Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is Available Today

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is Available Today

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Key Art

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is by far our most ambitious simulator to date, and we are incredibly excited for all of you – from our core sim fans to all gamers and those who want to explore the world with us – to join us on this journey. With authentic realism of all environments, aviation careers to pursue and the ability to explore our beautiful world with various kinds of aircraft, there is something amazing for everyone in this version of the simulator.

We feel very fortunate that Microsoft Flight Simulator has a vibrant, highly informed and passionate community which has been invaluable on our journey to continually improve the simulator. Our motto is “for the community – with the community”, which means that we will continue to carefully listen to your feedback and suggestions to help guide our development efforts – and it also means that we will continue to work with teams from the community to help us produce the best aircraft, airports, scenery, missions, and other features.

The team at Asobo is very much the core with the engine and key innovations all coming from the team in Bordeaux. We were able to substantially enhance the breadth and quality by inviting other creator teams from the flight sim community to help and bring focus to the many areas of this vast simulator. Aircraft were built by well-known and loved community teams like iniBuilds, Carenado, Got Friends, Blackbird, Hype Performance Group, MilTech, S&H, FlightFX, DC Designs, ATSimulations, BlueMesh and others to create the largest and most detailed fleet we have ever had (70 aircraft) for the base simulator. Other areas like airports, heliports, glider airports were mostly built by the talented team at Gaya, worldwide obstacles by Orbx & Puffin Flight, animals by Lakshya and via a collaboration with Frontier Developments, air racing by Climax, and many other elements like avionics and flight planning from Working Title. In total, we had over 800 people contributing to the sim and the result is beautiful and incredibly impressive.

The dream of flight is ingrained in us yet many people have been unable to pursue that dream due to a lack of opportunity to pilot their own plane … MSFS 2024 provides 70 highly diverse aircraft, our entire beautiful Earth, and many activities to suit your aviation desires.

Thank you for embarking on this incredible adventure with us. We hope you enjoy Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

The Sky Is Calling.


Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is now available in a variety of editions. The Standard Edition – available with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass — comes with 70 aircraft and 150 upgraded airports; Deluxe Edition includes 10 additional aircraft and five extra airports; the Premium Deluxe includes another 15 aircraft (total of 95); Aviator Edition includes everything from the Premium Deluxe Edition plus the entire fleet of 30 Microsoft-published Marketplace aircraft developed for Microsoft Flight Simulator between 2021 and 2024. If you own Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) Deluxe Edition or Premium Deluxe Edition the additional aircraft and airports unique to these editions will automatically work in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Standard Edition

Xbox Game Studios


99

$69.99

Standard Edition
Explore the world with our largest fleet of aircraft and take simulation to new heights while pursuing your aviation career within Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The Standard Edition includes over 65 aircraft and 150 handcrafted airports.

Fly with Purpose
·       Launch your aviation Career wherever you choose in the world. Gain experience, build your reputation, and complete certifications to gain access to authentic aviation activities ranging from Medevac, Remote Cargo Ops, Aerial Firefighting, Search & Rescue and more, all the way to becoming an Airline Passenger Transport Pilot. Set out on a truly global aviation adventure with virtually unlimited missions across the planet.
·       Compete against other pilots in the all-new Challenge League mode or hone your skills in dozens of Activities ranging from exciting Rally Races and Precision Landings to Low-Altitude challenges and more. Fly head-to-head in the iconic Red Bull Air Races and the legendary Reno Air Races, including the new Roswell courses.
·       Be a World Photographer and travel across our beautiful planet to capture awe-inspiring natural vistas, visit famous landmarks, and record these adventures with pictures in your travel book. Unique photo challenges test your creative eye along with your piloting skills while you strive to capture the perfect moment.

Advanced Simulation
·       Enhanced physics system allows 10,000+ rigid-body surfaces that enable the simulation of any shape of aircraft. Soft body physics supports cloth, ropes, balloons, and more. Improved ground and water handling further enhance realism.
·       New, highly accurate aircraft systems including electrical, pneumatic, fuel and hydraulic systems, payload and passenger systems, and avionics like the Universal UNS-1 FMS and Honeywell Primus Epic 2. Preflight inspections and walkaround checks add to immersion.
·       Plan your flights with a groundbreaking flight planner which supports both IFR and VFR map layers, IFR charts, route planning, fuel and payload planning, vertical profile planning, and ETOPS planning. It also provides airport information including weather and NOTAMS and is available native in the sim, on mobile devices or web browsers for flight planning outside the simulator.

Explore Our Visually Stunning Digital Twin
·       Explore our most detailed re-creation of planet Earth to date. Enhanced digital elevation maps, over 500 TIN (triangular irregular network) cities and more than 100,000 square kilometers of countryside photogrammetry allow for visually stunning digital twin experiences. More than 150 airports, 2,000 glider airports, 10,000 heliports, 2,000 points of interest, and 900 oil rigs have been carefully hand-crafted while a procedural system generates all 40,000 airports, 80,000 helipads, 1.5 billion buildings, and nearly 3 trillion trees our planet.
·       Land anywhere and, for the first time in Microsoft Flight Simulator, exit your aircraft to explore 27 highly detailed biomes with hundreds of species of vegetation, dynamically created details including grass, rocks, and flowers – all influenced by seasonal changes. The all-new photometric lighting system renders the world more accurately than ever before, and enhanced weather features such as new cloud types, auroras, and other weather phenomena produce fresh and compelling atmospheric experiences.
·       The world comes alive with a vast array of land-based wildlife in their natural habitats and free-ranging livestock across the entire globe. The oceans and waterways are teeming with live, worldwide maritime traffic ranging from large tankers and cargo ships to trawlers, tugs, and more. A richly diverse, regionally accurate representation of humanity brings life to the airports, aircraft, and passenger cabins of the world. Enhanced real-world air traffic populates the skies and airport tarmacs with hundreds of accurately depicted aircraft models and dozens of officially licensed liveries.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Deluxe Edition

Xbox Game Studios


156

$99.99

Deluxe Edition
Explore the world with our largest fleet of aircraft and take simulation to new heights while pursuing your aviation career within Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The Deluxe Edition includes everything from the Standard Edition plus 10 additional aircraft and 5 additional handcrafted international airports.

