Astro Bot Is a ‘New Beginning’ and the ‘Biggest Game We’ve Ever Made’, Team Asobi Says

Team Asobi is finally taking a swing at a full-fledged Astro Bot title, and it says it’s “the biggest game we’ve ever made.”

Studio head Nicolas Doucet spoke on the team’s ambitions during an interview with Entertainment Weekly. He says they set out to make the game, simply titled Astro Bot, to be big, adding that it represents more than just the start of Asobi’s new future with PlayStation.

“This is really about going up one notch — really several notches — and having Astro’s big story.”

“We wanted to make a big game,” Doucet said. “This is really about going up one notch — really several notches — and having Astro’s big story. We call it Astro Bot because we treat this as a new beginning. That’s a really, really big game. I think for us, that’s the biggest game we’ve ever made.”

PlayStation’s Astro Bot mascot has largely stayed out of the spotlight for the last few years. Some players may recognize the adorable little blue-and-white friend from the PSVR-exclusive Astro Bot Rescue Mission or, more recently, Astro’s Playroom, a game granted to PlayStation 5 owners for free. While these titles flew under the radar for many, they’ve still managed to impress those who checked them out (we gave Rescue Mission a 9/10 and Playroom an 8/10).

Astro Bot finally stepped up when the series’ standalone title was revealed during yesterday’s May 2024 State of Play presentation. PlayStation has already confirmed the project features more than 80 levels that will see players trekking across forests, deserts, volcanos, and more. The footage we’ve seen so far teases an ambitious outing for Sony’s versatile little robot, but not everything is completely new.

Astro Bot will also continue a trend set up in previous installments by including references to other PlayStation titles. Where Astro’s Playroom had players digging for shoutouts to games from across the company’s history, yesterday’s reveal trailer put robot versions of characters like Nathan Drake, Kratos, Ico, and many more front and center. There’s no telling just how many easter eggs are waiting, especially considering Asobi teased that it doubled down on its cast this time around.

“It’s a kind of eye candy,” Doucet added. “There’s going to be more. We’re going to be talking over time about what they mean to the game, but, yes, there’s going to be a big reunion. There’s a lot of characters from the PlayStation universe crossing over with Astro’s path. It’s an Astro Bot story, of course, with Astro being the main character, but there’s a lot of PlayStation characters that play a part.”

Asobi was officially welcomed under the PlayStation umbrella in 2021. Its biggest title to date, Astro Bot, launches for PS5 on September 6, 2024. For more, you can read up on everything else that was announced during the latest State of Play.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

Best Monitor for PS5

Rather than opting for one of the best TVs for PS5, grabbing a gaming monitor lets you enjoy all the top-notch gaming chops a TV offers in a smaller, and often more affordable, package. Sony even made a monitor with the PlayStation 5 in mind, the InZone M9. Its stunning display is ready to deliver high frame rates in 4K and offers PS5-exclusive features, making it our favorite monitor for PS5. But whether you’re after a budget gaming monitor, a massive screen ready to replace a TV, or a gorgeous OLED panel, we’ve got you covered.

TL;DR – These are the Best Monitors for PS5

The best monitors for PS5 deliver a speedy 120Hz refresh rate and a 4K resolution, ensuring you can make the most of the breathtaking and immersive visuals available on some of the best PS5 games. Features like VRR and HDR will only enhance your viewing experience, while extra connectivity lets you use the display with your PC battle station, too. So, to help in your search for a PS5 display, we’ve found five top-notch 4K gaming monitors with the specs to keep up.

Want to save on a PS5 monitor? Check out the best gaming monitor deals.

The Best Monitors For PS5

1. Sony InZone M9

Best Monitor for PS5

The Sony InZone M9 was made with the PlayStation 5 in mind, which can even be seen in its black and white color scheme featuring similar design elements to the console. It offers two HDM1 2.1, so you can slot your PS5 into one, letting you take full advantage of the 4K resolution, VRR support, and 120Hz refresh rate. Even if the system is capped at 120Hz, the monitor itself can push 144Hz when using the best gaming PCs. Still, no matter, if you’re playing on your console or PC, gameplay is crisp and fluid

Full array backlighting on this 27-inch IPS display means it’s ready to hang with the best 4K TVs and goes nose to nose with some OLED monitors. The 96 local dimming zones deliver mind-blowing contrast, and haloing will be a thing of the past. Colors are equally excellent: Rich and vibrant with solid accuracy. A handy Auto Tonemapping feature works exclusively with the PS5, automatically adjusting the HDR settings based on the game you’re playing. With a stunning display and all the performance specs to boot, it’s hard not to fall in love with Sony’s InZone M9.

2. Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM

Best OLED Monitor for PS5

If you think the Sony InZone M9’s picture sounded great, wait till you lay your eyes on the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM. Its sizable 32-inch display features a QD-OLED panel that controls the brightness of each of the 8.2 million pixels. The result is deep, true blacks and incredible dynamic range for absolutely stunning visuals. Color performance isn’t too shabby either; they’re vivid and accurate with 10 bits of color depth and 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space. However, similar to other OLEDs, its brightness in SDR mode is nothing to write home about. Luckily, the monitor shines with HDR content.

