Ra Ra Boom comes to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC this summer.
Stop the threat of the rogue AI as one of four ninja space cheerleaders in a fully voiced story.
Fun new twist on classic couch co-op, including shoot ‘em up mechanics.
Ra Ra Boom is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One this summer, as part of what we consider the summer of beat ‘em ups. As beat ‘em up fans, we can’t wait to play some of the great titles that will make this probably the biggest year for beat ‘em ups since Castle Crashers launched forever ago.
If you’re a fan of beat ‘em ups, you’re in for a great summer. And we hope you consider adding Ra Ra Boom to your list of must plays.
In Ra Ra Boom, you and up to three friends play as one of four ninja space cheerleaders. There’s Aris (the leader), Ren (the blade), Vee (the shield), and Saida (the cyborg). Zoi, an AI gone rogue, has overtaken earth and our four heroines are the only ones who can stop it.
Beat ‘em Up/Shoot ‘em Up Mash Up
As the saying goes, you don’t bring pom poms to a boss fight. So, we had to ensure our heroines were armed for the AI menace they were facing. Where most beat ‘em ups focus on melee with limited-use ranged options, we did things a little different.
Ra Ra Boom can be played as a pure beat ‘em up. Each character has their own melee attack and you can be effective with them. Or you can play it as a pure shoot ‘em up, because you also have an effective ranged attack with unlimited ammo. But it’s best to mix the two, getting into your flow and finding the attack combos that suit the moment.
We think that after you play Ra Ra Boom, with its speed and fluid mix of melee and ranged combat, it will be hard to go back to the standard we’ve all gotten used to.
Play the Lanes
Most beat ‘em ups you’ll play today are in 2.5D, meaning that you don’t just move your character left and right, but also can move up and down on a flat plane. This adds more freedom to dodge and position yourself. The challenge we’ve found from past games is that it’s often hard to tell if you’re lined up right with an enemy. If you’ve ever thought, “Why did that hit me?” you’re not alone.
In Ra Ra Boom, we’ve color-coded the lanes and designed the levels to make use of these clear indicators. It was harder than you might imagine for us to implement, but it makes a big difference in your effectiveness while giving enemies a beat down.
Fully Voiced Story
Hearing characters helps make them come to life. Whether that’s in the 2D cinematics you watch between levels, or the many quips heard while playing, you’ll get to know the personalities and quirks of our heroines.
We wanted to provide a meaningful story for players about four individuals thrust into an impossible situation. It’s a coming-of-age tale amidst an AI apocalypse and it was important that each hero had their own moments, so you could get to know and care about them.
But When Can You Get It?
Good question. Ra Ra Boom is coming this summer. We’re not ready to announce the official release date just yet, But you can wishlist Ra Ra Boom today to be the first to hear the latest updates.
Gear up for 4-player co-op action with a modern twist! Ra Ra BOOM rockets you to a future Earth overrun by rogue AI. Battle waves of enemies and upgrade your ninja cheerleader’s skills as you beat ‘em up, shoot ‘em up, and smash through the chaos!
Even ninja space cheerleaders know you don’t bring a pom-pom to a boss fight. Whether you’re cracking skulls with close combat or blasting bots from across the screen, Ra Ra BOOM has your back. Play it like a classic side-scroller, treat it like a shooter, or mix it up for combos so smooth, even evil AI can’t keep up. The only wrong way to fight is not bringing your A-game—because these overlords don’t mess around.
HOMEWORK CAN WAIT
Who needs perfect grades when rogue AI is trashing Earth? The planet’s in pieces, robots are running wild, and only four ninja space cheerleaders have the moves to save it. Silly when it can be, heartfelt when it needs to be, Ra Ra BOOM delivers a beat ‘em up with a story that hits harder than your math final.
PLAY THE LANES
Why settle for chaos when you can dominate with precision? Ra Ra BOOM’s combat lanes make every fight smarter and slicker. Dodge fire like a pro, pick your targets with ninja-like accuracy, and decide where to strike for maximum impact.
BECOME THE ULTIMATE NINJA CHEERLEADER
Aris, Saida, Ren, and Vee are more than just pompoms and sass—they’ve got branching skill trees that let you mold them into your perfect hero. Customize your squad to fit your playstyle, because the fate of the world—and your team’s vibe—is in your hands. NBD.
The Brutal, Unforgiving, and Unforgettable Monstrous Bosses of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
Stephen Takowsky, Community Manager, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
In Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, a brutal Soulslike action RPG set in a dark reimagining of Ming Dynasty China, danger waits in the shadows — and at the heart of it all stand the game’s unforgettable bosses. Each encounter is a test of skill and resolve, with foes drawn from myth, history, and nightmare alike. From corrupted monks to towering beasts, every boss fight offers its own punishing challenge, rewarding players who press forward through the crumbling world of Shu.
With pre-orders now live on the Xbox Store and launch set for July 24, 2025, on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and day one with Game Pass, you can now get a deeper glimpse of what awaits.
The latest trailer highlights a fearsome showdown against the Perfect Bride, a nightmarish foe whose corrupted beauty hides monstrous power. Alongside this reveal, you can explore a full breakdown of pre-order and Deluxe Edition bonuses, featuring exclusive outfits, enchanted weapons, and gameplay-enhancing rewards that will shape your journey when Wuchang: Fallen Feathers arrives.
Meet the Foes That Await
Beyond every crumbling temple and bloodstained battlefield in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, terrifying foes stand between you and the truth. Each boss you encounter tells a story of decay, obsession, or betrayal — and overcoming them will be key to surviving Shu’s collapse.
Perfect Bride – Fang Ling
Clad in an ornate phoenix crown and ceremonial gown, Fang Ling embodies a corrupted dream of love and legacy. Once a symbol of hope, she now haunts the land as a spectral bride twisted by Feathering, wielding deadly grace and devastating magic against all who cross her path.
Master Raider – Man-eating Dhutanga
Leader of a ruthless gang of tomb raiders, Dhutanga carved his stronghold into the Hanguang Zen Temple. A brutal warrior with a surprising love for opera, his ceremonial robes and fearsome painted mask signal both cultural reverence and lethal cunning.
Feathered Priest – Lu Bingzhang
Once a revered priest, Lu Bingzhang now serves a darker power. His golden mask and bronze staff, inspired by the ancient relics of Sanxingdui, channel twisted sorcery drawn from forgotten gods. Defeating him will demand mastery over both blade and spirit.
Blightweaver – Great Centipede
Deep beneath Shu festers the Great Centipede, a grotesque fusion of corrupted monks and mutated flesh, driven mad by Red Mercury. Able to burrow, poison, and wield spells once sacred to the monks it devoured, this abomination turns ancient knowledge into monstrous power.
