Experience a darker and more grim vision of a cyberpunk worldwith a distinct Slavic twist.
Hey Punk! What are you staring at? Me? Good. Always be vigilant, that’s the key to survival in the world of SlavicPunk: Oldtimer. It may be a top-down, twin-stick shooter, set in a cyberpunk world with a distinctly Slavic twist for you, but it’s real life for me!
I bet you’ve seen the flashy cyberpunk in other pieces of culture, but you won’t find it here. It’s a grim world I tell you – no bling, no glory, no perspectives, only survival in a city governed by force and lies. Don’t trust anyone and you’ll yet see the light of the day.
Now pay attention because I’ll say it just once. Do you see the guy in the picture? That’s Yanus, you’ll control him. He always stays in the middle of the screen, so you’ll never lose sight of where you are, even when the bullets start pouring on your head.
Those guns that you are holding – push the button at the right moment and you will not only reload faster but gain a damage boost. You can also modify them, to bring more strategy to the fray, but first you’ll need to put the cash on the table for mods. You can get them…
Hey, pay attention, I’m talking to you!
Where was I? Ah yes, strategy – use your head, not only your happy trigger fingers. You’ve been taking care of your body, so be sure to dodge and dash away out of harm’s way. Use the environment as cover and you’ll be good. Worst case scenario, use “synthad” to give yourself a boost just don’t overdo it, that stuff is bad news I tell you.
You’ve got your VR mod and not a shabby one either. Use it to hack your enemies and…
Hey!
…you’ve got the attention span of a six-year-old. Just watch the **** video and learn something.
Did anything useful stuck in your tiny brain? You know what, don’t answer, I don’t really care. I wouldn’t say you’re ready, but at least now you’ve got a chance. Your client is just a single step outside of your apartment. She’ll tell you that a data carrier is missing and she’ll want you to get it back for her. Simple? No, nothing is that simple. Something stinks here and this time around it’s not you. Take the job and always look behind your back.
Interested? I thought so.
SlavicPunk: Oldtimer releases on Xbox Series S|X today. Have a peek into my Stream and see what you’re up against.
You got that?
Today. Xbox Series S|X. Wishlist and buy. Make me a happy merc, Punk!
SlavicPunk: Oldtimer is an isometric shooter video game, based upon the works of Michał Gołkowski, a renown Polish science-fiction and fantasy books author. It is him who created the story of Yanus – a private investigator with a troubled past, now trying to solve an unexpected case revolving around a stolen data carrier, all this while fighting his own inner demons, the urban gangs and a nigh-omnipotent corporation responsible for the downfall of the city he used to call his own.
The game offers solid combat and movement systems, as well as a modular weapon upgrade system, thanks to which the players striding through the dark corners of the city may make every encounter feel and look different. Action-packed levels with stealth elements, hacking and environmental puzzle solving are intertwined with more slow-paced sequences of city exploration, side quests and storytelling.
A unique, inherently Slavic take on the cyberpunk world is sure to leave none indifferent thanks to its sharp, caustic sense of humour and a slightly pessimistic outlook at the neon-grey shades of the surrounding reality, at the same time providing a much needed breath of fresh air to the genre itself.
As a team, the question we asked ourselves was: what was the world going to look like in a couple of decades? How would a hypothetical Central and Eastern European city and its inhabitants differ from, say, Blade Runner ‘s L.A. or Akira’s Neo Tokyo?”.
The attempts to answer this puzzle has had a tremendous deal of influence upon the game’s artistic choices, including a mix of futuristic-esque and overly outdated technologies, the grim, brutalist architecture typical of the post-communist countries, the character’s not-so-obvious moral choices and the often crudely makeshift, yank-and-tuck character and atmosphere of an environment overpacked with people forced to cope with the uneven distribution of goods and wealth, often relying on their wits and sheer luck to make it to the next paycheck without losing their minds.
SlavicPunk story goes to show that there is more than meets the eye to this dystopian version of the future is, and it is only up to the players to discover what lies beneath the neon glow and the concrete streets – helping Yanus unravel his last case and find out just how brutal and ugly the truth may actually be.
Planet Coaster 2 Is Out Now: 10 Tips to Take Your Dream Theme Park to the Top
Alex BoltonPR Manager, Frontier Developments
Summary
Planet Coaster 2 is available now on Xbox Series S|X, bringing the ultimate coaster and water park simulation to console!
Learn the basics and refine your skills in Career mode, set your own challenges and build with total freedom in Sandbox mode, and join up with friends to compete against players around the globe in Franchise mode.
Push the boundaries of creativity with piece-by-piece construction and share your designs with the world, or build your park quickly using blueprints and the Frontier Workshop.
Hayo Park Managers! Planet Coaster 2 is available now and is ready to create a splash on Xbox Series X|S. Build epic rollercoasters and dive into breathtaking water parks, bringing your creations to life with boundless creativity and enhanced management as you design and build the ultimate theme park.
Before you go grabbing your towel and rushing off to the flumes, we’re here with some top tips to help you build a park which will wow your guests:
Dive into water parks and remember those changing rooms!
Brand-new in Planet Coaster 2, water parks are making waves… quite literally, if you put down a wave machine! Create entirely free-form pools, relaxing lazy rivers and spectacular flumes, either as a standalone park, or integrated into your theme park. Place scenery pieces to theme your pools, add heated body dryers and even offer your guests a variety of colourful inflatables to use in the pool at a Queen Splash Emporium. Just make sure you don’t forget changing rooms so that your guests can get pool-ready – no one wants to swim in their park clothes!
