For years, the Two Point series has taken players on delightfully eccentric journeys through the world of management sims. We’ve built busy hospitals, shaped the future of academia, and now, we’re setting our sights on a whole new challenge, and something rarely seen in the genre: museums!

Two Point Museum launches for Xbox Series X|S on March 4, but you can play from today by purchasing the digital Explorer Edition. Find out why we made the switch to a brand new kind of management sim and, if you want to jump in right now, stick around for some handy tips on what we think is the best game in the series so far.

Evolving the Two Point Formula with New Features

One of the biggest challenges – and thrills – of creating Two Point Museum was adapting our beloved Two Point formula to an entirely new setting. Unlike hospitals or universities, where the core gameplay revolves around treating patients or educating students, museums are all about curation. You will build and expand your own institutions, filling them with exhibits that range from ancient relics to futuristic wonders, and even a few… let’s say, “unexpected” surprises, like guest-eating plants.

We’ve also introduced some exciting new layers of strategy to Two Point Museum, with the Expedition feature offering a whole new sense of adventure. As curator, you will be tasked with sending a team of (partially) trained experts on Expeditions to discover unique exhibits. You can find over 200 rare exhibits across multiple map locations across your home of Two Point County. Will they return with priceless fossils, cosmic relics, or a rapidly melting ice sculpture containing a caveman who may – or may not – make a run for it?

In Two Point Museum you will explore five distinct museum locations, each with their own unique progression path, exotic relics and creatures to find. Discover unusual dinosaur bones in your Prehistory Museum, keep restless ghosts entertained in the Supernatural Museum, or journey to the far reaches of the Two Point universe to encounter aliens in your Space Museum. Venture beneath the waves to access aquatic marvels in the Marine Life Museum or unearth an abandoned lab and do science-ey stuff in your Science Museum. Oh, and don’t forget to look after that carnivorous plant in your Botany Museum! There is so much to explore and discover in Two Point County, meaning you will always have plenty to be getting on with.

Guests Know Best

In Two Point Museum, guests really do know best. You will encounter 18 different visitor types, from science enthusiasts and goths, to meddling kids who love touching things they shouldn’t. You will need to think carefully about how you place your exhibits, which will affect the overall mood of your guests – everyone likes different stuff, you know! Sometimes that means providing an alien Cheese-Moonger with a specific cheese-related dish at the cafeteria, while at other times it’s finding a way to transform a goth into a vampire. Unravel evolving mysteries and unlock new tools in a bid to create your own museum empire and offer the ultimate guest experience.

Running a museum isn’t all serious business – there’s plenty of room for creativity. Want to mix prehistoric fossils with alien artifacts? Go for it! Just don’t be surprised if the results are… unusual. Two Point Museum gives you more creative freedom than ever before, letting you customise everything – from floor tiles and wall coverings to staff uniforms and exhibit names.

Tips for Future Curators

To help players make the most of their museum experience, here are a few handy tips from us:

• Plan your layout wisely: Use interior walls to create themed sections and guide guests along optimal routes. Nobody wants to find the cafeteria next to a cursed sarcophagus.
• Keep the guests happy: Visitors expect beautifully decorated exhibition spaces, cleanliness, snacks, a giftshop and plenty of restrooms. You can attract specific guest types via marketing campaigns, check in on their experience and cater to their whims to maximise success, happiness and of course….revenue!
• Train your staff: Experts can gain new skills over time – investing in training can mean the difference between a well-run museum and total exhibit catastrophe.
• Security challenges: Heists aren’t just for movies! Thieves will try to make off with your precious artifacts, so keep those security guards on high alert. Security chairs and cameras can be used in tandem to ensure boots on the ground, eyes in the sky, and, er, backsides on seats.

What Players Can Expect

Two Point Museum takes everything fans love about our previous games – deep yet accessible management mechanics, charming humour, and a world filled with personality – and applies it to a brand new setting full of possibilities. Whether you’re designing the next great historical exhibition or uncovering long-lost artifacts, you’ll be shaping a museum that’s uniquely yours. So, are you ready to become a world-class curator?

Two Point Museum launches on Xbox Series X|S on Tuesday, March 4. Aspiring curators can play it right now with Advanced Access when ordering the digital Explorer Edition.

Two Point Museum: Explorer Edition

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$39.99

Get it now

Pre-order now for exclusive Sonic themed items to decorate your museum and entertain your guests with! Only available during pre-purchase.

• Sonic decorative statue
• Shadow decorative statue
• Interactive display grabber machine
• Sonic, Tails and Shadow staff outfits
• Exclusive gift shop item – Sonic, Tails and Shadow children’s onesies
• Exclusive gift shop item – Sonic and Shadow plushies
• 2 Sonic level themed floor patterns
• 1 Sonic level themed wallpaper

Two Point County’s most daring adventurers have travelled to the far reaches of the known map and returned with unique artefacts to host in your museum, along with the coordinates of a new expedition location, home to an exclusive special exhibit and events!