Fly with Purpose
·       Launch your aviation Career wherever you choose in the world. Gain experience, build your reputation, and complete certifications to gain access to authentic aviation activities ranging from Medevac, Remote Cargo Ops, Aerial Firefighting, Search & Rescue and more, all the way to becoming an Airline Passenger Transport Pilot. Set out on a truly global aviation adventure with virtually unlimited missions across the planet.
·       Compete against other pilots in the all-new Challenge League mode or hone your skills in dozens of Activities ranging from exciting Rally Races and Precision Landings to Low-Altitude challenges and more. Fly head-to-head in the iconic Red Bull Air Races and the legendary Reno Air Races, including the new Roswell courses.
·       Be a World Photographer and travel across our beautiful planet to capture awe-inspiring natural vistas, visit famous landmarks, and record these adventures with pictures in your travel book. Unique photo challenges test your creative eye along with your piloting skills while you strive to capture the perfect moment.

Advanced Simulation
·       Enhanced physics system allows 10,000+ rigid-body surfaces that enable the simulation of any shape of aircraft. Soft body physics supports cloth, ropes, balloons, and more. Improved ground and water handling further enhance realism.
·       New, highly accurate aircraft systems including electrical, pneumatic, fuel and hydraulic systems, payload and passenger systems, and avionics like the Universal UNS-1 FMS and Honeywell Primus Epic 2. Preflight inspections and walkaround checks add to immersion.
·       Plan your flights with a groundbreaking flight planner which supports both IFR and VFR map layers, IFR charts, route planning, fuel and payload planning, vertical profile planning, and ETOPS planning. It also provides airport information including weather and NOTAMS and is available native in the sim, on mobile devices or web browsers for flight planning outside the simulator.

Explore Our Visually Stunning Digital Twin
·       Explore our most detailed re-creation of planet Earth to date. Enhanced digital elevation maps, over 500 TIN (triangular irregular network) cities and more than 100,000 square kilometers of countryside photogrammetry allow for visually stunning digital twin experiences. More than 150 airports, 2,000 glider airports, 10,000 heliports, 2,000 points of interest, and 900 oil rigs have been carefully hand-crafted while a procedural system generates all 40,000 airports, 80,000 helipads, 1.5 billion buildings, and nearly 3 trillion trees our planet.
·       Land anywhere and, for the first time in Microsoft Flight Simulator, exit your aircraft to explore 27 highly detailed biomes with hundreds of species of vegetation, dynamically created details including grass, rocks, and flowers – all influenced by seasonal changes. The all-new photometric lighting system renders the world more accurately than ever before, and enhanced weather features such as new cloud types, auroras, and other weather phenomena produce fresh and compelling atmospheric experiences.
·       The world comes alive with a vast array of land-based wildlife in their natural habitats and free-ranging livestock across the entire globe. The oceans and waterways are teeming with live, worldwide maritime traffic ranging from large tankers and cargo ships to trawlers, tugs, and more. A richly diverse, regionally accurate representation of humanity brings life to the airports, aircraft, and passenger cabins of the world. Enhanced real-world air traffic populates the skies and airport tarmacs with hundreds of accurately depicted aircraft models and dozens of officially licensed liveries.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Premium Deluxe Edition

Xbox Game Studios


155

$129.99

Premium Deluxe Edition
Explore the world with our largest fleet of aircraft and take simulation to new heights while pursuing your aviation career within Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The Premium Deluxe Edition includes everything from the Standard Edition plus 25 additional aircraft and 10 additional handcrafted international airports.

Fly with Purpose
·       Launch your aviation Career wherever you choose in the world. Gain experience, build your reputation, and complete certifications to gain access to authentic aviation activities ranging from Medevac, Remote Cargo Ops, Aerial Firefighting, Search & Rescue and more, all the way to becoming an Airline Passenger Transport Pilot. Set out on a truly global aviation adventure with virtually unlimited missions across the planet.
·       Compete against other pilots in the all-new Challenge League mode or hone your skills in dozens of Activities ranging from exciting Rally Races and Precision Landings to Low-Altitude challenges and more. Fly head-to-head in the iconic Red Bull Air Races and the legendary Reno Air Races, including the new Roswell courses.
·       Be a World Photographer and travel across our beautiful planet to capture awe-inspiring natural vistas, visit famous landmarks, and record these adventures with pictures in your travel book. Unique photo challenges test your creative eye along with your piloting skills while you strive to capture the perfect moment.

Advanced Simulation
·       Enhanced physics system allows 10,000+ rigid-body surfaces that enable the simulation of any shape of aircraft. Soft body physics supports cloth, ropes, balloons, and more. Improved ground and water handling further enhance realism.
·       New, highly accurate aircraft systems including electrical, pneumatic, fuel and hydraulic systems, payload and passenger systems, and avionics like the Universal UNS-1 FMS and Honeywell Primus Epic 2. Preflight inspections and walkaround checks add to immersion.
·       Plan your flights with a groundbreaking flight planner which supports both IFR and VFR map layers, IFR charts, route planning, fuel and payload planning, vertical profile planning, and ETOPS planning. It also provides airport information including weather and NOTAMS and is available native in the sim, on mobile devices or web browsers for flight planning outside the simulator.