Reborn Treant – Soulwood
Born from death and ritual, the Soulwood grew as corpses piled beneath the sacred Immortal Tree. Now, it roams with haunting shrines embedded in its bark, entwining the hopes, prayers, and lingering souls of a shattered town into one relentless force of nature.
Bo Sorcerer
The master of forbidden rites, capable of warping reality itself with devastating magic. Facing him is not only a test of combat skill but of mastering the battlefield before he bends it to his will.
Monstrous Toddler – Bai Kru
The third child of Bai Tingzhao, Bai Kru was once seen as a promise of conquest. Now, twisted by Feathering and the ambitions of his father, he has become a nightmarish figure, an eerie blend of innocence, brutality, and tragedy.
Ming General – Liu Cheng’en
A loyal eunuch to the Emperor and master manipulator, Liu Cheng’en hides ruthless ambition beneath a mask of devotion. Adorned in python-embroidered robes and a noble Sanshan hat, he commands authority and terror in equal measure, a final test of strength and will.
Pre-Order Bonuses and Deluxe Edition Details
The journey through Wuchang: Fallen Feathers will test your resolve, but you can prepare to embark with greater style, deeper customization, and a more personal touch to your legend. Pre-order today to receive exclusive rewards that enrich your experience across the land of Shu.
Pre-orders will unlock two unique Enhanced Costume Sets: the White Spectre and Night Spectre, reimagining ceremonial garb into hauntingly beautiful attire that reflects the game’s dark world. In addition, the Vermillion War Club (Axe) offers a fierce new weapon to master, and the Glistening Red Mercury Skill Upgrade Item provides an early boost to help refine your character’s fighting style.
If you’re seeking an even richer adventure, the Deluxe Edition offers an expanded array of treasures. This edition includes four legendary outfit sets, Soul Ritual Robe, Tiger of Fortune, Overlord’s Regalia, and Draconic Resurgence, each woven with lore and symbolic power. You will also receive four rare weapons: the Dragoncoil Lance (Spear), Eternal Sovereignty (Dual Blades), Moonlight Dragon (Sword), and Watcher’s Gaze (Sword), each designed to add new layers of depth to combat. The Deluxe Edition also grants the Blood of Changhong, a significant Skill Upgrade Item to further personalize your abilities.
Whether you’re drawn to Wuchang’s corrupted world by elegance, strength, or legend, the pre-order and Deluxe rewards are designed to enhance your journey and help you carve a story that is truly your own. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers launches July 24, 2025, on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and day one with Game Pass. Pre-orders are available now.
WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is a soulslike, action RPG set in the land of Shu during the dark and tumultuous late Ming Dynasty, plagued with warring factions and a mysterious illness spawning monstrous creatures.
Become Wuchang, a skilled pirate warrior struck by amnesia, who must navigate the uncertainties of her mysterious past while afflicted by the horrific Feathering disease. Explore the depths of Shu, enhancing your arsenal and mastering new skills harvested from fallen foes. Evolve your fighting style by sacrificing elusive Red Mercury and further develop new techniques obtained throughout your action-packed journey. Augment the weapons in your repertoire with powerful enchantments, allowing for a unique approach to combat and strategy that suits your personal style.
Battle against grotesque abominations, drawing on ancient lore to challenge the creeping darkness that threatens the humanity that remains. Your quest for truth will take you through forgotten temples, overgrown ruins, and shadowed paths fraught with peril. As you piece together Wuchang’s lost memories, your choices will lead you to one of several endings—each determined by the choices made, secrets unearthed and the allies you choose to trust.
Immerse yourself in a rich storyline, dynamic combat system, and breathtaking visuals that offer an unforgettable adventure through lands veiled in chaos and death. Will you reveal the truths of Wuchang’s curse and bring peace to Shu, or will you succumb to the encroaching horrors? The fate of the land rests in your hands.
Pre-order WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers to receive the Night & White Pack.
The WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers Pre-order Bundle includes:
– WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers Base Game
– Night Spectre Enhanced Costume Set*
– White Spectre Enhanced Costume Set*
– Vermillion War Club (Axe)
– Glistening Red Mercury Skill Upgrade Item (Medium)
*Each Enhanced Costume Set includes 5 costume pieces.
**Some items will be sold separately at a later date.
WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is a soulslike, action RPG set in the land of Shu during the dark and tumultuous late Ming Dynasty, plagued with warring factions and a mysterious illness spawning monstrous creatures.
Become Wuchang, a skilled pirate warrior struck by amnesia, who must navigate the uncertainties of her mysterious past while afflicted by the horrific Feathering disease. Explore the depths of Shu, enhancing your arsenal and mastering new skills harvested from fallen foes. Evolve your fighting style by sacrificing elusive Red Mercury and further develop new techniques obtained throughout your action-packed journey. Augment the weapons in your repertoire with powerful enchantments, allowing for a unique approach to combat and strategy that suits your personal style.
Battle against grotesque abominations, drawing on ancient lore to challenge the creeping darkness that threatens the humanity that remains. Your quest for truth will take you through forgotten temples, overgrown ruins, and shadowed paths fraught with peril. As you piece together Wuchang’s lost memories, your choices will lead you to one of several endings—each determined by the choices made, secrets unearthed and the allies you choose to trust.
Immerse yourself in a rich storyline, dynamic combat system, and breathtaking visuals that offer an unforgettable adventure through lands veiled in chaos and death. Will you reveal the truths of Wuchang’s curse and bring peace to Shu, or will you succumb to the encroaching horrors? The fate of the land rests in your hands.
Indie Selects for April 2025: Fresh but Familiar Vibes
Raymond Estrada, Nick Zuclich, Deron Mann, Oscar Polanco, Steven AllenID@Xbox Style Coordinators
Sometimes you just can’t put your finger on it. You want something familiar and comforting, but also something just a little different. You want to mix it up with some excitement, but still maintain a sense of connection to what you already know and love. Something balanced. Well, aren’t you in luck! This month the ID@Xbox team has handpicked six Indie Selects that have immaculate vibes.
We give you a bit of intensity with a co-op heist and gliding down mountains; chill out with heartfelt narratives over some tea and a bit of sticker commerce; and, finally, run some very strange errands while strategically expanding your universe. Perfection! Here’s what we’ve got for you this month (in no particular order):
From the creator of The Stanley Parable and The Beginner’s Guide, Wanderstop is a narrative-centric cozy game about change and… tea. Playing as a fallen fighter named Alta, you’ll manage a tea shop within a magical forest and tend to the customers who pass through. But Alta does not want to be here. And if she gets her way, the tea shop will be nothing but a brief and painful memory.
While this year’s Game Developers Conference was incredibly energizing and inspiring, it was also stressful and overwhelming at times. I needed a meditative escape after I got home, and Wanderstop was the perfect game to help me recharge. It’s beautiful, whimsical, magical, and deals with emotional themes that I found both cathartic and uplifting. The narrative touches on shame, burnout, personal growth, satisfaction, and introspection. There are low stakes here, no stressors, no time limits, and there are no fail states. The game actively encourages players to enjoy the moment, to take a breath, to reflect inward and delight in simple pleasures.