With a 4K resolution and wild 240Hz refresh rate, this OLED monitor far exceeds the limits of the PS5. Add in VRR support and 0.03ms response time, and it’s hard not to notice how buttery-smooth and snappy this monitor is. Asus ensured there is no shortage of connectivity either, so it’s packing two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4, a USB Type-C port with DP capabilities, and a full USB hub. So, beyond slotting in your PS5, you can use other systems and a wealth of peripherals without ever having to unplug.

3. Acer Nitro XV282K

Best Budget Monitor for PS5

Just because you want the 4K/120Hz specs that the PS5 delivers doesn’t mean you need to empty your wallet when finding a monitor. The Acer Nitro XV282K can often be found for less than $500, and features a speedy 144Hz refresh rate, a sharp 4K resolution, and two HDMI 2.1 ports – ensuring you get to use the PS5 to its full potential.

This 27-inch gaming monitor has an IPS panel, which means top-notch viewing angles whether you’re on the couch or at your gaming desk. Outperforming many other IPS displays, Acer’s monitor takes on contrast like a real champion. When you turn on HDR, things get better and colors will be even more vibrant. However, a major flaw when console gaming with this option is the inability to switch between user modes. So, you’re limited to HDR mode, leading to some wonky visuals in certain games.

4. LG UltraGear 48GQ900

Best Big Screen Monitor for PS5

Have you considered skipping a TV altogether? Instead, opting for a jack-of-all-trades monitor that works perfectly for PS5, PC gaming, and your favorite TV shows or movies. The LG UltraGear 48GQ900 may be right up your alley. It puts a massive 47.5-inch 4K OLED display in front of you for easy viewing from the best gaming desks or even your couch. The OLED panel is ultra crisp and vibrant with infinite contrast but struggles with brightness in SDR mode. Still, your average LCD panels pale in comparison. Colors pop while blacks are truly black, especially in HDR mode – weirdly enough, this monitor has no VESA HDR certification.

When it comes to your PlayStation 5, the sharp 4K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, VRR, and 0.1ms response time deliver smooth, blur-free action in all your games. If you want to swap between gaming on your console to PC, it’s made simple thanks to the inclusion of a DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI ports. The inclusion of two user-configurable game modes even makes it possible to skew the screen exactly to your liking. All that functionality is packed into a sturdy, thin frame with customizable RGB light strips.

5. Samsung Odyssey Neo G7

Best Curved Monitor for PS5

The best TVs for gaming have all but left curved screens in the past, so if you want an immersive display that wraps around your field of view when playing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth or Spider-Man 2, grabbing a great curved monitor is the only way to go. The Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 features a lovely 1000R curvature display with a 4K resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, and VRR, making it an absolute gaming beast. Silky smooth action and wild responsiveness are guaranteed thanks to quick response time and low input lag while a host of connectivity options let you keep your PS5, Xbox Series X, and gaming PC ported in for easy swapping between.

Besides a healthy curve, Samsung’s 32-inch monitor uses Quantum Mini-LED backlights for commendable local dimming and a high native contrast ratio. Anyone will appreciate the wide color gamut support, deep blacks, and crisp whites. Where the monitor truly shines is in HDR mode, the VA panel hits a wild 2,000 nits of brightness, surpassing all the other monitors on this guide. Just be prepared for blooming around bright objects in dark scenes.

How to Choose a Monitor for PS5

When searching for a monitor for PS5, you must first set a budget. If you want to make the most of what the PS5 can offer graphically, a 4K/120Hz monitor offering VRR is the way to go. Unfortunately, these tend to be pricier than the best 1080p monitors and 1440p displays. You’ll still find a few great 4K options for under $500, but most seem to hover between $500 and $1,000. A monitor is a bigger investment than many other PS5 accessories. Still, you get more bang for your buck with a monitor over a gaming TV.

By going for a 4K resolution, pixel peeping will be less of an issue, so feel free to get a larger-sized monitor. Are you planning on this display becoming a TV replacement? Grab a massive screen like the one offered on the LG UltraGear 48GQ900. For an option that lives on a gaming desk, 27 inches should satisfy the average gamer, while a 32-inch or curved screen can provide a more immersive viewing experience.

Your display panel type is important to the quality of the image, and each type of panel exceeds in certain areas over others. TN panels are the most basic with speedy response time at the cost of rich colors and viewing angles. IPS panels deliver excellent contrast and colors with slower response times. VA panels basically split between TN and IPS, offering a solid picture and response times. There’s also been an emergence of OLED panels – which are more common in TVs. OLEDs have excellent contrast, color, and vibrancy.

As for the aspect ratio of said display, we’d recommend sticking with the traditional 16:9 that the PS5 is optimized for. Going ultrawide may make it harder for the display to hit and maintain higher frame rates.

