So powerful.
The latest Famitsu charts are in and, as expected, it’s another strong week for the Switch, with only Powerful Pro Baseball 2024-2025 representing a competing console in the software top ten.
There are two newcomers this week, too, with One Piece Odyssey entering the charts at in second place – not to be sniffed at – while The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II just about makes it onto the podium at number nine.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
After a successful landing on PC back in October, AirportSim, the advanced airport ground handling simulator, arrives on Xbox Today. For the past few months, Polish studio MS Games have been hard at work bringing their highly-detailed airport experience to console. With the release of AirportSim on Xbox now on the horizon, Iceberg Interactive’s Ben Kobs sat down with producer Krzysztof Stabryła to talk about their journey so far!
Can you tell us a little bit about the history of AirportSim? How long have you been working on it and how did the development go?
We’ve been working on AirportSim since late 2021. We’re all aviation fans at MS Games, but Mateusz, our CEO, has been a devoted aviation enthusiast since childhood. Not only does he have a pilot’s license, but he has also been creating software for flight simulators since 2008. The idea of developing a ground handling simulator has been floating around in his head for a long time and we felt like that area was generally unexplored in the sim space, so we were eager to get to work on a sim focussing on ground operations.
The development had its ups and downs, but it was a lot of fun. We had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people and collaborate with them to create our game. From actual ground handling companies to vehicle manufacturers, we were lucky to get access to meticulous technical documentation and first-hand insights into the intricacies of airport life, which made the development process a lot easier.
How exciting is it for you to be able to bring your game to a console like Xbox?
We are very excited to introduce AirportSim and the world of ground handling to Xbox. This will help us reach aviation enthusiasts who may not have access to the game otherwise. Bringing our game to a console like Xbox is a thrilling milestone for us, as it allows us to share our passion for aviation with a wider community!
What role does an active community play in the development of the game? How does fan feedback affect you?
During production, we received enormous amounts of support and feedback from our community. We launched a couple of demos for people to try out, and their feedback was invaluable in fine-tuning some features and fixing key issues before launch. The aviation community has always been a huge help in creating projects like this one, and their insights were crucial to our development process.
How important was it for you to give players a realistic experience in AirportSim? Can you elaborate on how realistic the game is compared to real-life ground handling?
It was important for us to deliver a realistic ground handling experience in AirportSim. We are proud to say that our mechanics are nearly identical to real life! We visited many airports and ground handling firms, and, during production, partnered with Welcome Airport Services, LS Airport Services, Warsaw Chopin Airport, and countless others. These partnerships provided us with enormous support.
Of course, some procedures can vary from country to country, airline to airline, and even city to city. This means there may be some discrepancies as certain tasks might be performed differently than what some players are used to. That’s why we decided to standardize these procedures. We wanted to keep things realistic, but also needed to ensure the game was cohesive and enjoyable for players.
What challenges have you faced in the design and execution?
Before we partnered with industry experts, one of the biggest challenges we faced was the lack of documentation and clear and detailed photos. Creating and recreating these models took a lot of time and effort and it was tough to start working on accurate models and representations. We dug through thousands of pages of documentation. It was a tedious and time-consuming task, but essential for the level of realism we were aiming for.
Sound recording was another big hurdle. Airports are incredibly loud places! It’s difficult to get clear audio recordings. But our sound designer, Łukasz, did an amazing job navigating this and made sure everything sounds just right in the game.
So, what’s next?
For now it’s focussing on Xbox! The game is out today and we’re stoked to see how it goes. We’re proud of how it turned out, so make sure to check out AirportSim on Xbox and enjoy the fulfilling experience of the duties of a ground crew member at various airports!
Iceberg Interactive
There is always so much to do!
Enjoy many of the accurate in-game tasks developed using documented knowledge and interviews with real-world airport ground handling staff:
– Follow me – Taxiing Aircraft Guidance
– Marshalling
– Securing an aircraft
– Connecting GPU
– Fuelling
– Handling Luggage
– Jetway manoeuvring
– Catering…
– and more
Real life Airports
Four true-to-life airports which we personally captured and carefully recreated, focusing on elements such as ground layouts, plane parking, lines, and gate numbers all matching real life. You can follow real aviation charts to move around!
Gameplay Modes
There are multiple gameplay modes within AirportSim,
– Scenario: Based on stacked flight plans, predefined weather conditions and tasks you’ll need to complete in sequence.
– Challenge: Feel like you can handle any situation at the airport? Test your skills by placing as high as possible on the scoreboard!
