perspective, came to Xbox on September 22nd, 2022.

And this time, we’re coming to you with Spectre of Communism – the Cold War played from the Soviets’ perspective. Read more and dive with me into the world of political intrigue and experience the tension of the Cold War era.

What is Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism about?

The game tells an alternate story of the Red Army after World War II. You take on the role of a commander leading your nation through the challenges of the Cold War.

The game features a deep, immersive storyline that will allow you to explore the struggles of the time and the spectre of communism that hung over the world. With engaging gameplay mechanics, 3d graphics, and a rich, detailed world, Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism offers long hours of intense brain challenge and tons of fun.

Is your mind strategic? Let’s see about that.

The strategy is the Strongest Point of the Game

The Soviets had a simple strategy for World War II and the Cold War – to throw so many people at their enemies that the enemies will run out of ammo.

This will not work for the game. If you are in love with strategies, you’ll enjoy a wide array of tactical possibilities to overcome your foes in Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism.

The Spectre of Communism haunted the world. You will haunt your adversaries.

The elements that come into play are:

Different types of units – you have tanks, artillery, infantry, aircraft, and many more, each with its strengths and weaknesses,
The development of the units – choose your go-to formation and maximize it, or spread the development to have a more balanced setup,
The terrain – you may use it for your protection or get a higher ground,
The movement of the units – moving your units together in a way they can protect each other is crucial,
The planning – while moving units around you need to keep an eye on the chain of supplies.

There are endless combinations of approaching each stage. Changing one variable can mean the difference between winning and losing a battle and ultimately the whole round.

Also, what’s interesting, the progression is historically accurate, which means you are able to unlock a certain type of unit no sooner than the moment it was introduced in history.

It takes some time to get a grasp of understanding of the game, and it may become challenging, but after all – it’s the challenge what it’s all about, right? What’s worth having, never comes easily. If you truly are a strategic mind, you’ll feel comfortable moving around the Soviet Union in no time.

You will be able to experience all the thrills of this classic political thriller from the comfort of your home. If you have not played any of the Strategic Mind series yet, we hope this installment, and its 10% discounted Pre-order offer, will encourage you to discover the rich storytelling, challenging gameplay, extensive cutscenes, and expanded strategic possibilities of the Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism or the other WWII campaigns of Strategic Mind.

Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism

Klabater

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism is a (hi)story-driven turn-based strategy set in the WW2 period. It offers refined wargame mechanics, story-rich gameplay, and modern 3D graphics. Lead the USSR Armed forces staging the world Communist revolution. For Stalin! For the Motherland!

The game has many historical operations and events but also features a number of alternate history moments. It is created with great care and attention to historical details by a team which is passionate about WW2 history. Watching cinematics before and after every operation you can almost feel that you are indeed a participant of the unfolding epochal events. Moreover, numerous primary and secondary objectives allow you to explore every battle in detail. The gameplay is plot-driven and features many historical personalities such as Joseph Stalin, Georgy Zhukov, Vyacheslav Molotov, Kliment Voroshilov, Lavrentiy Beria, Aleksandr Vasilevsky, Konstantin Rokossovsky and others.

Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism is the third installment in the Strategic Mind line of games. The first one – “Strategic Mind: The Pacific” – was about naval warfare during the Pacific War, while the second one – “Strategic Mind: Blitzkrieg” – was telling the story of the European theater from the German perspective. It is high time “Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism” tells the USSR story in WW2, a story filled with valiant hearts and vile betrayals. As a part of the Strategic Mind franchise, it will retain many features of the series along with adding new content and features to the existing variety.

Overwatch 2: Check Out the Kiriko One-Punch Man Collaboration Skin (and How It Was Made)

Xbox Wire can exclusively reveal one of Overwatch 2’s upcoming One-Punch Man collaboration skins – support hero Kiriko in the form of Terrible Tornado. The legendary skin comes as part of a wider collaboration between Overwatch 2 and One-Punch Man, which has already seen Doomfist revealed in a skin based on the eponymous superhero himself, Saitama.

The Legendary Terrible Tornado – Kiriko skin will arrive as part of a bundle, available for 2,100 coins in the Overwatch 2 in-game store. The bundle includes the legendary skin, the Terribly Impressive Victory Pose, and the Terrible Tornado namecard. The skin – and the rest of the One Punch Man collaboration – will be available from March 7 until April 6.