Expand your creativity with piece-by-piece construction
Bringing your park to life has never been easier – Planet Coaster 2 gives you all the tools you’ll need to create buildings and displays from scratch, or add the finest details to put the shine on the perfect new attraction. With over 3,000 individual scenery items to choose from, you have more freedom at your fingertips than ever before to help shape your park, whether that’s scaling objects or attaching pieces to your rides and shops to create something truly unique. Once you’ve brought your ride to life, why not jump on board with the first-person camera, and experience your creations from a guest’s point of view!
Find your perfect way to play
We’d recommend starting your journey in Career mode, where the prologue’s tutorials will introduce you to the team from Coaster Coast, committed to helping you create the park of your dreams with a handy introduction to theme parks and water parks. Career mode offers increasingly challenging scenarios, set in extraordinary parts of the world. Sandbox mode is where you can set your own challenge level, allowing you to unleash your imagination and customise your own rules, creating your own gaming experience. Finally, Franchise mode lets you pitch your parks against the best in the world, attempting to earn a spot on the global leaderboards by competing in new online challenges.
Build an attraction’s prestige
Whilst everybody loves a day out at a theme park, we all have a ride that we absolutely need to try before we head home for the day. Each ride, flume and pool which you build will have its own Prestige rating – essentially, how appealing it is to guests. Everything from scenery to the ride’s Excitement, Fear and Nausea (EFN) ratings can draw additional guests into the queue, but if they’re turning away in favour of something else – maybe it’s time to look at a change. Remember that a park needs to cater for lots of different types of guests, you can use heatmaps to quickly assess which areas of your park might need some attention.
Control the flow of your park with paths
Every attraction is linked together with one common thread, vital for getting your guests from A to B… of course, we’re talking about paths! In Planet Coaster 2 you can create tight twisting walkways through your scenery, wide open plazas, and everything in between using a pathing tool redesigned with flexibility in mind. You’ll find a variety of tools to create, edit and connect your paths exactly how you wish, and you can use three different types of path to keep things moving; regular paths to connect every aspect of your park, queues for the entrances to rides and flumes, and staff paths to keep guests away from the inner workings of your theme park machine. Mastering paths gives you even greater control over the flow of guests and the aesthetics of your park.
The Blueprints to success
Blueprints allow you to place a pre-themed ride, slide, shop, even a group of different scenery items. They’re a great place to start when you just want to get things moving. The in-game Frontier Workshop also allows you to save your own creations as a blueprint for other players to drop into their park, so you can share your skills with the world, or add someone else’s creation to your own!
Share the park construction with a friend!
Have a friend who’s the most incredible coaster creator? Or maybe you’re looking for inspiration to take you to the top of the leaderboards? In both Sandbox and Franchise modes, you can team up with up to three other players to create a park together, passing your creation between players to work on one at a time. Whether you choose to build in the same space, or take your own section of the sandbox to sculpt, you’ll have to consider consistent theming and look at the guest experience in the same way real-world park design teams do. Collaboration is key!
It’s all connected… to the Power and Water systems!
As you play Planet Coaster 2, you’ll need to consider Power and Water as you expand your park. Rides and Shops will require Power in order to remain operational, and will need to be within range of a distributor to access the power you’re generating. Pools on the other hand, need a water pump and filter to keep them looking sparkling and ready for your guests to jump into! Connecting your pools and slides to a water filtration system will improve their cleanliness, and similar to power, you can use the radius of the water pump to see what’s covered. After all, no one wants to splash around in grimy water!
Come rain or shine
Dynamic weather also arrives for the first time in Planet Coaster 2, bringing with it new considerations for your guests. If it’s a hot sunny day, you’ll need to provide shade and adequate opportunities for guests to buy suncream. If it’s pouring with rain, an umbrella will keep your guests dry and happy. Make sure your vendors are appropriately priced for the demand and ready to offer the solution, whatever the weather!
Staff Management
Keeping your guests happy is one thing, but don’t forget to keep the people happy who are… well, keeping your guests happy! Cleaners will keep your park looking at its best, Mechanics make sure everything’s running smoothly, Lifeguards to keep a watchful eye on the pool, even through to Entertainers who can get your guests running for the hottest new food vendor in the park! Your staff members will need a break room, as well as a good salary to keep their morale high!
Ready to build the theme park of your dreams and splash into brand new water rides? You can purchase Planet Coaster 2 on Xbox Series S| X here! Hungry for more tips? (or maybe the mention of our in-game food vendors just made your stomach rumble…) – head over to the Planet Coaster 2 website, where you can find more guides and advice on how you can create your ultimate day out! You can also follow us on TikTok, X, Instagram and Facebook for more design inspiration.
Create a splash with Planet Coaster 2 – sequel to the world’s best coaster park simulator!
Reach new heights of creativity, management, and sharing as you construct the theme parks of your dreams combining epic water rides and coasters to delight and thrill your park guests.
Dive in now!
EMBRACE CREATIVITY
Expand your imagination: Enhanced and improved building and pathing tools let you create spectacular, true-to-life theme parks, complete with sprawling plazas. Make your mark on the world as you shape terrain and populate your park with stunning swimming pools and thrilling rides. It’s never been easier to bring your dream park to life.
Next-level customisation: Embark on the coaster park experience of a lifetime as you push the boundaries of creativity like never before! Unleash your imagination as you build the most awe-inspiring themed creations with unparalleled customisation tools! For the first time, intuitively add scalable scenery and objects to every ride to elevate your park and give your guests a day to remember.
Combine epic water and coaster rides: Create the ultimate experience for your thrill-seeking guests using piece-by-piece construction. Build a vibrant array of exhilarating rollercoasters and jaw-dropping thrill rides. Design a seamlessly interconnected park paradise with glistening swimming pools and twisting water flumes.