– Co-op: Together you can do more, and have more fun – invite your friends to join you on an adventure at one of the busy airports.
– Free Play: No rules here, explore airports at your own speed and do as you please. You can watch the planes come and go or get involved, you decide!
The post AirportSim Has Landed on Xbox: The Journey So Far appeared first on Xbox Wire.
According to certain Terran lore, God created the universe in seven days. Well, I got up this morning and made a small suburban village with a hospital, school, police station and a cafe in the space of 20 minutes. This is the backwater burg of Edwitherington. Population: 8 – one for every non-residential building in town. Major imports: ornamental lampposts, because I like to cultivate an old-timey mood. Major exports: traffic jams, because I’ve laid out my village in the form of a small crescent leading back to the freeway, which means that there are two traffic light junctions about 100 metres apart.
August has stomped into being, which means new games are heading to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Instead of the usual summer slow season, we’re actually seeing quite a few major releases this month, including Star Wars: Outlaws, Madden NFL 25, Concord, and more. Below, you’ll find release dates for all the biggest games and expansions that have been announced for this year and beyond. Here’s what’s worth playing in August 2024.
The following list is divided by platform; you can jump to any one using the shortcuts below. And if you’re someone who likes to preorder, you can click the buy link to make sure it arrives on launch day.
Shortcuts
PlayStation’s big game in August is the hero shooter Concord. Built in the grand tradition of Overwatch, Concord has you pick your unique hero, team up with other players, and duke it out against another team. Also out this month is Madden NFL 25, Black Myth: Wukong, and Ubisoft’s Star Wars: Outlaws.
August is a somewhat slow month for Switch releases, but that’s just an end-of-life-cycle-meets-summer-doldrums combination. The main Nintendo-published release this month is the spooky visual novel Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective club. Also out this month are Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, and Volgarr the Viking II, a sequel to a game whose first level I didn’t have the time/patience to beat. Maybe this one will be less punishingly difficult? One can hope.
August is in now way a slow month for Xbox owners, even if Microsoft’s hardware revenue is way down. We can look forward to Star Wars: Outlaws, an open-world take on a galaxy far, far away. Also out this month are Visions of Mana, a new Madden, a new Cat Quest, and more.
As usual, PC gamers can pick up most of the games console owners get access to this month. That includes Star Wars: Outlaws and Black Myth: Wukong, among many others. The big PC-only release this month is a big, spankin’ new expansion to the long-running MMORPG World of Warcraft. Neat.
For more release date fun, check out our ongoing list of 4K UHD and Blu-ray release dates.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN’s board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on (long inhale) Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and the social network formerly known as Twitter.
Hey, remember that 2017 roguelike called Midboss? Or that 2020 platformer called Super Bernie World, where you attempt to transform the US as a retro-fied Bernie Sanders? Yes or no, Kitsune Games have put out some good stuff in the past, and now they’re back with a Super Bernie World followup: Kitsune Tails. Again, it’s a Super Mario-inspired platformer, but this time it’s a wonderfully queer rescue mission inspired by Japanese mythology in a way that’s cutesy and colourful. And it’s out today!
Amazon has announced the August 2024 Prime Gaming lineup (Prime Gaming is a benefit of Amazon Prime membership).
Highlights include SteamWorld Heist, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Loop Hero, and various Tomb Raider games. 22 games are set to hit Prime Gaming in August, with new games added each Thursday throughout the month.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is the well-received 2016 action role-playing game from Eidos-Montréal and sequel to Deus Ex: Human Revolution. IGN’s Deus Ex: Mankind Divided review returned a 9.2. We said: “Layered, intelligent, and impeccably designed, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided’s gameplay rewards curiosity and creativity.”
Unfortunately the Deus Ex series is on ice after franchise owner Embracer reportedly canceled a new game that was two years into development, resulting in layoffs.
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.
Hardened battle royalists will remember Caldera, the sandy island map of bunkers and palm trees in Call Of Duty: Warzone. It got shut down last year as Activision focused their efforts elsewhere, making the map unplayable. But you can now revisit those bullet-strewn beaches. In theory, anyway. Activision have released it as a 4GB open-source project that can be explored in a 3D model-viewing tool. That’s cool. But among their reasons for doing so, there lies a predictably grubby logic: they want people to use the data to train AI.
This Mars has no bite.
