• Category: Accessories

May 14, 2025

Introducing the Designed for Xbox Floral Collection 2025

• Pamela WangSenior Program Manager, Xbox

The new Designed for Xbox collection has arrived. Introducing the Floral Collection, designed for players who seek accessories that blend beauty with performance. Each piece in this collection is adorned with unique intricate floral patterns, bringing a touch of elegance to your game time.

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Night Blossom: PowerA Advantage Plus Wired Controller

Take your game and style to new limits with the officially licensed PowerA Advantage Plus Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10/11, featuring the stunning Night Blossom design. With our patented Quick-Twist Thumbsticks, you can easily adjust the thumbsticks to three different height settings with a simple twist. Enjoy a smoother, pro-level feel thanks to Hall Effect Modules that utilize contact-free magnetic sensors in the thumbsticks to help with precision and longevity. Plus, two Mappable Advanced Gaming Buttons, Dual Rumble Motors, and more. Available today for $42.99 USD ERP.

Key Features

• Quick-Twist Thumbsticks.
• Hall Effect Modules.
• Dual Rumble Motors.
• Immersive Impulse Triggers.
• Headset Compatible with 3.5mm headphone jack.
• Extra-long 10ft. USB-C Cable.
• PowerA Gamer HQ App – Adjust audio, triggers, rumble, dead zones, and more on your controller with this free app for Xbox and Windows.

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Flora: Audeze Maxwell Headset

Game in style with the Audeze Maxwell Flora Limited Edition headset, featuring award-winning planar magnetic technology for immersive audio, low-latency wireless, and 80-hour battery life to outperform and outlast your competition. Available today for $339.99 USD ERP.

Key Features

• Award-winning Audeze 90mm Planar Magnetic Drivers.
• Ultra-Low Latency Wireless with 3x range of traditional 2.4Ghz.
• 80hr+ battery life with fast charge in 20 minutes.
• Class-leading high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/96kHz.
• Filter noise reduction technology for clear communications.

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Floral Fusion: WD_Black Storage Expansion Card 1TB

Expand your Xbox game collection by adding up to 1TB of space (actual user capacity may be less depending on operating environment) with the official Xbox-licensed WD_Black C50 Storage Expansion Card Floral Fusion. Built with a super-speed NVMe SSD core, the WD_Black C50 Storage Expansion Card for Xbox leverages Xbox Velocity Architecture to deliver extremely fast, low-latency performance that emulates the console’s internal SSDs. Enjoy a seamless gaming experience and switch instantly between multiple games with Quick Resume. Available later in May, please see retailer for pricing.

Key Features

• Play effortlessly with full Xbox integration and enjoy gaming experiences that adhere fully to Microsoft’s quality standards.
• With 1TB of storage, you have plenty of room to grow your game library.
• Superseed NVMe Core revolutionizes your gaming experience with reduced wait times, fast responses, and full immersion.
• Xbox Velocity Architecture unlocks the full potential of the WD_Black C50 Storage Expansion Card for Xbox, allowing it to achieve blazing-fast performance and seamless, high-speed access to your favorite games.
• The storage expansion card seamlessly integrates with your console’s Quick Resume, enabling instant transition between multiple suspended games — so you can pick up exactly where you left off without delay.
• Enjoy the fresh Floral Fusion design to get you in the summer gaming mood.

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Spring Breeze: GameSir T7 Pro Floral Wired Controller

Embrace elegance and comfort with the GameSir T7 Pro Floral controller, featuring a stunning floral-patterned matte shell. Its semi-transparent design and dynamic RGB lighting create a mesmerizing visual experience. Shine with the T7 Pro Floral and elevate your gaming setup. The Game Sir T7 Pro Floral Wired Controller is available for pre-order today for $49.99 USD ERP.

Key Features

• Hall Effect sticks & triggers.  
• 2 Back buttons.  
• Trigger Locks.  
• Dynamic lighting on stick ring and ABXY buttons.  
• Wired to Xbox or PC connection.

