Next Week on Xbox: New Games for January 27 to 31

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Next Week on Xbox: New Games for January 27 to 31

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


City Transport Simulator: Tram

Dovetail Games

City Transport Sim – January 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Become a tram driver, so hop into the cab for the ultimate tram driving experience! Take your pick from a selection of three real life trams, the ULF B1, R2.2b, or ULF A1, and hit the city streets of Tramau! Transport your passengers while sticking to a timetable and create your own tram routes to build up a fully functioning and effective tram network.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Cuisineer

XSEED Games

$29.99

Cuisineer – January 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

Dive into dungeons and cook up a storm as Pom, an adventurer-turned-restaurateur! Cuisineer‘s food-focused action challenges you to build your dinner the hard way: by dungeon-diving for materials and ingredients.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Eternal Strands

Yellow Brick Games

Eternal Strands – January 28
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

Available on day one with Game Pass Ultimate! Eternal Strands is the debut fantasy title from Yellow Brick Games, a new independent studio founded by industry veterans from franchises including Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Watch Dogs, and Assassin’s Creed. Fight epic, towering creatures while blending magical abilities with an arsenal of powerful weapons to keep the world from crumbling in this third-person, action-adventure game.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap

Robot Entertainment, Inc.

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap – January 28
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Available on day one with Game Pass Ultimate! Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is an action-packed, third-person shooter and trap defense game. Evolve as an orc-slaying War Mage through rogue-lite choices and obliterate, eviscerate, and incinerate massive hordes with up to four players.


Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter

United Label


$24.99

$19.99

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter – January 28
Smart Delivery

As Arlo, young heir to the Warden of the Wastes, journey through the vast, snow-ravaged lands of the North in an epic quest to overcome the Dark Wings once and for all. Hunt down giant beasts. Unite disparate clans. Upgrade your settlement. And discover a terrible secret of blood and crown…


Xbox Play Anywhere

The Stone of Madness

Tripwire Interactive LLC


$29.99

$26.99

The Stone of Madness – January 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

A real-time tactical stealth game set in an 18th-century Spanish Monastery. Located in the Pyrenees, this time-worn Jesuit monastery is home to a madhouse and an inquisitorial prison. Five prisoners – plagued by cruel punishment, madness, and despair – pool their skills and resources to face their phobias, stave off insanity, uncover the mysteries of the Monastery, and find a way to escape.


Wayfinder

Airship Syndicate

Wayfinder – January 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Become a Wayfinder and unlock their powers as you choose your path and playstyle while pushing back a hostile force that has overtaken your world. A co-op ARPG where you directly shape and customize the endless adventures you go on with friends, because Wayfinders are stronger together.


Agent Fall

Eastasiasoft Limited

Agent Fall – January 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A retro side-scrolling shooter across sprawling platformer stages, from the desert sands and jet hangars of the surface to mysterious underground labs and waterways. Choose from 4 agents and infiltrate the base in a search-and-destroy operation where you’ve got the ultimate license to kill.


Stellar Docks

Afil Games

Stellar Docks – January 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Embark on an interstellar puzzle adventure in Stellar Docks, a Sokoban-inspired game with charming 2D pixel art. Guide an astronaut as they maneuver drones to their recharging docks across grid-based maps filled with logical challenges.


Checkmate Survivors

RainForest Game Studio

Checkmate Survivors – January 29
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

A top-down automatic shooter game where you control the King on a chessboard where all the other pieces rebel against the King’s tyranny. Your mission is to defeat enemy pieces, such as pawns, knights, rooks, and queens, using weapon upgrades, movement, build management, and positioning to face the enemies. Each enemy piece has distinct movement and attack patterns, challenging you to use tactics and speed to survive and advance.


Slasher: Origins

Wales Interactive

Slasher: Origins – January 29
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A chaotic, 2.5D, auto-attack survival game with rogue-lite elements and noir-anime storytelling. Unlock powerful heroes, create builds of unique abilities, and survive the escalating inferno of Mephistopheles’ underworld.


