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 Fishing is 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 Fishing is available today for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title!

Nice Day for Fishing – Epic Edition

Team17

☆☆☆☆☆
2

★★★★★

$23.99

$17.99

Get it now

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

Nice Day for Fishing

Team17

☆☆☆☆☆
2

★★★★★

$19.99

$14.99

Get it now

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.

The post Nice Day for Fishing: Creating the World of Epic NPC Man’s Azerim appeared first on Xbox Wire.

How 1000xResist’s Creators Brought it to Life on Xbox

Category: Games

November 4, 2025

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.

1000xRESIST

Fellow Traveller

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

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.

The post How 1000xResist’s Creators Brought it to Life on Xbox appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Pillars of Eternity: New Turn-Based Mode Beta Announced

The post Pillars of Eternity: New Turn-Based Mode Beta Announced appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Full Screen Experience Expands to More Windows 11 Handhelds via Windows Insiders Program

Category: Announcements

Full Screen Experience Expands to More Windows 11 Handhelds via Windows Insiders Program

The post Full Screen Experience Expands to More Windows 11 Handhelds via Windows Insiders Program appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for November 3 to 7

Category: Next Week on Xbox

October 31, 2025

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for November 3 to 7

Will Fulton, Xbox Wire Editor

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!

1000xRESIST

Fellow Traveller

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

1000xResist – November 4
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

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: Year 1 Bundle

GIANTS Software GmbH

☆☆☆☆☆
339

★★★★★

$89.99

$71.99

Get it now

Farming Simulator 25: Highlands Fishing Edition

GIANTS Software

☆☆☆☆☆
321

★★★★★

$59.99

$47.99

Pre-order

Farming Simulator 25: Highlands Fishing Edition – November 4

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!

Football Manager 26

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Football Manager 26 – November 4
Game Pass

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.

Football Manager 26 Console

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$59.99

$53.99

Pre-order

Football Manager 26 Console – November 4
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery

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.

Egging On

Alibi Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Egging On – November 6 – Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

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.

Syberia – Remastered

Microids

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$29.99

Pre-order

Syberia – Remastered – November 6
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

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.

Whiskerwood (Game Preview)

Hooded Horse

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Whiskerwood (Game Preview) – November 6
Game Pass

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.

PLAION GmbH

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Let’s Sing 2026
November 4

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.

Lucha Align

Afil Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Lucha Align – November 4
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

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: The Quest for Iceland

Pepita Digital

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Master Lemon: The Quest for Iceland – November 4
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

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

META Publishing

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Biped 2 – November 5
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

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!

Boxes: Lost Fragments

Snapbreak Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$14.99

$13.49

Pre-order

Boxes: Lost Fragments – November 5
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

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

Pollocrudo Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Cairn – November 5

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 4

Brain Seal Ltd

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Dark Quest 4 – November 5

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

Reuben Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Dead Static Drive – November 5
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery

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.

Heroes of Mount Dragon

indie.io

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Heroes of Mount Dragon – November 5
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

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!

My Life: Farm Vet

Markt+Technik Verlag GmbH

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$19.99

Pre-order

My Life: Farm Vet – November 5
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

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!

Spot The Pup

Jolly Lobster Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Spot the Pup – November 5
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

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.

Twilight Parade: Moonlit Mononoke

Eastasiasoft Limited

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Twilight Parade: Moonlight Mononoke – November 5
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

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!

Dollmare

Feardemic

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Dollmare – November 6
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

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

Midnight Works

☆☆☆☆☆
63

★★★★★

$17.99

$14.39

Pre-order

Kanjozoku Game & Turbo Dash Kart – November 6
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

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.

Kentum

V Publishing

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Kentum – November 6
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

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

Ocean Media

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Saving Princess of Mars – November 6

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.

Toad Slide (Xbox Series)

Afil Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Toad Slide – November 6
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

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

Playstack

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Unbeatable – November 6
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

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.

