Category: Video Games

Xbox Partner Preview: See the Latest Games From Our Incredible Partners This Week

Xbox Partner Preview: See the Latest Games From Our Incredible Partners This Week

Xbox Partner Preview October 2024 Hero Image

We’re thrilled to announce the next Xbox Partner Preview – our no-fluff, all-games broadcast – is coming this Thursday, October 17. In the latest installment, we’ll feature a mix of new and upcoming games for you from incredible partners like Remedy Entertainment, Sega, 505 Games, and many more, with over a dozen new trailers over the course of around 25 minutes.

During Xbox Partner Preview, you’ll get a first look at gameplay from Alan Wake II’s next expansion, The Lake House, an action-packed new trailer for Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, a peek at multiple bosses in dark-fantasy action game Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, multiple world premieres, and other great titles coming to Xbox consoles, Windows PC, and Game Pass.

As always, Xbox Partner Preview is all about sharing exciting games news from our talented partners across the globe: you’ll get new game reveals, release date announcements, and fresh new gameplay from upcoming games. And to sweeten the deal, during the broadcast, Xbox Wire will post exclusive behind-the-scenes stories about select titles shown.

This event will be broadcast digitally on Thursday, October 17, at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK across our Xbox channels on YouTube and Twitch. Read on for all the details you need to know in advance:

Q&A

What time does Xbox Partner Preview begin? Thursday, October 17, at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK.

How do I watch? Xbox Partner Preview will be available through a variety of outlets:

Please note, YouTube.com/Xbox will be in 4K at 60fps, while all other channels will be 1080p / 60fps.

Is the event available in languages other than English?  We will be providing live subtitle support in the following languages: Arabic (MSA), Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Czech, French, Canadian French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, Mexican Spanish and Turkish.

Aside from going directly to a regional Xbox channel, you’ll be able to find 30+ languages at YouTube.com/Xbox in the days following the show. Just click the gear icon in the lower righthand corner of the primary stream to choose the language of your choice.

Is the show going to be Accessible to those with low/no hearing or low/no vision? There will be a version of the show with Audio Descriptions (AD) in English on the Xbox YouTube channel, and American Sign Language (ASL) on Xbox’s YouTube channel and the /XboxASL Twitch channel. The /XboxOn YouTube channel will also carry a British Sign Language (BSL) feed.

I’m not going to be able to watch, where can I find out what was announced? A full show recap will go live immediately following the end of Xbox Partner Preview. As announcements roll out during the broadcast, the Xbox Wire team will be publishing exclusive blog posts about select titles right here on Xbox Wire (including localized versions in Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, LATAM Spanish, and Japanese).

Co-streamer and content creator notes for the Xbox Partner Preview: We at Xbox greatly appreciate any co-stream efforts and aim to ensure you have a smooth experience if you choose to do so. However, due to forces beyond our control, we cannot guarantee that glitches or disruptions by bots and other automated software won’t interfere with your co-stream. For those planning to create post-show breakdowns of Xbox Partner Preview in the form of Video on Demand (VOD) coverage, we recommend you do not use any audio containing copyrighted music to avoid any action by automated bots, and to also consult the terms of service for your service provider.

We can’t wait for you to join us on Thursday for the next Xbox Partner Preview! See you soon.

The post Xbox Partner Preview: See the Latest Games From Our Incredible Partners This Week appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Destiny: Rising Is a Free-to-Play Mobile Spin-Off From the Developer of Diablo Immortal, Bungie ‘Providing Oversight and Approvals’

The long-rumored Destiny mobile game is finally a reality, with an announcement that brings a debut trailer and word of a closed-alpha test on November 1.

Destiny: Rising is a free-to-play mobile sci-fi RPG shooter set within the Destiny universe Bungie has spent the last decade building. But this new mobile Destiny game isn’t developed or even published by Bungie itself. It’s developed and published by NetEase Games, the Chinese megacorp behind the likes of Diablo Immortal, Once Human, and the upcoming Marvel Rivals, under an official license granted by Bungie.

In 2018, NetEase invested over $100 million into Bungie to build a new game. The investment gave NetEase a minority stake in Bungie and a seat on its board of directors, but all that changed when Sony bought Bungie for $3.7 billion back in 2022.

Now, two years after the Sony buyout and six years after NetEase’s investment, Destiny: Rising is a reality. And while NetEase is the developer and publisher of Destiny: Rising, Bungie is “providing oversight and approvals of the game’s development.”