Speaking of frame rates, the refresh rate is how often your screen can display a new image, and the PS5 is capable of hitting up to 120Hz, no matter the resolution. So, there’s no need to seek out a higher refresh rate in your monitor if you’re only planning on using it with your console. But if you’ve got a high-end gaming PC capable of hitting higher frame rates in 4K or want a future-proof option, by all means, grab a faster monitor. It’s important to note that some PS5 games may not be able to hit 120Hz in 4K, so dropping down to 1440p or 1080p could lead to smoother action.

Just like how your gaming PC uses either Nvidia G-Sync or AMD FreeSync, the PS5 added support for a variable refresh rate (VRR) a couple of years after its initial release. This technology synchronizes the frame rate of your monitor and the console to prevent screen tearing and stuttering. Another handy feature is auto low latency mode (ALLM), helping reduce the latency between your button presses on the best PS5 controllers, ensuring it matches up with what’s happening on screen. Both technologies are absolute game changers that can give you an edge over opponents. The PS5 also supports HDR. So, for a brighter and richer picture quality, find a monitor that offers HDR.

If you’re looking to play competitive shooters or MoBAs on your PS5, you’ll want a monitor offering a speedy response time of 1 ms or less. Most other games should play absolutely fine with a response time below 5ms.

Of course, you can’t forget about connectivity on the best monitor for PS5. That means at least one HDMI 2.1 is a must to enjoy 4K/120Hz. It’s handy to have multiple HDMI’s to hook up another console and a DisplayPort for your gaming PC, so you don’t need to worry about swapping around cables depending on what you’re playing.

Gaming Monitor for PS5 FAQ

What resolutions can the PS5 run at?

The top resolution supported by the PS5 is 4K, aka UHD or 2160p, at up to a speedy 120Hz refresh rate. The problem with that refresh rate at such a sharp resolution is not all games can run frames that high. Dropping down to 1440p or 1080p—both resolutions are supported by PS5 and offer up to a 120Hz refresh rate—may lead to smoother action in certain games.

Should I use a TV or monitor with my PS5?

It’s a matter of personal preference. TVs tend to pull ahead in size, image quality, and HDR performance. So, if you’re looking to game on your couch over a desk, a TV is the way to go. Monitors on the other hand have a huge edge over TVs when it comes to input lag and high refresh rates; the latter may not be as important given the PS5 maxes out at 120Hz. Still, if you want a responsive display, monitors are the way to go. For more info, be sure to glance at our guide to gaming monitors vs. gaming TVs.

Danielle is a freelance writer for IGN based in Los Angeles who spends most of her time updating buying guides. When she’s not writing, you’ll probably find her obsessively reading, watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, or scouring the web for anything related to music history.

Feature: Monster Hunter Stories’ Producer Talks Collaborative Development, Confirms Zelda DLC Isn’t Included On Switch

“Collaboration contents from outside Capcom will not be carried over”.

The Nintendo 3DS had plenty of incredible exclusives and in its heyday, a lot of those were in the Monster Hunter series. One gem that truly stands out from its no-glasses-3D siblings is Monster Hunter Stories. Developed as a collaboration between Capcom and Marvelous, this turn-based RPG was quite a massive departure in comparison to anything that’s come before and is highly regarded by those that did play it. However, Stories was overlooked by many at the time as it was dealt the unfortunate hand of launching six months after the console that would replace the 2DS and 3DS, the Nintendo Switch.

Flash forward to the year 2024, and not only has a Switch sequel to Stories released, but that first game that fans loved so much is finally making its way to Switch, too. We had the chance to send off a few questions to the Monster Hunter Stories team at Capcom and the game’s producer, Yoshihiro Akira, was kind enough to give us his insight on the game’s co-development with Marvelous, 3DS-exclusive features, and what it’s like bringing this game to a new audience.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Take-Two Is Quietly Killing Private Division

In recent weeks, reports have surfaced that Take-Two is shuttering Kerbal Space Program 2 developer Intercept Games and OlliOlli World developer Roll7. Now, IGN has learned that not only are these closures imminent, but they are a part of a larger move by Take-Two to either sell off or shut down the entirety of its indie label, Private Division.

Earlier this month, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told IGN that Take-Two “didn’t shutter” its owned indie studios Intercept Games and Roll7. At the time, that was technically true; both studios are currently operational, but they won’t be for long. Speaking to multiple anonymous sources familiar with the matter, IGN has independently confirmed that Intercept Games is set to close on June 28, following a notice period required by the Washington State WARN Act. Roll7, too, is similarly winding down, though a small team remains to tie up loose ends.

Meanwhile, Take-Two wants to offload Private Division, one way or another. In February, IGN understands employees were told layoffs were imminent, but not given specifics on how many, why, or what was happening. Then, at the end of April, employees of the label were told by management that Take-Two would no longer support Private Division, at which time almost all the staff were laid off.

A small crew remains to support the remaining announced games with which Private Division has publishing deals: Moon Studios’ No Rest for the Wicked (which is currently in early access), Wētā Workshop’s Tales of the Shire, and an untitled project from Game Freak. Take-Two has backed out of two other publishing deals it had previously agreed to under the label – one previously reported deal with Bloober Team, and another sources described to us that would have been with Ghostrunner developer One More Level.