The Explorer Edition brings a selection of decorative items to embellish your halls, walls and floors with bespoke designs and well travelled statues. As well as exclusive items to help your experts replenish faster to send out on more expeditions. See a full list of the contents:

• DIGITAL ONLY: 5 days advanced access
• 5000 Kudosh!
• Exclusive Map Location to explore for unique exhibit
• Exclusive pop-up challenge museum
• Prestige Package – start your museum with a rare, high buzz level item
• Explorer staff outfit
• Additional interactive display
• Decorative arch way
• 2 decorative items
• Explorer ticket desk theme
• Explorer helicopter skin
• 3 unique statues
• 3 floor decorations, 3 wallpapers
• 3 bench styles
• Staff Replenishment Trunk which provides additional bonuses after a perilous expedition!

Two Point Museum

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$29.99

Pre-order

Pre-order now for exclusive Sonic themed items to decorate your museum and entertain your guests with! Only available during pre-purchase.

• Sonic decorative statue
• Shadow decorative statue
• Interactive display grabber machine
• Sonic, Tails and Shadow staff outfits
• Exclusive gift shop item – Sonic, Tails and Shadow children’s onesies
• Exclusive gift shop item – Sonic and Shadow plushies
• 2 Sonic level themed floor patterns
• 1 Sonic level themed wallpaper

Two Point Museum Includes:
Design, manage and develop incredible museums
5 unique main museum locations to Two Point County:
– Prehistory – Memento Mile
– Aquarium – Passwater Cove
– Supernatural – Wailon Lodge
– Science – Bungle Wasteland
– Space – Pebberley Heights
3 Pop up museums with set tasks and challenges
Sandbox mode to build your very own MEGA MUSEUMS!
6 main exhibit types and 30+ sub categories of exhibits
You’ll adventure through 5 different expedition maps with 100+ unique points of interest
200+ unique exhibits to uncover and fill your sticker book
350+ decorative items to make your museum uniquely you
18 guest types to meet and cater for …. including those meddling kids
Unlock and manage all the museums in Two Point County!

As fledgling curators, you have the task of designing and refining your very own museums to create the ultimate guest experience. Coordinate Experts on far-flung expeditions to discover new Exhibits, generating Buzz to entice droves of knowledge-hungry guests who will expect top info-tainment if they’re to leave impressed. This is all while you keep your Exhibits safe, rooms clean, staff happy… and children off the dinosaur bones.

EXPLORING FOR EXHIBITS
As Curator, the design and management of your expanding museum is in your hands! Send your team of partially trained Experts on Expeditions in search of rare and mostly well-preserved artefacts. When (and hopefully not if) your Experts return from their adventure, proudly display their fantastic finds in your museum.
You’ll unlock new locations as you decide where the next adventure takes you, and complete a sticker book to document your journey as a souvenir of your discoveries.
Your work doesn’t end there; Exhibit maintenance is crucial. While some Experts are gallivanting across Two Point County and beyond, you’re in charge of managing staff back home to ensure Exhibits and the museum stay in tip-top condition. If taking care of the carnivorous Chomper isn’t enough, there are also meddling thieves to watch out for. Thieves, and more frequently, children, are known for touching and grubbing up the displays, so make sure enough security is guarding your prized collection!

DESIGN-OSAURS
Get creative to design your museum layout your way! You have decorative freedom, so design thematic areas to guide your guests’ visit. Splash paint and lay carpet as you lovingly arrange each prehistoric fern, potentially melting iceman, and dinosaur remains wherever you see fit.
Once you’ve created the perfect atmosphere, arrange guided tours with custom routes led by a charismatic Expert. Tours are a fantastic way to enrich your guests’ experience. To keep guests enthused, showcase Exhibits with the highest Buzz – those that are top quality, provide ample info and beautiful decorations are likely to attract the most donations!

GUEST-ERTAINMENT
Guests know best! The different types of guests who will frequent your museum may have different interests, but they do have some things in common… they expect the place to be kept clean, have plenty of refreshments, ample toilets, and a gift shop filled with goodies. And, of course, they need to be dazzled with knowledge of your Exhibits, which are kept well-maintained… or else you could make them sick.
Two Point County will bring a variety of guests to your museum, and they all hope to discover their new favourite Exhibit… From dino fanatics and botany buffs to haunted horror seekers, you’ll need to cater to their personal preferences to meet their needs. By exceeding their expectations, you can keep them engaged, leading to longer visits, increased donations, and glowing reviews!