Explore Our Visually Stunning Digital Twin
·       Explore our most detailed re-creation of planet Earth to date. Enhanced digital elevation maps, over 500 TIN (triangular irregular network) cities and more than 100,000 square kilometers of countryside photogrammetry allow for visually stunning digital twin experiences. More than 150 airports, 2,000 glider airports, 10,000 heliports, 2,000 points of interest, and 900 oil rigs have been carefully hand-crafted while a procedural system generates all 40,000 airports, 80,000 helipads, 1.5 billion buildings, and nearly 3 trillion trees our planet.
·       Land anywhere and, for the first time in Microsoft Flight Simulator, exit your aircraft to explore 27 highly detailed biomes with hundreds of species of vegetation, dynamically created details including grass, rocks, and flowers – all influenced by seasonal changes. The all-new photometric lighting system renders the world more accurately than ever before, and enhanced weather features such as new cloud types, auroras, and other weather phenomena produce fresh and compelling atmospheric experiences.
·       The world comes alive with a vast array of land-based wildlife in their natural habitats and free-ranging livestock across the entire globe. The oceans and waterways are teeming with live, worldwide maritime traffic ranging from large tankers and cargo ships to trawlers, tugs, and more. A richly diverse, regionally accurate representation of humanity brings life to the airports, aircraft, and passenger cabins of the world. Enhanced real-world air traffic populates the skies and airport tarmacs with hundreds of accurately depicted aircraft models and dozens of officially licensed liveries.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Aviator Edition

Xbox Game Studios


151

$199.99

Aviator Edition
Explore the world with our largest fleet of aircraft and take simulation to new heights while pursuing your aviation career within Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The Aviator Edition includes everything from the Premium Deluxe Edition plus the entire fleet of 30 Microsoft-published Marketplace aircraft developed for Microsoft Flight Simulator between 2021 and 2024.

Fly with Purpose
·       Launch your aviation Career wherever you choose in the world. Gain experience, build your reputation, and complete certifications to gain access to authentic aviation activities ranging from Medevac, Remote Cargo Ops, Aerial Firefighting, Search & Rescue and more, all the way to becoming an Airline Passenger Transport Pilot. Set out on a truly global aviation adventure with virtually unlimited missions across the planet.
·       Compete against other pilots in the all-new Challenge League mode or hone your skills in dozens of Activities ranging from exciting Rally Races and Precision Landings to Low-Altitude challenges and more. Fly head-to-head in the iconic Red Bull Air Races and the legendary Reno Air Races, including the new Roswell courses.
·       Be a World Photographer and travel across our beautiful planet to capture awe-inspiring natural vistas, visit famous landmarks, and record these adventures with pictures in your travel book. Unique photo challenges test your creative eye along with your piloting skills while you strive to capture the perfect moment.

Advanced Simulation
·       Enhanced physics system allows 10,000+ rigid-body surfaces that enable the simulation of any shape of aircraft. Soft body physics supports cloth, ropes, balloons, and more. Improved ground and water handling further enhance realism.
·       New, highly accurate aircraft systems including electrical, pneumatic, fuel and hydraulic systems, payload and passenger systems, and avionics like the Universal UNS-1 FMS and Honeywell Primus Epic 2. Preflight inspections and walkaround checks add to immersion.
·       Plan your flights with a groundbreaking flight planner which supports both IFR and VFR map layers, IFR charts, route planning, fuel and payload planning, vertical profile planning, and ETOPS planning. It also provides airport information including weather and NOTAMS and is available native in the sim, on mobile devices or web browsers for flight planning outside the simulator.

Explore Our Visually Stunning Digital Twin
·       Explore our most detailed re-creation of planet Earth to date. Enhanced digital elevation maps, over 500 TIN (triangular irregular network) cities and more than 100,000 square kilometers of countryside photogrammetry allow for visually stunning digital twin experiences. More than 150 airports, 2,000 glider airports, 10,000 heliports, 2,000 points of interest, and 900 oil rigs have been carefully hand-crafted while a procedural system generates all 40,000 airports, 80,000 helipads, 1.5 billion buildings, and nearly 3 trillion trees our planet.
·       Land anywhere and, for the first time in Microsoft Flight Simulator, exit your aircraft to explore 27 highly detailed biomes with hundreds of species of vegetation, dynamically created details including grass, rocks, and flowers – all influenced by seasonal changes. The all-new photometric lighting system renders the world more accurately than ever before, and enhanced weather features such as new cloud types, auroras, and other weather phenomena produce fresh and compelling atmospheric experiences.
·       The world comes alive with a vast array of land-based wildlife in their natural habitats and free-ranging livestock across the entire globe. The oceans and waterways are teeming with live, worldwide maritime traffic ranging from large tankers and cargo ships to trawlers, tugs, and more. A richly diverse, regionally accurate representation of humanity brings life to the airports, aircraft, and passenger cabins of the world. Enhanced real-world air traffic populates the skies and airport tarmacs with hundreds of accurately depicted aircraft models and dozens of officially licensed liveries.


The post Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is Available Today appeared first on Xbox Wire.