The people at Private Division were amazing, talented, passionate individuals who loved what they did.

Though Private Division and its associated studios appear in danger of vanishing entirely, Take-Two is looking for other options…albeit with mixed success. The publisher has been in talks to find a buyer for the Kerbal Space Program IP, with or without Intercept Games attached. IGN has learned that discussions took place for such a deal with strategy game publisher Paradox Interactive, but fell through, and it’s unclear if another buyer will materialize in time.

Take-Two is also in discussions to sell off Private Division, and has found interest from a private equity firm. Though a deal has not been agreed upon yet, sources were aware that conversations are being facilitated in part by individuals with connections to Moon Studios leadership. But two of my sources expressed apprehension about such a deal and its connections, citing a 2022 VentureBeat report alleging “oppressive” work conditions at Moon Studios. One source I spoke with confirmed that “everything” in the report was “true and worse” and another called the studio’s founders “cruel” and “a nightmare” to work with.

All those I spoke to for this story expressed frustration at Take-Two leadership for alleged mismanagement of the label, and called out chief strategy officer and Private Division head Michael Worosz for poor leadership. Sources say the label was often saddled with unreasonable sales targets, and pressured to release games before they were ready, with Kerbal Space Program 2 being a notable recent example. And yet, all of those I spoke to shared feelings of sadness surrounding the fate of Private Division, citing the team’s sincere mission to help smaller, independent studios, especially those that were newer and less established.

“The people at Private Division were amazing, talented, passionate individuals who loved what they did and also really cared about each other as a team and as people,” one person said. “We loved our projects, we worked hard, and we fostered a great environment internally. I would love to work with any of them again. The pain point was always Take-Two and associated leadership forcing our hand. The whole layoff situation proved what we already felt. Take-Two could not care less about its employees.”

Take-Two declined to comment for this piece; Moon Studios did not respond in time for publication.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Xbox Is Publishing Toys for Bob’s Next Game

Toys for Bob, the Crash Bandicoot 4 developer and Call of Duty support studio that left the Xbox-owned Activision in February 2024, has signed an agreement with Xbox directly to publish its next game.

Revealed in a post on X/Twitter, Toys for Bob confirmed reports from March 2024 that claimed it would team up with Xbox once again. Its next game, which the studio said will return it to its roots, is still in “very early development,” but it’s partnering with Xbox to publish it.

We’re excited to announce that we’ll be partnering with @Xbox to publish our next new game. We’re still very early in development, so you might not hear from us for a bit – but know that we’re working hard on an experience we’re so sooo inspired about! Can’t wait to share more 💜 pic.twitter.com/6EqrQbabpv
— Toys For Bob (@ToysForBob) May 31, 2024

“We’re excited to announce that we’ll be partnering with Xbox to publish our next new game,” Toys for Bob said. “We’re still very early in development, so you might not hear from us for a bit, but know that we’re working hard on an experience we’re so sooo inspired about. Can’t wait to share more “

Toys for Bob has been active since 1990, but was acquired by Activision in 2005 and became known for developing the Skylanders games. It later remastered the Spyro and Crash Bandicoot trilogies before creating Crash Bandicoot 4.

“Know that we’re working hard on an experience we’re so sooo inspired about. Can’t wait to share more.

In more recent years, however, it’s spent most of its time as a Call of Duty support studio, helping other Activision developers create the annualized franchise.

But amid mass industry acquisitions and layoffs, Toys for Bob announced it would be leaving Activision and Xbox to return to being an independent studio. “Over the years, we’ve inspired love, joy, and laughter for the inner child in all gamers,” it said at the time. “This opportunity allows us to return to our roots of being a small and nimble studio.”

Toys for Bob remains independent despite this new partnership with Xbox, as the console maker will essentially provide funding for its game and receive some of its profits without owning the game itself.

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

Redfall’s final update arrives with offline mode as Arkane Austin devs praise their departing colleagues

Arkane Austin’s ailing vampire shooter Redfall has received its final update, as the developers themselves are purged by parent company Microsoft. Announced a few weeks back, Redfall game update 4 introduces a much-requested offline mode and single-player pausing, together with some new in-game progression features and activities: a Community Standing bar whereby Support currency can be spent on rewards from the Safehouse Skill tree, and Elder Nests, aka vampire nests with specially modified vampire bosses. That’s in addition to new enemy encounters in Redfall Commons, improved AI and a new Unrivaled Weapon.

Video: For 365 Days, We Took Our 2DS Everywhere Just For StreetPass

Please Nintendo, put StreetPass in ‘Switch 2’.

StreetPass was fantastic — StreetPass is fantastic — and last year our intrepid video producer Zion Grassl went on a personal quest to see how many tags he could get for the glorious little inter-console app…

At the start of 2023, I had a real longing for the days of the 3DS. Partially due to the fact the 3DS and Wii U eShop would be going down that year, but also because I had almost entirely failed to find any random StreetPass tags in the year prior. What once was such a common activity that I didn’t think much of, was now made a rare and celebratory experience. Sometimes ya just don’t know what ya got till it’s gone, right?

