Good news for anyone eager to meet a big talking catfish. A new trailer for action adventure game South Of Midnight sees players battering monsters from the folklore of the US’ Deep South. It shows hero Hazel arguing with her mum before a supernatural hurricane cuts off the family drama and sends Hazel wandering the swamps to encounter giant alligators, giant fish, giant dolls, and giant people. Maybe Hazel is just very small. Either way, it also dangles an important morsel in front of our snapping jaws: a release date. Come see.
The Steam Deck is very much focused on the PC market, but even it’s seemingly been unable to avoid the excitement of the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement last week with a reported slump in sales revenue.
As highlighted by Twisted Voxel (via Steam Deck HQ), the Steam Deck is regularly trending at the top of the “top sellers” chart on Steam, but between 14th January – 21st January, Valve’s portable PC hardware dropped from the top three to the 47th spot. This is supposedly its “lowest global ranking since its launch in 2022”. At the time of writing, it’s now back up in second place on the charts – so it’s business as usual.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition will land on the Switch this March, and ahead of this Wii U title’s return, pre-order deals are now going live in North America.
If you’re planning on picking up a physical copy, you might want to check out Best Buy, as it will be offering a fancy mini metal poster and stand featuring the game’s key artwork. If you’ve already pre-ordered from this store, this should be added to your existing order.
Doom: The Dark Ages is set to release for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC on May 13 if you buy one of the more expensive editions, or May 15 if you buy the standard edition. The latest in a long line of heavy-metal-infused, demon-slaying first-person shooters, Doom: The Dark Ages promises to offer plenty of pools of blood and gore as you blast your way through the hordes of hell. Fun times. It’s available to preorder now in handful of editions (see it at Best Buy). Below, you’ll find details about what comes in each edition, where it’s available, and more. Put on your Slayer suit and let’s dive in.
If you’ve preordered the standard edition, or you plan to play the game via Game Pass, and you want the premium items or to play two days early, the premium upgrade gets you that. It basically turns your standard edition into the premium edition.
The collector’s edition comes with the premium edition of the game on disc, plus the following:
12” Doom Slayer statue
Key card replica in steelbook
Up to 2 days early access
Campaign DLC
Divinity Skin Pack
Digital artbook and soundtrack
Doom: The Dark Ages Will Be on Game Pass
Like all Microsoft-published games, Doom: The Dark Ages will be available to play on Game Pass Ultimate at launch. However, “launch” means the release date of the standard edition, which is May 15. If you want to play it two days early (May 13), you can purchase the premium upgrade above.
Doom: The Dark Ages Preorder Bonus
Preorder the game, and you’ll receive the Void Doom Slayer skin at launch.
During the latest Developer_Direct, we showed off tons of brand new gameplay and provided developer insights on four upcoming games launching for Xbox Series X|S, PC, Game Pass, and cloud – and even surprise released a bonus remaster along the way.
We visited the studios behind DOOM: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and the never-before-seen NINJA GAIDEN 4 to get an inside look at new gameplay footage, as well as key information from each game, direct from the developers working on them. Plus, to celebrate the return of NINJA GAIDEN, we also announced that a remastered version of the beloved Xbox classic, NINJA GAIDEN 2 Blackwill be available for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Game Pass from today.
In addition to Xbox Cloud Gaming, all the games in our show also support Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning when you buy them through the store on Xbox or Windows, they’re yours to play on Xbox and Windows PC at no additional cost, and your game progress and achievements are saved across Xbox and Windows PC.
Here’s a summary of everything we announced and covered during Developer_Direct today:
DOOM: The Dark Ages – Launching May 15, 2025
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox App for Windows PC, Steam, PlayStation 5, and play it day one with Game Pass*
The team at id Software shared a deep dive into DOOM: The Dark Ages and revealed that the cinematic, epic first-person shooter will launch on May 15, 2025.
DOOM: The Dark Ages, a prequel to the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, is set in a dark fantasy/sci-fi world with DOOM’s immediately recognizable hellish twist. In the segment, three core pillars of the game were explored: Combat, which dug into deadly new weapons of mass destruction the Slayer can wield; Exploration, which offered a glimpse at an incredible new medieval-inspired setting that will take players to never-before-seen dark and sinister realms; and Story, which gave an overview of the characters and stakes the Slayer will face in his journey to turn the tides of a war.
This is the most ambitious DOOM game to date. id Software is seizing the chance to present both newcomers and long-time fans alike with an epic adventure as the super weapon in a medieval war against hell itself. Find out more about the game, with extra information from the developers in our Xbox Wire article.