When Nintendo launched Metroid Dread in 2021, there was no doubt in our minds that it would inspire more fast-paced, gritty Metroidvanias later down the road. MARS 2120 is one such title; a sci-fi romp that attempts to capture the same magic that made Dread so special, but ultimately falls at almost every hurdle.
It starts off strong, taking place on the surface of Mars where you’re fleeing from an avalanche of rocks and rubble. It’s exciting stuff, but even during this introductory sequence, something about the controls just felt off. You’re blessed with a double-jump ability right from the start, but executing it never feels quite natural enough considering how often you’ll need to use it throughout the game. It’s not bad, as such, but it feels a bit too floaty for our liking.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Following this year’s jam-packed Xbox Games Showcase, we’re excited to return to gamescom and connect with fans in Cologne, Germany from August 21-25 to show off even more of what Xbox players have in store.
The community is what makes gaming – and gamescom – so special and there will be something for everyone this year, whether you’re on the show floor in Cologne or watching at home via our livestreams. This year the Xbox booth will be overflowing with exciting upcoming titles, one-off experiences and fantastic photo opportunities for games coming to Xbox, PC, and Game Pass this Holiday and beyond. We’ll also deliver three days of broadcasts live from the show floor, join up with our amazing community for another FanFest, and plenty more. Keep reading for more details on everything we’re up to at gamescom 2024.
This year the Xbox booth will feature over 50 gaming titles from Xbox Game Studios, Blizzard, Bethesda, and our amazing third-party partners – spread across more than 240 gaming stations – alongside amazing photo ops and experiences, and specially constructed theaters for exclusive looks at upcoming titles.
Attendees will be able to go hands-on with upcoming Xbox releases, including:
We will also host exclusive theater presentations of Avowed, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Starfield: Shattered Space.
Joining the Xbox booth for the first time, Blizzard Entertainment will make their return to gamescom with multiple offerings for Diablo and World of Warcraft. Ahead of the launch of the Vessel of Hatred expansion in October, Diablo will bring an exclusive public hands-on gameplay demo of the Spiritborn class to the gamescom show floor, with a Diablo Immortal Helliquary boss tournament taking place as well. World of Warcraft celebrates the launch of The War Within on August 26 with the power of a special immersive experience, giving gamescom attendants the chance to feel the thrill of Skyriding in Azeroth.
The Xbox booth will also have playable titles from our third-party partners, including Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws, Studio Wildcard’s ARK 2, Saber Interactive’s Space Marine 2, Rebellion’s Atomfall, and the return of GSC Game World’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl with an all-new demo. And in our Indie Selects area – dedicated to diverse, exciting upcoming titles from independent developers – we’ll host games including Maximum Entertainment’s Squirrel with a Gun, Noodlecake’s Winter Burrow, 11 bit Studios’ Creatures of Ava, and more.
The above is just a small selection of the titles playable on the Xbox booth. For the full list of playable titles visit here. Whatever you’re into, we’ll have something for you.
You’ll be able to find us in Hall 7 of the Koelnmesse, North entrance. See below for the consumer show opening times:
Beyond the Xbox booth, Overwatch 2 will also have a joint stand with Porsche, highlighting their new collaboration by featuring a life-sized D.Va statue modeled after the new all-electric Macan, along with an invitation for fans to enter a real-life rendition of an iconic Overwatch 2 map.
This year at gamescom, Game Pass is turning up the fun with an exciting setup reminding players that they can discover their next favorite game across devices. Guests will have an opportunity to explore different sections dedicated to PC, Console, and Cloud as they learn about all the different ways to play their favorite games. In addition to exclusive gamescom 2024 prizes available through claw and gacha machines, guests have the opportunity to play the Big Green Button for a shot at winning exciting prizes like:
Xbox remains committed to the belief that gaming should be safe, inclusive, and accessible for all. We are ensuring that all areas of the booth are wheelchair accessible, Xbox Adaptive Controllers will be available upon request, and there will be select demo stations with adjustable-height desks and monitors. We also have multiple American Sign Language (ASL) and German Sign Language (DGS) interpreters and Audio Description tours in English and German for guests who are blind or visually disabled.
Additionally, we’ll have sensory aids and a quiet room for everyone who needs them, as well as “Here to Help” staff to assist players of all abilities navigate our booth and game experiences. Please check out the Accessibility “Here to Help” desk at our booth for support.
Gear Shop
Check out the official Gear Shop at the booth to get the latest with gear from Xbox Game Studios, Blizzard, Activision, and Bethesda!
