The Xbox Series S is in the headlines again after Larian announced it would be shipping Baldur's Gate 3 without split-screen co-op on the Xbox Series S.

In an interview with Eurogamer, Phil Spencer addressed the perceived issues with Series S and why owners understand the changes.

"I don't see a world where we drop S," Spencer said, "In terms of parity, I don't think you've heard from us or Larian, that this was about parity. I think that's more that the community is talking about it. There are features that ship on X today that do not ship on S, even from our own games, like ray-tracing that works on X, it's not on S in certain games. So, for an S customer, they spent roughly half what the X customer bought, they understand that it's not going to run the same way."

[caption id="attachment_397599" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Destructoid[/caption]

The Series S was a bold decision at launch, dropping alongside the more powerful Xbox Series X at a much more affordable $299 price point, though it omitted key features like a disc drive and only included a 500 GB solid-state drive. The lower price point was made possible with an overall lower spec, turning the Series S into a development bottleneck, which many developers have groused about over the years.

Despite Baldur's Gate 3 changes, the Xbox Series S is important

The Baldur's Gate 3 news was disappointing, but it's still hard to deny the importance of the Xbox Series S. While many tried-and-true Xbox gamers went for the Series X, the Series S received a lot of attention. The console's lower profile and relative power compared to it's lower price made it a great fit for many living rooms. It built a reputation as the solution for a more casual gamer looking to dip their toes into Game Pass on a next-gen console without breaking the bank. And for Spencer, that's precisely why he loves the Series S.

"Having an entry-level price point for console, sub-$300 is a good thing for the industry," Spencer explained. "I think it's important. The Switch has been able to do that, in terms of kind of the traditional plug-into-my-television consoles. I think it's important, so we're committed."

The post Xbox’s Phil Spencer says Series S changes to Baldur’s Gate 3 aren’t about parity appeared first on Destructoid.

As part of the Gamescom kickoff stream, Microsoft has announced the 2021 RTS Age of Empires IV is launching on Xbox consoles right now!

Developed by Relic Entertainment and released for PC in 2021, Age of Empires IV continues the long-running franchise. Considering it was published by Xbox Game Studios, it's surprising it took this long, but real-time strategy has long been a poor fit for consoles. Microsoft touts that this version will be reworked a bit to accommodate the controller interface.

https://youtu.be/yn4hP2eL0K8

I haven't played Age of Empires since the original 1997 release, but this one was well-received on its PC launch. So, that's cool.

Age of Empires IV is currently available on PC, and launches on Xbox platforms right now.

The post Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is available on Xbox right now! appeared first on Destructoid.

Get ready for liftoff. Starfield preloads begin Thursday as the game has just gone gold (which means Bethesda's development of Starfield is effectively complete!). Now, players can download the game pre-release on its platforms, but it will be truly ready to play when September 6 (or September 1 for early access players) rolls around. Unfortunately, Steam users will have to wait longer for Starfield preloads to take effect.

Those who own an Xbox Series X|S or a PC with the Xbox app can preload Starfield on August 17. Players on Steam have to wait much longer as preloading on that platform occurs on August 30. If you've bought the Premium Edition or Constellation Edition physically or digitally, you'll be able to gain access to Starfield five days early on September 1. To make the wait even more arduous, the Xbox Twitter page says its hand is moving "closer to [the] giant LAUNCH button."

[caption id="attachment_397078" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Bethesda[/caption]

After delays, Starfield is actually ready

Starfield was originally going to be released on November 11, 2022, but it was pushed back almost an entire year. “We know you’ve waited a long time to play something new from us," said director Todd Howard after announcing the September 6 release date in a trailer. "Believe it or not, we’re kind of the same."

He later said, "We really just can't wait for you all to play it." Now we're nearing that time. Many games from Bethesda's past were criticized for awkward facial animation and bugs across the board, but this new game engine may take Bethesda to the next level. It could lead to impressive showings for upcoming games like The Elder Scrolls VI. As of last year, that fantasy RPG is currently in a design stage of development.

The post Starfield preloads start soon for Xbox and Windows, later for Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

We're about two weeks away from the release of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. Those playing on Xbox who have preordered the game can preload Armored Core 6, letting you can play as soon as it releases. Unfortunately, PlayStation and PC gamers will have to wait a bit longer.

[caption id="attachment_395926" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Bandai Namco[/caption]

Armored Core 6 preload size

The download size when you preload Armored Core 6 on Xbox is about 53GB. This is a bit on the smaller side in comparison to games like the recently released Baldur's Gate 3, which ended up being about 122GB. However, FromSoftware has always managed to keep the file sizes of its titles in check.

For comparison, the massive open-world Elden Ring was under 50GB on consoles and only 60GB on PC. Dark Souls 3 was only 25GB on all platforms.

When we look at the file sizes of Elden Ring, Xbox as a platform was right in the middle. Therefore, it's possible the size of Armored Core 6 will be smaller on PlayStation and bigger on PC.

[caption id="attachment_395925" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Bandai Namco[/caption]

What about Armored Core 6 preload on PlayStation and PC?

Unfortunately, there's been no word on a pre-load date for Steam users on PC. Even though we don't have a date, typically Steam grants a couple of days of pre-load before a AAA release.

PlayStation players on the other hand will be able to pre-load Armored Core 6 starting on August 23, which is two days before it releases.

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon releases on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on August 25.

The post You can preload Armored Core 6 now on Xbox appeared first on Destructoid.

While Starfield is nearly here, you might not be partaking (for whatever reason!). From the thoroughly entertaining The Outer Worlds to the unrestricted freedom of No Man's Sky, let's look at the six best games thematically similar to Starfield that will satisfy your sci-fi-loving brain right now.

[caption id="attachment_367652" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Deep Silver[/caption]

Chorus

One of the most underrated games in 2021, Chorus should be on your list if you crave sci-fi action. While you can't get out of your spaceship and wander about, there is an open area to explore as you fly at high speed through asteroids and space gates. The combat impresses with its fast-paced action and powerful weapons. There's also an intriguing storyline to follow, complete with side quests to complement it.

[caption id="attachment_367674" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Frontier Developments[/caption]

Elite Dangerous

Want to explore the stars but you're stuck at home with a 9-5 job? Elite Dangerous might be able to transport you beyond the skies above. You'll be upgrading your ship as you fight enemy forces, explore the beautiful cosmos, and soar amongst the stars alongside your friends. There's also a major sense of scale as the developer claims on its Steam page that "the entirety of the Milky Way [is] re-created at its full galactic proportions". It has been free on the Epic Games Store in the past, so check your library if you haven't already.

[caption id="attachment_367676" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via EA[/caption]

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

One of Bethesda's greatest aspects is its storytelling. The majority of its games have immense lore and an intriguing storyline full of interesting characters. The Mass Effect series offers a similarly strong narrative that has you invested in its roster of heroes and villains. In addition, the worldbuilding is outstanding, as you get more intrigued by the factions and environments of this sci-fi universe the deeper you delve into it. Hopefully, Starfield will offer a story that has just as much drama as the legendary BioWare series.