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Elevate Your Gaming Experience

Enjoy beauty & performance with the Designed for Xbox Floral Collection. You can purchase your favorite accessory, or collect them all, at Best Buy online

The post Introducing the Designed for Xbox Floral Collection 2025 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Space pilots on Xbox are taking flight into Wrath of the Ancients, the final expansion for Everspace 2! Here are a few non-spoiler things to know before getting started.

Beginning the New Story and Sidequests

Everspace 2: Wrath of the Ancients adds a variety of new post-game quest lines and multiple sidequests, but don’t worry, nothing is missable. New sidequests added in Wrath of the Ancients will unlock as players discover new areas and achieve certain levels.

Get started on the new expansion main questline by returning to Homebase to begin, A Different Ending, a storyline that will set you on course to meet with an old friend on your way to the Aethon star system.

Take Flight in The Wraith

While progressing through Wrath of the Ancients, you’ll temporarily acquire the Wraith, an alien armed blockade runner, modified for a human pilot. This ship is a high-risk, high reward fighter for players who like blending a wide range of abilities with up close and personal combat.

The Wraith’s ultimate attack and abilities introduce a unique playstyle for Everspace 2 pilots focused on gaining temporary stats by destroying enemies quickly.

“Spectral Form” transforms the Wraith into a semi-corporeal state which causes hull to decay—the less hull you have, the more damage the Wraith will unleash. When your hull reaches zero, Spectral Form ends and your ship is restored to full health, ready to strike again. In addition to a significant damage boost, being in Spectral Form replaces devices with new special abilities that will help clever pilots turn the tides of battle.

Gear Up!

Exploring new sectors of space is dangerous work. Skills will only take you so far—best to gear up your ship to survive! Wrath of the Ancients offers multiple new ways to strengthen a spacefight’s loadout. In addition to a variety of exciting new weapons incorporating alien technology, pilots will discover some awesome new legendary items.

Warden’s Embrace is a new unique Mine Launcher that Deploys a shield wall that blocks enemy fire, but allows your shots to pass. The shield will move forward depending on the charge duration and damage all enemies who pass through it.

True Shepherd is a special Sensor that boosts ally ship strength. Allies deal increased damage and whenever one of them destroys an enemy, you gain a stack of “Shepherd’s Resolve” for a few seconds, making your next few critical hits restore part of your hull, armor, and shield.

The Schrader is a nod to a well-loved former community manager. This special Mine Launcher fires a slow-moving mine that emits a shockwave every time it is hit by weapon fire.

Ascendant tier items are a new type of gear that have the potential to surpass stat values of similar Starforged and Legendary weapons, armor, and modules. Unlike regular gear, the rank of Ascendant items can be upgraded and receives a random attribute bonus on reaching the maximum rank.

Upgrading Ascendant items is done at Ancient Altars, special places found in Okkar systems. These altars allow pilots to exchange resources to unlock combat challenges for improved items. The higher the target rank, the higher the challenge will be.

Craft, Craft, Craft

With new resources and blueprints to collect, Wrath of the Ancients goes even deeper into crafting. Pilots will be able upgrade gear using sixteen new Okkar Catalysts that add powerful positive and negative modifiers to weapons, creating an even greater variety of builds.

Here’s a quick look at a few of the new Okkar Catalysts you’ll be able to craft.

• Piercing Shot
  • Positive – Gains 50% shield and armor piercing.
  • Negative – Can no longer deal critical hits.
• Safety Delimiter
  • Positive – Gains 30% increased fire rate while weapon energy is below 50%.
  • Negative – Becomes damaged when weapon energy reaches zero while firing.
• Alpha Strike
  • Positive – Deals 50% increased damage the first time it damages a target.
  • Negative – Deals 50% reduced damage on successive hits.
• Dual Detonator
  • Positive – Explodes twice at the impact location with a 0.5s delay.
  • Negative – Has a 10% chance to be a dud and not explode at all.
• Reserve Power
  • Positive – Unlimited weapon and boost energy while ULT energy is below 10%.
  • Negative – 20% reduced handling while ULT is fully recharged and ready.