Anima: Gate of Memories I&II Remaster

Anima Project

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$29.99

$26.99

Pre-order

Anima: Gate of Memories I & II Remaster – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

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

Dolores Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

A Pizza Delivery – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

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.

Build a Bridge!

BoomBit

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$9.99

Pre-order

Build a Bridge! – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery

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!

Carrot Smash (Xbox Series)

Magnific Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Carrot Smash – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

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.

Celestial Fall

EpiXR Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$9.99

Pre-order

Celestial Fall – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

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.

Contraband Police

PlayWay S.A.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Contraband Police – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

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.

Hide ‘N Seek!

QubicGames S.A.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Hide ‘N Seek! – November 7
Xbox Play Anywhere

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!

Games Harbor

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$12.99

Pre-order

Static Effect: The Lighthouse – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

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.

The Visitor Effect: Not an experiment

Pdpartid@games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$12.99

$11.69

Pre-order

The Visitor Effect: Not an Experiment – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

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?

The post Next Week on Xbox: New Games for November 3 to 7 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Setting the World Stage for Virtua Fighter’s Return to Xbox

Category: Games

October 30, 2025

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

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆
14

★★★★★

$49.99

Get it now

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.

The post Setting the World Stage for Virtua Fighter’s Return to Xbox appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Arc Raiders Invites Us Into the Extraction Shooter

Category: Games

October 30, 2025

Arc Raiders Invites Us Into the Extraction Shooter

Will Fulton, Xbox Wire Editor

Summary

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.

ARC Raiders – Deluxe Edition

Embark Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$59.99

Get it now

*Pre-order the ARC Raiders Deluxe Edition and receive the exclusive Astro Cosmetic Pack including the following cosmetic items:

– “G-suit” Legendary Outfit,
– “Salvager” Backpack,
– “Spaceship Souvenir” Backpack Attachment,
– Outfit color variants.

ARC Raiders Deluxe Edition includes the base game and the following content:

The Wanderer Cosmetic Pack, including the following cosmetic items:
– “Valente” Legendary Outfit
– “Pathfinder” Backpack
– “Blanket Roll” Backpack Attachment

Plus:
Character Cosmetic
Finger Gun Rapid Fire Emote
Scrappy Skin
2 400 Raider Tokens

ARC Raiders – Standard Edition

Embark Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$39.99

Pre-order

Pre-order now and get access to ARC Raiders.

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.”

The post Arc Raiders Invites Us Into the Extraction Shooter appeared first on Xbox Wire.

The Outer Worlds 2 Is Available Today

Category: Games

October 29, 2025

The Outer Worlds 2 Is Available Today

Shyla Schofield, Senior Communications Manager, Obsidian Entertainment

Summary

The Outer Worlds 2 brings back its signature Perks and Flaws system, giving you the freedom to decide what you’re great at, and what you’ll regret later.
The worlds of Arcadia are built on sprawling reactivity, bending the story to your every choice and making it nearly impossible for any two journeys to match.
The Outer Worlds 2 is available today for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Battle.net, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

It’s time, Commander. Arcadia’s waiting — and so is everything that’s trying to destroy it.

In The Outer Worlds 2, you step into the boots of an Earth Directorate agent sent to investigate how skip drives are causing rifts that are threatening all of the colonies, including Arcadia, and every faction has its own idea of how to ~~control~~ “fix” them. The Order of the Ascendant wants to study the rifts, believing they hold the key to solving the Universal Equation—for the good of all, of course. Auntie’s Choice wants to control them, seeing an opportunity to dominate trade routes across the galaxy and boost profit margins. And the Protectorate? They want to control the rifts to keep the others out. Fortunately, anyone who calls that out will be mentally refreshed into perfect agreement. Everyone thinks they’re right, and they’ve got the speeches to prove it.

Who is right or wrong is up to you to determine. This is your story after all…

The Outer Worlds 2 brings back its signature Perks and Flaws system, giving you the freedom to decide what you’re great at, and what you’ll regret later. Perks sharpen your edge; Flaws keep you humble, offering tempting trade-offs that can turn a weakness into an opportunity… or just a funny story. The worlds of Arcadia are built on sprawling reactivity, bending the story to your every choice and making it nearly impossible for any two journeys to match. And if they do, you can be mentally refreshed until they don’t.

