Author: Game Infliction

Special Olympics and Xbox Unite for Inclusive Gaming

Special Olympics and Xbox Unite for Inclusive Gaming

  • Team Xbox

Summary

  • Tune in to the Xbox Twitch channel on October 14 at 10am Pacific for the 2025 Gaming for Inclusion Celebrity Showcase.
  • Xbox Game Camp hosts 9 Special Olympics athletes for an Immersive Learning Experience featuring studio tours, leadership lunches, career panel, game development training and more.
  • Visit Special Olympics to learn more about their work and support their mission to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

At Xbox, we believe play can foster connection and empathy, unlock potential, and create unforgettable moments of joy for everyone. Since 2014, Xbox and Microsoft have proudly partnered with Special Olympics to empower athletes of all abilities through technology and gaming.

Our journey began with a shared vision: to break down barriers and make sure every player gets in the game, whether on the field or in the virtual world. Over the years, our collaboration has grown to include the annual Gaming for Inclusion event, an esports tournament where Special Olympics athletes and their Unified partners compete for a chance to play in front of a global gaming audience.

These events not only show the top-notch gaming skills of the athletes, but also the transformative potential of gaming to bring people together and empower individuals with intellectual disabilities. From build challenges in Minecraft Education to fierce Rocket League competitions, each milestone has celebrated ability, teamwork, and the spirit of play. We’ve hosted athletes at Xbox Headquarters, provided shoutcaster training, and continually sought new ways to make the gaming industry more accessible for people with intellectual disabilities.

Gaming for Inclusion Celebrity Showcase 2025 Airing Next Week

We’re thrilled to announce that the Gaming for Inclusion Celebrity Showcase 2025 will air next week, on October 14 at 10am Pacific on the Xbox Twitch channel.

This broadcast will feature highlights from the recently completed athlete tournament, where Special Olympics athletes and their Unified partners brought energy, skill, and teamwork to the Rocket League arena. Viewers of the Celebrity Showcase can get excited for live Rocket League gameplay, inspiring conversation and guest appearances by some of your favorite gaming creators and celebrity supporters.

Whether you’re a fan of gaming or a supporter of Special Olympics, you won’t want to miss the action, the stories, and the community spirit on display. Save the date and invite your friends and family to celebrate these incredible athletes as we power up for an inclusive future in gaming!

How to Watch:

Tune in to the Xbox Twitch channel on October 14 at 10am Pacific for the Gaming for Inclusion Celebrity Showcase 2025! This stream is also available on the XboxASL Twitch channel.

The showcase will air on Special Olympics’ YouTube immediately following the Xbox event.

Xbox Game Camp Welcomes Special Olympics Athletes for an Immersive Learning Experience

This summer, we took our partnership a step further by welcoming nine Special Olympics athletes to a bespoke Xbox Game Camp—a behind-the-scenes experience on our Redmond campus designed to inspire career ambitions in the world of gaming and technology.

During Xbox Game Camp, Special Olympics athletes experienced two days of immersive learning, exploring accessibility innovations, building professional skills, and engaging in coding and game development activities guided by industry experts. Memorable moments included interactive workshops, meetings with Xbox leadership, and behind-the-scenes tours of Mojang Studios and Halo Studios, all designed to empower Special Olympics athletes within the gaming community.

From hands-on learning to unforgettable conversations, Xbox Game Camp 2025 was a testament to the power of inclusion and the limitless potential of every athlete.

For more on the camp’s highlights and impact, read the deep dive recap on the Microsoft Game Dev blog.

Support Special Olympics and Inclusive Gaming

At Xbox, we’re proud to stand with Special Olympics in championing inclusion, accessibility, and the transformative power of play. Want to get involved? Visit Special Olympics to learn more about their programs and ways to support their mission.

Rewards members in select markets can donate points to Special Olympics and help advance this important work.

Let’s continue to build a world where everyone can play, compete, and belong. We’ll see you next week at the 2025 Gaming for Inclusion Celebrity Showcase!

