With the original Double Dragon, Yoshihisa Kishimoto realised a dramatic, violent expedition to save a kidnapped girl from a miscreant petrol gang. Although the genre had already been established by Irem’s Kung-Fu Master several years earlier, the scores of enemies, weapons, multi-plane scenery, two-player functionality, and broad range of attacks made it the biggest arcade smash of 1987. Although its direct sequels were lacklustre, 1995’s Double Dragon for the Neo Geo (a fighting game spin-off often known as Double Dragon ’95 to differentiate) was notable. Designed to tie in with the questionable US-produced Double Dragon movie, it remains a very good game. Difficult, perhaps, with thankless AI, but the mechanics and balancing saw it played competitively far and wide. Sadly, the series didn’t revisit the fighting game format until 2002, when Rage of the Dragons surfaced as a late Neo Geo contender.
Originally meant to be a sequel to the aforementioned 1995 release, licensing issues had Rage of the Dragons end up outside of canon despite featuring two brothers named Billy and Jimmy… Lewis. Its roots, however, are obvious, and it’s still recognised by many as being part of the overall Double Dragon universe.
Avowed Arrives February 18 – Pre-order the Premium Edition to Start Your Adventure Early
Shyla SchofieldSenior Communications Manager, Obsidian Entertainment
Summary
Avowed, Obsidian Entertainment’s upcoming fantasy RPG, launches on February 18, 2025, with pre-orders beginning today for Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app on Windows, Battle.net, and Steam, or play it on day one with Game Pass.
The Premium Edition offers up to five days early access, two premium skin packs, and access to the Avowed Digital Artbook & Soundtrack.
Customize your experience with various accessibility options, including a third-person view, remappable controls, and adjustable text sizes.
We’re just a few months away from the launch of Obsidian Entertainment’s first-person fantasy RPG, Avowed, and everyone at the studio couldn’t be more thrilled to invite players to experience the mystery and allure of the Living Lands.
Arriving on February 18, 2025, Avowed brings you to a previously unseen region from the unforgettable world of Eora, first introduced in the award-winning Pillars of Eternity. In your role as envoy, alongside your companions, you’ll uncover hidden truths and navigate delicate situations, where every choice shapes the fate of the land and the people living here.
Eager to start your adventure early? Great news—pre-order the Avowed Premium Edition on Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app on Windows, Battle.net, or Steam, and you’ll get up to five days early access starting on February 13. To explore and try new ways to meet players where they are, Avowed will also be made available for pre-order and purchase on Battle.net, Blizzard’s PC platform.
In addition, players with a Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass membership will be able to play Avowed on Battle.net by linking their Xbox and Battle.net accounts. Whether you’re playing on Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app on Windows, Battle.net, Steam, cloud, or on day one with Xbox Game Pass, get ready to dive into a world where you play your way.
Choose Your Edition
Avowed offers two digital editions and one physical edition:
Avowed Digital Standard Edition – $69.99 (or play it on day one with Xbox Game Pass)
Base Game
Avowed Digital Premium Edition – $89.99
Base Game
Up to five days Early Access
Two Premium Skin Packs
Access to Digital Artbook & Soundtrack
Avowed Premium Edition SteelBook – $94.99
Base Game Digital Code
Up to five days Early Access
Two Premium Skin Packs
Access to Digital Artbook & Soundtrack
Avowed SteelBook
Map of the Living Lands
If you purchase the Standard Edition or are playing with Xbox Game Pass and then later decide you want the Premium Edition, you can upgrade at any time for $24.99. You’ll receive all the digital extra content, including up to five days early access and digital bonuses.
Behind-the-Scenes with the Digital Artbook & Soundtrack
One of the highlights of the Premium Edition is the Avowed Digital Artbook & Soundtrack, where you’ll be able to dive deeper into the world of Avowed with behind-the-scenes artwork from the team and music by composer Venus Theory. These extras are perfect for fans of the Pillars of Eternity franchise and newcomers looking to fully immerse themselves in the lore and soundscapes of the Living Lands.
