We are excited to invite Xbox Insiders on Windows PC to join the Pillars of Eternity Public Beta. This beta introduces a major new way to play the original Pillars of Eternity: Turn-Based Mode. Your feedback is invaluable, so explore, experiment, and share your feedback to help shape the next update! To participate in the Pillars of Eternity Public Beta, you will need to either own Pillars of Eternity OR have access to the title via an active Game Pass subscription.
About the Game:
Prepare to be enchanted by a world where the choices you make and the paths you choose shape your destiny. Recapture the deep sense of exploration, the joy of a pulsating adventure, and the thrill of leading your own band of companions across a new fantasy realm and into the depths of monster-infested dungeons in search of lost treasures and ancient mysteries.
Sign-in on your Windows PC and launch the Xbox Insider Hub app (or install the Xbox Insider Hub from the Store first if necessary)
Navigate to Previews > Pillars of Eternity – Hero Edition
Select Join
Wait for the registration to complete and be directed to the Store and install Pillars of Eternity – Hero Edition
NOTE: To participate in the Pillars of Eternity Public Beta, you will need to either own Pillars of Eternity OR have access to the title via an active Game Pass subscription.
NOTE: This playtest is only available on Windows PC.
NOTE: If you already have Pillars of Eternity installed, please restart your PC after the registration has completed to ensure you get prompted to update to the Pillars of Eternity Public Beta version.
NOTE: If you wish to revert to the publicly available version of Pillars of Eternity, you will need to leave the Pillars of Eternity Public Beta via the Xbox Insider Hub. This will prompt an update reversion to occur.
For more information: follow us on X/Twitter at @XboxInsider and this blog for announcements and more. And feel free to interact with the community on the Xbox Insider SubReddit.
Treyarch Design Director Kevin Drew shares some of the behind-the-scenes stories about the creation of the Wonder Vehicle, Ol’ Tessie.
Players will be able to drive and customize their own Ol’ Tessie vehicle, treating it like a member of their crew in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Zombies.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches November 14, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Cloud, Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
Ashes of the Damned will be the largest map that Zombies has ever seen in a Black Ops game once Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches on November 14, 2025. It will be full of iconic locations that have been twisted by the Dark Aether and feature the return of some fan-favorite characters as well. However, one of the biggest additions in my opinion will be the arrival of the customizable and fully drivable Wonder Vehicle: Ol’ Tessie.
I mean, what better way to navigate a deadly network of roadways full of zombies than behind the wheel of your very own rusted pick-up truck? When you meet it in the opening area of Black Ops 7 Zombies, Ol’ Tessie is already tough enough to withstand a beating. But it’s the deep level of customization that can make it a force to be reckoned with as you and your crew embark on your adventure through the Dark Aether.
Need a navigator? How about you install the dismembered head of T.E.D.D.? Want to install a giant turret? You can. Need a pick-me-up? Check out the Pack-A-Punch machine you can eventually install on the back bumper. The longer you’re able to last in the Dark Aether, the more you’re able to customize Ol’ Tessie, which can also deliver plenty of exciting, emergent gameplay moments each time you jump into Zombies.
To learn more about how the idea of bringing a battle-ready pickup truck into the world of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Zombies came to life, I had a chance to talk with Treyarch Design Director Kevin Drew about how a pick-up truck, talking cars, and the prestigious voice actor Nolan North fits into all of this.
“I think it really started when we were coming up with what our launch map will be for Zombies,” says Drew. “We really liked TranZit (from Call of Duty: Black Ops II). We had fond memories of it and especially some of the things it was trying to do. And we felt like we could take that to the next level; it’s been over 10 years. And so, we have the technology now, we have the experience. How can we evolve that?”
As Drew explains to me, one of the core tenets that the team arrived at was instead of the bus driving you, which was featured in Call of Duty: Black Ops II Zombies, now you get to “drive the bus.” From there it started to cascade from a simple idea – have a drivable vehicle with zombies – and then more people started to contribute to that idea.
“Narrative was immediately like, ‘We want to do a junker style pick-up truck from the ‘70s and have it real beat up,’” says Drew. “From there, I was looking at it to make sure that it can support four players and is very flexible – Zombies is a very hostile mode, so you want to make sure this thing is very useful and is truly like your fifth member of the squad. That was kind of the starting point. From there, it was kind of like all the cool things we can do.”
One of the first “cool things” the team settled on was bringing back T.E.D.D. from TranZit and finding a way to incorporate him into this modern approach to this new Zombies map. By having him as the first upgrade – once you install him on Ol’ Tessie’s dash – it will then make this truck come alive, making it sentient and having it talk to you (inspired in part by a superpowered talking car that some of you may remember from the ‘80s).
“Since Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, our Pack-a-Punch machines have been this jury-rigged thing with a jet engine in the middle of it — that’s what upgraded your guns. So, we’re like, ‘What if we installed the jet engine in the back of the vehicle to give it a boost?’ Those ideas just kept coming.”
Drew also revealed that the idea of having an Ol’ Tessie-like had been percolating for years, as they had wanted to do some kind of Wonder Vehicle where you had an Abomination husk, but it didn’t quite make it into past Call of Duty games – but now they can do that here.
“As soon as we added the carcass of this thing on (Ol’ Tessie), everyone’s like, ‘Can it still fire its laser beams?’ And we’re like ‘Yeah, we should probably make it fire its laser beams.’ And then the final step was the Wunderwaffe DG-2. That kind of just completed the entire experience. It was a while ago, but there were a couple months there when we were just continuing to iterate and evolve it. It was a really cool process.”
Another area that the team wanted to work on with the Zombies experience this time was bringing an added weight to your decisions, especially in the early going. Looking back to TranZit again for inspiration, you had to commit to a path – the recent Zombies maps don’t have this in place, instead built around being more accessible, where you can spread out and come back together as a group. This time in Black Ops 7 Zombies, once you’re aboard Ol’ Tessie, you have a myriad of decisions to make on the road – do you take the left path or the right path? Do you wait and try to tough it out against the horde? In addition, these in-between locations feature hazardous roads that you need to nurse Ol’ Tessie through.
I ran into this first-hand during my time with Black Ops 7:Zombies during Call of Duty: Next a few months ago. There, my crew had installed T.E.D.D. and we started to make our way through the Dark Aether when we came to a junction. But we hesitated on which path to pick and were quickly overwhelmed by zombies. I also discovered that, despite how awesome Ol’ Tessie is, it can’t take a lot of damage – at least in the early going. It was a nice way for the game to give you a quick heads up, that despite how awesome it feels to continue driving over zombies, you need to take care of this vehicle. It’s not invincible.
“The team put a lot of effort into that kind of balancing of making sure you can still make it as long as you’re driving forward the first couple of times you’re out on the road. But we also made sure there were a ton of ways that you can upkeep Tessie and make sure that it’s always ready to go,” Drew says.