The Legacy of Kain series: retrospective with original developers

Becoming the stuff of legend is no easy feat. But it’s entirely appropriate that a compelling and complex tale about vengeful vampires has not only lasted as long as it has, but triumphantly arisen from its resting place.

From its popular 1996 debut, The Legacy of Kain series has a long-standing history across PlayStation, from introducing memorable characters to pioneering in 3D game design. So, with Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered on its way to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, and Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Blood Omen 2 coming to PlayStation Plus Classics, it’s the perfect time to dig up the details on why The Legacy of Kain series has endured. As a bonus, the original developers join us to recall some relevant anecdotes on the way…


The Legacy of Kain series: retrospective with original developers

A new gameplay video showcases Raziel’s otherwordly abilities in The Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered.


“I’m super proud of the way we wove our time travel plot throughout the games – writing time travel stories is hard!”

– Amy Hennig, Design Manager (Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain), Director and Lead Writer (Soul Reaver, Soul Reaver 2, Legacy of Kain: Defiance)


1996 – Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain – PlayStation – Silicon Knights/Crystal Dynamics

Action-adventures took a turn for the macabre as The Legacy of Kain series introduced us to the shadowy world of Nosgoth. Blood Omen set the tone with Kain seeking a cure for his vampiric curse, only to slip deeper into a moral abyss.

Engaging hack-and-slash gameplay mixed with magic, shapeshifting, and puzzle-layered exploration cast an intoxicating spell encased by a smart and gripping story that laid the groundwork for all that followed. So it was no surprise that the triumphant debut of the titular vampire lord was met with a craving for more. Only three years later, that craving was satisfied…


“It was one of the best-looking games for PlayStation.”

– Daniel Cabuco, lead enemy artist (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver); lead artist (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2) and art director (Legacy of Kain: Defiance)


1999 – Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – PlayStation – Crystal Dynamics/Eidos Interactive

If Blood Omen began the crimson-stained lineage for the series in 2D, Soul Reaver took up the trail and innovated it into fully formed 3D. This time the consequences of Kain’s actions are directly in your hands, assuming control of the iconic Raziel, a former vampire lieutenant slain by Kain. Resurrected into a wraith, Raziel is given his mission by The Elder God – to destroy Kain and restore the now-broken wasteland of Nosgoth to its former glory.

The evolution into 3D allowed the series to push the boundaries of its presentation even more, especially when teamed with the already captivating narrative, which allowed players to travel between the material and spectral realms.

“The writing, dialogue, and incredible voice acting all took things to the next level,” says Cabuco. “At every point the artists, designers, musicians, and engineers asked themselves how they could make the experience better. It was an incredible moment in time where every aspect was firing on all cylinders.”

It’s a sentiment shared by the game’s chief of engineering, Scott Krotz: “The streaming technology we developed was great, and I think we only had one loading screen in the entire game once getting into it. The combination of solid gameplay and technology, a dark world full of interesting lore, a great story and characters, and amazing voice actors all came together to make it a pretty special game.”


“The amazingly well directed cinematics with lip sync were simply mind blowing.”

– Monika Erosova, head of development (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered)


2001 – Soul Reaver 2 – PlayStation 2 – Crystal Dynamics/Eidos Interactive

After Soul Reaver introduced the iconic Raziel, its sequel vastly expanded on his human past, traveling through time to reveal Nosgoth’s secrets which have immense repercussions on not only Raziel and his home, but Kain as well.

Between its combat, puzzles, and exploration, Soul Reaver 2 successfully elevated much of what made its predecessor so well received, but a particular spotlight fell on its story and characters. “Amy Hennig masterfully interconnected Raziel’s journey back to Blood Omen,” says Erosova. “I enjoyed exploring the world in different eras.”

“Soul Reaver 2 was originally supposed to be on the original PlayStation, but our team was determined to use the power of PS2 to elevate the game’s graphics and animation,” reveals Amy Hennig, who worked as design manager on Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, and director and lead writer on Soul Reaver, Soul Reaver 2 and Legacy of Kain: Defiance. “We ported the game onto the new hardware in a matter of weeks.”

2002 – Blood Omen 2 – PlayStation 2 – Crystal Dynamics/Eidos Interactive

In a smart connection to the time travel chaos of Soul Reaver 2, the series went back to its roots in Blood Omen 2 by exploring an alternate timeline set after the events of the very first Blood Omen. This gave players a chance to enjoy Kain’s undead life again, aside from his antagonistic turn in the Soul Reaver games, layering a now rich and involving lore.

While paying homage to its vampiric roots where Kain is able to feed off enemies or civilians to replenish his health, novel gameplay elements like weapon durability kept the combat and challenge fresh.

2003 – Legacy of Kain: Defiance – PlayStation 2 – Crystal Dynamics/Eidos Interactive

After two games each where we played as Kain or Raziel, it was perhaps inevitable that we’d get a chance to control both characters in the same game – which is where Legacy of Kain: Defiance swooped in. “Given we were revealing crucial things about our characters’ motivations and the world that shaped them, it was critical for us to make Kain and Raziel dual protagonists, and to cut back and forth between their playable chapters,” explains Hennig.

Using different abilities helped differentiate between the bitter enemies in terms of gameplay, while the story offered the now expected – and satisfying – philosophical pondering on determinism and morality to resolve Kain and Raziel’s blood-stained conflict.

“We wanted to tell a great, complex story with flawed but compelling characters in a captivating and original world,” says Hennig. “It’s incredibly gratifying to see how formative and indelible these games and stories have been for our audience.”

