Avowed Survival Guide: Starting Tips to Help You on Your Adventure in the Living Lands

Category: Games

Avowed Survival Guide: Starting Tips to Help You on Your Adventure in the Living Lands

Summary

The Living Lands are full of exciting adventure, hidden treasure, captivating secrets… and danger!
We’ve compiled some of our favorite tips and strategies to help you on your first steps into the world of Avowed.
Avowed is launching February 18, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app for Windows PC, Battle.net, Steam, cloud, and will be available on day one with Game Pass. Start playing today by picking up the Avowed Premium Edition on the Xbox Store, Battle.net, and Steam. Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass members, and standard edition owners can purchase the Avowed Premium Upgrade Addon for early access.

The Living Lands is ripe with adventure, excitement, and a significant amount of danger – and we’re here to help. We’ve been exploring Avowed for a while now and throughout our time with Obsidian’s next great RPG, we’ve come away with a few tips to share with new adventurers who are about to take their first steps into this new corner of Eora. These are not meant to be an all-encompassing guide to the Living Lands, but we think you might benefit from one or two of these to help you on your journey.

Explore!

Avowed is a deeply inviting game – each of its open zones are truly dense, not just with the typical quests and side quests, but hidden treasure, buried lore, and points of interest. If something looks or sounds a little odd, there’s almost always a reason for that.

Did that NPC just say something interesting as you passed? They might not have a quest marker over their head, but that doesn’t mean it won’t kick off a cutscene when you talk to them. Does that out-of-the-way balcony look a little too conspicuous? Work out a parkour route to it and you might just find – to take an example – a room full of spirits and treasure.

And it’s not just solid ground that is brimming with treats – the waters of The Living Lands are also ripe with goods. Secrets are scattered across the bottoms of riverbeds, underground pools, and most importantly, nestled behind waterfalls, making it worth your while to take a dip wherever you can.

If you can resist the urge to plough on with the main story, there’s so much to discover here.

Don’t Neglect Upgrades to Your Equipment

Unlike a lot of RPGs, your ability to tackle tougher quests is tied to your gear more than your level – which means you should be thinking about upgrades to your equipment often at the workshop in your Party Camp. Quests are clearly marked in your Journal with skull ratings. No skull showing? You’ll be fine. One skull? It might be tough but be careful and you’ll make it through. Three skulls? Here be some ferocious enemies.

While you can find better equipment as you travel, it’s often more efficient to simply upgrade what you have, using crafting materials you’ll find all over the world to incrementally improve your weapons and armor. Find your preferred items and keep levelling them when you can, and your progression will keep feeling smooth.

Here’s a tip to speed up the gather/trudge to camp/upgrade/return to what you were doing process: Once you’ve gathered what you need for an upgrade, you can fast travel to a previously established Party Camp to do your business from almost anywhere by popping open the map. Then when you’re ready to get to exploring, select Exit to Previous Location at the Adra Stone or preferred fast travel point, to pick up exactly where you left off. Easy!

And remember: You can easily send items directly to your Party Camp from your Inventory at any time by pressing the X button if you become over encumbered. And you can break down any unused weapons or items by holding down the X button from your inventory – helpful if you’re coming up short on crafting ingredients like wood and metal.

Speak to Your Companions

At the Party Camp, you’ll always have a chance to catch up with your travelling companions – and this can be more practical than you might think. You’ll know when a party member wants to speak to you when you see their icon pop up with a speech bubble on the left of the screen. Once you head to Party Camp, aside from learning their backstories (and filling out your own), you may even stumble on some real benefits.

For instance, early on, Kai may bring up that he’s been studying your fighting style, and has some pointers. You can ask him to train you in his own style, leading to permanent stat buffs that would have taken multiple levels’ worth of upgrades to get. It’s a huge bonus, simply for stopping for a chinwag.

Pay Attention to Companion Abilities

You’re not the only one levelling up in your party – for every few of your levels, your companions will also open up the opportunity to learn or upgrade an ability, and some of these can be gamechangers. Every active ability they learn can be accessed easily in combat, and while your party members will use them on their own, we highly recommend working them into your combat loop.

For example, if you’re playing primarily as a magic user, it may mean you do a lot of damage but also take a lot of damage. Kai’s ability to leap onto an enemy can not only stun them but taunt them as well, meaning you can get out of a pinch by redirecting their ire onto him, letting you step back and drop ice knives out of a blizzard without fear. It’s saved us more times than we can count already.

Your Map is Your Guide… and Your Shopping List

The Living Lands are a colorful, visually dense world, filled not only with awe inspiring sights, but lots of stuff you’re going to want to pick up. The best way to separate the signal from the (beautiful) noise? Your minimap.

In the early game, the biggest limiter to your being able to upgrade is the ‘Paradisan Ladder’ – these handy plants are usually hidden away in crannies in and outside of settlements, just out of sight. And if you’re having trouble locating them, make sure you check for an up or down icon on the marker. That will give you better insight on where to look.

Back to that mini-map: it not only shows the location of harvestable plants, but there’s a specific icon just for that Paridisan Ladder (and later, its more potent varieties like Hylea’s Talon). It looks like this (left). Now you can spare the occasional glance at the map to get what you need, but keep your eyes focused where they’ll already be drawn to: the danger and beauty of The Living Lands.

Examine All of the Abilities

Building out your character and assigning abilities is one of the highlights of customization in Avowed. And even though you may start approaching combat as a specific build type, like Fighter, Ranger, or Wizard, you should know that as a classless game, there are many complimentary abilities hiding within each of these trees that can help you become a well-rounded adventurer.

For example, even though you may be going down the Fighter branch, one of the most helpful abilities that you can get early on is Parry, which is located under the Ranger branch as a passive ability. So, it’s worthwhile to take some time and look over all the abilities afforded to you which can be helpful in creating a balanced character as you set out on your adventure. And if you find that you’d like to change your build later, you can reset everything by spending your skeyts.

Utilize Combat Techniques

As much fun as it could be to just swing wildly at your enemies, there is a strategic flow to battle in Avowed where being able to step aside from attacks, blocking them, or masterfully parrying them to run up the stun meter are key to your survival in the Living Lands.

One of the key indicators you want to pay attention to in combat are the colored circles that will appear on enemies – putting points into Perception can help here. For example, if you see a red circle on an enemy as they’re about to attack, that’s unblockable so you should be nimble and dodge (A button) that attack. Or if you see a white diamond hovering over the location of an enemy while aiming with a rifle, pistol, or bow, that’s a weak point you should focus your attack on.

Weapon Swapping

This is for those of you who (like us) were so dang excited to jump into Avowed, that you somehow breezed through the section of the opening level that explained that you can hot-swap between two weapon builds by tapping Y on your controller or hitting U on your keyboard. Now that admission is out of the way, this is one of the more important aspects of combat for you to utilize and master, and it all comes down to how you like to play, giving you flexibility in how to approach a variety of enemies and combat situations.

A few of our favorite combos include pairing an arquebus with a sword and shield, giving us a great option to use in wide open areas or while navigating narrow caverns. Another pairing we like is having a pistol and shield mixed with a grimoire and wand, providing a mix of magic-based and projectile-based attacks (with a shield to help guard attacks as you load your pistol). Or if you prefer a quieter approach, we were also partial to wielding a two-handed bow in one loadout setting and a combination of a wand and grimoire in the other, which helped for stealthily picking off enemies before launching into a flurry of aggressive magic after being discovered.

Go Treasure Hunting

A good way to get off the beaten path and to explore more of Eora is to pick up bounties or unearth treasure maps to not only line your pockets with new weapons and crafting materials, but to get a better sense of the world around you – and you never know what you’ll stumble upon as you dive deeper into the Living Lands. Once acquired, treasure maps won’t simply drop a marker on your map, oh no. They artistically illustrate an area – maybe a cave, a path by a river, etc, with a classic X marking The Spot. Commit that vista to memory, because the only way you’ll find that treasure is by paying attention. And even then, don’t expect a chest to just be sitting on the beach, but the map should get you close enough to hear the telltale twinkling of treasure. My precious!