Exploring New Star Systems

Wrath of the Ancients adds four new star systems to the explorable regions of Cluster 34. These star systems each have their own look, and are packed with deadly enemies to challenge, new puzzle types to solve, and powerful loot to discover. Unlocking each new region is easy, just follow the main questline.

Atheon – Visited briefly during a quest towards the end of Everspace 2, this system is filled with radiation fields and warship hulks drifting in the dark. Now, you’ll be able to return and seek a payday while navigating hazards left from the Colonial War. Longtime fans will be especially thrilled to see the continuation of a beloved quest line around an AI gone rogue.

Khaït Dominion – This system is the closest Okkar rim system to the Colonial border and also your first step on a pilgrimage deep into the heart of this alien culture. In addition to all kinds of space locations, you’ll also visit desert and swamp planets which are dotted with ancient structures and mysterious ruins.

Rhak Homeworlds – This system is the beating heart of this sector of modern Okkar civilization. Much of their population lives on gigantic orbital stations and sprawling mega-structures covering the planets below. This region is rich in rare resources, a perfect place to harvest new materials to craft equipment.

Space pilots on Xbox are taking flight into Wrath of the Ancients, the final expansion for Everspace 2! Here are a few non-spoiler things to know before getting started.

?????? – The forbidden system. No human has yet to visit this area of space and lived to tell the story. They say this region of space holds the most ancient of the Okkar worlds.

Wrath of the Ancients is out now on Xbox and Microsoft Store. New to the series? Grab the Galactic Edition and get the full adventure—including every DLC—in one killer bundle.

EVERSPACE 2 – Wrath of the Ancients

ROCKFISH Games

☆☆☆☆☆
1

★★★★★

$24.99

Get it now

The Ancients have awakened! Their wrath has laid waste to human settlements in Cluster 34, destabilizing factions in power and stranding survivors.

Among the Okkar, a growing number argue that if the Ancients reject Humankind, so should they. With the uneasy peace threatened, venture into the Okkar Homeworlds to discover the truth behind the threat… before war reignites the DMZ.

EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients offers space pilots an all-new adventure set after the events of EVERSPACE 2, as well as new mid-game side quests exploring the Okkar civilization and homeworlds. Take flight to battle against Ancient and alien enemies while tracking down the source of these threats to Colonial space.

This full-sized expansion is packed with new star systems to explore, allies to meet, and powerful new weapons to destroy enemy ships. The massive main story campaign will take pilots through four new star systems, each packed with locations filled with secrets and side missions to uncover.

Distant star systems bring new threats—battle challenging enemies and bosses in a never-been-seen before Okkar Ship. The new Wraith Okkar fighter uses rare technology to consume fragments of defeated enemies to activate special abilities. This high-risk, high-reward ship is deadly in the hands of a skilled pilot.

EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients features:

– Adventure through an exciting post-game storyline expanding the EVERSPACE universe
– Journey through several new major side quests exploring Okkar civilization and their homeworlds, accessible from midway through the main campaign
– Take flight in the new flyable Wraith Okkar ship
– Meet an expanded cast of new and returning characters
– Challenge new enemy types and bosses
– Explore four new and expanded existing star systems including the Okkar homeworlds
– Discover dozens of new locations filled with secrets and new puzzle types
– Power up your ships with new weapons and gear
– Break limits with new upgradable Okkar equipment
– Collect rare resources and crafting blueprints
– Space out to an expanded soundtrack adding new exploration, travel, and battle music

The post Five Things to Know Before Taking Flight Into Everspace 2: Wrath of the Ancients appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Hi everyone! I’m Fawad Asghar, one of the developers at Playdew, a small indie studio based in Pakistan. Today, I’m thrilled to share that the co-op demo for Lost Twins 2 is now live on Xbox Series X|S and Windows Store.

Whether you’re a seasoned puzzle pro or someone who just wants to hang out and explore a cozy game with a friend, the co-op mode in Lost Twins 2 was designed with you in mind.