At the same time, it has a strong and compulsive loop. Players grow plants, harvest fruits, acquire trinkets, make friends, and brew increasingly in-depth tea recipes (and other types of brews) with off-the-wall ingredients for an ever more diverse and colorful cast of characters, all who have powerful stories to share and lessons to bestow.
I loved this game and will absolutely be playing through again in the future. This is a fantastic example of games as an artform for me, and I feel fortunate that we get to experience creations like this.
Wanderstop is a narrative-centric cozy game about change and tea. Playing as a fallen fighter named Alta, you’ll manage a tea shop within a magical forest and tend to the customers who pass through. But Alta does not want to be here. And if she gets her way, the tea shop will be nothing but a brief and painful memory.
Wanderstop is a tea shop management ritual. Grow and harvest the ingredients needed for tea, and then mix them together in an unusual tea-making contraption. Along the way, speak with the many travelers who pass through the shop, learn their stories and make tea that’s just right for them.
In your downtime, you might tidy up around the clearing, decorate the shop in your style, or just sit on a bench with a cup of tea and listen to your own thoughts. Maybe doing nothing at all is okay. The shop demands patience, it rejects those who have come only in the pursuit of growth unchecked.
And that’s why Alta can’t be here. It’s why she’ll never make it. This isn’t who she is. No, she’s a fighter! Why would anyone insist on turning the world’s greatest championship warrior into a docile shopkeeper?! With everything she’s capable of?? No no no, she won’t, she won’t do it… she can’t…
Wanderstop is a game from the team at Ivy Road, including Davey Wreden (creator of The Stanley Parable and The Beginner’s Guide), Karla Zimonja (co-creator of Gone Home and Tacoma) and Daniel “C418” Rosenfeld (the music of Minecraft).
What genre is this? Unhinged? I mean let’s be fair: What do you call a mascot management/relationship management sim/open world driver/Yakuza mystery narrative, with the most bizarre cast of characters you will ever come across? Fantastic, you call it fantastic.
Promise Mascot Agency is unlike anything I’ve played. The plot may seem bizarre, but the narrative is surprisingly wholesome. You’re a former Yakuza “fixer” sent out to a small town to run a local brand ambassador business. Accompanied by your mascot companion (who is… a living severed finger) and beat-up truck, you drive across town in effort to earn profit, all while uncovering a range of political conspiracies undermining it. This game is about a lot of things, but it really centers around optimism and adapting to new circumstances when things go awry. Very, very awry.
Oh my goodness, do I love this game. I literally could not stop playing. At its core, the game has you finding and recruiting a variety of mascots. You negotiate their benefits package, find clients that would employ them for events and send them out on jobs hoping that they won’t mess up, and inevitably get attacked by a demon, or some other hilariously random incidents that trigger a card-based minigame. On the one hand, the game is a very chill experience driven by a lot of narrative quests and casual management sim tracking and efficiency gameplay. On the other hand it’s an exploration driving game with few limits and plenty of ways to profit. The difficulty ramp on either side is gradual and not overwhelming. Overall, the gameplay loop was absolutely built for my short attention span and general weirdness, and the writing had me fall out of my chair laughing. On top of the that, the cast of mascots you meet are incredibly likeable in their own little, weird way. You’re bound to find a favorite.
As chaotic as this all may seem, this experience was incredibly cozy and heartwarming. The gameplay is, indeed, fairly simple, but it’s so unique in its presentation that it kept me glued. I think people who enjoy the Yakuza series would especially enjoy this, but honestly I’d want everyone to play this totally preposterous game about you and your giant finger friend helping a town become whole again.
From the creators of Paradise Killer comes a mind-bending open-world narrative adventure mascot management simulator where mascots are more than just symbols – they’re unpredictable forces of nature! Step into the chaos, unravel the conspiracies, drive a tiny truck and try to keep it all together in Promise Mascot Agency!
Welcome to the Mascot Hustle
You thought mascots were just fluffy, innocent brand ambassadors? Think again. The Mascots are all living, breathing, fully formed personalities, with dreams, fears, and the occasional breakdowns of their own- just like us! Whether it’s Trororo, a charming cat who’s a little too obsessed with “adult video” or sweet, silken To-Fu, who can’t stop sobbing, your job is to befriend, mentor, and (hopefully) get these mascots to finish their jobs without causing a major catastrophe.
Play Your Cards Right
Sending your mascots out to work is never as easy as it sounds. One minute they’re promoting delicious food, the next they’re stuck in a doorway or starting a kitchen inferno. Need help? Good thing Kaso-Machi is full of intrepid everyday heroes ready to lend a hand (if you’ve managed to befriend them, of course). Unlock Hero Cards, featuring Kaso-Machi’s lovable local weirdos like Captain Sign, Japan’s only road-sign superhero (don’t ask questions), or Mama-San, a bar owner with a serious latex collection. These heroes will step in to provide help when your mascots inevitably lose control.
Tear Through Town in Your Upgradable Kei Truck
Kaso-Machi is a town full of secrets, and Michi isn’t just stuck in an office managing mascots – he’s on the road in his rusty (but upgradeable!) Kei Truck. This nifty little ride may look like a heap of junk, but with a few tweaks, it’ll have nitro boosts, glider wings, and even the ability to launch Pinky☆ – Michi’s maniacal mascot assistant – like a missile. Use your truck to explore the strange, forgotten town, unlock collectibles, and uncover hidden mysteries. Who knew a Kei Truck could be your best friend in a town where literally everything else hates you?!
Crime! Drama! A Walking Finger?!
Exiled after an ambush that left his clan in shambles, Michi finds himself piecing together the mystery of what really happened, while the town seems to actively conspire against him. Nightmare spirits seem a little too interested in your business, and there’s an ever-present sense that something’s very, very wrong in this place…
Think you can resist? Think again. The mascots know where you live. Step into the world of Promise Mascot Agency and claim your place in this brave new world of mascot domination.
Monaco 2, the sequel to a beloved, Xbox Live Arcade classic, is a top-down stealth-action game where you and up to three others cooperate as a band of thieves tasked with pulling off “perfect” heists. The flow of the game is relatively simple – players select a mission, go through a quick, narrative driven debriefing, select one of four unique characters, strategize through an interactable overview of the level’s layout through Blueprint Mode, and proceed to the mission. Where it gets complicated is when you actually enter the premises. You can create the most elaborate plan ever, but it can (and almost always will) fall apart once someone is detected by a guard or walks through a laser, triggering an alarm.