In terms of gameplay, Destiny: Rising has both first-person and third-person options, with the player able to switch between them at will. Destiny: Rising supports touchscreen controls and supports PlayStation and Xbox controllers, as well as mobile-specific controllers.

While Destiny: Rising is set within the Destiny universe, its events take place in an alternate Destiny timeline. It explores a story in the post-Dark Age era (the era that took place after the Collapse of Destiny’s Golden Age). Here’s the official blurb:

As a genesis of new possibilities in the Destiny Universe, Destiny: Rising delves into an unseen era where burgeoning hope blooms once again after a terrifying collapse of civilization and the dangers of the resulting Dark Age. With the help of legendary Iron Lords, humanity has broken free the shackles of tyranny and began to rally together against the alien forces intent on its extinction. Amidst the chaos of this early age for The City, a new generation of Lightbearers, resurrected by mysterious entities known as Ghosts, set out to restore humanity’s prominence and secure its future.

There’s single-player, co-op, and competitive multiplayer gameplay, NetEase Games said, including “beloved” game modes familiar to Destiny players, and all-new modes. There are campaign missions and six-player co-op strikes that are “iconic” to the Destiny franchise. Perhaps we’ll get something along the lines of the Cerberus Vae III strike from Destiny 1, whether we wanted it or not.

As for characters, expect “familiar” faces from Destiny as well as brand new characters. There is clan support, “fun and casual” party modes, and customizable shared spaces.

Environments include the sanctuary of Haven (a refuge for the Lightbearers and survivors), the icy, ancient metro of Jiangshi, and the arid expanse of the Red Sea Rift. As you’d expect, Destiny: Rising as exotic weapons, the franchises’ signature guns.

“For over a decade, we have built this universe to contain many unique and wonderful stories, and we are excited to see mobile gamers be able to experience this new take on the Destiny universe from the creative team at NetEase,” commented Terry Redfield, creative lead at Bungie.

The announcement of Destiny: Rising comes at a troubling time for Bungie and the Destiny franchise after mass layoffs hit the legendary studio earlier this year. In September, Bungie unveiled what it called “major changes” to Destiny 2 designed to win back players. Bungie has reportedly struggled to meet key financial targets, with Destiny 2 significantly underperforming last year. The Final Shape expansion, released in June, reportedly sold less at launch than 2023’s critically panned Lightfall.’

We are excited to see mobile gamers be able to experience this new take on the Destiny universe.

In a LinkedIn post, Don McGowan, the former general counsel at Bungie, reacted to the Destiny 2 changes to say he was pleased with parent company Sony’s apparent influence in the decision making, which, he said, meant the studio was finally “running the game like a business.”

Bungie reportedly has no plans for Destiny 3 and has canceled a Destiny spinoff project known as Payback. Development on its Marathon revival is said to still be ongoing.

In December, IGN reported on an apparent scramble by Bungie studio leadership to avoid a total Sony takeover. Then, in March, IGN reported on a leadership shakeup on Marathon that included the removal of long-time Bungie designer Christopher Barrett from the game director role.

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.

Neva review: a Ghibli-esque platformer with tight visuals and loose combat

Neva is the Sophomore effort from Nomada Studio, who you may remember from their beautiful, dreamy platformer Gris. Neva is not a literal sequel to Gris, but it certainly seems to be one in a spiritual sense, as it, too, is a floaty hand-illustrated platformer fond of metaphor. Neva introduces some drama, with combat and a health system (if not actual stakes because of near-instant restarts), and although neither the platforming nor combat are precise enough to be neat bedfellows, I think we should be willing to forgive most of the mess.

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The Witcher Getting Wholesome Family Friendly Comic Book Adaptation

The Witcher is getting a wholesome, family friendly comic book adaptation called The Little Witcher, CD Projekt Red has announced.

In collaboration with Dey Rey Books and Penguin Random House, the hardback book arrives May 13, 2025 and is available to preorder now for $16 at Amazon, and via the myriad outlets listed on the Penguin website. It tells stories of a young Ciri as she trains to be a witcher under Geralt of Rivia, and also stars the likes of Yennefer of Vengerberg and Vesemir.

“Young Ciri’s extensive training at Kaer Morhen, the witchers’ stronghold, includes everything she needs to learn to survive the many threats in her world, as well as all the antics and fun of a little girl bonding with her adoptive dad and family,” the synopsis reads.