[caption id="attachment_367643" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Hello Games[/caption]

No Man's Sky

With one of the rockiest launches in modern gaming history, No Man's Sky was a shell of the promises original made by the developer Hello Games. Fortunately, over the years, the game has received wide acclaim for its bevy of features, stunning landscapes, and introduction of co-op. The randomized nature of the game has given us strange new creatures and gorgeous scenery that fans often share their pictures of No Man's Sky. Starfield also features many, many worlds; No Man's Sky has likely inspired Bethesda with its daring concept, for better or for worse. Hopefully, the former.

[caption id="attachment_367661" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Annapurna Interactive[/caption]

Outer Wilds

If No Man's Sky doesn't tickle your fancy, Outer Wilds might instead. You're exploring a solar system that is trapped in a time loop, and it is up to you to solve the mystery behind it. The planets in this game each offer their own little secrets to discover as you find out details about the Dark Bramble and the alien ruins across the system. While there are no RPG mechanics to speak of, Outer Wilds will likely give you the same exploratory rush in Starfield. Nevertheless, Josh Talentino called the game "Superb" in his review for Destructoid.

[caption id="attachment_367670" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Private Division[/caption]

The Outer Worlds

The closest game you'll get to Starfield is probably The Outer Worlds. Not to be confused with the similarly titled last entry, this Obsidian FPS/RPG has an exciting and engaging campaign. You'll find well-written characters, an entertaining loot-and-shoot game loop, and a captivating story. The Outer Worlds does not feature interspace combat or a huge universe to explore. However, the densely populated environments have engrossing side missions and inspired art design. In fact, The Outer Worlds was Destructoid's 2019 Game of the Year.

[caption id="attachment_395803" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via 505 Games[/caption]

Death Stranding

While there aren't "traditional" RPG mechanics in Death Stranding, that sense of exploration from Starfield is present in the game. You’re delivering packages throughout the world and helping connect the once-separated areas of post-apocalyptic America back together. Directed by Metal Gear Solid veteran Hideo Kojima, its sci-fi concepts are thought-provoking and stunning to behold.

The interactability between players is also unique as you help each other form a better world. Death Stranding’s available on Xbox Game Pass for PC if you want to check it out.

[caption id="attachment_395804" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via KeokeN Interactive[/caption]

Deliver Us The Moon

If you want to explore a sci-fi world without chaotic shooting gameplay, Deliver Us The Moon might be your ticket. You’re exploring a space station that is unresponsive and within it, you’ll discover exactly what has happened. The story is told in a quiet, yet impactful way. The puzzles are also well-implemented.

The detailed environments also present the story well, hopefully like Starfield. It’s a sci-fi game that’s a breath of fresh air (well, at least as fresh as it can be in space).

[caption id="attachment_395805" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via EA[/caption]

Star Wars Squadrons

Lastly, there’s Star Wars Squadrons. The force is strong with this one! If you want to prepare yourself for ship battles in Starfield, you can control various Star Wars ships in Squadrons, and it's a rush to shoot an Imperial ship in an X-Wing in this game. The cockpit view is also one-to-one to what Rebels like Wedge and Luke saw back in the day with all the visual do-hickeys and buttons intact.

As our review notes: “It finds a great balance between making the player feel like a responsible pilot and a complete badass.”

The post The 9 best games similar to Starfield that you can play now (Updated) appeared first on Destructoid.

Xbox Game Pass is no doubt worth the monthly cost, especially since you can get a trial version of it for $1. However, said trial has now had its length slashed, and some may think it a strange coincidence this has happened just before Starfield gets released.

Turns out, instead of a cheap introductory offer that provides access to the Xbox gaming service for one month, you now only get half the time. First spotted by Kotaku reporter Ethan Gach over on Twitter, the Game Pass trial now only lasts two weeks.

https://twitter.com/ethangach/status/1688888019141500929

Indeed, if you head over to the Xbox Game Pass page, you can see that 14 days is all you'll get now for that first dollar. After that, you'll be paying the full rate.

Is Starfield the reason?

We can't say for certain why the trial period has been halved, but with Starfield just around the corner, this could be one of the reasons.

Seeing as Bethesda's much-anticipated sci-fi RPG will be on Game Pass from day one, it's possible Microsoft doesn't want people playing it for just $1. The game launches on September 6, so the new trial of the Xbox service would end long before it launches.

This is just speculation, of course, but you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn't think Starfield had something to do with the reduced trial period. The fact that it's not been mentioned on the official Game Pass Twitter page makes it seem like this change was done on the quiet.

In any case, now you'll only get the first 14 days for the introductory $1 price tag. That includes the Ultimate and PC packages as well, according to the website.

The post Xbox halves Game Pass trial length right before Starfield’s release appeared first on Destructoid.

A new expansion, platform, collaboration and more were all announced for Final Fantasy XIV. This year's Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest really seemed to roll a ton out.

The big news is, of course, the reveal of 7.0 and the new expansion, Dawntrail. It'll see the Warrior of Light (that's you, player) set off for the New World that's been mentioned in content like the Blue Mage quests, now officially named as Tural.

And the Scions will be getting deeply involved with the local politics again, it seems. A competition for the throne is heating up, which draws the WoL and friends in, and may even see the Scions face off on opposite sides. It's intriguing, for sure. Though it's some testy potential subject matter to handle, the tropical setting does make for a great showcase of all the graphical updates Square Enix is rolling out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onGE1-I2T6Y

Normally, the expansion would be the big headline. But today's Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest keynote also had a surprise guest: Xbox head Phil Spencer. Taking the stage alongside XIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida, and later the new Square Enix CEO Takashi Kiryu, they officially announced that Final Fantasy XIV is coming to Xbox.

Xbox Series X|S consoles will be able to join in the MMO, starting with an open beta set for sometime next year. Spencer and Kiryu both intimated that this was the start of a greater collaboration between Xbox and the Final Fantasy team, which will surely set speculation ablaze for a little while.

All of that, plus some 6.5X news and teases, a Fall Guys collaboration in the works, and of course, Hildibrand. Final Fantasy XIV has a ton in store for 2024, it seems. Here's all that lies ahead.

All of the headlines from the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest keynote

• Final Fantasy XIV’s next expansion Dawntrail charts a course for summer 2024
• Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail will introduce two new DPS jobs
• Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is getting a massive graphical update
• Final Fantasy XIV is coming to Xbox
• Final Fantasy XIV is expanding its free trial to include Stormblood

The post Everything shown at today’s Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest keynote appeared first on Destructoid.

A big MMORPG is making its way to Xbox consoles. Final Fantasy XIV is heading to Xbox Series X|S.

Xbox head Phil Spencer took the stage at Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest today alongside XIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida to announce the news. It will have 4K support on Xbox Series X, and have "faster loading" too. An open beta is scheduled for 2024, during the 6.5X patch cycle. It will also be a digital-only release.

No mention was made of Xbox One, so it looks like that platform won't be getting access to Square Enix's MMORPG.

Spencer says he sees this as a "seminal moment" with the Final Fantasy team, and hopes to collaborate more with them in the future, which is sure to set speculation ablaze. Square Enix CEO Takashi Kiryu took the stage too, reaffirming a desire to collaborate more with Xbox. This could be interesting to see pan out, with the historically PlayStation-focused Final Fantasy series.

A new world

The Xbox news arrived during an information-filled Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest presentation. Yoshida and the XIV team unveiled its plans for 7.0, the Dawntrail expansion, which heads to the New World of Tural. A bunch of new content is coming, including two new DPS jobs.