Play Together, Your Way

In Lost Twins 2, players guide separated siblings Abi and Ben through a whimsical, shifting world. But in co-op, it’s not just about solving puzzles—it’s about solving them together.

While making the co-op mode, the focus was on the flexibility for all skill levels. One player can take the lead while the other supports, or both can play equally—it’s up to you. There’s no pressure, no fail states, and no “wrong” way to play. The design encourages collaboration without frustration, making it perfect for partners, siblings, or friends of any age.

Puzzles That Feel Shared, Not Split

Every puzzle in co-op mode requires teamwork, but never at the expense of fun. You might be sliding tiles to form new paths while your partner activates switches or times jumps—every action has a purpose, and every small success feels like a shared win.

It’s the kind of gameplay that encourages conversation, laughter, and those wonderful “Wait, try this!” moments.

Puzzles That Reward Partnership

We wanted the co-op puzzles to strike a satisfying balance: accessible enough to keep the adventure flowing, yet intricate enough to require thoughtful planning. No puzzle ever feels unfair. Moments of realization and breakthrough come with a rush of satisfaction, especially knowing that success only happens when both players work in sync. The experience is crafted to reward patience, communication, and creative thinking.

A World Full of Charm

Beyond the clever puzzles, Lost Twins 2 delivers an environment full of warmth and wonder. The handcrafted visuals, the subtle animations, the cozy vibe—it all comes together to create a world you’ll want to get lost in. And when you explore it with a friend, the emotional connection deepens even more.

This co-op demo is just a taste of what’s to come. Lost Twins 2 is shaping up to be something truly special—an experience full of charm, challenge, and heartfelt moments shared between two players.

Try the co-op demo now on Xbox, and don’t forget to wishlist the full game on the Xbox Store to join Abi and Ben on their full adventure when it launches later this year!

Lost Twins 2

Playdew

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Lost Twins 2 is an incredibly cute puzzle adventure that will challenge, entertain and maybe even inspire you. Guide Abi and Ben on their journey to find a way back home across a whimsical polygonal playground crafted with an enormous amount of care. Is the mystical Fenghuang leading them home or steering them down a rabbit hole?

Inspired by Miyazaki, the art style merges soft, painterly backgrounds with simplified, memorable characters and fluid animations. Each frame is crafted meticulously with pride – specific lighting techniques, thoughtful composition, and immense attention to detail mean that every single moment you’ll spend playing Lost Twins 2 will be a feast for the eyes. The original musical score is atmospheric, soothing, and thematic to complement the art style.

The puzzles in Lost Twins 2 are painstakingly designed, with elegant solutions that make you feel, momentarily, like a genius. They are hard enough to present a challenge but logical enough that you’ll be able to solve them within a few attempts. There is a joy to be discovered in every level in Lost Twins 2.

A signature sliding puzzle mechanic forms the core complemented by mechanics such as pressure switches, water gates, breakable domes, lifts, elevators, and more to ensure that the pace of the game never falters. There’s no repetition in the puzzles, each new puzzle will feel interesting and unique.

Team up in co-op mode and solve puzzles together! Work with a friend to swap tiles, activate mechanisms, and overcome obstacles as you guide Abi and Ben toward their long-awaited reunion. Whether playing solo or cooperatively, the journey is one of exploration, creativity, and heartwarming moments.

The goal is to delight both children and adults with a gameplay experience that is based on discovery, tinkering, and exploration–not on conflict and threat. There are no timers, no enemies, no deaths, not even any dialogues to read – just a poetic, visually breathtaking world full of puzzles challenging your wits. A cerebral and pleasant experience for everyone, never frustrating without proper reward, never dull or monotonous.

The post Play Together Your Way – Lost Twins 2 Co-Op Demo is Out Now on Xbox appeared first on Xbox Wire.

After five years in development, Steel Seed has officially launched on Xbox Series X|S — and whether you’re just starting your journey or well into the story, there’s more beneath the surface worth exploring. In this behind-the-scenes breakdown, we’re diving into the creative and technical process behind Zoe, the game’s central character. You’ll learn how Storm in a Teacup — a small team of around 20 developers based in Italy — approached the challenge of building a protagonist who is both machine and deeply human.

