Eventually inflation comes for us all, and Xbox gamers are not immune. With Starfield coming out September 6, Microsoft recently raised the price of Game Pass Ultimate to $16.99 per month. Thankfully, during the Prime Day 2023 sale, Amazon is leaning the other direction. Right now you can get three months of Game Pass Ultimate for $39.99. That’s $11 less than you’d have to pay if you got it directly from Microsoft. It’s not even technically a Prime Day deal, so it’s available to everyone.
Game Pass Ultimate Deal
Yes, Starfield is coming to Game Pass Ultimate at launch. Forza Motorsport is another big first-party game coming to the service in October. And there are already well over 100 games on the service you can download and play to your heart’s content right now. Even at full price, Game Pass Ultimate is pretty much the best deal in all of gaming. And with this deal, it’s an even better value.
Prime Day Deals Available Now
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN’s board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed or on Mastodon @chrislreed.
Prime Day part 1 is starting to come to a close, but there’s still a whole day of deals ahead of us. That being said, we’ve already seen some deals come and go, so if you want to grab this Mega Blox Gyarados gigantic building kit, I’d do so sooner rather than later.
Mega Pokemon Gyarados Prime Day Deal: 50% Off
This kit has 2,189 pieces, including 4 different plaques for whatever region you’re in. Wait, not region, I mean country. Pokemon have different names for different languages, so in France (or Quebec), Gyarados is called Léviator, which sounds much fancier.
One of the stand-out features of this kit is how it moves through the clever use of levers and gears. Watch the video on the item page to see what I mean, but it wriggles menacingly on its stand as though it were actually swimming through the sea. It’s pretty awesome, something you see on LEGO kits like the PAC-MAN arcade cabinet or the NES set.
No idea how long this deal will last, but 50% is a huge savings, and if you want to get this Prime Day deal for well under $100, now is probably the best time to do so.
Splash Damage, the studio behind Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory and Gears Tactics, are switching to a four-day work week for those in their London office. The change follows a Splash Damage subsidiary that successfully made the change to a four-day week in 2022.
The Borderlands movie has been in post-production since principal photography wrapped in June 2021, but in the years since it has undergone re-shoots under a different director. Now one of the film’s original screenwriters, Craig Mazin – most recently known for HBO’s Last Of Us adaptation – has opted to have his name removed from the project. Instead Mazin will be credited under the psuedonym Joe Crombie.
EA ditched the FIFA license after nearly 30 years, announcing in May 2022 that the future of the series would be called EA Sports FC. They’ve now started the promotional wheels for the first under the new title, EA Sports FC 24. There’s an announcement trailer below and a “gameplay reveal” trailer coming on July 13th.
The first-ever IGN x ID@Xbox Digital Showcase just wrapped up, and we had a lot of news about our upcoming indie games to share with you. With games coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Cloud Gaming – not to mention classic RPGs, Silent Hill-inspired horror, party games, and even groundbreaking interactive documentaries – there’s something here for you no matter what kind of player you are.
Read on for a full rundown of all 20 games we brought along during the showcase – including some world premieres – and get those hard drives ready!
Axiom Verge 2
Axiom Verge 2, the eagerly awaited sequel to the critically acclaimed Axiom Verge, is now available on Xbox! Explore an alternate Earth-like world, replete with the ruins of an ancient, high-tech civilization. Hack machines. Battle monsters. Use your remote drone to enter the Breach, a parallel but connected reality that is filled with its own dangers. You’ll want to search every inch for the hidden items and upgrades you need to survive.
Unleash your curiosity, embrace the unexpected, and get ready to lose yourself in the enigmatic realms of Axiom Verge 2, available now on Xbox!
Birth
Birth is a little game about living alone in a large city. In order to quell your loneliness, you decide to create a friend from spare bones & organs found around the city. Solve physics-based puzzles & discover secrets in lovingly hand-drawn museums, bakeries, bookstores and more. Birth launches on Xbox on July 28!
Dreamers
We are thrilled to introduce Dreamers, an exciting new adventure game coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One developed by PlaySys, which invites players to embark on a captivating journey filled with wonder, puzzles, and unforgettable stories. Set for release on September 1, this visually stunning game features a colourful low-poly 3D graphic style that exudes charm and uniqueness. Dreamers features three protagonists: a curious boy, a brave girl, and a visionary robot, as they form an unbreakable bond of friendship and take on daring escapades together. Expect a refreshingly unique main quest, numerous side quests, mini-games and upgradeable vehicles. Pre-orders open on July 9, and will offer a 10% discount and gain exclusive access to a special demo.
