Alan Wake 2 is Remedy’s fastest-selling game yet, shifting over 1.3m copies, but hasn’t made a penny of profit

Alan Wake 2, last year’s best horror game, best game overall or best-game-featuring-an-unexpected-but-extremely-welcome-musical-dance-number depending on who you ask, has shifted over a million copies. Musical dance numbers don’t come cheap, though, so it’s still yet to turn a profit – despite outpacing the momentum of any of Remedy’s previous games, including Control.

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Guide: Every Basketball Game On Nintendo Switch

Everything from dunks to dumps.

We’re getting ready for NBA All-Star Weekend 2024 with a look at every basketball game on Nintendo Switch. The three-day event tips off in Indiana on 16th February with contests and challenges taking place every day until the 73rd All-Star Game finale on 18th February.


With all of its high-flying athleticism, nail-biting buzzer beaters, and silky skills, it’s no wonder that basketball is often the number one draft pick for developers looking to make a sports game.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

PlateUp! A Delectable Kitchen Roguelite Combining Kitchen Chaos and Management

Hello, I’m Alastair, the creator of PlateUp. I love deep roguelike games, which you can play over and over, with a different experience every time. And I love playing co-op games with friends. But it was hard to find a game that had the depth I wanted but was approachable enough for everyone to enjoy. So I left my job and made PlateUp – a co-op roguelite restaurant game – to be the game I wanted to play. After the amazing support the game has seen on PC, with over 1.5 million players, I’m excited to bring the game to so many new players on Xbox with Game Pass.

Plateup kitchen

You’ll need to build up your restaurant from scratch to make it in the cutthroat world of hospitality. Spend your earnings each day to buy new appliances, then arrange your restaurant to optimise your performance. You’ve got complete control of the layout. Can’t reach the sink easily? Pick it up and move it closer. Kitchen too small? Move some things into another room. Customers too far away? Cook in front of them – just try not to set their table on fire!

It’ll start simple. You’ve got one meal to serve. Your customers behave themselves.

But every three days, the heat turns up. You’ll be presented with a choice of two new random challenges and you (and your team) will have to decide what to take on. You might opt to add more to your menu; maybe adding a side, a starter or a dessert. Or you could increase the complexity of one of your existing dishes by adding a sauce or swapping an ingredient out for a home-made version. Alternatively, you can keep your menu simple and handle more – and fussier – customers. Maybe you’ll need to remember your customers’ orders, or maybe from now on they’ll all turn up at the same time?

Plateup screenshot

I wanted PlateUp to be a game everyone could enjoy. There’s lots of depth, but you only need two buttons to interact with everything. You can join your friends mid-session, and it doesn’t matter if you’re not as experienced as them – everyone can contribute without getting in the way. It’s not a blame game, and there’s no shame in losing; it’s all part of the process! I made it a roguelite, so that every time you start a new run you’ll get new dishes to serve, new challenges to overcome, and new tools to overcome them with. Everything you face will be something you’ve chosen to take on. Never get stuck on your least favourite level again.

Plateup kitchen scene 2

Replayability is a core part of PlateUp. It’s great to have games to play with friends, but it’s even better when everyone can keep enjoying them. Each run you play will be different, with everything from the layout of your restaurant to the appliances you can buy changing every time. It’ll be a fresh experience for everyone, experienced and new players alike.

And as you play, you’ll unlock more content, including challenging game modes, dishes, and bigger layouts. You’ll also get a reward when your restaurant closes, which you can bring along to a later attempt, helping you get started. The more you play, the closer you’ll get to building the restaurant of your dreams.

Plateup screenshot

Since the game first launched on PC, I’ve grown the PlateUp team and we’ve been hard at work improving the game. Over the last year, we’ve added relaxed coffee shop and bakery modes (no dishes to clean!); we’ve also added Turbo, a fast-paced way to turn up the pressure and push the limits. Throughout the year we’ve had seasonal maps, each with new gameplay and content. I’m excited to bring PlateUp – and all these new updates – to Xbox players, and we’ve added a brand new dish (the much-requested spaghetti) to celebrate.

I hope the PlateUp experience is something you’ll share with all your friends with Game Pass, both locally and online!

Xbox Live
Xbox Play Anywhere

PlateUp!

Yogscast Games


168


$19.99

$15.99
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass

PlateUp! combines chaotic kitchen and restaurant management with strategic planning and development to create a delightful roguelite dish unlike any other.

Up to four players build and run a restaurant from scratch, choosing dishes, buying and placing appliances – some of which can be daisy-chained together to create ambitious automatic kitchens – cooking food and serving customers.