And for those incoming Xbox players, the amount of XIV content immediately available is expanding too. The famous free trial of Final Fantasy XIV is expanding to include its Stormblood expansion. That's a ton of extra content for incoming Xbox players to dig into, or any aspiring Warriors of Light to check out on PC or PlayStation.

The post Final Fantasy XIV is coming to Xbox appeared first on Destructoid.

If you have an Xbox Series X|S or an Xbox One, you may have noticed a few changes to the Home screen recently. That's because Microsoft has been rolling out an update for the current and previous-gen consoles, which brings some alterations to the system UI.

A post over on Xbox Wire gives an overview of what you'll see the next time you turn on your console (if you haven't done so already). The post says this latest update is the result of feedback from users and is designed to make it easier to "discover new games, rediscover games you already love, connect with communities, and create a more personalized experience."

[caption id="attachment_393782" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via Xbox Wire.[/caption]

So what's new?

First and foremost, your Library, Xbox Game Pass, Search, and Settings options have been moved to the top of the UI. The layout has been simplified to create "more space for your personalized background," while recent games and apps you've opened have been moved down a tad.

What else? There's now a personalized list of recommended games that have been curated for you, and an option to change your Home background so it matches the game you're currently playing.

However, it appears as though not all Xbox users will have gotten the update yet. The post says that "some customers will need to wait a few weeks to get their hands on it," but it is coming to all Series X|S and One consoles soon.

The post Xbox rolls out a new Home UI for Series X|S and One appeared first on Destructoid.

New Uniques, Legendary Aspects, and more

Diablo 4's season 1, Season of the Malignant, is just around the corner. We already knew the first season planned to bring some pretty big changes, but with the Diablo 4 version 1.1.0 patch notes releasing on July 18 we can now see the full scope of the update. Alongside the release of the patch notes, you can also now download Patch 1.1.0 on all platforms. The update is 9GB on PC and 11GB on consoles.

First and foremost, six new Unique items—including one Uber Unique—and seven new Legendary Aspects are in the update. Each class will receive its own new Unique alongside the Ahavarion Spear of Lycander, a super rare drop Uber Unique Staff from World Tier 4. The staff grants you a random shrine effect for 10-20 seconds after killing an Elite enemy. This effect can only occur once every 30 seconds.

Furthermore, there are a ton of bug fixes and overall gameplay updates. There are some pretty big quality-of-life updates here including Altar of Lilith unlocks and Map discoveries being account wide. Support has been added to the PC version for the PS5 Dual Sense controller. Experience gains, gold drops, and item drops have been increased across the board.

Finally, all of the classes have had a balance check resulting in some nerfs and buffs. Most of this stuff will have to be playtested to get a full idea how the changes will play out, but at a glance it looks like a rough day to be a Rogue and a disappointing day to be a Sorcerer.

[caption id="attachment_392308" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Activision Blizzard[/caption]

Diablo 4 1.1.0 patch notes for July 18th update

This is a big update with a ton of patch notes. You can view the full list of patch notes here. If you want to see the exact changes, we've included them below.

New Unique Items and Legendary Aspects

New Unique items and Legendary Aspects have been discovered in Sanctuary. Use them to enhance your characters in the Eternal or Seasonal Realm. These Unique items can be obtained from World Tier IV and the Legendary Aspects can be obtained from any World Tier.

6 Unique Items

General

• Ahavarion Spear of Lycander (Uber Unique Staff – World Tier 4): Gain a random Shrine effect for 10-20 seconds after killing an Elite enemy. Can only occur once every 30 seconds.

Barbarian

• Azurewrath (Unique Sword): Lucky Hit - Your Core Skills have up to a 20% chance to Freeze enemies for 3 seconds and deal 0.75-1.5 Cold damage to them.

Druid

• Fleshrender (Unique One-Hand Mace): Debilitating Roar and Blood Howl deal 0.5-1.0 damage to Nearby Poisoned enemies.

Necromancer

• Lidless Wall (Unique Shield): Lucky Hit - While you have an active Bone Storm, hitting an enemy outside of a Bone Storm has up to a 5-25% chance to spawn an additional Bone Storm at their location. Each of your active Sacrifice bonuses increases the chance by 25% and the total number of additional Bone Storms you can have by +1.

Rogue

• Eaglehorn (Unique Bow): Penetrating Shot has a 30-80% chance to fire an arrow that bounces off walls and scenery. Hitting enemies from behind with Penetrating Shot will make them Vulnerable for 3 seconds.

Sorcerer

• The Oculus (Unique Wand): Gain the effect of the Teleport Enchantment for free. When you Evade using Teleport Enchantment, you are taken to a random location.

7 New Legendary Aspects

General

• Audacity (Utility Aspect): When there are at least 5 Close enemies, Stun them for 2-4 seconds. This can only occur once every 20 seconds.
• Craven (Mobility Aspect): You gain 20-40% increased Movement Speed when moving away from Slowed or Chilled enemies.

Barbarian

• Ancestral Charge (Offensive Aspect): Charge calls forth 4 Ancients who also Charge, dealing 50-100% of normal damage.

Druid

• Subterranean (Offensive Aspect): Poison Creeper’s active also casts Landslide in a circle around you. Earth Skills deal 10-20% increased damage to Poisoned enemies.

Necromancer

• Gore Quills (Offensive Aspect): Blood Lance will consume Blood Orbs to also conjure lances from them. Each additional Blood Lance deals 20-50% of normal damage and prioritizes targeting un-lanced enemies.

Rogue

• Pestilent Points (Offensive Aspect): Every third cast of Puncture is Poison Imbued with 100-150% of normal potency.

Sorcerer

• Searing Wards (Offensive Aspect): After spending 200-100 Mana your next Firewall is free to cast and will destroy incoming Small Missiles.

Bug Fixes

Accessibility

• Made various improvements from an accessibility perspective—primarily, many fixes to the Screen Reader where it failed to read specific elements.

Challenges

• Fixed multiple issues where specific Challenges wouldn’t provide the proper rewards or could not be completed.
• Fixed multiple issues where certain Challenges could be progressed through unintended means.
• Fixed multiple issues where players could gain progress for certain Challenges through the actions of other nearby players.
• Fixed multiple instances where activities that should count towards the criteria for some Challenges were not counted.
• Fixed an issue where players would not receive notifications for when one of their friends completed a Challenge.
• Fixed an issue where Feats of Strength were not accounted for when calculating Challenge completion percentage.
• The Feat of Strength, Final Slayer of the First Mother, now requires you to slay the Level 100 Pinnacle boss solo. The Silence is Hellish challenge remains unchanged.
• Fixed an issue where The Feats of Strength, One of the First and Earliest Experience, did not display all the titles they rewarded.

Cooperative Play

• Fixed an issue where the camera wasn’t functioning properly when players were far apart in Local Co-Op.
• Fixed an issue where NPC conversation boxes would overlap if multiple Local Co-Op players talked to the same NPC at the same time.
• Fixed an issue where the Rogue's Inner Sight would only fill up for one of the players in a Co-Op session.
• Fixed an issue where the Dark Potential challenge would be granted to both players when either player completed it, regardless of the other player's progress.
• Fixed multiple instances where quest progress would not properly synchronize, or quest progression could be blocked for Local Co-Op players.
• Fixed multiple issues that occurred during cutscenes for Co-Op players.

