So…what is the Monday Poll? Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). 1. What would you rather be great at: finding good deals, arriving on time, navigating or mental math? I could use a little help with all of these things, ha! Let’s go with finding good deals. 2. Who is your biggest supporter? El hub. He’s seen me through many dreams chased! 3. Claw clip or hair tie? Hair tie, black, stretchy. 4. I am too old to [FILL IN THE BLANK]? Deal with nonsense. Do any physical activity without a warmup, lol. *Not* draw boundaries. 5. Your ice cream truck treat of choice from back in the day? I always like the popsicles that were red, white and blue. Drumsticks were a fave, too! Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict, Karen P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with[Continue reading...]
On the first day of the Festival of Fabulousness, ruthless bandits of the Rodentia Trashpandia gang fell upon the royal carriage carrying Queen Karenina and Princess Coco on the road to town. Not only were the queen and princess in peril, but the carriage also carried the kingdom’s precious collection of bedazzled dance costumes! 🌟👗 As luck would have it, two Knights of the Tender Turkey rushed to their aid! With the help of a squire squirrel and his finch friend Fabian, who happened to be on their way to the festival at the time, the trio of furry fighters and their tiny winged companion sent the bandits scurrying and saved the day. Huzzah! 🤗 Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict, Karen
I’d love to hear your take on why you love your foundation, tinted moisturizer, powder, concealer, etc, because this gal needs to do some makeup shopping STAT. For the first time in months, I’ve felt the urge to wear makeup again, hooray! A little background: I’ve been going uber-minimalist for the past few months, and I’ve whittled my daily beauty routine down significantly. I do a tinted sunscreen with SPF 50, cream blush, under eye color corrector, a brow pencil and mascara on most days. Oh, and setting spray, of course. A couple weeks ago, though, I got the urge to dig out my Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation tinted moisturizer and some powder blush and, gasp! It felt REALLY good to wear it. Who knows? Maybe a return to a full-face of paint is in the cards for me in the near future. I think that’s the beauty of makeup. It’s always there for you to come back to it, if and when you want to do so. Anywho, enough of my rambling. Tell[Continue reading...]
We went camping last weekend by the Russian River, and Marnie tagged along with us, which added a different spin to our usual routine. I’ve never gone camping with a dog, so it was a first! For this trip, I tried something new; I spent less time taking pics on my phone and more time trying to be present. I only took a handful of shots, including the one at the top. Have you ever tried this? It’s been years since I’ve attempted to not grab at least a good amount of photos during a trip on my phone, and it was kinda weird for me. I’m not sure how I feel about it! On one hand, it was really nice to not feel the need to constantly document everything. I really tried harder to burn images in my mind and capture the feelings at the moment—the sweetness of seeing Marnie walk right up to the edge of the river and getting right into the water without any hesitation, or how my heart swelled when[Continue reading...]
So…what is the Monday Poll? Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). 1. Something you need to buy for yourself that isn’t beauty related? Shoes. I’ve been waking up with sore and cranky arches, so it’s time! I can’t believe there was a time in my life when I could wear whatever footwear and get up in the morning with happy feet. It’s wild to me! 2. Colors in your wardrobe that you wear the most? I wear a ton of blue, gray and black. Honestly, I’m not crazy about that particular palette; it’s just that I bought a bunch of basics in those colors a while back, and sticking to just a few different colors makes it easier to get dressed in the morning. I have some pink, red and yellow items up in the mix, too, which I[Continue reading...]
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Sid Meier’s Civilization VII Revolutionizes the Strategy Classic by Building History in Layers
Summary
Sid Meier’s Civilization VIItakes player on a new type of journey, one through distinct historical chapters called Ages.
Build a unique cultural lineage as your empire is represented by unique Civs across each Age.
Launching on February 11, 2025, with support for cross-play and cross-progression.
From everyone at Firaxis Games, we’re thrilled to finally reveal gameplay and share that Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is launching on February 11, 2025.
In Civilization VII, we invite you to go on a journey never experienced before in the franchise – one through the Ages of human advancement. Ages divide history into distinct playable chapters, each designed to immerse the player in the essence of these time periods. We have three Ages for you to experience:
Antiquity Age: When agricultural societies began to cluster into urban centers, forming the foundations of the very first civilizations.
Exploration Age: When the desire for precious commodities from distant lands spurred empires to stretch across the great oceans.
Modern Age: A period of incredible technological growth and global conflict, where mankind goes from development of the steam engine to the splitting of the atom.
What’s particularly interesting about Ages, and separates it from previous Civilization features like Eras, is that for the first time you aren’t just playing as a single civilization. Instead, you build a unique cultural lineage in Civilization VII, where your empire is represented by different civilizations during each Age. You’ll be able to carry forward your past civilization’s legacy, while also playing as a new Civ in the new Age – one with refreshed abilities, unique units, buildings and more!
This idea is a revolutionary one for Civilization, and merits some more detail. To explain, let me take you back to the original foundational idea for Civilization VII – a design mantra we call “History is Built in Layers.”
History is Built in Layers
A few years after we shipped the last Civ game, the design team at Firaxis Games sat down to begin planning out what we wanted to see in Civilization VII. Designing a new Civ game is a unique challenge and we take feedback from all areas. We think about what we’d like to improve on, we hear what the community is asking for, and we look at what players are doing in our games to see how we can make that experience even better.
One area of inspiration for us is, as you might guess, history itself. So I took a trip to London – a big, sprawling modern city, and thought about its past. London was originally an ancient Roman settlement called Londinium, established on the far reaches of the Roman Empire. Back then, it looked very much like any other Roman town, with a forum, bathhouses, and temples.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Londinium was largely abandoned. Eventually, the Normans, following their conquest in the 11th century, established what would become Medieval London. On top of the old Roman ruins, new buildings were constructed, including fortifications, churches, and markets. However, Medieval London also faced hardships, such as the devastation of the Black Death.
Fast forward a few centuries, and the Industrial Revolution ushered in what would be Victorian London. This era saw the transformation of the city with new constructions like factories, railways, and commercial buildings, replacing or repurposing many older medieval structures.
This sparked an idea for us – what if you could build your empire in the same way? Where you could experience the same type of journey that London went through: going through different Ages, the identity of your empire represented by different civilizations from that time period. And as a video game, what if you could determine which direction your empire evolved? Imagine if, instead of the Normans, the Spanish had taken control of London? How would that change the future?
Forge Your Path Through the Ages
That’s the unique journey we want you to experience in Civilization VII. During each Age, you’ll select a historical civilization relevant to that time. You’ll compete and cooperate with rival civilizations and face the unique challenges of that Age. As you progress from one Age to the next, you’ll choose a new civilization to represent your empire—determined not just by historical connections, but also by the actions you can take as a player. Over the course of a campaign, as you carry your legacy forward from one Age to the next, you’ll build a unique cultural lineage for your empire – one that may even stand the test of time.
Civilization VII promises to be a revolutionary new chapter for the franchise, and today is just the first step in our journey to February 11, 2025. You can watch our official gameplay showcase for more details; for the latest information on Civilization VII, visit www.civilization.com and follow the game across YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
Zhenzhong Yi, Studio Technical Director, HoYoverse
Summary
Genshin Impactis an open-world adventure game, which will be free-to-play for everyone on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud Gaming with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership.
Starting November 20, Genshin Impact on Xbox will receive the same gameplay, cross-play, and cross-progression functions that other players experience.
Wishlist starts today, and Xbox Game Pass members can pre-install today and get in-game rewards with Game Pass Ultimate.
Editor’s Note (August 20): Updated post to clarify that an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership is required to play Genshin Impact with Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Get ready to start or continue your adventure in the vast magical world of Teyvat – Genshin Impact is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud Gaming with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership on November 20! First released in September 2020, Genshin Impact has been creating an evolving, open-world journey across consoles, PC, and mobile. During today’s gamescom Opening Night Live, we were proud to announce our arrival on Xbox this fall!
Starting today, Genshin Impact can now be added to your Xbox Wishlist, and, Xbox Game Pass members can further pre-install the game. For players with Game Pass Ultimate, in-game rewards will be available upon release (more details to be announced at a later date).
Discover a Diverse Fantasy World
In Genshin Impact, your story begins in a fantasy world called Teyvat. As a traveler from another world, you will embark on a journey to reunite with your long-lost sibling and unravel the mysteries of Teyvat, and yourself.
During your adventure, you will visit the seven major nations, each with diverse landscapes, history, people, creatures, mysteries, and gameplay. Starting from August 28, the sixth major nation, Natlan, will be introduced to the game. Roam the towering cliffs and flowing springs in the manner of Natlan’s dragons, and team up with local warriors to discover this Nation of War!
Master the Seven Elements
Teyvat is a fantasy world where the seven elements flow and converge. Elemental Reactions can be triggered by applying certain combinations of elemental effects on a target to deal extra damage or affect your surroundings.
Therefore, mastering the Seven Elements is the key to defeating powerful enemies, solving challenging puzzles, and reaching different destinations while you explore the world.
Meet New Companions
Different characters can be recruited to join your journey, each with unique abilities, personalities, combat styles, and elemental power. You can further discover their background stories as your journey progresses.
So far, over 80 playable characters can be chosen to build your party of four – and more will be joining in the future.
Travel Alone or Battle Together
While Genshin Impact provides immersive single-player storytelling, you can also team up with your friends. Cross-play and cross-progression functions are available for players on Xbox with PlayStation, PC, Android, iOS, and Epic Games Store. To welcome more players from different backgrounds, Genshin Impact now supports 15 Text languages and 4 Voice-Over languages.