“With help from Geralt and Ciri’s closest companions — including the motherly magic of Yennefer of Vengerberg and the wisdom of uncle Vesemir — these adorable tales of a non-traditional family will make you laugh, make you sigh, and make you realize that raising a little witcher is not that different from raising any other kid.

“Sure, bedtime stories might include warnings of monsters who fart when surprised, and Geralt might invoke the Witcher Code to get Ciri to brush her teeth or clean her room, but even the formidable White Wolf knows to surrender when it comes to bedtime battles or afternoon tea with the toys.”

The book is described as being perfect for Witcher fans raising their own children, readers who believe in the power of chosen families, families who like cute, magical comics, The Witcher fans who want to spend more time at Kaer Morhen, and players looking for a light hearted twist on their favorite game.

The Witcher franchise has grown exponentially in recent years through the likes of The Little Witcher and other products. The Witcher: Path of Destiny will join The Witcher: Old World as another board game when it arrives in late 2024, a constant stream of more mature comics is released by Dark Horse, and the franchise even has an official cookbook, for example.

These join an incoming novel from The Witcher creator Andrzej Sapkowski, another two seasons of the live action Netflix series (with Season 4 currently in production), and an animated film called Sirens of the Deep starring Doug Cockle, the voice of Geralt in the video games.

CD Projekt Red is plenty busy itself too, with several Witcher projects in development alongside a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 and a brand new game codenamed Hadar.

Polaris is the codename for the next mainline Witcher game though little is known as of yet, beyond it starring a new protagonist; CD Projekt Red studio The Molasses Flood is working on a multiplayer Witcher game with more mass appeal; and Fool’s Theory is remaking the original Witcher game in Unreal Engine 5.

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

UK Retailer “Unable to Fulfill” Every PS5 30th Anniversary Preorder, Cancellation Email Informs Disappointed Buyers

UK retailer Argos has started canceling preorders for the PS5 Slim Digital 30th Anniversary Edition, citing an inability to fulfill the orders. Customers affected by the unexpected cancellations are being automatically refunded to their original payment methods.

Preorders for the highly sought-after PS1-themed console went live on the Argos website in the early hours of October 10, priced at £429.99. The limited edition console sold out shortly after it became available.

Less than a week later, customers have begun receiving email or text notifications that their orders were canceled. The news has led to confusion, with some buyers seeking clarification from Argos’ customer support.

Reports from those who reached out to Argos have been mixed. While some customer service representatives have indicated the cancellation emails were sent in error, others have confirmed that the cancellations are legitimate, leaving buyers uncertain about the status of their orders.

This isn’t the first bit of trouble the PS5 30th Anniversary that customers have run into. Only a few weeks back, shoppers were quick to report ‘sold out’ messages for the PlayStation 5 – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition bundles just minutes after preorders went live on PlayStation Direct in the UK, causing frustration for many who had visited the site and sat in the queue beforehand.

Following this multiple listings for the PS5 Pro Console 30th bundle went up on eBay, where scalpers were asking for up to £10,000.

While Argos’ cancellations do not involve the PS5 Pro bundle, but rather the PS5 Slim (Digital Edition), the demand for this console has been equally high. A second wave of preorders was made available through major retailers like Amazon, Argos, and Very on October 10, but these sold out just as quickly. Now, Argos seems to be reversing some of those orders.

Those who made preorders are unsurprisingly frustrated by the situation. @Natty301288 on Twitter/X stating: “@ArgosHelpers is this a joke preorder made last Thursday confirmation received now can’t get this elsewhere”

The sentiment was shared by user @Malik_Zain7, exclaiming: “@Argos_Online this some kind of joke???
After taking payment for a limited edition console and also sending me a confirmation email, you’re now saying it’s cancelled?”

For further updates on the situation, follow our deals team at @IGNUKDeals on Twitter/X, who are closely monitoring the cancellations and other preorder developments.

The reason behind the cancellations remains unclear, though overselling of stock is a likely explanation. IGN has reached out to Argos/Sainsbury’s for clarification and comment.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Rumour: Nintendo Might Be Gearing Up For A GameCube Controller Comeback

Smile and wave(bird).

Get your pinches of salt at the ready, folks, because it’s time for more Nintendo rumour discussion.