Dungeons

• Fixed an issue where the player would not be able to receive enough animus to progress through the Hallowed Ossuary dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the Stone carving in the Fallen Temple capstone dungeon would duplicate.
• Fixed an issue where the Monster Regen affix in a Nightmare Dungeon would also affect structures in that dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the Goatman and Shambling Corpse enemies would continuously respawn in the Forsaken Quarry dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the Sentinel enemies would not have weapons in the Bastion of Faith dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the Bastion of Faith dungeon could sometimes not be completed.
• Fixed an issue where the player could respawn behind a barrier in the Fallen Temple capstone dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the map for the Crusader's Cathedral dungeon was incomplete.
• Fixed an issue where the Curse of Indolence and the Curse of the Weak would stack even while the player was dead in the Fallen Temple capstone dungeon.
• Fixed multiple instances where the Fog Door could not be progressed through in some dungeons.
• Fixed an issue where the Monster Thorns affix in Nightmare Dungeons was reflecting Physical damage, it will now properly reflect non-physical damage.
• Fixed an issue where Blood Boils would not properly spawn in the Kor Dragan Barracks dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where Traps would deal more damage than intended.
• Fixed an issue where level scaling in the Level 100 Pinnacle dungeon was inconsistent.
• Fixed an issue where the Awakened Glyphstone wouldn’t spawn if the party leader left the dungeon before the dungeon was completed.

Gameplay

Barbarian

• Fixed an issue where the number of enemies to defeat for the Barbarian Class quest Masters of Battle was not displayed.
• Fixed an issue where Iron Maelstrom could be cast more than 3 times rapidly casting War Cry.
• Fixed an issue where stacking the Berserk Ripping, Skullbreaker, and Anemia aspects would allow the player to deal extreme amounts of damage.
• Fixed an issue where the outer edge of the quakes granted to Hammer of the Ancients via The Aspect of Ancestral Echoes was dealing far more damage than intended.

Druid

• Fixed an issue where Earth skills and the Pulverize skill would consume two Overpower buffs simultaneously.
• Fixed an issue where the bonus effect on Blood Howl from Nighthowler's Aspect would apply twice to Wolf companions but not at all for Ravens.
• Fixed an issue where Provocation passive stacks wouldn't update properly after adding more points to it.
• Fixed an issue where the automatic transformation from Insatiable Fury would cause the Ursine Strength key passive to not proc consistently.
• Fixed an issue where the Enhanced Pulverize buff would not remove itself while in town.
• Fixed an issue where seeking Tornados produced by Stormchaser's Aspect would not deal damage.
• Fixed an issue where Ravens' passive damage did not improve after the skill was upgraded.
• Fixed an issue where Rabies would deal no damage while standing very close to an enemy.
• Fixed an issue where Stormclaw's Aspect allowed Shred to do extreme amounts of damage.

Necromancer

• Fixed an issue where Necromancers could not obtain daggers from the Purveyor of Curiosities.
• Fixed an issue where the Necromancer’s Minions would have their life bonuses deactivated while in town.
• Fixed an issue where Bone Spear cast through Chilling Wind from an Elite enemy would increase the number of generated Echoes for that cast.
• Fixed an issue where Enhanced Bone Spear could cause erratic movement.
• Fixed an issue where cancelling Blood Mist when it's already off Cooldown would immediately recast it.

Rogue

• Fixed an issue where Shadow Step wouldn’t trigger the Aspect of Uncanny Treachery if the target was killed.
• Fixed an issue where Advanced Penetrating shot would not knock down other players in PvP play.
• Fixed an issue where Twisting Blades would not come back when the ability killed a Bloated Corpsefiend enemy.
• Fixed an issue where the Dash skill would not move the full distance if targeting an enemy while using a controller.
• Fixed an issue where the Eldritch Bounty Paragon node granted bonus resistances incorrectly.
• Fixed an issue where Rapid Fire had an extra arrow VFX that behaved erratically.
• Fixed an issue where the Awakened Glyphstone wouldn't spawn for Rogue players using Improved Barrage.

Sorcerer

• Fixed an issue where the Firebolt Enchantment effect did not contribute to the Combustion key passive.
• Fixed an issue where the passive stacks generated by Align the Elements could partially reset in an unexpected way.
• Fixed an issue where casting Deep Freeze would prevent the Ice Shard Enchantment effect from triggering.
• Fixed an issue where Aspect of Control was applying its damage bonus 3 times for Staggered bosses.
• Fixed an issue where the Gravitational Aspect was appearing weaker on two-handed weapons or amulets.
• Fixed an issue where the Enchantment effect for Chain Lightning had no visual tracking bonus and could also unexpectedly drop off.
• Fixed an issue where Incinerate would immediately cost 30 mana when cast in addition to the consistent channeling mana cost. Incinerate now properly only costs mana as it is being channeled.

General

• Fixed multiple instances where players could unnaturally teleport during boss encounters.
• Fixed an issue where a chest in the Western Ways could be interacted with infinitely.
• Fixed an issue where the Eriman NPC couldn’t be interacted with in certain situations.
• Fixed an issue where otherwise breakable objects in the world would not be broken when evading through them.
• Fixed multiple instances where the player could avoid damage from bosses if they positioned themselves in a specific location.
• Fixed an issue where Forged Relics could not be interacted with.
• Fixed an issue where monsters with a Cold, Bleeding, Burning, or Corruption affix would freeze players in 1 hit in Nightmare Dungeons with the Cold Enchanted affix.
• Fixed an issue where Cold Enchanted monsters froze players more often than intended in higher World Tiers.
• Fixed an issue where a chest could spawn that would provide infinite loot.

Helltide and the Fields of Hatred

• Fixed an issue where the player could be damaged by the Helltide firestorm while standing in Jirandai.
• Fixed an issue where enemies resurrected by Shamans would continuously drop Aberrant Cinders in Helltide.
• Fixed an issue where Chain Lightning could bounce infinitely between the caster and other player characters standing in a Fields of Hatred town.
• Fixed an issue where Crackling Energy could hit other players in a Fields of Hatred town. (We know, shocking!)
• Fixed an issue where players could not see other players that they should when re-entering the Alzuuda Fields of Hatred Zone.
• Fixed an issue where certain areas in the Fields of Hatred would be incorrectly flagged as a Town, rendering players unable to cast Skills while still being able to be damaged.

Items and Aspects

• Fixed an issue where the Cost reduction bonus from the Ring of Starless Skies could unexpectedly drop off.
• Fixed an issue where the Aspect of the Protector would trigger its barrier effect after destroying a breakable object.
• Fixed an issue where the Ring of Misfortune had incorrect stats.
• Fixed an issue where the Ember Staff weapon didn’t apply the bonus damage to Crowd Controlled enemies, which is inherent for all Stave-type weapons.
• Fixed an issue where any character menu interaction would reset the bonus granted by the Inner Calm aspect.
• Fixed an issue where the Maximum Life affix on the Mark of the Conclave quest item was scaling improperly.
• Fixed an issue where Aspect power would also increase when upgrading an item at the Blacksmith.
• The level requirement for Sacred Items will now cap at level 60.
• The level requirement for Ancestral Items will now cap at level 80.
• Fixed an issue where the Mother's Embrace Unique Ring did not trigger properly with several abilities.

