This week, Xbox announced it is actively building its next-generation lineup across console, handheld, PC, cloud, and accessories. As part of this, Xbox unveiled that it has entered into a strategic, multi-year partnership with AMD to co-engineer silicon across a portfolio of devices, including future first-party consoles and cloud.
This work is part of Xbox’s commitment to deliver an enduring gaming platform that enables you to play across devices in entirely new ways, with an Xbox experience designed for players – not locked to a single store or tied to one device.
Watch Sarah Bond’s announcement:
Sarah Bond, President of Xbox, shares how Xbox and AMD are working together to advance the state of the art in gaming silicon across the Xbox ecosystem, including our next-generation Xbox console – and how Windows and Xbox are partnering to ensure Windows is the number one platform for gaming.
Hear from AMD’s Lisa Su on what this means for the future of gaming:
Lisa Su, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of AMD, shares how Xbox and AMD are building on two decades of partnership, innovation, and trust. AMD will extend its console work to design full roadmap of gaming-optimized chips combining the power of Ryzen and Radeon for consoles, handhelds, PCs, and cloud.
Stay tuned for more as we continue to bring the next generation of Xbox to life—together.
Digging Deeper: The Inspirations Behind Still Wakes the Deep: Siren’s Rest
Summary
Still Wakes the Deep: Siren’s Rest arrives today for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC.
The DLC expansion is set 11 years after the original game, with a new main character.
Learn about the new inspirations behind this haunting new story.
Back in 2023, we shared some of the inspirations behind our narrative horror Still Wakes the Deep, which inspired its themes and structure, both in its grounded ’70s setting and its more fantastical horror elements. We took inspiration from a wide variety of sources, from classic horror films like The Thing and Annihilation to more unusual sources like Kes and Rosemary’s Baby.
For our new story expansion, Siren’s Rest, we wanted to explore the Beira D oil rig in a whole new setting, which comes with its own set of inspirations. Set in 1986, 11 years after the events of the original game, you’ll play as saturation diver Mhairi, who sets off on a journey beneath the North Sea to discover what happened on the Beira D. The ocean is a rich vein for exploring all kinds of tales, and these are just a few things that helped us craft this new story:
Thalassophobia
The fear of deep water is the origin of the entire psychological palette of Siren’s Rest. And for any players who haven’t felt this… we hope that Siren’s Rest will give them a chance to get a taste of this phobia.
We trawled through hundreds of articles of people experiencing this condition, people creating art about it, portraying it in a variety of thrilling and sensual ways. One thing that struck us: many thalassophobic photographs juxtapose a human with some yawning abyss or some looming form. The feeling you have isn’t just that this is a scary setting – rather, you feel a sense of enveloping dread for the person. Whoever that person is in that photograph, no matter how nonchalant they appear… you feel that they are in way over their heads (literally). They are facing their doom. That sense of overconfidence against the unknowable depths is something we wanted to capture in the game.
Even just an image like this we found on Reddit of an oceanic abyss gets the creative juices flowing. Also, did you know that a thick mysterious cloud called a brine pool can form in the bottom of the sea that creates these strange images? We wanted to hold that tension, between beauty and dread, at the heart of every visual design choice.
‘Last Breath’ (2018) and Saturation Diving
Saturation diving – named for the technique used to extend how long a diver can remain underwater – is an extraordinary profession. Dangerous, meticulous, weirdly poetic – everything deserving art to be made about it. It’s as dangerous as an astronaut going on a spacewalk… but far darker and far less well known. You are under tremendous pressure, literally, that messes with your mental state. You see things. You hear things. And all you are is a tiny flickering flame amid the everdark. This tension, loneliness, and thrill are all portrayed beautifully in the documentary ‘Last Breath’.
And for a more day-to-day explanation, just check out this Reddit AMA that was done a few years ago. Understanding what it means to live and work under such extreme conditions helped ground our narrative in real human stakes, even as the story veers into the surreal.
‘Blue Planet II –The Deep’
This episode of ‘Blue Planet II’ served as a powerful entry point for us into the mystery and otherworldliness of the ocean’s most unreachable places. Nature’s own level design and art design is off the charts! The strange colours, mysterious beings. Our wonderful Earth with its impossible underwater geographies provided us with a visual vocabulary for portraying the bottom of the sea not as some strange spectacle, but with this all-consuming silent awe…
Dante’s ‘Inferno’
As clear a metaphor as it gets, right? Dante’s descent through Hell, in gripping 14th Century poetic language, of increasing delusion as one moves further into tender darkness – influenced how we approached the structure of Siren’s Rest.
