Mario Kart World has been on the circuit for over a month now, and after a decade of its predecessor, it’s great to be playing something that feels fresh.
That’s not to say all of its innovations have gone down well, with a vocal contingent of players taking against Nintendo’s updates and approach to Grand Prix mode, with the ‘intermission’ routes drawing particular ire from people who prefer the traditional three-lap race-around-a-circuit.
Accessible Games Initiative Tags Now Available Across All Digital Xbox Experiences
Team Xbox
Summary
Accessible Games Initiative tags are now available across all digital Xbox experiences.
The tags are an industry-wide push to help players identify the accessibility features available in a specific game, before they make a purchase.
Read on for an interview with Xbox’s Brannon Zahand and accessibility advocate Steve Saylor to learn more.
Today, just in time for Disability Pride Month, Xbox is proud to announce that the new Accessible Games Initiative tags, designed to provide players with clear and consistent information about the accessibility features in video games, are now available across all digital Xbox experiences including console, PC, mobile, and web storefronts.
Created in collaboration with the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), Electronic Arts, Google, Nintendo of America, Ubisoft and other gaming companies as part of the newly formed Accessible Games Initiative, the Accessible Games Initiative tags help the more than 429 million players with some form of disability identify the accessibility features available in a specific game, before they make a purchase.
This transition to the new Accessible Games Initiative tags is a continuation of the work Xbox started in 2021 by releasing the Xbox Game Accessibility Feature tags. Any Xbox Game Accessibility Feature tags that do not have equivalent Accessible Games Initiative tags will remain on our platform. This new combination of tags will make it even easier for players with disabilities to learn about available accessibility features and find their next great game.
We caught up with Brannon Zahand, Senior Technical Program Manager at Xbox, and Steve Saylor, content creator and gaming accessibility advocate, to discuss the work towards greater standardization of accessibility in games, what these tags mean for players today, and why this work is important.
You can also head over to the Microsoft Game Developer Blog to check out an interview with Phil Crabtree, Technical Director & Co-founder of Kaizen Game Works, about his team’s work designing games with accessibility in mind and the importance of the Accessibility Game Initiative tags.
Interview with Brannon Zahand, Senior Technical Program Manager at Xbox, and Steve Saylor, Content Creator and Gaming Accessibility Advocate
Today’s a big day! What does it mean to you, on a personal level, to have the new Accessible Games Initiative tags available across all digital Xbox experiences?
Brannon Zahand: This work has been over half a decade in the making, so finally seeing these new tags in our store experiences is incredibly exciting. And it’s been amazing to see not just the positive community sentiment, but the rapid adoption we’ve had from game developers.
Steve Saylor:I’m very excited! As more and more accessible games are being released, being able to find them via tags that cater to my accessibility needs is fantastic. I’ll be able to find my next favourite game or find that rare gem that I would’ve missed.
Where exactly can players find these new tags, and will the Xbox Game Accessibility Feature Tags still be available?
Zahand: On console, these tags can be found in many places, including the Xbox Store and filters in “My Games & Apps.” They are also available in the Xbox PC app, Xbox Mobile app, as well as on Xbox.com. In total, players will find more than 4,000 tags across all these experiences, which we’re really proud of. As for the original Xbox Game Accessibility Tags, we kept the tags which didn’t have Accessible Games Initiative equivalents as we heard from the community that they still found these very helpful. Those tags are “Accessibility on launch,” “On-demand tutorials,” “Pausable,” “Adjustable input sensitivity,” and “Single stick gameplay.”
Why are these new tags being introduced, when Xbox already had its own tagging system?
Zahand: Obviously, we love our Xbox Game Accessibility Tags. Developers and consumers alike both told us they gained a lot of value from them. But, at Xbox, we really view accessibility through the lens of collaboration, not competition. We realized we can do more good for our community and the developers that support them if we can align with other industry leaders to create a consistent language for developers to share information about what accessibility features their games have, regardless of platform or storefront. It reduces the amount of effort developers have to make to try to support different tagging systems, and makes it easier for the community by reducing the number of tagging systems they have to learn.
As a founding member of the Accessible Games Initiative, what was it like to work with not only the ESA, but other industry partners, on these tags?
Zahand: It was such an amazing experience. There are so many passionate accessibility experts and advocates in our industry now, and having the opportunity to tackle such a transformative initiative with them was so rewarding. My sincere thanks go out to each and every one of them for all the effort they poured into making the Accessible Games Initiative a reality.