It’s the first major in-game collaboration for Overwatch since a LEGO-inspired Bastion skin in 2019, and I caught up with Art Director, Dion Rogers to find out how this unexpected partnership emerged:

“It’s something we’ve been wanting to do for a while,” he begins. “You know, Overwatch’s art style is kind of a marriage of West-meets-East aesthetics and values – there’s a bit of an anime look to Overwatch. So, being fans of anime, we were looking for a partner to collaborate with. And we looked at various studios, and then when One-Punch Man came up, it was surprising how many people on the team knew the anime, they loved it, they watched it. Aaron Keller, our game director totally knows all the characters and things backwards and forwards.

“So it was pretty surprising. We felt like that’s a great one because the team would be very excited by this idea – because the team knew the anime so well, and they were so excited, it’s at that point that it really felt like the right fit.”

Rogers wasn’t wrong. He says that the collaboration was so popular in the studio that, on the very first team meeting about it, the character artist for the Saitama – Doomfist skin began drawing designs during the call, and was sharing them soon after. If you wanted some measure of how much the Overwatch team likes One Punch Man, consider the fact that Doomfist had a voice line referencing the show for years – “One punch is all I need” – before this crossover came together. “Yeah, we were inspired,” Rogers laughs when I ask about it.

So, what about Kiriko’s costume specifically? Terrible Tornado is an incredibly powerful psychic in the world of One-Punch Man, and comes with a distinct personality all of her own. What made Kiriko the right fit to put on her costume?

“Part of the challenge of bringing some of the heroes in is basically [because of] a silhouette change. So gameplay-wise, we have to be careful. Doomfist, for example: as Saitama he gains a cape. Doomfist, we never give him a cape, in any of the skins, so that his silhouette – the shape that players are used to seeing – remains. So we were very careful when we applied this.

“Kiriko – on top of needing some more skins, because she’s a newer hero in the game – she fits the silhouette of [Terrible Tornado] pretty well. So it just felt like a natural choice – we could do her hairstyle, but a lot of Kiriko’s base silhouette comes from her skirt, the little kind of angled parts on her clothing. So we could keep that look while capturing [Terrible Tornado] in kind of cosplay form.”

Rogers raises an interesting point about this collaboration – in most games, you’d kind of assume the heroes were meant to be a version of the One-Punch Man characters but, in Overwatch 2, they’re cosplaying as them.

“Our heroes are basically aware of the anime and are fans too. And they’re cosplaying as the heroes.”

“That’s our approach; that our heroes are basically aware of the anime and are fans too. And they’re cosplaying as the heroes. So when you see Doomfist wearing the Saitama outfit, he’s a fan too.”

It raises the question – is this a one-off, or could we see more cosplay-esque collaborations for Overwatch 2 in future?

“We definitely want to do more collaborations over time, but with the right opportunity [because] it took us a long time to reach here – hopefully it doesn’t take us as long for the next one. But our goal is to do more. It was super fun for the team. It’s surprising, I think our approach overlaps with Overwatch very well.”

“And what I like about the new game is it’s seasonal, we have the seasonal cadence of things now. It’ll allow us to pursue more things like this, because we have targeted seasons that we can plug these things into.”

I can’t let Rogers go without asking the obvious follow-up: what would his dream collaboration be once One Punch Man is done? “Oh yeah. Dragon Ball – that’s one of them. Actually, Street Fighter, I’d love to combo with Street Fighter at some point.” Here’s hoping one (or both!) happen one day soon.

Overwatch 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. The Overwatch collaboration event, including the Legendary Terrible Tornado – Kiriko skin, will begin on March 7 and run until April 6.

Overwatch® 2

Blizzard Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆
1997

★★★★★

Get it now

Xbox One X Enhanced

Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl. Team up with friends and dive into the reimagined PvP experience as a time-jumping freedom fighter, a beat-dropping battlefield DJ, or one of over 30 other unique heroes as you battle it out around the globe.

EVER EVOLVING HEROES, NEW MAPS, NEW WAYS TO PLAY AND UNIQUE COSMETICS! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your allies as one of Overwatch’s distinct heroes. Take them into battle across 24 futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes.

SEASON THREE IS NOW LIVE
New heroes, maps, and game modes will be added in seasonal updates every nine weeks. Drop into Season Three to explore new terrain in the newest map, ANTARCTICA, and over 20 tiers of completely free rewards on the Battle Pass. Purchase the Premium Battle Pass to unlock an additional 60 Tiers of cosmetic rewards including the all-new Mythic Kiriko skin, legendary skins, sprays, voice lines, weapon charms, and more!

