We were more than a bit surprised when Sid Meier’s Civilization VII was confirmed to be coming to Switch at Summer Game Fest 2024. And at Gamescom, we found out when we can expect to play the game on all consoles — 11th February 2025.
Debuting alongside the release date was the first-look at the gameplay, nd it looks absolutely stunning. Of course, we don’t have Switch footage yet — and we’re sort of staggered that they’ll be able to squeeze the game onto the console — but hopefully it’ll look nice on the hybrid console. Well, we’ll find out early next year.
At today’s gamescom Opening Night Live, fans were treated to a bevy of new game reveals and amazing trailers that gave a glimpse of what’s in store from Xbox. This included big news like the release date of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, gameplay from the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign, and the announcement of early access starting soon for Towerborne. But that’s not all! Fans were also given more details on Diablo IV, Starfield: Shattered Space, and more!
With Opening Night Live 2024 complete, gamescom is officially underway, and Xbox will be on the ground floor with one of its most dramatic-looking booths ever – we can’t wait for you to see it! Not only will we have many of the games mentioned here on display, but many titles for both Xbox and Windows PC will be playable, like Ara: History Untold andAge of Mythology Retold, as well as games from our partners like Genshin Impact, Star Wars: Outlaws, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, giving you the chance to explore all the different ways you can play your favorite games across Cloud, Console, and PC.
Catch up on all of today’s news and reveals from Xbox below:
Age of Mythology: Retold Heads for Launch with Brand New Trailer
Coming September 4, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam, or play it day one with Game Pass.
During Opening Night Live fans around the world were treated to a new Age of Mythology: Retold trailer. Focusing on Arkantos, the hero of the game’s 50+ campaign missions, we hear the voice of Athena, coaxing Arkantos to adventure. Showcasing stunning graphics and mythological magic, the trailer gives us another taste of how much players have to be excited about. The trailer also showed the bacchanal of chaos that comes in the final Wonder Age, a new addition to Retold.
Whether you choose to play through the campaign alone or with friends, vs AI or in ranked multiplayer, every game will be different. Advanced Access starts August 27, 2024, at 5pm PT for those who pre-order the Premium Edition and full global launch kicks off on September 4, 2024, on Steam, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X|S. You can learn more about what it’s store by checking out our hands-on preview of Age of Mythology: Retold here on Xbox Wire.
Ara: History Untold Debuts Launch Trailer Ahead of September 24 Release
Windows PC, Steam, or play it day one with Game Pass.
Ara: History Untold helped kick off gamescom 2024 with the world premiere of its launch trailer at Opening Night Live. The trailer, featuring a combination of live action and gameplay, puts the player in focus, inviting you to explore, create, rule, and conquer in the world of your imagination. Ara: History Untold is an upcoming grand strategy game where you build a nation and lead your citizens throughout history as you compete head-to-head with rivals to prove you are the greatest ruler ever known. Create your own story of history when Ara: History Untold launches on September 24, 2024. Pre-order and pre-install today! It’s your world now.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Shows Off the Action-Packed “Most Wanted” Campaign Mission
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, Steam, Battle.net, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, or play it day one with Game Pass
We got a look at highlights from one of Black Ops 6’s signature Campaign missions, “Most Wanted”, as Frank Woods’ team attempts to locate and retrieve legendary operative Russell Adler. Beginning with a covert infiltration of a political fundraiser (with a cameo from Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton no less), we then see a descent into a CIA Black Site, and a bike riding escape sequence worthy of a classic action movie.
Along the way, we see how Campaign developer Raven is innovating – while this is a classic set piece-driven CoD mission, player choice is at the forefront. There are multiple options for how to get access to the Black Site, and you can choose to go loud or quiet as you infiltrate – it’s your mission. This is just a taste – we’ll learn much more about Black Ops 6 MultiplayerandZombies when the Call of Duty NEXT event kicks off on August 28, before Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches on October 25.