The Accessible Games Initiative marks a significant step in the standardization of accessibility in video games. Why is this important?
Zahand: For years, people spoke about accessibility using similar terms but with very different meanings and expectations. For example, a long time back, I remember seeing a game that advertised itself as having subtitles. I was excited to try it out until I realized the subtitles were white text… and a decent chunk of the game was played in a snowy environment. There were points where it was impossible to read the text. Now, I was fortunate that I didn’t need the subtitles; for me, they were a “nice to have.” But I can imagine that those who rely on subtitles, like players in from the d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, were likely frustrated by this. With these new tags, individuals buying a game tagged with “Large & Clear Subtitles” can be certain that the subtitles will have an adjustable background ensuring they’ll be able to read text regardless of the game environment in the background. And if you think about it, this makes it easier for game developers as well. It gives them a clear place to start when they think about what types of accessibility features they may want to implement and the “minimum bars” that make those features useful and enjoyable.
Saylor: It’s important because right now accessibility information about a game is rare. We get some info here and there, but we often won’t know if a game is accessible until we buy it and play it ourselves. With these tags it’s a great step forward for the industry to at least have a baseline of information so we can make our purchasing decisions wisely.
What do you hope these tags signal to the rest of the industry?
Zahand: I hope these tags are a reminder to developers, publishers, and consumers alike that accessibility is a win-win. Accessible games are good for everyone. For gamers, they give those who need these features an opportunity to take part, and those who simply enjoy customizing their gaming experience more options to do so. For developers, it allows their art to be enjoyed by more people. And since the use of these tags and implementation of these features isn’t mandatory, it gives them the freedom to do what they think is best for their game and players.
Saylor: I hope it’s a signal to the industry that accessibility is not a daunting thing. Yes, it can be a lot of work. But, instead of being a mysterious thing, developers can look at the tags and say, “Oh that’s how you do it? That can totally be done.” It’s not the whole picture but it at least sets a standard going forward.
If I am a game developer hearing about these tags for the first time, how can I get involved?
Zahand: For Xbox developers, I’d recommend checking out our developer documentation on both the Accessible Games Initiative tags and Xbox Accessibility Feature Tags at https://aka.ms/afts. And for those developing on other platforms, a great place to get started is the Accessible Games Initiative website at https://www.accessiblegames.com.
Finally, are there any games that have surprised and delighted you with their accessibility options, and how are those represented in the new AGI tags?
Zahand: It’s amazing to see how many titles have adopted these tags since they became available. I was really happy to see that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, South of Midnight, and Doom: The Dark Ages all implemented some great accessibility features, including features covered by both the Accessible Games Initiative tags and Xbox Accessibility Feature tags.
Saylor: A game that surprised me the most this year was Atomfall. Not only is it a great game to play on Game Pass, but it has a large amount of accessibility that made it so much fun to play. It has multiple tags already that include Clear and Large Text, Large and Clear Subtitles, Playable with Keyboard, or Touch controls, and more. I definitely recommend giving it a try!
This month, carve your legend in the neon-soaked streets of Night City as the mercenary V in the dystopian open-world RPG Cyberpunk 2077, join up to five fellow scientists to repel inter-dimensional horrors deep within an underground research facility in the co-op survival and crafting adventure Abiotic Factor, or wrestle with love and duty as ghost-hunters Antea and Red across 17th-century North America in the story-driven action-RPG Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. All these titles and more are available in July’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup*.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available to play today, July 9, with Abiotic Factor launching into the service July 22. All other titles will be available to play on July 15, which includes Twisted Metal 3 and Twisted Metal 4 for PlayStation Plus Premium members.
PlayStation Plus 15th Anniversary
Today’s Cyberpunk 2077’s release forms part of our ongoing PlayStation Plus 15th anniversary celebrations, which also includes a special 30% discount for Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, exclusive for PlayStation Plus members. That discount will be available from today until July 23.
Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action-adventure from the creators of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red. Set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification, you play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality. Customise your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades. The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be?