Exclusive Skins for You and Your Companions
The Premium Edition includes two cosmetic skin packs: the Eora Collection Set and the Obsidian Collection Set. Each pack includes five skins—one for each of the game’s four companions and one for your player character.
Eora Collection Set: Inspired by beloved characters and regions from Pillars of Eternity, a perfect throwback to the original games.
Obsidian Collection Set: Sleek, black outfits that bring a stylish look to your companions, inspired by our very own studio.
Accessibility Features for All Players
Avowed offers a variety of accessibility features to make the game enjoyable for all players. In addition, a third-person mode option is available through the accessibility menu, which helps those who may need it to enjoy the game from a different perspective, enhancing both comfort and gameplay. Some key accessibility options include:
UI & Camera: Customize field of view, disable camera shake, toggle head bobbing, adjust camera sway.
Text & Subtitles: Adjust UI text size, subtitle text size, and subtitle background opacity for optimal readability.
Controls: Fully remappable controls with adjustable sensitivity for all analog inputs, enhancing gameplay comfort.
Languages: While all voice acting will be in English, at launch Avowed will be localized in 12 languages, including French, Italian, German, Spanish (Spain and Mexico), Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese.
Minimum PC Specs
To play Avowed on PC, make sure your setup meets the following minimum requirements:
Pre-orders for Avowed are open from today on Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app on Windows, Battle.net, and Steam. Embark on a thrilling adventure filled with memorable companions, dangerous enemies and situations, and choices that shape the world around you. By pre-ordering the Premium Edition, you’ll be among the first to explore the Living Lands with up to five days early access, starting on February 13.
The countdown to February is on—are you ready to uncover the secrets of Eora? We can’t wait to see where your journey takes you!
Avowed launches February 18, 2025, on Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app on Windows, Battle.net, Steam, and cloud, or play it on day one with Xbox Game Pass.
Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger.
Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands – an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder?
The Weird and Wonderful Living Lands
The Living Lands is a place that feels foreign yet somewhat intrinsic to you as it feels the island itself is calling out to you for help. Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem.
Visceral Combat to Play Your Way
Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way. Dig into your grimoire for spells to trap, freeze or burn enemies, bash them with your shield, or use range bows to attack from a distance.
Companions as part of your journey
Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities. From a former mercenary to an eccentric wizard, they will be part of your journey with your choices shaping them as you help them with their quests.
Sorry We’re Closed is a retro survival horror-inspired game about escaping the clutches of an excessively horny demon who desperately wants your heart. As someone who isn’t often into the ‘lore’ behind things and prefers to just shoot and ask questions later, I found myself actually asking the questions. I wanted to know why I was targeted by such carnal eroticism. I wanted to know more about my character’s own relationships. How angels fit into the picture. And why lots of the demons seem quite chill, really.
But when it came to the actual survival – the bit I thought I’d enjoy the most – I came away a bit disappointed. Exploration is fine, it’s just the combat is often too frequent and too frequently irritating. I came to dread the action more than the atmosphere, in the end.
PlayStation 5 exclusive Astro Bot saw its supposedly final drop of downloadable content released today in the last announced weekly speedrunning level, but fans are scratching their heads over a number of unreleased bots present in the credits.
Reddit user pkowswald noted that, even with the additional two bots released in today’s DLC, there are still several game franchises such as Assassin’s Creed and Rayman credited in Astro Bot despite not having individual bots of their own.
While it’s entirely possible this is from deals fallen through or content cut, what makes the prospect of more DLC down the line more believable is that the credits were actually updated to include an extra character upon the final speedrunning level’s release. None of the unused franchises were cut either.
Astro Bot still includes licensing credits for Rayman, Worms, Assassin’s Creed, Beyond Good & Evil, Croc, and Tomba, the last of which was added today. Nothing official has been said about if these games will be featured eventually, or if more DLC is planned. The PS5 exclusive seems to have performed well both commercially and critically though, so Sony may want to push more DLC down the line.
One of our favorite Xbox Game Pass Ultimate deals has returned at Woot, providing another opportunity for users to stack their membership at a discounted rate. You can get three months of the service for just $29.19, today only with code TWENTY.