This February, let the ID@Xbox team set the vibe. In this, the month of Valentine’s Day, indie game developers are competing to be your next love – but don’t stress, because our team of wingmen and wingwomen have handpicked six Indie Selects that can meet what anyone’s heart desires.  

If you’re looking for some tasty food for the soul, satisfying beats that really pop, dangerous exploits to get the heart pumping, and unbelievable deliveries that really soar, February Selects had you at hello. Here’s what we’ve got for you this month (in no particular order):

Cuisineer

This game answers the question,” What if you had to earn your meal by engaging it in a fight to the death?”.  Cuisineer is the first food-focused action roguelite that I’ve ever played and I am very much obsessed. I’ve spent an embarrassing amount of time bashing cute (but hostile) creatures in its dungeons to restock my fridge back in my character’s hometown. The demand for more wood, more types of stone, and various grades of meat never ends and the loop of “spend a day cooking for fussy customers, then return to a dungeon, then come back and upgrade your tools, etc.” is constant. It’s a hustle that I’m hooked on, to be honest, and Cuisineer delivers up this cycle in a way that’s both cozy and challenging.

Those monsters in the various dungeons aren’t joking around and you’ll be battling through multiple floors and bosses to get to the end of each gauntlet (though there are options to exit early). You’ll also be plunking down hard-earned gold (from your restaurant’s till) to upgrade your backpack and eatery capacity to continue growing and progressing through the game. It’s a soothing, dopamine-hit formula that Cuisineer does incredibly (and adorably) well, but it’s not absent of difficulty and learning curve. So, think of it as equipping cutesy cat ears while prepping for a lengthy workout. Give yourself some time to onboard and you’ll be harvesting fuzzy little fluffballs for “fatty meat” in no time.

Cuisineer

XSEED Games

☆☆☆☆☆
25

★★★★★

$29.99

Get it now

Upon receiving a startling letter from her parents, the independent adventurer Pom swiftly returns home to Paell, only to find her parents gone and their beloved restaurant abandoned. Now left with mounting debts and a village in dire need of some fine cooking, Pom will have to delve into the deepest dungeons for the scarcest spices, rarest meats, and the most valuable vegetables she can find to keep her parents’ dream alive.

Dive into dungeons and cook up a storm as Pom, an adventurer-turned-restaurateur! Cuisineer‘s food-focused action challenges you to build your dinner the hard way: by dungeon-diving for materials and ingredients. Wield your cooking utensils against giant chickens, artillery shrimps, fire-breathing peppers, and other pesky perils, sipping boba tea along the way. Work with local artisans to customize your kitchen, and tailor your dining hall to the needs of loyal patrons eager to experience the rare recipes you’ve cooked up.

The Xbox Series X/S and Windows Store release of Cuisineer plates its enticing gameplay with fresh ingredients like new weapons, year-round festivals, a wardrobe feature, and more tasty inclusions that are sure to spice things up.

A Smorgasbord of Dungeons
Explore procedurally generated biomes such as the Green Ruins, Frozen Fjord, and Konpeito Swamps that change their size, shape, and resources every time you visit.

Craft Your Own Culinary Experience
Cook over 100 different recipes from around the world, from crunchy Popiah rolls to rich Kaya jam, from double-fried crispy chicken with zesty lemon, to sweet treats piled high with berries. Get the right dishes to the right customers and customize your kitchen and dining hall with the help of local artisans.

Master the Flavors of Fighting
Knock out monsters and rivals with Salty, Sour, Sweet, Bitter, Umami, Frosty and Toasty powers that unleash flame, poison, chain lightning, and other fantastic effects. You can also fight with unique utensils and gourmet gear, like Spatula, Smackerel, Swordfish, and the newly added Konpeito Fist weapons!

Take Quests to Go
From Naicha the Bubble Tea seller to Alder the big friendly carpenter, Paell is full of sweet and spicy townsfolk to befriend. While you’re dungeon diving, be on the lookout for items the townsfolk need. You’ll be rewarded with gold, new items, and even more recipes to take your cooking and adventuring to new heights.

Turbo Overkill

Turbo Overkill is an FPS game that invokes the spirit of ’80s cyberpunk media and classic shooters such as Quake & Doom. By modern definition, you might categorize it as a “boomer shooter” – a game that either IS a retro FPS or a newer title that’s designed to create a similar feeling. Yes, this is a real thing, and no, we didn’t make it up, but we can agree that it’s fitting! As much as I love modern FPS games, I’m a huge fan of the classics, and Turbo Overkill does this subgenre justice in as many ways that it can.