*Cyberpunk 2077 is releasing July 9
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Abiotic Factor | PS5
Abiotic Factor brings a 90’s sci-fi twist and rich character progression to the multiplayer open world survival crafting genre. Up to 6 players can choose their PHDs, build their scientist, gear up, and explore a massive subterranean complex, filled with supernatural artifacts, transdimensional foes, and science experiments gone awry. Home to the world’s greatest minds, GATE operates a global network of secretive research laboratories, spanning every field of scientific study – and the realms beyond. As a GATE employee you extend the bounds of human knowledge, and seek to explain the unexplainable – including anomalies and paranormal entities: from gravity-distorting artifacts to supernatural creatures with an unbridled instinct for violence. Safety, security, and secrecy are of the utmost importance… usually.
*Abiotic Factor is releasing July 22
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Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden | PS5
New Eden, 1695. Antea Duarte and Red mac Raith are lovers and Banishers, ghost-hunters who vowed to protect the living from the threat of lingering ghosts and spectres. Following a disastrous last mission, Antea is fatally wounded, becoming one of the spirits she loathes. In the haunted wilds of North America, the couple desperately searches for a way to liberate Antea from her new plight. Immerse yourself in a beautiful, intimate and powerful story between two fated lovers. Challenging decisions will lay on your path, dramatically impacting your story and the fate of New Eden’s inhabitants – be they living people or wandering souls. How much will you compromise your ghost-hunting vow for the sake of your lover who’s become a spirit herself?
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Bluey: The Videogame | PS5, PS4
Join the fun with Bluey and her family in Bluey: The Videogame! Play a brand-new story set across 4 interactive adventures. For the first time ever, explore iconic locations such as the Heeler House, Playgrounds, Creek and a bonus beach location. Play your favourite games from the TV show, including Keepy Uppy, Chattermax Chase, and more! Experience the joy and wonder of Bluey’s world, explore and collect items for your sticker book, unlock outfits and uncover the many secrets and hidden references throughout each location. Recreate iconic scenes or create your very own Bluey inspired adventures and games.
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Planet Zoo | PS5
Build a world for wildlife with Planet Zoo. From the developers of Planet Coaster and Zoo Tycoon, Planet Zoo features an incredible array of authentic animals who think, feel, and explore the world you design around them. Create unique habitats and vast landscapes, and make meaningful choices to nurture animals as you construct and manage the world’s wildest zoos using intuitive console controls. Pick up and play across four engaging game modes: embark on a globe-trotting campaign in career mode, build a network of connected zoos in Franchise mode, put your skills to the test in Challenge mode, or let your imagination run wild in the freedom of Sandbox mode. Manage an amazing living world that responds to every decision you make. Focus on the big picture or go hands-on and control the smallest details. Thrill visitors with iconic exhibits, develop your zoo with new research, and release new generations of your animals back into the wild. Your choices come alive in a world where animal welfare and conservation comes first.
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Risk of Rain 2 | PS5, PS4
Escape a chaotic alien planet by fighting through hordes of frenzied monsters – with your friends, or on your own. Combine loot in surprising ways and master each character until you become the havoc you feared upon your first crash landing. Over a dozen handcrafted locales await, each packed with challenging monsters and enormous bosses that oppose your continued existence. Fight your way to the final boss and escape or continue your run indefinitely to see just how long you can survive. A unique scaling system means both you and your foes limitlessly increase in power over the course of a game. Tackle the adventure solo or with up to three friends in online co-op, or compete in the rotating challenge of the Prismatic Trials. Brand new survivors like the Captain and MUL-T join classic survivors such as the Engineer, Huntress, and–of course–the Commando.
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Tropico 6 | PS5, PS4
Play El Presidente on the island state of Tropico as you shape the fate of your own banana republic. Play on large archipelagos for the first time in the series. Manage multiple islands at the same time and adapt to various new challenges. Tropico 6 features cooperative and competitive multiplayer for up to 4 players.
*PS5 edition is the Next Gen Edition which includes “The Llama of Wall Street” DLC, and the El Prez Pack, which contains one additional mission, new buildings, new customization options for your palace, outfits for El Prez and much more!
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New World: Aeternum | PS5
Experience a thrilling action RPG set on the supernatural island of Aeternum. As a shipwrecked explorer who washes ashore on the mysterious island, forge your destiny on an adventure filled with danger and opportunity. Discover the island of Aeternum: Explore a massive, beautiful world and uncover the secret truth of the eternal island and its strange inhabitants. Endless opportunities to fight, forage, and forge await among the island’s wilderness and ruins. Control magical forces or wield deadly melee and ranged weapons. Timing and positioning are key to defeating enemies in combat. Use your skills to survive the island’s horrors and reap its valuable rewards.
