The world’s ended, but doesn’t it look pretty? That seems to be the central premise of Verdant, a game in which a young bloke dirt bikes around the plant-filled remains of post-apocalyptic 1980s Germany, figuring out the conundrums all young dirt bikers face.
It’s been a while since we’ve had to answer this question. What is Dome Keeper?
To keep it simple, Dome Keeper is a roguelike action game where you explore an alien planet through mining; collect resources and gadgets, and upgrade your dome to keep it safe from the monsters which will relentlessly attack it in waves. Sounds simple, right? But anyone who has played it before, or even watched someone else play, may raise an eyebrow reading this, because Dome Keeper is way more than that.
Since its release on Steam back in September 2022, Dome Keeper has become one of Raw Fury’s most popular titles, gathering more than two million players. It started as a tiny, passion game jam project from René and Anne Habermann, co-founders of the German studio Bippinbits. As their idea started to grow and become more ambitious, they defined some of the core pillars of the game. It wouldn’t be just another roguelike, but deliver a very clear and unique player experience:
The fact that Dome Keeper relies on a minimalist visual style doesn’t mean it can’t have the thing everybody loves in games: Pets! These lovable cosmetics companions will stay at the dome and wait for your return. In addition to the three you can unlock in-game, here are two more available in the paid DLCs:
We have a special gift for all of you: Some advice, tips and tricks to become a pro keeper, coming from the master himself: René Habermann, Dome Keeper’s Game Director.
Dome Keeper is available to play with Game Pass, and both DLCs can be purchased separately or as part of the Deluxe Bundle on Xbox Series S|X and Windows. We can’t wait for you to discover what lies in the depths of our planet!
Raw Fury
But it won’t be long until the relentless monsters return – do you risk delving deeper into the mine? Or return to base and prepare for imminent attack? The choice is yours, but make it quickly!
Dig
Use your drill and keeper equipment to quickly dig out tunnels and explore the depths beneath your dome. Each run has its own unique, procedurally generated map filled with resources and caves to discover, along with additional gadgets to obtain.
Defend
Protect your dome by operating its powerful weaponry to defend against waves of monster attacks. Upgrade, repair and repel a variety of enemy types that approach across air and ground, each with their own unique attack methods and movement patterns.
Develop
Spend resources to unlock useful upgrades. Improve dome defences, enhance the impact of your drill, or increase movement speed – choose carefully and strategise to increase odds of survival.
Discover
Customise your setup and find a playstyle that works for you by choosing from two unique keeper types, four different domes, and four primary gadgets. Pick a run modifier, adjust difficulty settings and discover dozens of secondary gadgets while you dig through the earth.
The post A Deep-Dive Into Dome Keeper: A Fan Favourite Now on Xbox appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Earlier this month, a large, demonic-looking monolith appeared in the Mojave Desert, and Geoff Keighley tweeted a photo of it. The monolith featured figures of all sorts of strange creators: skeletons, alligators, soldiers, a wolf, and more. In the time since, online gaming enthusiasts have been eagerly speculating as to what the monolith and Keighley were teasing ahead of The Game Awards. Diablo 4? The Elder Scrolls 6? God of War? Bloodborne 2? Altered Beast?
Well, the mystery may have been solved in advance of The Game Awards on Thursday. As spotted by MP1st, some newly registered trademarks reveal a game and a logo that looks essentially identical to a symbol on the monolith. And those trademarks appear to be for a new Divinity game, from Larian Studios.
How do we know? Well, let’s take a look at one of the trademarks. It’s for an image, and it looks like this:
Now compare that to the big symbol at the center of the statue:
So yeah, that’s definitely the same symbol, so we’re in the right place. Now, how do we know it’s Divinity? Let’s look at the next trademark registered at the same time by the same company, simply for “Divinity”, with a logo attached.
Now we’re getting somewhere! It’s not exact, but it’s quite comparable to past Divinity: Original Sin logos:
And even closer to the older Divinity games, slashed through “i” and all.
Okay, maybe it’s all just a big coincidence? Sure, I guess. But there’s one more clue. All three trademarks were filed by Ihde & Partner Rechtsanwälte, a legal firm that, among other things, has previously filed trademarks for Larian Studios, including past Divinity: Original Sin trademarks.