Players have free rein to design their restaurant which will expand and develop between shifts – with additional content and challenges unlocked through progression.

Can you cook, serve and manage your way through 15 hectic days in your restaurant and unlock a brand-new franchise?

Classic co-op cooking action, with a wide selection of mains, sides, sauces, toppings, desserts, and starters.
Choose your equipment, lay out your kitchen, curate your menu and plate up your dishes.
From bubbling soups to sublime salads, tender steaks to hearty pies, there’s something for everyone.

Look after front-of-house: seating customers, delivering orders, and managing patience.
Equip your restaurant to handle the most fickle of customers and deliver them what they need, right when they need it.
Co-operate with your team like a well-olive-oiled machine or build a name for yourself going it alone.
Exceed your goals and take your franchise to greater heights at a new location, bringing with you new unlocks and upgrade

Upgrade and rearrange your restaurant to your personal taste: when the restaurant closes for the day, the planning begins!
Decide what new equipment to purchase, and place it wherever you want.
Want to go high-tech? Install the turbo-ovens, crank up the conveyors, and make way for the robo-kitchen of the future.
Fancy something a little more… fancy? Curate your art collection, fix up that wallpaper, enlist a friend as a maître d’ and get ready to provide the culinary experience of a lifetime.

Exceed your goals and start over at your next location, bringing with you new unlocks and upgrades.
Tailor your brand towards gourmet dining, or fine-tune your fast food franchise.
Every restaurant is procedurally-generated with its own climate, customers and conditions.
Return to your franchise HQ to view your achievements, customise your characters and upgrade your kit, ready for your next adventure!

The post PlateUp! A Delectable Kitchen Roguelite Combining Kitchen Chaos and Management appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Share of the Week: Romantic

Last week, we asked you share romantic moments from a game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

bluegreenherb shares Tifa and Aerith each holding one of Cloud’s arms in Final Fantasy VII Remake

Amianan_NiRaGuB shares Astarion lovingly gazing up at the player character who romanced him in Baldur’s Gate 3

DEX_exiled shares Zo and Varl from Horizon Forbidden West sharing a sweet kiss

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JarrinWasHere shares Garrus pulling Shepard into a dramatic dip in Mass Effect Legendary Edition

K_Alien121 shares Dion and Terence holding each other close in Final Fantasy XVI

Lny_Trpr_EE7 shares Catwoman and Batman sharing a moment in Batman Arkham Knight

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME:  Best Friends
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on February 21, 2024

Next week, we’re shining a light on gaming besties. Share a pair of gaming best friends or close companions from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

If you’re enjoying Cobalt Core, you should play Sunshine Heavy Industries

I promise I’m not trying to turn RPS into a Soggins the Frog fansite, but… If you have a) been enjoying Cobalt Core as part of RPS Game Club this month, and b) especially like it when Soggins turns up with his ship of malfunctioning missile launchers, then I implore you to make Sunshine Heavy Industries your next port of call in your Steam library. It’s what the Cobalt Core devs Rocket Rat Games made first, and you can immediately see a lot of shared DNA between the two games – not least its chunky, charming pixel visuals and some crossover between its cast of characters – including our pal Soggins.

It is, I should stress, a very different game to Cobalt Core – it’s a sandboxy spaceship builder with zero combat involved, for starters – but I’ve been playing it again this week ahead of some other Game Club-themed articles I’ve got cooking, and I’ve been having a lovely time with it. Not least because I get to spend more time with Soggins the very smug frog, all while listening to even more excellent chill tunes from Cobalt Core composer Aaron Cherof.

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Star Wars Mandalorian Video Game Reportedly in the Works at Respawn

Star Wars Jedi and Apex Legends developer Respawn Entertainment is reportedly working on a first-person Mandalorian video game.

Insider Gaming reports Respawn’s Mandalorian game, which in the early stages of development, lets players control a Mandalorian bounty hunter during a time when the Empire is dominating the galaxy. IGN has asked EA for comment.

The player is reportedly tasked with taking on bounties for cash, as you might expect from a Mandalorian video game. There’s word the iconic Mandalorian jetpack plays a part in the game’s “high mobility”, with boost sliding similar to that seen in Respawn’s battle royale, Apex Legends.

It’s said to be “fast-paced”, with health regenerating upon successive kills. Gadgets supposedly include a wrist rocket, grapple hook, and a visor for tagging enemies and bounties. According to Insider Gaming, this Mandalorian game is not open world, rather made up of linear levels set across multiple planets. There’s no word on multiplayer. As for when this game will come out, Insider Gaming reports it’s still a year or two away at least.