PlayStation Plus Premium
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Twisted Metal 3 | PS5, PS4
Welcome to our twisted world where the drivers are insane, the explosions apocalyptic and the weapons hard-core nasty. It’s the original and ultimate automotive combat experience! Get twisted with high powered vehicles, an arsenal of weapons and unbeatable bosses! Experience Twisted Metal 3 originally released on the PlayStation console, enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.
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Twisted Metal 4 | PS5, PS4
Sweet Tooth and his pumped-up posse of evil henchmen have taken control of the most explosive freakshow on wheels! Get ready for high-octane action with a multitude of characters, vehicles, and powerful weapons. Battle through interactive arenas with crisp vehicles and lush battlegrounds for an intense, chaotic experience. Experience Twisted Metal 4 originally released on the PlayStation console, enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.
*PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and PlayStation Plus Premium/Deluxe lineups may differ by region. Please check PlayStation Store on release day.
Elden Ring Nightreign has already rolled out three of its enhanced bosses, dubbed Everdark Sovereigns, since launch. And before the next ones arrive in the Lands Between, developer FromSoftware is bringing the original three back for some limited-time rematches.
The Everdark Sovereign versions of Gaping Jaw, Sentient Pest, and Darkdrift Knight will all be coming back in pairs over the next three weeks, starting tomorrow on July 10. Don’t worry, you won’t have to fight them both at the same time; this just seems like a way for players who missed the original runs of the monstrously enhanced Nightlords to get a second shot at them.
Per FromSoftware’s schedule, the Gaping Jaw and Darkdrift Knight will be the first duo up. Here’s the full schedule:
July 10 – 17: Gaping Jaw, Darkdrift Knight
July 17 – 24: Sentient Pest, Darkdrift Knight
July 24 – 31: Gaping Jaw, Sentient Pest
Now, for those who have dropped off a bit or need a reason to come back to Elden Ring Nightreign, you’ll have some big, bad bosses to tackle.
Players who have been locked-in since launch, though, might be disappointed to see FromSoftware re-running the old Everdark bosses already. If so, don’t fret. The studio confirmed that Everdark Sovereign versions of Tricephalos, Augur, Equilibrious Beast, and Fissure in the Fog are still in the works, and the timing of their arrival will be announced at a later date. I don’t know what’s in store, but I like this one reply suggesting Tricephalos will continuously split into even more dogs, like some kind of dog-hydra.
There’s still DLC expected somewhere down the road for Elden Ring Nightreign, but considering we’re only a few months removed from its launch, I think we’re seeing a reasonable cadence of new content and recurring shots at timed events. Duos and crossplay would still be nice, but otherwise, there’s still much to do and see in the Lands Between.
The second of two Oblivion Remastered updates Bethesda told us all they had up their buggy sleeves arrives in Steam Beta later today, July 9th. This one’s update 1.2, and it’s headlined by the sorts of performance improvements folks have been begging for, plus some difficulty setting tweaks.
In case you missed it, The Elder Scrolls 4.something’s last update did many things, but by fair the most noteworthy was stopping a vampire from succumbing to the urge all men get. That being the urge to become bald so you can save like £10 a year by no longer buying shampoo.
Like UFOs, ball lightning and bigfoot, one of the great mysteries of our time is that Superman is apparently Kryptonite to good videogames. There’s yet to be a truly great Kal-El game in the vein of Batman: Arkham Asylum or Spider-Man, but as you can see from the list below, many have tried.
The latest developer to try is Epic Games, as the Man of Steel has landed as part of Fortnite X Superman, the latest crossover event for one of the world’s biggest games. But what does his inclusion in Fortnite involve? Our list takes a look at that, as well as taking you through a history of Superman in pixels. Discover where you can find Superman as a hero, a playable guest character or just a cheeky Easter Egg in the words below.
Official Superman Games
These are “true” and “proper” Superman games, experiences where you embody the Man of Steel himself.