Can´t make it? Don’t worry, find your new favorite gear online in the following stores:
Community Area
This year the Xbox booth will also include the Community Hub! This more chilled out space within the Xbox Booth will be a perfect place for attendees to stop and hang out during the show, and will also feature special programming and activities from titles and teams across Xbox taking place throughout gamescom. Activities will include cosplay meetups, trivia games, meet-and-greets with game developers and voice actors, and more! Be sure to stop by and see what’s on!
If you can’t make the trip to Cologne this year, we’ll bring the show to you with a series of daily streams from the Xbox booth. Join Team Xbox and friends on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for a deeper dive into some of the highly anticipated games at gamescom 2024, with first-look gameplay, developer chats, new trailers and more. The Bethesda team will also have daily content streaming live from the booth over on their Twitch channel: twitch.tv/bethesda_de.
Whether you join us for every stream, or just dip in for the latest on your most anticipated titles, we’re looking forward to connecting with fans across the globe and showing off some of the amazing games coming to Xbox.
Wednesday August 21
Thursday August 22
Friday August 23
Keep an eye on Xbox Social channels for the full content schedule in the days leading up to gamescom.
The live English-language broadcast from Xbox’s gamescom booth will be available in German, Arabic, Traditional Chinese, Czech, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, Mexican Spanish and Turkish, along with ASL and English Audio Descriptions. You can catch the Xbox @ gamescom Livestream on regional Xbox channels on YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, and elsewhere.
Livestream Channels:
On Wednesday, August 21, Xbox FanFest is returning to host a special community event to kick off gamescom week! We’ll be bringing players together to connect around their shared love of gaming. If you’re planning to attend gamescom or will be in the Cologne area, you can enter for a chance to win tickets to attend.
Login at xbox.com/fanfest and use code FANFEST to unlock the sweepstakes. No Purchase Necessary. Open only to registered Xbox FanFest members. 18+. Ends 08:59 CEST on 5 August 2024. Click here for Official Rules.
Our social media teams will be on the ground bringing you live coverage, updates, news, new videos, and lots of fun stuff too. And make sure to keep an eye on Xbox Wire for coverage of the Opening Night Live show, and articles about many of the games on show.
For all the latest updates on Xbox at gamescom this year, stay tuned to the Xbox channels on X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube social channels, or the @XboxDACH X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube social channels for German-language coverage. We’re using #Xboxgamescom as our event hashtag.
The post Xbox @ gamescom 2024 appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Microsoft has fully revealed its plans for gamescom 2024, and they include three days of live broadcasts.
In a post on Xbox Wire, Microsoft said it will host a series of daily streams from its Xbox booth at the show, running from Wednesday August 21 to Friday August 23. These will offer a deeper dive into various games Xbox is set to release over the coming months, with first-look gameplay, developer chats, and new trailers. Microsoft-owned Bethesda will also host daily content streams from the booth.
Games set to appear during these streams include Stalker 2, Atomfall, Age of Mythology, Star Wars Outlaws, World of Warcraft expansion The War Within, Towerborne, Avowed, and Ara: History Untold.
Wednesday August 21
Thursday August 22
Friday August 23
Microsoft is heavily rumored to be set to release an Xbox handheld, but it looks like gamescom 2024 won’t be the platform for an announcement. Instead, the focus here is on already announced games, such as Obsidian’s Avowed, Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws, and GSC Game World’s Stalker 2.
Bethesda is of course running MMOs Fallout 76 and The Elder Scrolls Online, and is set to release Starfield expansion Shattered Space later this year. No games from Microsoft-owned Activision were mentioned in the Xbox post, but Blizzard is attending to show off World of Warcraft and Diablo 4 expansions.
Sony and Nintendo, meanwhile, have confirmed they are skipping gamescom 2024. Sony told Eurogamer it has no plans for the show, and Nintendo confirmed the same back in April.
While Sony’s decision was expected (it hasn’t attended gamescom in years), Nintendo’s decision came as something of a surprise given it has turned up at gamescom in recent years. But with the Nintendo Switch successor console not due out until 2025, a quieter 2024 makes sense.
Microsoft’s big gamescom 2024 effort comes amid devastating cuts that have seen 1,900 staff exit its gaming business and the closure of a number of Bethesda studios, including Hi-Fi Rush maker Tango Gameworks and Redfall developer Arkane Austin. In June, Xbox boss Phil Spencer addressed these closures, insisting he had to make “hard decisions” to run a sustainable business.
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.