Create unforgettable experiences: Surprise and amaze as you bring the dramatic flair of real-world theme parks to your guests with the brand-new event sequencer tool, while sophisticated global illumination lighting brings the theme park experience to your home with stunning visuals and striking authenticity.
MASTER MANAGEMENT
Find the secret to success: Balance thrilling your guests with managing your budget – populate your park with amazing efficiently powered attractions and the right amenities to boost your rating and become a theme park master.
Take care: Provide for your guests’ health, well-being, and happiness so your park can thrive. With all-new waterparks comes the need for shade, sunscreen, lifeguards, changing rooms, and more to ensure everyone has their best day both in and out of the pool.
Satisfaction guaranteed: Understanding the wants and needs of your guests has never been easier! The new ‘heat maps’ feature lets you understand the wider park’s needs at a glance before diving deeper into the details -simply select any guest to see how they and their immediate group are enjoying your theme park.
SHARE THE RIDE
Create together: Unleash your collective creativity in Sandbox Mode. Take turns to work on building a park with players around the world using a shared cross-platform save!
Play together: For the first time ever, collaborate with friends in Franchise Mode to create the best theme park empire and compete with others to reach the top of worldwide leaderboards!
Visit together: Soak up the fun and get up close and personal, as you experience other players theme park creations first hand – explore their worlds in first person as a park guest!
Share creations: Share anything and everything! Upload coasters, rides, or even full theme parks for other players, and download and delight in other’s creations. All are easily accessible from the cross-platform Frontier Workshop both in-game and online.
Discover Across The Obelisk – the Deckbuilder that Lets You Cooperate with Everyone
Javier de Miguel del Valle, Game Developer, Dreamsite Games
Summary
Across the Obelisk is out now for Xbox Series X|S.
All DLC and content from the PC version are available now.
Players can cooperate no matter where they play or what they own thanks to crossplay and DLC sharing.
Welcome to Senenthia, everyone! It’s an honor and a pleasure to invite Xbox players everywhere to join our adventuring party today, as Across the Obelisk is out today for Xbox Series X|S!
From our humble beginnings in early access over three years ago, our team has been hard at work building Across the Obelisk, our unique party-based deckbuilding RPG, through expansions, updates, and improvements. Now, we’re adding a whole new group of heroes to our world – all of you – and we’re going to make sure you can jump right in whether you’re bringing more new friends to the party, or whether you’re catching up with folks who already know their way around our expanding world.
For those of you starting your journey with Across the Obelisk today, perhaps you’re wondering exactly what a “deckbuilding RPG” entails. It is firstly a deck-builder, where your abilities are tied to a deck of cards, and you have to choose a few cards to play during your turn to attack monsters, cast spells, put up defenses, etc. Over the course of the game, you will add more powerful cards and remove ones that are cluttering your selection, and thus build a deck that better fits your play style and can overcome the challenges in your path.
Now, mesh that with a four-character party – with each character managing their own individual deck – and a branching map full of decisions, sidequests, and key items that open new doors across the world, and you’ve got our game!
Across the Obelisk plays great for anyone familiar with managing a full RPG party in a single player game, but where the game truly shines is in multiplayer, with each of your four characters played and managed by a different person. Finding ways to support your friends, coordinate (or argue!) your group’s choices, and battle as a team all really come through when you’ve got a full party. That’s why we built our multiplayer experience with absolutely no barriers to entry. As anyone who’s ever had an RPG group can tell you: learning the game is easy. Getting four people to coordinate a game night is the hard part! We didn’t want there to be any challenges from the game itself in building your party, so our game has a few extra features to make life easier and your adventure more variable.
For starters, Across the Obelisk has completely open cross-platform multiplayer. All of you joining us from the Xbox community today can jump right in and play with folks on PC or consoles; it’s possible to have a four-player party where nobody is gaming on the same system!
What’s more, we wanted to recreate that feeling at the RPG table where someone arrives with the latest expansion book and everyone can share the cool new options, so that’s what we’ve done with our own expansions. If anyone in your party owns any of our DLC, everybody gets to share! You can freely play any of our expansion heroes without worrying if your friends also own the DLC, and your party can travel to any expansion maps so long as just one of you has bought it.
With that in mind, we can’t wait to see what kind of adventures you all have in our growing realms. Load up on mages with four different damage types, build an indomitable defence and healing tank squad – go wild in a party with only animal characters allowed! We’ve got much more in store for you in Across the Obelisk, and we’re thrilled to have everyone on Xbox finally joining the party!
Team up with your friends and experience roguelite deckbuilding like never before!
Craft decks of enormous power and lead your party on a thrilling quest to rescue a realm in turmoil.
Choose wisely; your decisions have consequences. Dare you go Across the Obelisk?
• Plan your strategy, but be prepared to adapt as you encounter procedurally generated events.
• Build decks from 500+ cards, over 300 items and 16 heroes in four different classes.
• Take sole control of your party of four heroes, or bring fellow adventurers along for the ride in 2-4 player co-op.
• Coordinate your party in tactical combat and experiment with different class combinations for entirely new ways to play.
• Encounter powerful bosses and navigate events and quests where your decisions affect how the story unfolds.
• Enjoy endless replayability with three in-depth game modes to master.
Your quest carries great risk: rescue your king’s daughter from the clutches of the treacherous Lord Hanshek before she meets her end.
Your party’s fate, and that of Senenthia, is in your hands. How will you proceed?
Plan Ahead, but Expect the Unexpected
• The goal of your quest is set in stone, but there are twists and turns on every path. How will you fare when no two journeys are the same?