Superman (1978)
This Atari 2600 release marks Superman’s debut to gamers, all four kilobytes of him. It might not seem much to look at today, but won positive reviews for its action and graphics back in ye olde 1970s. In the role of Superman, players have to rebuild a bridge at the Metropolis waterfront damaged by Lex Luthor, capture your evil nemesis, and return to the Daily Planet as quickly as possible. Complicating things are the fact that Lois Lane has been kidnapped, Luthor has released Krytonite satellites that can deactivate your powers, and there are henchmen waiting to take you down. Using your powers, you can see beyond the area you’re in with X-ray vision and then fly in to grab and drop Lex and his goons into jail. Just remember to use phone booths to change back into your Clark Kent clothes before stopping by the Daily Planet.
Superman (1987)
Jump forward almost a decade and our favorite alien adoptee found his way to the NES, and got a cute 8-bit makeover in the process. For this outing Superman gets a bunch of abilities including super hearing, x-ray vision, heat vision, super spin, and not one but two types of super breath. He needs them to take on not just Lex Luthor but also Kryptonian bad guys Ursa, Non and General Zod.
Superman (1988)
A year later, Superman leveled up for the Taito arcade game. Notable for having its own original villain Emperor Zaas, this time around Kal-El also got to use his fists, his feet and a Sonic Blast ability. A mix of sidescroller, action adventure and fighting game, it had a mixed reception, but snapping up one of these arcade machines today will set you back around $4,000.
Superman: The Man of Steel (1989)
Released in 1989 on both the ZX Spectrum and Amiga, Superman: The Man of Steel was split into flying levels, a side scrolling beat ‘em up, and a vertical scrolling battle in battle in space. The story that linked those levels was told with cute comic book page panels.
The Death and Return of Superman
In 1994, a pre-Warcraft Blizzard Entertainment released The Death and Return of Superman, a beat ‘em up featuring five playable flavors of the Man of Steel; the vanilla original, Superboy, Steel, Cyborg Superman, the Eradicator. Doomsday is the opening act’s big bad, and bio-genetically engineered monster Clawster also makes an appearance. The action was focused on melee combat and airborne projectile attacks. Fun fact: one of the game’s artists and producers, Samwise Didier – who just retired in 2023 – was later responsible for the addition of the Pandaren race to World of Warcraft in 2010.
Superman 64
Also known as Superman: The New Superman Adventure, this Nintendo 64 Supes game is infamous among retro gamers for its terrible execution. Created as a spin off from Superman: The Animated Series, it was the first time our blue boy scout has appeared in a 3D game, though he probably should have skipped the opportunity. It was called out for visual flaws like its Kryptonite fog (which crudely disguised a very short draw distance), terrible controls and a bizarre race mode. IGN reviewed it in 1999, and we weren’t fans. “With horrible control, unforgivable framerates and more bugs than can be counted, [developer] Titus should be absolutely ashamed of this awful game, and the company should be doubly ashamed for pissing all over such a beloved license,” said our reviewer. “Do not buy this piece of garbage.”
Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
Luckily Superman 64 wasn’t the end of the road for Kal-El’s adventures in video games, and the PlayStation 2/GameCube third person action game Shadow of Apokolips was better received than its predecessor. Its story saw Lex Luthor team up with Darkseid and the Intergang crime syndicate, and featured voice acting from Malcolm McDowell, Michael York and Lori Petty. “It’s a thrill to finally play a Superman game that’s handled with this much care and keen observation, with regard to control and special abilities,” said our reviewer, before branding it a “a slightly better-than-decent action game.”
Superman: The Man of Steel
Based on the events of Superman: Y2K and featuring Brainiac 13, Xbox’s alternative to Shadow of Apokalips, released in the same year, was another disappointment for Superman fans. “Superman: The Man of Steel is, at the very best, a weekend rental. It’ll take about 10 hours to complete, mainly because it’s so impossible to beat the missions thanks to the controls,” wrote IGN’s reviewer. “Someday someone is going to get Superman right and make a killer game. But not today.”
Superman Returns
2006 was the last time Superman got to star in his very own game, but unfortunately it was a game where the final boss was a tornado, rather than an exciting supervillain. Very loosely based on the Bryan Singer movie, star Brandon Routh actually leant his voice to the game, although he “sounds about as interested in saving Metropolis as he is in deciding on a ripe melon at the market,” according to the IGN review. “Punching out bad guys becomes about as fun as taking out the garbage, and the “epic” battle between Superman and the forces of evil is as simple and dull as a day of chores.”