“Love, which quickly arrests the gentle heart, Seized him with my beautiful form That was taken from me, in a manner which still grieves me.”
‘The Descent’ (2005)
This film is two decades old and still stands up incredibly well. It’s a Dante’s ‘Inferno’ story brought up to the modern-day. Definitely not for the faint-hearted, for sure! Its classic structure and masterful rhythm of making tense progress in unfamiliar, claustrophobic physical spaces is a huge inspiration.
Submerged corridors, the pitch-black crevices of the story’s setting, technical, sophisticated characters whose psyches are run ragged, the mix of terror and hope and dread – it’s all there.
‘The Lighthouse’ (2019)
A recent dark masterclass in isolation, yearning, and the mind tricks that these feelings can conjure up. The film portrays two men (played by Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe) unravelling under the weight of routine, myths, and their own strange company. Those parallel the emotional current running beneath Siren’s Rest – a deep, almost delirious human longing – for connection, for redemption, for closure…
A central relationship between two characters who are equally isolated, equally alone with their thoughts and expectations – that stuck with us. The surreal juxtaposition between the raw, unforgiving environment, the arcane chores needed for survival, and the distantly warm conjuring of lost memories… we certainly hoped to capture that.
The Unexplained Ocean Sound, “Julia”
Sometimes even just a sonic phenomena can serve as an inspiration. A low-frequency sound, recorded by NOAA on March 1st 1999 and dubbed “Julia”, remains unexplained. The sound was loud enough to be detected across the Pacific Ocean and lasted for about two minutes and 43 seconds. An absolute treasure trove of strange explanations exists, spanning from giant sea creatures to aliens, naturally.
Julia’s inclusion in our early discussions around Siren’s Rest served as a symbol of the unknown – the uncanny idea that something might be out there, massive or silent, beyond our comprehension…
Màiri Mhòr nan Òran
The Hebridean poet Màiri Mhòr nan Òran shares a name with our protagonist, and her work comprises much of the emotional tone of Siren’s Rest. Her verses, rooted in exile, land, and longing, speak to the cultural and personal ruptures at the heart of this new story. They anchor the narrative in a Scottish identity that feels both deeply local and profoundly mythic – a legacy we feel incredibly privileged to portray.
The Still Wakes the Deep: Siren’s Rest DLC expansion arrives today for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC.
Coming to Game Pass: Rematch, Warcraft I & II: Remastered, Warcraft III: Reforged, Call of Duty: WWII, and More
Megan Spurr, Senior Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass
Hope you all completed your bingo card for the Xbox Games Showcase and Outer Worlds 2 Direct – between Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass, and World Premieres, that was almost a full row there! We’re on a roll and have more games for you to prep your download queue, so let’s get to them.
Available Today
FBC: Firebreak (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! A cooperative first-person shooter set within a mysterious federal agency under assault by otherworldly forces. As a years-long siege on the agency’s headquarters reaches its boiling point, only Firebreak – the Bureau’s most versatile unit – has the gear and the guts to plunge into the building’s strangest crises, restore order, contain the chaos, and fight to reclaim control.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (Console and PC) Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Crash fourward into a time-shattered adventure with your favorite marsupials. Neo Cortex and N. Tropy are back at it again and launching an all-out assault on not just this universe, but the entire multiverse! Crash and Coco are here to save the day by reuniting the four Quantum Masks and bending the rules of reality.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! Lost in Random: The Eternal Die blends dynamic real-time action, tactical combat, and risk-reward dice mechanics for thrilling second-to-second battles. Unravel an original stand-alone story as Queen Aleksandra, the once great ruler of Random, on a mission for vengeance and redemption.
Coming Soon
Star Trucker (Xbox Series X|S) – June 18 Now with Game Pass Standard
Hop into the driver’s seat of your rocket-powered big rig as you haul cargo, scavenge for salvage, and interact with an eclectic cast of star-hopping truckers in this Americana-infused journey on the ultimate open road – space!