South of Midnight – Launching April 8, 2025
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox App for Windows PC, Steam, cloud, and play it day one with Game Pass*
Compulsion Games took us behind the scenes at their studio in Montreal, Canada to learn more about South of Midnight, their new third-person action adventure game which releases on April 8, 2025.
In Compulsion’s segment, we learned more about the journey of Hazel, the game’s protagonist, which leads her into a darkly magical world where she discovers her new abilities as a Weaver. Her story is filled with macabre Southern Gothic folklore and encounters with mythical larger-than-life creatures that shape her growth and understanding of her newfound powers.
You can see more of South of Midnight’s hand-crafted art style, world building, and combat in South of Midnight’snew story trailer and get ready to explore the American Deep South with Hazel by pre-ordering today – and play up to five days early with the South of Midnight Premium Edition. Find out more about the game’s story in our exclusive Xbox Wire article here.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Launching April 24, 2025
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox App for Windows PC, and play it day one with Game Pass* (see developer website for other platforms)
We visited Montpellier, France, home of Sandfall Interactive, as they develop their first game, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This turn-based RPG is set in a fantasy version of late 19th Century France, where the world is facing an existential threat, one year at a time. The developer shared a deeper look at the game’s innovative mechanics, such as the “Reactive Turn-Based” system, and the unique art direction that brings the game’s world to life. We even got a first look at Expedition 33’s expansive overworld map.
As the coup de grace, Sandfall Interactive confirmed the game’s release date: our journey to stop the Paintress begins April 24. For more on the team’s creative vision and deep customization options, we’ve got more on Xbox Wire here.
NINJA GAIDEN 4 – Launching Fall 2025
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox App for Windows PC, Steam, cloud, PlayStation 5, and play it day one with Game Pass*
Team NINJA announced the return of a beloved franchise with the reveal of NINJA GAIDEN 4. After more than a decade, the masters of action at Team NINJA and PlatinumGames have partnered with Xbox Game Studios Publishing to bring us an exciting new chapter in the NINJA GAIDEN series, a series with a long history on Xbox.
We were introduced to Yakumo, a new protagonist whose objective lies at the heart of a devastated Tokyo. On his mission, Yakumo will not only encounter fiends and demons , but also the legendary master ninja himself: Ryu Hayabusa. Gameplay footage showed that Yakumo will introduce players to a stylish new take on ninja action with Bloodbind Ninjutsu, alongside legacy techniques like the Flying Swallow and Izuna Drop. Ryu will also return as a playable character with a revamped arsenal that stays true to his signature brutality and precision.
During the segment, developers from both PlatinumGames and Team NINJA shared details about the game’s story, the setting in a near-future Tokyo, and its action-packed combat mechanics. We also got a glimpse into the creative process behind this highly anticipated title, which will be released in Fall 2025, and can be wishlisted on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation 5. For the latest information, follow Team Ninja on social media (YouTube, X, Facebook, Instagram). Check out an exclusive interview with the developers on Xbox Wire.
NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black – Available Today!
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox App for Windows PC, and play it day one with Game Pass*
The highly-acclaimed and legendary game from 2008 returns graphically remastered! NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black features the high-speed ninja action of iconic hero Ryu Hayabusa and his deadly Dragon Sword. Embark on a global battle against formidable foes, engage in relentless combat, and play as additional characters Momiji, Ayana and Rachel.
Looking Ahead
As with every Developer_Direct, today’s show marks just a selection of the games coming to Xbox this year. Next up is Avowed, Obsidian Entertainment’s upcoming fantasy RPG, which launches on February 18, 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app for Windows PC, Battle.net, Steam, cloud, and will be available on day one with Game Pass. With our own studios and incredible partners working on new experiences, stay tuned to Xbox Wire and Xbox social channels this year to see why there’s never been a better time to be an Xbox player.
Hello everybody! This is Hugo Martin, Game Director on Doom: The Dark Ages reporting from the offices at id Software – we are all hard at work polishing this latest installment in the franchise. It’s almost ready and we can’t wait for you to play it. In the meantime, we have a new look at gameplay we put together for you. There’s lots to breakdown from the video, so let’s get started – I’m guessing you’ve got some questions, let me try and give you some more details…
What’s the new combat loop in Dark Ages, and how’s it different from Eternal or Doom (2016)?