In a break from usual proceedings, this one isn’t about ‘Switch 2’ (at least, not entirely). Instead, the latest speculation is focused on the GameCube controller and how it might, might, be making a comeback.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Squirrel With a Gun launches tomorrow – first look at upcoming free updates

Get ready, Squirrel With a Gun will be available on PS5 on October 15! That’s right, your favorite armed mammal is almost ready to clean up the town by taking down those pesky suited-up Agents. And just when you thought Squirrel With a Gun couldn’t get any more packed with squirrely goodness, we have a whole set of free updates planned and incoming. Today we’ll give you a taste of two major updates, the new Photo Mode releasing October 15 and the Boss Battle update coming in the near future. Who knew that a single squirrel would have so much to do, ey?

Serve squirrely lewks with Photo Mode

Get ready to capture your most epic squirrel moments with the new Photo Mode! Whether you’re pulling off a daring escape, doing something wicked-cool mid-air, or making new friends in the neighborhood, you can now snap and save all those unforgettable moments. The best part is that there are plenty of modes to help you create the perfect shot. 

First up is the classic Cam Adjust Mode, which helps you control the camera like a pro. Move the camera around, rotate it, and even give it a dramatic Dutch angle for some serious flair. Zoom in and out with the Field of View (FoV) slider to frame your perfect shot, whether you’re up close and personal or catching the action from afar.

Next up is the Focus Mode. Add a touch of photography magic by playing with the camera’s focus. Choose the Player setting to keep the focus on you (because let’s face it, you’re the star), or go full-on creative with Manual Mode, where you control the focal distance for that perfect screenshot.

And finally, the Filter Mode. Why settle for ordinary when you can add a touch of whimsy to your photos? With 15 unique filters to collect, such as the cute kawaii-esqe filter, or the timeless and still oh-so relevant awesome meme face filter, you can turn every snapshot into something truly memorable or hilarious.

Prepare to face a legendary boss

Coming in one of our later updates, a new boss and boss battle are slowly brewing behind the scenes. Your foe is the legendary Ratatoskr, the squirrel of Norse legends. Forcibly allied with the Agents, you must climb to the heavens and battle this mythical rodent so it won’t destroy the neighborhood.

This boss fight is unlike any of the other battles you will face. This squirrel moves fast, has a variety of ranged and melee attacks, and is a considerably smaller target! Fortunately, you will be granted a special SMG with a magazine of infinite bullets for this grandiose occasion.

Now that’s not all that’s coming to the neighborhood. You can expect new outfits, a whole new level, new furs, and perhaps even a game-changing gadget from the lab that can alter gravity itself! All of these updates are coming to Squirrel With a Gun free of charge. We want to keep the fun going as long as we can!

Squirrel With a Gun is coming to PS5 on October 15!

Tron: Catalyst Announced for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, and PC as Sequel to Tron: Identity

Tron: Catalyst has been announced as a sequel to Tron: Identity coming in 2025 to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Devolver Digital subsidiary Big Fan Games announced Tron: Catalyst alongside Disney Games and developer Bithell Games. It’s described as “a thrilling, story-driven isometric action game” set in the world of Tron.

It will continue the story of the Arq Grid, first introduce in Tron: Identity, as players explore the Exo, a highly resilient and resourceful program with an incredible ability to initiate time loops. Fans can read IGN’s preview of the new game here.

“With this newfound power, Exo takes on the overlords of a crumbling Grid all while evading Conn, a malevolent agent of CORE,” the synopsis reads. “Exo must gain control over her mysterious abilities and uncover the unexplained ‘Glitch’ that threatens the Grid.

“As Exo, players will battle on-foot and on Light Cycle to complete missions and gain crucial insights that will help them on their quest. While learning from her mistakes, Exo will also need to navigate warring factions to unlock new paths and uncover the secrets of the Arq Grid.”

In our 7/10 review of the last game, IGN said: “Despite its short length, Tron: Identity’s visual novel/detective story is well worth playing — and replaying — to unravel the latest mystery of life on the Grid.”

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

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is a slick ski ’em up, if its demo is any indication

One of the most important lessons in skiing is, presumably, to look where you’re going. You wouldn’t want to ski with your eyes closed or while viewing yourself from a drone pointed back at the mountain from above. That’d be daft.

Or maybe not. Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is the frosty followup to the mountain biking original, Lonely Mountains: Downhill, and like its predecessor it’s about going fast while barely able to see what’s coming. Yet also like its predecessor, initial frustrations melted away until I was eagerly hitting the slopes in the Snow Riders demo for just one more quick go.

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