Wildfrost (Console) – June 18 Now with Game Pass Standard
Take on the elements in Wildfrost, a tactical roguelike deck builder! Collect and upgrade card companions, ready to withstand waves of deceptively cute Pengoons, Gobblers, and brutish boss monsters. Test your skills in daily challenges and build up the town of Snowdwell, unlocking more cards to aid in your fight against the everlasting frost…
Rematch (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – June 19 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! Step onto the pitch in Rematch, a third-person, team-based football game where every pass, volley, and tackle matters. Designed for 5v5 online play, Rematch puts you in full control of one athlete, with no offsides, no fouls, and no downtime. Pass smart, play with purpose, and win together.
Volcano Princess (Cloud, Console, and PC) – June 24 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Prepare the next monarch by finding her hobbies, training her for battle, and befriending the citizens she’ll one day protect. Dive into an all-new parenting-simulator-RPG adventure, where every decision you make will not only affect the future of your daughter but that of an entire empire!
Against the Storm (Cloud and Console) – June 26 Game Pass Ultimate
Currently available on Xbox PC and coming soon to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta)! A dark fantasy city builder where you must rebuild civilization in the face of apocalyptic rains. As the Queen’s Viceroy, lead humans, beavers, lizards, foxes, and harpies to reclaim the wilderness and secure a future for civilization’s last survivors.
Warcraft I: Remastered (PC) – June 26 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Experience the inciting war between Orcs and Humans that shook Azeroth to its core. Defend the realm as the noble Alliance, or seek to conquer it as the bloodthirsty Horde, across thrilling faction campaigns or custom skirmish games. Warcraft I: Remastered features updated hand-painted art, widescreen battles, and rebalanced classic music. Enjoy modern UI tweaks, enhanced controls, and never-before-seen 1994 concept art!
Warcraft II: Remastered (PC) – June 26 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Captain your own fleet in the second Warcraft title created in 1995, now remastered with vivid, all-new visuals and modernized controls! War between orc and man rages on across the seas, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance as the great tacticians of the Horde and the Alliance clash. Only one thing is certain: winning this war will demand unprecedented cunning, courage, and nerves of steel.
Warcraft III: Reforged (PC) – June 26 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Warcraft III: Reforged features a thorough visual overhaul, a suite of contemporary social and matchmaking features, and more. Command the Night Elves, Undead, Orcs, and Humans and relive epic battles, explore vast campaigns, build armies, and challenge friends in multiplayer matchmaking!
Call of Duty: WWII (Console and PC) – June 30 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Call of Duty: WWII is a thrilling experience that redefines World War II. Land in Normandy on D-Day and battle across Europe through iconic locations in history’s most monumental war. Experience classic Call of Duty combat, the bonds of camaraderie, and the unforgiving nature of war against a global power throwing the world into tyranny.
Little Nightmares II (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 1 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Return to a world of charming horror in Little Nightmares II, a suspense adventure game in which you play as Mono, a young boy trapped in a world that has been distorted by the humming transmission of a distant tower. Will you dare to face this collection of new, little nightmares?
Rise of the Tomb Raider (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 1 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Making a return to the Game Pass library! Featuring epic, high-octane action moments set in the most beautifully hostile environments on earth, Rise of the Tomb Raider delivers a cinematic survival action adventure where you will join Lara Croft on her first tomb raiding expedition.
DLC / Game Updates
Fallout 76: Gone Fission – Available now Head over to angler’s rest to begin your angler journey. Combine different baits and rods to catch over thirty new fish and perhaps even hook a Local Legend. Enjoy your hard-earned gains by cooking up new recipes or proudly displaying trophies at your C.A.M.P.
Minecraft: Chase the Skies – Available today Experience the joy of soaring above the Overworld with Minecraft’s Chase the Skies drop! Fly with your happy ghast, build high into the clouds, leash a caravan of camels together, find wandering friends with the Player Locator bar, and more. Players on Bedrock Edition can also soak in breathtaking views with Minecraft‘s biggest official visual refresh – Vibrant Visuals.
Dead by Daylight: Five Nights at Freddy’s – Available today Dead by Daylight: Five Nights at Freddy’s brings Springtrap – once known as William Afton – into The Fog as The Animatronic. A brutally efficient new Killer featuring unique gameplay mechanics and 3 fear-inducing Perks, Springtrap specializes in map wide surveillance, unrelenting pursuit, and delivering the jump-scares you love to hate.
Leaving June 30
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Be sure to check them out before they go or use your membership discount to save up to 20% on your purchase to keep them in your library.