So that’s pretty cut and dry. But what about that third trademark? This is where things get a bit more mysterious. This trademark is also just for an image, this one here:
What’s that? I have no idea. But it’s probably related, given it was filed on the same day by the same firm and is in a similar style to the other trademarks. Maybe we’ll find out on Thursday.
Critically, this seems to be for a new Divinity…NOT a Divinity: Original Sin game. Director of publishing at Larian Studios Michael Douse was on Twitter/X today shutting down any rumors of a Divinity: Original Sin 3, but his language was very specific:
There aren’t currently any plans for a new Divinity Original Sin 3 game but once we are ready to show what we’ve been working on we will 🙏
— Very AFK (@Cromwelp) December 9, 2025
If this is indeed Divinity, that’s good news for Larian fans, as Divinity: Original Sin 2 was fantastic. We gave it a 9.6/10, saying, “Divinity: Original Sin 2 may have been designed in the spirit of decades-old RPGs like Baldur’s Gate 2, but that legacy serves only as a foundation for the expansive game Larian has built on top of it.”
Speaking of Baldur’s Gate, Baldur’s Gate 3 is Larian’s most recent work, and that got an impressive 10/10 from us. We said, “I don’t want to say every CRPG going forward should aspire to be like Baldur’s Gate 3. Not everything needs to be nearly this big and ambitious, or even this dense. But it is a landmark moment in the genre, and if I had to point to one paragon that I would like everyone else making these to take inspiration from, this is absolutely it.”
While some may have clamored for Larian to immediately get to work on DLC or Baldur’s Gate 4, Larian explicitly said over a year ago that it wouldn’t be continuing with another D&D game. However, Larian CEO Swen Vincke has been teasing a new project for a while now, and based on past timelines, this year’s Game Awards would be a perfect time for an unveiling.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Notorious Battlefield 6 skin Wicked Grin has had its colors toned down once again, but this time, players are celebrating the removal of, well, its Wicked Grin.
Battlefield Studios launched update 1.1.3.0 alongside its Season 1 finale, Winter Offensive, today. Although patch notes covered sweeping changes to Breakthrough, hit registration, and the overall audio experience, much of the online community was pleased to see the update tackle one of the EA FPS’s biggest controversies.
You may recognize the above Support cosmetic as the Wicked Grin skin. While the clothing items themselves seem to be largely unchanged (minus one new bright yellow armband), the outfit’s standout features have been almost completely reworked. Where there were once bright blue colors highlighting the infantry class, players will now find muted tones and the complete removal of the toothy smile the skin originally earned its name from.
The Wicked Grin changes exist as what many in the Battlefield 6 community are calling another victory what has become a massive push against goofy skins. Players began fighting against fears that Fortnite and Call of Duty-esque skins would eventually infiltrate Battlefield 6 when the System Override skin, not-so-lovingly called the “Monster Energy drink skin,” was unveiled weeks before launch. With technical director Christian Buhl previously telling IGN that BF Studios would stick to realistic, grounded visuals “for a while,” players worried the developers could change course sooner rather than later.
Wicked Grin emerged weeks after launch as a prime example of what many believed was the beginning of the end for grounded infantry skins. Backlash related to the Support skin got out of hand so quickly that some players threatened to not revive any player seen wearing it.
Word of player dissatisfaction got back to BF Studios and resulted in changes to System Override. Now, Wicked Grin, which had already been tweaked with lighter colors with the November 18 launch of California Resistance, is almost unrecognizable in Winter Offensive. There is almost certainly a group of players disappointed to see those bright blues leave, but for the more vocal players online, they’re mostly happy BF Studios is listening.
“They fixed him,” one popular Reddit post says. “They fixed this skin, super muted blues and removed the ugly mask design. Big W on lostening to the people.”
“Props to the community for standing up,” one comment adds, “props to the devs for listening and acting accordingly.”
Battlefield 6 launched October 10 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S, and BF Studios has been doing a balancing act since. A few updates targeting glitches, aim assist, gameplay balance, hit registration, and more have arrived in the last month alone, with content updates adding new maps as Season 1 rolls on. Today, Winter Offensive added snowy terrain to some familiar locations while handing players access to the new Ice Climbing Axe melee weapon.