Taking place in a futuristic, cyberpunk city called Paradise, players control a cybernetic bounty hunter by the name of Johnny Turbo who, paired with his trusty chainsaw leg and large arsenal of weapons, is set to take down rogue AI, Syn, and their augmented minions. The gameplay revolves around fighting various enemies and bosses, exploration, puzzle solving, upgrading Johnny and his weapons, and platforming. But what I love most is its pacing and combat flow. Players can leverage Johnny’s chainsaw leg by crouch sliding (a staple in most modern FPS games) to not only maneuver but also take down most enemies in one hit. Pairing this movement with jumps, air dashes and cycling through the various familiar weapons, makes the game feel like a classic arena shooter on top of its retro heritage.

In homage to the classics, Turbo Overkill  features a single player campaign with several difficulties to choose from, secret levels to find, and unlockables to keep you busy. There’s also two additional modes, Endless Mode and Arcade Mode, both of which add a medal and scoring system for additional replayability. If you’re a fan of FPS games, whether modern or classic, then you must check this one out!

Turbo Overkill

Apogee Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆
45

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

Turbo Overkill is the most savage FPS ever released by Apogee. You play as Johnny Turbo, augmented with hidden arm rockets and a chainsaw that extends from your lower leg allowing you to slide-slice enemies wide open.

Johnny returns to his hometown of Paradise and finds its entire population possessed by Syn, a rogue AI, and its army of augmented minions. Desperate for enough money to outrun his past mistakes, Johnny takes on the impossible job of destroying the greatest AI ever created. Rival bounty hunters want to claim the prize first. Nothing is easy in paradise.

TURBO TIME, WALL-RUNNING, DASHING AND GRAPPLING HOOKS, OH MY
Turbo Overkill takes over-the-top to never-before-reached heights. Activate Turbo Time(), a new form of slow motion with a twist. Build incredible speed by wall-running and dashing. Slide on your chainsaw leg, eviscerating foes and opening up bosses for critical damage, and go car-surfing on the hoods of flying cars. Blast away with the Twin Magnums, which lock-on and instagib several foes, the Boomer Shotgun and its attached grenade launcher, or the Telefragger sniper rifle, which teleports Johnny inside an enemy before they explode from within.

Race through two dozen stages packed with secrets, bonus arena stages, and white-knuckle combat puzzles. Find game-changing collectibles to unlock punishing modifiers like triple-monster-speed and insta-kill. Combine all of Johnny’s weapons and powers to outsmart, outgun and outrun the corrupted legions.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter

Tails of Iron 2 is a gritty and challenging 2D action-RPG that mixes Soulslike combat with Metroidvania elements. I’ve been interested in this series since the first entry, but I never picked it up – my backlog is infinite! After playing this one though, I feel like I owe it to myself to try it out! It helps that, while the new story shares the same world, the sequel features a new protagonist, Arlo meaning you don’t need to play its predecessor to catch up. As the heir to the Warden of the Wastes, Arlo must avenge his father’s death, taking on threats like the merciless Dark Wing Bats and other creatures as he fights to restore his homeland. Oh… and Arlo’s a rat.

I won’t get too deep into the gore, but all I’ll say is, don’t let this game’s storybook-like appearance fool you – the themes in this game are grim. The hand-drawn visuals remind me of a hidden gem you’d find digging through the Xbox Live Arcade library, in all the best ways. It has that nostalgic charm that makes it feel familiar, yet ultimately fresh and unique. And the world? Absolutely awesome. Viking themes aren’t new, but Viking rats? They’re adorable, and at the same time, so metal.

After spending hours fighting bosses, I can confirm this game is challenging. You’ll have to backtrack, platform, upgrade your gear, and parry and roll… a lot. You’ll need patience, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll probably die more than you survive—unless you switch to Fairy Tale mode, where enemies have less health and do less damage.

If you’re a fan of Metroidvanias, Soulslikes, or just really love the idea of rats in Viking armor, I recommend giving this a shot. Oh, and they got Doug Cockle (Geralt from The Witcher game series) to narrate the story, which only adds to the appeal.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter

United Label

☆☆☆☆☆
74

★★★★★

$24.99

Get it now

Just as the Rats of the South start to piece their lives together, following the great war between Rodent and Frog, an old and unspeakable evil stirs in the North; wings black as death; fangs sharp as steel; and a thirst for blood rivalled only by their insatiable hunger… for vengeance.

As Arlo, young heir to the Warden of the Wastes, journey through the vast, snow-ravaged lands of the North in an epic quest to overcome the Dark Wings once and for all. Hunt down giant beasts. Unite disparate clans. Upgrade your settlement. And discover a terrible secret of blood and crown…

The time for heroes is over. For the Kingdom needs a warrior; forged of the North and as cold as the snow that shrouds these lands. A rat… carved from iron.