Accolade Sports Collection (QUByte Classics)

QUByte Interactive & Atari

Accolade Sports Collection – January 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / smart Delivery

Step back into the golden age of sports gaming with the Accolade Sports Collection! Featuring five legendary titles: Hardball!, Hardball II, Hoops Shut Up and Jam!, Winter Challenge, and Summer Challenge. This collection delivers nostalgic thrills with modern enhancements.


Basureroes

JanduSoft


$12.49

$9.99

Basureroes – January 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Dr. Diogenes is back, but this time the real threat comes from beyond the stars: an alien invasion seeking to conquer the Earth. The Basureroes must prepare to spring into action and save the world. Once again, it’s time to take out the trash!


Gimmick! 2

Clear River Games

Gimmick! 2 – January 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A classic challenge modernized. In Gimmick! 2, you once again meet the green little yokai Yumetaro. Decades after his first adventure he now sets out on a new quest in a world packed with interesting challenges, dangerous enemies, and hidden treasures.


A Rite from the Stars: Remaster Edition

Artax Games

A Rite from the Stars: Remaster Edition – January 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Join Kirm and his guiding star Hoku on this adventure full of puzzles, exploration and growth to unveil a beautiful coming of age story with multiple endings. Meet unique supernatural creatures and new companions along the way, cooperate with them and conquer the wisdom, courage and spirit paths!


ROBOBEAT

Kwalee

Robobeat – January 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

You’re Ace – a famous bounty hunter after your latest target, the eccentric robot-showman Frazzer. To find your way through his twisted techno-playground, you’ll have to master the art of shooting, wall-running, sliding, and bunny hopping, all in sync with the beat! Get ready to dance till you’re dead and then suit up for the remix in this rogue-like rhythm shooter.


Sniper Elite: Resistance

Rebellion

$59.99

Sniper Elite: Resistance – January 30
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Available on day one with Game Pass Ultimate! Offering unparalleled sniping mechanics, stealth and tactical third-person combat, Sniper Elite: Resistance turns the attention of the award-winning series towards a hidden war, far from the front lines, deep within the heart of occupied France. Bring a friend – the full campaign can be experienced in co-op. Sniper Elite: Resistance – Deluxe Edition launches January 28.


Techno Banter

Crunching Koalas

Techno Banter – January 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

You’re the bouncer of the Green Door club, where every decision matters. Reject the unworthy of partying with clever retorts, explore a neon-lit city, and immerse yourself in the Berlin-like city’s underground techno scene. The beat is pumping—are you in?


Casual Sport Series: Tennis

Revulo Games LLC

Casual Sport Series: Tennis – January 31

Casual Sport Series: Tennis brings the excitement of the game to life with its accessible and action-packed gameplay. The game features realistic court surfaces just like in real tennis — play on grass, clay, or hard courts, each offering a unique feel and gameplay experience. Plus, every shot and serve is at your disposal, from topspin and slices to powerful smashes and precision drop shots, giving you the freedom to play like a pro.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

Fellow Traveller

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector – January 31
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

The highly anticipated sequel to one of 2022’s most acclaimed RPGs! You are a sleeper, an emulation of a human mind housed in an artificial body. You are on the run from the corporation that made you and the gang that seeks to control you. Commandeer a ship, build a network of crew and allies, and take on challenging contracts as you seek to build a future for yourself.


Dreamless

17Studio LLC

$14.99

Dreamless – January 31

Every 25 years, horrifying events occur in a lost town in the south. Is a serial killer, who has passed his craft from generation to generation, to blame for these terrible disappearances, or is it a curse? As the protagonist John, you receive a tempting offer from a friend: To explore the long-abandoned house of a deceased old lady who once instilled terror in all the residents.