Never Fight Alone – Mercenaries are Coming to Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PC via Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
The first expansion for Diablo IV releases worldwide on October 8, and game director Brent Gibson took to the gamescom stage to introduce the Mercenaries – a new feature coming to Vessel of Hatred. Mercenaries are your companions in battle, who grow in strength and can be customized to support your playstyle. Each mercenary is unique in the role they serve, so no matter your class or build, you’ll find a mercenary that’s right for you!
The team also introduced the Dark Citadel, a new co-op PvE experience that will put everything you know about combat to the test through a gauntlet of cooperative puzzles and mechanics, as well as the Kurast Undercity – an intense new multistage, time-attack dungeon that gives you the control over the challenge as well as the loot you will find!
There’s a lot to uncover with these new upcoming features, as well as across the Diablo universe, so Diablo general manager Rod Fergusson, lead game designer Rex Dickson, systems designer Aislyn Hall, and Diablo Immortal’s executive producer Peiwen Yao will be joining us on the Xbox broadcast live at gamescom to share more about what’s to come.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Coming December 9
Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam, or play it day one on Game Pass
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Steam on December 9, 2024. Step into the shoes of the legendary archaeologist as he sets off on his latest global adventure. Play it on day one with Game Pass, or up to three days early by pre-ordering the Premium Edition, Premium Edition Upgrade, or Collector’s Edition.
The release date was revealed alongside a brand-new trailer. Get a new look at Indy’s journey around the world and the tools at his disposal as he faces off against sinister forces. From the whip and revolver to his trusty journal and camera, you’ll need everything he’s got to unravel the mystery of the Great Circle.
Starfield’s Shattered Space Arrives on September 30, and the REV-8 Land Vehicle Is Available Today
Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam.
To the people of the Settled Systems, House Va’ruun is a mystery. Some call them fanatics. Zealots, even. They are seen as violent aggressors. But there’s so much more to this secretive faction. In Shattered Space, the first major expansion for Starfield, you will visit the homeworld of House Va’ruun, hear their story, and make choices that will determine their future. Shattered Space launches on September 30.
In addition to the Shattered Space release date reveal, Opening Night Live also showed off the new REV-8 land vehicle that’s landing in Starfield in the latest update. The update goes live just a few short hours after Opening Night Live and will be available to all Starfield players. Just visit a ship technician and add the REV-8 module to your ship to start touring planets in a new way.
Towerborne Announces Early Access Begins September 10
Early Access begins September 10 on Steam. Coming 2025 to Xbox Game Preview on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Game Pass.
Towerborne showcased a brand-new trailer during Opening Night Live that gave us a fresh look at its striking, vibrant world and crisp, action-packed gameplay. The latest game from Stoic (Banner Saga Trilogy), Towerborne seamlessly blends the best parts of side-scrolling brawlers and action RPGs to create a unique adventure where you take on the role of an Ace, a hero who must protect humanity’s last sanctuary from malevolent forces that lurk outside the tower walls.
You can experience Towerborne starting September 10, 2024, when early access begins on Steam; later via the Xbox Game Preview program on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and with Game Pass in early 2025. To learn more about Towerborne and how Stoic is bringing their latest creation to life, check out our Xbox Wire piece here.
The Worldsoul Saga begins August 26 with World of Warcraft: The War Within
PC via Battle.net
2024 is a year of anniversaries for the Warcraft universe, which is turning 30 in the same year. Hearthstone celebrates 10 years, Warcraft Rumble approaches one year, and of course, World of Warcraft… which turns 20 years old in November! Feel old yet?
World of Warcraft: The War Within launches globally on August 26 and is the first installment of The Worldsoul Saga—the most ambitious story arc in WoW history. With four new zones to explore, as well as ongoing gameplay and system updates to support players of all types, this is the perfect time to celebrate the last 20 years of WoW as Blizzard prepares for the next 20 years and beyond!
Overwatch 2 is also getting in on the celebrations, revealing their new in-game collaboration with World of Warcraft. In mid-September, skins featuring some of the most iconic World of Warcraft characters will be made available, including Widowmaker as Sylvanas Windrunner.