It’s extremely busy times for Respawn, which is working on the ongoing live service Apex Legends, the third game in the Star Wars Jedi series, an untitled Star Wars first-person shooter, and even a Star Wars strategy game.

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

Call of Duty Dataminer Reveals Unannounced Warhammer 40,000 Skins

Following the revelation that Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone are getting a surprise Warhammer 40,000 crossover, a dataminer has revealed what the skins actually look like in-game.

Modern Warfare 3 dataminer TheOfficeCOD posted a video showcasing two Space Marine operator skins coming to Activision’s shooter, one from the Ultramarines chapter, the other from the Blood Angels.

While the Space Marines look goofy holding Call of Duty guns (these Power Armour-clad transhuman warriors are meant to dwarf the average human in terms of size and power), it sounds like they are reserved for use with the Juggernaut killstreak, which lets you wear a hulking, armoured suit and wield a devastating minigun. That sounds much more up a Space Marine’s street. Perhaps the Juggernaut’s minigun will be swapped out for a Bolter, the iconic Space Marine weapon from Games Workshop’s grim dark sci-fi universe.

Indeed, TheOfficeCOD revealed the Warhammer 40,000 skins are labelled as Juggernaut in the files, and suggests they are reserved for a limited-time event or special game mode. But, there are Space Marine finishers, apparently, which suggests an Operator addition.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone are in the middle of Season 2, which promises a Juggermosh LTM in-season. This mode sees all players play as a Juggernaut in third-person, which would lend itself to seeing the Power Armour in all its glory were it to be aligned with the Warhammer 40,000 crossover. Modern Warfare 3 Season 2 Reloaded is set for early March.

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

Baldur’s Gate 3’s latest patch improves smooching, idle animations, and a bazillion other things

Baldur’s Gate 3‘s latest update has, as per most of their updates, a colossal number of improvements. Notably, there are new animations for folks who hunker down in your camp and a speedier way to dismiss unwanted companions. But most importantly of all, the smooching has been improved tenfold for fans of romance, or voyeurs who relish virtual characters trading saliva.

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Reminder: Splatoon 3’s Weekend-Themed Splatfest Gets Underway Tomorrow

Which day got your vote?

Update #2 : There wasn’t a Nintendo Direct this week, but there is a Splatfest, so that’s some Nintendo news to be excited about, right?

Yes, this is your friendly reminder that Splatoon 3’s next team event kicks off this weekend (today, if you’re in North America)! This time, the vote is all about “What’s the best day of the weekend?“, with Team Friday, Saturday and Sunday battling it out.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 19 to 23

Next Week on Xbox Hero Image

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 19 to 23

This is Next Week on Xbox! This weekly feature shows you all the games that are coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass! You can find more information about these upcoming games below and click on their profiles for more details (release dates may vary. Let’s get started!


Xbox Live

Balatro

Playstack Ltd

Balatro – February 20
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Balatro is a poker-inspired roguelike deck builder all about creating powerful synergies and winning big. Combine valid poker hands with unique Joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress.


Xbox Live

qomp2

Atari

$19.99

qomp2 – February 20
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Control a Pong ball aching to break free of its life stuck between two paddles. Explore a dangerous, minimalist world, armed with simple two button controls: tap a button to change direction diagonally by 45 degrees, and hold down a button to unleash a cathartic dash forward.


Xbox Live

Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters

Frontier Developments


1


$44.99

$38.24

Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Demonhunters – February 20
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Welcome to the brutal, war-torn universe of Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters, where the forces of Chaos threaten humanity’s very existence. Lead the Grey Knights to exterminate the forces of Chaos in this fast-paced, ferocious, turn-based tactical combat game in a saga penned by acclaimed Black Library author, Aaron Dembski-Bowden


Xbox Live

A Time Traveller’s Guide To Past Delicacies (Xbox Series X|S)

Sometimes You


$4.99

$3.99

A Time Traveler’s Guide to Past Delicacies – February 21
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

A short game about a fictional time traveler raiding the past to steal recipes. Follow a sock puppet into the dark bowels of time and learn new recipes. Meet your long-dead ancestors. Exploit them to further your cooking skills. Take some pictures of dinosaurs. Appropriate what you can in this experimental story-driven adventure.


Xbox Live

Froggie – A Retro Platformer

Eastasiasoft Limited

Froggie – A Retro Platformer – February 21
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Return to a simpler style of platforming action in Froggie – A Retro Platformer, a side-scroller presented in minimalistic black-and-white style where you take the role of an anthropomorphic frog as he leaps his way through 100 challenging levels! Run, wall jump, and wall slide with fluid pixel art animation as you hop on enemies’ heads, avoid spike traps and more!