Use Your Environment

There’s a logic to the lay of the Living Lands if you take the time to assess what’s in front of and around you. See some xaurips up ahead surrounded by tall grass? Perhaps a stealthy approach could work best. Notice that brick wall that’s hanging on by a thread? A well-thrown grenade — or, if you’re lucky, a well-aimed shot at a nearby exploding barrel — can give you a surprise advantage against a group of enemies. Mysterious ice looking plant located above a body of water? Shoot it down to create an ice platform for you to jump on.

Another mantra that has been repeating for us as we explored pockets of the Living Lands was ‘anything but the front door’ – there is often an obvious, visible entrance to a building or area, but entering could cost you a fair few lockpicks. Instead of using up those precious picks in the early game, consider scouting around the location you’re exploring – perhaps there’s a hidden window to crawl through or a weak wall that you can destroy. This often offers an alternate route in that saves your lockpicks and may even give you an upper hand on any nasties lurking inside.

The point here is to not always rush into every situation (although that too can be fun) but recognize the way the land and world is presented to you for your adventure. Player freedom is at the heart of Avowed and all these unique ways to approach it is intentional. So have some fun experimenting on the ways to utilize the environment to your advantage.

Don’t Forget Your Grimoire

Even if you find yourself focusing your abilities as more of a Fighter or Ranger, you’ll discover that always having access to a Grimoire of Elements (which you get for free at the start of the game) will come in handy more times than you can count.

Yes, it can be effective in battle, but it’s also very useful at helping you solve many of the environmental puzzles. For example, being able to cast lighting spells to activate an electronic switch or being able to burn away a batch of cobwebs that could reveal a shortcut that wasn’t available to you before.

So even if you’re not wielding it in your off-hand, make sure you give it a little spot in your inventory. You’ll never know when you’re going to need it (spoiler: you’re going to need it).

Avowed is launching February 18, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app for Windows PC, Battle.net, Steam, cloud, and will be available on day one with Game Pass. Avowed also supports Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning when you buy the game through the store on Xbox or Windows, it’s yours to play on Xbox and Windows PC at no additional cost, and your game progress and achievements are saved across Xbox and Windows PC.

When you purchase Avowed on Battle.net or Xbox, or have an Xbox Game Pass membership (PC or Ultimate only), and connect your Battle.net and Xbox accounts, it’s also yours to play on Battle.net, Xbox and Xbox App for Windows at no additional cost. Avowed lets you pick up where you left off, bringing all of your saves, game add-ons, and Xbox achievement progress with you.

Avowed is currently available for pre-order on the Xbox Store, Battle.net, and Steam. The Premium Edition (or Premium Upgrade Addon for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members or standard edition) offers up to five days early access, two premium skin packs, and access to the Avowed Digital Artbook & Soundtrack.

Avowed Premium Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
4

★★★★★

$89.99

Get it now

Premium Edition includes:
– Avowed base game
– Up to 5 days early access
– Two Premium Skin Packs
– Access to Avowed Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack

Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger.
Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands – an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder?

The Weird and Wonderful Living Lands
The Living Lands is a place that feels foreign yet somewhat intrinsic to you as it feels the island itself is calling out to you for help. Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem.

Visceral Combat to Play Your Way
Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way. Dig into your grimoire for spells to trap, freeze or burn enemies, bash them with your shield, or use range bows to attack from a distance.

Companions as part of your journey
Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities. From a former mercenary to an eccentric wizard, they will be part of your journey with your choices shaping them as you help them with their quests.

Avowed Premium Upgrade Addon

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$24.99

$22.49

Get it now

Upgrade* from Standard Edition and receive the following content:
– Up to 5 days early access
– Premium Skin Packs: 2 sets of bonus skins for your companions
– Access to Avowed Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack

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

Avowed Standard Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$69.99

Pre-order

The post Avowed Survival Guide: Starting Tips to Help You on Your Adventure in the Living Lands appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Atomfall: Diving Deeper Into Its Unique Mechanics

Category: Games

Atomfall: Diving Deeper Into Its Unique Mechanics

With Atomfall coming to Xbox and Game Pass in just over a month (arriving on March 27), today we released the latest trailer for the game. Featuring brand new gameplay, the trailer highlights the main features that you will experience when you enter the quarantine zone.

I thought now would be a good time to give you more information on some of the game’s key features and what you can expect when you play Atomfall. For those who haven’t had chance to see the trailer yet, take a look:

The trailer starts at the very beginning of the game. You wake up in a dark and eerie bunker and are met by a wounded man in a hazmat suit who immediately asks who you are and asks for your help. The problem is you don’t know who you are, or how you got there.

He tells you that you are inside a quarantine zone, built around the Windscale Atom plant following a nuclear disaster.

Set in the luscious British countryside in 1962, Atomfall is a fictionalised telling of what happened five years after true events in Northern England. It is a game about investigation and discovery – as you try to uncover the mystery behind what really happened at Windscale, but also who you are and what you’re doing there.

There is plenty to explore beyond the rolling hills of Cumberland, including a picturesque village, bandit camps, caves, tunnels, and mysterious buildings and facilities left abandoned by the British Atomic Research Division. All of these will hold their own secrets for you to discover.

You will find clues about what has happened and learn more about the colourful characters you meet along the way – but there is no clear single “truth”, and different people interpret what happened in different ways. This feeds into the game’s ‘Leads’ system, our new take on traditional gaming quests.

Some information that you uncover will open a Lead in the game. You can choose to track this down to uncover further secrets and hopefully get closer to some form of the truth. All the Leads in the game are completely optional, and all connect in one way or another to the larger mystery. As a result, the path you take through the game and the storyline is entirely up to you.

Another source of Leads is the cast of characters you will meet along the way. One of the first you may meet is Nat Buckshaw, who you find playing his guitar in the ruins of an old house. He is an extremely talkative chap and more than happy to give away everything he knows just to have someone to talk to.

However, with Nat and indeed everyone you meet along the way, you can never be sure who to trust and whether they are trying to use you for their own means.

Some characters also act as Traders, for example Molly the Tinker, who can be found in the Dale. In fact, one of the Leads that Nat provides, helps you to find Molly. Resources are scarce in Atomfall, and money is useless, so all trade is done by barter – striking a good deal with a trader can be vitally important. Each of them will prize different sorts of assets. One may want food and bandages, while another needs weapons. Careful observation and making a balanced trade will enable you to get the resources you need to survive.

One valuable tool you can trade for is the metal detector (you can either find one as you search the countryside or barter for one.) The metal detector is a vital asset as you scavenge for further resources. Atomfall is as much a game of survival as it is exploration – the resources, weapons and ammo you find will be vital if you are to find out what happened at the Windscale nuclear plant.

To aid you in the hunt for resources, you’ll be able to find metal detectors. Once you have one, you will hear it beep as you come within range of something to find. You then need to equip it and use it to find your treasure – whether that be some scrap metal, medical supplies or ammunition.

And you’ll need all the ammunition you can find – supplies are tight! Gangs of bandits litter the countryside, and they will think nothing of attacking on sight. Whether you choose to engage or run for cover is your choice but there are likely to be times when you will have no choice but to fight.

Raising a gun to someone who is only armed with a melee weapon may well be enough for them to be the one who retreats. Whether your gun is loaded or not, only you will know…

No matter what, you will need to be ready to adjust your strategy on the fly, using all the tools at your disposal to make it out alive. Melee combat, both armed and unarmed, will be vital. Sometimes, aiming a swift kick at an opponent in order to stagger them back is all the time you have to reload, and can be a life saver.

You are going to have to find ways to adapt and make do with what you have as you track down leads in the search of the truth… or at least one version of it.

We have only scratched the surface of the challenges, mystery and intrigue you discover in the quarantine zone. We cannot wait for you to get your hands on Atomfall when it launches on Game Pass as well as on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC on March 27.