For those who want something extra from their experience with The Outer Worlds 2, the Premium Edition and Premium Edition Upgrade are available now. They include the Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Prize Pack, a digital artbook, the game’s soundtrack, and an Expansion Pass featuring two upcoming story add-ons. Consider it your official Earth Directorate field upgrade — because in Arcadia, even heroes need a little help from marketing.

The rifts are unstable, the factions are restless, and your choices will shape the colony’s fate. Whether you stand with order, faith, or profit, one thing’s certain: Arcadia won’t survive without interference.

Good luck, Commander. The Universe needs a hero, but you’ll have to do.

The Outer Worlds 2 is available today for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Battle.net, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Preorder Upgrade

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
50

★★★★★

$29.99

Get it now

Pre-order The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Upgrade Edition now to get up to 5 days early access and the Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack.

Upgrade* from Standard Edition and receive the following content:
– Up to 5 days early access
– DLC Pass for 2 future story expansions**
– Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Premium Prize Pack
– Access to The Outer Worlds 2 Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack

*Requires base game or Xbox Game Pass membership (PC or Ultimate only), all sold separately.

The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness!

As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions – your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust.

Explore a New Frontier
The Arcadia colony is engulfed in a factional war, as the Protectorate’s so-called benevolent rule is challenged by the rebellion of their religious order and a corporate invasion. As destructive rifts spread across the colony, each faction fights to control or close them for their own ends. Navigate diverse zones, uncover hidden lore, and shape the fate of a system on the brink!

Your Commander, Your Way
Build your character with the abilities and choices that reflect your playstyle. The colony reacts to your every move, crafting a narrative that’s yours to own -whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, an astute strategist, a crusader for chaos, or something different altogether. And yes, you can dumb!

Enlist Your Companions
Recruit companions with unique traits, backgrounds and goals. Whether you choose to help them achieve their ambitions or steer them toward your own objectives, your influence shapes their growth (or death), making them an integral part of the immersive story you create together.

The Outer Worlds 2 Standard Preorder Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
106

★★★★★

$69.99

Get it now

Pre-order The Outer Worlds 2 now to receive the Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack at launch.

The post The Outer Worlds 2 Is Available Today appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Turning the Moon into The Moon Man’s Playground with Snapchat for The Outer Worlds 2

Category: Announcements

October 29, 2025

Turning the Moon into The Moon Man’s Playground with Snapchat for The Outer Worlds 2

Aaron Greenberg, Vice President, Games Marketing

Summary

Fans can unlock a Snapchat AR Lens that uses celestial tracking and transforms everyday phones into portable The Moon Man spotters.
We’ve also created a custom, one-of-a-kind, Snapchat-powered telescope — peer inside and you’ll see The Moon Man come alive.
The Outer Worlds 2 is available today for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Battle.net, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

What if we went where no brand has ever gone before?

That’s the question we asked ourselves as we geared up for The Outer Worlds 2. Because when your sequel is literally bigger, bolder, and more bizarre than the first, you’d aim higher. Much higher. You’d aim for the Moon.

So, in partnership with our friends at Snapchat, that’s exactly what we’re doing.

Fans can unlock a Snapchat AR Lens that uses celestial tracking and transforms everyday phones into portable Moon Man spotters leading up to the full moon on November 6, 2025. Point your device skyward, and suddenly the Moon isn’t just a big glowing rock—it’s a playground for our larger-than-life mascot.

Whether you’re in Tokyo, Toronto, or Timbuktu, you’ll be part of the same global spectacle as The Moon Man takes over the universe’s oldest billboard. He’ll wink. He’ll smirk. He might stir up a little cosmic chaos. And with every shift of the lens, you’ll uncover new stories playing out across the lunar surface—mini-moments of mischief and mayhem only The Moon Man could dream up.