Hero of Fate

Happy Player

Hero of Fate – January 31
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Unstoppable Rogue-like excitement! Unlock new classes, gather allies, and dive into unique adventures. Survive the swarms of monsters, navigate the paths of fate, conquer formidable bosses, and fight alongside a variety of randomly acquired Guardian Spirits to ultimately defeat the supreme demon lord!


Marine Survivors (Xbox Series)

Phoenix Reborn Games

Marine Survivors – January 31
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Dive into the depths as a mystical whale in this spellbinding twist on the survivor’s genre! Enter an underwater arena where ancient magic meets endless action. Cast powerful spells against waves of deep-sea foes as you grow stronger with each run. Choose your path wisely – each level-up presents new magical abilities that can make or break your survival strategy.


Mostroscopy

Seashell Studio

Mostroscopy – January 31

A fighting game that takes up the aesthetics of the horror and Luchador films of Mexican cinema from the 1950s, with an eclectic roster of monsters and masked Luchadores and a simple gameplay style with a retro presentation.


Squab

Ratalaika Games S.L.

Squab – January 31
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

An exciting precision platform adventure that puts players in control of a young pigeon full of energy but unable to fly. Using the dash as his main means of locomotion, players embark on a challenging journey to rescue his missing father, Maximus.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Stones Keeper

Valkyrie Initiative LLP

Stones Keeper – January 31
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

The Order of the Griffin has at its disposal a floating island-fortress on which its castle sits. As you develop your castle, you will have the opportunity to hire new warriors, equip them with weapons, armor, and elixirs. You can upgrade the castle’s core systems to fight off pirate ships, artillery, and other flying islands. While moving your castle around the map, you explore and participate in story quests, discover ancient ruins, secrets, rewards, and artifacts.


The post Next Week on Xbox: New Games for January 27 to 31 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Patch Notes Sure Make It Sound Like BioWare’s Basically Done With the Game Now

Dragon Age: The Veilguard developer BioWare has released a new patch for the game and in the same breath suggested it’s basically done with it less than three months after launch.

As spotted by Eurogamer, Patch 5 includes a number of quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes, but it’s the wording from BioWare that suggests this is the final major patch Dragon Age: The Veilguard will get.

“Thank you all for playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard; we were so happy with the game’s stability at launch and hope you have enjoyed our Quality of Life patches since then,” BioWare said. “With the game being in a stable place, we are moving to monitor for any game-breaking bugs should those occur. Dareth shiral!”

Moving to monitor game-breaking bugs sounds like players shouldn’t expect any new content. Perhaps that shouldn’t come as a surprise given BioWare has already confirmed Dragon Age: The Veilguard wouldn’t get any post-launch DLC.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard was the first new game in the fantasy RPG series in 10 years, but it came and went not with a bang but a whimper. This week, publisher and owner EA admitted Dragon Age: The Veilguard had failed to meet sales expectations by a whopping 50%; it had expected three million players, but the game managed only 1.5 million.

There’s been some smoke around Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s struggles, such as it receiving a significant discount just a month after launch for Cyber Monday, and the departure of its director, Corinne Busche, from BioWare just last week. We’ve chronicled some of the game’s development challenges already, including layoffs and the departure of several project leads at different stages.

Mass Effect 5 now appears to be BioWare’s focus, although it seems far, far away still. And what next for Dragon Age? Given how Dragon Age: The Veilguard went for EA, it seems the publisher will take some convincing to greenlight yet another sequel any time soon.

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.

IGN UK Podcast 784: Doom, Doom, Doom, Doom, I Want You in My Room

Cardy, Matt, and Wes are here to talk through January 2025’s Xbox Developer Direct and the impressive quartet of games featured; Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Ninja Gaiden 4. Plus, there’s also some time for some hands-on impressions of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows thanks to Matt’s sneaking and slashing around rural Japan.