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Together We Thrive: Celebrating the Joy of the LGBTQIA+ Community in Gaming

Category: Announcements

May 31, 2024

Together We Thrive: Celebrating the Joy of the LGBTQIA+ Community in Gaming

Team Xbox

Summary

The Trevor Project and the Gaming Safety team are partnering to create a safer, more inclusive gaming community.
Explore Games Curated by LGBTQIA+ Communities at Microsoft.
Discover Pride Gear.

Games can be a powerful medium to express and explore one’s identity in a creative and safe environment. Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind allows players to romance and marry characters regardless of their gender. Overwatch features openly LGBTQIA+ characters, such as Tracer, who is heroic, strong, and prominently featured in the game. Tell Me Why tells the story of Tyler, a transgender man, with sensitivity and depth. Games can be a powerful way to explore identities within the safety of creative play while enabling all players to experience new perspectives that may be different from their own.

This Pride month, we invite you to join us on this journey of learning, growing, and thriving. Gaming is for everyone, and together, we can work towards creating a gaming community that is welcoming to everyone and is inclusive of people with a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. That meaningful work is achieved through people impacting others through education, appreciating the lived experiences of others and building empathy with members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

We believe it’s important to support organizations that uplift, empower, and address the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community. In the last 30 years, together with our employees, Microsoft has donated over $16M to organizations that support the LGBTQIA+ community, and in the last year alone, we donated over $1.3M. This year Xbox, along with Microsoft, is thrilled to continue these efforts with a $200K contribution to multiple organizations supporting the LGBQTIA+ community to help inspire conversations, rally community actions, and empower people to share their Pride.

Additionally, Xbox Game Studios Publishing is proud to continue partnering with GLAAD to produce more inclusive games from conception to design to development. Xbox is partnering with The Trevor Project to help connect LGBTQIA+ players with valuable resources that help support well-being and safety as they play within the Xbox community. Every player has a unique story, and we look forward to future projects where people across the rainbow spectrum may experience the same empowerment. Read on to learn more about how we are celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community this month and beyond:

GIVE

Spotlighting Xbox’s partnership with The Trevor Project

Three people in cartoon style sitting at a table with phones, a book, and a laptop.

Gaming has long been a source of fun, community, and self-expression for the LGBTQIA+ community. According to GLAAD, LGBTQIA+ gamers are 24% more likely to use gaming as a support to help get them through tough times – with 66% of LGBTQIA+ players sharing that gaming allows them to express themselves in a way they don’t feel comfortable doing in the real world.

This impact is not lost on us. At Xbox, we are committed to creating gaming experiences that are welcoming for all players, and that includes providing a safe and inclusive space where everyone can be their authentic selves.

That’s why we’re proud to spotlight Xbox’s standing partnership with The Trevor Project, a U.S. nonprofit that provides lifesaving and life-affirming services to LGBTQIA+ young people. Since 2019, Xbox and its safety teams have been partnering with The Trevor Project to connect players with resources to support their well-being and ensure they feel safe and welcome when they play on Xbox.

For us, it’s important players feel safe. Our ongoing partnership with The Trevor Project is one way for us to do that. More information on how Xbox supports player’s well-being can be found here.

In the spirit of Pride, we want to share the following safety tips to help players get the most out of their gaming experience:

Explore your user settings. Xbox offers settings that allow players choice in how they play. Players can select whether to make their friends list visible, choose to receive messages from people who aren’t friends, or block content they don’t wish to view.
Take comfort in knowing Xbox has your back. To support the broader player-base and LGBTQIA+ community, we take player safety seriously. This includes:
- In-game reporting tools to help players flag issues of inappropriate behavior or content. Xbox invests in 24/7 coverage globally to help respond to and investigate reports.
- Moderation tools that work across text, images video and voice, to block harmful content before it reaches players.
- Access to automatic text filters, which empowers players to customize their gaming experience and decide what content is not okay to receive – these filters automatically block content before it reaches the player.
- Continuing to create proactive measures to block hate speech and invest in technologies to help moderate potentially toxic communications, while allowing individual expression.

Gaming and Impact with Rewards with Xbox

Rewards members in the United States can earn and donate points to organizations supporting LGBTQIA+ communities with Xbox. The organizations below will be available on the Rewards hub:

GLAAD: Founded in 1985, GLAAD – the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization – works with television, film, video games, Spanish-language media, journalists, and social media to tell stories and consult on LGBTQ media representation. GLAAD tackles tough issues and provokes dialogue that leads to cultural change through increased media accountability, public campaigns, corporate engagement initiatives, and advocacy programs that help to ensure 100% inclusion and acceptance of the LGBTQ community. (US)
Outright International: Outright International is dedicated to working with partners around the globe to strengthen the capacity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) human rights movement, document and amplify human rights violations against LGBTIQ people, and advocate for inclusion and equality. (US)
National Center for Transgender Equality: The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) advocates to change policies and society to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender and non-binary people. In the nation’s capital and throughout the country, NCTE works to replace disrespect, discrimination, and violence with empathy, opportunity, and justice. (US)

Xbox players can earn Rewards points in various ways, such as playing games, completing Game Pass Quests, and purchasing games and other eligible items at the Microsoft Store (exclusions apply). Start earning today and redeem your points for great rewards. Donate your points on the Rewards hub or on the Rewards redeem page.