Xbox Live

Geometric Sniper Z

Silesia Games Sp. z o.o.

Geometric Sniper Z – February 21

The zombifying pathogen has come out of nowhere. Society is falling apart. People are in pain. Still, they can take comfort in knowing that there is a watchful sniper always on the lookout for zombies. Take the role of that sniper in Geometric Sniper Z, a highly stylized 2D isometric shooter. Challenge yourself in different game modes, neutralize zombies using different weapons, save and escort survivors, and progress through the story.


Xbox Live

ROUNDS

Landfall

$8.49

Rounds – February 21
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Shoot, block, and jump your way to victory with your shotgun-rocket-launcher-that-shoots-heat-seeking-bouncy-missiles or one of the other over 11.2 million different powerup combinations. Wave your noodle arms around to assert dominance.


Xbox Live

Slave Zero X

Ziggurat Interactive, Inc.

$24.99

Slave Zero X – February 21
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Use swift swordplay, explosive ordnance, and stylish combos against an army of meat and metal. Air juggling, dashes, and frequent target switching allow for you to take down foes of any size while wall-jumping and platforming can help you outmaneuver your enemies. Conquer mini-bosses, set pieces, and climactic 1-on-1 encounters that offer intense challenges against unforgettable villains.


Xbox Live
Xbox Play Anywhere

Tenderfoot Tactics

Ice Water Games

$14.99

Tenderfoot Tactics – February 21
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

A novel, deterministic combat system, with easy to grasp rules and astonishing depth. No random miss chances. No damage ranges. Manipulate the elements to turn the battlefield to your advantage, but beware the consequences, as nature is complex and fickle. Open chasms, raise mountains, boil lakes, drain rivers. Start fires you later regret.


Xbox Live

502’s Arcade

502 Studios

502’s Arcade – February 22
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

An anthology of fast-paced arcade games where your goal is to reach the top of the leaderboards in each one. The games go from a dungeon crawler set in a procedurally generated temple where you must seal spirits, to a cute but challenging puzzle where you must prepare the orders of a very hectic potions shop. Come and get that good old feeling of competition you got when going to the arcade, or just having fun and challenging yourself by trying to get all the achievements for each game.


Xbox Live

Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator Pre-order

Nacon

$39.99

Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator – February 22
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A relaxing gardening game in which you create your dream garden in a peaceful, colorful world. Plant and add ornaments at your own pace, transforming an overgrown forgotten plot into a flourishing community garden.


Xbox Live

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale Pre-Order

NeocoreGames

$44.99

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale – February 22
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Play as Sir Mordred, the former black knight of the grim tales. You killed King Arthur, but with his dying breath, he struck you down. You both died – and yet, you both live. The Lady of the Lake wants you to finish what you have begun… in the twisted, dark realm of Avalon! Experience a unique hybrid between tactical games and character-centric RPGs in this dark fantasy version of the Arthurian myth.


Xbox Live

Quadroids

Just For Games

Quadroids – February 22
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Control your Quadroids simultaneously on four screens and make your way through more than 100 danger-filled levels. Jump to avoid acid baths, lasers, deadly spikes, and other vicious traps, or strategically sacrifice your minions to create new platforming opportunities.


Xbox Live

Aery – Stone Age

EpiXR Games

$9.99
Xbox One X Enhanced

Aery – Stone Age – February 23
Xbox One X Enhanced

Play as a little flying spirit that watches humanity in its early states evolve. You will discover a long-forgotten land with beautiful environments, and you will be able to enjoy the feeling of flying while exploring a whole world filled with beauty and little secrets.


Xbox Live
Xbox Play Anywhere

Demons of Asteborg

PixelHeart


$9.89

$7.91

Demons of Asteborg – February 23
Xbox Play Anywhere

A new action-platform game straight out of the 16-bit era. Play as Gareth, a knight of the royal guard and defeat the evil forces of Asteborg. Learn powerful spells and use them to unlock your path or defeat your enemies. Collect gold from the remains of your opponents and purchase upgrades to unlock your full potential!


Xbox Live

Flooded

Forever Entertainment S. A.

Flooded – February 23

The waters have risen to an alarming level, leaving merely a handful of places habitable. As a leader of a small group of survivors, you are tasked to extract resources to construct an ark and move to a safer location. Gather enough resources to flee to safety while the surrounding world gets flooded.


Xbox Live

Promenade

Red Art Games


$24.99

$22.49

Promenade – February 23
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

The Great Elevator has broken, and its cogs have been scattered all around the world. Collect the lost cogs, repair the Great Elevator, and unlock new levels in this collectathon inspired by 3D platformers.


The post Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 19 to 23 appeared first on Xbox Wire.