Atomfall

Rebellion

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

A survival-action game inspired by real-life events, Atomfall is set five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster in Northern England.
Explore the fictional quarantine zone, scavenge, craft, barter, fight and talk your way through a British countryside setting filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, cults, and rogue government agencies.
From Rebellion, the studio behind Sniper Elite and Zombie Army, Atomfall will challenge you to solve the dark mystery of what really happened.
Player Driven Mystery: Unravel a tapestry of interwoven narratives through exploration, conversation, investigation, and combat, where every choice you make has consequences.

Search, Scavage, Survive: You’ll need to scavenge for supplies, craft weapons and items, and fight desperately to make it out alive!

Desperate Combat: With weapons and ammunition scarce, each frenetic engagement will see you blend marksmanship with vicious hand-to-hand combat. Manage your heart rate to hold a steady aim and ensure you have the energy you need to reach for your cricket bat and land the killer blow.

Green and Unpleasant Land: The picturesque British countryside, with rolling green hills, lush valleys, and rural villages belie the dangers that await you. Navigate cult-controlled ruins, natural caves, nuclear bunkers and more as you explore this dense, foreboding world.

Reimagining Windscale: A fictional reimagining of a real-world event, Atomfall draws from science fiction, folk horror, and Cold War influences to create a world that is eerily familiar yet completely alien.

The post Atomfall: Diving Deeper Into Its Unique Mechanics appeared first on Xbox Wire.

How Features in Symphonia were Designed with Speed Runners in Mind

Summary

Symphonia was released for Xbox Series X|S on December 5, 2024.
Custom level design, precision platforming and special features great for speedruns.
Deep dive into speedrunning with player perspectives and tips.

From its inception, Symphonia was envisioned as a game that rewarded control and timing mastery. Initially designed as a game to bring classical music to the world, it quickly became apparent that its fluid mechanics and open-ended level design also made it a natural fit for the speedrunning community. After many hours spent perfecting the optimal character controls, our goal was clearly set on creating a game that would feel rewarding whether played casually or competitively, with extra layers of depth for those willing to explore them. This vision became the foundation for Symphonia’s mechanics and collectibles.

There are a few things in Symphonia that we baked in, to up the ante of the challenge for those who enjoy it. The protagonist, Philemon, is a violinist who traverses the world of the quiet and sleeping Symphonia with one goal: to reunite the prodigies of all orchestral sections. His greatest tool in the game is his violin bow. As you play through the game, you unlock mechanics that allow you to bounce through levels in different ways. The bow can be used as a pogo stick, a catapult, or a grapple, and this feeling of moving through the air at just the right time is difficult to master but extremely satisfying once you do. Precision in the timing to make every pixel count is something that lends itself very well to the speedrunning mindset of pushing yourself frame by frame.

Some of our team members have their own personal history with speedrunning, ranging from enjoying being a spectator, all the way to completing their own runs for Celeste and Katana Zero. Even in Symphonia’s earlier iteration as a student project back in 2020, our team would speedrun the game, compare times and some folks even hid glitches they found to use them as an advantage! This enthusiasm also reached members of the public. We released a free small demo online which received 500,000 downloads and saw some players submitting entries on speedrun.net. We knew that we were onto something special with this project so after university we decided to start a studio and pitch to work on the full vision of our game. It took us another four years to bring the game to full release.

It wasn’t just the precision platforming subgenre that attracted speed runners, we also deliberately wanted to keep the speedrunning spirit in mind when developing new features and even in the level design. Sometimes moving a block or a collider by just a few pixels can create an entirely new path with some creativity. Another game feature is the collectible music notes that are placed in hard-to-reach areas of the platforming challenge, rewarding you for risk, experimentation and unlocking different areas in the game. A close comparison would be the strawberries in Celeste. Once you complete a whole playthrough of the levels, you unlock a Shadow Philemon. This is a copy of your character who trails closely behind you with a small delay, waiting for you to slip up and be caught. The player is also able to tinker with unlockable abilities like double jumping, transforming all surfaces into cushions or game speed. These abilities were initially designed to be accessibility options, but some have proved useful in allowing players to experiment and create new challenges.

When the game released in December, we were really thrilled to see a sustained level of interest with speed runners and made sure to facilitate discussions and brainstorming with a dedicated channel in our community Discord.

In general, it’s amazing to see how speedrunning has grown from a niche hobby into a global phenomenon. Over the last two decades, we have watched speedruns of first-person shooters, platformers and even in genres where one would least expect it, such as roleplaying or strategy games. Thanks to the accessibility of platforms like Twitch and YouTube, speedrunning has been able to engage millions of players and raise millions of dollars for charity through Games Done Quick (GDQ). GDQ hosts two large charity events a year, and weekly Hotfix episodes to keep viewers engaged.

It’s clear to see the passion driving the creation of such experiences, when I asked Queuety, showrunner of GDQ, why speedrunning is meaningful to him, he answered,

“Speedrunning turns any game into both a puzzle and a competitive performance, something which fascinates me and keeps me coming back.”

Our publisher has been enthusiastic about the speedrunning elements of the game, with the CEO Dieter Schoeller coming from a speedrunning background himself with Quake 3 and Sonic the Hedgehog in the 1990s. Dieter says he loves speedrunning because “the person to beat is no one but yourself.” Due to this shared passion, and visible community engagement, our publishing partners reached out to GDQ for a collaboration. We are all super happy that the showrunners were drawn in by the visuals and premise of Symphonia. We then arranged to participate in a segment of the most recent GDQ Hotfix episode. This was really rewarding and a memory we’ll never forget. I personally got to provide commentary, and the dedicated members of our community supported us by running the game live. You can check out the episode here.

If this article has given you a speedrunning itch, the community is still relatively new so you can add a lot just by trying it out or by conversing with other runners and developers. We would delighted if you wanted to give Symphonia a run and check out our Discord speedrunning discussions.

Speedrunner or not, we hope you will take a chance on us and enjoy the glorious world of Symphonia in your own way.

Symphonia 𝄞

Headup

☆☆☆☆☆
3

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

In the realm of Symphonia, music acts as a source of life and energy. But since the founders and their orchestra vanished the inhabitants are divided, and the world slowly falls into silence. What if there was a way to gather a new orchestra? That’s the question Philemon, the mysterious musician in Symphonia, will have to answer.

Embody a mysterious violinist, brought back to life in a declining world. Your violin and bow are both your instrument and a means of transport. Catapult yourself through the world, and complete levels by solving exciting platforming challenges while re-activating the machinery that brings life and energy back to this world.

Discover a musical world, based on the symphonic orchestra, and filled with colourful characters. Each area in Symphonia has its own distinct feel and characters, and each room is hand-crafted. Meet prodigious musicians and try to convince them to join the orchestra.

A unique soundtrack, based on the romantic musical period, crafted by composer Olivier Esman. Enjoy the performance of the Scoring Orchestra Paris, recorded specifically for Symphonia and written by composer Olivier Esman and his partners Alexandre Bucas-Français and Lou Corroyer. Play engrossing concerts, each centred around one of the families of instruments – Strings, Brass and Woodwinds.

Explore, navigate, play the violin, gather musicians. Awaken Symphonia.

Features
– Experience and overcome great platforming challenges with all of Philemon’s abilities

– Discover various environments which combine music and machinery

– Play the violin to activate level elements and bring life to the realm

-Gather musical Prodigies and play breathtaking concerts to bring music, joy, and glory, back to the land

The post How Features in Symphonia were Designed with Speed Runners in Mind appeared first on Xbox Wire.

How Monster Energy Supercross 25 Was Rebuilt From the Ground Up with You in Mind

Category: Games

February 12, 2025

How Monster Energy Supercross 25 Was Rebuilt From the Ground Up with You in Mind

Sebastiano Stefanetto, Game Director, Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game

Summary

Learn how Milestone has rebuilt the Monster Energy Supercross franchise in the last two years by leveraging key contributions from the community.
Simulation is the word, with a new physics system that allows full air control and a true riding experience in the dirt. And for the first time, the current season will be available on day one.
Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game will launch on Xbox Series X|S on April 10, 2025, with early access from April 7.