PLAY

Tell Me Why Available for Free in June on Xbox Consoles, Microsoft Store, and Steam!

Michael, a young man wearing a beige knitted sweater, walks next to Tyler and Alyson Ronan in a snowy residential area.

Tell Me Why, the award-winning narrative adventure from Don’t Nod Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios Publishing, will be available for free on Xbox consoles, Windows PC, and Steam for the entire month of June 2024. As in past years, the Tell Me Why team encourages players to give what they would have spent on Tell Me Why to an independent trans creator or a trans-inclusive charity in their community.

Explore Games Curated by LGBTQIA+ Communities at Microsoft

A compilation image featuring game box art for Need for Speed Unbound, Starfield, Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, The Quarry, and The Bed We Made on a background including the Xbox Sphere styled in recognition for Pride featuring a rainbow sky, castle, and various pride flags.

Xbox invites you to play with pride.

During June and beyond, check out a variety of game collections that showcase LGBTQIA+ creators, lead characters, and games with inclusive gender and relationship options. Available on the Microsoft Stores on Xbox and Windows, check out the transgender and non-binary community games collection and the LGBTQIA+ community games collection. These collections will exist year-round as part of our ongoing work to create more inclusive gaming ecosystems and elevate content that resonates with communities. For Xbox Game Pass members, explore what games are available to play in the Xbox Game Pass collection and the PC Game Pass collection.

Featured titles within the collections include:

Need for Speed Unbound (Available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on Console, PC, and Cloud) – Need for Speed Unbound’s character creator allows for multiple gender expressions via clothing, hair, and voice options that aren’t limited to the gender binary. The game also features racing rival, Justicia, a trans woman voiced by trans actress, Sena Bryer, in addition to including LGBTQIA+ iconography in the streets and as decals for your cars.

Starfield (Available with Xbox Game Pass on Console, PC, and Cloud) – In this role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey. Starfield boasts an impressive character creation tool with multiple body types, skin tones, hairstyles, non-gendered features, and they/them pronoun options. Exploration options include pursuing romantic relationships regardless of gender.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical (Available on Console) – Play as star and stagehand as you determine the story through conversation and song in this video game for musical lovers. Written by the iconic and openly gay narrative designer, David Gaider, you’ll craft not only a unique narrative, but a soundtrack to your own musical experience based on your choices. Forge your own story and decide who to romance.

The Quarry (Available with Xbox Game Pass on Console and Cloud) – Play solo or in a group of friends as any of nine camp counselors in this thrilling cinematic experience that leads down a tangled web of possibilities based on your choices. Enjoy a night of fun before a party quickly turns into an unpredictable night of horror and your relationships are tested by unimaginable life-or-death decisions.

This Bed We Made (Available on Console) – Chloe Lussier, CEO and co-founder of Lowbirth Games, wants to tell impactful stories that feature unconventional heroes. Set in the 1950s, the story that unfolds in This Bed We Made is tied to real history when being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community was criminalized. Step into the role of Sophie, an indiscreet chambermaid at a hotel filled with secrets, in this third-person mystery narrative game that explores the lengths people have had to go to pursue loving relationships as their authentic self.

Celebrate Pride in Forza Horizon 5

Screenshot from Forza Horizon 5 shows players in a group of colorful cars cruising through a narrow curving street in the city of Guanajuato, Mexico.

This year’s Pride-themed Xbox art will be added to Forza Horizon 5 as a vinyl: an in-game decal that you can use to customize any car. Show off this unique design on your car using #ForzaRainbow on social media for a chance to be featured! (The vinyl will be available starting June 7 from the Forza Horizon accounts on Instagram and X.)

Overwatch 2 Celebrates Pride with In-Game Map and Calling All Heroes

Heroes Lifeweaver, Tracer, and Venture standing in front of a Pride rainbow

Overwatch 2 celebrates Pride this month with the return of a fan-favorite map and Calling All Heroes. All month long, the Pride festival returns to Overwatch 2’s Midtown map. Players can look forward to playing on this map as they queue for Unranked and Competitive games and directly in a dedicated play card on the Arcade. Calling All Heroes is Overwatch 2’s competitive Esports series that provides an inclusive environment to aspiring competitors of marginalized genders, including those who present themselves as Trans, Non-Binary, and Genderqueer. This competition returned last weekend, and everyone who tunes in at twitch.tv/ow_esports will be able to earn new drops like the new Monarch Venture skin.

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Xbox Gear Shop

Show your love and support for Pride 2024 with our new limited-edition t-shirts, hoodies and more – designed by and with the LGBTQIA+ communities. Get your Pride gear now!

Two people wearing the 2024 Blizzard Pride Collection apparel

Celebrate Pride with the new 2024 Pride Collection exclusively on the Blizzard Gear Store! Led through the Blizzard LGBT+ Employee Network, the Blizzard Pride Collection features Pride-themed apparel benefitting The Trevor Project from May 15 through June 30, 2024.