But we didn’t stop there. We also created a custom, one-of-a-kind, Snapchat-powered telescope. This physical installation isn’t just any telescope. Peer inside and you’ll see The Moon Man come alive. Inspired by the in-game items from Auntie’s Choice – we have created something befitting of the game.

For us, this partnership is about more than AR wizardry. It’s about taking something familiar—the Moon we all grew up with—and giving it a new personality, one that can only exist in this universe. By blending Snapchat’s technology using celestial tracking with The Moon Man’s cheeky smile, we’re letting fans interact with The Moon Man in a way that feels as absurdly fun as the game itself.

So, grab your phone, look up, and prepare to laugh at the cosmos. Because in The Outer Worlds 2, even the Moon has jokes—and we can’t wait for you to see them.

The Outer Worlds 2 Preorder Premium Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
113

★★★★★

$99.99

Get it now

Pre-order The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Edition now to get up to 5 days early access and the Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack.

The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Edition includes:
– The Outer Worlds 2 base game
– Up to 5 days early access
– DLC Pass for 2 future story expansions*
– Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Premium Prize Pack
– Access to The Outer Worlds 2 Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack

* Story expansions available as released

The Outer Worlds 2 Standard Preorder Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
105

★★★★★

$69.99

Pre-order

Pre-order The Outer Worlds 2 now to receive the Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack at launch.

The post Turning the Moon into The Moon Man’s Playground with Snapchat for The Outer Worlds 2 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Mouse: P.I. for Hire Is Much More Than It Appears

Category: ID@Xbox

October 28, 2025

Mouse: P.I. for Hire Is Much More Than It Appears

Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief

Combining classic 1930s “rubber-hose” animation, retro gunplay, modern mechanics and exploration, and a deeply bizarre setting, Mouse: P.I. For Hire is shaping up to be a truly unusual treat – but there’s more to this game than you might have realized from earlier trailers.

After announcing a March 19, 2026 release date during today’s ID@Xbox Showcase, we were treated to a deep-dive on the game, directly from the developers at Fumi Studios in Warsaw, Poland.

You can watch the full deep-dive above, or read on to find out the big new details we learned along the way:

“More Than Just an Old-school Shooter”

If there’s one thing to take away from today’s introduction, it’s that Mouse is far more than a retro shooter in even more retro clothing. While your core interaction is with the game’s gunplay (more on that later), this is a far more modern game than you might think.

For a start, your character – war veteran-turned-private investigator, Jack Pepper – doesn’t have just a single case to solve. From the very beginning, Jack’s presented with three separate cases to solve, each of which will take him across the city of Mouseburg to unravel their secrets.

Each case can be taken on in any order, asking you not just to take down the enemies in your way, but to find clues – whether those are physical objects, information learned by talking to NPCs, or photographs you might take. Clues can then be taken to your office’s classic string-adorned corkboard, and put in place to unlock new revelations and destinations.

With 10 biomes to explore, each containing multiple levels, this is very different to a Point A-to-Point B shooter.

The Hub

At the core of all that exploration is the game’s hub world – set at the centre of Mouseburg, the hub contains Jack’s office, his local pub, and a workshop where he can upgrade his weaponry before heading to the next case. But there’s far more here than a series of menus. NPCs might offer conversations, and a range of minigames are on offer to provide different gameplay experiences, and even rewards of new clues, or upgrades.

The biggest of these minigames will take you across the entire game – a classic collectible card game, themed around baseball, will see cards dropped across many of the levels you’ll be fighting through, letting you build a deck and take on increasingly difficult matches.

And once you’re ready to leave, you can jump in your car and take a trip across the beautiful overworld map to your next firefight.

Cartoon Combat

Mouse’s combat draws on classic shooters like DOOM, but with added touches that bring it right up to date. With a philosophy of “challenging but fair”, you’ll be pitted against hordes of enemies, collecting weaponry that ranges from the expected (Tommy guns, shotguns) to the gleefully insane (a brain in a jar that fires psychic waves).