The post Special Olympics and Xbox Unite for Inclusive Gaming appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Ghost of Yōtei Soundtrack Listening Party streams live on Oct 15

Five years ago, Sucker Punch took us to new frontiers on “Tsushima Island”, where we were introduced to Jin Sakai, a samurai struggling between abandoning his code of honor and protecting his home from the first Mongol invasion of Japan.

Three hundred years after the events of Ghost of Tsushima, a new warrior has risen. In Ghost of Yōtei, Atsu seeks revenge on the Yōtei Six after they ruthlessly slaughtered her family. As she takes on each of her enemies with an “underdog vengeance”, Atsu traverses the open world of Ezo and adopts the spirit of the onryō to pursue justice on those who took everything from her.

Ghost of Yōtei takes players through a sensory-driven, open world that offers players a unique perspective and experience. The original score, composed by Toma Otowa, is the perfect accompaniment to immerse you in a cultural adventure as you unlock hidden levels of beauty and brutality. East meets West when the sounds of traditional Japanese instruments merge with the modern Western influences to create a one-of-a-kind score that fully captures Atsu’s journey.

Ghost of Yōtei – Official Soundtrack Listening Party | October 15

The PlayStation Studios Music team and Sony Music Masterworks are thrilled to invite you to the official soundtrack listening party celebrating the recent release of Ghost of Yōtei!

Join our 60-minute livestream on Wednesday, October 15 at 5:00 PM PT, featuring exclusive commentary, behind-the-scenes stories, and insights into the production of the game soundtrack.

We’ll be joined by four talented speakers, each offering their own unique perspective and contribution on the creative process behind the music and characters that bring Atsu and the open world of Ezo to life. 

Toma Otowa

Toma Otowa is a multi-award-winning film and game composer based in Los Angeles. He has worked on such Hollywood blockbuster films as Thor: Ragnarok, Croods: A New Age, Lego Movie 2, and Hotel Transylvania 3 with veteran film composer and DEVO frontman, Mark Mothersbaugh.

Otowa’s video game work includes Resident Evil 5, Afrika, Kinect: Disneyland Adventures, Halo 2: Anniversary, Knack, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which he co-composed with Mothersbaugh.

Jason Connell

Jason Connell is a Creative Director on Ghost of Yōtei and was Creative Director and Art Director on Ghost of Tsushima, leading lighting, cinematography, and concept direction. He has more than 20 years of game development experience, over half of which have been with Sucker Punch. Alaska-bred, he loves adventuring with his wife and two children. Jason lives in a beanie 99% of the time and abuses the word awesome.

Brad Meyer

Rev. Dr. Bradley D Meyer is an Audio Director at Sucker Punch with over 27 years of experience in game audio. He’s fortunate enough to have led the team that won both the BAFTA and D.I.C.E awards for best Audio in 2020 for Ghost of Tsushima. Brad now leads the team on Ghost of Yōtei. He has lectured extensively about game audio at universities and conferences around the world. He is an ordained minister and a Doctor of Metaphysics and Immortality, and you wouldn’t know if he didn’t plaster it everywhere his name appears.

Erika Ishii

Erika Ishii (all pronouns) is a well-known figure in games, animation, and comedy. They star as main character Rook in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Sektor in Mortal Kombat 1, Valkyrie in Apex Legends, and in October 2025 will play the titular lead in Ghost of Yōtei. Erika is considered an especially chaotic regular cast member on comedy streamer Dropout’s shows including Dimension 20, Game Changer, and Make Some Noise. They have appeared with Critical Role, hosted Marvel red carpets, and recently performed as a special guest in the Off-Broadway theater production Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern. Erika is the proud co-creator of the record-breaking narrative play and storytelling collective Worlds Beyond Number, along with Aabria Iyengar, Brennan Lee Mulligan, and Lou Wilson.