High level – you could say it’s a blend of the two but with a new, medieval toolkit. We’re looking to create an experience that has the depth of Eternal’s loop with the simplicity of Doom (2016)’s control scheme. As a player, you performed a lot of cool actions in Eternal, and each action/attack had its own input. In Dark Ages we have a brand-new set of cool medieval actions to perform but this time, with fewer buttons to press!
The depth/simplicity is achieved by making the behavior of items like the Shield-Saw change based on the material it interacts with. It’s contextual: the shield throw ricochets off plasma shields hitting other enemies (feels awesome), it sticks into flesh (stun locking larger demons), or it can shatter armor creating an AOE blast – all with a single button press.
I love analogies: it all adds up to us having fewer strings on the guitar this time – but we added frets to maintain the mechanical depth of the experience, giving the player something new to learn and master.
With all of this, we are relying on familiar FPS inputs to execute these moves, giving the loop an intuitive learning curve. The actions feel impactful and fun to execute, and the results give you a tactical advantage – fun on the outside smart on the inside.
What do the “rings” around enemies indicate?
The yellow rings you see appearing around the characters are falter indicators. “Falters” is a meta in Eternal and 2016. Great players figured out what caused falters and they started to stack those attacks to stun-lock powerful enemies (which is what we hoped they’d do). It’s important that we clearly identify the moment an enemy falters in Dark Ages so more players can begin to explore what causes it and how they can use it to their advantage. You don’t have to rely on falters to be successful but on higher difficulties it can give you an extra advantage – and if you choose to play on Ultra Nightmare you’ll need every advantage you can get!
More story in Doom?
Yes! There are three pillars of engagement in Dark Ages; combat, exploration and story – three reasons to play, narrative is just one of them. Players don’t want a story in Doom, they want a good one, something that enhances the power fantasy, gives you even more motivation to fight through to the end of the campaign. Through story we can build bigger and better adversaries, worlds to discover and obstacles to overcome.
The story synopsis reads: With the Slayer imprisoned at the start of Dark Ages the balance of power between good and evil is shifting, and time is running out. Our hero is a feared outsider among an imperiled people, his strength controlled by the gods they serve, in a world under siege by an ancient evil.
At this point in the Doom Universe timeline, this game being a prequel – we start at the beginning of the Slayer’s time with the Sentinels. He is the outlander, blessed with power by the Sentinel’s gods known as the Maykrs. Our subjugated hero stands now as the superweapon in a medieval war against the armies of hell.
When does it come out?
May 15, 2025! We are so excited for you to get your hands on what we hope will become – the best Doom game we’ve ever made. It’s got something for everyone, loads of great combat, tons of exploration and an awesome action story that’s worthy of the Slayers legend. Plus you’ve got encounters with the Atlan (giant Doom mech) and Dragon to look forward to!
Anyway, thanks for reading – look out for more info to come.
After id Software’s brilliant revival of Doom in 2016 and its even tighter 2020 sequel Doom Eternal, it’d be hard for Doom to soar any higher. So it isn’t. Instead, it’s keeping both feet planted firmly on the ground and bringing the high-speed, high-skill-ceiling first-person shooter even closer to the scores of Hell’s minions in the medieval-tinged prequel, Doom: The Dark Ages.
Yes, the new Doom pivots from Eternal’s platforming and instead literally grounds its combat in strafe-heavy gameplay with an emphasis on power. Sure, the great guns are still there – this is Doom, after all! – and that very much includes the new Skull Crusher that stood out in the reveal trailer. You know, the one that eats the skulls of your fallen enemies as ammunition and spits them back out at the still-living bad guys in smaller, higher-velocity chunks. But The Dark Ages also places a huge premium on your three melee weapons: the default electrified gauntlet, which can be charged up; the flail; and the star of the reveal trailer from last summer, the Shield Saw, which can be thrown or used to block, parry, or deflect. “You’re gonna stand and fight,” game director Hugo Martin said after my demo of the new Doom.
Perhaps it won’t surprise you, then, that Martin says The Dark Ages is inspired primarily by three other seminal pieces of pop culture: the legendary original Doom, Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel, and Zack Snyder’s 2006 classic movie 300 – perhaps not coincidentally based on a graphic novel by Miller.
Modern Doom’s trademark Glory Kill finishing-move system has been unsynced, meaning the fatalities can be performed from any angle on the battlefield and will change accordingly.