You’ll be able to get a taste of the series’ lasting legacy when  Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Blood Omen 2 arrive on PlayStation Plus Premium November 19, and when Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered hits PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on December 10.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 1 Update Returns XP Tokens to Players After Backlash

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has a new update that returns XP tokens to players after a backlash sparked by their removal following the launch of Season 1.

Patch notes published today, November 19, confirm “legacy” XP tokens (aka XP tokens you’ve been hoarding since Modern Warfare 2) are now back in players’ hands. Their surprise availability with the launch of Season 1 was welcomed by players deep into the Call of Duty grind, but their equally surprising removal caused an outcry.

At the time, developer Treyarch said it patched the legacy XP tokens out of Black Ops 6 because their accidental introduction, which it blamed on a UI bug, “introduced some potential risk to game stability.”

Elsewhere, today’s update improves the hitmarker user interface to help identify shots more easily, and fixes a number of bugs across Multiplayer and Zombies.

Taking on Zombies mode? We’ve got Essential Zombies Tips and Tricks to help you get started, plus a guide on How to Exfil. Both Zombies maps are full of easter eggs and secrets; here’s everything we’ve found in both Terminus and Liberty Falls, including How to Pack-a-Punch in Liberty Falls and How to Get the Meteor Easter Egg in Terminus.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Season 1 November 19, 2024 patch notes:

GLOBAL

Legacy XP Tokens

  • Updated Black Ops 6 to support legacy XP token functionality

Gameplay

  • Improved hitmarker UI to help identify individual shots more easily.

Cosmetics

  • Addressed an issue where weapon sights would be misaligned with the Weaver Repairman Operator Skin equipped.

Store

  • Improved the loading of Tracer and Inspect preview videos for weapons.

MULTIPLAYER

Gunsmith

  • Added several missing langauge translations when swapping attachments.

Scorestreaks

  • Improved steering in reverse with View-Based vehicle controls.

UI

  • Addressed an unintentional bug where MWII and MWIII camos could be applied to Black Ops 6 weapons. Camos from previous titles were not designed for Black Ops 6 weapons and attachments and are not supported due to visual inconsistencies.
  • Addressed an issue where some Perk bags were not displaying when creating loadouts.

Stability

  • Various stability fixes.

ZOMBIES

GobbleGums

  • Addressed an issue that allowed GobbleGums to persist indefinitely.

UI

  • Added additional information for the current saved game in the map selection menu.

Stability

  • Various stability improvements.

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.

Threshold review: put in the shift and you shall be… rewarded

My time with Threshold has been fraught with pain. Five times. Five times I had to restart this psychological horror game because of some game-breaking bug. And yet, I persevered, booting it back up and returning to my government-mandated shift atop a quiet mountain.

Ultimately, I gave Threshold chance after chance because I was totally taken by my shift and my immense desire to find out just what I was actually doing. Anyway, it’s time for me to clock off! I urge you to take over until I’m back. It’s worth it.

Read more

The Wild Story Behind Disco Elysium’s Spiritual Successors: Allegations, Legal Threats, and a USB Stick

When Disco Elysium launched in 2019 to critical and commercial acclaim, some said it had the greatest writing ever in a video game. What’s gone on since between the people who made it, well… you couldn’t make it up.

Five years later, many of the creators of Disco Elysium have struck out on their own, leaving original developer ZA/UM behind to either make spiritual successors or different games entirely. You’d think everyone would be happy getting on with the making of their new games, but lawsuits (both resolved and some ongoing), legal threats, and behind-the-scenes finger pointing have added an element of farce to proceedings.

Then last month, a total of three studios each claiming to be carrying the Disco Elysium torch in one way or another popped up out of nowhere on the same day. What are the chances?

Who are the people behind these studios? And why, behind the scenes, are they at each other’s throats? What involvement does ZA/UM have, if any? And why is everyone talking about the canceled Disco Elysium follow-up floating about on a USB stick?

It’s a complex and messy situation, one I’ve been trying to wrap my head around for the last month. But now I believe I can offer helpful answers.

The main player in this story is Argo Tuulik, one of the original writers on Disco Elysium and co-founder of new studio Summer Eternal. Tuulik resigned from ZA/UM earlier this year (Tuulik confirmed to IGN that he resigned, as opposed to being fired or being made redundant as has been reported). He did so, he said, before a disciplinary hearing during which he expected to be terminated. Why? Because, he alleged, of statements he gave to the press about redundancies at ZA/UM that followed the February cancelation of the standalone follow-up to Disco Elysium, codenamed X7. Tuulik was one of the key creatives behind X7 before it fell by the wayside.

If he had survived that meeting, Tuulik suspected he would have been made redundant, he told IGN. “It was an ‘unemployed man walking’-type of situation either way,” he said.

Enter Dark Math Games and Longdue Games, two new London-based studios with former Disco Elysium staff each working on a different spiritual successor of their own. Tech entrepreneur Riaz Moola, another significant player in this story, founded Longdue via his company CoGrammar, and is an investor in Dark Math, so has a stake in both companies’ success.

IGN understands Tuulik and fellow Summer Eternal co-founder and former ZA/UM developer Dora Klindžić worked at both CoGrammar and Dark Math this year, but left each studio after a short period under a cloud. In the case of CoGrammar, Tuulik resigned. Tuulik left Dark Math after the company declined to renew his contract, IGN understands.

Dark Math is helmed by Kaur Kender, an early investor in ZA/UM and executive producer of Disco Elysium. In March 2023, a bitter legal dispute between Kender and ZA/UM over ownership of the coveted Disco Elysium IP was resolved, with a court ordering Kender to repay ZA/UM CEO Ilmar Kompus for legal fees. Dark Math’s game is called XXX NIGHTSHIFT and, like Disco Elysium, is described as a ‘true detective RPG.’ It looks remarkably like Disco Elysium.