The promotion includes significant savings, such as $10 off a $100 Xbox gift card. These discounts are particularly valuable for those planning to purchase digital games, downloadable content, or subscriptions during the holiday sales period.
Early Black Friday Deal: Save on an Xbox Series X Console
Black Friday may not be until November 29, but some retailers have been dropping some excellent deals ahead of time. Walmart has kicked off its first wave of Black Friday sales and there are plenty of offers on games to explore. If you’ve had your eye on picking up an Xbox console, the 1TB Carbon Black Series X is currently on sale at the retailer for $50 off, dropping its price to $448.
Best Xbox Game Deals
This time of year is great for finding games on sale. At the moment, you can score some incredible deals on a wide variety of physical games. This includes Space Marine 2 for Xbox Series X, which has dropped to its lowest price yet at Amazon according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. You can also score some great deals on Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, which is down to $24.99, and Madden NFL 25, which has dropped to $34.97.
More Xbox Video Game Deals:
Best Xbox Accessory Deals
Does your family complain when you stay up playing loud shooters late into the night? They’ll stop complaining if you pick up anXbox headset that lets no one but you hear the delightful explosions you cause on the screen.
Right now, you can get 17% off the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX wireless headset and 37% off the Razer Kaira Pro wireless headset at Amazon. To see even more gaming headsets on sale, visit our roundup of the best gaming headset deals.
What is Xbox’s Recent Controversy?
The recent discomfored surrounding Xbox can be isolated to a recent round of brutal layoffs. Microsoft is closing a number of Bethesda studios, including Redfall maker Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush and The Evil Within developer Tango Gameworks, and more in devastating cuts at Bethesda. Alpha Dog Games, maker of mobile game Mighty Doom, will also close. Roundhouse Studios will be absorbed by The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios. Microsoft, currently valued at over $3 trillion, did not say how many staff will lose their jobs, but significant layoffs are inevitable.
Is Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Coming to Xbox Game Pass?
Microsoft has confirmed the arrival of Call of Duty Black Ops 6 day-one on Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft made the announcement alongside the release of a live-action reveal trailer called ‘The Truth Lies’. In it we see world leaders including Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, George H. W. Bush, Colin Powell, and Saddam Hussein, delivering cryptic speeches. Black Ops 6 will be set during the events of the Gulf War during the early ’90s.
When Should I Buy an Xbox?
In general, it is advisable to keep an eye out for sales and restocks throughout the year, as availability has improved since the initial launch of the console. Unlike the Nintendo Switch, there is no specific recommendation to wait for a sale regardless of the time of year. Instead, it’s a good idea to monitor various retailers and online platforms for restock announcements and promotional offers.
However, certain events like Black Friday or other holiday seasons may bring about unique bundles, discounts, or promotional deals specifically for the Xbox Series X. These bundles may include additional games, accessories, or exclusive limited editions. While quantities for such promotions might be limited, they can provide an opportunity to get more value for your purchase. See our guide to Xbox Series X prices for more info.
Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S?
Choosing between the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S ultimately depends on your gaming preferences, budget, and specific requirements. Let’s compare the two consoles to help you make an informed decision:
1. Performance: The Xbox Series X is the more powerful option, offering native 4K gaming, higher graphical fidelity, and faster loading times. It has more advanced hardware, including a larger storage capacity. On the other hand, the Xbox Series S targets a lower price point and offers a less powerful performance, targeting 1440p resolution gaming and upscaling to 4K.
2. Price: The Xbox Series S is more affordable compared to the Xbox Series X. If budget is a significant factor for you, the Xbox Series S provides a cost-effective option while still delivering a next-generation gaming experience. For example, the Series S can play Starfield at 1440p 30fps (vs 4K 30fps on Series X).
3. Storage: The Xbox Series X comes with a larger internal storage capacity, allowing you to store more games directly on the console. The Xbox Series S, however, has a smaller storage capacity, which means you may need to manage your game library more actively or rely on external storage solutions.