Genshin Impact will be available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud Gaming with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership starting November 20. We will share further information later, and we look forward to seeing you in the world of Teyvat!
Genshin Impact is an open-world adventure RPG. In the game, set forth on a journey across a fantasy world called Teyvat. In this vast world, you can explore seven nations, meet a diverse cast of characters with unique personalities and abilities, and fight powerful enemies together with them, all on the way during your quest to find your lost sibling. You can also wander freely, immersing yourself in a world filled with life, and let your sense of wonder lead you to uncover all of its mysteries… Until you are at long last reunited with your lost sibling and bear witness to the culmination of all things at the end of your journey.
At today’s gamescom Opening Night Live, fans were treated to a bevy of new game reveals and amazing trailers that gave a glimpse of what’s in store from Xbox. This included big news like the release date of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, gameplay from the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6campaign, and the announcement of early access starting soon for Towerborne. But that’s not all! Fans were also given more details on Diablo IV, Starfield: Shattered Space, and more!
With Opening Night Live 2024 complete, gamescom is officially underway, and Xbox will be on the ground floor with one of its most dramatic-looking booths ever – we can’t wait for you to see it! Not only will we have many of the games mentioned here on display, but many titles for both Xbox and Windows PC will be playable, like Ara: History Untold andAge of Mythology Retold, as well as games from our partners like Genshin Impact, Star Wars: Outlaws, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, giving you the chance to explore all the different ways you can play your favorite games across Cloud, Console, and PC.
Catch up on all of today’s news and reveals from Xbox below:
Age of Mythology: Retold Heads for Launch with Brand New Trailer
Coming September 4, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam, or play it day one with Game Pass.
During Opening Night Live fans around the world were treated to a new Age of Mythology: Retold trailer. Focusing on Arkantos, the hero of the game’s 50+ campaign missions, we hear the voice of Athena, coaxing Arkantos to adventure. Showcasing stunning graphics and mythological magic, the trailer gives us another taste of how much players have to be excited about. The trailer also showed the bacchanal of chaos that comes in the final Wonder Age, a new addition to Retold.
Embark on a gaming journey of first-class offerings with the Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition. Curated to offer an elevated gaming experience at launch and beyond.
The Premium Edition includes the full game, up to 7-day advanced access, New Gods Pack: “Freyr”, Legacy Deity Portrait Pack, Expansion 1 (all-new Chinese pantheon expansion) and Expansion 2 (additional new pantheon). *
Standard Game: the complete Age of Mythology: Retold experience
Up to 7-day Advanced Access: Step into the divine realm before time itself with exclusive early unlock to the game available on Xbox, Steam and PC. *
New Gods Pack: “Freyr”: Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition adds Freyr to the Norse pantheon. Unleash the power of the Norse god of prosperity and fertility with the Freyr God Pack. The blessings of Freyr will elevate your reign to unprecedented heights.
Legacy Deity Portrait Pack: a nostalgic journey back to the origins of gaming greatness. Relive the glory days of gaming with this special pack, which offers players the option to use iconic deity portraits from the classic game that captivated audiences worldwide.
(2) Upcoming Expansions: Prepare to embark on new epic sagas yet untold with two yet to be revealed and highly anticipated upcoming expansions. *
Expansion 1: All-New Chinese pantheon expansion
Expansion 2: additional new pantheon expansion
Ara: History Untold Debuts Launch Trailer Ahead of September 24 Release
Windows PC, Steam, or play it day one with Game Pass.
Ara: History Untold helped kick off gamescom 2024 with the world premiere of its launch trailer at Opening Night Live. The trailer, featuring a combination of live action and gameplay, puts the player in focus, inviting you to explore, create, rule, and conquer in the world of your imagination. Ara: History Untold is an upcoming grand strategy game where you build a nation and lead your citizens throughout history as you compete head-to-head with rivals to prove you are the greatest ruler ever known. Create your own story of history when Ara: History Untold launches on September 24, 2024. Pre-order and pre-install today! It’s your world now.
Ara: History Untold Deluxe Edition Preorder Bundle
Build a nation and lead your people throughout history to the pinnacles of human achievement as you explore new lands, develop arts and culture, conduct diplomacy, and go head-to-head with your rivals to prove you are the greatest ruler ever known. It's Your World Now.
The Deluxe Edition Includes
• Ara: History Untold Base Game
• Exclusive Leader Collection – featuring five exclusive leaders not included in the base game including: Charlemagne, Genghis Khan, Yoo Gwan Soon, Hildegard and Boudicca.
• Modern Leader Skin Set – enhance five Ara: History Untold leaders (Elizabeth I, Genghis Khan, Nefertiti, Sappho and George Washington) with the Modern Leader Skin Set, featuring modern versions of their in-game costumes.
With your pre-order of the Deluxe Edition receive the Gilded Leader Skin Set.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Shows Off the Action-Packed “Most Wanted” Campaign Mission
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, Steam, Battle.net, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, or play it day one with Game Pass
We got a look at highlights from one of Black Ops 6’s signature Campaign missions, “Most Wanted”, as Frank Woods’ team attempts to locate and retrieve legendary operative Russell Adler. Beginning with a covert infiltration of a political fundraiser (with a cameo from Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton no less), we then see a descent into a CIA Black Site, and a bike riding escape sequence worthy of a classic action movie.
Along the way, we see how Campaign developer Raven is innovating – while this is a classic set piece-driven CoD mission, player choice is at the forefront. There are multiple options for how to get access to the Black Site, and you can choose to go loud or quiet as you infiltrate – it’s your mission. This is just a taste – we’ll learn much more about Black Ops 6 MultiplayerandZombies when the Call of Duty NEXT event kicks off on August 28, before Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches on October 25.
Never Fight Alone – Mercenaries are Coming to Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PC via Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
The first expansion for Diablo IV releases worldwide on October 8, and game director Brent Gibson took to the gamescom stage to introduce the Mercenaries – a new feature coming to Vessel of Hatred. Mercenaries are your companions in battle, who grow in strength and can be customized to support your playstyle. Each mercenary is unique in the role they serve, so no matter your class or build, you’ll find a mercenary that’s right for you!
The team also introduced the Dark Citadel, a new co-op PvE experience that will put everything you know about combat to the test through a gauntlet of cooperative puzzles and mechanics, as well as the Kurast Undercity – an intense new multistage, time-attack dungeon that gives you the control over the challenge as well as the loot you will find!
There’s a lot to uncover with these new upcoming features, as well as across the Diablo universe, so Diablo general manager Rod Fergusson, lead game designer Rex Dickson, systems designer Aislyn Hall, and Diablo Immortal’s executive producer Peiwen Yao will be joining us on the Xbox broadcast live at gamescom to share more about what’s to come.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Coming December 9, 2024
Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam, or play it day one on Game Pass
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Steam on December 9, 2024. Step into the shoes of the legendary archaeologist as he sets off on his latest global adventure. Play it on day one with Game Pass, or up to three days early by pre-ordering the Premium Edition, Premium Edition Upgrade, or Collector’s Edition.
The release date was revealed alongside a brand-new trailer. Get a new look at Indy’s journey around the world and the tools at his disposal as he faces off against sinister forces. From the whip and revolver to his trusty journal and camera, you’ll need everything he’s got to unravel the mystery of the Great Circle. Learn more here on Xbox Wire.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Digital Premium Edition
Pre-order now or Play on Game Pass* to receive The Last Crusade Pack with the Traveling Suit Outfit and Lion Tamer Whip, as seen in The Last Crusade.
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Live the adventure with the Premium Edition of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle!
INCLUDES:
• Base Game (digital code)
• Up to 3-Day Early Access**
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants Story DLC†
• Digital Artbook
• Temple of Doom Outfit
***
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them – Indiana Jones. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard.
YOU ARE INDIANA JONES
Live the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles. As the brilliant archaeologist – famed for his keen intellect, cunning resourcefulness, and trademark humor – you will travel the world in a race against enemy forces to discover the secrets to one of the greatest mysteries of all time.
A WORLD OF MYSTERY AWAITS
Travel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond. When a break-in in the dead of night ends in a confrontation with a mysterious colossal man, you must set out to discover the world-shattering secret behind the theft of a seemingly unimportant artifact. Forging new alliances and facing familiar enemies, you’ll engage with intriguing characters, use guile and wits to solve ancient riddles, and survive intense set-pieces.
WHIP-CRACKING ACTION
Indiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. But the whip isn’t just a weapon, it’s Indy’s most valuable tool for navigating the environment. Swing over unsuspecting patrols and scale walls as you make your way through a striking world. Combine stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay to combat the enemy threat and unravel the mystery.
THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY
Venture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps. Indulge your inner explorer and unearth a world of fascinating secrets, deadly traps and fiendish puzzles, where anything could potentially hide the next piece of the mystery – or snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?
*Game Pass members get access to all pre-order content as long as Game Pass subscription is active.
**Actual play time depends on purchase date and applicable time zone differences, subject to possible outages.
†DLC availability to be provided at a later date.
Starfield’s Shattered Space Arrives on September 30, and the REV-8 Land Vehicle Is Available Today
Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam.
To the people of the Settled Systems, House Va’ruun is a mystery. Some call them fanatics. Zealots, even. They are seen as violent aggressors. But there’s so much more to this secretive faction. In Shattered Space, the first major expansion for Starfield, you will visit the homeworld of House Va’ruun, hear their story, and make choices that will determine their future. Shattered Space launches on September 30.