Explore Xbox’s Kingdom of Color

A custom rainbow Xbox sphere with a castle showcasing various Pride flags.

In celebration of Pride, the Xbox logo was reimagined as a crystal radiating with power at the top of a magic staff. The storybook-inspired image also includes a castle with festive rainbow banners and fireworks. The artist, who is part of the LGBTQIA+ community, imagines the Kingdom of Color as a place where people who identify as LGBTQIA+ rule and the magic of Pride is spread to every corner of the realm. Right from the pages of a leather-bound book filled with colorful art and calligraphy text, this image evokes not only familiar stories of dragons, knights, and wizards, but launches those stories into a more inclusive future in which all players find their magic.

Xbox Ambassadors Celebrate Pride 2024

The Xbox Ambassadors Program is celebrating Pride by spotlighting members of the Xbox Ambassadors community who responded to a recent survey about their experiences as gamers. Read the Xbox Ambassadors blog to hear community members sharing their favorite memories playing video games, recommending games that do a good job representing LGBTQIA+ people and experiences, and offering tips on how to stay safe when gaming online.

Pride Dynamic Background and Wallpaper Available Now

The Pride Month Xbox design is available today as an Xbox wallpaper and dynamic background on console – follow these steps to apply the dynamic background:

Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide.
Select Profile & system > Settings > General > Personalization > My background > Dynamic backgrounds.

You can choose between Games, Xbox, or Abstract dynamic backgrounds. Choose the background art that you want with the A button.

Radical Joy with Microsoft

In the face of adversity, existence itself can be resistance and spark change. This Pride, LGBTQIA+ people at Microsoft share the meaning of joy and invite everyone to spread acceptance, abundance, and harmony everywhere. Join us and discover more at Microsoft.com/pride.

The post Together We Thrive: Celebrating the Joy of the LGBTQIA+ Community in Gaming appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Tomba creator Tokuro Fujiwara discusses the colorful side-scroller’s PlayStation heritage

Today is my lucky day because I get to talk about Tomba with legendary creator Tokuro Fujiwara. Before leaving Capcom to develop Tomba, Fujiwara worked on many games, including some you might have heard of, like Mega Man, Resident Evil, and Commando.

Tomba is a colorful action platformer originally published by Sony Computer Entertainment and beloved by hardcore PlayStation fans. In an era where side-scrollers were being left behind for polygon-pushing 3D gameplay, Mr. Fujiwara decided to do something different: a beautiful blend of old and new, something truly unique.

Now, after almost twenty years, Tomba returns to PlayStation on August 1 with new features as Tomba Special Edition

Alena Alambeigi: In 1997, when you made Tomba, most developers focused on making 3D games like Tomb Raider or Crash Bandicoot. You instead decided to mix 2D sprites with perspective-shifting 3D environments. Why?

Tokuro Fujiwara: Tomba runs on 3D technology, with gameplay designed around 2D principles. This is why it’s described as a 2.5D game. I think 2D games have a certain kind of charm that 3D doesn’t. I also wanted to push the limits of what could be done. To bring my vision to life, I needed to use 2D principles along with 3D CG visuals. This allowed me to create something that felt new on the PlayStation.

There were times when I wondered if I should go 3D instead, 3D games have a very clear sense of space. In 2D, all the action takes place on a flat plane, and multiple layers provide a sense of depth. This means you have to design the game in creative ways so that the different layers don’t conflict. This results in something interesting that can only be achieved with 2D.

Alambeigi: What do you hope new players will take away from Tomba Special Edition?

Fujiwara: Tomba has many side quests. These come in different varieties and are hidden throughout the game. I encourage players to seek them out. Various items allow players to learn new moves, expanding how levels can be beaten. I hope players search and seal away the Evil Pigs scattered throughout the world, which will unlock even more to see! There are many discoveries to be made. I hope players can relax and enjoy the world of Tomba.

Alambeigi: Speaking of genre-bending gameplay. Tomba feels like an open world despite being described as a side-scrolling platformer. This was largely due to how nonlinearly the levels could be played. Was this done intentionally, or was it something that just happened through development?

Fujiwara: I had envisioned this open-feel game from the very beginning. It was all a blur when things started, but as development progressed, it began taking shape.

You could consider Tomba an open-world title, a term that was rarely used back then. There’s a wide area with a lot of different content in it. You encounter, discover, and collect various things as you move around. For example, you have to complete certain tasks in Tomba, but you can wander around freely and complete them however you like. Some tasks and main objectives can even be skipped entirely. Many of the ideas I envisioned for Tomba back in the day were ideas we see in open-world game design today.

I initially wanted to include 100 quests, but the final game exceeded that. It was hard work for the team to fit it all together on a timeline. What started out as vague ideas in my head ballooned into an amount of content so large it blew my mind!

Alambeigi: The original PlayStation was a massive leap in gaming technology. What was it like to experience it back then?