Keep an eye on the Warcraft X account for more information about how you can celebrate Warcraft’s anniversaries alongside Blizzard, and join the Xbox broadcast live from the show floor at gamescom where we’ll be speaking to senior game director Ion Hazzikostas and associate art director Tina Wang about all things World of Warcraft!
In Little Nightmares III, players follow the journey of Low & Alone, two best friends looking for a way out of the Nowhere.
Trapped within the Spiral, a cluster of distorted areas within the Nowhere, they will have to work together to survive in a dangerous world full of delusions and escape the grasp of an even greater threat lurking in the shadows.
Little Nightmares III returns to Gamescom with a brand-new trailer, highlighting the synergies between the two characters and teasing new environments to explore!
Co-operative features and new puzzle-solving mechanics
Little Nightmares III is the first game in the franchise to feature 2 players online co-operation. The latest trailer shows some of the co-operative gameplay mechanics that will be useful when players play together in co-op, or solo with the other character controlled by AI.
Low and Alone, the two playable characters, are both best friends and very complementary. They each have an iconic item: the bow for Low and the wrench for Alone.
Working together will be key to progress in the game. For example, in the trailer we see that Low can bring down smaller enemies with his bow, while Alone has to finish them off on the ground with her wrench.
You can also see Low put his bow to good use at the end of the trailer, saving Alone from the petrifying glare of Monster Baby.
However, teamwork isn’t only about using items. It is also about clearing the way for your partner so they can help you move forward in turn. You’ll need to be proactive and take initiative for both of you to make it through.
“The relationship between the two characters is very strong, and we were keen to explore that bond in the game. It is even more relevant when we see them working together to escape the many threats that make up the Nowhere”, mentioned Wayne Garland, Little Nightmares III Game Director at Supermassive Games.
New settings, faithful to Little Nightmares’ atmosphere
Teamwork is at the heart of the trailer, but it’s not the only new thing players will experience as they play through the game’s compelling story. By including co-op, we wanted to offer something fresh for the players, unique to Little Nightmares III, while retaining the beautifully disturbing atmosphere of the series.
You’ll feel it in the new environments, which are full of mysteries and revelations. You’ll also find the same tension and suspense as these two charming new characters face even greater risks than before, searching for a glimmer of hope in a world filled with darkness.
Necropolis is a good example of a new type of location in the game. In spite of its abandoned state and warm desert colors, the city feels eerie and unsettling. Don’t be fooled by this windswept, brightly lit environment. Danger is everywhere, and Monster Baby is easily roused when new toys tumble into her crib…
In the trailer, you can also spot a variety of other regions of the Nowhere, each one more unsettling than the last. Some of them might be reminiscent of places you might have explored in previous Little Nightmares games, like dank and gloomy vents and the gears and pistons of pitiless machinery. Some are more unfamiliar, like a rickety Ferris wheel, a shadowy circus tent, or a massive, complex clockwork mechanism.
You’ll have to be patient before we can tell you more about these places and their inhabitants! More news about Little Nightmares III will be revealed in the near future, so stay together, little ones.
Little Nightmares III will be released in 2025 on PS5 and PS4.
Fine, that was slightly mean of me. There’s clearly at least fifteen people still playing Starfield, and Bethesda are today rewarding their commitment with a free buggy named the Rev-8. Today! It actually looks pretty nifty. With it, you’ll be able to hop, jump, and skip the tedious ballache that was hoofing it across the RPG’s needlessly large planets. Here’s a looksie:
Back in 2022, ARC Raiders revealed itself as a co-op shooter with stylishly post-apocalyptic guerillas fighting robotic attackers that rained from the sky onto their ruined world. We haven’t heard much since. Now, developer Embark Studios is back, telling us that two years of development have refined its free to play co-op shooter into a PvPvE extraction shooter instead. It’s still a game where teams of scavengers hit the surface world hunting for the things their underground colonies need amid robotic occupation… but now they’re competing with any other scavengers that get in their way.
Also new: ARC Raiders will release in 2025 with a $40 price tag.