4. Disc Drive: The Xbox Series X includes a disc drive, enabling you to play physical game discs and enjoy a wider range of media options, including Blu-ray and DVD playback. The Xbox Series S, in contrast, is a digital-only console, meaning you can only play games downloaded from the digital store.
5. Graphics and Performance: While both consoles support ray tracing, the Xbox Series X provides a more immersive and visually impressive experience due to its superior hardware capabilities. If you prioritize cutting-edge graphics and want the best performance available, the Xbox Series X is the preferable choice.
Consider your gaming preferences, budget, and whether you prioritize top-of-the-line performance or cost-effectiveness. If you have a 4K TV, want the most powerful console, and are willing to invest more, the Xbox Series X is the recommended option. If you have a lower budget, a 1080p or 1440p TV, and don’t mind sacrificing some performance, the Xbox Series S offers excellent value for money.
With how expensive gaming is getting in 2024, we’re trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We’ve got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as Switch and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand new offers. If you’re trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Famitsu has shared the latest look at the Japanese charts and Super Mario Party Jamboree has finally been kicked off the top spot by… more Mario.
Yes, Nintendo’s latest, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, hasn’t been troubled by its somewhat mixed reception as the new RPG sold a sweet 63,441 copies and sailed to pole position in its debut week. Jamboree is still on the podium, naturally, this time taking the silver while Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven continues to sell well and claims third place.
At Xbox, we’re building a future defined by player choice—where people can play their favorite games, discover new adventures, and connect with friends, wherever and however they love to play.
We also believe that gaming should be easy to access and available for everyone, so whether you have an Xbox console, play on PC, with Samsung Smart TVs, handhelds, mobile phones, Amazon Fire TV, or a Meta Quest headset with Game Pass Ultimate, you can play with Xbox.
In fact, you’re probably reading this on an Xbox-enabled device, that can be powered on with the help of Cloud Gaming or the Xbox App for PC.
And that’s the inspiration for our new ‘This is an Xbox’ campaign.
This Is an Xbox invites people to play with Xbox across multiple devices and screens. It showcases the evolution of Xbox as a platform that extends across devices, with bold, iconic, fun visuals and a light-hearted tone. Launching today, the campaign will come to life in a variety of ways.
This Is an Immersive Takeover
To truly understand what an Xbox is, it’s equally important to understand what is not an Xbox. To bring this to life, we’ve had some fun and labeled “This is Not an Xbox” on non-Xboxes in unexpected places, while also featuring our “This is an Xbox” campaign visuals across San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, London, New York, and Berlin to highlight all the devices that are part of Xbox.
This Is a Video About This Is an Xbox
Our live action trailer takes you through a player’s journey of experiencing their favorite games across different devices and locations, whether it’s at home or on-the-go. Set to the beat of Black Sheep’s classic, ‘The Choice Is Yours’, it reinforces the idea that whatever device you choose, you’re likely able to play with an Xbox.
This Is a Partnership
To further extend This Is an Xbox, we’ve partnered with several brands including Samsung, Crocs, Porsche, and The Happy Egg Co. (UK) to help bring the campaign to life in unexpected and entertaining ways.
The Samsung Smart TV experience continues to be an exciting way to play with Xbox, giving Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members easy and instant access to hundreds of high-quality games through the Xbox app from the Samsung Gaming Hub. Through this campaign, players can not only immerse themselves in their favorite games on Samsung’s platform but also see ‘This is an Xbox’ creative directly on their home screens – and on an even grander scale, coming soon to Times Square.
This Is an Xbox Gear Shop Collection
In celebration of this campaign launch, we have a collection of This Is an Xbox merchandise now available in the Xbox Gear Shop – from T-shirts and hoodies to iPhone and Samsung phone cases, and even a sticker sheet so you can proudly label your Xbox(es).
Take our officialThis Is an Xbox quizto find out more about what is (and is not) an Xbox, and how you can boot up your gaming experience from the device of your choice this holiday.