There will also be a haven that becomes available once you get to Ashwood which unlocks the garage – this will become your central hub within Ashes of the Damned. One of the things this unlocks is the ability to have a broken-down Ol’ Tessie warped to this garage for it to be repaired, which is extremely helpful if you had to abandon it in the middle of the road like I had to during my gameplay session.
“T.E.D.D. also has auto-healing capabilities,” adds Drew. “So, if you can survive in the fog for a while, it will start to kick in. You can also manually repair it if you have the time by spending some salvage. There’s a lot of ways to upkeep the vehicle. That allowed us make the damage a little bit more severe because even with Tessie, it’s still hazardous out on the roads.”
On the topic of having T.E.D.D. return, albeit as a disembodied head, it touched on something Drew and I spoke about previously, about finding an intent to make Ol’ Tessie feel like a fifth member of your crew and not just a new game mechanic.
“That was our goal – we want Tessie to feel essential to the map and we’re building everything around it,” Drew says. “It’s the core new mechanic for this map. So, things like quests will require Tessie. And having T.E.D.D. was a nice callback to Call of Duty: Black Ops II Zombies. He’s such a fun character that it was a shame to have him only on one map. ’ Nolan North plays the voice for T.E.D.D. and he does an amazing job. Hearing the lines over the last month has really made me chuckle; it has been a lot of fun to bring him back.”
Learning more about what was involved in the creation of Ol’ Tessie just leaves me even more excited to return to the Dark Aether and see what other secrets it might have in store. As someone who has obviously spent more time with the series than most, I asked Drew what is it about Ashes of the Damned that has him really excited for players to experience for the first time?
“I can’t spoil too much, but there’s some moments in the quest that you really need Tessie to help out, where it’s like, ‘All right, everyone get in!’ It’s just those moments where you’re about to leave an area, and everybody’s getting in – some inside, some people get on top, some people in the back – and it’s like, ‘Go!’ They feel like an action hero escape kind of moment. Those are the things that stick out to me. Like, this is so cool. You don’t usually get to experience this in Zombies.”
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches November 14, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Cloud, Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
– Items for immediate use in Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty®: Warzone*:
— Reznov Challenge Pack – unlock the SOG Reznov Operator Skin. Plus, get access to unlock the Stalingrad Reznov and Memory Reznov Operator Skins
— Guild Override Weapon Camo – unlock the Guild Override dynamic Weapon Camo
The Vault Edition includes:
– Cross-Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7
— Includes Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Xbox PC versions of the game
– BlackCell (1 Season)**
— Includes: Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP and more
– Operator Collection
— 4 Operator Skins: Harper, Karma, T.E.D.D. and Reaper EWR-3
– Mastercraft Collection
— 5 Mastercraft Weapons
– Ultra GobbleGum Pack for Zombies
— 8 GobbleGums of Ultra rarity for Black Ops 7
– Permanent Unlock Token for Black Ops 7 (available at launch)
In Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7, Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players the most mind-bending Black Ops ever.
The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare. David Mason leads an elite team on a covert mission to the sprawling city of Avalon. While there, they discover a sophisticated plot that won’t just plunge the world into chaos, it will pull them into their own haunting pasts.
Squad up or go solo in an innovative Co-Op Campaign that redefines the Black Ops experience.
Multiplayer explodes out of the gate with 16 electrifying 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps at launch. Master a cutting-edge arsenal and outmaneuver your enemies with an evolved Omnimovement system.
In Treyarch’s legendary Round-Based Zombies mode, the nightmare begins where reality ends. Trapped in the heart of the Dark Aether, the crew is thrust into a vast, ever-shifting hellscape.
Game requires a Game Pass Core subscription (sold separately).
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot required for PC, other security measures may be enforced. Learn more at https://support.activision.com/tpm.
*Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 or Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by November 14th, 2026.
**BlackCell, Battle Pass, Call of Duty® Points and Tier Skips will be accessible in Black Ops 7 upon availability of the Season 1 Battle Pass in-game. Redemption applies to one Season of the Black Ops 7 Battle Pass only.
Content, features, services, online play, and support not available in all regions, and may vary, change, or terminate.
Requires an Activision account and acceptance of the Activision Software License and Services Agreement. A mobile phone number linked to your Activision account may be required to play Black Ops 7.
Additional storage space may be required for mandatory game updates.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
Upgrade to the Vault Edition and receive the following bonus content*:
– BlackCell (1 Season)**
— Includes: Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP and more
– Operator Collection
— 4 Operator Skins: Harper, Karma, T.E.D.D. and Reaper EWR-3
– Mastercraft Collection
— 5 Mastercraft Weapons
– Ultra GobbleGum Pack for Zombies
— 8 GobbleGums of Ultra rarity for Black Ops 7
– Permanent Unlock Token for Black Ops 7 (available at launch)
*Requires existing ownership of the digital version of the Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7 – Cross-Gen Bundle on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC (sold separately), or active subscription to select Game Pass plans (Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC, or Game Pass Console).
**BlackCell, Battle Pass, Call of Duty® Points and Tier Skips will be accessible in Black Ops 7 upon availability of the Season 1 Battle Pass in-game. Redemption applies to one Season of the Black Ops 7 Battle Pass only.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
Pre-order any digital edition or subscribe to select Game Pass plans* and receive:
– Items for immediate use in Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty®: Warzone**:
— Reznov Challenge Pack – unlock the SOG Reznov Operator Skin. Plus, get access to unlock the Stalingrad Reznov and Memory Reznov Operator Skins
— Guild Override Weapon Camo – unlock the Guild Override dynamic Weapon Camo
Includes:
– Cross-Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7
— Includes Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Xbox PC versions of the game
In Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7, Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players the most mind-bending Black Ops ever.
The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare. David Mason leads an elite JSOC team on a covert mission to the sprawling Mediterranean city of Avalon. While there, they discover a sophisticated plot that won’t just plunge the world into chaos, it will pull them into their own haunting pasts.
Squad up or go solo in an innovative Co-Op Campaign that redefines the Black Ops experience. Take on high-stakes challenges across a wide spectrum of environments, from the neon-lit rooftops of Japan to the Mediterranean coast, and even into the deepest corners of the human psyche.
Multiplayer explodes out of the gate with 16 electrifying 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps at launch. From futuristic Tokyo vistas to the frozen, unforgiving wilds of Alaska, every environment is brimming with danger and opportunity. Master a cutting-edge arsenal and outmaneuver your enemies with an evolved Omnimovement system.
In Treyarch’s legendary Round-Based Zombies mode, the nightmare begins where reality ends. Trapped in the heart of the Dark Aether, the crew is thrust into a vast, ever-shifting hellscape. This isn’t just survival. It’s a descent into madness.
Game requires a Game Pass Core subscription (sold separately).
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot required for PC, other security measures may be enforced. Learn more at https://support.activision.com/tpm.
*Requires active subscription to Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC, or Game Pass Console. Subscribers must login to Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 or Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC by November 14, 2025 to redeem the Reznov Challenge Pack and Guild Override Weapon Camo.
**Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 or Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by November 14th, 2026.