• Your choices matter. Which road will you take this time? Who will you save? Who will you leave behind?
• Cooperation is vital! Decide together what’s best for your party. Will you help the people of Senenthia on your journey or selfishly search for epic loot?
An Evolving Adventure
• Customize and upgrade your decks by earning XP and unlocking perk points. Tackle four acts – each with its own fearsome boss – but beware of random events on your journey!
• Build your deck from a vast choice of upgradeable cards and items. New and more powerful combos are yours to discover each time you enter Senenthia.
• Combine character classes in different ways to find your favorite play style. Will you overwhelm your foes with mighty warriors or use your cunning and employ sneaky scouts?
• Looking for a tough roguelike challenge? Try obelisk mode. Draft unique decks and embark on a randomized adventure where being prepared for anything is everything!
• Discover endless combinations of cards, items, heroes and classes. And just as many ways to strategize your way to victory.
A Deckbuilder for the Ages
• Regular updates and content drops will keep you coming back to Senenthia time and time again.
• Want to test yourself against other players? Take on the weekly challenge mode. The deck and map are predetermined; success comes down to your skill.
• Team up with other players on whichever platform they own, thanks to crossplay.
• Let your friends follow along on your adventure when Story DLCs you own are shared across platforms with your entire party.
• “Just one more run.” Enjoy unrivaled variety and endless replayability – Across the Obelisk rewards experimentation and keeps you coming back for more!
Paradox Account required for certain features of the game. You have to be 16 years or older to create a Paradox Account. See https://legal.paradoxplaza.com/eula for details.
Support Virtual Agent is an AI-powered feature built to help Xbox players more efficiently solve their support-related gaming issues, and it is rolling out to select Xbox Insiders on support.xbox.com today. Support Virtual Agent can quickly access information from support.xbox.com to answer questions relevant to Xbox console and game support issues. Xbox Insiders located in the United States and with English selected as their preferred language can begin previewing the Support Virtual Agent today by visiting support.xbox.com while signed into an account that is registered with the Xbox Insider Program.
We value the feedback from Xbox Insiders for this preview experience and any feedback received will be used to improve the Support Virtual Agent. As you interact with the Support Virtual Agent, you can provide feedback via the “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” button on each of the responses or provide feedback directly via the “Give feedback” button at the bottom of the page.
How to Use Support Virtual Agent
Starting today, Xbox Insiders will see the Support Virtual Agent on the “Contact us” page on support.xbox.com. Sign in with the same account you registered with the Xbox Insider Program, then you’ll see a new option to ask our new Support Virtual Agent a question.
Once you click on “Ask a question,” you will see the Support Virtual Agent launch in a new browser window. You can ask the agent questions via text or voice, and it will answer with relevant information from support.xbox.com. If the Support Virtual Agent cannot solve the issue, you can request to speak with a live support agent as long as it is within Xbox Support’s normal hours of operation.
During this preview, you can also customize your support experience by clicking on the ellipsis menu icon and choosing between two different Support Virtual Agents.
How to Get Xbox Insider Support and Share Your Feedback
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please join our community on the Xbox Insider subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help. We recommend adding to threads with the same topic before posting a brand new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, you can provide direct feedback to Team Xbox by following the steps here under the “Report a problem online” section.
If you aren’t part of the Xbox Insider Program yet and want to help create the future of Xbox and get early access to new features, join the Program today by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub for Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One or Windows PC.
For more information on the Xbox Insider Program, follow us on Twitter at @XboxInsider.
Halo 2 celebrates its 20th anniversary this November, and Halo Studios is paying homage to its legacy.
Revisit faithful recreations of iconic Halo 2 multiplayer maps and gameplay in Halo Infinite’s Delta Arena Playlist.
Play the lost E3 2003 Halo 2 demo, featuring content that never made it into the final release of the game in Halo: The Master Chief Collection
It’s almost been 20 years since the release of Halo 2, the legendary sequel that put us behind the eyes of both the Master Chief and the Arbiter for the first time, and propelled online console shooters to brand new heights. Two decades later, the Halo series is still going strong, and we absolutely couldn’t let the milestone pass by without a celebration of such a game-changing title. Grab your Mountain Dew and lock in for the ultimate Halo 2 birthday bash.
To mark the occasion, Halo Infinite sees the release of the Delta Arena, a playlist featuring recreations of some iconic Halo 2 multiplayer maps, complete with the same authentic gameplay inspired by that era. Outside of that, a fully playable version of the iconic Halo 2 demo shown at E3 2003, featuring gameplay that didn’t make it into the final version of the game, will be added to the Steam Workshop as a mod for the Halo: The Master Chief Collection for fans to play for the first time ever.
We also had the opportunity to chat with some core Halo Studios members about the celebrations, share some nostalgic memories, and revisit the importance of this groundbreaking title and the legacy it shoulders like a Brute Gravity Hammer.
“Halo 2 is a major pillar for the franchise that catapulted the series and community to new heights,” says Brian Jarrard, Community Director on Halo. “It was also a master class in games marketing at the time – creating a true worldwide pop culture phenomenon spanning celebrity appearances to musical crossovers and product partnerships to ARGs and cinematics and stories that rivalled Hollywood.
“The gameplay innovations, esports competitions, storytelling, online connectivity, and the overall cultural permeation fostered a new level of global fandom and community that elevated Halo beyond ‘just a game.’ As we look back on twenty years(!) it’s still remarkable how impactful Halo 2 was and how wide sweeping its impacts are even today.”
On Old Turf
Delta Arena launches into Halo Infinite on November 5 and features several modern recreations of classic multiplayer maps from Halo 2, lovingly and faithfully rebuilt in Forge with the help of key Halo community members known as Forgers. You’ll once again be able to hop around the hazy sniping spots of Ascension, duel with Energy Swords along the neon hallways of Midship, or get stuck in close quarters chaos within the structures of Lockout.