Arcade Paradise (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Journey to the Savage Planet (Cloud, Console, and PC)
My Friend Peppa Pig (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Robin Hood: Sherwood Builders (Cloud, Console, and PC)
SteamWorld Dig (Cloud and Console)
SteamWorld Dig 2 (Console and PC)
We’re adding more games over time to the Stream Your Own Game collection for Game Pass Ultimate members. Visit Xbox.com/Play to see the list of available cloud playable games to stream on supported devices if you own them.
As always, we’ll keep you up to date with the latest reminders of when “coming soon” turns into “available today” (and will give you a virtual high five if you did get Bingo during the Xbox Games Showcase!) on @Xbox, @GamePass, and @XboxGamePassPC. Will talk to you here soon!
Fast, punchy action RPG set in retro-futuristic world.
Fluid combat mechanics with two distinct modes of play.
A scrappy and inquisitive protagonist heavily influenced by 1990s anime.
Robots at Midnight isn’t set in your typical post-apocalyptic, sci-fi future. The luxury planet of Yob, now in ruins, is a hostile wasteland teeming with dangers. Among the crumbling infrastructure of cottage homes and state-of-the-art railway systems, we find our protagonist, Zoe, stranded on a planet built by machines, who must survive as the only human against a tide of sentient robots. Zoe’s journey is more than just a series of encounters; there are hidden paths and secrets to uncover on this forgotten world.
Against the colorful – but broken – setting, a moving personal journey exists for our game’s hero as the story progresses. Will she make it home before midnight?
The developers at Finish Line Games aimed to create a vibrant action game with combat inspired by From Software games. The vision is to provide an accessible experience for a range of players and deliver a rich experience for more seasoned gamers familiar with challenging game titles like Elden Ring. “It had to offer the free movement that players expect, but also a flexible, engaging challenge,” says Creative Director Eric Frech. This led the development team to explore different layers of challenge. The ‘Hero Mode’ offers play-through focused on exploration and discovery, allowing players to delve into the mysteries and lore of Yob. But the harder ‘Master Mode’ caters to players who love the high-stakes challenge of pushing their skills to the limit against more difficult enemies.
Designing combat for Robots at Midnight’s environment also meant embracing a fun, dynamic feel. The MITT, Zoe’s space-gauntlet, is more than just her primary weapon; it’s an extension of her determination. Her encounters with robots demand smart thinking – in addition to quick reflexes. Zoe will encounter useful items easily along her path, while other items require some hunting to be discovered.
Ultimately, Yob is more than just a setting for Zoe to clobber robots at midnight; it’s a world with mysteries to unravel and lore to discover. Zoe’s fight for a brighter dawn in a world of hostile automatons is a journey of discovery, determination, and overcoming the odds. To that end, Frech proudly stated, “We aimed to build a wholly unique experience that lingers long after the last boss fight.”
Using all the resources at your disposal, can you get Zoe home before midnight? Robots at Midnight is available June 19 on Xbox.
Robots at Midnight is a retro-futuristic Action RPG set on the planet Yob, a world left in ruins and haunted by the machines once built to serve it.
After twenty years in cryo-sleep, Zoe wakes to find a world she barely recognizes. To survive and to save what’s left, she must track down her missing father, lost during the cataclysmic event known only as The Blackout. Along the way, she’ll take on gangs of corrupted robots, confront towering bosses, and uncover long-buried truths about Yob.
Just be home before midnight.
[Combat with Fluid Movement]
The MITT is a powerful piece of old-world tech made for Space exploration, now repurposed for survival. Launch off enemies, soar through the air, and smash through bots with momentum-based combat that keeps you constantly moving. Whether in battle or traversal, fast, fluid movement is your greatest weapon. Find your rhythm. Sharpen your skills. Discover what you’re really made of.
[Choose Your Challenge]
Whether you’re new to action RPGs or a seasoned fighter, Robots at Midnight adapts to your playstyle. Hero Mode offers a more forgiving, story-driven experience, while Master Mode pushes your reflexes and tactics to the edge with high-stakes combat.
Whichever path you choose, prepare for a fight.
[Explore and Uncover Hidden Lore]
Waking up on a ruined planet isn’t the hard part, figuring out what happened is. Step into Zoe’s sneakers and investigate the mystery behind Yob’s downfall. Discover lost technologies, unravel the threads of the past, and determine your place in a future that moved on without you.
New Pinnacle Bosses in Path of Exile: Secrets of the Atlas, and Tips To Take Them On
Mark Roberts, Game Director
Summary
Path of Exile: Secrets of the Atlas is available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on June 13.