Everspace 2
Everspace 2 will come to Xbox Series X|S (with Xbox Game Pass) on August 15. Building on the success of the original game, this spacefaring adventure will bring a 30+ hour campaign, over 100 handcrafted locations, 9 ship types, 7 companions, and much more. The first Everspace made gravitational waves in the roguelike community for its fast-paced combat, combining die-and-repeat gameplay with storytelling. In Everspace 2, the series hops genres, taking space game fans into the realm of semi-open world RPGs where exploration, leveling up, crafting and managing equipment, buying new ships, and upgrading perks are all critical to surviving in uncharted space.
Follow Everspace 2 on Twitter, Facebook, and join the community on the official Discord server for the latest updates.
Hellboy Web of Wyrd
We saw the world premiere of the new gameplay trailer for the upcoming Hellboy Web of Wyrd, an action-brawler-roguelite from Upstream Arcade and Good Shepherd Entertainment. Play as Hellboy and punch, dodge, and blast your way through the mysterious Web of Wyrd in this all-new adventure crafted in partnership with Dark Horse Comics and series creator Mike Mignola.
Jackbox Party Pack 10
The showcase revealed two new games coming in the latest installment of the world’s favorite party game series, Jackbox Party Pack:
Timejinx
What would you do if you had a time machine? Would you go back and try to fix some or travel to the future to see who you’ve become? No! You’d use it to play a high-stakes trivia game! Introducing Timejinx, a trivia game about the things you know you knew. You’ll play the role of a time traveler who meets up with their friends for trivia night at the residence of our acerbic host, Jerri Rigg. But this is not your typical game night filled with tattered cards and stale pretzels. Jerri may not care much about you, but she does care about creating an immersive trivia experience.
Hypnotorious
Hypnotorious is a game where you and your fellow players take part in a virtual stage show where our host, a mysterious hypnotist, mesmerizes you, then gives you a character to play. So thoroughly do you take on this new persona, that when he asks you a question, you will answer as that character! Each player will be keeping their characters somewhat secret because the game is all about deducing each other’s identities. The characters all fit into one of three, secret categories. The categories might be as simple as “Dogs, Cats or Mice,” or they might be something a bit more challenging like “Popular in the 80s, 90s or 2000s.” It’s up to you to figure it out.
Karateka
Digital Eclipse unveiled the next step in its journey: the Gold Master Series. It’s a new line of independent, self-published games that are best described as “interactive documentaries.” Game number one in the Gold Master Series is titled The Making of Karateka, and it’s all about the fascinating story behind a game that changed the industry – the deepest, most exhaustive exploration of the making of a single video game that’s ever been attempted in a video game itself.
The Making of Karateka will include multiple playable versions of the original game, video interviews, design documents, and even unreleased playable prototypes from the game’s creator, Jordan Mechner. Find out more in our full post on Xbox Wire.
Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients
Adventure awaits! Witness the beginning of Astor’s extraordinary journey through the world premiere announcement trailer for Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients. Immerse yourself in the mystical world of Gliese, where dark forces threaten its very existence. Fear not, for a hero is destined to rise and become the planet’s ultimate savior. Guided by an enigmatic presence, Astor must unlock the secrets of the past while collecting legendary weapons that will aid him in his mission to thwart an unholy ritual.
Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients presents a captivating combat system that will leave you fulfilled and craving more. Engage in exhilarating combo-based battles, wielding an array of legendary weapons and harnessing the arcane Runic Swarm to summon powerful constructs, crush adversaries with colossal boulders, or shield yourself behind solid rock formations. Master the art of precision with light, heavy, and ranged attacks, seamlessly swap between armaments, skilfully block, and dodge incoming threats, and build up your combo meter to unleash devastating finishing moves.
MythForce
Saturday morning cartoons are back! MythForce is a roguelike adventure featuring four-player online cooperative multiplayer set in the ever-changing Cursed Lands of Eldryth. Assemble your team and gather your arms, for many perilous foes await you. Will you stand victorious by the power…of teamwork!? MythForce ventures onto Xbox Series X|S from September 12, 2023! For more information on MythForce, visit www.MythForce.com, and follow along for the latest updates on Discord, Twitter and Facebook.