In addition to the Shattered Space release date reveal, Opening Night Live also showed off the new REV-8 land vehicle that’s landing in Starfield in the latest update. The update goes live just a few short hours after Opening Night Live and will be available to all Starfield players. Just visit a ship technician and add the REV-8 module to your ship to start touring planets in a new way.
Starfield is the first new universe in over 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.
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Premium Edition includes:
– Starfield Base Game
– Shattered Space Story Expansion (upon release)
– 1,000 Creation Credits
– Constellation Skin Pack: Equinox Laser Rifle, Spacesuit, Helmet and Boost Pack
– Access to Starfield Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack
***
In the year 2330, humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. You will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of space in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game.
TELL YOUR STORY
In Starfield the most important story is the one you tell with your character. Start your journey by customizing your appearance and deciding your Background and Traits. Will you be an experienced explorer, a charming diplomat, a stealthy cyber runner, or something else entirely? The choice is yours. Decide who you will be and what you will become.
EXPLORE OUTER SPACE
Venture through the stars and explore more than 1000 planets. Navigate bustling cities, explore dangerous bases, and traverse wild landscapes. Meet and recruit a memorable cast of characters, join in the adventures of various factions, and embark on quests across the Settled Systems. A new story or experience is always waiting to be discovered.
CAPTAIN THE SHIP OF YOUR DREAMS
Pilot and command the ship of your dreams. Personalize the look of your ship, modify critical systems including weapons and shields, and assign crew members to provide unique bonuses. In deep space you will engage in high-stakes dogfights, encounter random missions, dock at star stations, and even board and commandeer enemy ships to add to your collection.
DISCOVER, COLLECT, BUILD
Explore planets and discover the fauna, flora, and resources needed to craft everything from medicine and food to equipment and weapons. Build outposts and hire a crew to passively extract materials and establish cargo links to transfer resources between them. Invest these raw materials into research projects to unlock unique crafting recipes.
LOCK AND LOAD
Space can be a dangerous place. A refined combat system gives you the tools to deal with any situation. Whether you prefer long-range rifles, laser weapons, or demolitions, each weapon type can be modified to complement your playstyle. Zero G environments add a chaotic spectacle to combat, while boost packs give players freedom to maneuver like never before.
Towerborne Announces Early Access Begins September 10
Early Access begins September 10 on Steam. Coming 2025 to Xbox Game Preview on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Game Pass.
Towerborne showcased a brand-new trailer during Opening Night Live that gave us a fresh look at its striking, vibrant world and crisp, action-packed gameplay. The latest game from Stoic (Banner Saga Trilogy), Towerborne seamlessly blends the best parts of side-scrolling brawlers and action RPGs to create a unique adventure where you take on the role of an Ace, a hero who must protect humanity’s last sanctuary from malevolent forces that lurk outside the tower walls.
The Belfry stands as a beacon of hope and safety amongst the ruins of humanity and the City of Numbers, with monsters lurking right outside the tower’s walls. You are an Ace, born anew from the spirit realm with the skills, the grit, and the determination to protect the people of the Belfry. With spirit companions fighting by your side, you are destined for battle.
Can you become the Ace humanity needs to survive? Find out in Towerborne, the newest action-adventure game created by Stoic, the studio that brought you the award-winning Banner Saga trilogy.
Adventure Together – Venture out of The Belfry solo or with up to three other Aces* to vanquish the looming terror that surrounds the tower. Either way, you won’t be alone. Aces can recruit Umbra companions to join them in battle, gaining access to enhanced skills and unique abilities tied to each spirit. After fighting your way through enemies, return to The Belfry to turn in quests, reforge gear, and more.
Brave the Wilds – Towerborne is designed with player choice in mind. Create your Ace with options to customize your looks, gear and weapons. Switch up your overall gameplay experience at any time by changing your danger level as you venture into the wilds. Find and wield powerful weapons with unique special moves from one of four styles: War Clubs, Gauntlets, Dual Daggers, and Swords & Shields. Mix and match to make your Ace your own!
Continue the Fight – With an evolving world map and seasonal content, your Ace will never run out of areas to explore and enemies to defeat. Seasons of Towerborne continue the story of The Belfry by introducing new enemies to battle, regions to discover, abilities to master, and lore to uncover (available as released).
*Online console multiplayer requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass Core (subscriptions sold separately).
The Worldsoul Saga begins August 26 with World of Warcraft: The War Within
PC via Battle.net
2024 is a year of anniversaries for the Warcraft universe, which is turning 30 in the same year. Hearthstone celebrates 10 years, Warcraft Rumble approaches one year, and of course, World of Warcraft… which turns 20 years old in November! Feel old yet?
World of Warcraft: The War Within launches globally on August 26 and is the first installment of The Worldsoul Saga—the most ambitious story arc in WoW history. With four new zones to explore, as well as ongoing gameplay and system updates to support players of all types, this is the perfect time to celebrate the last 20 years of WoW as Blizzard prepares for the next 20 years and beyond!
Overwatch 2 is also getting in on the celebrations, revealing their new in-game collaboration with World of Warcraft. In mid-September, skins featuring some of the most iconic World of Warcraft characters will be made available, including Widowmaker as Sylvanas Windrunner.
Keep an eye on the Warcraft X account for more information about how you can celebrate Warcraft’s anniversaries alongside Blizzard, and join the Xbox broadcast live from the show floor at gamescom where we’ll be speaking to senior game director Ion Hazzikostas and associate art director Tina Wang about all things World of Warcraft!
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle arrives on December 9, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Steam – or play it day one with Game Pass.
At gamescom, we saw extended gameplay, showing off puzzles, combat, iconic tools, and more.
We break down all the new details and mechanics seen in the new footage.
It’s official: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will arrive on December 9 – and I’ve been lucky enough to see a lot more of the game in action following its appearance at Opening Night Live.
Where Xbox Games Showcase brought us a look at a story-driven section set in the Himalayas, at gamescom, MachineGames introduced a lengthy look at almost pure moment-to-moment gameplay from the first-person adventure. The footage showed off multiple locations, the game’s more open, explorable areas, explanations of how your various tools work, combat, skills, and more. I even saw an extended sequence set outside (and beneath) the Great Sphinx of Giza, seeing how a main quest will play out.
There’s a lot to talk about, so let me break it down.
Puzzles
As you’d hope for from an Indiana Jones project, puzzles are the beating heart of the game – and there are a lot of them. In true Indy fashion, there are mysteriously locked chambers, complex ancient mechanisms, and ritualistic sequences of challenges to understand and solve.
In the Giza section of gameplay, I see multiple puzzles along the quest’s path: a stealth section to find a ransacked golden medallion stored in a Nazi base; unlocking a door that unexpectedly opens up a spike pit under Indy’s feet; and a climactic puzzle that draws on classic Indy moments by asking you to reflect multiple beams of light across a room to unlock a mysterious golden mask connected to the game’s central mystery.
In a separate section of gameplay, I see a puzzle that unfolds itself slowly – Indy has to pour a bottle of wine into a plinth set beneath an ancient statue, which simply reveals a clue. The player then spots a crack of light in a wall, uses a nearby hammer to smash it down, and discovers a whole new chamber, and uses the clue they received to unlock a whole new mechanism.
All of these require a mixture of observation, lateral thinking, and clever use of the tools you have at your disposal. Perhaps most excitingly, puzzles aren’t solely found on the main quest path. The game will hide extra puzzles along your way, waiting to be discovered, and with rewards for those who conquer them.
Exploration and Open Areas
While the game has a linear storyline, and more narrative-driven sequences, along the way you’ll come across more open areas – each of which will include side characters, hidden secrets, added rewards, and photo opportunities (more on that later).
In one sequence, I see Indy strolling around an Egyptian bazaar, passing through the crowds and finding a stall, which offers up a conversation with the owner. This seems to open up the opportunity for a side quest – although I’m only teased with the promise of the new artifact he’ll find as a result. These sections are packed with detail – both in the environments themselves, and in the promise of extra things to do. I see hidden passages unlocked by straightening paintings, scattered documents that add more context to the story, and more.
Game director Jerk Gustafsson confirmed that you’ll be able to revisit these areas once you’ve unlocked them, offering you the chance to continue the story, and return to find more at a later time.
Tools
Indy comes equipped with many tools at his disposal – at one point, I even see the player physically packing his suitcase – and MachineGames has been very smart about how each iconic bit of kit can be used in the context of gameplay:
The Whip – I’ll start with the most obvious. Indy’s iconic bullwhip is used constantly, and with multiple benefits. It’s a useful combat tool, of course, dragging onrushing Nazis in the thick of a fight. Outside of combat, it can be used to grab environmental objects and swing with, smash environmental objects (which can help with certain puzzles), or act as climbing rope.
The Camera – While less famous as a photographer, Indy packs a film camera in The Great Circle, and it can be used for multiple purposes. Taking pictures of your discoveries offers Adventure Points (more on that below), but it can also help Indy to suss out the mysteries surrounding him, offering pointers for puzzles, or deepening the story.
The Journal – Indy’s journal – packed with his research – appears through the film series, and you’ll use it much the same way. Documents you find, photos you take, discoveries you come across – all are noted and kept for reference in the journal. You’ll need to find physical maps in the world, which are then kept in the book for reference. It’s also a de facto hint system, with Indy’s own notes helping guide you should you need some assistance.