Two years after the last chapter, Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game is about to be released for Xbox Series X|S on April 10, 2025, with early access starting on April 7. As Game Director of this franchise, it is both an honor and a challenge as this new installment marks a complete rebuild of the series from the ground up.

This was made possible thanks to the valuable input from expert community members, whom we kept an open dialogue with throughout development to identify areas for improvement. Listening to their feedback was fundamental to crafting a gameplay experience that would truly meet the desires of our players, and importantly, the decision to adopt a biannual development plan also allowed us to step up the game technically with the adoption of Unreal Engine 5.

The Most Accurate Supercross Tracks Yet

Before diving into the gameplay facets, let me point out one of the biggest changes in terms of content, as Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game will feature for the first time in the history of the franchise the current season with 2025 riders, tracks and liveries available on day one. This has never been done before due to the structure of Supercross. In fact, each track only exists for the few days of the event and then is gone forever.

To make this happen, we had to adopt a different technique; while in the past we used photogrammetry technology, this time we were able to access the blueprints of the 2025 tracks in advance to recreate them in the game engine without the need for additional photo reference. This is a new and different method that allows you to discover the tracks even before the real events take place — and real riders can also train with the game ahead of the championship final!

Building with the Community

As we mentioned earlier, we have collaborated with some of the most important Supercross creators asking them to test the game at various development stages. Listening to their opinions we have learned and tweaked many elements such as the riders’ animations, which are now more fluid and realistic than ever. Another crucial feature that the community helped us with is bike handling. Thanks to them, we have implemented a new bike balance system that will allow newcomers to enjoy the adrenaline of Supercross and veterans to perform better.

Most importantly, the community helped us rebuild the riding physics from scratch. On the ground, you’ll find many changes: the steering angle, traction and tire-to-ground contact have all been reworked to create a more immersive experience. The in-air physics, on the other hand, has been completely revolutionized. A renewed stick control system will give you full control of the in-air motion, which is something we never did in the past and will now allow you to decide how to manage both the rider and bike’s weight after the jump. With the new physics, performing whips and scrubs will be much more rewarding and those who will be mastering these movements will get an even greater advantage.

Upgrading to Unreal Engine 5

From a technical standpoint, Unreal Engine 5 allowed us to create features that we once thought impossible thanks to Chaos, its physics engine. For the first time, the track will be alive, just as the community wanted, with a new system that will challenge you lap after lap. In a real Supercross race, the track is indeed modified by the passing of the riders, creating ruts on the ground. One of the pilots’ many talents is to interpret these ruts to find the best trajectory. The new ruts system simulates track evolution so that you will have to find the best path for each lap.

With Unreal Engine 5 we were also able to implement for the first time a Neural AI system which will completely change the way rivals will behave during a race. In fact, the Neural AI is trained exactly like a real rider: we make them test the tracks hundreds and hundreds of times to learn how to approach corners and jumps.

While working on this new feature we faced two of the biggest challenges of the project: first, we had to teach the AI how to handle the new ruts system. We achieved it by training what we call “agents”, namely the AI-controlled riders on the same track at different stages of ground degradation so that they could learn how to handle the various situations that a Supercross rider can encounter during a race. Secondly, we had to train the AI how to handle the air sections. Thanks to these technical achievements the AI can now race on user-generated tracks and we can’t wait to see our community enjoy this impressive milestone.

The new AI is also an important element of the fresh career mode we have developed. Here you’ll become an integral part of the Supercross universe, thanks to a dynamic system full of challenges and tests to become the most successful rider. I can’t say too much here, so stay tuned to learn what we have in store for you.

Thank you for your time and attention. Before I go I would like to reveal to the Xbox Wire readers a small surprise — at the top of this post you can see for the first time the official key art of the game, depicting some of the main protagonists of the 2025 season. Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game will launch on Xbox Series X|S on April 10, 2025, with early access starting from April 7. See you on the race track!

The post How Monster Energy Supercross 25 Was Rebuilt From the Ground Up with You in Mind appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Elden Ring Nightreign: Answering 20 Burning Questions

Category: Games

February 12, 2025

Elden Ring Nightreign: Answering 20 Burning Questions

Will Tuttle, Editor in Chief, Microsoft Game Dev

When it was announced a few months ago at The Video Game Awards, FromSoftware’s Elden Ring Nightreign immediately set the internet aflame with burning questions about what sort of experience it would offer. The trailer showed off plenty of Elden Ring-style action that we know and love, as well as some surprising cameos from bosses featured in other FromSoftware titles. Still, a lot of fans still had plenty of questions. Now, I’m able to help answer some of them.

Ahead of this weekend’s Closed Network Test on Xbox Series X|S, I had a chance to spend a couple of hours playing Elden Ring Nightreign and I can safely say that this is a wholly unique experience, one that seamlessly blends a surprising variety of gameplay mechanics, while remaining true to the core FromSoftware style. Directed by Junya Ishizaki, Battle Director on Elden Ring, Nightreign is sure to delight new and old fans alike when it releases on May 30, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S.

So, without further ado, let’s dive in and start answering some of the questions that I (and many other fans) had going in.

Is Elden Ring Nightreign a sequel to Elden Ring, an expansion, or something completely different?

It’s something completely different! While there’s clearly plenty of overlap with the beloved 2021 action/RPG hybrid (I mean, Elden Ring is right there in the name), Nightreign does not continue Elden Ring’s story and won’t feature any of the same characters or locations. The best way to describe it is that it’s a parallel experience, simultaneously feeling familiar and completely new.

What sort of game is Nightreign?

Hooooo boy, here’s where things get interesting. Officially, Nightreign is a “session-based RPG” that will be different every time you play it. But it’s not an RPG in the traditional sense of the term. You won’t create a character and build up that character’s stats, there aren’t dialogue trees or anything, and there really isn’t much of a narrative outside some general character and world lore. It’s truly a unique animal that borrows gameplay mechanics from a wide variety of genres, including hero shooters, battle royales, and, yes, RPGs.

OK, so it’s an RPG but it’s not an RPG? I’m already confused.

That’s alright, it’s a lot to take in! I’ll admit that it took me a little time to wrap my head around it. Here’s the gist of the core gameplay loop: You and two other players (it’s always a three-person game and you can’t play solo) are dropped onto a map called Limveld, where you’ll need to survive for three days against the forces of night, leveling up your character and finding better and better loot. Your ultimate goal is to be powerful enough to take on bosses that you encounter.

FromSoftware bosses? Now we’re talking!

Exactly. At the end of every day, you’ll battle a boss that will reward you with loot that will (presumably) make it easier to survive. At the end of the third night, you’ll face off against a Nightlord. Beat that boss to earn semi-permanent character boosts (more on those later). One of the coolest things about Nightreign is that it features bosses from several FromSoftware’s games, including Elden Ring (including Margit and Demi-Human Queen) and the Dark Souls series (hello, Nameless King!). If you’re a fan of From’s boss fights, you’ll be in heaven.

Are there bosses from any of FromSoftware’s other game?

Unfortunately, From has only confirmed bosses from the Dark Souls games and Elden Ring, but I think we’re all really hoping to see some bosses from Sekiro and maybe another game that isn’t on Xbox (I think you know which one). I will say that I feel confident that we won’t see any bosses from the Armored Core series.

So, if you’re not making your own character, who are you playing as?

Before each session, players will choose a Nightfarer, each of which has their own abilities and own set of skills. Each Nightfarer also has an ultimate power that could be categorized as damage, defense, or utility. Figuring out how ultimates work together and timing them is one of the most rewarding parts of the game. What’s more, players can choose to be three different Nightfarers or go with two or even three of the same ones. As you might imagine, there are benefits and drawbacks to each, so it pays to work together and communicate.

What sort of character types did you play with?