Rain World: Downpour
In Rain World, you are a nomadic slugcat, a cunning and clever animal in a broken ecosystem. Grab your spear and brave the industrial wastes, hunting enough food to survive, but be wary— other, bigger creatures have the same plan… and slugcats look delicious.
In Rain World: Downpour, the slugcat has evolved– alongside some of its most terrifying predators. Five new slugcats travel the haunting landscape/deathscape of a vast, ancient civilization, driven by curiosity, revenge, hunger, and mysterious, higher truths. Will they find what they truly seek? Or is their fate preordained to another meal in its unforgiving food chain?
Roman Sands
Today, Serenity Forge and Arbitrary Metric announced that Roman Sands RE:Build is heading to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S this winter. In this exciting and beautiful adventure, you’ll find yourself stranded on the luxurious shores of a timeless retreat, where the eccentric inhabitants anxiously await the world’s end. As you navigate their whimsical requests, a hidden truth about this place begins to emerge. Will you uncover your escape route?
In this surreal and mind-bending adventure, you must manage a decaying zoological research facility, where survival becomes paramount amidst a crumbling world. Guided by a distant voice on the radio, you must adapt to a new existence. Prepare for two broken realities to intertwine in Roman Sands RE:Build, a genre-blending masterpiece by the creators of the IGF award-winning Paratopic. Roman Sands RE:Build is a delirium-charged journey into apocalypse which collides through visual novel, adventure, puzzle solving, horror, and survival simulation.
Scarlet Deer Inn
Scarlet Deer Inn is an embroidered narrative platformer. Players will experience an emotional story, an interesting cast of characters, a dark dungeon full of monsters, and branching dialogues leading to optional backstories and bonus locations in a unique mix of an adventure game and a fast-paced platformer. The game stands out with its actually embroidered character frames and hand-painted backgrounds inspired by Studio Ghibli movies, Slavic folklore, and medieval Europe.
Sea of Stars
A Sea of Stars demo is now available, and pre-orders are open on the Xbox Store! Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG inspired by the classics. It tells the story of two Children of the Solstice who combine the powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic, the only force capable of fending off the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer.
While the demo features areas that will be part of the final game, it does not reveal any major spoilers from the main story. It is designed to give a hint of context, but mostly showcase some gameplay systems and mechanics around dungeon crawling and combat. It aims to provide a sense of the tone and vibe without giving away major points of the journey.
Second Wave
Second Wave is a free-to-play online multiplayer hero-based shooter MOBA set in the world of Armantia, offering players an easy-to-play but hard-to-master experience. Players take on the role of a legendary hero or exile to fight an endless war for the Arcane Stone, a mystical artifact that has helped Armantia advance in both Science and Technology. There are currently two game modes for players to choose from, Domination and 3-Way Battle, with additional modes in active development.
Solace State
Can you retain your humanity while fighting against a corporate biotech conspiracy? Play as the young hacker Chloe who confronts political plots as she fights for her friends and her neighbors. Your choices in building up relationships and communities can revolutionize into more or less freedoms. In a game with 31 fully illustrated characters and over 200,000 words, meet Torrent, a local who shares Chloe’s intuitive hacking abilities, Sueli, a community leader who grapples with expectations with different levels of governance, and Alden, a socialite who was Chloe’s first love. In a world where humanity’s rights are fracturing through biotech greed, how can Chloe restore hope for the people?
Stray Souls
It’s no secret that the team at Jukai Studio are huge fans of the Silent Hill series, and has no doubt been a major influence on Stray Souls. Which is also why we’re extremely excited to announce that we’re collaborating with the legendary Akira Yamaoka as a special guest composer! Akira’s work on Silent Hill is iconic, and we are honored to have him contributing new original music to the Stray Souls soundtrack. Listen to the world premiere of Akira’s track “Splintered Minds” featured in our brand-new trailer!
Stumble Guys
Players will soon discover the joys of Stumbling when Stumble Guys races to console. The fast-paced, frenetic and highly-social fun of Stumble Guys will launch first on Xbox, giving the game’s massive community more ways to battle with friends in an epic quest to be the last Stumbler standing.
Stumble Guys is a worldwide phenomenon on mobile, known for its accessible and competitive play style that is constantly evolving with varied events, tournaments, and imaginative levels. Stumble Guys regularly adds new mechanics, offering Stumblers more ways to cross the finish line, whether on foot, in vehicles, or through a high-stakes First-Person Stumbler mode. The game is enjoyed by tens of millions of players every week and was one of the top 10 most downloaded apps in the world in 2022.