I spent most of my time in the single player mode, which was fine since the game offers the ability to switch between characters at various checkpoints. I was able to squeeze by the first few missions as one character, but you’ll quickly realize the strategic advantages of leveraging the whole cast as missions become progressively more elaborate. My favorite character is Sake since I not only loved her design, but her emphasis on speed and stealth. She’s perfect for beginners as, when situations get too sticky, you can count on her dodge roll to avoid attacks. Of course, there’s also Una who doesn’t really care about the game’s rules – opting for combat over stealth with her ability to knock guards out.
I found the most fun weaving in and out of strategic stealth to cat and mouse chases. Getting caught and leveraging shadows, barriers and furniture to juke and loop the guards, only to return undetected, felt extremely satisfying every time. While I did have fun solo, I recommend firing this up with friends whether online or locally!
Monaco is a city overflowing with luxury and greed, which makes it a perfect target for you and your international gang of criminal masterminds. The best of the best have been assembled, and they’ll need to work together using their unique abilities to rob the city blind. Do you and your friends have what it takes to bring the city of Monaco to its knees?
New characters mean all new ways to play! Assemble your team from a selection of eight playable characters, each with their own unique abilities and playstyles. Need to adapt? Switch your character mid-run to overcome whatever obstacles stand between you and untold riches!
Every heist requires careful planning. With Blueprint Mode, you can look at the level’s layout before you start the mission, allowing you to case the joint before you and your friends fleece it for all its worth.
They say there’s no honor among thieves, but they’ve never met your crew! Team up with up to three other players in local or online multiplayer and plan your heist. However, nothing ever goes exactly according to plan in Monaco, so you’ll need to work together and improvise if you want to get away with your haul of riches.
Monaco 2 offers a new level of immersion with an updated 3D art style and a procedurally generated level design system. Complete the structured campaign or test your skills against the hundreds of seeded levels, proving once and for all that you and your friends are the ultimate thieves!
Sledders is an open-world snowmobiling simulator that captures the true spirit of backcountry freedom and exploration. Unlike other entries in the genre, it offers less arcade-style gameplay and instead focuses on realism. It features physics-based snow environments and a robust catalog of fully licensed snowmobiles – including some awesome retro models. If you ever daydreamed about carving through untouched powder, discovering new trails, racing for bragging rights, or trying out new tricks, Sledders might just be your next favorite ride.
What stood out the most to me is how the sleds handle. They don’t just glide over the snow, they dig in, sink under the weight, and fight back like they should. You have to shift your weight, ease into the throttle, and use your skills to navigate the terrain. It’s challenging at first, so be prepared to fall often. But don’t worry, sticking to the trails is a great way to familiarize yourself with your sled before heading off into the wild. Once you find your rhythm, it’s addictive.
Whether you’re a weekend warrior looking for a peaceful solo ride, hosting a private session with friends, or a hardcore sledhead ready to challenge the world, Sledders meets you where you are with multiplatform cross-play support for up to 32 players. You can customize every detail of your sleds in the garage, and it offers plenty of options to style your character with gear that matches your look. If you’re looking for a game that lets you ride on your own terms and at your own pace, Sledders delivers an experience that will stay with you long after the snow melts.
Shred your sled in open-world backcountries. Sledders is a realistic, physics-based snowmobile simulator. Manoeuvre the big open terrain, plow through tons of fresh snow, conquer the mountains, and reach the peak faster than your friends!
Sit back, relax, and enjoy as you rip around on one of the sleds speeding between trees and throwing it around at the ridges. The limits are only set by you so let loose and show us what you can accomplish!
The game offers a big map for you to explore and play around in. It contains steep hills, mountains, lots of trees, and open areas ready to be ridden by you (yeah, there’s a plenty of jumps, and also water…)! It will take ages for you to ride from one corner to another, that’s how big the map already is. And who knows what the future holds, our plans include bigger, better, and many more maps to come (we hear you ditch bangers, snow crossers, tricksters, trail riders, and all!).
The snow in Sledders feel as real as possible, so you better sharpen up your powder skills or you’ll just keep on digging deeper and deeper into the snow! Freeriding in backcountries means a lot of snow to plow and riding in it is way different than on other terrains. You must master the steering by shifting your weight around, making turns with your throttle, counter steering with your skis, and many other new skills. Once you master the skills needed in the backcountries, you’re unstoppable and no pow will make you stuck.
– Freeride snowmobile simulator with real-world physics in deep-snow backcountry
– Ride with and against your friends in epic freeriding experience
– Online, crossplatform multiplayer takes you ride around the world with a likeminded community of sledheads
I used to love stickers as a kid, but I never thought about designing and showing off my own creations. Enter Sticky Business, a cozy, small business simulator game where your motivation is to run a small business designing, selling, and packing stickers for a variety of customers. No end of the world scenarios, no final boss to violently fight off, and no heart stopping action. The game is as advertised: cozy as it comes and twice as wholesome.
After naming your store, you start at your desk and begin designing stickers for customers. You have hundreds of parts and options to choose from, and they can be meticulously layered to make some truly ridiculous stuff. Illustration sizes, text colors, outline sizes, and other options can tweaked and changed rather easily. You don’t have the option to use individual letters to make your own words (which makes sense, even though I really just want to make a wholesome Wu-Tang sticker). Still, there’s some pre-made words that you can put together, so I’m a bit proud of my line of “Cozy Metal” stickers with various combinations of animals and instruments. Yes, it’s dumb, but I do enjoy them very much.
Once your design is finished, you can pay coins to print them on different types of sheets. You have to be extremely thoughtful about how you to fit the stickers to the sheet because a single sheet costs the same regardless of how many stickers you can fit on it. More stickers, more profit. You then package everything up exactly how you want it and send it off to make some cold hard cash (and hearts) which you can use for upgrading and unlocking more designs.
Unlike most games, the story doesn’t revolve around you. Instead, it’s entirely focused on your customers, who write you about their lives and how stickers fit into their narratives. Some are heartwarming, some are ridiculous. You’ll find that different stickers attract different customers and there will be some requests for specific types of stickers that you’ll need to fulfill. It’s a great, short Etsy-sim that’s super soothing and chill. Especially if you have younger kids, nieces, or nephews that are into design, this a great find.
Create, pack and sell your own unique sticker creations!
Experience the joy of running your own cozy small business: Create stickers, pack orders and hear your customers’ stories. Time to build the cutest shop on the internet!
You want a collection of cat stickers? A witch-themed shop? Or add a derpy face to all of your creations?
Combine dozens of elements to create your own collection and sell them to like-minded people. Different stickers attract different customers! You can add some sparkles or holo effects to make them even more special!
Pack orders and hear more about your customers’ stories every time they buy stickers!
My Little Universe by Estoty is a delightful blend of adventure and simulation that invites players to create and explore their own miniature worlds. This charming game falls into the genre of sandbox adventure, where creativity and exploration are key elements. Players start with a small plot of land and gradually expand their universe by gathering resources, crafting tools, and unlocking new areas.