While there will be eight different Nightfarers in the final game when it releases in May, the network test will feature three:

Wylder, whose well-balanced abilities and straightforward playstyle make him the most accessible Nightfarer for new players.
Guardian, an eagle-headed warrior that’s a defensive specialist and can knock enemies back and deploy a barrier.
Recluse, a highly skilled magic user that is the most challenging to use but by far the most rewarding once you get good.

Wylder and Guardian will feel familiar to Elden Ring and Souls fan, especially because they use weapons and shields. Recluse on the other hand, breaks the mold set by magic-wielding characters in those games.

So, Recluse can’t just cast spells and refill her FP whenever it gets low?

See, that’s where things get interesting. While Recluse can indeed cast spells and launch magic attacks, refilling your FP isn’t that easy. Rather than simply popping a potion, you’ll need to collect attribute marks from enemies that appear whenever they are hit with magic, fire, lightning, or holy attacks. Once you collect four marks, you can unleash a powerful attack that’s different depending on the types of marks. She can also use the “Song of the Blood Soul” ultimate to mark enemies, allowing her squad mates to recover HP and FP by attacking. I can see high-level Recluse players being a hot commodity since she can make the whole team better.

So how does an average match start?

Before you even dive into a session, you’ll find yourself hanging out in the Roundtable Hold, which has gotten some renovations since last we saw it. The biggest addition is a sparring area featuring dummies you can practice on. You’ll be able to change a variety of parameters like your character level, amount of stamina, damage dealt, etc. It’s a nice way to practice outside of a session. Anyway, once you’re ready to dive in, you’ll launch an expedition and be placed into matchmaking. After the game has found you two other players, you’ll each be given 10 seconds to choose your Nightfarer. From there, you’ll be deployed into Limveld.

Deployed? What does that even mean?

Here’s where some of those borrowed gameplay mechanics I mentioned above come into play: as you might recognize from games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and PUBG, the beginning of every Nightreign session sees the player swooping and gliding over the map while holding onto the talons of a giant Spectral Hawk. While in air, you and your teammates can drop pins to decide where to go. It’s not required but trust me when I say that you should stick together.

Alright, so once you’re on the ground, what’s next?

After you and the squad have landed, it’s time to start what From is calling the “field exploration” phase, in which you’ll run around the map killing enemies, looting chests, and smashing every box in sight. Not only can you find gear that will give you a better chance of survival, but defeating enemies will give you and your team runes that can be used to level up.

Wait, level up? I thought you said this wasn’t an RPG?

No, I said it’s not a traditional RPG. Yes, as you make your way around the map, you’ll gain experience that can then be used at a Site of Grace to level your character up. You won’t put points into strength or intelligence or any of that, you’ll simple move from level 1 to 2 to 3 and so on. This will, among other things, dictate how much damage you do and how much damage you can take. It always pays to level up whenever you are able, since it seems like there’s a pretty noticeable difference between levels. For instance, fighting the first night’s boss at level 1 is close to impossible, but fighting it at level 6 is fairly easy.

So why can’t you just level up a bunch of times to make it trivial?

See, that is where the real fun comes in. As you’re exploring the map, leveling up and finding new gear, there’s a Circle of Flame closing around you (yes, like Fortnite, PUBG, and Apex Legends). If you’re outside of the circle, you’re constantly taking damage, so it’s always pays to be aware of where it is. As the day progresses and the circle becomes smaller, you’ll be able to tell where the center of it is. At that center is the night’s boss that you need to defeat to move on to the next day. You’ll need to move around the map quite quickly if you want to stay safe.

Just how large is the map and how hard is it to get around? Can you just call your trusty steed like in Elden Ring?

The map is big, but not nearly as big as Elden Ring’s full map. My gut feeling is that it’s probably close to the same size as two of Elden Ring’s regions combined. Sadly, Torrent does not make an appearance in Nightreign, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of options when it comes to navigating the environment. First off, you can now break into a full sprint by clicking the analog stick while dashing, and I was surprised at just how fast you can move. There are also some new parkour-like traversal options, including mantling and wall jumps, allowing you to make your way up cliffsides (bonus: no fall damage!) relatively quickly. There are also some spots where you can launch yourself up into the air with a Spiritspring and glide down on your Spectral Hawk. The speed at which I was able to traverse the world was a surprising amount of fun.

What is there to do in the world beside sprinting around and killing enemies?

A lot! You’ll want to take the time (but not too much time) to explore, as you can increase the number of health flask charges at churches, take part in battles in which you need to take out every enemy in a camp for a good reward, and even deal with dynamic events that guarantee no two matches will be the same. In one of my sessions, I had to deal with a dozen large ants erupting from the ground during the middle of a mini boss fight which, as you might imagine, did not go well.

Will you run into tougher enemies out in the field or is that reserved for the boss fight?

Oh yes, you’ll definitely come into contact with plenty of mini bosses. During my runs, I saw Godskin Nobles, Golems, Depraved Perfumers, and many more. In addition to providing a bunch of runes to level up with, these mini bosses also drop better gear than regular enemies. The one catch here is that you’ll be forced to choose between a couple of options, each with its strengths and weaknesses.

Why wouldn’t you just take the most powerful weapon?

While the amount of damage you can output is certainly something you want to consider, it’s the passive bonuses that often make more of a difference. You see, when you equip a weapon, you gain a passive bonus regardless of whether you’re using it. So, for example, that low level greatsword might not do much damage, but it’ll add lightning to the attacks you perform with your higher-level broadsword. There’s a bit of give and take you’ll need to contend with, but that’s part of the experience. Also part of the experience: dying.

Ah yes, the good old “You Died” screen. Do you leave the game when you die as in Elden Ring multiplayer?

Not only do you not leave the game, but the method of reviving also adds a fun little twist to combat. You see, if you fall in battle, you won’t die but will enter a critical state in which you can still crawl around while begging your teammates for help. If they’re able to get to you before you die, they’ll be able to revive you by… attacking you! Yes, you read that correctly. When you rush to a downed ally, just spam the attack button to bring them back to life. The one wrinkle to all of this is that it’ll take longer to revive them if your attacks are weaker, and it’ll take longer to revive them if they’ve been felled before. This led to some wonderfully hectic moments during boss fights, as you’ll be attacking the boss and reviving your teammate at the same time. Madness!

OK, so let’s say I make it to the end of the night and take down the boss. What’s my reward?

Remember when I mentioned above that there are semi-permanent character boosts? This is where those come into play. When defeating bosses each night and the Night Lord at the end of the three-night cycle, you’ll get a relic which you can apply to your character before heading into battle. Relics come in red, yellow, and green, and each character has a certain number of slots corresponding with those color. One might have two reds and a green or one of each color. Each of these relics provides a power-up that you’ll have for the entire session and all future sessions, and you can swap them out as you see fit. It’s a neat system and it feels like it will lead to some powerful combinations once people get their hands on Nightreign.

Alright, I’m sold. When can I start playing Elden Ring Nightreign?

If you’re lucky, you’re already in the Closed Network Test that’s running this weekend. If you weren’t able to get in, you’ll need to wait until El d en Ring Nightreign release on May 30, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S. Pre-order today on the Microsoft Store for Xbox!

ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN Deluxe Edition Pre-Order

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$54.99

Pre-order

Pre-order now and get the following bonus content:
– Bonus Gesture
This is a Gesture that can be used in-game.

*The player can also obtain this later in the game.

The Deluxe Edition Includes:
• ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN
• Additional DLC
– Additional playable characters and bosses
• Digital Artbook & Mini Soundtrack

ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is a standalone adventure within the ELDEN RING universe, crafted to offer players a new gaming experience by reimagining the game’s core design.

RISE TOGETHER
Join forces with other players to take on the creeping night and the dangers within featuring 3-player co-op.

BECOME A HERO
Take command of uniquely skilled heroes, each possessing their own abilities and distinct flair. While individually formidable, their skills create powerful synergies when they unite as a team.