“The process began by looking at what had been recreated by the community and seeing what could work in tandem with the modes we were developing internally,” explains Evan Colson, Designer on Halo Infinite. “We ultimately strived to find fan favorites that were faithful to their original designs and that could play well within the Infinite environment. Each of these recreations have been given new life by the extraordinary Forgers behind them.”
Take a peek at some of the new maps below.
Ascension, same name, new look.
Canopy is a leafy new take on Halo 2’s Lockout.
Beaver Canyon is a remake of Beaver Creek, exactly as you remember it.
Serenity, a remake of Halo 2’s Sanctuary.
Boulevard, originally Turf in Halo 2.
Nick Treitman, Producer on Halo Infinite, considers the selection a “healthy mix of maps,” with some adhering effortlessly to their original Halo 2 setting, and others opting for an artistic spin that works to enhance the map’s design, without sacrificing its legacy.
“Beaver Canyon feels exactly how you remember it and Conjurer takes the magical/wizard theme and cranks it to 11,” Treitman adds. “Midship has been one of our most requested maps and after finally getting the Covenant forge objects in game, it was a matter of time before a true-to-H2 version came together.”
Here’s the full list of maps with their original names, plus the updated names they’ll have in the Halo Infinite Delta Playlist:
Here’s the original Halo 2 Midship map, next to the brand new Inquisitor map coming to Halo Infinite.
Of course, it’s not classic Halo without the gameplay, and as such, settings in the Delta Arena Playlist have been adjusted to recreate the feel of Halo 2. With sprint and clamber disabled, a 120% jump height and friendly player collision enabled, you’ll be transported right back to those early online days of play.
“While utilizing custom game settings to recreate Halo 2’s movement is relatively easy, capturing that classic ‘feel’ was a bit harder to nail down,” says Colson. “Considering all the subtle difference between Halo Infinite and Halo 2, a 1:1 recreation was never quite in the cards, but what we did come to was that of an amalgamation between the two, with settings that move like legacy Halo, but plays with elements of the modern sandbox.”
These maps will of course be paired with iconic game modes – Spartans can jump into into rounds of Slayer, Oddball, Capture the Flag and King of the Hill inside the Delta Arena Playlist.
And an extra treat: The starting weapon in the Delta Arena playlist is the MA5K Avenger, a new addition to the Halo Infinite sandbox. Inspired by the Halo 2 SMG of the past and originally displayed 18 years ago on the cover of the novel, Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, the MA5K makes its debut as a playable weapon.
The E3 Demo
Many of us remember that iconic Halo 2 Demo shown at E3 way back in 2003. Not only was it an iconic moment for the gaming industry at the time, it also showcased what was possible not only in the Halo universe, but for the future of Xbox entirely. The demo was groundbreaking, and is fondly remembered by Halo fans today, but the effort to restore it has become a great journey in itself.
“The buzz and hype going into that event was off the charts and the stakes were higher than ever,” says Brian Jarrard, Community Director on Halo. “I have fond memories of so much playtesting and practicing, internal challenges to see who could take out every single enemy in a flawless playthrough.”
Now, for the first time ever, fans will be able step back to 2003 inside a recreation of the demo, playable inside the Halo: The Master Chief Collection via Steam.
“The response to the demo at E3 was electric, and nearly every Halo fan remembers that demo and where they were when they were first blinded by its majesty,” Jarrard adds. “Best of all, none of us ever would have expected that 20+ years later, a group of passionate community modders would bring this demo to life as a full-fledged mission.”
Betcha can’t stick it.
Several snags with technology have kept this demo locked away for many years, however, thanks to the work of the Digsite data archaeology archive and valiant efforts from the wider Halo community, the original assets and files were able to be recovered. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing from there either – the demo was built in a version of the Halo engine that no longer exists, and the assets were not compatible with any other existing versions of Halo 2.
“This put us in a bit of a quandary,” Halo Senior Franchise writer Kenneth Peters tells us. “Even the original executable is difficult to work with, as you need an Xbox developer kit to get it to boot, which is in increasingly short supply even within the studio. But now, in 2024, we have the Digsite-developed tools to analyze and automate up-porting old assets, and the unearthed knowledge to know why Bungie built things the way they did in the demo.”
“Steven Garcia (known to the community as General_101) was vital in getting this scenario stood up and even improved over the original. He was a one-man army and did a significant chunk of the work in developing tools, updating scripts, and even arting the levels. Digsite team members Ludus, Neo Te Aika, Sean T, xScruffyDaSasquatchx, and Killzone then provided finishing touches to replicate the original demo experience and test for bugs. Without them, we would probably have only had a rather unceremonious drop of raw assets and that was it.”
As part of the Digsite partnership between the studio and the modding community, players will be able to go hands-on with the remastered Halo 2 E3 Demo when this free mod releases on Steam Workshop on November 9.
Halo x Forza Celebrations
The celebrations are carrying over to other long-running Xbox franchises too. Halo and Forza have a strong history of partnership – the iconic Warthog vehicle made an appearance in Forza Motorsport 4 back in 2011, made its drivable debut in Forza Horizon 3, and in Forza Horizon 4, players were able to race it around a mission inspired by the environments of the Halo rings.
“The incredible potential of the EventLab tool in Forza Horizon 5 gives us an awesome opportunity to expand on this idea and allow payers to build their own Halo-themed tracks,” explains Corrinne Robinson, Franchise Development Director on Halo. “Our players have spent years creating amazing and inventive things in Forge within Halo and we can’t wait to see what the racing community does with the new toy box of Halo items at their disposal.”