Monsters

• Fixed an issue where items of higher power than intended were dropping from rare monsters.
• Fixed an issue where the Warg's jumping attack dealt no damage when passing through the player.
• Fixed an issue where the Pitiless Gur monster would endlessly run around in circles.
• Fixed an issue where the lightning-enhanced Champion Goatman would fail to deal damage to the player.
• Fixed an issue where monsters with the Suppressor Affix would be immune to damage from abilities that started initially outside the immunity circle (Ex: when a Barbarian started a Whirlwind cast before getting within proper range of the Suppressor monster).
• Fixed an issue where clones of a monster with the Suppressor affix could also have the Suppressor affix.
• Fixed an issue where Treasure Goblins would behave erratically if initially engaged from a long distance.
• Fixed multiple other issues where monster behavior could not perform properly and could be exploited in some cases.

Quests and Events

• Fixed an issue where the progress bar could not fill during the Caravan Under Siege event.
• Fixed an issue where the Putrid Remains enemies could remain idle during the Defiled Ground event.
• Fixed an issue where Champion enemies could not spawn during the Ancient Obelisk event.
• Fixed multiple issues where using Traversals could cause Elite and Boss monsters to disappear during multiple events.
• Fixed an issue where Radiant and Greater Radiant chests would not spawn when completing the Fearful Bones event.
• Fixed an issue where the Cursed Chest event could not be completed.
• Fixed an issue where the Defiled Ground even in Hawezar would have a respawn point much further away than intended.
• Fixed an issue where unique drowned enemies spawned during events in the Forgotten Coastline could be invulnerable to damage.
• Fixed an issue where the Suppressor Monster Affix's effects would be active on containers and furniture inside the dungeon during the Remnants quest.
• Fixed an issue where the player could teleport through the Ancient Gate and block progression during the Storming the Gates quest.
• Fixed an issue where progression could be blocked during the Flesh and Blood quest.
• Fixed an issue where quest dungeons did not reset if the associated quest was abandoned.
• Fixed an issue where the quest tracker would be missing if the player re-entered the game during the Picking Through the Bones quest.
• Fixed an issue where not enough monsters would spawn to fulfill the requirements for completing the Hungering Necrolyte's Cache quest.
• Fixed an issue where an enemy was missing when progressing through the Lost Archives dungeon during the Legacy of the Magi quest.
• Fixed an issue where the Immemorial Inscription could not be read during the Augury of Bones quest.
• Fixed an issue where the player character couldn’t face to speak to an NPC when initiating dialogue for multiple quests.
• Fixed an issue where the ghost body of Bakira could remain visible after being defeated during the True Potential Rogue class quest.
• Fixed an issue where outside party members could influence the progression of the Bad Blood quest.
• Fixed an issue where the player could be blocked from reentering the boss’ area after dying during the fight against Elias in the Piercing the Veil quest.
• Fixed various other issues where quest progression could be blocked.

User interface and User Experience

• Fixed an issue where the mini-map didn’t accurately depict the game world during the The Blind Eye quest.
• Fixed an issue where the map was incomplete for the Loch Raeth region in Scosglen.
• Fixed an issue where a portion of the map was invisible in the Exalter Terrace dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the Mad Bomber title would not display for enemies encountered through the Whisper of the same name.
• Fixed an issue where articles in the News Feed could not be opened using Mouse & Keyboard.
• Fixed an issue where the You have cross network play enabled message was being sent to chat each time a campaign quest objective was completed.
• The Cult Leader Paragon passive no longer appears above hostile Minions in PvP.
• Fixed an issue where the bonus from the Ballistic Aspect displayed +0 to skills instead of +2 on the bonus bar.
• Fixed an issue where Sigil sorting was inconsistent between Inventory and the Stash.
• Fixed an issue where the Social tab on the Action Wheel editing window would be skipped when navigating on Controller.
• Fixed an issue where the amount of gold would not properly display when trading gold in large quantities.
• Fixed an issue where item comparison numbers would be inaccurate if the item in question had a Gem socketed that granted a stat that was also present on the base of the item.
• Fixed an issue where images would not properly load in the News Feed on the main menu.
• Fixed multiple issues with Map Pin functionality.
• Fixed multiple issues where Quest and Whisper markers weren't displaying properly.
• Various improvements to the consistency and clarity of Messaging, Skill description, and Tooltips.
• Various other UI and UX Improvements.

Miscellaneous

• Fixed an issue where the Completion music for defeating Avarice could start playing before the boss was defeated. (Always confirm your kills before celebrating, wanderers)
• Fixed an issue where players couldn't send Battle.net friend requests to friends playing on console.
• Fixed an issue where players could confirm if Hardcore mode was enabled after logging in with a new character.
• Fixed an issue where players that haven't unlocked a higher World Tier could be invited into a higher World Tier party.
• Fixed an issue where players couldn't transfer leadership of a Clan.
• Fixed an issue where the sender of the party invite would not be informed that the invite failed due to incompatibility with campaign prologue progress.
• Fixed an issue where Nafain's spear would duplicate in the cutscene where the player picks it up.
• Fixed an issue where Meshif's camel made no noises.
• Fixed an issue where there was no sound when Lorath kicks Meshif awake.
• Various other Improvements.

Loading Screen Updates

We've added more dynamic loading screens with the release of Season of the Malignant. This includes adding more assets to the loading screen, such as your player character.

Gameplay Updates

General

• Altar of Lilith Unlocks are now account wide.
• Map discovery is now account wide.
• Whispers will no longer reward Sigil Dust.
• Overall loot quality has been significantly improved for Silent Chests.
• The channel time for the Leave Dungeon ability has been increased from 3 to 5 seconds.
• We have generally reduced the tendency for many monsters to move around in combat, so that melee characters don't have to chase down their enemies as much.
• Added PS5 Dual Sense Edge Wireless controller support for PC.

World Tier

• World Tier II has had the following bonuses added:
  • Bonus Gold: Increased from 15% to 20%.
  • Monsters now drop 15% more items.
• Level scaling inside dungeons and most overworld territories has been adjusted in World Tiers III and IV. Monsters will begin to trail behind the player in Level after a certain point (up to a maximum of 5 Levels behind). This change does not affect World Bosses, Legion Events, Fields of Hatred, Helltide, or Nightmare Dungeons.

World Tier III Example:

• If the the player's Level is below 55, the monster's Level is 55.
• If the player’s Level is 56-60, the monster’s Level is 55.
• If the player’s Level is 61, the monster’s Level is 56.
• If the player’s Level is 62, the monster’s Level is 57, etc. (from this point the monsters will always be -5 until World Tier III's max monster Level of 70).

World Tier IV Example:

• If the player’s Level is below 75, the monster’s Level is 75.
• If the player’s Level is 76-80, the monster Level is 75.
• If the player’s Level is 81, the monster’s Level is 76.
• If the player’s Level is 82, the monster’s Level is 77, etc. (from this point the monsters will always be -5).