From the moment I started playing, I was enamored by the game’s whimsical art style and engaging mechanics. The process of building and expanding my universe felt incredibly rewarding. Each new discovery, whether it was a hidden treasure or a new biome, added layers of excitement and curiosity. The game strikes a perfect balance between relaxation and challenge, making it easy to lose track of time as you immerse yourself in your little universe.
One of the standout features of My Little Universe is its intuitive gameplay. The controls are gratifyingly simple, allowing players of all ages to jump right in and get creating. There’s no need for a lengthy tutorial or complex button combinations. You gather resources with a simple tap, craft tools with a few swipes, and expand your universe with ease. This simplicity makes the game incredibly accessible and enjoyable for players of all ages. It also offers a variety of customization options, enabling you to personalize your world to reflect your unique vision. Whether you’re a fan of games like Minecraft or Terraria, you’ll find familiar elements here, but with a fresh and charming twist.
My Little Universe is a must-play for anyone who enjoys creative and exploratory games. It’s a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, offering a serene yet stimulating experience that will keep you coming back for more. So, grab your tools and start building your own little universe!
Go above and beyond the cosmos!
The universe is vast and filled with adventures, mysteries to solve, and enemies to fight… who knows, you might even meet a few friendly faces along the way. Better yet, invite up to three of your friends to join you in the split-screen local co-op mode because it’s always more exciting with friends!
EXPLORE!
9 mythical worlds and 65+ different dungeons, from mythology-inspired lands to hostile alien worlds await you and your friends. Filled with wonder and plunder, challenges and adversaries, your task is to restore these beautiful worlds to their former glory!
GATHER RESOURCES!
The worlds are filled with rich minerals ready to be harvested by your trusty tools, and mythical artifacts of untapped power guarded by powerful foes. Use more than 70 different gatherable resources to recreate lands long lost to a mysterious threat.
RISE UP TO THE CHALLENGE!
The universe won’t be restored that easily, and each challenge requires the proper tools for the job. Equipped with your trusty pickaxe, sharp sword, and sturdy axe, you’ll be thrown against 150+ different adversaries including mythical creatures, alien horrors, and even demigods!
UPGRADE YOUR GEAR!
With each planet comes new challenges and because of that, you have to stay prepared by upgrading to the newest and freshest tools, which will always keep you one step ahead of your opponents! Improve your weapon, tools, and armor up to 30+ levels!
Just Enjoy The Adventure.
Get entranced by the game’s cozy atmosphere, enjoy the relaxing soundtrack, and fall in love with the simplistic yet charismatic visuals. After all, it’s all about the journey and the friends we make along the way!
It’s finally time –Towerbornearrives on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Xbox Cloud and with Game Pass today! To celebrate the looter-brawler’s entrance into Xbox Game Preview, we’ve compiled some tips and tricks to get you started on your Ace adventure.
Experiment!
While Towerborne is easy for anyone to pick up and play, there is a satisfying depth to its combat systems – and combinations of skills and attacks you’ll only uncover by experimenting with each of the four classes. While each class has a “theme” defined by the weapon type, there’s versatility in how you can play with them. Even if you think you’ll prefer a certain loadout, it’s worth giving them all a go, and with Towerborne’s frictionless class-swapping and re-spec options, changing your mind (and your build) is an absolute breeze.
Build for Success
The new Class Mastery Update (which we covered in-depth last week) gives even more versatility to each class in Towerborne. There’s now countless more ways to play with each weapon, with the addition of new skill trees that let you hone a specific playstyle. Sentinel can be a fast and offensive frontline attacker, but it can also be sturdy and defensive. Some builds can focus heavily on dealing raw damage, while others can lean more towards a support build, lifting your teammates. Here’s a few examples across each of the available classes:
Bleed Build: The Sentinel class comes with several skills that deal or enhance bleed, which deals slow damage to enemies you’ve hit over time. The ‘Bloodlust’ skill lets you deal 10% more damage against bleeding enemies, and the ‘Sanguine Burst’ skill enables your heavy combo to consume all bleed stacks, triggering an explosion that deals massive damage.
Sear Build: The Pyroclast is all about inflicting burndamage, but there’s a few ways to build upon that. The skill ‘Persistent Pyre’ will increase the duration of your Sear damage, and when your Sear skill is active, you’ll be able to pull off moves like ‘Ember Cyclone’, a stylish airborne attack, and ‘Ember Spike’, which delivers a long-range tremor that explodes on the closest enemy.
Powderkeg Build: The Rockbreaker already packs a punch, but you can amplify its impact even more now. Stacking “Quick Charge” skills to make your Powderkeg Punch charge faster, which is always great. The skill “Cracking Skulls” gives you a fully charged Powderkeg Punch if you break an enemy’s Break Bar. Couple that with “Cracking Knuckles” and you’re able to gain a full charge by Block Breaking an enemy. You can even do the weapon mechanic in the air now or transform it into a lunging attack with the “Bare Knuckles Blast” skill. If you’re a fan of big punches, then this is a great way to build your Rockbreaker.
Projectile Frenzy Build: This is a super fun Shadowstriker that revolves around the power of projectiles. The “Shooting Stars” skill unlocks a handful of kunai, and the “Shadow Feint Ammo” skills increase your ammo count so that you can use your Weapon Mechanic more often, allowing you to launch projectiles all over the place. The “Shadowsting” Skill is what really sets this build apart though – this modifies your Weapon Mechanic in a way where you no longer teleport, but it costs half the weapon meter to use and deals poison. If you’re the type of player who likes to alternate between mid to long range combat, this is the skill set for you.
Support Build: Healers are the underrated heroes of any party, but in Towerborne, any of the four available classes can spec out into a support character. There are skills that can upgrade how much health your healing flasks give back, increase how many you carry, and even an ability that lets other players benefit from your healing if they’re nearby. Anyone can pick up these skills providing they’re a high enough level, and the ability to swap and change skills at the click of a button means no one is indefinitely locked into that support role (unless you want to be, of course!).
Take Your Time, Memorize The Moves
Gobos are not stealthy or subtle creatures, but some of the nastier ones do pack quite a punch. In more difficult fights, there’s no shame in holding back for just a moment to work out how your enemy is going to attack, and what you can do to combat it. Lots of Gobo moves come with signals that indicate what they’re about to do, whether it’s a long-range projectile, a swift claw hit or a sluggish tail thwack. Keeping an eye on the battlefield and recognising their patterns means you’ll be able to dodge and weave, find windows to attack, and most importantly, avoid taking damage so you can save your Mender’s (healing) Flasks for more unpredictable battles later in the mission.