As further evidence of this, the modern series’s trademark Glory Kill finishing-move system has been unsynced, meaning the fatalities can be performed from any angle on the battlefield and will change accordingly. This is to account for the hordes of enemies that will be around you all the time. Yes, like 300 (and the original Doom), you’ll be surrounded by bad guys in combat bowls that have been significantly widened in The Dark Ages. You can accomplish objectives in any order you want, and wander anywhere you feel like in the levels (which, by the way, Martin says have been shortened a bit where needed to stick closer to his sweet spot of each being about an hour long).
Even better, addressing a criticism I cited in my review of Doom Eternal, The Dark Ages will no longer force you to read its story in the Codex. Instead, the story will play out in cutscenes. And the story will “take you to the far reaches of the Doom universe,” id says, with a big story described as “a summer blockbuster event with everything on the line” as your power as the Slayer is coveted by your enemies.
Martin also made a point to emphasize that the development team is focusing on simplifying the control scheme, believing that in hindsight, Doom Eternal made the controls too complex. Martin said the team wanted something that felt intuitive so that when they pressure the player, they’re not reaching for buttons they’re not familiar with. The aforementioned melee options, for example, will be equipped like equipment (meaning, one at a time). Meanwhile, not only will there be more secrets and treasures hidden around, but the economy has been simplified to one currency (gold), and those secrets will focus on furthering your skill progression. Meaning, tangible, gameplay-altering rewards rather than lore deep-dives.
One thing you definitely can deep-dive into, though, is the difficulty. Custom sliders now let you tweak the challenge however you see fit, with adjustments for things like game speed and enemy aggression (and a whole lot more) at your fingertips in the UI.
I also learned a bit more about two standout gameplay sequences from the reveal trailer: the giant 30-story demon mech (called the Atlan) and the cybernetic dragonback riding. They won’t be one-offs, by the sound of it, but you can’t just call in either one anytime you like. Each has a full suite of abilities and even minibosses to battle. Oh, and one more key bit of information: there won’t be any multiplayer mode this time around, as the team wanted to focus all of its resources into making the best single-player campaign possible. Not that Eternal’s Battlemode was bad, but I imagine most players won’t complain.
But for me, someone for whom the original Doom was transformational in 1993, I just keep coming back to Martin’s pivot away from the (very successful!) direction they were heading in Eternal and his renewed adherence to the design principles of that 30-year-old foundational classic as he designed The Dark Ages. “It’s just gotta be different [from Eternal],” Martin said. “Especially if I loved the game. [If] I wanna play a Doom game, I wanna feel strong, but I’m OK with changing what that power fantasy is, especially if that change brings it closer to classic Doom.”
Hearing that has got me more hyped than ever. May 15 can’t come soon enough.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo have surprise-released Ninja Gaiden 2: Black, an Unreal Engine 5 version of Xbox 360 hack-and-slasher Ninja Gaiden 2. It’s out right now on Microsoft’s Game Pass service. I’d say it has materialised from the darkness like a ninja, but there are a lot of ninjas in circulation right now and my analogy-jitsu gauge is running dry. So instead, I’m going to say that it has materialised from the darkness like a resurfacing duck, its beak stuffed with pond vegetation. The pond vegetation, here, stands for “tweaks to the weapons upgrade system”. Here’s a trailer.
During today’s Xbox Developer Director, we saw a new trailer for South of Midnight complete with a release date of April 8, 2025.
In the trailer, we saw a good look at Hazel’s powers, which blend the traditional craft of weaving with magic to allow her to fight, conjure things, and overcome environmental obstacles. As she fights, Hazel “unravels” enemies to destroy them in action combat, and has some elements of customization in her fighting style that can help her counter different types of enemies.
Hazel will visit different different regions ruled by magical creatures, each one with a different Southern Gothic history that she’ll need to heal by collecting their fragmented memories. In the trailer, we got a look at several of these creatures, including a real big bird and a massive crocodile covered in spikes with giant trees going out of its back.
It must have been tough for chocolate lovers to get any chocolate when Willy Wonka was hiding golden tickets inside the wrappers.
Joking aside, that’s more or less been the vibe from Prismatic Evolutions, the just-released, mega-hyped Pokémon card set that’s memorable for its heavy representation of the fan-favourite Pokémon Eevee, and all its evolutionary forms. The 180+ card set was smoke-signaled by The Pokémon Company a little under four months out from its January 2025 release, and fans have anticipated it as the de facto set to look out for, largely due to its similarity to the most popular TCG expansion from the company’s previous card generation, Evolving Skies.