Super Playable Characters
These games are not about Superman, but they do feature Superman… and you can play as him, too.
Justice League Task Force
It’s 1995. You’ve fired up your SNES, eaten your Honey Frosted Wheaties and your best friend is coming over to play your new fighting game. Justice League Task Force, developed by Blizzard Entertainment (wow, these guys sure loved DC before they got into orcs and elves) featured Superman alongside characters like The Flash, Wonder Woman, and Green Arrow battling mechanical clones of the DC heroes. Despite rocky reviews, the Justice League fighting series would get another three games, and Superman is a playable fighter in them all.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
In a world where Leatherface is a guest character in the Mortal Kombat series, a mash up between MK and a comic book universe looks positively tame. This 2008 crossing of the streams is the result of not just a canny guy in the licensing department at DC, but because Raiden and Superman accidentally create big bad Dark Kahn, who threatens both their universes. Superman has moves like Soaring Knockout, Ice Breath, and the Heroic Brutality finishers where he hammers his opponent into the ground like a rusty nail, or freezes them before shattering their bodies to pieces.
Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes
Superman gets a mention in the first Lego Batman game, but in Lego Batman 2, Lego Batman 3 and Lego DC Super-Villains he’s a playable character. You get most brawn for your buck in the second Lego Batman game, where he’s a big part of the story (and comes complete with his signature theme tune, taken from the classic Christopher Reeves films). He rescues the Dark Knight and Robin, takes on a large Joker robot, and helps his Bat Buddy defend Wayne Tower.
Injustice: Gods Among Us
Superman appears on the roster of NetherRealm’s fighting game, Injustice, but as it’s set in Earth-49 he’s the spicy bad version, driven mad by the death of Lois Lane, and so gets to be a villain. He brings all the tricks you’d expect to the 1v1 matches; heat vision, Ground Tremor, and freezing Super Breath. His Super Move – the Kryptonian Smash – is brutal, he literally punches his opponent into space before punching them back down to Earth.
Injustice 2
And Super(bad)man came back for the sequel, with a new Final Flight Super Move that again sees him punching his opponent upwards, this time giving them a few wallops in the sky before slamming them into the ground. You can also add Meteor Drop to that too, where you introduce your opponent to the wonders of geology at close quarters.
Lego Dimensions
The 2015 game that used a Skylanders-style mix of real world figures and in-game content added the “Superman starring DC Comics fun pack” in 2016. By grabbing the Superman minifigure, players could get access to his Hoverpod and the DC Comics World in-game, opening up the glittering city of Metropolis. Admittedly, it’s a version of Metropolis that The Lord of the Rings villain Sauron has installed one of his creepy sky eyes into, but that’s about on par with the many other evils the city has had to contend with over the years.
MultiVersus
Warner Bros. free to play fighting game MultiVersus was shut down just this year, but while it lived it was a fever dream where an eclectic mix of WB franchise characters faced off in platform-based, Super Smash-like combat. Superman was there along with his DC compadres Black Adam and Wonder Woman, but then so was Velma from Scooby-Doo, Gizmo from Gremlins, Arya Stark from Game of Thrones, Jake The Dog from Adventure Time, and Looney Tunes pin-up Lola Bunny. Oh, and you could dress them in skins, so Ugly Sweater Superman was a real thing that existed in the world for a short, beautiful time.
Honorable Mentions
This category is for the games where there’s the barest whiff of Superman spandex. Little details hidden in the game world, special skins, or if you’re lucky, an evil cameo.
Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure
This super cute 2013 spin off has you help Superman with a Lex Luthor problem and lets you summon him to help you in other battles, too. Using the right words you can call on a bunch of different Kal-El variants, from Cyborg Superman to Kingdom Come Superman, and you can even borrow a Superman costume to grant main character Maxwell heat vision and ice breath attacks.
DC Universe Online
The DC Comics MMO lets players create their own personalized brand of superhero (or supervillain) but Superman makes an appearance as a mentor for new superhero players, taking them through tutorial missions. He can also be found in the in-game Metropolis and appears as an ally to support players with his skillset. If you choose to be a villain you’ll need to battle him as you level up. You can also try out a Superman avatar in the game’s PvP mode, Legends.