The Halo 2 celebrations kick off on November 5 with the release of the Delta Arena Playlist as part of Halo Infinite – Operation: Great Journey.
Be sure to check out the Halo-themed Eventlab additions when they arrive in Forza Horizon 5 on November 7, and of course, the classic E3 Demo in Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Steam via the Steam Workshop mod when it launches on November 9. Get a good hold on that Covenant bomb Spartan, we’re diving in.
Coming to Game Pass: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Goat Simulator Remastered, and More
Megan Spurr, Senior Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass
Welcome back friends to our latest issue of Coming to Game Pass, answering the question, “What should I play next?”. If constructing additional pylons isn’t your thing (subtle plug that StarCraft: Remastered and StarCraft II: Campaign Collection are coming to PC tomorrow) we have goats, we have planes, we have rougue-lites and more. Grab your mouse and your favorite controller, and let’s get to the games!
Coming Soon
Metal Slug Tactics (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 5 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one! Metal Slug is making an explosive return! Dive into this dynamic tactical RPG with a roguelite thrill and experience the iconic run’n’gun action of the original series, redefined. Grab your weapons, assemble your squad, and conquer the battlefield to defeat the infamous Rebel Army.
Go Mecha Ball (Console) – November 6 Now with Game Pass Standard
Load up and roll out in this twin-stick shooter with roguelike progression! Blast your way through arcade-style levels, using pinball-like physics mixed with an arsenal of devastating weapons. Defeat waves of enemy bots, battle big bosses, and upgrade your mech between runs!
Harold Halibut (Xbox Series X|S) – November 6 Now with Game Pass Standard
Harold Halibut is a handmade narrative game about friendship and life on a city-sized spaceship submerged in an alien ocean. Join Harold as he explores a vibrant retro-future world in his quest to find the true meaning of home.
The Rewinder (Console) – November 6 Now with Game Pass Standard
A 2D puzzle adventure game inspired by traditional Chinese folklore. You will take on the role of Yun, a “rewinder” who has the ability to enter people’s memories and influence their actions. By utilizing “senses” and swaying others’ “intentions”, you can change history.
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank (Console) – November 6 Now with Game Pass Standard
Join Turnip Boy in teaming up with the Pickled Gang to plan and execute the weirdest heist of all time. Shake down hostages, steal valuables, battle the fuzz, and use wacky tools bought off the dark web to move further into the vaults of the Botanical Bank.
Goat Simulator Remastered (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – November 7 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one! The GOAT is baaa-ck! Lick, flip, and headbutt your way across a chaotic sandbox world where you make the rules. Enjoy wacky physics, upgraded graphics, and DLC classics in one neat package. It’s time to grab life by the horns and set out on an adventure!
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – November 19 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one! From Xbox Game Studios and Asobo Studios, pursue your aviation career with dynamically generated missions, compete against other pilots, and explore the most detailed digital twin of the world to date. Set out on your global adventure with our largest fleet of aircraft as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 takes simulation to new heights of authenticity and realism. Pre-install today to answer the call on day one!
In Case You Missed It
Botany Manor Now Available with Game Pass Standard Explore the historic manor home of retired botanist Arabella Greene, who has amassed a collection of rare, long-forgotten flora that require special conditions to help them bloom. Unlock new seeds, look for clues in the items scattered around the residence, and solve each gardening puzzle to revive these plants.
StarCraft: Remastered (PC) – November 5 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Prepare to rediscover a classic. StarCraft: Remastered upgrades Blizzard Entertainment’s original sci-fi real-time strategy game and its acclaimed expansion, StarCraft: Brood War, from beginning to end. Experience the intergalactic battle between the terran, protoss, and zerg with improved graphics and audio, and the same classic gameplay that made StarCraft a global phenomenon.
StarCraft II: Campaign Collection (PC) – November 5 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
With millions of players already in the fight, StarCraft II has made gaming history. Now it’s your turn to take command and lead vast armies of terran, protoss and zerg to victory amongst the stars. Prepare for interstellar war, commander. You’re needed at the front. The StarCraft II: Campaign Collection includes Wings of Liberty, Heart of the Swarm, Legacy of the Void, and Nova Covert Ops.
DLC / Game Updates
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Nuketown Multiplayer Map – Available now The original Nuketown is back! This homage to the version players first encountered in Call of Duty: Black Ops is an exact — though graphically much improved — version of the original, keeping the classic 1950s design of the Nevada testing site. Learn more about the latest content update on the Call of Duty blog.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Vault Edition Upgrade – Available now Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members can purchase the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Vault Edition Upgrade to unlock bonus content including BlackCell, which includes the Season 1 Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP, and more. The Vault Edition Upgrade also features the Hunters vs Hunted Operator Pack, five Mastercraft weapons, and the Gobblegum Pack for Round-Based Zombies.
No Man’s Sky: The Cursed Expedition – Available now No Man’s Sky’s sixteenth expedition, The Cursed, sees players battle against collapsing realities in an eerie twilight zone, with the promise of exclusive limited-time rewards, including the all-new, saucer-like Boundary Herald Starship.
Sea of Stars: Dawn of Equinox – November 12 In this free update, Dawn of Equinox will bring to life the completed vision for Sea of Stars, incorporating everything that couldn’t be included at launch, along with some of the most requested features and improvements including local co-op, combat 2.0, a revamped prologue, and much more.
Game Pass Ultimate Perks
EA Sports UFC 4: 1600 UFC Points – Available now Waltz into the Octagon in style in UFC 4 with 1600 UFC Points to customize your fighter with unlockable gear, emotes, profile cards and more. Personalize your fighter and shape your legend!