Content, features, services, online play, and support not available in all regions, and may vary, change, or terminate.
Requires an Activision account and acceptance of the Activision Software License and Services Agreement. A mobile phone number linked to your Activision account may be required to play Black Ops 7.
Additional storage space may be required for mandatory game updates.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
Nice Day for Fishing: Creating the World of Epic NPC Man’s Azerim
Konrad Kunze, CEO, FusionPlay
Summary
Learn how the world of Azerim was created, inspired by Epic NPC Man’s YouTube series.
Discover some of the development team’s favorite gear to use in the game.
Nice Day for Fishingis available today for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title.
Our pixel fishing adventure Nice Day for Fishing lands finally lands on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC today, and we’re really excited to be able to share on how it was made.
The story follows Baelin, the town’s humble fisherman. When a vast number of evils are released from a cursed magical chest and everyone but the NPCs vanish! (thanks a lot Baradun!) Baelin suddenly awakens with the powers of an Adventurer. Now it’s up to him to save Honeywood the only way he knows how – by fishing!
Building the World of Azerim
When we started designing the world of Azerim — the world in which Nice Day for Fishing takes place — we went deep into the Epic NPC Man universe, literally and creatively! We watched countless Viva La Dirt League videos, searching for iconic landmarks that every fan would recognize, even when reimagined in pixel art.
If you haven’t heard of Viva La Dirt League before, you’re missing out. The New Zealand comedy group creates clever, high-production sketches on YouTube that celebrate the fun, and the sometimes-absurd side, of gaming. Their videos dive into everything from the questionable logic in The Witcher, to tongue-in-cheek public service announcements for Hearthstone players. What makes them stand out is their background of being gamers themselves. They understand the meta-moments and inside jokes, the glitches and weird NPC behaviors everyone recognizes. Their long-running series Epic NPC Man is set inside a fictitious MMORPG game world Skycraft and covers the unseen lives of NPCs — from navigating player induced chaos, petty rivalries or that existential dread in hearing the NPC with one repeating voice line.
With incredible support from the VLDL team and their community, we gathered tons of reference material from maps, environmental notes, and even hints about regions that might appear in future episodes. We also thought about what makes for great fishing locations in general and matched those ideas to the Epic NPC Man world. A volcano? Sounds hot (and maybe a little dangerous.) A magical library turned slimy fish-infested ruin? That had to be in. And of course, The Undead Mines, because every fantasy world needs undead (fish).
We also wanted to bring fans to places that were only talked about in the show but never shown. Translating such a rich world into a 2D sidescroller, and dividing it into 12 underwater regions, was a challenge, but one that sparked endless creativity as we dove deeper into the lore of Azerim.
At the heart of it all lies Honeywood Village, complete with the original music from the VLDL videos. Seeing the Azerim map come to life in side-view, piece by piece, was both a challenge and a rewarding world-building experience.
Battles Beneath the Surface
When you think “fishing game,” you probably imagine a simple minigame. We didn’t want that. Nice Day for Fishing takes the act of fishing and turns it into a full-blown RPG-style battle system.
Once a fish bites, combat begins! Players attack with a button press, dealing damage and pulling the fish closer to the surface. But beware — these aren’t your average fish. They’ll fight back, reverse the line, and force you into a defensive stance. You’ll need to time your attacks, blocks, and spell casts while managing items and cooldowns — because even the fish have tricks up their fins.
Our goal was to make every battle feel like an epic encounter, not just a quick catch. You’ll see health bars, stamina meters, damage numbers, buffs, debuffs, and magic spells — everything you’d expect in a fantasy RPG.
And then there are the bosses. These deep-sea monsters are truly something else. As you chip away at their health, they shift forms, change phases, and unleash new abilities in classic RPG fashion. Get ready for some “This isn’t even my final form!” moments.
Gear Up — Top Fishing Tools of Azerim
There are plenty of ways to get your hands on powerful equipment — hidden treasure chests, upgraded shop inventories, or even bizarre side quests from Honeywood’s eccentric mayor. Whether you favor magic or brute strength, your playstyle determines what tools will serve you best.
Here are a few fan-favorite pieces of gear to look out for:
Bonecaller’s Rod A perfect weapon for early offensive mages, this rod can be earned early on by completing the first set of the mayor’s side quests. It’ll carry you comfortably through the midgame until you’re ready for something stronger.
The Buckler Great for defensive players who prefer to outlast rather than overpower. Found in a submerged treasure chest, its bonus defense can turn a seemingly impossible boss fight into a manageable one.
Obvious Wizard Hat A must-have for glass-cannon mages. Once you gain more freedom of movement with your hook, head back to the ship at sea to find this stylish — and powerful — hat.
Ring of Great Recovery Beyond healing potions and spells, this ring helps restore your health mid-battle. Whether you’re a tank, mage, or hybrid build, you can buy it from Willow’s shop to give yourself a little extra survivability.
Duel Ring
Earned after defeating the first boss, this ring helps new players time their blocks and parries more effectively. It’s a huge advantage early in the game and perfect for mastering defensive combat.
In general, however, the rule is: anyone who wants to have the very best equipment has to upgrade all the shops to the maximum level. Then you’ll find gear that offers the best of the best for mages, paladins, or warriors respectively.
Except for one exception — the reward for defeating the secret new boss. But we don’t want to spoil too much about that.
From peaceful moments in Honeywood to chaotic boss battles deep below Azerim, Nice Day for Fishing redefines what a “fishing game” can be — part parody, part adventure, and all heart.
If you’ve ever seen Viva La Dirt League’s Epic NPC Man YouTube series on YouTube, you’ll instantly recognize the iconic characters and laugh-out-loud moments, complete with epic quests and a whole bunch of fishing and achievements just waiting to be unlocked.
Your time of adventuring is here! Whether you’re chasing colossal catches, or just in it for the signature comedy of Viva La Dirt League, it’s a catch you won’t want to miss. Nice Day for Fishingis available today for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title!
When the heroes of Azerim mysteriously vanish, an evil force threatens to take over the lands! Baelin the fisherman NPC must rise up to defend the town of Honeywood the only way he knows how! However, something’s different… Baelin’s no longer an NPC but… an Adventurer! Battle fish with precision timing and magic spells, upgrade your abilities, defeat evil and rebuild Honeywood.
Upgrade your gear with the Nice Day for Fishing “Legendary DLC”, featuring a range of new Legendary equipment to help you become the hero you were destined to be. Battle fish, look epic, and save Azerim!
The Epic Edition includes:
– Legendary Rod
– Legendary Hat
– Legendary Ring
– Legendary Necklace
– 4 sails to customize Baelin’s boat
– “Overpriced Cosmetic Item” Rod
– Ring of Dormor
– “Company Property” Necklace
– Tinfoil Hat
From the minds of Viva La Dirt League brings you an epic tale of fantasy, adventure and… fishing?