Taste of Their Own Medicine
It’s not just your weapons that can deal damage to gobos and goons – you can take advantage of their gear too. As an example, some gobos carry bombs to throw at you, and a swift enough hit will knock them off course, causing them to drop the projectile at their own feet. The gobos also won’t move to avoid the damage, instead opting to cover their eyes and pray, so it’s a great way to finish a few off, or buy some time while you’re cleaning up the field. Some levels will also include environmental hazards, like thorns or exploding barrels. Baiting a gobo into hitting a barrel will not end well for them, and that’s another way to deal big damage if your weapon is preoccupied with other targets. It’s also just extremely satisfying, every single time.
Umbra Abilities
Not only are Umbra cute little companions, they also come loaded with different powerful abilities that’ll assist your Ace in battle. Your first Umbra, Iska, offers a long-range projectile to complement the close-range combat that most classes start with. As you progress, you’ll uncover opportunities to earn new Umbra. Pox, for example, unlocks new aerial combos, while Picus can ignite the environment around them in a ring of fire. Each one is super unique, and their abilities can either enhance your playstyle, or add a refreshing contrasting perk to your skillset.
We can’t wait to see you in the Belfry and hope these tips will aid you well on your first adventures throughout the world of Towerborne. Play Towerborne now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC in the Xbox App, Xbox Cloud, via Game Pass, and on Steam.
Towerborne is a new kind of Looter Brawler, combining side-scrolling combat with action RPG loot progression and endless customization.* You are an Ace, born anew from the spirit realm with special skills, grit, and determination. Unite with other Aces** and fight as one to defend the Belfry, humanity’s last refuge, from the dark forces outside its walls. Can you become the Ace humanity needs to survive? Explore, fight, and grow stronger – together
Explore Together – With an evolving world map and ongoing updates, your adventure continues with new enemies, regions, rewards, and story. Venture solo or with up to three other Aces** and recruit Umbra allies with unique abilities to join your fight. Return to the Belfry to reforge gear and continue your journey.
Fight Your Way – Jump into satisfying, pick-up-and-play brawler combat that’s easy to learn but challenging to master. Towerborne delivers fast-paced, thrilling battles with deep, evolving strategy. Every fight is a chance to sharpen your skills and face tougher challenges.
Endless Customization* – Customize your Ace’s appearance, gear, and weapons. Set your preferred danger level in the Wilds, wield powerful weapons with special moves, and mix gear and Umbra companions to create a playstyle that’s uniquely yours.
This game is a work in progress. Some content and features may change over time before full release of the game. Please purchase only if you are comfortable with the game in its current state.
Full details on the latest status of the game, and how you can give feedback and report issues can be found at https://www.Towerborne.com/.
* This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items.
**Online console multiplayer requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass Core (subscriptions sold separately).
Next Week on Xbox: New Games for April 28 to May 2
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!
Explore the three most picturesque underground lines in Germany! Immerse yourself in everyday life in the two German metropolises and discover famous sights such as Hamburg’s harbour or Berlin’s Oberbaum Bridge. Master various scenarios and get your passengers to their destination safely and on time. Watch out, though, as disruptions and red signals can suddenly change your workload!
The Belfry stands as a beacon of hope and safety amongst the ruins of humanity and the City of Numbers, with monsters lurking right outside the tower’s walls. You are an Ace, born anew from the spirit realm with the skills, grit, and determination to protect the people of the Belfry. With spirit companions fighting by your side, you are destined for battle. Playable on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Xbox Cloud, Game Pass and is an Xbox Play Anywhere title.
An isometric pixel art shooter that requires daring on-the-fly strategy. Use machine guns, missiles and laser power-ups to take down enemy soldiers, demolish buildings and watchtowers, destroy gates, shoot down aircraft and face off against huge bosses across 7 sprawling combat zones.
In the distant future, mankind is at the brink of extinction. Set on a mission to find resources for their dying species, star voyagers encounter a strange, sadistic alien race with a clownish appearance who are hellbent on making them a part of the galactic carnival of horror. Will the survivors escape the gory circus? Or will they be assimilated like all the others…
Deep in the woods of the Tatras Mountains, supplies dwindle, and flood waters are rising. It’s up to you to keep spirits high and make the most of your survival skills. Will you butter up the right person? Or will you wind up on the chopping block? Featuring Eastern European folklore in an unexpected package, Cooking Companions is a dating sim mixed with psychological horror title you won’t soon forget.
A thrilling and engaging chain reaction game that will keep you hooked till the end! Enhance your abilities and discover new ways to trigger even more explosive reactions. As you progress, you’ll encounter a variety of obstacles and opportunities that will test your skills and creativity.
A relentless rogue-lite beat’em up where you enhance your body with new cybernetic implants each run. You’ve been sent to the worst prison in the galaxy for crimes you didn’t commit. Death won’t provide an escape, but a violent reality show may offer a way out.
Step into Olympicats, where feline champions take on thrilling sports — witness skateboard tricks, judo matches, and even a torch relay as competitors and fans unite in an energetic festival of skill and teamwork. Then, dive into Comic Cat Con, a convention filled with cosplaying cats dressed as iconic characters. From heroes to wizards, every corner is packed with references and surprises for pop culture lovers!
Your path to becoming a MotoGP legend starts here. Join the official championship and step into the boots of your favorite riders to master the most iconic bikes and tracks of the season. Live the most realistic race thrills ever thanks to Unreal Engine 5, MotoGP Stewards ensuring fair battles, and an overhauled sound design, recorded on-site from official bikes.
Embark on a magical journey with Mystic Pathways, a puzzle game that challenges your logic and creativity. Manipulate enchanted trails on a beautifully designed hexagonal board to guide mystical fairies in collecting magical crystals and activating sacred altars.
Archaeologist Helena Nightshade gets entangled in the mysteries surrounding an ominous eternal lunar eclipse, prophesied by estranged Moon Worshippers also known as the Anaxagori. Set in 1930s Southern Europe, where technology has eclipsed magic, an estranged group of Moon Worshippers known as the Anaxagori resurfaces with an ominous prophecy: an eternal lunar eclipse.
A soccer game about people. Get immersed in the streets and parks of Quito through the eyes and ears of eight-year-old Julián. Dribble, pass, and shoot your soccer ball around town, and see what happens when you kick it someone’s way. Feel the city change as Ecuador comes closer than ever to qualifying for the World Cup.
Cooking here is a delicious puzzle. Each level is a new dish to prepare, and your challenge is to fit all the ingredients perfectly into the pan. But be careful: space is limited, and only the best chefs will be able to complete each recipe without wasting anything.
Peglin – May 1 Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
The dragons have been popping peglins and stealing all your gold for as long as you can remember. Enough is enough. It’s time to venture through the woods, conquer the fortress, and delve into the heart of the dragon’s lair to take back what’s yours and teach those dragons a lesson.
A 2D puzzle-platformer that follows Adam, a young man who has recently experienced a great loss. After this event he descends into a surreal valley within his own mind, where he must attempt to make sense of the world around him (as well as his emotions). Uncover the valley’s secrets and confront the dangers lurking within.