Leaving November 15
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Jump back in to grab any remaining achievements before they go or use your membership discount to save up to 20% on your purchase to keep them in your library!
Dicey Dungeons (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Dungeons 4 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Goat Simulator (PC)
Like a Dragon: Ishin! (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Persona 5 Tactica (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Somerville (Cloud, Console, and PC)
As always, you can find the latest reminders of when these “coming soon” games turn into “available today” on Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox. We’ll be back soon with even more games!
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, 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!
Grab a shovel, pickaxe, or sword and enter a realm full of treasures, magic, and dangers. A magical place awaits you, where you can let your imagination run wild. Create your little fantasy kingdom – from a cosy adventurer’s hut with a garden to small towns with their own parks.
Let’s Sing 2025 brings the ultimate karaoke experience straight to your living room! Sing along with your family and friends to the latest hits, as well as a generous selection of all-time classics. Complete your journey to stardom with a brand-new career mode, or join the VIP ranks to gain access to even more tracks. Perform at home or online with a global cast of singers!
The city has been invaded by cat aliens and the only one who can stop them is an ordinary high school girl! But wait, this girl has a secret. When no one is looking she can transform into a Magical Girl and protect the city! Can the heroine defeat all the enemies in the name of hope and justice and save the city?
Metal Slug makes an explosive return! Dive into this dynamic tactical RPG with a roguelite thrill and experience the iconic run’n’gun action of the original series, redefined. Grab your weapons, assemble your squad and conquer the battlefield to defeat the infamous Rebel Army.
A pixelated platformer where the brave panda, Pancho, rises to defend the world, liberating it from the tyranny of the sinister eagle and its faithful followers. Traverse through three unique locations — the forest, the desert, and the eagle’s cave — with a total of 45 thrilling levels.
Embark on an exciting adventure with a brave little duck determined to make it through countless obstacles. Your mission is to guide the duck through a series of dangerous traps across 40 action-packed levels, all while keeping track of the time it takes to complete each challenge.
Has work ever tried to kill you? It certainly tried to kill Max, an ingenious employee who got trapped in a factory full of dangers. Determined to escape, he uses his rolling ability to navigate obstacles and avoid traps. Every move is crucial as he attempts to flee the factory that holds him captive.
Unravel the mystery, where every choice shapes your fate. A supernatural gamebook brought to life, with multiple endings to discover. Fully accessible – with or without the screen.
Get ready for an enigmatic and challenging adventure with O.W.L Projekt, a 3D isometric puzzle game that will test your mind and logic skills. Controlling Elysion, a young being created in a mysterious experiment, you will face the enigmatic Watchers in a journey to escape and uncover secrets.
Unleash your strategic brilliance in this 2D side-scrolling strategy game, where you must build a base, manage resources, explore the mysterious forest and conquer your enemies.
Create a splash with Planet Coaster 2 – sequel to the world’s best coaster park simulator! Reach new heights of creativity, management, and sharing as you construct the theme parks of your dreams combining epic water rides and coasters to delight and thrill your park guests.
An isometric shooter based upon the works of Michał Gołkowski, a renown Polish sci-fi and fantasy books author. It is him who created the story of Yanus – a private investigator with a troubled past, now trying to solve an unexpected case revolving around a stolen data carrier, all this while fighting his own inner demons, the urban gangs and a nigh-omnipotent corporation responsible for the downfall of the city he used to call his own.
Inspired by classic 70s and 80s sci-fi, Bioframe Outpost is a 2d sci-fi action-adventure game, dedicated to exploration, experimentation, emergent gameplay and narrative. Its unique, photography-based approach to non-linear exploration and action gameplay offers a fresh take on metroidvania gameplay.
Experience an immersive journey and defend your lands through tactical and strategic battles in an epic, microscopic world. Become #103,683, the Ant Savior: lead your colony, rebuild a home, protect it, make it prosper, and conquer new territories throughout different seasons. Exploration, strategy, combat skills, and alliances with local wildlife will be crucial to emerge victorious from the many challenges lying ahead.
If you’ve had your horns in the sand for the last 10 years, Goat Simulator is a game about causing as much destruction as you possibly can, as a goat. Headbutt, backflip and ragdoll your way around each level to earn points and come up with creative ways to ruin an NPC’s day.
A single-player cooking and management game set in an enchanted bakery that sells all sorts of sweets and pastries with a twist — they may contain traces of magic! Experience a life full of magic, challenges, and the joy of creating sweets that will leave a spellbinding impression on your customers.
Welcome to Omiko City, where everyone’s favorite Taiko elements come together in one place! Together with Don-chan, meet your new friend, Kumo-kyun and aim to become a Taiko Master! Drum along to the rhythm of your favorite songs and aim to play them from start to finish! Featuring 76 songs across multiple genres such as Anime, Game Music, and more.
A first-person factory automation game is set beneath the surface of an alien planet. Work alone or in co-op to build factories, gather resources, research new technologies, mold the destructible terrain, establish a base of operations, and uncover long-forgotten secrets.
In the times of legend, the barbarian tribes needed a new dark messiah. This self-described metal action fantasy slasher with brütal FPP melee combat and souls-like/RPG character progression has been five years in the making, combines old-school single-player feel, a classic heroic story, and modern level of skill-based challenge.
An idle RPG where the player explores shards of destroyed worlds and fights various enemies. Inspired by old-school dark fantasy RPGs, the game features complex character development, many unique items, and both active and passive playstyles.