For more, you can read our 8/10 Battlefield 6 multiplayer review. You can also see how some players are using Portal to cope with what they feel is a lack of large Conquest map options, and why others weren’t sure how to feel about some pricey new skins.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
A game where music is illegal and you do crimes. It’s the perfect tone-setting tagline for Unbeatable, a rhythm game about a bunch of young adults (and one child) rebelling against an oppressive regime by playing raucous garage rock.
Must have been the wind.
Bethesda surprised us all today with the announcement that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition was heading to Switch 2 with a bunch of technical upgrades to boot. But with a game we’ve all seen this many times, would it really look all that different from the re-release we saw on Switch 1 back in 2022?
Well, wonder no longer, because Mr Alex Olney is here to reveal all! In the above video, we’ve got a side-by-side comparison of how Skyrim matches up on Switch 2 vs Switch 1, showcasing all the gameplay you could wish for.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
We’re thrilled to launch the Indie Selects Demo Fest! Starting today, discover over 30 amazing game demos — now including PC and Handheld titles for the first time! All demos are free to download and play anytime from December 9 through 31.
Explore the full collection in the Indie Selects Demo Fest section on the Xbox Store and at Xbox.com. We’d love for you to share your feedback with the developers — it’s a great way to help shape the final experience!
Please note: most demos represent early builds and may differ from the final release, including regional availability, as developers continue polishing their games.
We’re also excited to share that 4 newly announced games below are coming to Xbox!
Ready for something off the wall? Meet Knuckle Jet — a jetpunk action platformer from the creators of Teslagrad! Soar as Anastasia, ricochet off walls, and smash foes with the mighty Knuckle Jet. Mix and match gear for wild gameplay twists — fashion sense optional! Team up in 2-player couch co-op to topple Baron Tychoon, or throw down in Knuckleball for some friendly chaos.
Create your deck, build your robot, and dive into a roguelite adventure full of surprises! Design your own fighter, experiment with unique strategies, and discover countless ways to battle. Just one rule: don’t die!
Raging Bill is a single-player sandbox of pure chaos. Play as Bill — ex-MMA champ turned billionaire — whose island paradise spirals into madness: party crashers, UFOs, zombies, dragons, and more. Inspired by Goat Simulator and Duke Nukem, it’s a mix of combat, stunts, puzzles, and freedom.
Built in Unreal Engine 5 with Lumen, Nanite, and Chaos physics, the 5km² world is packed with biomes, secrets, and retro Easter eggs. From jetpacks to hoverboards, every moment is designed for fast-paced, shareable fun. Created by Jérôme Tissot (Muttonheads) under Artpunk Studio, this is indie gaming turned up to 11.
Dive into Reef Defense, a fast-paced strategy challenge where crustaceans are coming for your eggs! Build clever defenses, plan your moves, and fight to keep your reef safe. Can you outlast the swarm, or will the crabs feast tonight?
In addition to the new reveals, dive into a diverse mix of creative games you can play right now! See the lineup below for all participating titles and amazing developers in this year’s Indie Selects Demo Fest.