Batman Arkham Knight
While you won’t catch a glimpse of the hench hero in Rocksteady’s fantastic Batman Arkham series, there are multiple references to him in the third game’s world. There are posters for flights to Metropolis, a few LexCorp buildings dotted around Gotham City, and the NPC thugs seem to enjoy gossiping about Superman on the regular. They call him “that freak from Metropolis,” and “the other guy in the cape” and speculate on his alter ego. “”Next thing you know, someone’s gonna tell me Superman’s really a janitor. Or no, a journalist.” Oh, if they only knew.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
Evil Superman makes a dramatic entrance in Rocksteady’s ill-fated 2024 follow up for the Arkham series, appearing just in time to grab a nuke, laugh maniacally, and take on the Suicide Squad in a boss fight. He delivers some pretty weak sauce villain banter until you can bring him down to Earth with Gold Kryptonite assisted violence. The poor guy doesn’t even get to play the top boss in the game; that role is taken in the finale by one of many Brianiacs.
LittleBigPlanet 2
A tiny Sackboy Superman skin and outfit based on the iconic hero, complete with adorable Superman forehead curl? Perfect. No notes.
Minecraft
To celebrate the release of the new James Gunn Superman movie, Minecraft has added a bunch of free Superman skins, featuring Lois Lane, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Mr. Terrific and of course, the old red cape and shiny suit. Previously, players could add some super to their world with the Superheroes Unlimited mod, which was first released in 2012.
Fortnite
The new Fortnite X Superman event, launched to coincide with the new James Gunn movie, adds a Kal-El themed battle pass that culminates in a skin based on David Corenswet’s version of the iconic superhero. There’s also an in-game item that will unlock Supes’ heroic abilities, allowing you to wipe the floor in a battle royale match. While this is the most prominent use of Superman in Fortnite to date, it’s not actually his first appearance: back in 2021, Chapter 2, Season 7 featured a Superman skin that had two styles; one featuring the suit and cape, and another that transformed you into the more civilian-looking Clark Kent, complete with glasses.
Rachel Weber is the Senior Editorial Director of Games at IGN and an elder millennial. She’s been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, and French Bulldogs. Those extra wrinkles on her face are thanks to going time blind and staying up too late finishing every sidequest in RPGs like Fallout and Witcher 3.
With folks keener for new info than they are booty, an update to the original Black Flag’s Steam backend is the latest thing to fan the Remake speculation flames, but before you get excited about it, it’s worth bearing in mind that a bunch of other Assassin’s Creed games got similar tweaks yesterday.
Bethesda said update 1.2 focuses on fixes for quests, gameplay, and performance, and includes new damage settings. 1.2 won’t roll out to all platforms just yet, Bethesda added, but it will be released today, July 9, on Steam Beta.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered update 1.2 patch notes:
SETTINGS CHANGES
We’ve added additional difficulty settings to allow players to further tune their “Player Combat Damage” & “Enemy Combat Damage”. Players can now select from “Novice”, “Apprentice”, “Adept”, “Journeyman”, “Expert”, and “Master” options in the Gameplay menu. We hope the “Journeyman” setting, specifically, will act as a better bridge between “Adept” and “Expert” for players.
