New Year, New Rewards with Xbox

Jesse JanosovGM Business Intelligence and Growth

Rewards with Xbox are our way of, well, rewarding you for your love of gaming, and today we’re thrilled to announce new ways for players to earn points. From expanding Quests to PC Game Pass, to reimagining the Game Pass Quests you use to earn points, to weekly Rewards for all Xbox players 18 and older, there are lots of new ways to earn points through your play time.

Lastly, today we’re sharing an important update on earning Rewards with Xbox. This update aligns more closely with our continued commitment to foster positive, age-appropriate gaming experiences by making points earned through play activities available only to players 18 years and older.

Game Pass Quests Arrive on Your PC

Previously exclusive to Game Pass Ultimate members, Quests unlock opportunities to earn even more Rewards with Xbox. Starting to roll out on January 7, Quests are also available for PC Game Pass members. Now you have more ways to earn Rewards points on PC in addition to console and mobile. The new Game Pass Quests will also launch in Japan, bringing the region the full Rewards with Xbox experience.

If you’re an active Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass member 18 years or older, starting to earn is simple:

Explore the new Quests by navigating to your Xbox profile and accessing the Rewards Hub, which is available across console, the Xbox app on mobile, and the Xbox app on Windows PC.

Earn points by playing your favorite games with Game Pass.

Claim your points on the Rewards Hub.

Once you’ve earned enough, redeem your points for Xbox gift cards to use for games, in-game content, donations to your favorite causes, and more.

As part of these changes, minimum playtime is required to earn points through gameplay. For now, Quests are only available for titles in the Game Pass catalog, and this does not include PC games that require third party launchers or are played on Battle.net. Check Xbox.com/Rewards for more details.

Download the Xbox app on mobile and the Xbox app on Windows PC to start earning more today.

New Game Pass Quests Available

We have reimagined Game Pass Quests, making them easier to use, and more fun to play – we’ve made it possible to earn even more points, simply by playing games you love and discovering your next favorite games. Quests offer daily, weekly, and monthly opportunities to add to your Rewards, and we’ve also brought back a player favorite: weekly streaks.

Here’s how Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members can now earn points (and remember, Rewards offers may vary by region and may change over time. Check terms and conditions here):

Daily Play – Earn 10 points a day by playing any game from the Game Pass catalog for at least 15 minutes.

Weekly Streaks – Play for at least five days a week to complete your streak. The more days you play, the more points you earn. Now comes the challenge: maintain your streak week over week to unlock bigger point multipliers. A 2-week streak will earn 2x the base streak points, a 3-week streak will earn 3x the base streak points, and anything beyond a 4-week streak will earn 4x the base streak points.

Monthly 4-Pack – Explore the Game Pass catalog by playing four different games (for at least 15 minutes each) every month.

Monthly 8-Pack – Push your gaming further and play eight different games (for at least 15 minutes each) every calendar month. Don’t worry, the 4 games from your 4-Pack count towards the 8-Pack, too.

New Ways to Earn Rewards for All

Beyond changes to the exclusive Quests for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members, we’re also bringing new ways to earn points for all players. Starting January 7, 2025, all Rewards members 18 years and older will be able to access the new PC Weekly Bonus, awarding them 150 points when playing (for at least 15 minutes) for 5 days or more.

With this update, we’re also rebalancing points from the current Console Weekly Bonus to 150 points and the Daily PC Play to 10 points.

Play and Earn Update

We are constantly evaluating the Xbox platform to ensure our continued commitment to foster positive, age-appropriate gaming experiences for our players to enjoy. Starting today, earning Rewards points via gameplay will only be available to Xbox players 18 years and older. With these changes, the Rewards Hub used for tracking and earning points on Xbox console, the Xbox app for Windows PC, and the Xbox app for mobile will no longer be available to players under 18 years old.

This update will not impact existing Rewards and points previously earned by players, and going forward players under 18 will still be able to earn Microsoft Rewards points via parentally approved purchases of eligible items on the Microsoft Store, eligible searches on Microsoft Bing and other non-gameplay activities, such as completing the Microsoft Rewards Daily Set. They can continue to track and redeem their available Microsoft Rewards at Rewards.Microsoft.com.

We can’t wait to see all the great Rewards you’ll redeem, simply by playing with Xbox. You’re already playing, so now start earning!

Learn more on: Game Pass Quests: Play Games & Earn Rewards | Xbox or our Xbox Support page.

The post New Year, New Rewards with Xbox appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Artifact saw a mysterious player count jump over new year, six years after Valve’s trading card game died off

Last June, Valve’s trading card game Artifact Classic peaked at 78 players. November was a little rosier for the abandoned multiplayer game, with a monthly peak of 1,028. Then, on New Year’s Day, that number jumped to 11,900 players on Steam – its second highest concurrent besides launch. Soon after, they vanished. Who were these mysterious shufflers, flocking to the deserted, echoing halls of Valve’s disastrous flop like your mate who uses the word ‘liminal’ too much to a dead shopping center? Forbes, who first reported on the phenomena, don’t know. No one knows. Somebody might actually know but writing ‘no one knows’ makes it more dramatic. Let’s dig in.