And so, a new tail begins.

Explore a Vast, Wintry Kingdom
Fully narrated by RPG-legend, Doug Cockle, prepare to embark on an epic adventure across the northern realms of the Ratdom; an expansive, frost-bitten land on the brink of all-out war.

Hunt down Giant Beasts
Track down and defeat the legendary monsters of this realm, and be rewarded with rare resources with which to craft devastating equipment. But be warned, these colossal creatures won’t go down without a fight… and then some.

Master Brutal Combat
The lands of the North are a perilous place, so you’ll need to master the fast, challenging combat for any chance of survival. Evade attacks with a dodge roll, nail split-second parry bashes, and unleash an array of gruesome executions.

Customise your Attack
Craft your own extensive arsenal of upgradeable weaponry, ready to fight as you see fit; strike quick with a spear, afar with a bow, or go claw-to-claw with a heavy-hitting mace. Alternativity, gain a tactical advantage with a range of new, deadly traps…

Upgrade your Settlement
As Warden of the Wastes, defending your lands is only half the battle. Construct and upgrade your settlement with hard-earned gold to gain access to more powerful items from the Smithy, tastier meals at the Kitchen, a wider range of powerful traps from the shoppe, and more!

Unleash All-New Sorceries
Unlock the devastating ‘Elementa’ sorceries of Electric, Poison, Fire, and Ice in an all-new magic system. Bestowed upon you by the gods themselves, these arena-devastating powers can quickly turn the tides in battles.

Robobeat

Rhythm games are back, baby! Robobeat is (deep breath) an innovative, fast-paced, futuristic, roguelite rhythm boomer shooter.  To say this game is in a league of its own is putting it mildly.  There are not many games that combine slick combat mechanics with music-centric gameplay in procedurally generated environments, and I would say even fewer that do it well. You play as Ace, a famous bounty hunter, chasing after an eccentric cyborg named Frazzer.  However, in order to stop Frazzer in his tracks, you’ll have to make your way through his distorted techno playground, which is comprised of five randomly generated “pathways” where you will need to shoot, wall-run, slide and bunny hop, all in sync with the beat of the soundtrack. 

The most unique part of Robobeat, and probably my favorite part, is the ability to change songs as you play. Switching between energetic metal, jazz-like grooves, and frantic EDM allows you to set the pace of your run. Sometimes a slower pace is needed in order to get the hang of the next stage. The enemies become tougher and the hordes become more intense the further you go, and throughout your runs you’ll collect blueprints that can be unlocked using currency – however if you die before cashing in your blueprints, you’ll have to reacquire them.  Once a weapon or ability is unlocked, it can appear in any future run.

The tunes are great, the gunplay is manically intense, and roguelite mechanics set Robobeat apart from its peers across several genres. This was a bold bet that paid off.

ROBOBEAT

Kwalee

☆☆☆☆☆
7

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

Beat. The. Bot.

You’re Ace – a famous bounty hunter after your latest target, the eccentric robot-showman Frazzer. To find your way through his twisted techno-playground, you’ll have to master the art of shooting, wall-running, sliding, and bunny hopping, all in sync with the beat! Get ready to dance till you’re dead and then suit up for the remix in rogue-like rhythm shooter ROBOBEAT.

Move to the Music
You’ll want some slick moves to go with those slick new weapons. Your enemies aren’t going to wait around for you to take a dance break, so you’ve got to keep moving if you want to survive.

Wall run, slide, double jump, bunny hop, and grapple hook your way through technicolour levels to give your enemies the runaround. Keep it fluid, keep it funky, and keep it moving.

Rewind, Remix, Replay
ROBOBEAT is a rogue-like remix.

Fast forward through procedurally generated levels, equip an arsenal of finely-tuned weapons, and accompany your arsenal with a symphony of modifications. Your playstyle is on continuous shuffle, so you never know what each new run is going to bring!

Will you have what it takes to break the infinite loop and stop Frazzer in his tracks?

Mexico, 1921: A Deep Slumber

Mexico, 1921: A Deep Slumber is a narrative adventure game inspired by true events. You’ll step into the shoes of Juan Aguirre, a photojournalist in post-revolutionary Mexico City. The game not only entertains but educates players by involving historians and cultural institutions in its creation. This collaboration transforms the game into an interactive archive of Mexican history. I was absolutely fascinated as the game transported me to a tumultuous period in Mexican history, allowing me to uncover the truth behind President Álvaro Obregón’s assassination.