Experience

• Reward experience for completing Whispers in World Tiers III and IV has been significantly increased.
• We are adjusting bonus experience rewards for killing monsters that are a higher Level than the player.
  • Pre-Season of the Malignant bonuses:
    • 1 Level higher: +15%.
    • 2 Levels higher: +20%.
    • 3+ Levels higher: +25%.
  • Post-Season of the Malignant:
    • 1.5% bonus per Level up to 10 Levels.
      • Ex:
        • +1 level: +1.5%.
        • +2 levels: +3%.
        • +10 levels: +15%.
• We are also adjusting experience rewards for monster Level offsets for higher World Tiers.
  • Current World Tier Level offsets
    • World Tier II: Up to +3.
    • World Tier III: Up to +10.
    • World Tier IV: Up to +100.
  • We are changing this to
    • World Tier II: Up to +3 (Unchanged).
    • World Tier III: Up to +6.
    • World Tier IV: Up to +10.
  • For Example:
    • You are Level 1. Your friends bring you to World Tier IV and leave you at the entrance of a dungeon. They start killing Level 100 monsters.
      • Prior to Season of the Malignant, you get:
        • (Level 100 Monster XP) * (1 + 25%)
      • After Season of the Malignant, you get:
        • (Level 11 Monster XP) * (1 + 15%)

Helltide

• Helltide monsters are now 3 Levels higher than the player instead of 2.
• The Tortured Gift of Mysteries chest has had its cost increased to 250 Aberrant Cinders from 175.
• All interactable objects in Helltide zones now have a small chance of dropping Aberrant Cinders.

The post Diablo 4 1.1.0 patch notes are live ahead of Season 1 appeared first on Destructoid.

The second half of Xbox Game Pass for July brings mostly indie games

While the first half of July saw Xbox Game Pass add some bigger titles like Grand Theft Auto V and Exoprimal, the second half update looks to be mostly indie games.

Today specifically will see three new games added including Techtonica as a day one release. The wholesome photography game TOEM is also available starting today, which our own Editor-at-Large CJ Andriessen considers a well-crafted jaunt through a charming world.

At the end of the month, the narrative cooking game Venba will also be added to Game Pass as a day one release. On August 1, the challenging platformer Celeste will appear, which Destructoid scored a 10 back when it was released in 2018.

Additionally, Game Pass owners can grab some DLC this month. With Naraka: Bladepoint going free-to-play, all Game Pass members get a free upgrade to the Deluxe Edition.

I'm personally excited to check out the city-building simulation game The Wandering Village. I missed out on it when it launched, but something about building a settlement on the back of a roaming colossal creature just sounds like a good time.

Here’s the full list of games added to Xbox Game Pass in the second half of July.

[caption id="attachment_392266" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Stray Fawn Studio[/caption]

Added today to Xbox Game Pass (July 18, 2023):

• Techtonica (Cloud, Console, and PC) * Day one with Game Pass
• Toem (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• The Cave (Cloud and Console)

Heading to Xbox Game Pass the week of July 19, 2023:

• Maquette, July 19 (Console and PC)
• Figment 2: Creed Valley, July 20 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• The Wandering Village, July 20 (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Heading to Xbox Game Pass the week of July 26, 2023:

• Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem, July 25 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
• Venba, July 31 (Console and PC) * Day one with Game Pass
• Celeste, August 1 (Cloud, Console, and PC)

The post Xbox Game Pass July update adds Toem, Venba and more appeared first on Destructoid.

Enough Retro games to play three or four every day for a year

Retro cloud streaming platform Antstream Arcade has announced their vast collection of officially licensed retro games is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S later this month. As part of this, Antstream says games that had previously only been playable on Sony or Nintendo platforms will also become playable on Xbox through its service.

The extensive collection includes retro titles all the way back to the Commodore era. Through the service, games will be playable without any sort of installation or download required. Each week more officially licensed Retro titles will be added to the service.

[caption id="attachment_391655" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Antstream Arcade[/caption]

Xbox can finally join in on the Retro fun

Antstream Arcade is already available on PC, Mac, Linux, Android, Android TV, Firestick, Samsung TV, and via a web browser. This will be the first time the Retro collection will be available on consoles natively. Antstream CEO Steve Cottam created the service as an easy way to access games he loved growing up.

"Despite living in an age of incredible technology, I found it wasn’t easy enough to access the games I loved growing up and I wanted to be able to easily share scores and compete against friends,” said Cottam in a press release. “We believe in the preservation and accessibility of all games, the great, the impossible and the forgotten or lesser known too, I’m very proud to bring the Antstream Arcade platform to the Xbox community”.

Alongside the Retro catalog, Antstream Arcade also allows players to enter tournaments and challenge others to duels and community battles. You'll be able to acquire achievements and connect with others and show off your accolades via your profile.

Antstream Arcade releases later this month for $29.99 per year or via lifetime access at $79.99. The price includes all future games and features added to the service. Furthermore, Anstream Arcade is hosting a live stream on July 14 to highlight new games coming to the service and show off what more is to come. The service will be available in Europe, the UK, the USA, Canada, and the Vatican City.

The post Antstream Arcade is coming to Xbox with over 1300 retro games appeared first on Destructoid.

Hackers have found a new way to play homebrew software on Series X|S in retail mode

Hacker group UWeaPons Store has found a new way to run emulated software on the Xbox Series consoles...again. Earlier this year, Microsoft closed the consoles' original loophole that allowed players to run emulated games in the console's base "retail" mode. We thought it might not open again, but Youtuber Modern Vintage Gamer recently revealed otherwise.

https://youtu.be/WdFBseEphwo

One of the Xbox Series S|X's strengths is the ability to download specific apps from Microsoft's store. Some such apps allow players to run emulated games from various systems without having to resort to modding. The original loophole bypassed Microsoft's requirement of a $20 monthly payment to gain access to the "developer" mode, where Microsoft is fine with users gaining access to such software. The loophole allowed an Xbox to also mostly be a PS2, a GameCube, a Dreamcast, and even a Nintendo Wii at no extra cost. That's the part that Microsoft didn't like.

UWeaPons Store has found yet another confirmed loophole. Still, the group is not openly disclosing its findings out of fear of triggering a quick response from Microsoft. Anyone interested in gaining access to the forbidden knowledge will need to subscribe to the group’s Patreon.

This doesn't guarantee that Microsoft won't find the loophole and shut it down, but it still makes a statement. It further clarifies that gamers want video game preservation, and want it at a non-premium level. As we all know, video game preservation is at serious risk.

The post The Xbox Series X/S can run emulators again, with a catch appeared first on Destructoid.

A solid showing of indie games

Microsoft held their ID@Xbox Showcase today showing off the lineup of upcoming indie games heading to PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. We got a good look at some promising-looking indie games that are coming out over the next year. Alongside world premieres we also got a few surprise today releases.