The Healthy Forest has been invaded by sweets and chocolates with the aim of harming everyone’s health! Help Super Strawberry pass through obstacles and eliminate sweet enemies to become the bravest Fruit in the Healthy Forest. Find the key and unlock the blocks at the end of each level. Watch out for the thorns and be quick so that time doesn’t run out! Play with the whole family and beat all the challenges!
Golf Up – May 2 Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere
A fun-loaded golf game you can play with up to four friends in several game modes. In Tournament mode, you can pick between the Classic or Points options, in which you earn points by getting good results in the Holes and making quick decisions for bigger bonuses. You will also be able to play solo in Arcade mode and compare your score in the online ranking with that of your friends and players from around the world.
Your ball drops like a brick through colorful helix platforms that block its descent, but if you hit a red spot, it’s over! Your ball shatters to pieces and you have to start your fall all over again. Even traps platforms are no match for a fireball falling at full speed! Choose your strategy: speed up like a madman or stop and wait for your next chance to roll and jump!
Followers of the notorious Dr. Voo Doom have taken over a city, demanding his release from prison. But this is merely a diversion as they gather Power Crystals to execute their true plan: teleporting their master to freedom!
A minimalist and soothing experience awaits you. Test your skills by strategically moving pieces to create a safe path for your car, all while collecting every item along the way.
Eternal winter has descended upon the magnificent kingdom once filled with vitality and adventure. But now, cold and hunger have divided families and heroes, calling out their ugliest traits and draining their last strength…
Become the director of Spellcaster University in a colorful world of heroic fantasy. Will you turn it into a black magic academy? A place in harmony with nature to train druids and shamans? Or something entirely your own?
A game series inspired by the classic “Spot the Differences,” where you need to compare two images and identify the differences between them. With over 245 differences spread across 35 levels, will you be able to find them all? Perfect for playing solo or with friends and family, Spot Challenge is the ultimate challenge to test your attention to details!
A first-person, single-player, narrative-driven experience that presents contrasting perspectives on French and Indigenous first encounters. Be prepared to face the dangers of Canadian wilderness and to make choices that could affect your characters. Experience the intertwining journeys of Jeanne, a French King’s Daughter stranded far from the French colonies, and Maikan, a young Innu hunter trying to uncover what is disturbing his native forest.
How Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves’ Two-Lane Battle System Lets You Relive the Glory Days of the Arcade
Yasuyuki Oda, Chief Producer, SNK
Summary
SNK showcases the new Two-Lane Battle system in the latest entry of their legendary fighting game series, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, available now for Xbox Series X|S.
Players will be able to freely move between foreground and background lanes during battle and even perform combos across both lanes!
This marks the first time in 27 years that Two-Lane Battles are back, allowing players to relive the glory days of the arcade!
Hello everyone! Today I want to introduce you to the new Two-Lane Battle system we’ve included in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, the first Fatal Fury game in 26 years launching April 24 for Xbox Series X|S.
Battle On Two Lanes
The highly anticipated Two-Land Battle system will feature two lanes on certain stages: a foreground lane and a background lane. By inputting a specific attack, you’ll be able to freely switch between the lanes and move around the battlefield. Since the available actions also depend on what lane you and your opponent are in, this battle system adds a whole new set of mind games and tricks you can use both offensively and defensively to secure victory!
How It Works
First, select the Dream Amusement Park “Morning” stage to get access to this nostalgic battle system; at launch this will be the only stage to have Two-Lane Battles enabled, but we plan on adding more of these stages in the near future.
You and your opponent will start the battle in the same lane, but you can lane switch by pressing X and RB at the same time. If you want to attack while switching lanes, press A and RB at the same time to perform a special jumping lane switch attack.
Once you and your opponent are in different lanes, you’ll gain access to a variety of special attacks. If you want to stay on the ground, pressing X will perform a grounded lane switch attack that will place you in the same lane as your opponent. If you’re looking to attack from the air, pressing A or B will perform a jumping lane switch attack. Pressing Y will perform a special lane pullback attack that will bring your opponent to the same lane you are currently in.
You’ll also be able to use jumping lane switch attacks in the middle of combos to perform cross-lane combos!
Here’s a sample combo with Rock:
X → Y → A + RB → B → Heavy Rising Tackle (Brake) → Heavy Hard Edge
Try using lane switch attacks in your combos to take your game to a whole new level!
The Old in the New
Two-Lane Battles have been a part of Fatal Fury’s identity since the very first game in 1991 and we’re so excited to be able to bring them back for City of the Wolves. We’ve integrated Two-Lane Battles into training mode as well, so we hope players get creative and find new ways to utilize the system. Classic fans can relive what makes Fatal Fury different from other fighting game series, and we’re looking forward to seeing brand new fans enjoy the chaos of Two-Lane Battles as well!
We are so excited to be able to deliver the next game in this legendary series! Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is available now for Xbox Series X|S. To keep up to date on all things Fatal Fury, follow us at our official X account or join our official community Discord server.
* FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves will only be available in this Special Edition format.
* There are no plans at this time to sell the base game and Season Pass 1 individually.
Contents:
– Base game
– Season Pass 1
– DLC Character 1 “ANDY BOGARD”(Scheduled for: Summer 2025)
– DLC Character 2 “KEN” (Scheduled for: Summer 2025)
– DLC Character 3 “JOE HIGASHI”(Scheduled for: Fall 2025)
– DLC Character 4 “CHUN-LI” (Scheduled for: Winter 2025)
– DLC Character 5 “Mr. BIG”(Scheduled for: Early 2026)
SNK’s beloved Fatal Fury series first hit the market in 1991, spearheading the fighting game boom of the 1990s that swept the industry thereafter. GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES (released in 1999) has, for some time, served as the franchise’s most recent installment. But that is all about to change: 26 years on, a brand-new entry—FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves—is set to arrive on the scene!
■All-new REV System supercharges the excitement!
Introducing the REV System, a brand-new toolset that offers unique offensive options from the moment the battle begins! Use REV Arts, REV Accel, REV Blows (while S.P.G. is active), and more until you hit your limit and the REV Meter overheats. The all-new REV System—fight at full throttle and supercharge the excitement!
■Two control schemes—fun for newcomers and veterans alike!
Choose from two control schemes: Arcade Style is based on precise, technical inputs, while Smart Style lets you perform flashy special moves and combos using directional inputs and single button presses. From fighting game newcomers to seasoned veterans, there’s plenty of fun and excitement to be had—tailored specifically to your level!
■Memorable fighters from far and wide descend on the streets of South Town!
The action kicks off with a total of 22 characters: a diverse 17-member roster of familiar faces and new blood, plus five DLC fighters in Season Pass 1. Every character is vibrantly presented in CotW’s unique art style, which is guaranteed to stimulate the senses.