UI
Fixed map markers disappearing
Fixed missing punctuation in Simplified Chinese text
Fixed “Toggle All” button on Map screen to work as a ‘Hold’
Various fixes to localized text
Fixed controller issues in Spell making menu
Fixed menus being cropped incorrectly in 1280×1024
Fixed the incorrect player stance in the inventory menu after fast travel
Fixed rebinding keys for Lock Picking
Fixed keybinds not updating in AZERTY
Fixed soft lock with controller in Enchanting menu
Fixed stats not updating when equipping enchanted items
Fixed a character skin glitch when closing the inventory menu
CRASHES
Fixed crashes that could occur while fighting Jyggalag
Fixed crashing when killing a paralyzed NPC with an arrow
Fixed crashing when paralyzing an already-paralyzed NPC
Fixed crashing in Spellmaking menu when rapidly removing & implementing effects
Fixed various GPU crashes
Fixed crashes that could occur during auto saves
AUDIO
Fixed underwater SFX persisting after leaving exiting water
Fixed missing ambient SFX in Shivering Isles
QUESTS
Fixed NPCs floating after being knocked down during Priory of the Nine quest
Fixed crashing when entering Flooded Mine during Final Justice quest
Fixed pathing for Shaleez in Flooded Mine during Final Justice quest
Fixed crashing when opening Gate to The Fringe during Retaking the Fringe quest
Fixed mages loading without clothes in Fort Ontus during The Necromancer’s Amulet quest
Fixed NPC pathing issues in Gardens of Flesh and Bone during ‘Through the Fringe of Madness’ quest
Fixed missing VFX during the closing of the Great Gate
Fixed Ilav Dralgoner’s missing facial animation during ‘Saving Time Itself’ quest
Fixed Sir Thredet’s speech during ‘Umaril the Unfeathered’ quest
Fixed NPC pathing issues during ‘Baiting the Trap’ quest
Fixed Obelisk Crystals spawning disconnected during ‘Baiting the Trap’ quest
Fixed crash at end of ‘Through a Nightmare, Darkly’ quest
Fixed wall crumbling in Malada during ‘Nothing You Can Possess’ quest
Fixed misaligned food at the Castle Leyawiin County Hall dinner party during ‘Sanguine’ quest
Fixed an issue with visibility of ghosts during ‘Ghosts of Vitharn’
Fixed cutscene not playing during ‘Light the Dragonfires’
Fixed missing textures in Cropsford Campsite after finishing ‘Goblin Trouble’
PERFORMANCE
Fixed frame rate drop in Deepscorn Hollow
Fixed frame rate drops in Black Rock Caverns
Fixed frame rate drop between Skingrad and Skingrad Castle
Fixed frame rate drop south of Bravil Castle courtyard
Reduced the frequency of hitches in the open world.
General improvements to frame time in many locations.
Optimize updating of character attachments.
Optimize rendering of water volumes in the open world.
Optimize light/shadow updates in several lairs.
Optimize waterfall particle FX and rendering.
Optimize the weather system.
Optimize character animation system.
GAMEPLAY
Fixed player character height scaling
Fixed armor items hiding Argonian and Khajiit tails
Fixed slow camera movement when initiating NPC dialogue
Fixed soft lock when a player with a high bounty goes to jail
Fixed Orrery animations
Fixed physics bug with floating necklaces
Fixed vampire sleeping animations
Fixed NPC beards not following facial animation.
Fixed ghost NPCs being completely invisible
Fixed missing animation when talking to Shamada in Leyawiin
Fixed occasional very long load times when fast traveling
Fixed missing facial animation for Snak gra-Bura
Fixed falling unconscious in water preventing player from getting up
Fixed NPCs losing collision when swimming
Fixed NPCs stopping combat when player is blocking
Fixed female Dremora teeth clipping
Fixed soft lock after choosing player class
Fixed Amber weapons clipping in first person view
Fixed vines clipping into columns
Fixed helmets clipping into player character’s head
Fixed missing textures on Daedric statues
Fixed duplicated pages between Oghma Infinium and Mysterium Xarxes
SYSTEM
Fixed flickering shadows when using XeSS Upscaling
Fixed title properly restarting after purchasing the Deluxe Upgrade on PC
Fixed settings properly migrating between PC and XBOX
Fixed water disappearing after fast travel
Fixed cursor slowdown when enabling high frame rate V-Sync
Fixed shaders not preloading due to cloud save replication
Fixed long blackout during loading screens
Fixed weather VFX flashing while outside
Fixed motion blur artifacts while in the Oblivion Plane
Fixed NPCs not obeying the Wait action from the player
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
MDK was a 1997 shooter in which you played a pointy headed janitor named Kurt Hectic with a parachute suit and a gun for an arm, the best thing about it being its Giger-ish sniper mode interface. MDK is also Mortality Decomp. Killers – a sour lollipop puke hued Post Void-like with Hotline Miami‘s lethality and a very good spinny knifey move. It’s completely free on Steam, although you can pick up the soundtrack for a few quid if you fancy supporting it. After each level, your score breakdown includes how many doors you’ve “killed”. Not since my beloved Mullet Mad Jack has a game facilitated such reckless hinge hatred.
Shin’en Multimedia is still hard at work on updating Fast Fusion for the Switch 2, and it’s now on the cusp of releasing a new patch.
Going live on Thursday, 10th July, Version 1.4 will take inspiration from Nintendo’s own Mario Kart World by introducing a new photo mode. You’ll be able to move the camera around the action, tilt for the perfect angle, and even apply unique frames to spice up your photography.