The Lighter – Small, but no less effective, is Indy’s trusty lighter. In the Giza section, I see it used to offer a speck of extra light in subterranean chambers, and then to light a bowl of oil to illuminate the environment even more. No doubt it’ll be used to ward off some snakes at some point…
The Rest – You’re not limited to what Indy brings along with him, either. Scattered around the world are many different tools. At one point, I see Indy pick up a spear and throw it into a wall, unlocking a new point to swing from. Breakable bottles can be used as a noisy distraction in stealth sections, and hammers can help swing the odds of a fight in your favor. Your resourcefulness will be just as useful as your actual resources, it seems.
Skills
One element we hadn’t heard much about before now are Indy’s unlockable skills. We’re promised dozens of skills to unlock – but it’s not through a traditional skill tree. Throughout the game, you’ll find Skill Books hidden in the world, each of which will open up the ability to unlock a new skill.
You’ll do that by earning (and spending) Adventure Points. These points are earned by making discoveries, taking photos, and… generally doing the kinds of things Indiana Jones would do. It’s a neat incentive for being more curious, more inventive, and more Indy-like.
At one point, I see Indy pick up a novel that teaches him “True Grit”, a skill that allows him to take a fatal blow in a fight, but – in classic Indy style – retrieve his hat, dust himself off, and fight back once more.
Disguises
MachineGames has shown how stealth will work in The Great Circle before, with staying undetected often more prudent a choice that rushing into a fight. What we hadn’t seen is another mechanic inspired by classic moments from the films – disguises. Throughout the game, you’ll have opportunities to change in to a new set of clothes in order to blend in and enter forbidden areas.
In the Giza sequence, Indy needs to make his way into the Nazi headquarters at an archaeological digsite, and dresses as one of the workers to do so. Entering a tent, he finds a group of enemies playing cards, and is immediately ordered to fetch them a drink. Playing the part helps him steal an artifact he needs. In another sequence set in the Vatican, Indy dresses as a priest – which will fool most, but not all of the people he passes, meaning keeping a close eye on those around you is crucial.
Combat
When stealth is no longer an option, Indy’s still able to handle himself in a fight. While the game isn’t centered on combat like MachineGames’ previous projects, you still have multiple ways to tackle any scrap you get into. The game’s UI is very light, offering true immersion in a fight, and making the most of the first-person viewpoint – this is heavy, thumping combat, reflective of the movies it comes from.
Melee is your first port of call – fistfighting is a mixture of punches, dodges, grabs, pushes, blocks and parries, with the aim of breaking down an enemy’s defences until you can deliver a custom finisher (some of which are very funny). For a little more control, you can use the whip to control the space a little more, or use environmental elements to finish off your foe quickly – it’s much easier to just push someone down a hole than beat them down.
For the fiercest fights, Indy can bring out his trusty revolver to finish off a threat quickly (although ammo seems to be limited). He can also retrieve enemy weapons as a temporary – you could prioritize taking down a machine gun-wielding Nazi first, in order to make light work of the rest of their squad.
Let the Adventure Begin
There’s so much more to discover about Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, but this latest glimpse at gameplay shows quite how varied an adventure this will be. For me, even more exciting is in how much choice it seems I’ll have along the way – the opportunity to take my time, explore incredible places, and unlock secrets feels as much a part of being Indiana Jones as taking part in the wilder set-pieces. I’m very ready for this journey.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle arrives on December 9, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Steam – or play it day one with Game Pass.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Digital Premium Edition
Pre-order now or Play on Game Pass* to receive The Last Crusade Pack with the Traveling Suit Outfit and Lion Tamer Whip, as seen in The Last Crusade.
***
Live the adventure with the Premium Edition of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle!
INCLUDES:
• Base Game (digital code)
• Up to 3-Day Early Access**
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants Story DLC†
• Digital Artbook
• Temple of Doom Outfit
***
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them – Indiana Jones. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard.
YOU ARE INDIANA JONES
Live the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles. As the brilliant archaeologist – famed for his keen intellect, cunning resourcefulness, and trademark humor – you will travel the world in a race against enemy forces to discover the secrets to one of the greatest mysteries of all time.
A WORLD OF MYSTERY AWAITS
Travel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond. When a break-in in the dead of night ends in a confrontation with a mysterious colossal man, you must set out to discover the world-shattering secret behind the theft of a seemingly unimportant artifact. Forging new alliances and facing familiar enemies, you’ll engage with intriguing characters, use guile and wits to solve ancient riddles, and survive intense set-pieces.
WHIP-CRACKING ACTION
Indiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. But the whip isn’t just a weapon, it’s Indy’s most valuable tool for navigating the environment. Swing over unsuspecting patrols and scale walls as you make your way through a striking world. Combine stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay to combat the enemy threat and unravel the mystery.
THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY
Venture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps. Indulge your inner explorer and unearth a world of fascinating secrets, deadly traps and fiendish puzzles, where anything could potentially hide the next piece of the mystery – or snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?
*Game Pass members get access to all pre-order content as long as Game Pass subscription is active.
**Actual play time depends on purchase date and applicable time zone differences, subject to possible outages.
†DLC availability to be provided at a later date.
From the moment you step into the colorful, enchanting world of Towerborne, it’s clear to see that having fun is the name of the game here. The approachability of the brawler-inspired combat system, the light-hearted dialogue between characters situated in the Belfry – Towerborne invites you to pick up a controller and revel in the world, regardless of how much time or experience you have., regardless of how much time or experience you have.
The better news is that there’s not too long to wait. Towerborne starts in Steam Early Access on September 10. For the furrowed-browed among you, don’t fret; Towerborne will have a phased release starting with Steam Early Access, Xbox Game Preview following, and a full free-to-play launch planned for 2025. Towerborne will also include cross-progression, so your progress will carry over to whichever platform you prefer to play on. Stoic is eager to have players help shape the future of Towerborne by becoming Founders through purchase of either the Silver or Gold Towerborne Founder’s Pack, offering early access to the game and exclusive perks like cosmetics, emotes, and monthly bonuses.
Stoic, known primarily as the maker of Banner Saga, is also more than ready for a change – Towerborne is a seismic and very welcome pivot from its flagship series, which Game Director Daniel McLaren jovially refers to as a “depression simulator.”
“There was some emotional exhaustion at the end of the last Banner Saga game,” McLaren says. “When you write and build something like that for so many years, there’s a huge weight on your shoulders. There was a very real moment where the team sat down and said: ‘I don’t think we can do another one’.”
“Wouldn’t it be great if we made a game that was completely the opposite of [Banner Saga], something fun that we can play on the couch with our friends and family?”
The vibrant, whimsical setting paired with simple but satisfying side-scrolling action makes Towerborne approachable for everyone. Towerborne is intentionally designed to be both accessible and rewarding at any skill level – while simultaneously delivering demanding challenges for those aiming to conquer the game’s toughest content. It doesn’t matter which way you play either – everybody receives the same rewards for taking part.
Choosing Early Access
Banner Saga began as a Kickstarter, and that constant communication with early backers was paramount to the direction that Stoic took with the game’s development.
“Stoic’s history has always been about interacting with our players, and Kickstarter is the promise of something,” McLaren says. “For Stoic, that worked out very well, and now we’re able to say hey, you don’t have to wait for us this time, we can give you a game right now.”
With Early Access, the studio can continue that tradition of building a game with consistent input from players invested in Towerborne‘s journey from the start. As a result, Xbox, PC, and Xbox Game Pass players will immediately feel the benefit of the refinement Towerborne will undergo during the Early Access period and beyond. When Towerborne enters Xbox Game Preview, it will open the floodgates to even more players across these platforms, allowing their feedback to further shape the game’s development.
“It starts with our Founders – players who’ve self-selected to get a first pass at helping us shape the full game,” says Trisha Stouffer, CEO and President of Stoic. “After Steam Early Access, with Xbox Game Preview next and eventually Free-to-Play with the full launch, the gates are thrown so wide for anyone to come in, which makes it harder to discern what is noise versus actionable feedback. So, our goal with Early Access is to position ourselves so the game is stable and feels great to play before we open up to a wider audience.”
Xbox is also wholeheartedly supportive of Stoic’s historic approach to Early Access and working with players directly from the start.
“We all have the same goal – to create a game that people love for a long time,” says Kristofor Mellroth, Executive Producer at Xbox Games Studios Publishing. “From the start, we knew our approach with Towerborne was going to be a little different. By being very targeted at the start and building up to bigger audiences, this allows the team to continue iterating and honing the most complex systems to make them the most fun they can be.”
Free To Play
While Towerborne’s Early Access and Xbox Game Preview periods will grant the team precious time and feedback to build the best release possible, making the full-game free for anyone felt important to Towerborne’s overarching goal of complete approachability.
“The Founder’s pack lets us do two main things: one is that we can slowly see where problems are and get attention onto those areas quickly,” McLaren explains. “The second thing, it invites a group of people that are really invested in the game, that believe in Stoic. They want to be a part of shaping the future of Towerborne.”
The Free-To-Play approach shone brightly through Banner Saga: Factions, a free-to-play spinoff of the main series released in 2013. The idea was to allow players to come in for free and experience the combat elements of Banner Saga ahead of its launch, and Stoic was thrilled with how the process allowed as many people as possible to come in and help shape the game.
“They were helping us building our combat and just making the game better in general, everyday we’d get feedback and do updates, I must have spent three hours a day just talking to the community,” say Arnie Jorgensen, Stoic co-founder. “We really missed that aspect after going back to working on a single player game, so we’re excited to bring it back.”