Fujiwara: Game development is an ongoing battle against technology growth. This was the case back then and is still true today. I felt that the PlayStation was such a remarkable improvement in terms of hardware, allowing for greater possibilities. Games went from being rendered in pixels to CG. Game developers had to learn many new skills. Expectations ballooned along with the scope of game ideas. Development environments evolved, which made things challenging but exciting for developers. The introduction of the PlayStation and the advancements from that era still impact games today.

Alambeigi: Finally, why do you think it’s important to bring Tomba back now?

Fujiwara: Tomba has been around for a long time, but continues to be loved by many. I’ve long wished that the game could be accessible to more people on modern systems. Now that the opportunity is here, I think PlayStation fans today will get a ton of enjoyment out of Tomba

Tomba Special Edition leaps onto PlayStation 5 on August 1, with PS4 to follow.

Anger Foot is Like John Wick with Some Extra Kick

Fast-paced first-person shooters may be a dime a dozen these days, but Anger Foot has a unique gameplay hook that is literally kicking the door down for your attention. This colourful and completely chaotic shooter from the makers of Broforce is like a first-person take on the compelling, room-clearing carnage of Hotline Miami, with an emphasis on using your left foot of fury to violently smash a path through locked doors, obstacles, and gangs of anthropomorphic animal enemies. It’s a shoot and boot ‘em up that feels like John Wick with some extra kick, and I enjoyed the two hours I spent playing an early build of Anger Foot every skull-stomping step of the way.

There are guns too, of course, but the pistol in your hand is merely a support act to the size 12 snuffer of life at the end of your left leg. There’s no ammunition to pick up and reload, instead once you’ve run out of rounds to chamber you just throw your empty gun at an enemy to stun them, jump-kick them into next week, and catch their freshly dropped uzi or shotgun before carrying on your merry, murderous way. Enemies can be booted directly into their friends behind them like dim-witted dominoes, and there’s never any shortage of explosive gas canisters or oil barrels to be found in each gang den you crash through, allowing for spectacular chain reaction kills – or your own instant death should you accidently shoot them at close quarters.

The pistol in your hand is merely a support act to the size 12 snuffer of life at the end of your left leg.

In fact, I’ve died a lot during the two-dozen levels I’ve played so far, since you’re every bit as vulnerable to one-shotted deaths as the enemies around you. A continually shuffling roster of enemy types and combinations meant that Anger Foot consistently kept me on my anger toes, forcing me to find new strategies to most efficiently deal with each new threat. When riot gear clad birds arrived I started firing off a round to make them reflexively raise their shields so that I could run in and boot their bulletproof barriers straight back into their beaks. Meanwhile I was delighted to find that the grenades thrown by puffer jacket-clad goons could be volleyed back at them with a well-timed kick, forcing them to watch their own bomb blow up in their faces like they were the producers of the Madame Web movie.

Surviving all the way to each level exit earns you a star, but there are a further two stars to claim per level for optional challenges such as completing a level within a stricter time limit, or killing a certain number of enemies using only your foot. Some of these additional objectives seem seriously challenging, and although each level only takes a couple of minutes to complete I can see myself spending hours trying to earn all the stars in the finished game – although I don’t know how I’m supposed to beat a level in under 30 seconds when I keep getting distracted by the playable Broforce arcade machines found along the way.

The more stars you earn, the more special shoes you can unlock and lace up, with each pair of kicks granting you a unique gameplay buff not unlike the animal masks from Hotline Miami. You might strap on a pair of high tops that earns you a precious round of ammo for every bad guy you boot in the face, or slip into a pair of sneakers that activates a big head mode to make it easier to headshot enemies from long range. I also found footwear that could charge up kicks into room-clearing dash attacks, as well as another pair that let me come back from the dead once per level. Talk about a sole revival!

I also unlocked a slightly embarrassing pair of socks with sandals that allowed me to deal extra damage during boss fights, although this did mean that I was able to easily stomp out Anger Foot’s first major boss like it was a house spider under a work boot. Given how tricky the levels that preceded it were, including one against an unseen sniper that instantly snuffed out my sprints between cover, it seemed slightly disappointing to dispatch the leader of the Violence Gang with a mere handful of half-hearted highkicks. Hopefully there’ll be some heavier head honchos to contend with in the three other gangs to take down in Anger Foot – namely the Pollution Gang found in the sewers, the Business Gang found in the high rises, and the Debauchery Gang found in… I don’t know, one of P. Diddy’s mansions, probably.

Basic boss fights aside, Anger Foot’s evolving combat and cartoonish charm kept a goofy grin on my face during my playtime, and its rousing, bass-heavy techno groove had me tapping my toes while I was capping my foes – from rooftop shootouts with heavily-armed gangbangers to subterranean stoushes with snakes and giant squid tentacles in the sewers below. It remains to be seen if the instantly gratifying action of Anger Foot will have the anger legs to go the distance in the finished game, but based on what I’ve played so far it seems like this is one frantic first-person shooter that’s truly putting its best foot forward.

Tristan Ogilvie is a Senior Video Editor in IGN’s Sydney office. He likes to wear sneakers… for sneaking. Follow him here.