Xbox players can pre-register now on StumbleGuys.com to join the party on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One and lock in launch benefits, including early Beta access and free launch gifts.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Take on the role of one of the notorious Slaughter family, or their victims, in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a third-person asymmetrical horror experience based on the groundbreaking and iconic 1974 horror film. Texas. Early 1973. Ana and a group of close friends embark on a journey to the small dusty town of Newt, TX, the last known location of Ana’s missing sister, Maria. The group’s search quickly turns into a nightmare of unimaginable proportions when they mistakenly invade the home of Leatherface and his cannibalistic family. Tied up, tortured, and left for dead, the group must find the strength to fight back and escape before it’s too late.
Featuring strategic 3v4 team-based multiplayer gameplay, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will allow players to truly experience this iconic franchise for the first time in video game history. The only question is, who will survive and what will be left of them?
Vampire Survivors
After extensive research, developer poncle has concluded that everything in life is better with friends: That’s why Vampire Survivors is getting a local 4-player couch co-op mode! Be the bullet hell with your besties!
In local couch co-op mode, you can continue your current game or; if you’re new to Vampire Survivors, begin your session with up to 4 local players. Players can seamlessly switch between single and co-op play between stages and unleash chaos. Like every good co-op game, Vampire Survivors will also offer opportunities to test your friendship… and stretch the definition of the word “co-op”.
Worldless
Worldless is a stylised 2D adventure platformer with turn-based combat and a mind-bending, interpretative narrative. Players will walk the line between physical and astral planes within a shapeless world, embarking on a journey of self-growth where the possibilities are infinite, the challenges are immense, and transcendence awaits those brave enough to embrace the unknown.
It’s 2023 and high-capacity, high-speed SSDs are no longer reserved for only the wealthy or spendthrift. For Amazon Prime Day, we are seeing a whole lot of amazing price drops on some of the fastest and most reliable SSDs around. We’ve listed every good Prime Day SSD deal we could find here. We have our own opinions on what is better or worse, but the fact of the matter is that every SSD on this list is reliable and worth the advertised price.
A special note for PS5 storage upgrades
Although technically any appropriately sized PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 solid state drive will work in your PS5, Sony recommends that you get one with a miminum rated 5,500MB/s read speed to match the PS5’s internal drive and optimize performance. We agree. Sony also recommends a heatsink attached to your SSD. Not all SSDs listed here have pre-installed heatsinks. For the ones that do, we’ll be sure to mention it. For the ones that don’t, all you have to do is purchase your own heatsink (like this one for $9) and install it yourself. It’s very easy. If you want us to pick your SSD for you, check out the best PS5 SSDs of 2023.
Prime Day Deals on SSDs
Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of SSD brands and models? We understand! If you want something reliable and fast without sweating the details, then just pick one of the hottest SSD deals at the top of the list. They’re popular for a reason.
TL;DR – The Hottest SSD Deals (May Sell Out Quickly)
All of the Worthy Prime Day TV Deals We’ve Found So Far
How easy is it to install the SSD?
It’s extremely easy! Removing the case cover is completely toolless. In fact, the only screw you have to remove is the one that keeps the cover for the SSD bay in place. You don’t even put it back when you’re done. Sony has a quick and easy YouTube video guide.
What if the SSD I bought doesn’t have a heatsink?
Sony recommends you install an SSD that has an attached heatsink. If the SSD you purchase doesn’t include one, it’s simple enough to buy one for about $10 on Amazon and add it yourself. Most of these heatsinks are just attached using an adhesive like thermal tape.
Microsoft just held its latest ID@Xbox showcase highlighting a slew of indie games that will make their way onto Xbox platforms. While this is not saying all these games will be console exclusive, Xbox wanted to highlight just a handful of some of the many wonderful indie titles that its fans can look forward to in the future.
If you missed the showcase, don’t worry; here’s a roundup of all the games that appeared at the event. Plus five games that stood out.
Stray Souls
Announced in 2021, Stray Souls is an upcoming indie horror game from Jukai Studio and one of a handful of games that will use Unreal Engine 5. Stray Souls follows Daniel, a teenager who recently inherited a house from his grandmother. As my colleague Ryan McCaffrey put it in his article a few months back, this “real-estate dream quickly turns into a nightmare when the sun goes down, and all hell starts to break loose in the house.”