A Second Game
It’s fair to say that the currency a lot of modern games demand is your time above all else. While Towerborne’s enticing gameplay loop and limitless progression certainly allows you to spend as much time as you want in its world, Stoic, in a refreshing fashion, is pushing back on design elements that keep a player rooted to just one game. Towerborne can be your main game, but it can also be your second game that you can just jump into whenever the mood strikes, with minimal friction.
“You don’t have to invest hundreds of hours every month to keep up with everybody else,” Jorgensen says. “Play as much as you want to, go away and play other games, and then come back. It’s important to acknowledge that everyone plays games differently. You can play for five or ten minutes and still feel like you accomplished something great, or you can play for five hours.”
Stouffer adds: “It really is the manifestation of ‘just one more mission.”
A Living, Breathing Belfry
Towerborne is a living game – which means the team will continue to develop the story, add new content and build out its world for as long as they can. As you progress, the world will evolve with your character, and this approach lends itself seamlessly to crafting an expansive, immersive backdrop to the fun you’re having as a player.
“We have a freedom with an ongoing game that feels unattainable inside a single player experience,” McLaren says. “There’s this incredible worldbuilding going on, and if we want to add in new stories, new weapons or classes, we’re able to just focus solely on doing that and getting it into the game quickly.”
Getting that second perspective is also crucial when it comes to seeing what your game can do. Oftentimes, a new set of eyes can be a great asset in scoping for bugs, sparking new ideas, and making an entire team say: “why didn’t we think of that?”
“Players love to push the boundaries, and that’s part of the fun of it all,” Stouffer says. “You have an idea of what players are going to do, but you don’t truly know what will happen until you put it in people’s hands. Even the players who come in with the best intentions, they will do things where we say ‘oh, we didn’t know that could happen’. All bets are off.”
It’s not just technical feedback that Stoic wants to gather from early players either. Stoic has recognized its community’s eye for great storytelling and ideas, and considers players almost as co-developers in its journey to build Towerborne.
“We have ideas of where the story is going, but we’re totally willing to pivot if another idea comes from the community,” Jorgensen says. “We had that happen a lot with Banner Saga, where we’d see a great idea but it’s too late to add it into a single player game.”
“This is our opportunity to really build a game with the players again. We think our ideas are great and hope that players agree, but they are going to have awesome ideas too, and to me, that’s the coolest part about making Towerborne a living game.”
It’s Still Stoic
Stoic is cognizant of the fact that Towerborne is a big change from Banner Saga, and the studio is by no means finished with that series. However, the team made a very deliberate decision to create an exciting multiplayer experience that invites everyone to sit down and have a great time.
“Anyone that has been following Stoic for a long time knows we’re making the games that we want to make – that doesn’t mean we’re going to make the same game all the time,” Jorgensen says.
The commitment to fun is notably present throughout our conversation – the team itself is clearly enjoying building Towerborne and that enthusiasm will no doubt shine through the game.
“We know some people will need time to process the change, and that’s totally okay,” McLaren adds. “We’re still the same studio, we’re just applying that passion and focus in a different way, and recharging our creative juices.”
Towerborne begins Steam Early Access on September 10. To keep up to date with the game’s journey, check out the Towerborne website and join the official Discord community for more information about Early Access Founder’s Packs.
The Belfry stands as a beacon of hope and safety amongst the ruins of humanity and the City of Numbers, with monsters lurking right outside the tower’s walls. You are an Ace, born anew from the spirit realm with the skills, the grit, and the determination to protect the people of the Belfry. With spirit companions fighting by your side, you are destined for battle.
Can you become the Ace humanity needs to survive? Find out in Towerborne, the newest action-adventure game created by Stoic, the studio that brought you the award-winning Banner Saga trilogy.
Adventure Together – Venture out of The Belfry solo or with up to three other Aces* to vanquish the looming terror that surrounds the tower. Either way, you won’t be alone. Aces can recruit Umbra companions to join them in battle, gaining access to enhanced skills and unique abilities tied to each spirit. After fighting your way through enemies, return to The Belfry to turn in quests, reforge gear, and more.
Brave the Wilds – Towerborne is designed with player choice in mind. Create your Ace with options to customize your looks, gear and weapons. Switch up your overall gameplay experience at any time by changing your danger level as you venture into the wilds. Find and wield powerful weapons with unique special moves from one of four styles: War Clubs, Gauntlets, Dual Daggers, and Swords & Shields. Mix and match to make your Ace your own!
Continue the Fight – With an evolving world map and seasonal content, your Ace will never run out of areas to explore and enemies to defeat. Seasons of Towerborne continue the story of The Belfry by introducing new enemies to battle, regions to discover, abilities to master, and lore to uncover (available as released).
*Online console multiplayer requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass Core (subscriptions sold separately).
At the Xbox Games Showcase earlier this year, fans of 2002’s Age of Mythology came out of the woodwork in droves (us included) to express their excitement for the upcoming remake – Age of Mythology: Retold. The original game is now over 20 years old, and while it’s remained at the forefront of fans’ minds, it’s perhaps less remembered than the Age of Empires series from which it sprung.
Now, however, Retold is one of the most anticipated releases of the season – and that comes, in part, because developer World’s Edge is going beyond the expected, even for a full remake. This isn’t just the game that we all remember with a fresh coat of paint – it’s bringing brand new game modes, tweaks to classic units, and even brand-new playable factions down the road. Age of Mythology: Retold isn’t just for long-time fans, it’s an RTS for everyone.
Ahead of Gamescom, we had the chance to speak with Kristen Pirillo, Senior Game Designer at World’s Edge to uncover why the studio and its partners are poised to deliver a much-anticipated – and incredibly comprehensive – refresh of a classic that could otherwise have been destined to be remembered only by a select few.
While Age of Mythology has been left alone for over two decades, Pirillo shares that there’s a smaller, but deeply passionate community of players still actively invested in the game: “This interest sets Age of Mythology apart from a lot of other games. It may be the least talked about, but it also has the highest brainworm potential.
“The Age of Mythology crowd is just particularly passionate and incredibly inventive – it was just a matter of waiting for the right time, and using all of the learnings from other Age titles.”
Age of Mythology: Retold, at its heart, aims to be the game that these fans have been asking for – a faithful recreation of the original, with all the quality-of-life changes that modern development can offer. Retold called for an ambitious vision – the team really wanted to lean into the larger-than-life elements of huge mythological armies, monsters, and bombastic God Powers in a way that were previously limited by the tech of the time.
This is immediately evident in the game’s visual design, especially when comparing unit models from the original game to their shiny new versions in Retold. The art team had a strong vision of what the game should look like – epic proportions, atmospheric worlds, and of course, horrible monsters. Pirillo describes this process using the Argus as an example, an Atlantean monster unit.
“In Age of Mythology, it’s just a rough sphere with some tentacles, but in Retold, we can do so much more,” Pirillo shares. “Now it’s got a ton of eyeballs that all move independently, it slithers around, and it’s just kind of gross. But the idea is we want to amp everything up and really maximize the mythology.”
Aside from straightforward improvements, Retold also brings significant changes to the original – never clearer than in the use of God Powers. God Powers in the original game are extremely powerful abilities that can only be used once per battle, whether it’s to immediately nuke an enemy from existence or significantly boost your resources. The issue was that they were so powerful, that players often saved them up, and ended up never using them at all. In Retold, these powers are now reusable, more reminiscent of Ultimate abilities in a hero shooter, changing the stakes of a match while letting you indulge.
And the core to all of the team’s work, while it seems obvious, is that modern technology just allows you to have more of absolutely everything at one time. More units, more monsters, more God powers exploding across the map; Age of Mythology: Retold can support the carnage that players have always wanted to unleash.
“One change that is huge for me is the increased population cap, so you can have absolutely massive armies,” Pirillo adds. “These armies can be made up of lots of different types of units. Some armies can just be monsters, and that’s just not something that the original game could handle. Even if you don’t win, it’s extremely satisfying to watch.”
Approachable Changes
The benefit of 20 years of feedback from such an invested community is that changes can be made to accommodate every type of player for the better. For instance, in the original Age of Mythology, the Norse faction was considered to have a higher bar to entry, and this is something that the team wanted to tweak for Retold to make the faction more approachable for everyone.
“We’ve added more content within the base game for the Norse, new units and buildings, and a lot of the existing things have been rebalanced,” Pirillo says. “It’s also much less punishing if you make a mistake.”
There’s also a new God Pack coming with the premium edition of Age of Mythology: Retold – the Freyr God Pack, which will unlock a major God and several minor Gods, giving players even more avenues to get started with the Norse adventure.
“You’re not locked into one play style if you play as the Norse now,” Pirillo adds. “You’re not stuck just playing offensively or following one build order – there’s a lot more variability on how the match can go, and so many more branches of strategy.”
There’s also now a villager priority system, so if you’d prefer to not have to keep checking on the nitty gritty parts of economy management and focus entirely on the battles and the story, you can set that to run automatically. When Pirillo shares that Age of Mythology has been built with the community, it is meant quite literally. The team sifted through 20 years of feedback shared about the game, trawling old school internet forums to find common frustrations that could be tweaked, as well as creative suggestions from those early days of play that may not have been easily implemented back in 2002.
“Our designers really did their homework, and lots of them are fans of the original game too,” Pirillo says. “It feels like being Indiana Jones, going back to archaeological levels of the internet to find what was good or back then, and bringing it into Retold.”