“Years back we announced [ARC Raiders] as a co-op only game,” said executive producer Aleksander Grondal. “But since, through extensive playtesting and internal evaluation, we evolved it into a PvPvE action survival shooter, an evolution that for us surfaced the best version of what this game could become.”
That seemed clear from the way the developers spoke about it, and from internal playtest videos that I saw during a live event. Machines were an omnipresent threat to a roving trio of raiders. Some could be taken out by quick coordinated attacks, like flocks of smaller drones, or were best avoided, like heavier fliers armed with rockets. Others were larger, more vicious multi-limbed crawlers that groaned out mechanical roars and which we only saw attacked via ambush tactics. Other teams of scavengers were the truly surprising threat—either glimpsed briefly in the distance, encountered in an interior where both parties were surprised, or spotted as an ambush at an extraction point.
Listen to the world around you in moments of silence.
“This is a game that lives on tension,” said chief creative officer Stefan Strandberg, “where you have to be on your toes. Listen to the world around you in moments of silence.” Strandberg’s statement really hit home with what I saw of ARC Raiders, which was very distinctly lacking in heavy background music, instead favoring environmental noises like wind, trees, water, footsteps, and the noises of characters cracking open boxes with tools.
There was space for all that noise, too, and fights between both players and machines are intended to be spaced out. “The game needs to have the room to build tension properly,” said Grondal, “and that means the pacing between interactions of other players and the AI needs to have enough space for you to feel that.”
The enemies previewed had very distinct sounds to them as well: Fliers had a precise quadcopter buzzing and signal beeping, while rolling explosive bombs had a rotary whine and four-legged hunting walkers had a grinding groan and whir. If the ARC Raiders delivers on this promise, it’s definitely the kind of experience where veterans will recognize and hunt enemies based on the sounds of individual weapons and the weight of footsteps.
It will at least make ARC Raiders stand out when compared to many other modern multiplayer shooters, which are often going louder, faster, and more in sync with a musical score. Strandberg and Grondal were clear that Embark wants ARC Raiders to be a slower and more decisive game – one with consequential choices in how you play and what your setup was beyond the precise details of your gun mods. (Though, I have to say, there was definitely a big page full of gun mods.)
Strandberg in particular said that the studio’s goal was to make it a “rich sandbox of gadgets and tools beyond your military shooter” while still being “grounded” and “tactile.” That seemed at least partially evident in how characters jogged around the world and did heavy vaults over obstacles while laden with equipment. It was also clear in the gadgets they used in footage: One clip showed a player with a kind of grappling gun that pulled them to the upper window of a building, while another showed a player hooking to some kind of stationary zipline.
In another fight a player first deployed a smoke grenade to put cover between himself and an ARC machine walker, then placed a land mine nearby before continuing to run… only to throw a “lure grenade” to the mine’s location once a little further away. The robots are clearly tough, though—only after repeating the trick a second time did it go down, and that was all the grenades the player seemed to have.
The players of the brief gameplay demo escaped their jaunt to the surface via a subway stop—after some tense cat-and-mouse gunplay with another team camping the extraction site. Their “time on surface” clocks read 11 minutes, 39 seconds as the loot screen rolled. They didn’t yet know exactly how many people would be in a match, but they did say that crossplay was intended and that ongoing matches currently backfilled new teams as older ones extracted.
ARC Raiders should release with a “robust” live service experience, including regular free updates post-launch.
Grondal said that ARC Raiders should release with a “robust” live service experience, including regular free updates post-launch.
As to how the team felt about the switch from a focus on co-op to the PvP element being front and center? “We kept the good parts, and that was 100% the right decision,” said Grondal, “and the game is so much better for it.”
Announced at this year’s Geoffcom, RoadCraft is a new game courtesy of the vehicular bods behind MudRunner and SnowRunner. This means it’s very much a simulation game where you’re fighting terrain with tyres, except this time you aren’t just driving about, but managing a fleet of machines to carry out heavy construction work. Think a mixture of logistics, cars, cranes, and paving some lovely new roads from a once dilapidated junk heap.