When the heroes of Azerim mysteriously vanish, an evil force threatens to take over the lands! Baelin the fisherman NPC must rise up to defend the town of Honeywood the only way he knows how! However, something’s different… Baelin’s no longer an NPC but… an Adventurer! Can you handle your new found responsibility?! Battle fish with precision timing and magic spells, upgrade your abilities, defeat evil and rebuild Honeywood.
Morning! Nice day for fishing ain’t it!
Epic Fishing Battles
Engage in fearless fishing battles to fulfil quests, increase your strength and unlock spells to use against your aquatic adversaries. Equip the right bait for your catch, and time your attacks perfectly to ensure flawless victory. Be wary of the boss fish looming in the deep, who will truly test your skills.
Explore the world of Azerim
Explore the enchanting lands of Azerim above land and beneath the waves. Adventure through Honeywood forest to the Azerim coast where you’ll encounter new quests, people to save and new fish to catch. Navigate the pull of the underwater currents to move your hook into hard to reach caves and upgrade your fishing line to delve deeper into the abyss.
New Gear, New Mechanics
Every Adventurer deserves the ultimate tools for their quest. Although Baelin may be a humble fisherman, as an Adventurer his rod is his weapon, his boat is his steed and his hat is his armor, so make sure you’ve equipped the right one for the job! Effortlessly dredge hidden treasures from the deep with the magnet hook, or break through cavern walls with the powerful drill to unlock new pathways. Enhance your fishing rod to increase your strength and upgrade your lines to go further into the depths to target the formidable and challenging fish that swim in the shadows.
Rebuild Honeywood
While on your adventures, you’ll find valuable resources to dredge from shipwrecks that have succumbed to the sea, which can be used to rebuild the destroyed village. Enlist help from the Woodcutter to bring Honeywood back to its former glory. Each building upgrade unlocks more equipment and quests from the merchants.
Complete the Collection
Prove yourself worthy to the mighty fishing God by offering completed collections from each region at his statue, and receive your blessings of upgraded skills.
How 1000xResist’s Creators Brought it to Life on Xbox
Remy Siu, Creative Director at sunset visitor 斜陽過客
Summary
1000xResist is available today on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC, as well as through Game Pass Premium, Game Pass Ultimate, and Game Pass on PC, and as an Xbox Play Anywhere title.
Creative Director Remy Siu discusses the inspirations and development process for this critically acclaimed narrative experience.
For the first time, the Xbox release adds haptic feedback.
When I was younger, I was completely immersed in point-and-click adventures and JRPGs — games that shaped how I think about storytelling, art, and emotional design. They left such a mark on me that I went on to study art and music, which eventually led to starting my own indie studio.
Now, we’re incredibly excited to bring 1000xResist to Xbox, complete with a new layer of haptic feedback that lets players feel the world through their fingertips.
How 1000xResist Began
When I first started prototyping 1000xResist, I leaned into narrative design because, honestly, that’s what I understood best. I wasn’t yet an experienced Unity programmer, and I couldn’t model 3D assets myself — but I loved story-driven adventure games. It made sense to build from what I knew and loved.
When we rebooted development and started fresh, we sat down as a team and said: “We’re making a narrative adventure game.” Our goal was to continue the lineage of Grim Fandango, Kentucky Route Zero, and Gone Home — narrative-driven experiences that center the player’s relationship to story, space, and performance.
Much has been written about “walking simulators,” and 1000xResist can certainly fit in that category. But from the beginning, we wanted to move away from reading journals or sifting through remnants of a world. Instead, we wanted the story to unfold around you and to you — to be something you inhabit, not something you discover after the fact. Along the way, the game evolved in unexpected directions. It became, accidentally, a survival horror, a time puzzler, a visual novel, a side-scroller — a hybrid of genres that all serve one purpose: to immerse the player in this strange, posthuman world.
Building the Story, One Chapter at a Time
Structuring 1000xResist was one of the hardest parts of development. We approached it almost like serialized storytelling — building one complete chapter before moving to the next. This method kept the narrative cohesive while letting us deeply explore each segment on its own terms.
Even though we never released it episodically, the process itself was invaluable. Games are embodied experiences; you can’t fully understand how a moment works until you play it. Developing sequentially gave us space to learn what the story needed as we went.
Bringing the Experience to Xbox
1000xResist is a sci-fi narrative thriller set in an uncertain future. A devastating disease spread by alien invaders has forced humanity underground. You play as Watcher, a devoted servant of the Allmother, until the day a revelation changes everything you thought you knew.
The game spans over 10 hours of story and includes more than 15,000 lines of fully voiced dialogue. For the Xbox release, we’ve added enhanced haptic feedback, allowing players to feel tension and impact through the controller — deepening immersion in every moment of the narrative.
Out Now
We’re thrilled to welcome new players to 1000xResist on Xbox, so they can sit back on their couch and play on the big screen. Whether this is your first time entering the Allmother’s world or you’re returning to uncover its secrets once more, we hope the story stays with you long after the credits roll.
1000xResist is available today on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC, as well as through Game Pass Premium, Game Pass Ultimate, and Game Pass on PC, and as an Xbox Play Anywhere title.
The three-time IGF award-nominated 1000xRESIST is a thrilling sci-fi adventure. 1,000 years in the future, humanity is all but extinguished and a disease spread by an alien occupation keeps the survivors underground. You are Watcher. You dutifully fulfil your purpose in service of the ALLMOTHER, until the day you learn a shocking secret that changes everything.
THE END OF HUMANITY
In the near future we learn we are not alone in the universe. A mysterious alien race of giant entities arrives. We call them the Occupants.
They are not hostile, but it doesn’t matter. Their arrival is a death sentence. Humanity is wiped out in a matter of months, succumbing to a disease the Occupants have brought to our planet.
There is one survivor, a teenage girl called Iris. Somehow she is immune.
SOCIETY IS REBORN IN HER IMAGE
1,000 years later. Iris is not only immune but immortal. She has birthed a new society consisting exclusively of her own clones.
She calls them Sisters. They call her the ALLMOTHER.
Unlike the ALLMOTHER, the sisters are not immune. They must wear masks 24/7 to avoid breathing the diseased air even in the Orchard – an underground bunker where they live in constant fear of an Occupant attack.
The ALLMOTHER lives in her own compound on the front line of the war with the Occupants. All Sisters dream of one day being able to take the train and join her in the fight.
RELIVE HER MEMORIES
Within the Orchard, every sister has an assigned function, while six sisters have special roles to play…
Principal – Head of administration and oversight of the Orchard
Bang Bang Fire – Head of military
Knower – Head of knowledge preservation
Fixer – Head of engineering
Healer – Head of medical and cloning
And you – the new Watcher.
Your role is unique. You have the great privilege of reliving and interpreting the memories of the ALLMOTHER through a process known as Communion, made possible by Secretary, your floating AI companion.
As the game begins, you are excited to embark on your first Communion.
RESIST A THOUSAND YEAR OLD LIE
But all is not well.
Your closest sister, Fixer, comes to you with a dangerous revelation. You have been lied to. The ALLMOTHER is not what she claims to be.