Longdue, however, hasn’t named its “new psychological RPG” or the majority of the people making it. But it is already embroiled in a war of words with Tuulik that has spilled out into the public domain.

Events ramped up when Tuulik publicly revealed legal action against him by ZA/UM, and against he and Klindžić by Riaz Moola’s CoGrammar. On the latter, CoGrammar successfully obtained an injunction in the Business and Property courts of England and Wales on the basis of breach of contract, preventing Argo and Dora from working on anything at Summer Eternal — Disco Elysium spiritual successor or otherwise — until April 2025.

Tuulik then accused ZA/UM of making “baseless” legal threats against him, and for “collaborating” with Moola to take him, Dora, Summer Eternal, and even Dark Math on. Tuulik has denied any conflict with Dark Math.

“I never wanted to make Disco again but the absurdity of someone completely unrelated to Disco being granted the protection of the high court in their spiritual successor pursuit is not lost on me,” Tuulik told IGN.

It’s worth trying to unpack all of this. So, what breach of contract is Tuulik talking about with regards CoGrammar? According to documentation reviewed by IGN, Tuulik served CoGrammar with his notice of resignation on September 23, 2024, with his last day on September 30. Tuulik was working for CoGrammar as a consultant on Longdue’s game.

CoGrammar told IGN it offered to release Tuulik and Klindžić from contractual restrictions that block the pair from working for another studio, or even one of their own, for a six-month period after leaving the company. However, CoGrammar alledge, Tuulik and Klindžić declined to sign CoGrammar’s release contract, which also included clauses that would have confirmed the pair didn’t still have IP belonging to the company, and a commitment not to talk about each other in the press (an End of Service, Non Communication, and Release Of Portion of Restraint of Trade contract).

Soon after, as IGN has reported, Tuulik and Klindžić announced Summer Eternal and revealed plans to develop a new game on the same day Longdue and Dark Math announced their projects.

CoGrammar / Longdue issued a statement of its own in response to Tuulik’s tweets about the court case. It is reproduced in full below:

Following public comments made by Argo Tuulik, we can confirm that an independent judge has ruled in Longdue’s favor in a court hearing over a week ago. We have tried to deal with this matter privately for the sake of everyone involved, but given Argo’s public comments we feel it is necessary to respond to clarify some key facts.

Argo Tuulik was a part of Longdue’s team in the early days of Longdue’s formation, as well as previously Dark Math. However, as a studio, we have since grown in a direction that did not align with his approach.

We are a team that values integrity and honoring agreements, and as such, we were disappointed to see Argo breach agreements we had in place after leaving Longdue. Longdue continued to make attempts to settle matters amicably with Argo privately in spite of these breaches. These efforts were repeatedly rebuffed, leaving Longdue with no other option but to ask the courts to intervene. An independent judge has ruled in our favor.

Finding ourselves in this position is disheartening. We did not want to take legal action and we did not want this to become public for the sake of everyone involved. However, there are times when taking action is necessary to protect our work, the team we’ve built, and the agreements we’ve made.

Our goal from the outset was to move beyond the conflicts that have followed the people that worked on Disco Elysium since its release by supporting and uplifting each other as a community of studios making great RPGs. That remains the case and we hope to settle this matter amicably with Argo so that everyone can move forward.Given Argo’s comments, we would like to clarify that ZA/UM was in no way involved in this legal action. This legal action was taken because of agreements between Argo and Longdue that were broken by Argo. Any legal dispute Argo may have with ZA/UM is a matter for those two parties.

We respect the contributions of Argo during Longdue’s early stages, and we hope fans will continue to support all studios that have been inspired by narrative-rich RPG games such as Disco Elysium and Planescape Torment.

Thank you to everyone who has shown support for Longdue. We will continue to create a studio environment that fosters creativity, collaboration, and respect as we remain focused on crafting impactful, meaningful RPGs for our players.

That’s Longdue / CoGrammar, but what about ZA/UM? Tuulik also made public a letter dated October 10 by lawyers representing ZA/UM, or, to give it its full business name, Zaum Studio Limited, that includes a legal complaint. It alleges breach of contract, breach of confidentiality, and copyright infringement. This isn’t a notice of a lawsuit, but it sounds extremely serious. So, what’s it all about?

Multiple sources at Longdue / CoGrammar and Dark Math, speaking anonymously to protect their careers, have told IGN that Tuulik allegedly demoed the canceled Disco Elysium follow-up, codenamed X7, to staff via a USB stick containing a playable, 20-minute build. Speaking to IGN, Tuulik denied the accusation, calling it “absurd.”

A ZA/UM representative issued IGN with the following statement:

ZA/UM’s only communication with Mr. Tuulik has been a standard legal notice — not a lawsuit and issued only after third parties alerted us — regarding the return and destruction of confidential game materials. While Mr. Tuulik was a significant contributor, these materials represent the collaborative work of many developers and were not authorized for external use.

As if that wasn’t wild enough, this story only gets weirder from here. As I’ve mentioned, Tuulik and Klindžić’s contract with Dark Math, where they were game director and narrative director on XXX NIGHTSHIFT, wasn’t renewed, so both left the company and went on to work for CoGrammar. IGN has viewed documentation dated July 2024 confirming the termination of the contracts “due to creative differences.” But why?