Now Streaming: Ghost of Yōtei Original Soundtrack

The Ghost of Yōtei original soundtrack by Toma Otowa is now streaming on all major platforms! This symphonic odyssey intricately weaves the haunting gravity of what Atsu has lost and carves the path of who she will choose to become. Listen now wherever you get your music.

If you liked what you heard, tune in to Twitch | YouTube on Wednesday, October 15 at 5:00PM PT / 8:00PM ET to join the Ghost of Yōtei soundtrack listening party! Ghost of Yōtei is now available on PS5.

Walmart Is Granting Paid Members Early Access to Pokémon TCG Restocks Today, Here’s What’s Up for Grabs

Grabbing Prismatic Evolutions cards at a good price has felt like a lost cause for Pokémon TCG collectors, but Walmart has confirmed that its upcoming October Deals event will include a significant offer that seems too good to be true.

Beginning on 6 October, from 7 PM ET, paid Walmart+ members will have early access to purchase the highly sought-after Prismatic Evolutions Elite Trainer Box for $59.99, a 50% reduction from its “regular” $119.99 price.

If you’re not already a member, it’s admittedly a slight drag that you’ll essentially have to add $12.95 onto that $59.99 price tag; it’s still better than the $200 minimum you’ll currently find on other marketplaces like TCGPlayer for the same set.

Plus, this is going to sell out FAST, and I highly doubt there will be any remaining for the general non-Walmart+ shoppers looking for a bargain. Not only that, but you’re going more for your money if you’re looking to grab the brand new and upcoming Mega Evolution expansion, Phantasmal Flames.

Walmart is doing a repeat of the Prismatic Evolutions deal preview drop, but this time with preorders for the upcoming set featuring Mega Charizard X during Walmart Collector Con. The preorders will drop at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET on October 9, so you better bookmark those links and be ready to go.

This is a big deal, and even worth dropping the $13 on Walmart+ alone, considering just the Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is going for $160+ right now resale, and Walmart will be selling for just $55! Holy smokes!

Whether you’re after Prismatic ETBs or elusive preorders at MSRP for Phantasmal Flames, picking up a Walmart+ membership is undoubtedly the move this week.

It’s also important to know that whilst Walmart+ does have a 30-day trial available, the Walmart+ hub page states that only paid members will have access to its early deals on 6 October.

The annoying part of the Walmart+ subscription process, if you want to buy early access items right away, is that you’re only given the initial option to claim the 30-day trial. However, you can get around this by starting your free trial, cancelling it, and resubscribing for paid access.

The Walmart Deals event, scheduled for 7-12 October, is designed to compete directly with Amazon’s Prime Day. However, Walmart+ members will benefit from exclusive early access starting the day prior, on 6 October.

The idea is that after that early access day, the deals will then be made available to the wider public who don’t have Walmart+. However, given how quickly almost any MSRP-priced stock for new sets in the Pokémon TCG is selling out at all retailers, we’re certain this particular ETB will be sold out within hours, if not minutes.

A Walmart+ subscription is priced at $12.95 per month, or $98 annually, and offers a range of benefits beyond early shopping privileges. Members receive free delivery with no order minimum, savings on fuel, access to Paramount+ or Peacock at no extra cost, and additional perks such as pharmacy delivery and discounts at selected partners.

Although we are expecting Amazon Prime Day and the upcoming Black Friday sales to offer some decent Pokémon TCG deals of their own, this is still quite frankly one of the best we’ve seen this year.

We don’t expect Walmart to repeat this kind of deal for the foreseeable, or Walmart to match it. Even so, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to beat out all the other keen collectors, scalpers, and their bots who might be trying to nab one before you can.

What we’d advise is to have your paid Walmart+ subscription set up and you be logged in on 6 October, and if you get the chance to add one of those half-priced Prismatic Evolutions ETBs to your basket, you take it.

Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.

Note: Pokémon TCG pricing is incredibly volitile and any mention of sale pricing is indicative of the current market rate for the aforementioned products.