A mobile phone number must be linked to your Battle.net Account to play Overwatch.

How Modding Passion Brought UGC-Focused Leap to Life – Available Now

Hey there, this is Alex Tintor, co-founder of Blue Isle Studios. We’re launching a new game called Leap that has major mod support…something that is pretty near and dear to my heart.

I got my first taste of modding at ten years old, when I started making mods for the Command & Conquer series of games. I worked on the Command & Conquer: Red Alert map editor which I continued to collaborate on with a group of others through my high school years with the Blitzkrieg 2 mod for Command & Conquer: Generals. I met my colleague and studio co-founder Brenden years down the road when Starcraft 2 came out with an impressive set of modding tools. I was on a mission to start a total conversion modding project and had been told I needed to connect with Brenden.

Together at Blue Isle Studios, we have brought numerous games to market over the past decade and have always envisioned developing a game where players are offered the opportunity to mod within the game and create content that adds to the game’s playability. Leap was the perfect game to introduce our Leap Design Works suite of mod tools.. All of our games have amazing communities, and Leap has had an especially active community of modders who have been in the game since our Early Access launch last year. Their content paired with our new partnership with the modding leader Overwolf has set us up to have a nice selection of user-generated content (UGC) from modders all over the world available to play today!

Some of the UGC I am most looking forward to checking out include a mod called “One Bullet One Kill” by Overwolf modder “th_mrow,” and another is located within a private server from another Overwolf modder, Lukas, called “Leap Hardpoint.”

In addition to modding being one hundred percent functional for console launch, Leao also features two modes (PVE and PVP), tons of map maps, weapons, and personal vehicles as modes of transportation (my personal favorites being the robo moose and hoverboard). Leap continues to grow daily as our modding community expands and continues to implement new servers and content. We also have a solid roadmap of content planned for the coming months that includes new weapons and levels among other things that we will reveal soon.

While Leap delivers on what players have come to know and expect from a solid FPS, we are excited to stand out with our partnership with Overwolf, and look forward to keeping our servers filled with imaginative players.

This is a big moment for Brenden and me, as we look back on those hours spent in our teenage bedrooms come full circle; we hope with the launch of this game, it will provide an avenue for new and experienced modders to create content for years to come.

Welcome to Leap! We can’t wait to see what experiences you’ll have and what creative modding content you’ll create – not that I’ll be judging or anything.

LEAP

Blue Isle Publishing

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

LEAP is a fast-paced, multiplayer first-person shooter featuring epic large scale battles, each with players armed to the teeth. Become an elite LEAP mercenary as you soar into battle. Fight for either the United Earth Defense Coalition (UEDC) or the rebel Exo-Terrans – whoever pays the most, wins your trigger finger and excessive arsenal.

Work together with your teammates, use powerful weapons and unique class abilities, and traverse the terrain quickly with grappling hooks, jetpacks and outrageous vehicles to seize victory.

Jump on your hoverboard and backflip into battle, or saddle up onto a mechanical moose and lead the charge. Whatever your play style, every LEAP mercenary is equipped with a Personal Vehicle (PV), allowing you to quickly cover distances and close the gap on your enemy.

Every exosuit comes equipped with match altering abilities – Call in an Orbital Laser to wipe out a group of enemies, or throw down a Support Shield to take temporary cover from enemy fire.

Every obstacle is an opportunity to soar, dash or charge, and an elite mercenary will use their unique movement abilities to navigate the battlefield quickly. Use your grappling hook to reach greater heights or your directional dash to dodge enemy fire.

The glory of victory only gets sweeter with rewards. Customize your mercenary with helmet emojis and distinct skin options for exosuits, vehicles and weapons. Flaunt and taunt your frenemies with style and sass.

MLB The Show 23 is Bringing the Heat with Tons of New Updates and Features

Summary

Get a full breakdown from the MLB The Show team on all the new changes and features in store for this year’s game.
Xbox Game Pass members can play four days early with the Xbox Game Pass Early Access Bundle for MLB The Show 23.
MLB The Show 23 is available for pre-order today on the Xbox Store and will launch day one with Xbox Game Pass on March 28.

Following up from our previous coverage about the upcoming MLB The Show 23, including a detailed look at the new Storylines: Negro Leagues feature, we’re back with even more info about some of the exciting gameplay improvements and features that will be in store when MLB The Show 23 launches March 28 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and day one with Xbox Game Pass. Let’s dive in!