From early concept art to animation and narrative design, this article unpacks how Zoe’s robotic form was carefully balanced with emotional depth. These design choices don’t just affect how she looks or moves — they directly shape how players engage with the world, make decisions, and connect with the game’s story. Steel Seed isn’t just a sci-fi action title; it’s a layered experience about identity, resilience, and the personal cost of survival.

Character Core: From Concept to Conflict

Zoe’s story begins in mystery: she awakens alone in a robotic body deep within an AI-dominated facility, with no memory of how she got there. This setup posed an immediate creative challenge — how do you design a character that players can emotionally relate to while she herself is unsure of what she is?

Our solution was to emphasize vulnerability in her animations and body language. We intentionally contrasted mechanical precision with subtle, human-like motion — shaky breaths, cautious glances, hesitant footsteps — so players would instinctively connect with Zoe before even hearing her motivations.

Design Influences & Visual Language

Zoe’s look was heavily inspired by a blend of cyberpunk and anime sources: “Alita”, “Casshern”, and “Blame!” formed the visual backbone. But more importantly, her design needed to serve gameplay readability. Her glowing joints, for example, are not only stylistic but also provide feedback in low-light environments. Her expressive eyes — built with an advanced eye-tracking rig — became a key storytelling tool for in-game cinematics.

Emotional Anchors: Koby’s Narrative Purpose

No character like Zoe could exist in isolation. Enter Koby — a small, expressive drone initially designed as a gameplay mechanic. Very quickly, however, Koby became much more: an emotional anchor. His design language evolved to reflect that. His “face,” for example, is an LED screen that shows simple emoticons in real time, allowing him to “talk” in tones and visuals, which helps Zoe (and players) feel less alone.

Creating Koby meant fusing function and emotion. He helps solve puzzles, unlocks doors, and scouts ahead — but he also beeps in concern when Zoe is hurt and celebrates small victories. It’s AI companionship by way of empathy. He’s based on a robot originally designed and modeled by the Storm in a Teacup head when he was just 19 years old.

Bringing the Bay: Designing Cinematic Action

Steel Seed features cinematic action moments we internally dubbed “Michael Bay Sequences.” These were built to break tension and change pacing through high-octane gameplay: collapsing bridges, high-speed chases, massive explosions. But even here, storytelling was key.

Each of these sequences was crafted not just to look great, but to show how Zoe reacts under pressure. We used dynamic camera systems and occasional 2D perspective shifts to amplify spectacle without sacrificing player control. These scenes are also crucial moments for Koby to shine — rescuing Zoe, alerting her to hazards, or navigating tight quarters at speed.

Tips & Tricks for Players: Reading Zoe’s World

While Zoe’s enhanced mobility (wall runs, air dashes, silent takedowns) gives her an edge, surviving the Facility is all about environmental awareness.

• Look for Koby’s cues: He often highlights hidden routes or dangers you might miss.
• Use sound: Footsteps, enemy drones, and power surges all emit unique audio—you can use them to time movement and stealth.
• Read the lighting: We use subtle visual language—flickering bulbs, red vs blue tones—to help players intuit enemy activity and puzzle mechanics.

These soft cues are all part of what we call passive storytelling—immersing players without pausing the action.

Legacy of Zoe

At its core, Steel Seed is not just about survival — it’s about what defines us as human beings. What makes Zoe work isn’t just that she’s cool or capable — it’s that she’s scared, conflicted, and trying anyway. Her journey isn’t just about defeating enemies—it’s about reclaiming agency. Players may see a machine, but what we hope they feel is a very human soul.

Steel Seed is more than an action game — it’s an emotional blueprint of identity told through pixels, motion, and sound. And Zoe, more than anyone, carries that blueprint.

On behalf of the developer, Storm in a Teacup and all of ESDigital Games, thanks for all of the support during all these years! Steel Seed is finally here and it’s time to save humanity.