Secrets of the Atlas sets Path of Exile up for a new series of Endgame Bosses, Crafting Systems, Unique Items and much more as the game also steps into a new storyline to prepare for many future expansions.
The expansion brings back a fan-favourite character and introduces three new Pinnacle Endgame Bosses that will truly put your skills to the test.
The new Path of Exile expansion, Secrets of the Atlas, arrives on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One today. Explore a new additive Atlas storyline, face three new Pinnacle Endgame Bosses, and find a perfect companion in a new Mercenaries of Trarthus challenge league. Here, we’ll also share some tips on how to approach these powerful new foes.
Secrets of The Atlas
With one of Path of Exile’s most iconic characters, Zana, returning after many years from a mysterious disappearance, you will search for her and begin a new saga of the Endgame.
Bringing back Zana sets Path of Exile up for a new series of Endgame Bosses, Crafting Systems, Unique Items and much more as we also step into a new storyline to prepare for many future expansions.
The Secrets of the Atlas expansion comes with three very unique, very distinct bosses that now act as the Endgame Pinnacle content for this expansion.We wanted to have Zana be integral to these and have her memories be the source of their design. Specifically, very potent memories coming from places of either trauma or even admiration.
We took some concepts of Memories she had and translated them into new bosses.
The first memory sees Zana trying to get her father’s attention while he’s working and accidentally tipping over a candle, burning some of his books.
The books burn, he douses the flames and then angrily retaliates, yelling at her, at this moment she truly felt fear and that acts as a potent memory which has now malformed into her father turning into a boss named The Incarnation of Fear. The boss is strong, scary and physically powerful, depicting how she saw him in this moment.
The Incarnation of Fear is a physically powerful being capable of taking you down just using his fists. On top of that he is infused with intense flames that he can channel into powerful beams and spheres to block your movement and restrict your positioning.
This fight relies on you to intelligently consider where you are standing at all times, and make sure you aren’t restricting your playspace in a way that would result in your demise. All while trying to avoid his powerful physical attacks.
The second and third memories are similar, one is an Incarnation of Neglect, where he was lost in his work and thus ignoring Zana and refusing to give her attention.
The Incarnation of Neglect uses devices and machinery to his advantage. He summons powerful laser beams that will sweep through the arena, causing you to perform almost a dance to avoid dying.
Every so often he uses a number of puzzle boxes to do an advanced version of this skill, testing your reaction times and making sure you’re able to maneuver with precision.
If you’re able to survive these, he will channel powerful explosions and beams from his staff using shocking lightning and arctic ice magic, get hit by these and you will be slowed, or even frozen, and that will surely cause you to be eviscerated by the lasers.
Another is the Incarnation of Dread, a more positive memory, but one where she saw her father getting praise and being idolized by others. She was happy for him, but was afraid she would never achieve his standards and forever be in his shadow.
The Incarnation of Dread is a tactically complicated fight but one that is befitting of its role as a Pinnacle Boss. It uses a combination of all of the Elements and Chaos to try to defeat you.
Using its large limbs to slam you, tear you apart, all the way to using its neck which can literally split in two to create portals to summon magical homing projectiles it will prove formidable. Its most terrifying ability however is its bullet-hells, which will truly test the skill of the player as they must dodge and weave through waves of projectiles in order to stay alive, while trying to kill him and interrupt his abilities.
Each of these requires a well-designed, well-built and thought out endgame character to have the best chance. However, the world is your oyster, either invest heavily in defence to protect yourself from their disastrous abilities, or stack offence to try to burn them down quicker, or take something well-balanced in the middle and get the best of both worlds!
Step into the Memories
In this Endgame storyline, you will meet a mysterious new character named Eagon, who is trying to discover his own origins. Using a gauntlet of his own creation, Eagon is able to link to memory threads and open portals to new areas for you to investigate. These areas are influenced by the same memories which created the pinnacle bosses, who wait for you at the end of each memory thread. Defeating them will grant you new unique items, memory-influenced maps, and new crafting currencies you can use to manipulate the influence these memories have on items.
Path of Exile: Secrets of the Atlas is available today on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Earn devastating skills and valuable items as you fight your way through the dark continent of Wraeclast. With unrivaled character customization, Path of Exile is an award-winning online Action RPG created by hardcore gamers, for hardcore gamers.