Defense

High fielding attribute matters more now than ever before. The disparity between players in-game with high vs low fielding attributes is more noticeable. Players with a lower Fielding attribute will react slower to contact made off the bat compared to players with a high Fielding attribute.

When it comes to our throwing interfaces, we have a couple to select from depending on your skill and engagement level. Our more approachable interfaces, Buttons and Analog, rely heavily on the Arm Accuracy attribute which has been tuned to be in line with MLB statistics. Or you can elevate your game with the Button Accuracy Meter where you are in complete control of your throws.

If using Button Accuracy throwing interface, consistent with last year’s game, the green portion of the meter (indicates a throw that will be accurate to the fielder), scales based on the Arm Accuracy attribute. However, the functionality of the meter has changed. Universally, the speed of the meter needle is slower than in years past. This is intended, as it will help to facilitate the upcoming changes.

In previous years of The Show, the meter was consistent, meaning the green spot was always in the middle. Repetition with this mechanic led to ease of use for many of you. Now, on difficult Infield plays and long outfield throws, the green portion of the meter will dynamically move. This change increases realism while also adding additional skill to defense.

On force throws to first base, you will experience a yellow portion of the meter. This section indicates the dirt ball region of the meter, leading to balls being thrown in the dirt. The frequency of the play being made is based on the first baseman’s Fielding attribute. Visit custom practice to experience and perfect the changes to fielding and throwing.

Two new quirks have been added/revamped on defense. These two quirks are Break Outlier and Pick Off Artist. A pitcher with Break Outlier loses break at a slower rate than those without the quirk. A pitcher with Pick Off Artist leads to 2x the chance of a successful pick-off.

Offense

The pitcher-batter dynamic is better than ever with the revamped competitive gameplay engine. And don’t worry Casual or Simulation fans, we have also tuned and balanced those gameplay styles as well.

One of the major attribute updates to MLB The Show 23 is we have redefined the Clutch attribute. With runners in scoring position, Clutch attribute directly replaces contact. This helps to facilitate more realism. The battle between a batter’s Contact attribute and a pitcher’s Hits per 9 innings (H/9) attribute is directly replaced with batter Clutch and Pitcher Clutch with Runners in scoring position (RISP).

Two new quirks have been added on offense. These are Bad Ball Hitter and Table Setter. A batter with Bad Ball Hitter will excel at hitting pitches outside of the Strike Zone. A batter with Table Setter excels with no runners on base.

Animations

We’ve added over 5,000 gameplay animations to MLB The Show 23! We have hundreds of new animations ranging from robbing foul balls, dives, hot shot variety at the corners, and as always animations for urgency and efficiency.

Gameplay Styles

Gameplay styles are meant to create unique experiences for all players out there. Gameplay style tuning for Casual and Simulation are continuously taking place. However, the biggest gameplay style change revolves around Competitive gameplay style.

Competitive gameplay style is the default for all Online Head-to-Head* games and all Diamond Dynasty* modes. Competitive Gameplay Style can also be accessed by visiting the gameplay settings and toggling the Gameplay Style setting under General Difficulty.

The goal of this gameplay style is to increase the consistency of good input for producing good results and bad input for producing bad results, without going too far from baseball strategy and basics. Players will notice more swings and misses, fewer popups and choppers, and the hits put into play are slightly better to make up for fewer being put into play.

Player Clarity, Visual Updates In-game, and Functionality Improvements

Updates to the in-game displays have been made. The largest focus for visual display updates revolved around increasing clarity amongst the player base.

Swing Feedback

Swing feedback is a piece of art that appears in the bottom left corner of the screen after a swing attempt is made. This feedback displays Batter Attributes, Pitch Location, Pitch Type, Swing Timing, and Plate Coverage Indicator Placement. It is meant to help describe the outcome of the hit. Although it is difficult to achieve perfection through this art, strides were made to increase precision and accuracy of the art. Previous versions of MLBTS swing feedback displayed Swing Inputs on the left and displayed the outputs on the right. Now, the swing feedback is a story that can be read from left to right, top to bottom.

In Game D-pad functionality

Left on the Directional Buttons now display live, up to date, Statcast numbers. Right on the Directional Buttons now display important Pitcher/Batter matchups, attempting to present all factors that impact the At-Bat. This includes vital attributes that dynamically swap in and all active quirks. Up on the Directional Buttons remains relatively consistent to previous years of MLB The Show, with slight functionality updates, including the ability to bring in a pitcher that’s being warmed up without needing to navigate back into the bullpen.