We've put together a recap of all the new game reveals and announcements from the showcase. There were twenty games showcased in this ID@Xbox event so there's lots to talk about. Let's dive in!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhRr_5HhKxI

Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients

Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients is third person action adventure RPG about a mysterious powerful monolith threatened by dark forces. Embark on a dangerous adventure with the power of the Runic Swarm and crush minions of evil on your path to save the planet. Monolith is coming in 2024 on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlwSl-jCNMM

Hellboy Web of Wyrd

Hellboy Web of Wyrd is an upcoming action-brawler-roguelite where you can punch, dodge, and blast your way through the mysterious Web of Wyrd as the comic-favorite Hellboy. While no exacty timeframe was given, Hellboy Web of Wyrd is coming soon to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCMCZ3gALc4

Everspace 2

Space action RPG Everspace 2 will finally be leaving early access and receives a full launch on August 15, 2023 on Xbox Series X|S. It is also a Day 1 on Game Pass title. Though it wasn't mentioned, we also know it's releasing on PS5 the same day. The full release will feature a 30+ hour main campaign story that is fully voiced in English and German.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mioYYcmsog0

Sea of Stars

We got another look at the Sea of Stars announcement trailer that was released a few months ago. The turn-based RPG inspired by the classics still looks as beautiful as ever. Sea of Stars tells the story of two Children of the Solstice who combine powers of sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic and fight back the evil Fleshmancer. Sea of Stars features special guest composer Yasunori Mitsuda who is well known for his music in Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. The retro RPG will release on August 29 and will be day 1 on Game Pass. A demo is out now on Xbox.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECbYebmtqvs

Solace State

Take on the role of a young hacker confronting political plots in Solace State. The visual novel-style game claims choices will be important as you build relationships and support communities attempting to revolutionize against a corporate biotech conspiracy. Solace State is coming this summer to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCyWv7rexbo

Worldless

Worldless is a stylized 2D Adventure Platformer featuring turn-based combat. Explore a mysterious and abstract world as you attune to various polarities that change your style of combat. Worldless releases on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S in Fall 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dXwcSoHWUU

MythForce

Jump into a Saturday Morning Cartoon with first-person melee roguelike MythForce. Adventure through crypts and castles with your friends as you hunt down the evil Hexstar. MythForce launches on September 12 on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGtYNFtvGzc

Jackbox Party Pack 10

Timejinx and Hypnotorious were revealed as two of the five games coming in Jackbox Party Pack 10. We've already seen Tee K.O. 2 and FixyText revealed as two of the other games, meaning we're still waiting on one more. Jackbox Party Pack 10 releases this fall on all major platforms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMgy7vI6hn0

Roman Sands RE:Build

This is a very unique-looking title. Roman Sands RE:Build is a delirium-charged journey into an apocalypse. Play through a variety of genres including visual novel, adventure, puzzle, horror, and survival simulation games. Roman Sands RE:Build is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S in Winter 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4ziEhBytrM

Scarlet Deer Inn

Scarlet Deer Inn is a narrative platformer featuring an emotional story and an interesting cast of characters. Explore a dark dungeon full of monsters and branching dialogue options where all character's animation frames have actually been embroidered. Furthermore, all backgrounds have been hand-painted. The Studio Ghibli-inspired Scarlet Deer Inn is coming to Xbox Series X|S but no release timeframe just yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xnc7jSmcxB4

Rain World: Downpour

Rain World and the Rain World: Downpour DLC are out now on Xbox. Take control of five new characters as you explore the dark and mysterious world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvRLsQmQAc0

Second Wave

Wait, this isn't an Overwatch skin pack? Apparently not. Second Wave is a free-to-play online multiplayer hero-based shooter MOBA in the world of Armantia. Choose from Domination or 3-Way Battle as you fight other heroes and exiles in an endless war for the Arcane Stone. Second Wave is coming to Xbox Series X|S but no release timeframe was given.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Coku_dX7Tfk

Vampire Survivors

Even though it was revealed a couple of weeks ago, we got another look at the Vampire Survivors couch co-op mode. Dust off your couch and jump into the bullet hell Vampire Survivors with up to four total players. The new mode is coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Game Pass on August 17.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVju4TQoT1w

Axiom Verge 2

You can now explore the award-winning alien world of Axiom Verge 2 on Xbox. Our very own Eric Van Allen thought this was a beautiful Metroid-style game so it's definitely worth checking out. Axiom Verge 2 is out now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S either alone or in a bundle with the first one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avFlZxNjOtI

Stray Souls

Ok, this probably has to be the best reveal of the showcase in my opinion. Stray Souls is a creepy-looking indie game that looks like a mix between Silent Hill and Resident Evil. The spooky third-person shooter features new music by legendary Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka. Stray Souls hits Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S in Fall 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RxnHLsDGo8

Birth

I'll be honest, Birth definitely looked unique but I wasn't too sure exactly what I had just seen by the time the trailer was over. Apparently, it's an adventure puzzle game about constructing a creature from spare bones and organs you find around a city. The art is hand-drawn and the gameplay involves you solving physics-based puzzles as you discover secrets around town. Birth releases on Xbox One on July 28.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50K1cw5_9vU

Texas Chain Saw Massacre

Like the film, Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a game based on true events. Try to survive in this insanely chaotic survival game when it releases on August 18 on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. It will also be a day 1 Game Pass release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_EseZ_Kalw

DREAMERS

It's time to go on an emotional journey with DREAMERS, a new colorful adventure game by PlaySys. Explore a world full of challenges and mysteries on September 1. DREAMERS is releasing on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utb6ET0uhV0

Stumble Guys

The mobile game variant of Fall Guys is now officially coming to consoles. Stumble Guys is another multiplayer knockout royale game coming to Xbox Series S|X and Xbox One.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyfNjdTaFLE

The Making of Karateka

Based on the 1984 martial arts action game by Jordan Mechner, The Making of Karateka is an interactive documentary that also includes four pixel-perfect versions of Karateka. It will also feature an all-new remastered version of the game with new features. The Making of Karateka releases later this year on Xbox Series X|S.

Whew, that's it! I'm personally really looking forward to Sea of Stars and Stray Souls. How do you guys feel overall about the ID@Xbox showcase?

The post Here’s a full July ID@Xbox Showcase Recap appeared first on Destructoid.

Sales are good, right?

It can be quite exhausting keeping up with all the different sales. In an effort to compete with Prime Day, Best Buy has launched a "Black Friday in July" sale. A lot of the discounts pertaining to video games are paltry to say the least, but there are a few decent sales to be found.

The sale ends on Wednesday. Some of the sales are exclusive to My Best Buy Plus and My Best Buy Total members, which are apparently memberships. Thankfully, most of the good discounts I found did not require either of them.

Best Buy Black Friday in July deals

First, you can get a $25 gift card when you purchase a non-OLED Nintendo Switch. This certainly isn't anything special, but is the only real console-related deal.

Here are some of the hardware deals worth checking out:

PS5 Compatible Samsung 980 PRO 2TB SSD — $99.99 ($100 off)

Xbox Series X|S Seagate Internal 1TB SSD — $139.99 ($80 off)

Xbox Series X|S Seagate Internal 2TB SSD — $279.99 ($120 off)

PS5 Compatible WD Black 1TB SSD — $89.99 ($150 off)

Seagate PlayStation 4TB External Hard Drive — $104.99 ($20 off)

Seagate Playstation 2TB External Hard Drive — $69.99 (22.50 off)

Astro Gaming A50 Wireless Headset — $249.99 ($50 off)

Of course, there are also some quality software deals as well. Oddly enough some of the games listed under the specific sale page don't appear to be on sale, so they might go in affect later today or tomorrow.

Here are some that stick out to me:

Soul Hackers 2 (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X) — $14.99 ($45 off)

Persona 5 Royal (Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X) — $29.99 ($30 off)

Shin Megami Tensei V (Switch) — $19.99 ($40 off)

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster (PS4) — $22.99 ($27 off)

FIFA 23 (PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S) — $29.99 ($20 off)

Sonic Frontiers (Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X) — $34.99 ($25 off)

Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X) — $29.99 ($30 off)

Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS5, PS4, Xbox One) — $19.99 ($40 off)

There are some other good-value items available with the sale if you're not specifically looking for gaming-related products. You can view the entire Black Friday in July sale here.