Remember to send us your thoughts about all the new games, TV shows, and films you’re enjoying or looking forward to: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

IGN UK Podcast 784: Doom, Doom, Doom, Doom, I Want You in My Room

The mad artiste of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 paints a release date for the Persona-like RPG

If you turn 33 years old in the next couple of months then, sorry, you are dead. I don’t make the rules, that’s just how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 explains the lack of elders in its very French yet very JRPG world. The fantasy game will see you journey across a dangerous landscape to stop the mad “paintress” who’s magically culling humanity at younger and younger ages every year. We’ve been keeping a weary middle-aged eye on its development, and yesterday it got a release date. It’s too late for most of us in the RPS treehouse. But watch the trailer for yourself, maybe you’ll make it.

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Nintendo Adds Fatal Fury 2 and Other SNES Games to Nintendo Switch Online Library

Fatal Fury 2 and two other Super Nintendo Entertainment System games have joined the Nintendo Switch Online library.

A trailer released by Nintendo, below, announced Fatal Fury 2, Sutte Hakkun, and Super Ninja Boy are all now available in the SNES collection.

Fatal Fury 2 arrived in 1992 as a fighting game sequel and introduced new characters Kim Kaphwan and Mai Shiranui. They joined the classic roster of fighters such as Terry Bogard and Big Bear to round out the roster to eight.

Sutte Hakkun, meanwhile, hasn’t been released in English until now. This is side-scrolling puzzle game about gathering arinbow shards as a wee beastie called Hakkun.

Finally, the relatively ahead of its time Super Ninja Boy hits Nintendo Switch Online 34 years after its 1991 release. It blends role-playing game and with action elements as players control Jack and beat up baddies. It features multiplayer too, with a second player able to jump in at any time.

These games are available at no extra cost to users who have a Nintendo Switch Online membership and have purchased the Expansion Pass. Nintendo periodically adds a handful of classic titles to its myriad Switch Online libraries, which also includes games from the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, and more.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

EA’s Share Price Plummets After Reports Of Disappointing Financial Performance

A drop of over 16%.

EA’s share price has taken a bit of a tumble after the publisher announced it woud be revising its financial outlook following disappointing sales of EA Sports FC 25 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

In just a single day, the company’s share price dropped by more than 16% from 142.35 USD to 118.58 USD. Things are levelling out somewhat at the time of writing, but it certainly marks one of the most volatile downturns in the company’s history.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 Devs Won’t Say Whether They’ll Ban Elon Musk for Account Boosting

Both Blizzard Entertainment and Grinding Gear Games have declined to say whether they plan to ban accounts belonging to Elon Musk after the X/Twitter owner reportedly admitted to cheating, leading some fans to accuse the developers of undermining the integrity of their games.

Screenshots of a private conversation between Musk, the world’s richest man, and a YouTuber showed Musk’s admission of paying for account boosting in action RPGs Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2.

Account boosting is a form of cheating where a player logs into another player’s account to raise (or boost) their rank to a higher tier and violates pretty much every live service video game’s terms of service. Blizzard’s end user licence agreement specifically warns players that account boosting or power-leveling, in exchange for payment, is prohibited.

Following Musk’s admission this week, Diablo 4 developer Blizzard Entertainment and Path of Exile 2 developer Grinding Gear Games have faced questions about whether they will now take action and ban Musk’s accounts for cheating.

“So now billionaires can buy their way to the top of the HC ladder as a vanity project like owning a football club. Are the TOS not being enforced even when openly broken?” asked one Path of Exile player in a post on the game’s official forum.

“Are there any comments from GGG regarding this? Maybe in [Early Access] it’s not a high priority, or it’s garnering too much free press, but as a longtime supporter, this is a massive blow to the credibility of RMT [real money trading] enforcement.

“I’m not trying to shitpost or troll with this, I’m just extremely disappointed that GGG isn’t getting out the ban hammer.

“Anyone else feel this is undermining the integrity of the game?”