IGN can reveal that while at Dark Math, Tuulik accused Kaur Kender of showing naked photos of Kender’s ex-wife to him and other staff at the studio. Tuulik confirmed to IGN he made this allegation. However, Kender – and other Dark Math staff IGN has spoken to – denied that Kender’s ex-wife appeared naked in the photos. Rather, she was wearing a bikini in some and fully clothed in others.

But why do this in the first place? Sources say Kender allegedly wanted the photos of his ex-wife to act as real-life inspirations for characters in XXX NIGHTSHIFT. However, Tuulik alleged internally that the photos included naked pictures of Kender’s ex-wife, a series of events that contributed to the end of Tuulik and Klindžić’s time at Dark Math.

Dark Math issued IGN with the following statement: “Dark Math Games will not be commenting on the past. We are focusing our energy and passions on the development of XXX Nightshift and look forward to sharing more on the game in due course.”

All this leaves these Disco Elysium spiritual successors in a precarious position. And I haven’t even mentioned Red Info, the studio set up by the two main creative forces behind Disco Elysium: lead writer Robert Kurvitz and art director Aleksander Rostov. Both were fired from ZA/UM in 2022 amid allegations of mismanagement and misconduct. Kurvitz and Rostov are reportedly making a new game of their own at Red Info, which is backed by Chinese internet company NetEase.

As for Tuulik and Klindžić, they face a six-month wait until they’re legally allowed to work on Summer Eternal and its game. What’s clear is 2024 has been particularly turbulent for the pair. They left three studios under less than ideal circumstances just this year alone, after just a few months in the case of two. Tuulik, who former colleagues describe as hugely talented but at times difficult to work with, pointed to PC Gamer’s reporting, which called both he and Klindžić “thoughtful, professional collaborators” during their time at ZA/UM.

Meanwhile, the future of Disco Elysium is still up in the air. Rights holder ZA/UM has yet to announce a new game in the series, or any new game at all. Longdue has issued one piece of concept art for its spiritual successor. Dark Math’s XXX NIGHTSHIFT has a trailer and screenshots, which makes it at least feel tangible. Red Info hasn’t said a word throughout all this.

Like Disco Elysium itself, these companies are fighting to win the hearts and minds of players as behind-the-scenes drama spills out into the public domain. Perhaps, given the chaotic scenes that followed ZA/UM after Disco Elysium’s release, things were always going to go this way.

The question is, who will get Disco Elysium spiritual successor to market first? And when they do, will there be any community left to care?

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.

How Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 uses machine learning AI, and how much of your data it might need

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 launches on Steam and the Microsoft Store today. Developed once again by Asobo – otherwise celebrated for their stinking rat hordes – it builds upon the 2020 game by “[taking] advantage of the latest technologies in simulation, cloud, machine learning, graphics and gaming”, in the words of the launch announcement release

We’ve got a review in the works, but code has landed late, so our write-up might take a while. In the shorter term, I thought you might like to know how, exactly, MFS 2024 makes use of “machine learning” technologies, taking into account the energy cost of such wacky gadgetry and the creeping relationship between increased reliance on automated tools and laying people off. More immediately, you might like to know how much of your internet package it’ll devour as you play.

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Random: Iconic ‘DK Rap’ Song Has Been Remade 25 Years Later

With help from rapper ‘Substantial’.

If you’ve been a part of the Nintendo gaming community for a while, then chances are you’re well acquainted with ‘DK Rap’, the charming introductory theme tune seen in 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. It’s gained significant notoriety and love over the years, though many fans do concede that the song isn’t actually that good.

Well, it’s good now, folks. Almost 25 years after its debut, DK Rap has been remade, courtesy of original composer Grant Kirkhope and rapper Substantial, bringing it fully up to date, albeit with one eye firmly on the past. Indeed, one commenter on the YouTube video said it had been given the ‘3rd Strike’ treatment, and we have to agree with this assessment.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Coming to Game Pass: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Nine Sols, Genshin Impact Benefits, and More

Coming to Game Pass: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Nine Sols, Genshin Impact Benefits, and More

If you’re not too busy taking off for the skies in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 today, may we interrupt your flight with these games? We have a selection of day one games, game benefits, indies, and more. What can we get started for you (aka: what will you put in your download queue first)?

Available Today

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – November 19
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one! From Xbox Game Studios and Asobo Studios, pursue your aviation career with dynamically generated missions, compete against other pilots, and explore the most detailed digital twin of the world to date. Set out on your global adventure with our largest fleet of aircraft as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 takes simulation to new heights of authenticity and realism.

Coming Soon

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – November 20
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one! Discover the vast Chornobyl Exclusion Zone full of dangerous enemies, deadly anomalies, and powerful artifacts. Unveil your own epic story as you make your way to the Heart of Chornobyl. Choose your paths wisely, as they will determine your fate and shape the future of humankind in the end.

Little Kitty, Big City (Console) – November 20
Now with Game Pass Standard

Available with Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and now coming to Game Pass Standard members. In this open-world playground, you’re a curious little kitty with a big personality on an adventure to find your way back home. Explore the city, make new friends with stray animals, wear delightful hats, and leave more than a little chaos in your wake. After all, isn’t that what cats do best?

PlateUp! (Console) – November 20
Now with Game Pass Standard

Coming soon to Game Pass Standard, PlateUp! brings classic cooking action with permanent rogue-lite progression. Cook and serve your dishes, design and decorate your restaurants, and expand your culinary kingdom with unlocks, abilities and dishes in procedurally generated layouts. Take on the challenge solo or hire up to 3 friends.