Walmart is offering a 20% discount on the professional-grade Xbox Series X Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller. Right now you can grab it for only $142.33 shipped (normally $180). This is the original Black model that includes the component pack. The newer Elite Series 2 Core controllers in White, Blue, and Red do not include the component pack and they normally retail for $140. The component pack retails for $59.99.
Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 for $142.33
Includes component pack
The Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller features better build quality and lots more customizability than the stock controller that comes with the Xbox Series X console. Some of the pro gaming features include adjustable-tension thumbsticks, wrap-around rubberized grip, and shorter hair trigger locks. The component pack, which is bundled with this controller, includes an extra sets of paddles, thumbsticks, D-pad, and case.
Hey Insiders, let’s talk Game Pass! Starting today, we’re offering Xbox Insiders the option to try out and provide feedback on our new membership, Xbox Game Pass Standard.
We created a new membership option in the Game Pass family to give players more choice in how they discover and play games and provide different prices and plans so players can find what works best for them. For those looking for a larger library with hundreds of games to play on your console, plus all the benefits of Game Pass Core including multiplayer access, Game Pass Standard may be the option for you. Game Pass Standard also includes select member deals and discounts, including up to 50% off select games.
Hundreds of great games will be available with Game Pass Standard at launch. Players will get access to select titles as part of the new Game Pass Standard library, with more games being added throughout the preview period. Once you join the preview, you can look up the Game Pass Standard library to find your next favorite game.
During this Xbox Insiders preview, you can sign up for just $1. Any renewals during the preview period will also be $1 per month. At launch, Game Pass Standard will be available for $14.99 USD per month (pricing varies by market).
If you’re looking for other console membership options, Game Pass Core has a select collection of over 25 Game Pass games, online multiplayer access, and select member deals and discounts. Game Pass Standard includes everything available in Game Pass Core, plus hundreds of great games. If you are looking for those benefits plus day one titles, specific entries to Game Pass Ultimate library, access to EA Play, cloud gaming, Perks, Quests, and additional discounts for games in the Game Pass library, Game Pass Ultimate might be the best option for you.
Some games coming to Game Pass Ultimate (day one games or other game entries) will not be immediately available with Game Pass Standard and may be added to the library at a future date (can be up to 12 months or more and will vary by title). We’ll continue to share with all Game Pass members when games are being added and available to play for each plan.
If you’re interested in joining the Insiders preview, please go to the Xbox Insider app located in the Microsoft Store. Terms and Conditions are located there. Game Pass Core members with less than 2-months stacked onto their account, Game Pass for Console and PC Game Pass players who are a part of the Xbox Insiders program can participate and share their feedback.
As always, huge thank you to all our Insiders – you are a wonderful community, and we appreciate all your feedback. If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please join our community on the Xbox Insider subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help.
We’re excited to hear from those that join Game Pass Standard during the preview, and we’ll have more to share on availability for all players coming soon!
Woot! (which is owned by Amazon) is offering the best deal on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Right now you can get a 3 month code for only $36.49. Microsoft recently raised the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to $19.99 per month, so now you’re saving 40% off a 3 month membership. Note that you can purchase multiple codes and apply them to your account, up to a maximum of 36 months. This deal was supposed to expire last week, but Woot! has extended the deadline to August 23.
Note: There is a coupon code “VIDEOGAMES” that takes $3 off one order. If you purchase multiple gift cards, this code will only work on a single gift card.
3 Months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $33.49
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gives you access to a library of hundreds of Xbox games, including day one releases. You can play them for the entirety of your membership without any restrictions. You do lose access to them once your membership is over, but if you ever decide to renew, all your past achievements and progress will be saved. You’ll also have access to Xbox Game Pass for PC. Although there aren’t nearly as many games as there are on Xbox, there are still plenty of AAA titles to keep you sated. Other perks include exclusive membership discounts, the ability to play your games across multiple devices with cloud gaming, free access to EA Play membership, as well as bonus in-game content and rewards. It is an exceptionally good – almost essential – membership for Xbox gamers. New release games are not cheap, and being able to play them without buying them will save you a lot of money and easily recoup the cost of the membership.