Settings Updates

Settings terminology, organization, and descriptions have been updated to better inform players as for what each gameplay setting does. There are now two new settings that allow for increased customization of Pre-Pitch displays while on Offense and Defense. These new settings can be found under Display and aim to allow for increased control over what information is presented on screen prior to a pitch being thrown. These two settings are Pitch Select Displays and Batter Controls Display.

Additional Visual Updates

The runner windows displayed in the top right for a first base runner and top left for a third base runner no longer appear. This camera can now be seen in the top right baserunning diamond during pre-pitch. Logic is tied to which runner is shown in the camera, leading to the most viable runner displaying based on the bases currently occupied. Now that space has been created in the top left corner of the screen, important information can be displayed here such as Road to The Show base gains increase or decrease, moment tracking, and Dynamic Difficulty updates.

Custom Practice Updates

We’ve added some important functionality to Custom Practice. It now has a couple important additions. While Batting, players now can finetune specific pitch locations around the Strike Zone. This tool is very useful for improving your eye and improving at specific problem areas. In previous years, players could solely turn specific pitches Off or On. This functionality has been expanded upon, allowing players to choose the frequency of pitches thrown through a slider mechanism.

Attribute Descriptions

MLB The Show has a lot of attributes and if you’re new to the franchise you might not know what they all mean. Be sure to check out the handbook/strategy guide located in the pause menu in-game. The attribute descriptions can now also be found in the Diamond Dynasty Handbook. These descriptions provide insightful information as for how each attribute functions and interacts with gameplay. The goal here is to ensure all players have the information needed to make the best possible decision when forming a squad or making an important managerial decision in game.

Passive Quirks Changes

We’ve removed passive quirks from MLB The Show 23. Simplifying the quirk system seems to be the best approach here, as there was generally confusion as for what Active Quirks did vs Passive Quirks. Universally, we hope this change leads to more clarity since only the quirks that impact gameplay is displayed.

Updated Options Explorer

The options explorer audio and art has been updated. This is a great area for players to learn the mechanics offered within MLB The Show. The general rule of thumb for gameplay mechanics is that the more control a player has over the mechanic, the less ability the CPU must influence gameplay.

MLB Rule Changes

Changes to Extreme Left and Extreme Right shifts are now implemented into MLB The Show 23. These changes set a good baseline but will need tuning based on real life strategy seen throughout the MLB season.

Online H2H/Co-Op

Improvements to Online Stability are continuously being worked on to provide the best experience possible. For those Co-Op players, Play Now Co-Op now offers the ability to toggle the rotational patterns prior to loading into game. Rather than being locked into rotating roles per inning on defense and rotating per at-bat on offense, teams can now choose additional rotation patterns. (Online features require internet connection).

Xbox Game Pass Members Can Play Four Days Early with the Xbox Game Pass Early Access Bundle

We’re excited to announce the return of the Xbox Game Pass Early Access Bundle, allowing members to join in on the fun and play four days early! In addition to playing early, players will receive two Gold Choice Packs, 10 The Show Packs, one Ballplayer Pack, double daily rewards, and 10K Stubs. If you pre-order the Early Access Bundle for Xbox Game Pass, you will receive an additional Gold Choice Pack.

Note: This bundle is exclusively designed for Xbox Game Pass members to play MLB The Show 23 early. If you’re not an Xbox Game Pass member and you purchase this bundle, you will not be able to play MLB The Show 23. For those fans, we recommend the MLB The Show 23: Digital Deluxe Edition.

We could not be more excited for MLB The Show 23 coming out March 28 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and available day one with Xbox Game Pass! Look forward to new ways to play, a new class of legends and much more! Check TheShow.com and follow our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts for the latest updates about MLB The Show 23. For more detailed information on MLB The Show 23, read here.

MLB® The Show™ 23 Xbox Game Pass Early Access Bundle

MLB

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$49.99

$44.99

Pre-order

GAME NOT INCLUDED. For Xbox Game Pass subscribers interested in playing MLB The Show 23 during Early Access, this is for you.