Notch Says He ‘Basically Announced Minecraft 2’

Minecraft creator Markus Persson has said he “basically announced Minecraft 2” after polling his social media followers on what game they’d like him to make next.

Two options were listed in the poll: a roguelike mixed with a tile-based first-person dungeon crawler, and a a spiritual successor to Minecraft, which in the poll was called “Minecraft 2.” At the time of this article’s publication, 81% had picked Minecraft 2 after 282,968 votes.

Honest and legitimate request for feedback for once:
The new game I’m passionately working on is currently set to be a traditional roguelike (i.e. ADOM, nethack, etc) mixed with a tile based first person dungeon crawler (ie Legend of Grimrock (esp 2), Eye of the Beholder)
But…
— notch (@notch) January 1, 2025

In a subsequent tweet, Notch admitted he “basically announced Minecraft 2,” and insisted he was “100% serious” about the poll.

“I thought that maybe people ACTUALLY do want me to make another game that’s super similar to the first one, and I’m loving working on games again,” he continued.

“I don’t super duper care exactly which game I make first (or even if I make more), but I do know I’m making one, so I figured I’d absolutely be willing to give it an honest shot in the form of a spiritual successor to Minecraft and put up a poll about it.

“My intentions are to be clear and honest about it, saying that spiritual successors are usually kind of… you know… washed up. Tragic. The things I’m fearing my next game is going to be anyway and try to push myself to avoid. So why not do the thing that people DO want and are willing to give me, somehow, even MORE cash for.

“I intend for the money to the [sic] spent for good, but my god have I learned I fail a lot. Winning is failing until you make yourself succeed.

“Oh and I also very much value being a man of my word, so I also intend to do this in a way that in no way tried [sic] to sneakily infringe on the incredible work the Mojang team is doing and that Microsoft is successfully doing the Microsoft shittification about.

“And I respect them for doing that. It’s their job. And they, from what I understand, let the studio do things their way, which seems very fair to me.”

Based on that, then, Notch is indeed setting out to work on a spiritual successor to Minecraft a decade after selling Mojang to Microsoft for $2.5 billion. Mojang continues to work on the eternally popular Minecraft, of course, putting out multiple updates each year across all the platforms the sandbox game is available on. Minecraft is officially the best-selling video game of all time, with an incredible 300 million copies sold. Microsoft has made no indication that it intends to release a Minecraft 2, which comes as no surprise given how popular Minecraft remains. Perhaps that leaves the door open for Notch to fill a gap from the original creator.

As Notch noted himself, it remains to be seen whether this ‘Minecraft 2’ ever sees the light of day. Since selling to Microsoft, the Swedish developer has started and stopped a number of games, including space sandbox game 0x10c (pronounced “Ten to the C”). However, in another tweet, Notch said the odds of him finishing projects now are higher than they were because he has employees he feels responsible for.

In later tweets, Notch answered questions from followers on social media about this Minecraft 2, and insisted he doesn’t want to use anything “too similar to the stuff I sold,” in this new game. He also said his Minecraft 2 wouldn’t be a story game, suggesting a new sandbox of some kind. “I’d make a similar game [to Minecraft] based on what I think the audience that says they want that game might enjoy,” he explained. “Probably do early access to make sure we’re on track.”

I mean best I’ve got at the moment is Adventureland, so yeah no idea
— notch (@notch) January 3, 2025

Notch even went on to say that if Minecraft ever wanted him to make an official Minecraft 2 and both parties agreed on terms, “I’d absolutely be willing to to that.”

“I’d even give them a much bigger share than I’d feel obliged to just to make it clear I’m not doing it with ill intent,” he continued, before adding: “But I’ll be a bitch to work with.”

It seems unlikely that Microsoft would work with Notch, given it removed his name from the opening credits of Minecraft following various controversial statements he made in the years following the sale of Mojang.

Photo by Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images,

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Daily Deals: Space Marine 2, M2 MacBook Air, Apple Watch Series 10, and More

The first weekend of 2025 is here, which makes today a great time to check out the latest deals! Here are the best deals for Sunday, January 5.

Save on Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is on sale for $49.99 at Amazon. In our 8/10 review, we stated, “Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a terrific third-person shooter with a compelling story, loads of weapons that are a blast to use, and a healthy variety of enemies to use them on.”

M2 MacBook Air for $799

Amazon has this 2022 Apple MacBook Air on sale for $799 this weekend. This model includes the M2 chip, which supports Apple Intelligence, as well as 16GB of RAM, 256GB of SSD storage, and a 13.6-inch display. If you’ve been holding out on upgrading your MacBook this can be an excellent option.

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for $34

You can score Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for only $34 today at Amazon. This collection packs in seven different titles, including the beloved Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. At last, you can play these classic titles on modern platforms.

EPOMAKER Shadow-X Gasket Mechanical Keyboard for $42.99

This EPOMAKER Shadow-X keyboard is perfect to switch up your setup with some color. The keyboard can be used either wirelessly or wired, with a 3,000mAh battery to support hours of use. Additionally, there’s even a color screen that displays settings, specs, and more at just a glance.

Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 Charger Stand for $65.99

If you own an iPhone, Apple Watch, and a pair of Apple AirPods, this is the ultimate accessory for you. The Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 Charger Stand can charge all of your devices wirelessly with one device. It’s perfect for placing on your nightstand, or even for bringing with you during a trip away from home. Say goodbye to the days of one cord per device.

Dragon Quest Illustrations: 30th Anniversary Edition for $23.82

Featuring 240 pages of artwork from Akira Toriyama, Dragon Quest Illustrations: 30th Anniversary Edition is the ultimate gift for any fan of the iconic RPG series. This book features over 500 different illustrations from Toriyama, stretching from Dragon Quest all the way to Dragon Quest XI.

Apple Watch Series 10 for $359

Amazon has the Apple Watch Series 10 on sale for $359 this weekend, which nets you $70 off this extremely popular device. Series 10 marked Apple’s first wide-angle OLED display on Apple Watch, with the device itself being the thinnest watch yet. If you’re not an Apple Watch owner or someone who has an older model, this is the perfect time to score an upgrade.

Persona 5 Royal for $14.88

Walmart has digital Nintendo Switch copies of Persona 5 Royal available on sale for only $14.88. Acting as the definitive version of P5, Persona 5 Royal is one of the must-play RPG experiences of the last generation. This game offers well over 100 hours of content, making this an excellent deal.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World 4K UHD Blu-ray for $12.99

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a very beloved movie for many, and you can pick up the 4K Blu-ray this weekend for only $12.99. This package includes a 4K UHD disc, a Blu-ray disc, and a digital copy. We gave the movie an 8/10 in 2010, with the beat-em-up game receiving an 8/10 as well.

What’s on your bookshelf?: ITU Copenhagen Games Professor Martin Pichlmair

Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week – our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! The longest novel ever written is generally agreed to be Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past – a coward’s pick, since it’s actually 13 different volumes. Don’t let Proust’s despicable lies sully the joy of literature for you, though. He did have a good quality moustache – a far more important literary trait than actually doing any writing, imo.

This week, it’s ITU Copenhagen Games Professor and Broken Rules co-founder, Martin Pichlmair! Cheers Martin! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf?

Rumour: New ‘Switch 2’ Photos Show Off A Very Legit-Looking Joy-Con

Black and blue, not white and gold.

Fresh images of what looks to be the left Joy-Con controller from the upcoming ‘Switch 2’ hardware have been posted online, supposedly originating from China.

Hosted over on Reddit by ‘thisSubIsAtrocious‘ and subsequently shared all over social media, the Joy-Con sports the new magnetic rail with which to attach the controller to the main body of the Switch 2. In an effort to differentiate the hardware from the current Switch systems, it looks to be mainly black in colour, with the rail itself sporting a light blue.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Poll: Box Art Brawl: Crash Nitro Kart (GameCube)

Battle of the Bandicoots.

Welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl — the first of 2025, no less!

Last week, we matched up a pair of beauties from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (yep, we were shocked that we hadn’t covered it already too), and after a week of voting, the results came back with a clear winner. The classic gold variant from Europe and North America walked away with 66% of the vote and the win, leaving the hand-drawn Japanese design with the remaining 34%.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Freedom Wars Remastered Estimated Switch File Size Revealed

Returning next week.

The former PlayStation Vita exclusive and action RPG Freedom Wars Remastered is launching next week on the Switch eShop and if you’re planning on downloading this one, you might be interested to know the file size.

According to Nintendo’s official website, it will require around 4.6 GB of free space on your system. If you want a physical copy, the option right now is to import the Japanese release. This particular version of the game will also contain English language support.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Pokémon Unite Adds Another Pokémon To The Roster This Month

Galarian Rapidash arrives.

The free-to-play MOBA Pokémon Unite is still adding new Pokémon and the next one joining the roster will be Galarian Rapidash.

This psychic/fairy-type evolves from a Galarian Ponyta and was originally introduced during the Pokémon Sword and Shield generation. This new pick in Unite is scheduled to join the fray on 23rd January 2025 – so later this month.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Daily Deals: The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak, EPOMAKER Shadow-X Keyboard, Samsung 98″ TV, and More

The first weekend of 20245 is here, which makes today a great time to check out the latest deals! Here are the best deals for Saturday, January 4.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak for $41.99

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is on sale this weekend at Amazon for $41.99. This entry in the long-running Trails series is a solid place to start, especially with Daybreak II due out next month. If you’re searching for your next RPG, this is a great option!

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for $34

EPOMAKER Shadow-X Gasket Mechanical Keyboard for $42.99

Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 Charger Stand for $65.99

Dragon Quest Illustrations: 30th Anniversary Edition for $23.82

Samsung 98″ TV for $1997.99

This Samsung 98-Inch Class 4K Crystal DU9000 Series TV has hit an all-time low this weekend, priced at $1997.99. Not everyone has room for a massive 98″ TV, but if you do, this is a solid option, especially for the price.