Stray Souls is slated to launch this Fall.
Axiom Verge 2
ID@Xbox today confirmed that Axiom Verge 2 is coming to Xbox and it is available starting today. In our review of Axiom Verge 2 nearly two years ago, my colleague Tristan Ogilvie gave it a 7 out of 10 and said: “Axiom Verge 2 is a dual-dimensional Metroidvania that’s engaging to explore despite its one-dimensional combat and underwhelming boss fights.”
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Gun Interactive, the creators of Friday the 13th The Game, are making another asymmetrical multiplayer horror game based on the Texas Chainsaw Massacre film franchise. The gameplay will be familiar to those that played Friday the 13th: The Game or Dead by Daylight.
Today’s showcase provided another look at the horror game before its August 18 release date. And Xbox fans will be happy to know it will be available Day One on Xbox Game Pass.
Hellboy Web of Wyrd
Announced at the 2022 Game Awards, Hellboy Web of Wyrd is an upcoming roguelike developed by Upstream Arcade. Today’s showcase provided fans of Hellboy with a new trailer and a deep dive into the gameplay.
MythForce
MythForce is a oneline multiplayer co-op game that arrives on Xbox, PC, PlayStation and Switch on September 12. The latest ID@Xbox provided us a trailer that not only gave us a release date, but showed off th MythForce’s artstyle, which gives off Saturday Morning cartoon vibes.
Outside of these five standouts, here’s a list of other amazing games that got the spotlight at the showcase today:
Will the CMA follow suit in the Activision Blizzard buyout brawl?
After five days of providing evidence, a California judge has today denied the Federal Trade Commission’s request for a preliminary injunction against Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In short, the deal can now go ahead in the US.
We’re not across the finish line just yet — the deal is still blocked in the UK, remember — but today’s result means that Microsoft can get the ball rolling on the takeover in the US and start to make good on the legally-binding commitment to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo consoles.
It’s finally here! We are kicking off our summer plans with over 40 exciting game demos on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Just like last year’s ID@Xbox Demo Fest event, you can download and play these in the comfort of your own home between July 11-17.
Demos are playable starting today, and we encourage you to continue to check them out all week. You can find them in the special ID@Xbox Demo Fest collection on the Xbox Store online and on console. Don’t forget that you can provide feedback to the devs too! Keep in mind that most of these demos are an early look at gameplay and may not represent the full game at their release, including the availability in each country as developers continue to update and refine their title ahead of launch.
We’re also excited to share that 7 newly announced games below are coming to Xbox!
Alchemist: The Potion Monger is a first-person simulation game where players gather and process the necessary ingredients to brew magical potions – and can leave their lab, venture into the world, and change it with their brews. Alchemists will use unique mechanics such as the Alchemy Wheel to combine their creations – which can then be sold, or used on NPCs, or even on yourself to offer yourself new powers. Alchemist will also let you decorate your house, adopt pets, and more.
Dynacat is a fast-paced 3D isometric action platformer. Join Dynacat on an adventure to save his home from the incoming army of robots lead by the Spherons. Dash to the goal, find secrets, defeat the Spherons and earn points by doing it all in style!
Knights of Braveland is a cooperative beat ’em up action game with a generated story. You will hack, slash, and smash your way to victory. And with your friends, it is much more fun. Play local or online.
From the minds behind Marble Blast comes Marble It Up! Ultra – the ultimate marble platformer. Roll, jump, and boost your way through a massive single-player campaign – or team up to out-blast your opponents across five exhilarating multiplayer modes! From smashing weekly challenges to unlocking hidden marbles… How will you roll?
Metal Wind fuses transforming mecha and roguelite gameplay elements and combine game mechanics, such as weight, armor pieces, heat, and power for you to forge a unique weapon of war to fuel your killing spree!
Lose yourself in a tale of magic and wonder, where anything is possible and where nothing is quite as it seems: join young Jerry and follow a peculiar white rabbit to the wondrous realm of Mousewood, a land where critters can speak and where mystery abounds.
Along with those titles, there are a variety of unique and creative games that will be available to try! Below is a list of games, and their developers, participating in the ID@Xbox Demo Fest:
Head over to your Xbox and start enjoying these incredible game demos on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S! And yes, we’d love to hear what you think. Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, Discord, Twitch, and YouTube. Stay tuned to Xbox Wire to learn more about what Team Xbox has planned and of course, have an amazing fun summer of gaming!