For example, Pokémon Elite Trainer Boxes are meant to sell for around $50-$60 MSRP, but instead retailer at around $100+ post launch.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s lead writer had apparently never played a video game before writing it

There is a belief that appears to crop up within the games industry that to work in it, you must be wholly aware of everything in it. You must live, breathe and die by games! That doesn’t always result in interesting games though, sometimes it’s actually quite useful to have outsiders come in to bring other perspectives. Admittedly that occasionally results in writers from the film industry waltzing in thinking it’s a one-to-one transfer, which is admittedly not great. But other times you get Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, whose writer, as it turns out, had not played a single video game in her life before writing it.

Read more

Alien: Isolation is too long because the Alien is too clever, says former Creative Assembly writer

When Sega and Creative Assembly’s Alien: Isolation launched in 2014, I was deputy editor at Official Xbox Magazine. I remember getting the review copy from our contributor Alex “Game Over, Man” Dale, and asking him how long the game was. 35-40 hours, he said. WTF, I said. I can’t remember how Alex responded – possibly his transmission ended with a jangling scream and a burp of static, or possibly he agreed with me that 35-40 hours is indecently hefty for a horror game, even with the qualification that you can get through the main campaign in around 20. 35-40 hours? That’s a farking Final Fantasy, mate!

Over 10 years later, we finally know who to blame. Surprise surprise, it was the xenomorph all along. According to Alien Isolation writer Dion Lay, the Gigerbeast’s increasing capability during development made certain areas more time-intensive than they were originally supposed to be. There’s probably a relevant Alien quote to invoke, here, but I’m going to settle for that Jeff Goldblum line from Jurassic Park.

Read more

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 Pops Up on ESRB Website

A listing for the unannounced Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 has appeared online.

The website for the Entertainment Software Rating Board has a listing for Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, which is set for release on Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. Its publisher is listed as Daybreak Game Company LLC, which owns Cold Iron Studios, developer of the first game. As you’d expect, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is rated M for Mature 17+ by the ESRB, with “Blood and Gore, Strong Language, and Violence.”

Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a cooperative third-person survival shooter which drops players into the role of a Colonial Marine aboard the USS Endeavor, recently tasked with answering a distress call from the outer colonies. It was well-received upon its 2021 launch, earning a 7/10 from IGN’s review. We said: “There’s plenty of wild shootouts with swarms of xenomorphs in Aliens: Fireteam Elite, but some awkward pacing and repetitive level design prevents it from being a classic.”

Aliens: Fireteam Elite recently hit Xbox Game Pass, expanding its audience. It was a well-timed addition, with the critically acclaimed Alien: Earth TV show set to hit FX and Hulu at the time. This sequel, while so far unannounced, looks like a sure thing.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Smart but flawed 4X strategy Civ-like Millennia gets final update as Paradox declare “the end of an age”

“A Civ-like with neat ideas, but half-formed fundamentals and messy execution make your decisions feel less than impactful,” wrote contributor Ian Boudreau in our Millennia review from March 2024. Sounds like the kind of thing updates might fix, but alack, there shall be no more. Paradox have announced that the 4X strategy Civ-like’s eighth patch, out now, will be its last.

Read more

Digital Foundry Delivers A Technical Breakdown Of Switch 2’s DLSS

Prepare for some deep learning.

We’ve known that Nvidia’s custom-built Switch 2 chip would bring some DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) magic to the new console for a good while now, though specifics around how the technology is actually working under the hood have been pretty slim. Fortunately, the tech experts at Digital Foundry are here to shed some light on the whole thing.

In a new video (above), DF’s Alex Battaglia gets into the weeds of the Switch 2’s DLSS and explains how it works compared to other models on PC. There’s been no official word from Nintendo or Nvidia on the matter, but this is pretty much as comprehensive a breakdown as you’ll get.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Ghost of Yotei Praised in Japan for How Quintessentially Hokkaido It Feels

Released on October 2, Ghost of Yotei is quickly garnering praise from Japanese gamers who are busy exploring Sucker Punch’s depiction of 1600s Japan. Its choice of setting, picturesque scenery, and expansive map seem to be resonating with local residents, with the developers receiving plaudits for their detailed research and sense of style.