A studio only gets to launch its very first game once! Everyone here at Dreamlit Games is incredibly excited to debut our upcoming open-world fantasy builder, Towers of Aghasba, which launches into Early Access on November 19. We can’t wait for you to experience this fantastical world as you design your island with bustling settlements and nurture thriving ecosystems while fighting off the withered invasion.
Why early access?
This project is an ambitious open-world sandbox developed by a small team, with core mechanics intended to let players shape their island however they like. It’s also one of the first in-development early access titles coming to PS5. By launching into early access, we can involve our community in the development process, allowing us to better balance, polish, and iterate on these core components. This allows us to introduce new content and features based directly on your feedback.
You can still count on a fun, fantastical experience, with lots of content to explore right from the start of our Early Acess journey— but we’ll be adding additional polish and updates in the weeks ahead. Here’s a roadmap of what to expect fromTowers of Aghasba at launch— and throughout early access:
Launch content
The initial launch of Towers of Aghasba is already brimming with content, deep gameplay systems, a compelling narrative, and a vast world to explore. We release with:
Six regions to explore
Exploration across vast open-world lands—climbing, gliding, and riding mounts
Ruins and relics to discover, unlocking ancient knowledge
Leisure activities (eg. fishing!)
Three types of settlements to build, design, and decorate
Three types of ecosystems to grow
50+ unique creatures
150+ decorations to craft
Single-player and co-op gameplay
Invite up to three friends to your island to build up your settlements, tend to your ecosystems, take on challenging withered foes, and discover secrets across the world
Post-launch roadmap
As with any early access title, the launch is just the beginning. We have plenty in store for the weeks and months following the release, from introducing new systems while expanding existing ones, new quests and narratives, new regions to explore, and more.
Q4 2024
Post-launch support
Quality of life updates
Polish and fixes
Q1 2025
New regions to unlock and explore
New quest lines
A fresh cast of characters
Time of day-related gameplay
Offline play mode
Expanded glider traversal mechanics
Photo Mode
Player Emotes
Q2 2025
New mounts and mount management system
Expanding multiplayer activities and experiences
Crossplay
Player character customization
Improved Townfolk AI
Improved Shimudex functionality
Q3 2025
New regions unlocked
New withered quest lines and characters
Giant withered demon combat
Cold environmental effects
New creatures
Creature relationship systems
Q4 2025
New biome type–shallow water
New ecosystem type–water ecosystem
New village type–fishing village
New creatures
New foliages
New quest lines and characters
Q1 2026
New regions unlocked
Hot environmental effects
New creatures
Town happiness system
Building customization
Q2 2026
Increased Tower levels
New major questlines
Apart from all these exciting and ambitious plans for the road ahead, an important aspect in guiding the development of Towers of Aghasba through early access is you.
We feel it’s important to have the community involved in the development of our game to provide the best experience possible. Your feedback and suggestions are integral in the decisions we make and we hope to expand our roadmap to accommodate our player community’s requests.
Let’s build an incredible, unique, ambitious, and special game together. You can pre-order the game now, and dive into the adventure with us next week when Towers of Aghasba launches into Early Access on November 19 on PS5.
Star Wars is forever bringing back elements of the prior Extended Universe and Andor Season 2 is doing its bit by featuring a ship from a 1994 video game.
IGN’s Andor: Season 1 review returned a 9/10. We said: “Andor is one of the very best TV shows of the year and as good as Star Wars has been in a long, long time.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
In Rue Valley you role play a guy with poor mental health. He wanders around a crappy motel, stuck in the same old patterns of life, seemingly unable to escape his inner demons. When confronted with the premise for this upcoming RPG you may have one of two reactions. The first: you will say “lol, it me” with enough humour to wishlist it on Steam and earmark it for the future. The second: you will mutter “ugh, it me” and be immediately put off by the idea of having to tolerate an entire second layer of psychological hangups.
There is a third secret reaction though… you might think: oh, this looks a lot like Disco Elysium, but in the real world.
, Porsche, and The Happy Egg Co. (UK) to help bring the campaign to life in unexpected and entertaining ways. 