TAKE ON THE NIGHT
Overcome a relentless environmental threat that sweeps through a land that changes between each game session and defeat the magnificent boss of that night!

*There is also a Standard Edition product available. Please be careful not to purchase the same content twice.
*Additional DLC will be available by Q4 2025.

ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN Pre-Order

Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$39.99

Pre-order

Pre-order now and get the following bonus content:
– Bonus Gesture
This is a Gesture that can be used in-game.

*The player can also obtain this later in the game.

ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is a standalone adventure within the ELDEN RING universe, crafted to offer players a new gaming experience by reimagining the game’s core design.

RISE TOGETHER
Join forces with other players to take on the creeping night and the dangers within featuring 3-player co-op.

TAKE ON THE NIGHT
Overcome a relentless environmental threat that sweeps through a land that changes between each game session and defeat the magnificent boss of that night!

*There is also a Deluxe Edition product available. Please be careful not to purchase the same content twice.

The post Elden Ring Nightreign: Answering 20 Burning Questions appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Official Xbox Podcast: Deep Dive and Hands On with South of Midnight

The post Official Xbox Podcast: Deep Dive and Hands On with South of Midnight appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Celebrating Safer Internet Day by Digging Deeper into AI with Minecraft Education

Category: Responsible Gaming

February 11, 2025

Celebrating Safer Internet Day by Digging Deeper into AI with Minecraft Education

Kim Kunes, VP Gaming Trust and Safety, Xbox

People are using AI more and more at home, at work, in school, and everywhere in between. According to the most recent Microsoft Global Online Safety Survey, there has been a global increase in active generative AI users. Our findings showed that in 2024, 51% of people are users or experimenters of generative AI compared to 38% in 2023. Generation Z continues to drive this adoption with 64% of young adults reporting ever using the technology. That means it’s up to us – especially those of us who work in technology and gaming – to make sure that young people have the support they need to navigate the world of AI safely while also fostering their curiosity and creativity in exploring these new technologies.

That’s why, for Safer Internet Day 2025, Minecraft Education is releasing a new installment in the CyberSafe series where players can explore the risks and opportunities of AI use through fun, game-based challenges. In each instance, players are tasked with articulating guidelines for how to use AI safely and responsibly. Welcome to CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper, available free on the Minecraft Marketplace and in Minecraft Education!

Safely Exploring Real-world AI Issues

This DLC engages players by putting them in the role of a student tasked with helping to throw a fundraiser for their school. When the student sets out to investigate how AI technology could be used to help them mass produce the 3D-printed animals they’ve been learning to make in STEM lab, they encounter some common challenges and risks posed by using AI as a creative tool. They realize that its output might not be what they were looking for, and that they always need to check AI results against other trusted sources of information. While the player doesn’t engage with generative AI technology directly through the DLC, they will work through challenges and scenarios that simulate use of AI and learn about how to use it responsibly. Players will come to understand that, in the world outside their classroom, people might use AI both positively and negatively, building critical awareness of the roles that AI plays in their lives.

“Human inventiveness is at the center of AI. This is a great opportunity to empower educators, kids, and families with the knowledge and skills to use AI safely, maximizing human creativity and its positive impact in the world,” says Carlos Figueiredo, Director of Player Safety at Mojang Studios. “I’m excited to continue the momentum of our CyberSafe content, which has already reached tens of millions of players worldwide.”

Getting a Jump Start on AI Literacy and Skills

CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper builds on the success of the CyberSafe DLC series, available free on the Minecraft Marketplace and in Minecraft Education, which has helped a generation of players learn key digital citizenship skills like password protection, data privacy, and ways to deal with online bullying. Last year’s launch of Good Game inspired millions of young Minecrafters to create in-game codes of conduct. Through a partnership between Xbox and Minecraft, the CyberSafe series has reached more than 80 million downloads since 2022.

With Dig Deeper, players will learn the critical questions to ask when working with AI or encountering AI-generated content and build an understanding of how to navigate these systems thoughtfully and safely. Ultimately, the experience aims to illustrate that for all their capabilities, AI systems require human intelligence, intervention, and oversight to work safely and constructively. Use the included Minecraft Family Cyber Toolkit for further guidance on navigating the CyberSafe DLC series.

If you’re looking for more resources and tips for family gaming, visit xbox.com/family. You can learn more about what Xbox offers for families, including information about privacy and access to privacy tools, the Xbox Family Settings app and Community Standards.

You can read more about Microsoft’s Global Online Survey Results and the efforts being taken to tackle abusive AI-generated content risks at Microsoft’s Safer Internet Day 2025 blog.

The post Celebrating Safer Internet Day by Digging Deeper into AI with Minecraft Education appeared first on Xbox Wire.

The Sims at 25: How an Iconic Series Kept Up with the Game of Life

Category: Games

February 7, 2025

The Sims at 25: How an Iconic Series Kept Up with the Game of Life

Danielle Partis

25 years ago, The Sims made history with the first instalment of a legendary series that would go on to be one of the best-selling of all time. Few simulation games have enjoyed the success and longevity of The Sims – and the freedom and creativity to play with life however you want has afforded the series near-unrivalled appeal in the years since.

This week, Electronic Arts is celebrating this milestone and the history of the series in a big way, which includes a huge The Sims 4 Free Content Update containing new Create a Sim options, clothing, Build/Buy Items and much more. The festivities will also include the limited-time Blast From The Past Event, which lets players earn revamped versions of iconic items from the original The Sims game via in-game goals.

We had the opportunity to chat with Kevin Gibson, Production Director for The Sims at EA. Gibson has been working in production roles across the franchise since 2003, and has first-hand experience of how the series has evolved in that time. The studio is abuzz with excitement about the franchise’s birthday, and Gibson shares that digging deep into the series’ past to rediscover nostalgic highlights has been extremely rewarding.

“Our incredible players have shown us that no one does life like The Sims, and we wanted to celebrate this journey we have been on together,” Gibson says. “25 years ago there was a game with an idea that made big a splash at E3, and look where we are today! We’ve been part of multiple generations and touched millions of lives.

“We wouldn’t be here today without that, and we wanted to take a moment to pause and recognize all of our players – from those who were there at the E3 launch in 1999, to those that are brand new Simmers today enjoying The Sims 4 for the first time. All of the Simmers from all of the years and all of the different ways to play The Sims, are part of this 25-year journey, and this is our way of saying thank you.”

Blast From The Past

The Blast From The Past event is a particularly nostalgic look back at the early 2000s, bringing memorable clothing, furniture and decor from the early Sims games into The Sims 4. Among the items are some of my personal favourites, including two bold neon inflatable chairs, a three-tiered cake, and the fabulous light-up dancefloor where my young self also ordered many a Sim to boogie on down.

A lot has happened in the world in 25 years too – in the year 2000, The Sims created a simulation in the image of real life. Now, that original game serves as a time capsule to a past life. For example, in the first game, putting a wired phone inside your home was a necessity. In The Sims 4, Sims carry their own mobile phones, brimming with services that can be accessed anywhere, just like us.

“We’ve taken time to really explore the history of The Sims, going back to the roots and playing the original game, as well as exploring many of the previous game launches to remind ourselves of all the different ways people play with life,” Gibson tells us. “Everyone at the studio has had a different part of the franchise they cherish as meaningful to them, and the opportunity to share those moments with our players as part of the 25th birthday celebration has been a lot of fun.”

Preserving the Spirit of The Sims

The original The Sims was great fun, but often irreverent, difficult and downright wacky in the scenarios it presented. Your Sims could perish in freak accidents, their shrill screams piercing through your cheap PC speakers, all while another Sim is receiving a mysterious prank call about canoes. While The Sims has evolved to welcome a wider audience across two decades, its spirit remains largely unchanged, and this is something that the team has always wanted to preserve.

“The Sims was hard. Your Sims died, a lot. However, a core concept of The Sims was that it was your story and the game provided the push back in a humorous way,” Gibson says, “The tradition of letting the player tell their story, while the game pokes at the edges with humor and challenge has been a key pillar of how we make decisions for the game.”