Nine Sols (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – November 26
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Nine Sols is a lore-rich, hand-drawn 2D action-platformer with Sekiro-inspired, deflection-based combat. Embark on a journey through an Asia-inspired fantasy world, explore a land once ruled by an ancient alien race, and follow a vengeful hero on a quest to slay the 9 Sols—the powerful rulers of this forsaken realm.

Aliens: Dark Descent (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 27
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard

In Aliens: Dark Descent, command a squad of hardened Colonial Marines to stop a terrifying Xenomorph outbreak on Moon Lethe. Lead your soldiers in real-time combat against iconic Xenomorphs, rogue operatives from the insatiable Weyland-Yutani Corporation, and a host of horrifying creatures new to the Alien franchise.

Genshin Impact Benefits Coming to Game Pass Ultimate on November 20

Go on an adventure in the fantasy world of Teyvat in this free-to-play open-world adventure RPG on Xbox Series X|S. Game Pass Ultimate members will receive recurring rewards via their in-game mailbox, starting off with 2 Intertwined Fate, 1 Northlander Billet Trove, 10 Hero’s Wit, 100,000 Mora, and 15 Mystic Enhancement Ore in-game to celebrate the release on November 20!

In Case You Missed It

Spyro Reignited Trilogy (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Available now
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard

The original roast master is now on Game Pass! Same sick burns, same smoldering attitude, now all scaled up in stunning HD! Rekindle the fire with the original three games, Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage!, and Spyro: Year of the Dragon, all in fully-remastered glory.

DLC / Game Updates

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone Season 01 – Available now

Ready to wreak havoc? The Black Ops 6 era is here with Season 01. Prepare for a vast new season of content with six Multiplayer maps including a festive Nuketown variant, seven new weapons, a brand-new Zombies map, and full Call of Duty: Warzoneintegration alongside the debut of Area 99 in the new Resurgence map.

New League of Legends Champion: Ambessa, the Matriarch of War – Available now

From Arcane to the Rift, Ambessa is ready to dominate all in her path. Unlock League of Legends’ newest top laner instantly with Xbox Game Pass.

Celebrate Arcane Season 2 in Valorant – Available until December 5

Celebrate the release of Arcane’s second season on Netflix by putting on Vi’s Atlas Gauntlets or causing some chaos with Jinx’s Fishbones-themed Vandal skin.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks

The Elder Scrolls Online: 10-Year Anniversary Pack #4 – Available Now
Celebrate 10 years of ESO with the 10-Year Anniversary Pack #4! This bundle includes 2 Grand Gold Coast Experience Scrolls, 1 Major Instant All Research Scroll, and 500 Seals of Endeavor. Claim your Perk today!

Sea of Thieves: Festive Fighter Pack – Available Now
For a limited time, claim the Festive Fighter Pack! Along with four weapons (blunderbuss, cutlass, pistol and Eye of Reach) themed around the Festival of Giving, you’ll also receive the Humble Gift and Mistletoe Emotes to express your holiday spirit.

Leaving November 30

Don’t let the following games leave without a proper farewell! Don’t forget to use your membership discount to save 20% on your purchase to keep them in your library.

  • Conan Exiles (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Coral Island (PC)
  • Hello Neighbor 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Remnant: From The Ashes (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Rollerdrome (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Soccer Story (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Spirit of the North (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • The Walking Dead: The Final Season (PC)
  • While the Iron’s Hot (Cloud, Console, and PC)

As always, keep an eye on Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox for reminders when these “coming soon” announcements turn into “play today”! In the meantime, enjoy your time in the skies and we’ll be back here soon. Cheers!

The post Coming to Game Pass: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Nine Sols, Genshin Impact Benefits, and More appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Xbox Game Pass November 2024 Wave 2 Lineup Announced

Microsoft has announced the next wave of games coming to Game Pass, taking subscribers up to the end of November.

Today, November 19, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) hits Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass as a first-party day one release from Xbox Game Studios and developer Asobo Studios.

Tomorrow, November 20, GSC Game World’s long-awaited Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) hits Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass as another day one launch.

Also on November 20, Little Kitty, Big City (Console) launches into Game Pass Standard. It’s already available with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. November 20 is a big day for Game Pass, with PlateUp! (Console) also launching on Game Pass Standard.

Moving on to November 26, Nine Sols (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) arrives on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Nine Sols is a lore-rich, hand-drawn 2D action-platformer with Sekiro-inspired, deflection-based combat.

A day later, on November 27, Aliens: Dark Descent (Cloud, Console, and PC) launches into Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Standard. In Aliens: Dark Descent, you command a squad of Colonial Marines to stop a Xenomorph outbreak on Moon Lethe. IGN’s Aliens: Dark Descent review returned a 7/10. We said: “Aliens: Dark Descent is a fascinating, tense, inspired survival horror RTS with a few too many technical bugs to recommend it without caveats.”

Xbox Game Pass November 2024 Wave 2 lineup:

Microsoft also announced the games leaving Xbox Game Pass on November 30. As always, you can use your membership discount to save 20% on a purchase to keep these games in your library.

Leaving Xbox Game Pass on November 30:

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.

Bloodshed is Vampire Survivors meets Doom and it’s a surprisingly moreish bloodbath

A long while ago I wrote about Vampire Survivors-likes needing to stop overwhelming you with visual clutter. I’ve since played a few games of a similar ilk that don’t hammer you with a chaos that’s impossible to dissect with your eyeballs. One of these is Bloodshed, an old school FPS take on the VS formula that actually works pretty well and did have me thinking the treacherous phrase “just one more run”.

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