There’s a similar sentiment on Battle.net. “Is boosting against the rules?” asked one player. “If it is, then shouldn’t Elon Musk’s account get banned since he flat out admitted that he boosts his account? I assume he doesn’t get to break the rules just because…”

When contacted by IGN, Grinding Gear Games declined to comment. Blizzard also declined, saying it does not comment on individual player account behaviors or enforcements.

Musk had bragged about his gaming prowess on multiple occasions, most notably in an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan in which he said he was in the top 20 players in the world for Diablo 4. More recently, Musk had a hardcore level 97 Path of Exile 2 character, although it has since perished. He has said he plays video games “to quiet my mind.” “Some days are real tough, so playing video games is my strange solace,” he added.

However, Musk’s self-proclaimed gaming prowess was brought into question as players began to take a closer look at his performance and knowledge of the games he plays. Some had questioned whether Musk was capable of dedicating the huge amount of time that would be needed to reach his high levels in Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 given his commitments as boss of Tesla, SpaceX, X/Twitter, and now as Donald Trump’s efficiency tsar. Then an early January livestream that saw Musk tackling endgame tasks in Path of Exile 2 drew criticism from fans who said he failed to demonstrate a basic understanding of the game’s mechanics.

Many had assumed that Musk might have been paying others to boost his Path of Exile 2 character for him, and so it proved. A video posted on Sunday by the Diablo player NikoWrex showed a direct message conversation with Musk on X in which Musk admits to account boosting, insisting it was the only way to compete with players in Asia.

“Have you level boosted (had someone else play your accounts) and/or purchased gear/resources for PoE2 [Path of Exile 2] and Diablo 4?” asked NikoWrex. Musk responded with a 100% emoji. He later added: “It’s impossible to beat the players in Asia if you don’t, as they do!”

“But when I post a video of a game or am streaming, that’s 100% me,” he added. Musk was asked whether he intended to take credit for having a high level hardcore Path of Exile 2 character. “No. Never claimed that,” he replied. “The top accounts in Diablo or PoE require multiple people playing the account to win a leveling race.” Musk then went on to question the need to apologize for his actions.

Following the revelations, the musician Grimes, who has three children with Musk from a previous relationship, tweeted in his defence, saying: “Just for my personal pride, I would like to state that the father of my children was the first American druid in Diablo to clear abattoir of zir and ended that season as best in the USA. He was also ranking in Polytopia, and beat Felix himself at the game. I did observe these things with my own eyes. There are other witnesses who can verify this. That is all.”

On Monday, further allegations of cheating were levelled when Musk’s Path of Exile 2 character was seen as active in the game while he was in Washington attending Trump’s inauguration.

Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson – Pool/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.

The big fish in swampy adventure South Of Midnight baits us with a release date

Good news for anyone eager to meet a big talking catfish. A new trailer for action adventure game South Of Midnight sees players battering monsters from the folklore of the US’ Deep South. It shows hero Hazel arguing with her mum before a supernatural hurricane cuts off the family drama and sends Hazel wandering the swamps to encounter giant alligators, giant fish, giant dolls, and giant people. Maybe Hazel is just very small. Either way, it also dangles an important morsel in front of our snapping jaws: a release date. Come see.

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Nintendo’s Switch 2 Announcement Reportedly Impacted Steam Deck Sales

The surprise reveal got everyone’s attention.

The Steam Deck is very much focused on the PC market, but even it’s seemingly been unable to avoid the excitement of the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement last week with a reported slump in sales revenue.

As highlighted by Twisted Voxel (via Steam Deck HQ), the Steam Deck is regularly trending at the top of the “top sellers” chart on Steam, but between 14th January – 21st January, Valve’s portable PC hardware dropped from the top three to the 47th spot. This is supposedly its “lowest global ranking since its launch in 2022”. At the time of writing, it’s now back up in second place on the charts – so it’s business as usual.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com