■Strive for supremacy in EPISODES OF SOUTH TOWN, a single-player RPG mode!
Introducing “Episodes of South Town” (EOST)—a solo RPG adventure where you’ll square up against contenders under various fight conditions, earning XP and other rewards for your efforts. Level up your fighter, build out a diverse kit of skills, and dominate the opposition on your way to the top. Dreams and ambitions run rampant in South Town; now is the time to chase the city’s crown and carve a legend all of your own!
* To play EOST you’ll first need to connect to the Internet and update the game.
From Concept to Combat: How Stadium Came to Life in Overwatch 2
Summary
A new groundbreaking experience for Overwatch 2 is here, and it will change the way you play the game.
Senior game designer Dylan Snyder talks about how Stadium came to be and shares his favorite Hero builds.
Stadium is just getting started—keep that feedback coming!
Calling all heroes! As you may have seen, Stadium launched in Overwatch 2 on April 22! As a member of the Overwatch development team, I’m here to share a behind-the-scenes look into how we crafted this new way to play, and I’ll sprinkle in some of my favorite features and builds as well!
Building Stadium
The whole team—including myself! —was so excited about building Stadium from day one. It’s not just another mode; it’s an entirely fresh way to experience Overwatch – and you can learn more about the mode here. Beginning as a passion project, our ultimate goal was to push the boundaries of Hero fantasies and match variety, plus we still wanted it to ultimately feel like Overwatch…no pressure, right?
The idea for Stadium actually started brewing before Overwatch 2 was even launched. During those early brainstorming sessions, one central theme kept bubbling up—we wanted you to have options.Tons of them. Whether it was your strategies, the way you enhance your Hero, or even how you view the game (hello, third-person perspective!), we want to empower you to adapt to your match, team, and individual style on the fly.
This sparked the idea for a long-form “best of” mode, where every skirmish would teach you valuable lessons and allow you to tweak and upgrade your play. That was the beginning of what resulted as Stadium: battles are fast, choices are deep, and the possibilities are endless.
Inspirations That Shaped Stadium
Stadium wouldn’t be what it is without the inspirations it drew from. It owes a lot to our Blizzard neighbor, Hearthstone, and specifically its Battlegrounds mode. But while Hearthstone gave us ideas on fostering deep, strategic builds with downtime planning, we wanted to inject our own Overwatch flair.
Overwatch has always let you become the hero, and in Stadium, we leaned hard into that concept. Here, you can amplify your Hero’s abilities to ridiculous levels. Trust me, watching a Reaper who never has to reload is both terrifying and oddly satisfying (unless you’re on the receiving end!) That being said, balance is key, and we learned not every concept fits (sorry, overpowered lava pools).
The biggest difference between us and Hearthstone’s Battlegrounds? We wanted to remove randomness and hand all the options over to the player. This not only makes the system easier to learn but also enables mastery over time. Nothing beats the feeling of transforming a humble Ana into a nano-boosting, wall-busting legend.
Third-Person Perspective (Finally!)
This might be my favorite part of Stadium. For the first time in Overwatch history, you can flip between first and third-person perspectives. Yes, you read that correctly.
During early playtests, we saw how chaotic Stadium can get, with flying heroes and way too much lava (yes, I kept walking into it, don’t judge). Zooming out your view makes the gameplay more readable and opens new ways to strategically assess battlefield chaos.
The Overwatch team had already done a lot of work making sure third-person silhouettes and animations were clear for opponents. Now, we leveraged that effort to integrate third-person cameras for every character. And if you’re more comfortable in first-person (after all, Overwatch’s roots are deeply FPS), you can toggle back if that’s your preference. Stadium is all about letting you play your way.
My Top 3 Favorite Stadium Builds
To get you started, I want to share my top three favorite Stadium builds. These combos were literal game-changers for me.
1. Reaper’s Shotgun Sweeper
Hero Item: “Onslaught”: Increase your Max Ammo by 25%. Every third shot costs no ammo, but deals less damage
Power: “Revolving Ruin”: Close range Shotgun hits increase Attack Speed by 5% for 1s. This stacks up to 8 times.
If you love chaos, this is your dream. Once Reaper becomes an endless shotgun machine, entire enemy lines will melt away. It’s both horrifying and beautiful.
2. Ana’s Ultimate Medic
Hero Item: “Eye of Horus”: Nano Boost can hit targets through walls
Power: “Our Turn”: Nano Boost affects all allies in line of sight
Transform Ana into the ultimate clutch queen. Buff your teammates wherever they are, and with amplified healing, turn losing matches into spectacular comebacks.
[Stadium Ana Hero Shot]
3. Ashe’s B.O.B. Jr. Blast
Hero Item: “B.O.B. Wire Defense”: When B.O.B. stops charging, he gains 300 Armor
Power: “B.O.B. Jr.”: Reduce your Ultimate cost by 50% and summons a much smaller B.O.B., who has less health and attacks less quickly
B.O.B. has a new look; he’s small, but he’s mighty!
Step Inside the Stadium
Developing Stadium has been all about making sure it feels dynamic, fun, and true to Overwatch’s spirit. And we’re just getting started. We plan to add new heroes, maps, and other experiences into Stadium every season.
With your feedback, we will continue to evolve Stadium so it keeps getting bigger and better. Whether it’s testing new Powers, tweaking balance, or adding surprises along the way, we’re building this Stadium for you!
On behalf of the entire Overwatch team, we can’t wait to meet you on the battlefield. Time to suit up, Heroes—we’ll see you in the Stadium. I’ll be the Reaper that doesn’t need to reload, bahaha!
Overwatch® 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl featuring new heroes and maps, different ways to play, and unique cosmetics! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your allies as one of Overwatch’s 40 distinct heroes. Team up with friends, take them into battle across 25+ futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes.
Overwatch 2 – Season 16: Stadium
Enter the ultimate battleground with Stadium mode, an all-new experience where customization takes the reigns in a fun, best of seven, round based fight. Then, celebrate the launch with the Stadium: Initiation seasonal event to unlock exclusive rewards. Plus, the relentless bounty hunter Freja arrives as the latest DPS hero, bringing precision and mobility to every match. Meanwhile, the battlefield transforms with stunning skins, from the Dokiwatch team—led by Mythic Heart of Hope Juno—to Legendary Ashe, Genji, Brigitte, Lifeweaver, and Mauga in the Premium Battle Pass. Whether you’re outwitting opponents in Stadium, hunting your prey with Freja, or wielding magic with Dokiwatch, this season is packed with action, strategy, and a whole lot more.
The Overwatch League Token will no longer be purchasable after December 9, 2024. The OWL shop will remain open until at least December 2025, with limited inventory purchasable with players’ remaining OWL token balances.
25 – Xbox Series X|S