You’ll navigate through Mexico City, interviewing and photographing subjects, which I found created a deep feeling of involvement in the storyline and historical events. It’s a layer of authenticity only added to by the photography mechanic, which requires you to master early 20^th Century photographic techniques. The game follows a classic point-and-click adventure style, where you examine objects, gather clues, and engage in conversations with various characters, and I was deeply captivated by the connection to the historical events and cultural aspects of post-revolutionary Mexico.   is a compelling and emotionally engaging game.

Mexico,1921: A Deep Slumber

Mácula Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆
4

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

Mexico, 1921. A deep slumber is an intriguing narrative adventure where you try to solve a hundred-year-old mystery: who planned the assassination of President Álvaro Obregón? You play as Juan Aguirre, a photojournalist who will interview and photograph subjects, collect historical data and report the news that will shape Mexican history. Join Juan in post-revolutionary Mexico City to discover why Mexico ain’t no place for the weak. Developed hand in hand with the National Newspaper Library and the Popular Arts Museum, this game will be an interactive archive of Mexican post-revolutionary history.

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is a charming E-rated adventure game. You play the role of aspiring young witch Mika, who is declined admittance to witch school and has to take a job delivering packages to fund her broom repairs. The game takes place in a small open world, the Island of Winds, asking you to fly from  point to point by way of broomstick– opening more of the world as you unlock additional traversal abilities for your broom.

With a Studio Ghibli-inspired art style, the charm of this island location and its many inhabitants is infectious. There are dozens of residents that you get to know and help on your journey to ascend the mountain to witch school. The main story does not overstay its welcome, but there are additional puzzles, races, and secrets to extend your time on the island. The simplified control scheme and cute aesthetic means this is suitable for all ages and skill levels of gamers. The art style, the characters and the music elevate a game that is almost exclusively a series of fetch quests into an endearing, relaxing and memorable adventure.

Mika and The Witch’s Mountain

Chibig

☆☆☆☆☆
10

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is a fantasy adventure about an aspiring witch who delivers packages to the townspeople of a small island. Explore every cranny and soar through the sky with your magic broom.

Xbox updates are rolling out with great new features. Starting today, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can easily invite friends to join their Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) sessions with a single sharable link. Plus, players can enjoy more cloud playable games. In case you missed it, Xbox is exploring AI research, and in January, Xbox introduced a network quality indicator, and a new controller update was released to improve gameplay. Read on for more details:

Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta)

Send invite links to friends to join your cloud gaming session

Starting today, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members using Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) on their web browsers and supported TVs can generate links to invite other Game Pass Ultimate members to join their gaming sessions.

While playing a multiplayer game with Xbox Cloud Gaming, Game Pass Ultimate members can create an invite link by opening the game invite menu from the Guide or in-game, then looking for the “Anyone” tab. Copy the link and send it to your friends to join your gaming session.

Invite links provide flexibility on who to invite to a gaming session. Players can send a direct message, invite a group chat, or share the link on social media network. Invited players can join a cloud gaming session instantly via their web browser or supported TV.

To join a game session on a web browser or mobile device:

1. Open the invite link using a supported browser.
2. Sign in with an Xbox profile.
3. Click “Play with Ultimate.”

To join a game session on a TV:

1. Open the invite link on a PC or mobile device.
2. Click the button labeled “Join on a different device” to receive a short code.
3. Open the Xbox Guide on a TV and select the option “Have a game session code?”
4. Enter the code from the web browser and play.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when using this new feature:

• All players must have an Xbox account, and some games require Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
• All players must have an entitlement to the game in order to play.
• The number of players who can join using the invite link depends on the number of players the game allows.
• After creating a link, owners can revoke it at any time to prevent new players from joining.
• The ability to remove existing players from the session depends on the game.

Stream your own game – More cloud playable games are available

This month, we’re adding even more games to the stream your own game collection. Game Pass Ultimate members can stream 50+ cloud playable games on supported devices if you own them.

Recently added

• Blasphemous 2

• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Slime Rancher 2
• Subnautica
• Subnautica: Below Zero
• The Talos Principle 2
• Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered

Coming soon

• Atomic Heart
• Cult of the Lamb
• Hotline Miami
• Killer Frequency
• Neva
• Overcooked! All You Can Eat
• Phanton Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate
• Serious Sam Collection

• Trepang2
• Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition
• And more

Check out the full list of cloud playable games available to stream on supported devices here. For more information, learn more here.

In Case You Missed It

Xbox is exploring the potential of an AI research breakthrough. Plus, Xbox January Updates included a network quality indicator update for cloud gaming, a controller update, and updates for PC gaming that improve stability, discoverability of titles, and usability.

Breakthroughs in Generative AI

Following research published in Nature, we recently announced a new generative AI model for gameplay ideation called Muse. We are exploring how this model can one day benefit both players and game creators: from allowing us to revive nostalgic games to faster developer ideation and iteration.

To learn more about this breakthrough, please visit this article.

Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) – Network Quality Indicator Update

Now available to everyone, the new network quality indicator will help to diagnose potential network issues during streamed gaming sessions. Most audio and video issues are caused by problems with the network connection. This new feature helps track the quality of the network connection while gaming on Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) on supported devices.

To toggle the network warning icons on or off, go to your profilepic > Settings > Streaming > Network quality indicator. Learn more about this feature and get troubleshooting tips here.

Xbox Accessories – Xbox Wireless Controller firmware update

We released a firmware update for the Xbox Wireless Controller that includes improvements to thumbstick auto-centering, trigger adjustments, and mouse-to-thumbstick inputs. Install this update through the Xbox Accessories app on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One or Windows PC.

Help Shape the Future of Xbox

Stay tuned to Xbox Wire for future updates and the latest and greatest Xbox news. For support related to Xbox updates, visit the official Xbox Support site.

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Get ready to add Rockbeasts, the narrative band-management RPG, to your most anticipated albums of 2025. Welcome to a world that puts you in the shoes of a manager in the age of MTV, rock anthems, and bad haircuts.

Featuring the iconic Iggy Pop and with a story written by Jakub Szamałek (Senior writer of The Witcher 3, Principal Writer of Cyberpunk 2077 and the upcoming The Blood of Dawnwalker), prepare for a tragicomic tale of the highs and lows of an up-and-coming band in the 90s.

As the manager of “one of the most controversial bands” of the era, you’ll help a group of rising stars as they navigate the highs and lows of the music industry in pursuit of fame and fortune. Along the way, you’ll meet a colorful cast of anthropomorphic animals, some inspired by real world rock legends.

Pick the venue, prep the set and make sure it all goes according to plan. Pull it off and the band might just finally take those first steps to fame and glory. Sure, this one was in a grimy basement, but even the rock legends had to start somewhere, right?

The characters that bring this world to life all come with their own motivations, and personal demons. You have a choice – will you be the manager who helps those around you, or uses others as the stepping stone to success?

Bringing the Godfather of Punk himself, Iggy Pop, to your television screens once again, has drawn on decades of musical insider knowledge for his performance to give you an authentic window into the world of early ’90s rock mayhem.

His musical performances live in the annals of rock music history and now he’s jumping over to your Xbox. Iggy Pop plays a fictionalised version of himself, the aptly named “Iggy Pup” and lends his vocal talents to bringing the story’s narrator to life, as a radio host charting the rise of the band to fame. Relive the story first-hand as the notorious manager that leads the band to fame and fortune.

The branching narratives, twists and tales of the story will lead you down a path for you and your band to either rock, or ruin, and only by making the hardest choices can you help this band reach their true potential. Manage their practice sessions, sculpt their image, and do everything a good manager will do and maybe you’ll find a diamond in the rough with this misfit bunch of anthropomorphic animals. Or, simply use their hopes and dreams to line your own pockets, at the end of the day – the choices really are yours.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Rock & Roll. Wishlist Rockbeasts now on the Xbox Store today.

Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, the Xbox App on Windows PC, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!

Spectre Divide

Mountaintop Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Spectre Divide – February 25
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

A genre-evolving 3v3 tactical shooter driven by Duality. Use Duality to control two bodies in real-time, letting you defend two sites at once, cover your own cross, or even trade yourself. Master tactical gunplay and an arsenal of future tech to achieve infamy.

Conquistadorio

Upscale Studio

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Conquistadorio- February 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

The conqueror, who has gone through many trials in his life, decided to retire and become a hermit, to simply lie in his solitary cave away from people. But fate throws new challenges even in such a simple endeavor. The tomb where he loves to sleep has disappeared. Now he must embark on a quest to find it and solve many mysteries along the way.

Crime Opera Fandisk: The Caterpillar Candids

Eastasiasoft Limited

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Crime Opera Fandisk: The Caterpillar Candids – February 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

In this new anthology release of Crime Opera, explore a variety of short stories that take place before, during and after the events of the original visual novel, all presented in beautifully crafted hand-drawn style to convey the drama, emotion and gritty truth surrounding characters’ lives in the criminal underworld.

Crime Opera II: The Floodgate Effect

Eastasiasoft Limited

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Crime Opera II: The Floodgate Effect – February 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Experience a new chapter in the mafia tale surrounding the Gallos family! This story begins 9 years after the original. Xander Gallo is now bitter, alone and out of control. He’s causing problems for not only other families within the syndicate but also for younger Gallo members as well.

Hidden Paws

Silesia Games Sp. z o.o.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Hidden Paws – February 26
Xbox Play Anywhere

Open cars and boxes, rummage through piles of wood, search the forests. Cats are well hidden, but they meow when you get near so listen closely and you might just be able to find them all. Features more than twelve charming winter landscapes with over 120 little cats to find.