Sucker Punch’s standalone sequel to 2020’s award-winning Ghost of Tsushima moves the action to Ezo on Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido. You play as Atsu, a warrior on a quest to take vengeance on the six men who slaughtered her family.

Overall, Ghost of Yotei’s scenery is getting a lot of praise from Japanese speaking commenters for its beauty, especially the titular Mount Yotei. However, one commenter, who apparently lives in Hokkaido, shared a photo of the real Mount Yotei, saying: “You were probably thinking they exaggerated its beauty for the game, right? But Mount Yotei really is a beautiful mountain. Please come and visit.”

In a follow-up post, they added that the developers’ decision to choose “Mount Yotei instead of (Hokkaido’s highest mountain) Daisetsuzan makes so much sense as a person born and raised in Hokkaido. Mount Yotei isn’t part of a mountain range, it stands alone, and that’s what gives it the ‘wow’ factor.”

The view from the mountain in-game is also getting some love for being extremely beautiful, with one user sharing screenshots.

Sharing an in-game screenshot featuring Mount Yotei, another user commented: “I live in Ezo but Ghost of Yotei is way more quintessentially Hokkaido than I could have imagined, lol. (…) Whether it is to scale or not, the fact that the entire map is Hokkaido is deeply moving.”

As a sidenote, map software company Zenrin got into the Ghost of Yotei spirit by sharing a real-life map of Ezo on its official X account to mark the game’s release.

Although Atsu’s story is serious, like in Ghost of Tsushima the game also gives the player plenty of opportunities to explore the beautiful landscapes, relax in hotsprings and interact with local fauna, such as foxes. Many Japanese comments point out how “cute” these animals and their movements are, such as the fox’s butt-wiggle reaction to your attempts to slice through bamboo, and the appearance of the Japanese long tailed tit, with users sharing a screenshot of the white bird perching on Atsu’s hand.

However, as cute as these animals might be, one user warned players that petting foxes like Atsu can do is not a good idea in real life, as although it wasn’t an issue in the 1600s, the foxes in Hokkaido nowadays carry the parasitic disease echinococcosis, which can be passed to humans.

Ghost of Yotei’s opening title movie, which follows Atsu riding through the landscape at speed, also gained much praise and shares, with one Japanese language comment going so far as to say: “As expected, this game’s opening movie has surpassed all others.” Talking about the opening, another commenter added: “You’re galloping up the hill and then boom, Mt Yotei appears at its most beautiful. I take my hat off to the staff of Sucker Punch for their good taste and successful research. They really know how to hit the right note for Japanese audiences.” Others praised translation and voice acting aspects, saying that Ghost of Yotei has a “perfect localization for Japan.”

During the making of Ghost of Yotei, the developers took many research trips to Japan. Director Nate Fox previously talked about the team’s commitment to creating a respectful representation of Japan to match Sucker Punch’s previous work on Ghost of Tsushima. In fact, Fox and Jason Connel were made permanent tourism ambassadors to the real-life Tsushima in recognition of how Ghost of Tsushima has spread awareness of the place. As more people experience Ghost of Yotei, it will be interesting to see if it gets similar recognition.

Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.

Elden Ring Nightreign gets a dedicated and customisable boss arena mode thanks to a modder

You there, fumbling around in the dark darkness of Elden Ring Nightreign‘s Deep of the Night. A new mod offers you the chance to channel your inner gladiator and test your strength in a dedicated boss arena.

I know, I know, you’ve spent at least 80% of your time with Nightreign thus far battering and being battered by bosses. But come on, you know you need to roll around more big blokes, with the chance to customise each bout of rolling exactly to your liking.

Read more