Aikyam (Thousand Stars Studio), Xbox
Amazing Frog? (Fayju), Xbox
AWAYSIS (17-Bit/Cult), Xbox/PC
Biped 2 (Meta Publishing), Xbox
Boxes: Lost Fragments (Big Loop Studios/Snapbreak), Xbox
Cash Cleaner Simulator (Mind Control Games/Forklift Interactive), Xbox
Cassette Boy (Wonderland Kazakiri/Forever Entertainment), Xbox
Coffee Talk Tokyo (Chorus Worldwide), Xbox
ColorBlend FX: Desaturation (Pi-Dev Bulgaria), Xbox
Cyberawar Neon City (CyberMonkey Studio/GoGo Games), Xbox
Deck of Haunts (Mantis Games/Dangen Entertainment), Xbox
Empire in Decay (Siesta Games), Xbox
Froggy Hates Snow (Crying Brick/Digital Bandidos), Xbox
Go North (Gazuntype), Xbox
Incantation (Softstar Entertainment/Eastasiasoft), Xbox
Junkster (Stormcloud Games/4J Studios), Xbox
Kejora (Beranjin Creative/Soft Source), Xbox
Knuckle Jet (Rain Games), Xbox/Handheld
Limbot (Ionized Studios), Xbox
Lost in Loss (Soroka Games), Xbox/PC
Mark of the Deep (Mad Mimic/Light Up Games), Xbox/PC/Handheld
Master Lemon: The Quest for Iceland (Pepita Digital), Xbox
Megabattle (MadCat), Xbox
Pathologic 3 (Ice-Pick Lodge/HypeTrain Digital), Xbox
Raging Bill (Artpunk Studio), PC/Handheld
Realm of Ink (Leap Studio/4divinity), PC/Handheld
Reef Defense (Swift Creek Games), Xbox/PC/Handheld
Relooted (Nyamakop), Xbox
Rhythm Towers (Innoloop), Xbox
RoadOut (Rastrolabs/Dangen Entertainment), Xbox
Showgunner (Artificer/Klabater), Xbox/PC
Star Ores Inc. (BlackBeak Games/Three River Games), Xbox
STONKS-9800: Stock Market Simulator (Ternox), Xbox/PC/Handheld
Tenebris Somnia (Saibot Studios/New Blood), Xbox/PC
Townseek (Whales and Games/Super Rare Games), Xbox
Under Par Golf Architect (Broken Arms Games), Xbox
Worshippers of Cthulhu (Crazy Goat Games/Crytivo), Xbox
Head over to your Xbox and start enjoying these incredible game demos now! And yes, we’d love to hear what you think. Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, Discord, Twitch, Bluesky and YouTube. Stay tuned to Xbox Wire to learn more about what Team Xbox has planned. Your next favorite game is waiting!
The post 3… 2… 1… ID@Xbox Indie Selects Demo Fest Starts Now! appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Each year brings unforgettable memories for our PlayStation community across the globe, and 2025 was no different with the launch of memorable games like Ghost of Yōtei, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Blue Prince, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. To reflect on another momentous year in gaming, we’re launching PlayStation 2025 Wrap-Up starting today.
From today through January 8, 2026, PS5 and PS4 players can access their PlayStation 2025 Wrap-Up experience* to view their gaming achievements for the year, including most played games and genres, total hours played across single-player and multiplayer titles, a personalized PlayStation Plus playlist, and trophy milestones. There’s also insights around gameplay with accessories like PlayStation VR2, PlayStation Portal remote player, as well as your most used DualSense wireless controller design.
The 2025 Wrap-Up experience will continue to update through the end of the year, so be sure to check back again before January 8 for your full 2025 summary. Players who complete the experience can redeem a unique glass-themed avatar as well as access their summary card – check out my 2025 summary below:
Explore your PlayStation 2025 Wrap-Up at https://wrapup.playstation.com – and share your favorite gaming moments from 2025 in the comments below.
*Users need to have a PlayStation account in their region, be of adult age or over and, have played games on a PS4 or PS5 console for at least 10 hours between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.
Users who have not consented to the collection of “Full Data” from their PlayStation 5 system settings in 2025, will be unable to participate in the Wrap-Up campaign. Users located in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australasia, India, and Russia, who have not consented to the collection of “Additional Data” from their PlayStation 4 system settings in 2025, will be unable to participate in the Wrap-Up campaign.
High on Life 2 is our IGN First “cover story” game for December, which means we’ve got exclusive coverage all month long. We’ve already posted plenty of new gameplay, and today we’re thrilled to announce one of High on Life 2’s brand-new weapons: Say hello to Travis, the SMG-style weapon voiced by Ken Marino, who you might know from The State as well as Wet Hot American Summer. Travis is one-half of a dual SMG pair with Jan – check out the half of a heart pendant around his, uh, neck, I guess? Anyway, they’re married, but it seems the relationship has gotten a bit toxic.
Take a look at some footage of Travis in action in the video below, and for more exclusive High on Life 2 coverage – including another weapon reveal coming up soon.
High on Life 2 will be released on February 13, 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S – including launching on day one into Xbox Game Pass.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
My husband died in a horrible toilet accident. Also, I’m distantly related to Ronald Reagan and spend summers in an underwater chateau. These aren’t just very true facts about the author of this article, they’re things you can tell the reprehensible billionaires of the future in Better Than Us. It’s the latest work of Vampire Therapist developers Little Bat Games, and it’s set to arrive in 2026.