The Sims 4 continues in that original spirit of serving the needs of the player and the story they are telling, while using comedy to enhance the story in new and different ways – your Sims can die, they can be ghosts, they can romance the Grim Reaper… or even become a Reaper themselves.

Even at over a decade old, The Sims 4 continues to feel fresh, with a consistent roadmap of content packs and updates. The Sims as a franchise has always evolved over time, marking huge economical, societal and technological advancements inside its progression systems, and that is reflected in the recent Free Content Update.

“The Sims 4 team wanted to give our players something that felt more in line with today’s fashions and trends for clothing and decor,” Gibson adds. “We spent time doing a full review of our assets in the game, finding where there was room to draw inspiration from modern expectations of aesthetics and style that our players expect as part of the new content we wanted to add.”

“The Sims can draw from reality, fantasy and science fiction, romance, home decor, world culture, travel and so much more,” Gibson adds. “We’re always building onto this ever-growing toybox of options and experiences within The Sims. In addition, we have a large group of people who are all eager to share moments from their lived experiences and help bring authentic nuances to the game to help tell stories players are interested in telling.”

The Sims team has also kept a close eye on community requests and discussions over the years, and lots of additions that have been made to The Sims 4 directly reflect what the players are asking for, a demonstrable commitment to building a game for everyone.

“Our evolution has been fuelled constantly through listening to our players,” Gibson adds. “The Sims is about the player, the story they are trying to tell, the creative space they are trying to build within, and the expression they want to have within the game. We have evolved the most in the need to change and grow to meet our players expectations of this franchise and to reflect the world we all live in.

“From the beginning, we’ve always sought to immerse our player community in this different version of the world we know, where they can experiment and explore, and express themselves. Across all our games and spin-offs, this core commitment to creativity and imagination has always remained true, and underlying it all is an enthusiastic, endlessly inspiring community.”

The new The Sims 4 Free Content Update and Blast From The Past Event are available to play in The Sims 4 now. There are lots more Sims celebrations going on this week – be sure to visit the official website for more information. The Sims 4 base game is also free-to-play on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.

The Sims 4

Electronic Arts

☆☆☆☆☆
717

★★★★★

Get it now

Xbox One X Enhanced

Unleash your imagination and create a unique world of Sims that’s an expression of you! Download for free and customize every detail from Sims to homes, and much more. Choose how Sims look, act, and dress, then decide how they’ll live out each day. Design and build incredible homes for every family, then decorate with your favorite furnishings and décor. Travel to different neighborhoods where you can meet other Sims and learn about their lives. Discover beautiful locations with distinctive environments and go on spontaneous adventures. Manage the ups and downs of Sims’ everyday lives and see what happens when you play out scenarios from your own real life! Tell your stories your way while developing relationships, pursuing careers and life aspirations, and immersing yourself in this extraordinary game, where the possibilities are endless. Play with life!

Download for Free – The base game of The Sims 4 is free to download. Get a plethora of options for building homes, styling Sims, and customizing their personalities. Craft their life stories while exploring vibrant worlds and discovering more ways of being you all at no cost.

Create Unique Sims – A variety of Sims are yours to personalize, each with distinct appearances, dynamic personalities, and inspiring aspirations. Use powerful customization features to bring your imagination to life. Create yourself, your favorite celebrities, your fantasy, or your friends! Change your Sims’ clothing to reflect your mood, develop stories that deepen your world, and give their lives purpose with traits and aspirations.

Build the Perfect Home – Effortlessly build and design homes for your Sims in Build Mode. Construct the home of your – and their – dreams by planning its layout, choosing furnishings, and altering the landscape and terrain. You can even add a pool, basement, and garden, or rebuild with new ideas and designs!

Play with Life – Control every moment of your Sims’ lives from their relationships to their careers. Your choices shape every aspect of their lives from birth into adulthood. Along the way, develop your Sims’ skills, pursue original hobbies, take them on adventures, start new families, and much more.

Add New Experiences – Use the Gallery to find inspiration from a community of players just like you. Download and comment on your favorite Sims, homes, and designed rooms.

Get More with EA Play – EA Play* members can expand their career possibilities with The Sims 4 Get to Work Expansion Pack

*Conditions, limitations and exclusions apply. See tos.ea.com/legalapp/eaplay/US/en/PC/ for details. Conditions & restrictions apply. See ea.com/legal for details.

The post The Sims at 25: How an Iconic Series Kept Up with the Game of Life appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 10 to 14

Category: Next Week on Xbox

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 10 to 14

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!

Quilts and Cats of Calico

Monster Couch

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Quilts and Cats of Calico – February 11
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A cozy board game in which the player’s main task is to make a quilt from patterned fabric scraps. By smartly combining the colors and patterns of the scraps, the player can not only score points for the completed design but also sew on buttons and attract adorable cats, who have their own preferences for bedding patterns.

Sid Meier’s Civilization® VII

☆☆☆☆☆
52

★★★★★

$69.99

Pre-order

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII – February 11
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

The award-winning strategy game franchise returns with a revolutionary new chapter. Sid Meier’s Civilization VII empowers you to build the greatest empire the world has ever known! In Civilization VII, your strategic decisions shape the unique cultural lineage of your evolving empire. Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history and steer the course of your story by choosing a new civilization to represent your empire in each Age of human advancement. You can start playing today by picking up either the Civilization VII Deluxe or Civilization VII Founders Edition on the Microsoft Store for Xbox .

UNDYING

Skystone Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$19.99

Pre-order

Undying – February 11
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Caught amid the zombie apocalypse and with time running out, Anling will stop at nothing to ensure her son, Cody, gets to safety. Enduring countless perils, including the zombie infection that’s beginning to take over her body, not to mention teaching Cody how to survive their harsh new reality.

Alpacapaca Dash 2

Synnergy Circle Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Alpacapaca Dash 2 – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

After saving the Alpaca Goddess and vanquishing the eternal darkness, you now have to save the Alpaca World again! Fragments of darkness started appearing and it’s your job to destroy them and ensure peace will remain into the colorful Alpaca World.

Camping Simulator: The Squad

CubeCube Sports LTD.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Camping Simulator: The Squad – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Immerse yourself in the beauty and challenges of the great outdoors with Camping Simulator. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful escape or a test of survival skills, this game offers a dynamic camping experience tailored to your style.

Fall Asleep

Xitilon

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Fall Asleep – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Assist Marsi in awakening from her deep slumber by gathering five-star shards in this engaging platformer. Navigate through five distinct locations, each presenting unique adversaries and challenges. Traverse the Enchanted Forest, the depths of the Volcano, Sandy Island, Snowy Peaks, and the Darkest Dungeon. Acquire new abilities with every star fragment collected.

Penguin Flight

Afil Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Penguin Flight – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Get ready to flap, dash, and soar in Penguin Flight, a delightful 2D pixel art platformer that blends charm, challenge, and creativity! Join a little penguin with big dreams as he embarks on a journey to touch the skies, navigating through 40 meticulously designed levels brimming with fun mechanics, vibrant visuals, and heartwarming adventures.

Pyramids and Aliens: Escape Room

mc2games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$12.99

$11.69

Pre-order

Pyramids and Aliens: Escape Room – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Your former mentor has disappeared inside an ancient Egyptian pyramid. Will you be able to find him? Pyramids and Aliens is an escape room game that will test your skills as an archaeologist. Solve puzzles, find clues, and reveal the secrets of the pyramid. Spoiler: it was not built by humans!

Super Forklift 3000 (Xbox Series)

Marcos Game Dev

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Super Forklift 3000 – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Super Forklift 3000 is an arcade space shooter with a twist: you drive a forklift that carries and shoots up to three boxes, each with unique effects. Defeat enemies and bosses while managing your different box types. Be careful not to run out of ammo!