Fixer’s claims rock the foundations of your world, throwing everything you know and believe into doubt.
After Fixer is executed for her treason, it falls to you to discover the truth.
DISCOVER THE TRUTH
Dive into the memories of the ALLMOTHER.
Explore pivotal moments in her life from high school days and the arrival of the Occupants to the creation of the Orchard and the birth of the first sisters.
Jump back and forth through moments in time within these memories to solve puzzles and access locked off areas and secrets.
In between Communions, explore the Orchard – a large underground hub area which houses you and your sisters, has many characters to speak to, and holds many things to uncover.
Find the truth and reclaim your legacy.
A STORY LIKE NO OTHER
Experience perspective shifts both literal and metaphorical as the game blends between 3rd person adventure, visual novel and first person walking simulator while throwing twists, turns and revelations at you until you question everything you think you know.
Born from an eclectic set of inspirations, including the games of Yoko Taro (NieR:Automata), the anime of Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue) and Naoko Yamada (A Silent Voice), and even the theatre of Robert Wilson (Einstein on the Beach), 1000xRESIST tells a story in ways only a game can while simultaneously bringing fresh ideas to interactive storytelling from theatre, dance, performance art, and cinema.
FULLY VOICED
Enjoy more than 10 hours of playtime brought to life with over 15,000 lines of fully voiced dialogue from a brilliant cast of Asian-Canadian actors and an incredible soundtrack from two composers.
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on 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!
The three-time IGF award nominated 1000xResist is a thrilling sci-fi adventure. 1000 years in the future, humanity is all but extinguished and a disease spread by an alien occupation keeps the survivors underground. You are Watcher. You dutifully fulfil your purpose in service of the Allmother, until the day you learn a shocking secret that changes everything.
Farming Simulator 25: Highlands Fishing Edition bundles both the acclaimed main game and the Highlands Fishing Expansion. Enjoy 26 crops, 4 maps, 400+ machines, over 150 real brands and aquaculture in addition to agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry. Build a farm along winding rivers and historic grain elevators in North America, surrounded by ponds in Central Europe, in a lush East Asian landscape filled with rice paddies, or in the Scotland-inspired town of Kinlaig – a lush paradise of rolling green hills and open waters!
New foundations set the stage for you to define your football destiny. Built on the Unity engine, FM26 is the legacy, redefined and where storytelling evolves, placing you at the heart of the beautiful game. A reimagined interface and more immersive matchday experience brings you closer to the action and combine to elevate every decision and match-defining moment. Transform your squad with advanced transfer tools and craft your footballing philosophy like never before with new innovations that deliver unrivalled game-changing tactical realism.
New foundations set the stage for you to shape your football destiny. Built on the Unity engine, FM26 Console places you at the heart of the beautiful game. This is the legacy, redefined. Delivering effortless, instinctive console control, a redesigned user interface combines with the most immersive matchday experience in series history to bring you closer to every match-defining moment.
You’re an egg – and you’ll feel every wobble, roll, and crack. Master the art of egg physics as you navigate challenging climbing environments with a twist. Synchronize your jump with your roll-cycle, and when you’re at the tip, leap for maximum height! Miss a jump, and you could be back at the bottom, dripping yolk.
More than 20 years after its original release, Syberia is reborn in a fully modernized version. Rediscover its iconic locations and unforgettable characters through a stunning visual overhaul, redesigned gameplay, and the same captivating storytelling that made it a classic. Kate Walker, a brilliant lawyer from New York, is sent to a remote village in the French Alps to finalize the sale of an old automaton factory. But what begins as a routine assignment soon turns into an extraordinary journey across Eastern Europe and its snow-covered landscapes.
Carve mountains, traverse seas, and explore untamed new lands as you build grand cities – the ingenuity of the humble mouse is on full display in Whiskerwood as you establish elaborate automation systems to efficiently run complex production chains, all while dealing with the oppressive demands of your cat overlords.
Dark Deity is back! A quarter of a century has passed, as Irving and the Eternal Order carefully rebuilt Verroa to protect it against a future war. Their efforts will be put to the test far too soon as a new threat looms on the horizon. The neighboring Holy Asverellian Empire needs new lands to grow, and the fractious, fragile Verroa seems ripe for the taking. All that stands in its way is the Order and twenty scrappy heroes-to-be.
You are an engineer thrust into the strange and mysterious Void, a world with its own history, rules and future. Build and upgrade your own train, craft powerful weapons, fight various enemies and survive the surreal landscapes of the Void alone or together with friends.
Have you never worked in a bar? No problem – Frank has! Help him serve craft beer to thirsty and picky clients, wash glasses, clean tables and keep everybody happy! Remember to check which beer the bar guests order. Is it the new IPA on tap, that weird pineapple milkshake sour or just a pilsner? Somebody has waited too long and is complaining? Serve popcorn to keep them happy.
The global karaoke party returns with Let’s Sing 2026, your ultimate ticket to fun-filled nights and unforgettable performances. Whether you’re warming up your vocal cords solo, teaming up in duets, or competing with friends, Let’s Sing 2026 delivers an unbeatable playlist, and endless entertainment! Featuring 35/40 chart-topping songs there’s something for everyone — from modern hits to timeless classics.
Get ready for the most exciting fight of your life in Lucha Align, the puzzle game where every piece is a luchador ready for action! Your mission is clear: fit the champions and completely fill the ring to claim victory in style. With 40 levels full of action, each match brings new shapes, new challenges, and even more excitement. From the first training sessions to the ultimate battles, you’ll need strategy, quick thinking and the spirit of a champion to master every grid and earn the special stars.
Master Lemon is a tribute to my polyglot friend who tragically passed away in an accident while pursuing his dream of living in Iceland. Experience his legacy in this narrative adventure. Harness the power of words and creativity to transform reality and save the world.
Biped 2 is the sequel to the exciting game about two charming bipedal robots, Aku and Sila, who have each other’s backs and embark on incredible adventures side by side. Dive into this groovy co-op action-adventure game, full of puzzles, friendship, support and fun!
As a legendary thief, your next assignment lures you into a grand and lavish mansion. There you find a series of puzzle boxes, designed for an unknown purpose. Inspired by the cryptic atmosphere, intricate machinery and smooth controls of the best room escape games, we have created a diverse set of original puzzle levels that will test your resolve and skills to navigate this mysterious and compelling journey. Each level is beautiful, unique and a true delight to explore and figure out.
Cairn puts you in the boots of Daisy, a brave explorer whose mission is to climb an immense, never-ending tower. As you ascend, you encounter strange creatures that grant you the power to manipulate the terrain. This unique ability lets you literally shape the path, leaving your mark on the tower itself. The core of the game is a moral choice: will your alterations help future climbers, or will they just add more chaos to the towering structure?
Dark Quest returns with its fourth installment – a turn-based strategy adventure inspired by the legendary HeroQuest board game. Enter a realm of perilous dungeons, cunning traps, and powerful magic as you lead your party of heroes against the forces of the Dark Sorcerer.