Purchasers of the MLB® The Show™ 23 Xbox Game Pass Early Access Bundle will get access to MLB The Show 23 on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S on March 24th 2023 – four days early – as well as the following additional items:
Four Days Early Access for Xbox Game Pass Users.
2 Gold Choice Pack.
10 Show Packs.
1 Ballplayer Pack.
Double Daily login rewards.
10k Stubs™.

MLB® The Show™ 23 Xbox One

MLB

☆☆☆☆☆
6

★★★★★

$59.99

Pre-order

Pre-order to get the Gold Choice pack.

This edition includes:
• Full game.
• 5K Stubs™.

MLB® The Show™ 23 gets you closer than ever to living your Baseball dreams on the diamond. Shock The Game and Own The Show with your favorite players, your favorite rivalries, and all your favorite MLB moments.

Buy the MLB® The Show™ 23 digital version for Xbox One and when ready, upgrade to the MLB® The Show™ 23 digital version for Xbox Series X|S for an additional cost.

MLB® The Show™ 23 Xbox Series X|S

MLB

☆☆☆☆☆
6

★★★★★

$69.99

Pre-order

Pre-order to get the Gold Choice pack.

This edition includes:
• Full game for Xbox Series X|S
• Full game for Xbox One
• Five The Show Packs.
• 10K Stubs™.

Get the next-generation MLB The Show 23 experience when you play on Xbox Series X|S, including the return of Stadium Creator mode, and face your friends with cross-platform play* or continue your progress on other platforms with cross progression**.

Xbox and Lucasfilm launch ‘The Mandalorian’-themed gaming gear for Season 3

The Mandalorian and Grogu are back in action. From exploring new worlds to battling fantastical creatures, Xbox and ‘The Mandalorian’ fans share a love of epic stories based in galaxies far, far away. In celebration of today’s highly anticipated release of Season 3 of the hit Star Wars series, Xbox and Lucasfilm are teaming up to give lucky gamers the chance to win their very own Mandalorian-inspired Xbox gear. Coinciding with the launch of Season 3, fans can enter a sweepstakes for a limited-edition, Mandalorian-inspired Xbox Series S & X bundle featuring a custom Grogu Xbox Controller and Hoodie with a simple retweet of the official Xbox Twitter account. The sweepstakes will run from March 1 through May 11, and is open to fans globally*

New episodes of ‘The Mandalorian’ follow Grogu as he reunites with Din Djardin for more planet-trotting quests — and this exclusive gear is ready for the adventure. And once you’re ready to make the jump to hyperspace, the color-coordinated controller and hoodie is the perfect accessory for wherever your mission takes you. 

Just like a Jedi’s lightsaber or a Mandalorian’s Beskar suit, Grogu has his own iconic gear: the armored floating pram. That’s why, in addition to the custom controller and accompanying hoodies, we are also offering gamers a fully immersive experience in their very own Pram XL. Fans in the US can enter with Microsoft Rewards for the chance to win a full entertainment package that bundles a Grogu-themed Series S console and custom Grogu Xbox Controller and Hoodie with a human-sized pram replica — while it may not be able to hover, it is a fully operational gaming station where you can both game and stream the new season of ‘The Mandalorian’, now streaming on Disney+. Featuring massaging cushions, cupholders, LED lights, and holders for your controllers and headphones, it’s the greatest gaming seat in any galaxy. The Pram XL sweepstakes runs from March 16 through May 11, to enter and for Official Rules (including free entry method), visit Microsoft Rewards.**

Experience Star Wars with Xbox Game Pass – enjoy playable adventures across fan-favorite titles like LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order via EA Play. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can save 10% on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor launching April 28th, 2023.

About Disney Studios’ ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3

In the third season of ‘The Mandalorian’, the journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together. The series stars Pedro Pascal, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers, Amy Sedaris, Emily Swallow and Giancarlo Esposito. The directors for this season include Rick Famuyiwa, Rachel Morrison, Lee Isaac Chung, Carl Weathers, Peter Ramsey and Bryce Dallas Howard. Jon Favreau is the showrunner and is executive producing along with Dave Filoni, Rick Famuyiwa, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson. Karen Gilchrist and Carrie Beck serve as co-executive producers.

*Retweet to Win Sweepstakes Rules: No purchase necessary, ends at 8:00pm on May 11, 2023. Open only to Xbox supported regions. Must be 18+ to enter. See official rules for full details.

**Microsoft Rewards Sweepstakes Rules: No purchase necessary. Ends May 11, 2023. To enter and for Official Rules (including free entry method), visit Microsoft Rewards.