Super Jagger Bomb 2: Go East

Eastasiasoft Limited

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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Super Jagger Bomb 2: Go East – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

Run, jump, fly and dash your way across dozens of unique stages in 2.5D style as you dodge enemies and collect bombs as fast as you can. Complete levels without dying to gain extra lives and use bonus rounds to multiply your score. Collect coins, practice, earn flight licenses and even unlock new playable heroes!

Avowed Premium Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$89.99

Pre-order

Avowed (Premium Edition Early Access) February 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger. Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment. Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members can purchase the Avowed Premium Upgrade Addon to receive up to 5 days early access, two sets of premium skins, and access to the Avowed Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack. Standard edition launches on February 18.

Recall: Empty Wishes

DANGEN Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$14.99

$13.49

Pre-order

Recall: Empty Wishes – February 13

Recall: Empty Wishes is a psychological thriller set in Taiwan during the 2010s. Follow Yonny, a sister determined to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of her brother, Tommy. As she delves deeper, she confronts unsettling secrets, blurring the lines between reality and illusion.

METAL SUITS: Counter-attack

Eggtart Inc

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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Metal Suits: Counter-Attack – February 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A side-scrolling run-and-gun action game set in the future. The main character, Kevin, who lost everything and was reborn as a cyborg, begins to take revenge on Golida, an alien who took everything from him.

Snezhinka

PLAYISM

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Snezhinka – February 13

Sequel to Marfusha, the second entry in the series of high-tempo shooting games with simple controls. Play as Snezhinka, an employee of a private military company in a dystopian world depicted in beautiful 2.5D pixel art. Go to various different battlefields and defend your objectives from the enemy’s onslaught.

Afterlove EP

Fellow Traveller

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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Afterlove EP – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Taking place in the vibrant city of Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, Afterlove EP is a blend of visual novel, narrative adventure and rhythm game from the creator of Coffee Talk and What Comes After.

Blood Hunting

Holcomb Entertainment LLC

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$24.99

Pre-order

Blood Hunting – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Chase Jones lost his family at a young age and must piece together what happened to them. As he uncovers the truth, he realizes what actions he must take and those responsible for his family’s fate have started hunting him. Now he must survive long enough to discover the truth and locate the responsible party before they find him.

Bumblebee – Search for Happiness

EpiXR Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$9.99

Pre-order

Bumblebee – Search for Happiness – February 14

A story-driven 3D flight exploration game where you guide a small bee on its quest to find a new home. As the bee embarks on this journey, it discovers distant landscapes, encounters friendly and serene animals, and explores breathtaking yet mysterious habitats.

Chibi Ninja Shino-kun Treasure of Demon Tower

Ratalaika Games S.L.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Chibi Ninja Shino-kun Treasure of Demon Tower – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A game inspired by Japanese ninja games from the 80s and 90s. Chibi Ninja Shino-kun: Treasure of Demon Tower is a fast and smooth retro platformer in which you climb a giant tower while dodging enemies, traps and other obstacles. Use your wall jump, hookshot and ceiling running abilities to make it past the various enemies and discover the legendary treasure of Demon Tower!

Dead Dragons

KEMCO

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$14.99

Pre-order

Dead Dragons – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

100 years ago, humans triumphed over dragons, bringing peace to the world. But whispers of their return ignite a thrilling tale! Take on the role of a brave protagonist, uncover the mystery behind a young girl tied to the dragons, and decide the fate of an entire world.

Deep, In the Forest

ChiliDog Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$6.99

Pre-order

Deep, In the Forest – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Welcome to a world of strategic card-based RPG, where you must liberate the forest kingdom from the Mad King’s tyranny. You, once close to the royal family, are falsely accused of the princess’s disappearance. To clear your name and restore order, journey through a perilous forest to reach the royal castle. Along the way, collect powerful items and cards, and encounter unique forest inhabitants, some of whom are misled or coerced into hunting you.

Doggy Up!

Axyos Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$6.99

Pre-order

Doggy Up! – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A platformer game where you play as a German Shepherd named Ollie, trapped in his own dreams. Can you pass the main challenge and free Ollie from captivity? The game will delight you with pleasant graphics, diverse locations, the ability to improve character characteristics, and dynamic events in locations that will help you not to get bored.

Hole Theory Series X|S

Webnetic s. r. o.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Hole Theory – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Dive into the addictive and satisfying world of Hole Theory! Control a growing black hole and consume everything in your path to clear each level. Strategically maneuver around obstacles, avoiding dangerous colored blocks that can end your run instantly.

REPLAY BOYS

Split Narrative Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Replay Boys – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

Play as Hannah, video editor for up-and-coming boy band The Replay Boys. When their manager calls in sick right before their first big concert, Hannah is the only one who can fill in and save the day. Help the band through their arguments and uncover their fears and anxieties, while dealing with crazy fans, a cult, and time loops!

Stickman Odyssey

Gametry LLC

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Stickman Odyssey – February 14

Embark on an epic journey with the nimble and fearless stickman in Stickman Odyssey! This fast-paced action platformer takes you through stunning, otherworldly landscapes filled with perilous traps, towering platforms, and menacing foes.

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered

Aspyr

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$26.99

Pre-order

Tomb Raider IV – VI Remastered – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Her legacy lives on! Play the next series of Tomb Raider adventures in this remastered collection of the Darkness Trilogy with Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider: Chronicles, and Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness.

Unsolved Case: Above the Law CE Xbox

Legacy Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Unsolved Case: Above the Law CE Xbox – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A powerful villain has no fear of the law. After the high-profile murder of the mayor, it becomes clear that anyone could be a target. Do not let him escape justice! There are tons of new cases to tackle in this installment of the Unsolved Case series. Track down evidence, speak to suspects, crack complex puzzles, and make choices that determine the outcomes… for better or for worse!

Witch of the Meta Loop

Happy Player

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$14.99

$11.99

Pre-order

Witch of the Meta Loop – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Step through the magic mirror, break the fourth wall, and uncover the real you! Explore the entire island with your trusted companions, crossing golden wheat fields and snowy plains, visiting the library, and climbing the magical tower. Join the island’s charming inhabitants to uncover the secrets of the isolated land and reveal the truth behind the Demon King!

The post Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 10 to 14 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Make History Today: Sid Meier’s Civilization VII Founders Edition is Available Now for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One

The post Make History Today: Sid Meier’s Civilization VII Founders Edition is Available Now for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Summary

Explore!

Don’t Neglect Upgrades to Your Equipment

Speak to Your Companions

Pay Attention to Companion Abilities

Your Map is Your Guide… and Your Shopping List

Examine All of the Abilities

Utilize Combat Techniques

Weapon Swapping

Go Treasure Hunting

Use Your Environment

Don’t Forget Your Grimoire

Avowed Premium Edition

Avowed Premium Upgrade Addon

Avowed Standard Edition

Atomfall

Summary

Symphonia 𝄞

Summary

The Most Accurate Supercross Tracks Yet

Building with the Community

Upgrading to Unreal Engine 5

ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN Deluxe Edition Pre-Order

ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN Pre-Order

Safely Exploring Real-world AI Issues

Getting a Jump Start on AI Literacy and Skills

Blast From The Past

Preserving the Spirit of The Sims

The Sims<img decoding="async" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;"> 4

Quilts and Cats of Calico

Sid Meier’s Civilization® VII

UNDYING

Alpacapaca Dash 2

Camping Simulator: The Squad

Fall Asleep

Penguin Flight

Pyramids and Aliens: Escape Room

Super Forklift 3000 (Xbox Series)

Super Jagger Bomb 2: Go East

Avowed Premium Edition

Recall: Empty Wishes

METAL SUITS: Counter-attack

Snezhinka

Afterlove EP

Blood Hunting

Bumblebee – Search for Happiness

Chibi Ninja Shino-kun Treasure of Demon Tower

Dead Dragons

Deep, In the Forest

Doggy Up!

Hole Theory Series X|S

REPLAY BOYS

Stickman Odyssey

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered

Unsolved Case: Above the Law CE Xbox

Witch of the Meta Loop

The Sims 4