Dead Static Drive is Grand Theft Cthulhu—a survival-horror road trip through a nightmare version of 1980s Americana. Scavenge, fight, and sneak your way across small towns and eerie highways as reality begins to unravel.
Step into the mystical world of Üna, where ancient power stirs and chaos rises. As one of eight dragon-bound champions, battle through monster-infested lands, master unique fighting styles, and transform into awe-inspiring dragons to reclaim balance. Whether you’re flying solo or brawling alongside friends, prepare for a fiery showdown!
Your job as a passionate vet is to examine sick farm animals, make the right diagnosis, treat them accordingly and nurse them back to health. Build up trust with the small and large two- and four-legged friends so that they soon feel better again. Your help is called for on the farm!
Get ready to put your eyes to the test and your heart on full display in Spot the Pup, the ultimate hidden object adventure for dog lovers! Each scene bursts with charm, color, and chaos as you hunt for ten mischievous pups tucked into unexpected places. Whether you’re racing the clock in Challenge Mode or taking a relaxed stroll through Casual Mode, every level promises a delightful mix of discovery, relaxation, and pure puppy joy.
Crash the yokai party in Twilight Parade: Moonlit Mononoke! Play as the uninvited oni twins and their friends in this bullet-hell shooter with vibrant pixel art. Choose from four unique characters, each with distinct abilities and assistants, then blast through 5 chaotic stages across Japan. Dodge enemy swarms, battle massive bosses, and get revenge in style!
Not in the mood to be chased and screamed at by monsters? Tired of jump scares and endless fights for survival? Dollmare is just for you. It’s still a horror game – you’ll get scared, feel uneasy and constantly sense that something is watching you. There’s no telling what might happen … but something definitely will.
Kanjozoku Game & Turbo Dash Kart brings together two radically different racing experiences for those who live for challenge and control. Whether you’re sliding between traffic at night or battling rivals on wild, unpredictable tracks, this collection offers variety, excitement, and pure velocity.
Stranded in the year 10,000, Kent—an average Joe turned clone—must survive, explore, and rebuild civilization with the help of his quirky robot companion. Craft, farm, and automate in this 2D craftervania adventure as you uncover Earth’s secrets and kickstart humanity, one machine at a time.
Saving Princess of Mars is a stylish action platformer featuring puzzles to solve and ton of enemies to eliminate. Our main protagonist is lumberjack Jack from Earth who surprisingly spawns on Mars where he’s trying to save its princess.
Get ready to slide into an enchanted swamp full of magical puzzles! In Toad Slide, a Sokoban-inspired 2D pixel-art puzzle, you control a mystical toad who must move runic stone blocks and place them onto magic circles to restore balance to the swamp. With 30 carefully crafted levels, 15 by day and 15 by night, the game blends clear logic, smooth gameplay and gradually increasing challenges that invite you to think precisely and act strategically.
Unbeatable is an anime-juiced rhythm adventure where you (figuratively) destroy on stage while you (literally) destroy on stage. During rhythm gameplay, you only need two buttons: a button for up and a button for down. Simple to understand! The complicated part is doing it. Try not to get destroyed yourself.
Experience the original Anima: Gate of Memories and its companion story Anima: The Nameless Chronicles — both fully remastered with improved visuals and gameplay. Explore a rich fantasy universe inspired by the Anima Beyond Fantasy tabletop RPG saga, filled with deep lore, fast-paced combat, and branching storylines shaped by your choices. Whether you’re new to the saga or returning, this is the ultimate way to discover the world of Anima.
A Pizza Delivery is a narrative exploration game with puzzle elements focused on connecting with people. Share pizza with charming characters to uncover their stories—and your own. Drive and explore a strange, meditative world filled with secrets. Step into the dreamlike journey of “B”, a pizza delivery rider on her final order of the day. Ride through a surreal world, navigating strange landscapes, sudden shifts in scenery and moments of quiet introspection.
Test your engineering and improvisation skills in a puzzle game where the stakes are as high as they get. It is you who will construct bridges for cars, trucks, buses … and sometimes even monster trucks. Gather your wits and get on with the construction!
Take control of a brave carrot on a mission to protect its territory in this exciting pixel art platformer. Face challenging enemies and obstacles, using powerful punches, double jumps and the Dash to overcome action-packed, precise levels. With fast-paced gameplay, responsive controls, and appealing retro visuals, Carrot Smash delivers a fun and addictive platforming experience from start to finish.
In this game, you follow the protagonist who initially fell from heaven back into the sky. The game is a unique combination of a third-person platformer and a light-hearted exploration game with philosophical storytelling. It is highly stylized and surprises with breathtaking environments, a surreal world full of beauty and grace and a couple of small environmental puzzles that blend perfectly into the peaceful yet stunning environments. Will you be able to make it back into heaven? Find out.
The year is 1981, and as a young officer trainee, you are assigned to work at a border post in the mountainous region of Karikatka. Entry into the Acarist People’s Republic is strictly regulated by the party and your every move is monitored! The situation at the border escalates when your comrade is killed during one of the interventions … Always be ready to intervene in an emergency. Solve crime puzzles, support your comrades and thwart the Blood Fist rebels. Make decisions that will determine the future of Acaristan.
Remember the good old game of hide and seek? Prepare for something a little more extreme! Dive into classic gameplay where you can hide or seek. Count down before setting off to find the Hiders, or blend into the environment, stay silent and outsmart the Seeker to win!
Hop’n’Hoard is an addictive platform game where your goal is to collect all the coins scattered across the level to unlock the exit. But be careful! Deadly traps are everywhere, ready to stop you from completing your mission. You’ll also need to use all your wits to navigate through mysterious portals and create magical boxes under your feet, allowing you to reach places that would otherwise be impossible to climb.
House Fighters: Total Mess is a PvE aerial arcade shooter where toy planes battle in everyday spaces. Weave between furniture, lamps, and engage in fast-paced dogfights in a vibrant, nostalgia-filled world. No complicated controls, just pure, lighthearted aerial chaos.
Ion Shift delivers fast, high-stakes gameplay with precision controls and a unique sandbox-style approach to combat arenas. The campaign progressively challenges the player through evolving level design, tight mechanics, and a focus on player-driven mastery.
This is a casual racing game where the girl Natsuki is forced to join the “Ninja Racing Tournament” to pay off her debt. Include 10 playable girls, 600 Japanese voices, 16 story chapters.
Two sly siblings, one crazy platforming heist- ready to steal everything that shines? Team up with two green-skinned burglar brothers on a quest for glittering gold. Switch between the tall, lanky thief to reach elevated platforms, and his short, stocky accomplice to slip under narrow gaps. Only by using their unique shapes together can you collect every shiny treasure, snag the key, and escape to the exit.
Play as a lighthouse keeper and guide ships safely into the harbor using your radio. Survive the presence of something impossible, and don’t let the shadows consume you! In the aftermath of a global cataclysm, the harbor authorities reactivated an ancient lighthouse, hoping to keep the seas navigable amidst the growing chaos. A lone keeper is dispatched to the forsaken island, tasked with manning the beacon. The fate of passing vessels and the nearby town now rests in his hands. Far away, a wife and daughter wait for his return.