Age of Mythology: Retold is set to be a welcome and well-planned homecoming for those long-time fans, but it’s also going to be a great starting point for those that have never played the original game too. What’s even better, is that the game will continue to evolve as long as there’s still exciting mythology to add, and as Pirillo notes, there’s about two millenniums worth of it to tap into.
“You don’t have to be good at RTS to enjoy the story,” Pirillo says. “You don’t have to be good at RTS to just enjoy the carnal satisfaction of building 25 huge Stag Beetles and storming through your friend’s town. It’s whimsical fun that anyone will enjoy.”
From the creators of the award-winning Age of Empires franchise, Age of Mythology: Retold goes beyond history to a mythical age where gods, monsters, and humans collide. Combining the best elements of the beloved Age of Mythology with modern real-time strategy design and visuals, Retold is an epic and innovative experience for old and new players alike. Secure your domain, command legendary monsters, and call upon the power of the gods to crush your enemies.
Will you become Mythic?
Call Upon the Gods
Choose your gods from the Greek, Norse, Egyptian, and Atlantean pantheons. Devastate your enemies by summoning powerful lightning storms, earth-shattering quakes, and even the famed Nidhogg dragon. Or call upon nourishing rains and protective Dryads to help your people grow & prosper.
Unleash the Monsters
Unleash Centaurs, Trolls, Mummies, and more. From bejeweled crocodiles who harness the power of the sun to the mighty one-eyed Cyclops, you will command diverse units inspired by the world’s great mythologies.
An Epic Mythological Universe
Embark on multiple campaigns spanning 50-missions that take you across a vast, mythical world: besiege the mighty walls of Troy, battle Giants in the frozen wastes of Midgard, and discover the mysteries of Osiris in the shifting sands of Egypt. Become a hero of myth—or even a god.
Better with Friends
Play with your friends, either head-to-head or against the advanced AI on dozens of randomly generated maps and scenarios for limitless re-playability. *
*Exclusive Premium benefits of 7 days Advanced Access and New Gods Pack available with Premium Edition and Premium Upgrade. New Gods Pack is a timed exclusive; may be available with future offers. Purchase the Premium Edition or the Premium Upgrade by August 27, 2024, for 7-days advanced access. Expansions 1 and 2 are available as released. See AgeofEmpires.com for details.
* Online console multiplayer requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Core (sold separately).
Hey Insiders, let’s talk Game Pass! Starting today, we’re offering Xbox Insiders the option to try out and provide feedback on our new membership, Xbox Game Pass Standard.
We created a new membership option in the Game Pass family to give players more choice in how they discover and play games and provide different prices and plans so players can find what works best for them. For those looking for a larger library with hundreds of games to play on your console, plus all the benefits of Game Pass Core including multiplayer access, Game Pass Standard may be the option for you. Game Pass Standard also includes select member deals and discounts, including up to 50% off select games.
Hundreds of great games will be available with Game Pass Standard at launch. Players will get access to select titles as part of the new Game Pass Standard library, with more games being added throughout the preview period. Once you join the preview, you can look up the Game Pass Standard library to find your next favorite game.
During this Xbox Insiders preview, you can sign up for just $1. Any renewals during the preview period will also be $1 per month. At launch, Game Pass Standard will be available for $14.99 USD per month (pricing varies by market).
If you’re looking for other console membership options, Game Pass Core has a select collection of over 25 Game Pass games, online multiplayer access, and select member deals and discounts. Game Pass Standard includes everything available in Game Pass Core, plus hundreds of great games. If you are looking for those benefits plus day one titles, specific entries to Game Pass Ultimate library, access to EA Play, cloud gaming, Perks, Quests, and additional discounts for games in the Game Pass library, Game Pass Ultimate might be the best option for you.
Some games coming to Game Pass Ultimate (day one games or other game entries) will not be immediately available with Game Pass Standard and may be added to the library at a future date (can be up to 12 months or more and will vary by title). We’ll continue to share with all Game Pass members when games are being added and available to play for each plan.
If you’re interested in joining the Insiders preview, please go to the Xbox Insider app located in the Microsoft Store. Terms and Conditions are located there. Game Pass Core members with less than 2-months stacked onto their account, Game Pass for Console and PC Game Pass players who are a part of the Xbox Insiders program can participate and share their feedback.
As always, huge thank you to all our Insiders – you are a wonderful community, and we appreciate all your feedback. If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please join our community on the Xbox Insider subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help.
We’re excited to hear from those that join Game Pass Standard during the preview, and we’ll have more to share on availability for all players coming soon!
Coming to Game Pass: Atlas Fallen, Core Keeper, and Star Trucker
Megan Spurr, Senior Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass
Welcome back, friends! We have more games for you, new Perks, and a limited time beta to talk about! Available to those who pre-order Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, as well as Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass members, the Early Access Open Beta will be downloadable for Black Ops 6 on Xbox consoles, the Xbox app on PC, or Battle.net starting August 28. Now let’s get to all the games!
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Early Access Open Beta Starting August 30
Get your first taste of the next-level action coming to Black Ops 6. You can start downloading the Beta on August 28, 2024, before the early access open beta kicks off on August 30, 2024. Feel Omnimovement for yourself, explore several brand-new core 6v6 maps, and try out new weapons and gadgets. Earn in-game rewards playable in the Beta and in Black Ops 6 once the full game launches on day one with PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate.
Coming Soon
Atlas Fallen (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – August 22 Unleash the storm in this open world action-RPG adventure, enriched by the recently released major free update, Reign of Sand! Enjoy new voice acting, a reworked campaign, and face even more formidable creatures armed with new Essence Stones. Challenge the gods with the long-awaited “New Game +” difficulty mode.
Core Keeper (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – August 27 Dive into Core Keeper, an underground adventure where you shape your journey. Craft, build, and explore in a dynamic world. Develop your character, uncover ancient secrets, and engage in thrilling co-op or competitive play. Embrace the challenge and unearth the mysteries that await!
Star Trucker (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 3 Available on day one with Game Pass! Hop into the driver’s seat of your rocket-powered big rig as you haul cargo, scavenge for salvage, and interact with an eclectic cast of star-hopping truckers in this Americana-infused journey on the ultimate open road – space!
More Games Coming to Game Pass Core on August 21
Game Pass Core members can look forward to three more games coming to the library on August 21! Build the city of your dreams in Cities: Skylines, experience the award-winning third-person action-adventure in Control: Ultimate Edition, and jump into the driver seat to conquer extreme open environments in SnowRunner.
DLC / Game Updates
Vampire Survivors Darkasso Update – Available now With this update, Vampire Survivors are getting Darkanas! Like Arcanas, but Dark. There’s five to unlock and just like Arcanas, these modifiers can change the outcome of your run significantly. This update also includes Room 1665, a new stage made of 16 rooms that will challenge players to fight their way through all the floors of this devilish room.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks
New perks are being added every week! Check them out in the Game Pass section of your console, Xbox app for PC, or the Xbox Game Pass mobile app.
Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realm: Five Champions – Available now Unlock 5 Champions, 80 Gold Champion Chests, a Familiar, and a Skin for Lae’zel to use in Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realm, a strategy management game uniting characters from throughout the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse into a grand adventure.
XDefiant: Crimson Pack – Available now This combo will have you seeing red! The Crimson Pack includes the Deep Red Samir Character Skin, Deep Red MP5 Weapon Skin, Ember M870 Weapon Skin, Pelagic ACR 6.8 Weapon Skin, and Amber M9 Weapon Skin.
The Elder Scrolls Online: 10-Year Anniversary Pack #3 – Available now Celebrate 10 years of the Elder Scrolls Online with the 10-Year Anniversary Pack #3! This bundle includes 1x Attribute Respecification Scroll and 3x Gold Coast Experience Scrolls.
Leaving August 31
The following games will be leaving the Game Pass library soon, so don’t forget to jump back in before they go. Remember to save 20% on your purchase to keep them in your library if you want to keep the fun going!
Atomic Heart (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Guilty Gear -Strive- (Cloud, Console, and PC)
NBA 2K24 (Cloud and Console)
We’ll be back with more games, but until then be sure to stay tuned to @XboxGamePass, @XboxGamePassPC, and @Xbox for updates when these games are available! Catch you next time.
Summer Spotlight: Celebrating the More Than 200 New Games Released on Xbox This Season
Meredith Ingersoll, Xbox Games Marketing
Summer may be starting to cool down but that doesn’t mean we’re done celebrating all the amazing games launched this season on console and PC.
There have been more than 200 games launched this summer like Pizza Bar Tycoon, Sam & Max: The Devils Playhouse, Just Crow Things, and the releases just keep on coming – with many having launched day one with Game Pass!
We’re highlighted a few of the more recently released titles for you below, and a few that are on the way, so be sure to check back every Tuesday on your Xbox console, Store on Windows, and the Xbox app on PC to see the latest summer releases as we head into fall.
Pizza Bar Tycoon – Lookout! This pizzeria will soon become the talk of the town! Well… at least that’s the plan. Your customers are already queuing up, so you’ll have to serve them as quickly as possible. However, that’s easier said than done! Everyone’s in a hurry and you’ll have to prepare each order correctly, or else your customers are going to get crossed! Give it your all and you’ll come out on top!
Sam & Max: The Devils Playhouse – The final game in Telltale’s Sam & Max trilogy, beautifully remastered! Explore odd locales, meet eccentric characters, and solve brain-tickling puzzles in this bizarre paranormal adventure with a surprise around every corner. Jump into Max’s brain and use the Toys of Power to see the future, teleport, and read minds.