Rabbit Raid (Xbox Series X|S)

Sometimes You

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$9.99

$7.99

Pre-order

Free Trial

Rabbit Raid – February 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Save your family by going on an adventure as a cute bunny. Collect berries, find secrets with bonuses, throw objects at enemies or jump on them to win. Find secret stars and change costumes. Defeat the bosses and get to the last one to save the little rabbits from captivity. Explore green fields, caves, rivers, snowy mountains, icy lakes, deserts and ruins.

Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit

Headup

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit – February 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Crowns and Pawns is a modern-day point and click adventure. The game highlights the less-explored history of Europe. Experience the legendary stories of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, bring to light the villainous branch of the KGB, solve puzzles and follow hints to reveal the secrets of the King who was never crowned.

Glover (QUByte Classics)

QUByte Interactive & Bleem!

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Glover (QUByte Classics) – February 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

The cult classic from the ’90s returns! Glover is a charming 3D platformer where you control a magical glove on a quest to restore balance to the kingdom. Roll, jump, and manipulate your magic ball to solve puzzles, overcome challenges, and defeat the evil glove threatening the world!

Pirate Trails

Afil Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Pirate Trails – February 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Ready to set sail on an adventure full of challenges and treasures? In Pirate Trails, you are the master cartographer of the seven seas. But instead of sailing, your mission is to chart the best course for pirate ships to collect treasures and safely anchor at the final port. Rotate and swap hexagonal tiles to create the perfect route – but beware, a wrong path might lead your ship straight to the Kraken!

Prison Loop (Xbox Series X|S)

Sometimes You

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$4.99

$3.99

Pre-order

Prison Loop – February 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Embark on a journey of anomalies and repetition in Prison Loop, a captivating puzzle game. Test your observation skills, critical thinking, and ability to manipulate time to your advantage. Explore a meticulously designed prison filled with hidden secrets, atmospheric details, and haunting visuals.

Two Point Museum: Explorer Edition

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$39.99

Pre-order

Two Point Museum: Explorer Edition – February 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Two Point County’s most daring adventurers have travelled to the far reaches of the known map and returned with unique artefacts to host in your museum, along with the coordinates of a new expedition location, home to an exclusive special exhibit and events! The Explorer Edition brings a selection of decorative items to embellish your halls, walls and floors with bespoke designs and well-travelled statues. As well as exclusive items to help your experts replenish faster to send out on more expeditions

Hanoi Puzzles: Solid Match

Hanoi Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Hanoi Puzzles: Solid Match — February 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

A new game concept inspired by the classic Tower of Hanoi. Assemble towers stacking pieces of the same color on a hexagonal board with a mysterious and relaxing atmosphere. Unlock blocked hexagonal cells by building a tower of the same color to open new paths and advance in the resolution of the level.

Justice Ninja Casey

Ratalaika Games S.L.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Justice Ninja Casey – February 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

An unremarkable princess in an unremarkable castle has been kidnapped by a group of mysterious ninjas. Luckily for her, a young ninja named Casey is aware of the situation and embarks on a mission to save her because… he is the Ninja of Justice! Join Casey and learn the art of ninjutsu as he explores a land full of secrets and dangerous enemies!

Monster Hunter Wilds

CAPCOM CO., LTD.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$69.99

Pre-order

Monster Hunter Wilds – February 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

The ultimate hunting experience awaits you in Monster Hunter Wilds. Fulfill your duty as a Hunter, tracking down and defeating powerful monsters while forging strong new weapons and armor from the materials you harvest, as you work to uncover the connection between the people of the Forbidden Lands and the locales they inhabit.

Paper Plane Arena – Shamans

EpiXR Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$9.99

Pre-order

Paper Plane Arena – Shamans – February 28

An interactive game experience that is designed to ease your mind and have fun popping innocent balloons. Jump into the role of a little paper plane that is supposed to rescue the world from evil balloon demons by dashing through them. An excellent game for relaxing and blowing off some steam after an exhausting day of hassle.

PGA TOUR 2K25

2K

☆☆☆☆☆
26

★★★★★

$69.99

Pre-order

PGA Tour 2K25 – February 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

The master of golf sims is back! Tee off with the world’s top golfers on the most storied courses on golf’s biggest stages. Pre-order PGA Tour 2K25 Standard Edition and receive the Extra Butter x adidas Pack, which includes actor, “pretty great golfer,” and now playable character Chris McDonald. Included are three stylish cosmetics — hat, jacket and shoes. Plus, with your pre-order (by February 27, 2025), you’ll also get PGA Tour 2K23 Standard Edition (digital) to play while you wait!