You are R3D, an alien robot trapped in a strange simulation. You don’t know who’s pulling the strings—or why—but something feels off. Every move you make might lead you closer to the truth… or deeper into the deception. How far are you willing to go to break free?
Setting the World Stage for Virtua Fighter’s Return to Xbox
Zachary ReeseComms Manager, Sega
Ready? Go! Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage officially launches today for Xbox Series X|S, marking its triumphant return to the Xbox platform after an almost 20-year absence. A lot has happened with Virtua Fighter over those many years, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect for Xbox players to get back into the ring to compete in what we feel is the most refined Virtua Fighterentry yet.
Not only did we add some long-awaited features that fighting game fans have been asking us for, such as cross-play support, rollback netcode, an expanded training mode, and the return of series antagonist Dural as a downloadable character. But we are also adding a brand-new single-player mode to the game – World Stage!
On that topic, we have asked the Legacy Virtua Fighter Project producer, Seiji Aoki, to talk more about World Stage mode and what it adds to Virtua Fighter 5’s enduring legacy.
“When we originally released Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. earlier this year, a lot of fans who bought the game really wanted to see single-player content get added to the game. The new World Stage mode was created in response to this. In a way, we wanted to prove to fans that we are always listening to them, and to that end, we wanted to make this new release the best Virtua Fighter yet.
“Perhaps the older Virtua Fighter fans may remember that in Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution, a game I worked on, there was this feature called Quest Mode which quickly became a fan favorite. There, you had to fight your way through these arcades inside this city. From there, you would then start to make a name for yourself by competing in local tournaments. The CPU players you faced were based on real-life player data taken from Japanese game centers (or arcades).
“World Stage mode was directly inspired by Quest Mode. Here, you will participate in this huge tournament where you can name your opponents and play against CPUs based on real-life professionals, with real names you may recognize!
“On top of that, the team spent a lot of time packing this new mode with plenty of content so they can stay engaged for a very long time. For example, there is a list of challenges featured in this mode that includes objectives such as climbing through the many ranks, that will unlock in-game items that players will be able to customize their characters with. There are also side tournaments that will feature their own unique rivals you can compete to win exclusive titles you can use online.
“In our eyes, this mode is an easy recommendation both for those new to the franchise and those returning to the game, so the team is really excited to see how players will react to it.
“Features like the World Stage mode and multi-platform cross-play support (a first for the Virtua Fighter franchise) are all thanks to our amazing community which has been supporting us all this time, giving us all this great feedback and comments that allow us to improve upon the game. We would love it if they kept sharing us their thoughts, and we will continue to appreciate their support as always.”
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage 30th Anniversary Edition
Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first 3D fighting series – this edition includes exclusive costumes, pre-production artwork, soundtracks, and more.
30th Anniversary Edition contains:
“Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage” Base Game
VF 30th Anniversary Swimsuit Costume Set
VF 30th Anniversary Soundtrack Collection
VF Pre-Production Artwork
DLC: Legendary Pack & Yakuza Series Collaboration Pack
VF 30th Anniversary Ranking Titles
The pioneer 3D fighting series continues to evolve as Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage arrives on Xbox Series X|S.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage takes the gameplay of Virtua Fighter 5 to new heights:
Rollback Netcode and Cross-play support let you take on any challenger, anywhere, across the globe in the most intense battles yet.
A brand-new single-player mode, “World Stage”: Challenge powerful rivals on a solo quest to become the ultimate fighter
Enhanced replay functionality and improved training tools.
PvPvE extraction shooter Arc Raiders is available today for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title.
The risk of losing your stuff, the danger of the robots, and the unpredictability of other raiders makes for an overall tense experience.
But thoughtful quality-of-life enhancements and a charming ’70s retrofuturist aesthetic help it go down more easily, inviting in genre-curious players.
My favorite shooters accommodate a wide range of players. I didn’t have the fastest twitch reflexes as a teenager, let alone now nearing 40, so I’ll never do well in a straight battle of headshots and KDR. But I’ve poured hundreds of hours into Overwatch and Helldivers 2 because they reward strategic thinking and offer an interesting range of different playstyles, which in turn produces a more compellingly wide range of stories. They also allow me to play alongside more skilled friends without feeling like anyone is compromising their fun.
Arc Raiders may be the next shooter to pull me in. I played for 3 hours across 3 different maps, both solo and in a squad, in a recent closed preview event of the whole game for journalists and influencers. This upcoming PvPvE extraction shooter is set in a future reminiscent of “The Matrix” – rogue robots called Arc have devastated humanity, driving the survivors to hide deep underground in a last stronghold city, Speranza (“hope”).
As the eponymous raiders, players make runs to different zones on the surface, pillaging the ruins of civilization for usable materials while navigating the threats of both Arc robots and their fellow raiders, then making it safely home with whatever they can carry back to base to sell, scrap, craft, or use on subsequent raids.
It’s chasing the microgenre du jour, extraction shooters, which are built around the same general risk/reward loop of going into a hostile area, completing objectives, and extracting with goodies that will fuel future runs. If you’ve enjoyed the likes of Escape from Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown, Arc Raiders is aiming to be your next obsession – and if you haven’t dipped a toe into extraction shooters yet, this is shaping up to be a gorgeous entry point.
Tension Management
As befits the genre, the dominant feeling throughout my time with Arc Raiders was tension. Any encounter going wrong could mean not just the opportunity cost of whatever new spoils we hoped to take home, but also losing all the equipment we brought in with us. That kind of high-stakes resource pressure, where one’s ability to make progress depends on building and maintaining momentum that can be easily lost, is part of the appeal for the genre’s hardcore fans, but also adds a certain prickliness that could deter other prospective players.
Arc Raiders graciously smooths this out with free loadouts that let you jump into a raid with a minimum viable kit and no risk of loss, helping players that might be stuck treading water while they get their bearings in the game. Every raider also has “Scrappy,” a pet rooster that collects a steady drip of basic materials for them while out on raids, ensuring they can always craft basic necessities like bandages and bullets.
Completing objectives during a raid, whether they extract or not, also nets skill points that can be distributed between three different trees. This all allows for a baseline of progression and character growth/specialization, even if players are struggling to survive most of their runs.
The greatest source of tension, however, was from other people. Unlike a conventional PvP competitive shooter, where the constant pressure of other players is the engine driving gameplay, the rate of encounters was much more variable here. Individual raids across my session varied widely based on the map and happenstance. Some were dominated by long, quiet stretches of scavenging through buildings and sneaking past robots, punctuated by a handful of staccato encounters. Other times we found ourselves stumbling from firefight to firefight as robot engagements drew the attention of opportunistic raiders, and vice versa.