Just Crow Things – You’re a little crow trying to prove herself to the world. Make new animal friends, poop on unsuspecting hoomans, and steal all the shiny trinkets! Each level is a little sandbox full of fun items to discover and puzzles to solve, while leaving a bit of chaos behind. Why? Just caws!
Here are a few titles in pre-order that are coming soon:
Visions of Mana– A new adventure begins in Visions of Mana – the first mainline title in the Mana series in over 15 years! Immerse yourself in the vibrant graphics of this beautiful world, where the powers of nature blend with the elemental aspects of mana to create a rich tapestry of life. Journey through enchanting locations with near-seamless transitions in a semi-open field that’s yours to discover. Brace yourself for fast-paced, multi-dimensional actions in battle to enrich your fighting experience. Use the magic of the Elementals to explore this vast world to your heart’s content!
Casting of Frank Stone– The storytelling prowess of Supermassive Games meets the Dead by Daylight universe in a haunting horror game that won’t soon be forgotten. The shadow of Frank Stone looms over Cedar Hills, a town forever altered by his violent past. As a group of young friends are about to discover, Stone’s blood-soaked legacy cuts deep, leaving scars across families, generations, and the very fabric of reality itself.
Perks for Ultimate Game Pass Members.
MultiVersus – The MultiVersus MVP Pack offers in-game content to further customize and boost your play for subscription members. MVP Pack 2 includes a Legendary Leave me Alone Ringout and an Epic Respects Sticker Emote.
Stampede: Racing Royale– Join the herd in style! Kit out your kart with the Xbox KartCore 3000 Wrap, update your avatar with the Xbox Pic and get a head start with 25,000 coins! This Perk content requires Stampede Racing Royale to use.
The First Descendant– Play a next-generation looter shooter, The First Descendant now and claim an exclusive launch edition bundle: Elevate your weapon with a stunning weapon skin and customize your Descendants with vibrant paints and a stylish back accessory!
Newer Games That Launched Day One with Game Pass
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn – The Door to the Great Below has been opened unleashing the Gods and their armies of the Dead. The lands of Kian are besieged, the city of Dawn is on the brink of destruction. It’s time for the Coalition army to fight back. Embrace vengeance, gunpowder and magic as you embark on an epic journey to defeat the Gods, close the door and retake the world. Your battle begins now.
Still Wakes the Deep – Return to the first-person narrative horror genre for The Chinese Room, creator of critically acclaimed games such as Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, and Dear Esther. You are an offshore oil rig worker, fighting for your life through a vicious storm, perilous surroundings, and the dark, freezing North Sea waters. All lines of communication have been severed. All exits are gone. All that remains is to face the unknowable horror that’s come aboard.
Palworld – In this game, you can peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate. Pals can be used to fight and breed, or they can be made to work on farms or factories. You can even sell them or eat them. Collect all kinds of exciting Pals to fight, farm, build, and work for you in this completely new multiplayer, open world survival and crafting game! In the Sakurajima update you can find new pals, features, and map. The update also introduced Xbox dedicated servers, a new building and level cap, new subspecies, a new raid, faction, boss, and more.
This is just a small taste of the over 200 new games on Xbox this summer. Make sure you check your Xbox console, Store on Windows, and the Xbox app on PC every Tuesday to discover the new titles to play. Perks offers vary by region and game, so make sure you check the Perks gallery on your Xbox console or the Xbox app for more details.
Hyper Light Breaker - Heart Machine's fully 3D rogue-lite spin on its acclaimed 2016 action-adventure Hyper Light Drifter - has had its early access launch bumped back a bit, and is now targeting an early 2025 release.
In a post shared on Steam, Heart Machine founder Alx Preston said the team needs a bit more time to ensure the gameplay experience is up to the "polished" standard the studio is aiming for.
"We don't want to ship a project, even in Early Access, that we're not satisfied with on a number of fronts. Especially in the current state of the industry, we need to put as good a foot forward as we can," Preston wrote.
The release date for Unknown 9: Awakening has been announced.
During Gamescom Opening Night Live, developer Reflector Entertainment along with publisher Bandai Namco revealed Unknown 9: Awakening will release on 18th October. It will be available across PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC (Steam).
You can check out the live action trailer for Unknown 9: Awakening, which stars The Witcher's Anya Chalotra as the game's protagonist Haroona, below.
Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 is done and dusted for another year, but it's certainly kicked off this year's Gamescom with a bang - and we've got all the news, trailers and announcements right here in one handy summary. Whether you missed the show itself or just want a handy reminder of everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live this year, read on below.
Of course, alongside the main show, this year's ONL also had a 30-minute pre-show that was stuffed with announcements as well, which we'll quickly run through here before getting into the detail of the main show announcements below. Here, we got new trailers for Dave the Diver's latest crossovers, spooky co-op adventure Begone Beast and construction sim Roadcraft, alongside Italian Soulslike Enotria: The Last Song, Cairn (that shouty, but lovely looking climbing game from Summer Game Fest), life sim Inzoi from PUBG publishers Krafton, as well as a Terry showcase for Street Fighter 6.
The opening to Firaxis' big Civilization 7 presentation is wonderfully on-brand: a quickfire history lesson from Ed Beach, lead designer, on the many historical layers of the City of London. Beach is one of the rare cases of a lead designer on Civilization staying in charge across multiple entries, having overseen Civ 6 before Civ 7, and who's worked on the series since long before that. A physicist turned game designer – Beach also worked on the launch of the Hubble telescope, a key part of the Civ 6 scientific victory – he's also a self-confessed history nerd. As quickly evidenced.
Stood in front of a room of eager press waiting to hear the first bit of real information about a new entry to the series, Beach instead opts to pull up a map of London, under Roman rule, sourced from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Pointing to the ancient town's strategic position on the river, he wonders aloud about how the Ludgate, in the settlement's western wall, might have acquired its name. "We're not sure what it's named for. We think it might be called Ludgate because there was a Welsh king who lived out that direction called King Lud."
Then, it's a progression into mediaeval times, with Beach pointing out a river previously outside the Ludgate and how it's now changed to be within the city boundary. "They've actually taken the Fleet River and sort of diverted it, to make a cool little moat around their mediaeval prison…" Then, a slide showing the factories and railway lines rapidly developed during the 19th century, the river-moat now fully built over, as Victorian Britain clamoured for more usable land. "It's not even visible anymore, because they needed to respect what was going on with the Industrial Revolution."
It's been two years since Mafia developer Hangar 13confirmed it was working on a new entry in its open-world crime series, and the time has finally come for it to be revealed to the world. It's called Mafia: The Old Country and is heading to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC next year.
While 2016's Mafia 3 shunted the series forward in time to the late 60s (the first two games spanned the 1930s, 40s, and 50s between them), The Old Country is going backward, presenting players with a "gritty mob story set in the brutal underworld of 1900s Sicily."
"Fight to survive in this dangerous and unforgiving era," teases the scant bit of blurb accompanying today's teaser trailer, "with action brought to life by the authentic realism and rich storytelling that the critically acclaimed Mafia series is known for."
Bethesda's first big expansion to Starfield, Shattered Space, will launch for PC and Xbox Series X/S on 30th September.
We got a quick look at the upcoming addition tonight during Gamescom Opening Night Live, in a trailer that mostly focused on the REV-8 land vehicle included in August's free game update.
The first installment launches for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on 18th February 2025, with its concluding slice then a month later on 18th March.
Tonight also brings an initial look at gameplay from Don't Nod's latest teen adventure, which has a dual timeline split between 1995 and 2022, when its young protagonists are now adults - and dealing with the consequences of their/your actions.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - the Microsoft-owned-Bethesda-release set to arrive on Xbox and PC this year - is also coming to PlayStation 5.
At this evening's Gamescom Opening Night Live event, host Geoff Keighley revealed that everyone's favourite fedora sporting professor will be cracking his whip on Sony's platform as well.
In addition to this news, Bethesda announced a release date for the game. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will release across Xbox Series X/S and PC on 9th December. Its PS5 release will then follow a few months later, during the spring of 2025.
To this day, I still hold Indy responsible for my penchant for hats. I have been enthralled by Indiana Jones ever since I was a little girl - but despite this deep affection, coming away from a hands-off preview of MachineGames' Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I just can't let myself get overly excited about the upcoming release just yet.
While I'm still looking forward to playing another narrative-driven adventure game, with that fun 'afternoon popcorn flick' energy Great Circle undoubtedly has, my immediate reaction from this first extended demo is to worry this is all it will be, leaning just a little too heavily on fan nostalgia and a tried and tested formula, but without the innovation to truly set it apart from the rest. (And, given the game is currently set to release this year, I really hoped to see more gameplay than I did.)
The demo, which is also being shown at this year's Gamescom, begins with Indy entering a large room within the Sunsparker Chamber, a mysterious underground temple and one of "several well guarded secrets and hidden ruins" you can expect to discover. With the camera in first-person, our archaeologist - gamely brought to life by a still-recognisable Troy Baker - looks around the ancient room before gameplay switches to a cutscene. Indy approaches a statue set upon a plinth at the back of the room, in a scene immediately reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark - which is fitting, given the Great Circle is set between the events of this film and The Last Crusade.
By the time you read these words, Peter Molyneux will have taken to the Opening Night Live stage at Gamescom and formally announced his new project to the world. Masters of Albion marks Molyneux's return to the genre he is widely credited with creating. It ditches his studio 22cans' previous focus on mobile development to instead target consoles as well as PC. And it's being made with help from several of Molyneux's old colleagues at his previous studios - Lionhead, Bullfrog - whose design CVs, like Molyneux's own, include a litany of 90s and 2000s classics.