Steel Seed

ESDigital Games

☆☆☆☆☆
13

★★★★★

$39.99

$33.99

Get it now

Steel Seed is a single player stealth-action adventure game set in a dark sci-fi world. In her epic journey inside a hostile underground facility run by AIs, Zoe is alone with Koby, a flying drone, as her only companion.

The post Finding Humanity in a Mechanical World appeared first on Xbox Wire.

• Category: Games

May 9, 2025

The Real-World Inspirations Behind Spirit of the North 2, Available Now

• Tayler Christensen, Lead Developer & Co-founder

Summary

• Spirit of the North 2 is out now for Xbox Series X|S
• Lead Developer Tayler Christensen explores finding inspiration for the sequel and bringing more of the game’s vision to the world.
• The prequel, Spirit of the North, is available on Game Pass.
   

Today is the day I’ve been looking forward to for five years, the release day of our second game, Spirit of the North 2. To celebrate its launch, I’d love to share the story behind how (and why) we made this game.

A Vast World, A Tiny Hero

Back in 2016, I was at a crossroads. I was an architecture graduate training in 3D environment art, but I was also working as a general manager for an ice sculpting company. I’d always enjoyed creating spaces for people to enjoy, and that remained true through all my work. But how could my expertise in snow, ice, and environments be brought to life in a video game?

The answer came during a holiday in Reykjavík, Iceland.

The Fox Leads The Way

Iceland’s landscapes stunned me: volcanic rock fields, glacial lagoons, geothermal pools, and basalt columns that looked designed by nature. Everywhere I turned, I had the inspiration I was looking for.  Stone became sentinels guarding secret passageways. Geysers became dynamic obstacles. The glaciers became slides with hidden chambers lost to time. Even the folklore seeped into my imagination, especially when I later discovered a book about Tulikettu.

The Tulikettu is what the Finnish call a fox whose tail sparks in the air, sending flames to float to the sky and form the Northern Lights, (Or The Revontulet, the ‘Fox Fires’ as the Finnish call them). This enigmatic little creature encapsulated the essence of awe, something I felt in these nordic landscapes. The idea of an Aurora touched fox that roams the lands, healing spirits and being this guardian of nordic culture was the perfect tug on all of the threads, on all of these ideas, to bring everything together.

Story and Allure

Spirit of the North grew from those artifacts: a fox’s adventure through scarred landscapes, where players uncover stories of war, lost spirituality, and environmental ruin, not through dialogue, but through exploration. The sequel expands this vision, with richer lore, deeper mysteries, and guardians like the sorrowful Stag and the brooding Raven, each hiding tales of their own.

Spirit of the North is far more than a game to me.  Its world is an extension of myself, my team, and encapsulates everything that inspires and uplifts us.  We hope that it’s story, music, and environment create wonderment for you.  Thank you always. Spirit of the North 2 is available now on Xbox Series X|S.

Spirit of the North 2

Silver Lining Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆
4

★★★★★

$29.99

$25.49

Get it now

Embrace the Aurora, Save the Guardians.

In an ancient world left in ruin, embark on the journey of an isolated fox far from home. With the help of a wise Raven companion, seek out the lost legendary guardians and release them from the grasp of the dark shaman Grimnir.

A VAST OPEN WORLD
Roam freely through a vast and ancient open world, rich with long-forgotten history. Explore unique and visually captivating biomes, each with its own challenges and secrets to uncover.

SEEK OUT POWERFUL RUNES
Discover potent runes that enhance your abilities as your quest takes you from dense forests, through snow-capped peaks and to dark & ancient crypts to save the lost guardians.

EXTENSIVE CUSTOMIZATION
Tailor your fox’s appearance and skills to suit your playstyle, making each playthrough unique.

ANCIENT GUARDIANS
Face off against formidable foes as you save the legendary guardian beasts in thrilling, puzzle-based encounters.

The post The Real-World Inspirations Behind Spirit of the North 2, Available Now appeared first on Xbox Wire.