Besides never quite being sure exactly when we would encounter other players, another juicy source of tension was whether our fellow raiders would be hostile or friendly. Over my session I experienced a full spectrum of interactions, from being shot on sight to having lighthearted chats, leading sometimes to them giving crucial help later in the match, other times to betrayal. In that way it reminded me of Sea of Thieves, which cultivates a similar sense of vulnerability by pairing the possibility of losing all your new stuff with the black box of strangers’ intentions. Granting that a closed session of journalists and influencers is likely to be as friendly as the game is going to get, I’ll be very curious to see how the player community’s norms develop once the game is released to the wider public.
The Enemy of my Enemy
One element that might help encourage players to work together is the genuine threat posed by the Arc robots. Far from being rote cannon-fodder, the non-human enemies are dynamic and dangerous, keeping us on our toes throughout, even when other human players weren’t in sight. Developer Embark is no doubt helped here by the fact that Arc Raiders started as purely PvE experience before settling into its current extraction form, which means real development time and resources went into making Arc enemies feel like the star of the show, and not just a supporting player.
Part of this that really stood out to me was how, as the developers have discussed previously, the movement and behaviors for the Arc were not traditionally keyframed and hand-crafted by animators, but rather trained through machine learning applied to physics simulations. It’s essentially the same kind of process used by many real-world roboticists to train their creations in the complex task of navigating physical space, like the robot apocalypse abettors at Boston Dynamics.
The Arc were lively and unpredictable. Shooting out an assault drone’s rotor didn’t send it crashing down like I’d hoped, but rather it awkwardly swung down before compensating with the others and swooping back around to continue the fight in a way that felt compellingly organic.
Stray, small Arc were easily manageable in isolation, but add a few more (or just a single large one) and the situation could quickly get out of hand. The genuine threat posed by the Arc will hopefully help keep pressure on players to at least consider temporary alliances and keep the game more socially vibrant and variable.
Yesterday’s Tomorrow, Today!
Arc Raiders needs no help being aesthetically vibrant, however. Following from the graphic design of the logo, the game has a charming ’70s retrofuturism look. This is especially true in the character cosmetics, which were fun and colorful, and had a nice variety of silhouettes – I gave my raider a bright green motorcycle helmet, leather flight jacket, and tight jeans with a stripe up the side. Compared to its peers in the genre, Arc Raiders’ more colorful and playful design sensibility (like unlockable hats for Scrappy – he got a matching little motorcycle helmet) goes a long way to piquing my interest.
It doesn’t approach the full dayglo hyperpop palette of fellow upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon, though, and grounds it with a realistic layer of post-apocalyptic wear and tear. Light and sound do a lot to support immersion as well; stalking our way through flashlight-lit underground tunnels crammed with rusted-out cars while muffled gunfire echoes above, or darting from shadow to shadow of bombed out apartment buildings across a plaza lit brightly by the midday sun, keeping an ear out for the ominous beeps of Arc sentries in the distance. The spaces were evocative, with a pleasing range of environments (residential, industrial, claustrophobic, open, flat, vertical, etc.), both within and between maps, which helped fuel the interesting variety of encounters we had.
Smoothed Edges
Arc Raiders has definitely caught my attention, as I’m always on the lookout for good session-based co-op games that I can use for catching up with friends. The game’s fun visual design, tight core loop, and quality-of-life mechanics have smoothed over some of the extraction shooter’s sharper edges, which may give it a real shot at bringing the genre to a wider audience.
Arc Raiders comes to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title today on October 30.
Secure your copy of the game as the Standard or Deluxe Edition, and receive the Lucky Duck Bundle pre-order bonus at launch!
The Lucky Duck Bundle contains the exclusive Hatchling Backpack and Golden Rubber Duck Backpack Charm.
ABOUT THIS GAME
SCAVENGE, SURVIVE, THRIVE
In ARC Raiders, gameplay flows between the surface ruled by lethal machines, and the vibrant underground society of Speranza. Craft, repair, and upgrade your gear in the safety of your own workshop, before venturing topside to scavenge the remnants of a devastated but beautiful world. Play solo or in parties up to three, navigating the constant threat of ARC’s machines and the unpredictable choices of fellow survivors. In the end, only you decide what kind of Raider you are – and how far you’ll go to prevail.
EXPLORE AN IMMERSIVE WORLD
Explore four distinct maps at launch, with more to be revealed as the underground society evolves and expands its reach. Each destination carries the weight of a world twice-destroyed, and the scars of conflicts both old and new. Sift through the remnants for valuable loot, and piece together the past as it’s slowly reclaimed by nature. Evolving map conditions ensure that no two runs are the same, with varying weather, enemies, and mechanics adding unpredictability and danger.
STAKE YOUR CLAIM
In a society built on boldness and bravado, it is up to you to stake your claim as a Raider. The loot you scavenge can be sold for coin or crafted into all-new gear, allowing you take on increasingly lethal dangers head-on. Through both victories and hardships, you’ll gain valuable experience; unlocking varied skills that enable all-new ways of play. In addition, you’ll complete quests for Traders with differing motives and agendas; uncovering both the friction and comradery of a community under constant threat of collapse.
BEWARE THE MACHINES
Lethal machines known as ARC rule the surface, ranging from unrelenting drone swarms to mechanical giants that obliterate everything in their path. Their origins remain a mystery, but their ever-present danger is felt with every step you take. Each machine comes with distinct strengths and tactics, forcing you to pinpoint their weak spots and constantly think on your feet. And remember: the noise of battle carries. Other Raiders may be listening; eager to claim what you leave behind.
FORGE YOUR OWN PATH
Raiders survive by kitbashing scavenged materials; using long-lost tech and looted ARC parts to craft weapons, gadgets, and gear. Upgrade your workshop stations and learn blueprints to craft even more advanced items, or improvise quick fixes in the field to get yourself out of a bind. As you make a name for yourself, you’ll be able to measure your skill against other Raiders by taking on Trials; rising through the leaderboards to earn valuable rewards.
QUESTS
In Speranza, everyone has an agenda, and the Traders are no different. They’ll send you topside on missions in exchange for rewards, slowly revealing more about who they are and what they want for Speranza’s future. Complete quests to earn gear, crafting materials, and XP to level up your Raider and unlock new skill points.
SKILL TREE
The ARC Raiders skill tree branches into three paths: Survival, Mobility, and Conditioning. Spend your points to shape your playstyle. Loot faster and move quieter with Survival skills. Outmaneuver your opponents and threats with Mobility. And enhance your Strength and Stamina with Conditioning. Choose how you grow and what your Raider brings to the battle.
BUILD YOUR ARSENAL
Whether you’re preparing to take down specific ARC enemies or fend off rival Raiders, there’s a choice of weaponry for every fight. Cater to your style with a range of firearms including SMGs, rifles and shotguns, as well as more advanced options such as railguns and energy weapons. Grenades, traps, ziplines and deployables offer the tactical depth needed to outsmart your enemies, while augments allow you to tailor your loadout to your preferred playstyle; unlocking dedicated inventory slots and additional gameplay perks.”
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