On paper, all of this should inspire a positive reception. But, sitting opposite Molyneux a week before today's announcement, in the quiet boardroom of his small Guildford development studio, the veteran video game designer is clearly nervous. Those 90s and 2000s hits are now a long time ago, and much, of course, has changed. It's been 12 years since 22cans was founded and Molyneux's Curiosity cube caught the headlines, for good and bad, and the subsequent decade has not gone smoothly - crowdfunding concerns with Godus, continued accusations of broken promises, a fractured relationship with the media, and, most recently, an odd foray chasing the NFT fad with a blockchain game unfortunately titled Legacy.
Molyneux, now 65, is visibly older, softly-spoken. Last year, on social media, he described his mental health as "fragile". As we sit down, he asks if I mind whether he vapes as we talk - a habit he tells me he's picked up due to stress. He's not been sleeping well, he says, due to the anxiety of talking to the press once again. At times, when we discuss what this new project means to him - what it potentially could still mean for the latter stages of his career - his voice slows, emotion rising. But, at others, when he's discussing game mechanics, or keen to tell me more than he's strictly allowed, his old enthusiasm shines through, at one point swinging back and forth like a child on his chair.
Developer Ustwo Games has revealed its widely acclaimed Escher-esque puzzler Monument Valley will return for a third outing on 10th December, and it'll be exclusively available to Netflix subscribers on Android and iOS devices.
Monument Valley 3 is described as protagonist Noor's "most extraordinary adventure yet", and it'll see players searching for a new source of power before the light of the world fades forever.
It promises "stunning new art styles and impossible landscapes", alongside "innovative mechanics and fresh ways to approach challenges". And one of its biggest new features comes in the form of sailing, with players able to roam the world - and solve some of its puzzles - by boat.
Tonight brings a first look at the next game in the legendary Batman: Arkham series - the upcoming entry coming to Meta Quest 3.
Batman: Arkham Shadow is a prequel story set before Rocksteady's Arkham Asylum, though after existing prequel entry Arkham Oranges.
In first-person, you'll be able to do many of the things you could in those entries - including boshing your enemies in the face with your fists, grappling across gaps and using various other bat-gadgets, plus switching on Detective Vision.
ARC Raiders - the free-to-play PvPvE extraction shooter from The Finals developer Embark Studios - has resurfaced following an extended period of retooling, and is now launching as a premium title for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5 next year.
If you're struggling to remember much about ARC Raiders, that might be because few details have been shared since its announcement back in 2021. It was originally set to release in 2022, but its launch has continued to slip since then - first into 2023 so Embark could focus on The Finals, and latterly while the studio continued to tinker with the title following a genre change.
But it turns out its switch from co-operative third-person shooter to PvPvE extraction shooter (its original form "wasn't really fun", Embark admitted during a recent press event) wasn't to be ARC Raiders' only notable change. It's now been re-announced as a $40 USD premium title, jettisoning its previous free-to-play form, albeit while still remaining a live-service game.
Civilization 7, the very long-awaited latest instalment in developer Firaxis' beloved 4X strategy series, finally has a release date and will be launching for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC on 11th February next year.
But that's not all! As well as providing a date for strategy fans to furiously circle in their 2025 calenders, Firaxis has shared a first look at Civilization 7 in action following June's moody, if ultimately rather uninformative, cinematic trailer. And today's gameplay debut reveals a new aesthetic somewhere between the vibrantly cartoony (and somewhat divise) artstyle of Civilization 6 and the more realistic approach of earlier titles in the series.
And there's more where that came from; Firaxis will be expanding on the features glimpsed in tonight's trailer as part of a 20-minute gameplay showcase set to air at 9.30pm BST/1.30pm PT on Twitch, shortly after Gamescom Opening Night Live is through. And you might also want to stick around Eurogamer, as we'll have plenty to say about Civilization 7 ourselves.
Those Xbox players among us who have been waiting to get their hands on open-world adventure RPG Genshin Impact, I have good news.
At this evening's Gamescom Opening Night Live, the team revealed Genshin Impact will be making its way to Xbox Series X/S and Game Pass on 20th November. It is available to wishlist now on the Microsoft Store.
It's been nearly four years since Tarsier Studios waved goodbye to Little Nightmares after being snapped up by Embracer Group, giving developer Supermassive a crack at the much-loved Bandai-Namco-owned horror series. So what's Tarsier been doing since then? Well, it turns out the studio hasn't quite shaken off its fascination with spooky kids in scary places, as one look at its latest project, the newly unveiled Reanimal, makes clear.
Reanimal's gloomy nightmare-fairytale aesthetic, its gangly-limbed monsters, and its two young protagonists - all evident in its announcement trailer - are unquestionably reminiscent of Tarsier's Little Nightmares series. And while that's certainly no bad thing given the studio's oft-brilliant work on those games, it's not entirely clear after a half-hour press briefing, just how substantial a departure - beyond two key features - Reanimal will be from what's come before.
Reanimal tells the story of an orphaned brother and sister trapped in hellish version of the island that used to be their home, as they embark on a quest to rescue their three friends. It's a violent world of gloomy forests and decimated buildings, where empty bags of skins hang from trees and hideous, animalistic creatures roam. It's also one that's aiming for a "darker and grittier" tone compared to Tarsier's previous horror games.
Dying Light developer Techland has shown off a new game in its zombie series that began life as a DLC for Dying Light 2 Stay Human.
Announced during Gamescom Opening Night Live, Dying Light: The Beast is a solo or four-player co-op experience pitched as a "tight" 18-hour ride through a fresh area of the franchise's world.
Dying Light protagonist Kyle Crane, once again voiced by Roger Craig Smith, returns here, a decade on. In-game, Crane has been in captivity, and experimented on. The upside? You have zombie DNA powers to unleash that beast on enemies.
We already knew it was coming, thanks to a post-credits teaser at the end of 2022's The Devil in Me, but developer Supermassive has now confirmed its sci-fi horror outing Directive 8020 will launch for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC next year.
Directive 8020 essentially takes one fist of Alien and another of The Thing then smushes them together, placing players aboard the colony ship Cassiopeia, where its crew must escape an alien organism capable of mimicking its prey.
"Earth is dying and humanity is running out of time," teases Supermassive. "12 light years from home, Tau Ceti f offers a small sliver of hope. When the colony ship Cassiopeia crash lands on the planet, its crew soon realise they are far from being alone... As they battle to survive, they are confronted with the hardest choice of all: to save themselves, they must risk the lives of everyone on Earth."
Amazon Games has announced King of Meat, a new game from ex-Lionhead and Media Molecule developers.
The party game is part co-op action multiplayer and part dungeon builder. Players team up online in the fictional King of Meat TV show to complete dungeons filled with enemies and traps; then dungeons can be created from scratch and shared with the game's community.
Developer Glowmade is led by Jonny Hopper who previously worked for Lionhead on the Fable series and Media Molecule on LittleBigPlanet, along with other staff from those companies.
Borderlands 4 has been officially teased by Gearbox and 2K.
The game was revealed with a brief teaser during Gamescom Opening Night Live this evening. The teaser, which you can see below, begins with the firehawk symbol of Lilith, which she leaves on the moon, Elpis, at the end of Borderlands 3.
"In this next instalment of the definitive looter shooter, players will assume the role of a legendary Vault Hunter as they blast their way through hordes of enemies in search of new treasures to loot on an all-new planet," reads the official blurb.
Bully, Rockstar's enjoyable schoolboy adventure game, is now available as part of the GTA+ subscription on PlayStation, Xbox and "soon" on compatible iPhone and Android devices.
It's great to have an easier way to play Bully again - though Rockstar describes the GTA+ catalogue as "rotating", so it's unclear how long it'll stick around. Also on GTA+? LA Noire, Red Dead Redemption, and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition.
Microsoft has confirmed the next batch of titles headed to Xbox Game Pass for the latter half of August: Atlas Fallen, Core Keeper, and Star Trucker.
Then there's that little known game called Call of Duty Black Ops 6. You'll be able to participate in the early access open beta when it kicks off for Xbox Game Pass subscribers on 30th August, 2024, with pre-downloading available from 28th August.
"Sure, it takes itself way too seriously and the loot chase can get monotonous, but everything outside of the monster-slaying is just an excuse to get right back to the monster-slaying. Or make the monster-slaying cooler with upgrades," we said in our Atlas Fallen review.
Sony is pulling Horizon Forbidden West from its PS Plus subscription service in the coming weeks.
The first-party Sony game is now listed under the 'Last Chance to Play' section on PS Plus, along with the likes of NieR Replicant, Marvel's Midnight Suns and Alien Isolation.
Paradox Interactive's streak of game delays continues with the news its Chinese-Room-developed Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is now targeting a release in the "first half of 2025", rather than its previously announced "late 2024" window.
In a post on its website, Paradox called the delay a "proactive decision" derived from its commitment earlier this year to deliver "high-quality games" to its players. "Though [Bloodlines 2] is in a good enough place that we could have maintained our planned release window," it wrote, "Paradox and The Chinese Room collaboratively decided to prioritise polish."
Paradox says the delay will "create a quality assurance buffer, giving more time between testing and launch, ensuring we release the game when it's ready." More specifically, The Chinese Room will use the time to expand Bloodlines 2's story, providing twice as many endings as its predecessor, and to "adjust certain areas" such as Fabien - the voice in its protagonist's head.
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