A classic 2D side-scrolling shoot ‘em featuring 20 challenging levels, endless hordes of enemy spaceships, and five epic bosses. Aliens have arrived and they’re up to no good and only you can stop them and their thirst for conquest. Choose between multiple characters to play, each one with a unique special attack ability.
Start your adventure and open your own Pets Hotel! All your little guests have different needs. The owners will tell you all about them, and it is your job to feed the pets according to their demands. Don’t forget about grooming and play-time! A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all!
Caesar needs you! Gaul won’t be conquered by itself in this funny, third-person tactical battle simulator with strategy elements. Feel like a squad leader right on the battlefield and stand under the Eagle and lead the legion for the glory of Rome!
As a Forest Elf created by the goddess, take up the goddess’s Silver Axe and seek out the lost power. In this fairy-tale adventure, will you choose to be an honest elf? How will you decide to save the goddess and the forest?
Set in the densely cluttered streets of “Kowlong,” filled with obscurity and chaos, this battle action-adventure game casts players as the “Hyoki,” an entity devoid of memory and physical form. His only motive is to eradicate the monstrous beings known as “Slitterheads” crawling around the city, disguising themselves as humans.
Hey Insiders! Happy Halloween to those who celebrate. The team is currently heads down working (and not at all playing Black Ops 6 between meetings) on getting the next releases and game previews ready.
It’s been a while since we posted one of these. We wanted to touch base to give you an update about the program and celebrate some of the things that team Xbox and the Insider Program have delivered. As always: a great big thank you to those who have participated in the Xbox Insider program over the years. We’ve got a big list of things to go over.
‘Freaky’ Feature Friday
There is an elephant in the room that I wanted to address first: the ‘Feature Friday’ plans for the subreddit that were announced some time ago. We haven’t forgotten our commitment to increased transparency and sharing more in-depth information about our process and ‘Feature Friday’ is part of that.
First, we read everything that is posted. We are here to champion your feedback and help make the Xbox community the best it can be. If we can’t do that in a way that the community feels heard, something needs to change. Right now, the team has renewed discussions about a few specific options internally. I don’t have more to share today, but I thought it was important to let you know that this is still on the forefront of our minds.
In spookier news, here are some of the terrifying highlights from our Operations team:
Game “Error when launching store” Previews – Tim W.
Everyone loves playtests as you get to preview new games or updates. We’ve had some great ones in the last few months including 33 Immortals, Starbound, Rhythm Towers, Off the Grid, FragPunk, and The First Berserker Khazan. We appreciate everyone participating and giving your feedback! We are continuing to partner with different developers to give you more playtests so keep an eye out for new previews and announcements in the Xbox Insider Hub app. The Rhythm Towers preview is still available to join, so if you haven’t already, give it a try.
If you launch the Xbox Insider Hub and don’t see the game you were expecting, it might be because we’ve reached the limit on users for that preview. Sometimes the developer only wants to target certain regions or requires you to sign up on their website. There are many reasons why you might not see a preview. While we try to include details about preview eligibility in our posts, if you think there’s an issue we always recommend using the Report a Problem feature.
Console “Gonna install right in the middle of your ranked match” OS – Joshua C
The past few months have been marked by more than 100 updates across the Xbox Update Preview rings! Together, we’ve seen fundamental updates to the friends and followers experience, and quality of life improvements like being able to choose specific components before starting a game install. There have also been great accessibility features released like toggle hold and being able to map buttons to thumbstick directions, and improvements to custom images for backgrounds and gamerpics. From the smallest changes to the biggest features, Xbox Insiders are always the first to experience the latest and greatest we have to offer.
Of course, we have also uncovered our fair share of issues these past months, and the feedback you’ve filed with Report a problem has been as invaluable as always. Your continued diligence in providing feedback has played a role in many of the issues resolved recently, including fixes to narrator and magnifier, unexpected game card navigation, as well as major improvements to capturing game clips and taking screenshots. Thank you for helping to make Xbox better for everyone!
PC “Wait, there’s a PC Insider Preview?” Flighting – Jon H
Over the past few months, Xbox Insiders on PC had the opportunity to preview several new features: Compact Mode for Game Bar, the new Friends and Followers Experience and just this week a new Home experience in the Xbox App. If you’re interested in previewing new features for PC and supported handhelds, make sure you register for the PC Gaming Preview in the Xbox Insider Hub.
I’d like to think I’m a good singer, and wanted to release this section as a video akin to a certain song some of you might have seen in school about how bills are passed on Capitol Hill (you know the one I’m talking about). Fortunately for everyone, that was vetoed.
But I do want to give the community some insight into how bugs work and why we need specific feedback.
So, you’re playing your favorite game, and it crashes back to the dashboard all of a sudden. You bring up the Report a problem prompt by holding down the Xbox button on your controller and selecting ‘Report a problem.’ After following the prompts and hitting submit, what happens to your feedback?
Here is the simplified version: your feedback lands in pool of all submitted Insider feedback. The Insider team reviews all the feedback. All of it. Each day, the team sends actionable feedback into another pool where the engineering teams investigate and fix or reroute if necessary.
That’s why it’s critically important to include specific details. What was the issue and when did you hit it. If you can tell us what you were doing, great! “It crashed” is helpful in that we know your game crashed. “It crashed on the splash screen” is even more helpful because we know when it crashed. “It crashed on the splash screen after I quit one game and then tried launching this one,” includes what you were doing. When in doubt, I recommend erring on the side of including more details. The easier it is for engineers to reproduce the problem, the more likely it is they can fix it. If you don’t want to use your controller, we have a couple other options (including a USB mouse and keyboard or using another device entirely). Read more here: Provide feedback to Team Xbox | Xbox Support
Thanks again for being an Xbox Insider, we appreciate you.