Every gun comes with an alt-fire mode, and can be upgraded over the course of the game, helping things stay fresh. But beware – enemies themselves will see upgrades, too. As you progress, familiar enemy types will start to get their own modifications – a tank-like enemy you may have mastered can start coming equipped with a forcefield, for example, forcing you to change you tried-and-true approach.

Bosses might even throw in whole new mechanics, too – we saw a ghost-like boss named the Third Wife, which seems to require you to weaken her with a flashlight before you can start pumping lead.

Making the Past the Future

And, of course, we need to talk about how this game looks. While enivronments are rendered in 3D, every single character, enemy, and weapon has been painstakingly hand-drawn and animated to resemble classic 1930s “rubber hose” animation. The way everything in the world bounces, stretches, and bends is a tribute to that distinctive style (even shotgun shells seem to dance in their chambers during a reload), and took an enormous amount of work from Fumi.

To add to the challenge, the game is entirely black-and-white, which changed how Fumi approached traditional level design. Where most games use colour to subtly guide the player, Fumi needed to take that approach with light, giving the entire game a unique look from a player’s perspective. Even here, we’re seeing a tribute to classic cartoons – interactable objects dance in place, waiting for you to find them.

And to complete that tribute to the past, we even learned that Fumi has added customizable audio filters to the game – you can choose to play with crisp, modern sound effects and music, or add degradation to help it everything sound as if it’s being played off of old-school vinyl. The attention to detail – and to how players might want to experience it – is clear across everything Fumi has touched.

Mouse: P.I for Hire comes to Xbox Series X|S on March 19, 2026.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire

PlaySide

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is an action-packed first-person shooter that draws inspiration from the classic cartoons of the 1930s. Its black and white rubber hose visuals are drawn by hand, frame by frame, delivering a striking vintage aesthetic. Unravel layers of corruption with a thrilling noir-fueled detective story, lively environments to explore, an original big band jazz soundtrack, and a fully-loaded arsenal of cartoon weapons and devastating power-ups.

DEADLY INVESTIGATIONS

Meet Private Investigator Jack Pepper, a former war hero-turned-detective in a world where danger lurks even in the smallest mouse hole. Uncover the truth when a simple missing persons case quickly escalates into a complex web of intrigue, with corruption, kidnapping and murder all on the docket. Investigate the seedy underbelly of Mouseburg, battle heavily armed gangs and crooked cops, and discover clues to reveal the conspiracy buried underneath the surface.

LOCK, LOAD & LAUGH

From crackling machine guns to explosive firepower, each weapon in Pepper’s arsenal is designed to deploy non-stop cartoon chaos. Arm yourself with an array of classic, creatively twisted and experimental firearms, and consume powerful upgrades when you need that extra spinach-loaded punch! Lethal encounters and manic boss battles await in this boomer shooter-inspired, retro-vibed adventure – and the denizens of Mouseburg never go down without a fight.

A CITY OF SECRETS

Explore a diverse city playground, from dark streets to classic film studios, opulent opera buildings, poisonous swamps and underground sewers. With a myriad of cases to solve and collectibles to find, Mouseburg is truly a detective’s delight! Use every tool at your disposal to wall-run, grapple-hook and double-jump through this unrelenting cartoon world.

FEATURES

– Black and white, hand-drawn rubber hose animation, inspired by cartoons of the 1930s
– Fast-paced FPS combat, where constant movement is key
– A thrilling single-player campaign that unravels a complex web of crime and corruption
– Over 20 noir-infused levels, teeming with mice, rats and shrews
– Fully-loaded arsenal of over a dozen unique weapons and equipment – with a cartoon twist
– Devastating consumable power-ups, capable of turning the tide of any battle
– Unlockable movement abilities and Metroidvania-inspired level traversal
– Original jazz soundtrack, featuring a big band orchestral ensemble

The post Mouse: P.I. for Hire Is Much More Than It Appears appeared first on Xbox Wire.