The post Best Buy has a few decent game sales right now appeared first on Destructoid.

There is an Xbox version, but it needs more time

Today, Larian Studios announced that it's moving up the release date of Baldur's Gate 3 on PC and slightly delaying the PS5 version. Alongside those platforms, the studio says an Xbox version of Baldur's Gate 3 is still in the works. It's just a matter of getting it ready.

In a community update around the announcement, Larian said it's optimistic about Baldur's Gate 3 on the Xbox Series X. But in order to announce and release on Xbox, the studio will need to "ensure the game is performing without compromise across the entire Xbox X|S ecosystem."

Essentially? "Like with the PS5 version, we'll release it when it's ready," Larian said. "We'll update you as soon as we can."

Splitting the screens

Larian head Swen Vincke went into more detail about the status of the Xbox version in an interview with IGN. Vincke noted both the freedom of the game itself, and the split-screen co-op, as causes for its troubles. Vincke told IGN that Larian may have to make some "compromises" to get an Xbox version live, though he didn't specify what they were, and didn't want to confirm that would be the case for-sure.

Vincke also confirms that Larian is working with Microsoft's Xbox Advanced Technology Group (Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment on the matter to IGN).

As the interview goes on, Vincke does say that the team's ambition is to release Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox Series X|S this year, but it can't commit to that. Again, it's ready when it's ready.

"This one's not exclusive. You're going to be able to play it. It's just a matter of patience. This is really a question of time," Vincke said.

As for PC and PS5 players, the wait for Baldur's Gate 3 has shifted a bit with today's news. PC players will get the massive RPG on August 3, while PS5 players have to wait just a little bit longer for September 6.

The post Baldur’s Gate 3 will release on Xbox ‘when it’s ready’, Larian says appeared first on Destructoid.

Barbie and Ken's cars are now waiting at your Forza Horizon 5 garage

We'd previously covered reports from eagle-eyed fans who claimed Barbie's cars would be making their way into Forza Horizon 5. His assessment was correct. Microsoft has just added both the Chevrolet Corvette that Barbie drives in the movie, as well as Ken's GMC HUMMER EV Pickup to Forza Horizon 5's drivable roster.

Microsoft has said that to get them both, all players have to do is check their Forza Horizon 5 message center. Everything for free, no paid DLC. Just get the cars and let's go party.

https://twitter.com/Xbox/status/1673360575706066945

Some could have jumped at the opportunity to complain that they wanted *insert name of edgy, bat-themed vehicle here* and not this. But the Chevrolet is no slouch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_RsVstmcls

And it looks pretty damn good in photo mode.

https://twitter.com/JewelsVEVO/status/1673361123352129536?s=20

Anyone who's not into giving Barbie's preferred ride a chance can go with the much more aggressive HUMMER Pickup.

https://youtu.be/wN7qCE4uI_s

As the unexpectedly great box-office war of Barbie vs Oppenheimer draws ever nearer, Barbie reveals she has no trouble fighting on the most unexpected of fronts. Is this how Greta Gerwig's live-action take on the popular doll will take down Christopher Nolan's three-hour-long wartime drama? Will Fortnite soon host an event showing the horrendous effects of nuclear weapons as Nolan tries to win the gamer populace back? Only time will tell. Oppenheimer opens in theatres on July 20. Barbie catches up to him in her Chevy just one day later, on July 21.

As for the Forza Horizon 5 cars, you can download those right now.

The post It’s a Barbie world in Forza Horizon 5 with new car update appeared first on Destructoid.

Of course, you realize this means war...

Publisher Warner Bros Games and developer Player First Games have officially called time on both Wabbit Season and Duck Season — The extended "beta" for platform fighter MultiVersus has been officially taken offline, bringing brings an end to one of the most questionable fighting game debuts in recent history. MultiVersus is currently expected to relaunch in "early 2024".

The free-to-play scrapper's servers are closed, ending a bizarre "test" phase that simultaneously had multiple seasons and additional paid DLC characters, skins, and stages. While MultiVersus players still have access to local Vs. matches and the fighter’s training mode, (known as “The Lab”), the community is now unable to play online in any capacity. Additionally, the studio has already noted that no refunds will be offered for any items purchased during the beta test, or the paid "Founder's Edition" of the title.

https://twitter.com/multiversus/status/1671966638000709645?s=20

Until the game's eventual relaunch, Player First Games is unlocking every character of the MultiVersus roster. While this could be seen as a form of damage control for the bizarre handling of the title, it no doubt leaves players who had invested their money in the title wondering why they even bothered. These players cannot enjoy the fighter online anymore, and now the characters/skins/content they purchased with real money are now readily available to everybody for the foreseeable future.

The MultiVersus story is morbidly curious. Launching its open beta in July 2022, the title saw incredible success out of the gate, and still holds the Steam record for the most concurrent players of a fighting game in history, as well a reported 20 million total downloads. This was mostly deserved, as MultiVersus is a fun and enjoyable fighter with plenty of character and charisma. Dataminers would also discover solid evidence of some big plans, which included some interesting DLC characters, alternate commentators, and placeholders for franchises such as The Goonies and The Wizard of Oz.

But, as the weeks and months passed, the beta's playercount fell off in staggering fashion, as the more dedicated members of the community were left frustrated by a lack of both content and communication, both of which became sparse by the end of 2022. When 2023 rolled around, the success of the previous summer seemed a distant memory. And, come spring, Player First Games announced that it would close the servers ahead of the title's still-undesignated launch. This left the MultiVersus community with myriad questions. Why was DLC even sold? Why were additional skins, stages, and modes developed? Why even launch a beta in seasons, with paid content if it was, in essence, just a testing phase?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvborgKG7fw

But the big questions, hanging over the situation like a fucking vulture, are When is it coming back, Is it coming back, and Who is it coming back for? If MultiVersus ended its testing phase as, essentially, a "dead game", then why would Warner Bros. have any interest in committing time, money, and marketing into a relaunch? We don't live in an era where publishers release games simply because "They owe it to the community" or just because "They said they would". We arguably never have.

The whole scenario reeks, and only time will tell how this MultiVersus scenario plays out. Either the fun fighter returns, in which case it has to essentially reignite the interest of a market that has already left it in the dust, or it gets quietly canned, in which case it disappears like a thief in the night, holding the cash of those players that showed passion and support in the project and its future.

At this point, MultiVersus essentially has no choice but to continue on its road to release. But, when that release comes, the franchise is essentially starting from scratch all over again. The casual audience has long moved on from the excitement of that record-breaking summer, while the brand's dedicated, money-paying audience understandably feels somewhat abandoned at best and ripped off at worst.

That's all, folks?

The post MultiVersus beta now offline, to return ‘Early 2024’ – but for whom? appeared first on Destructoid.

No Ticket

It has been a very, very long time since we last heard anything from Bethesda's exciting new Indiana Jones title, but we have some new news straight from the horse's mouth — Though it might not be good news for everybody, with the reveal that the epic adventure will indeed be an Xbox/PC exclusive.

As reported by pundit Stephen Tolito, the revelation comes from no less than Bethesda Softworks own vice president, Pete Hines, who made the announcement during the preliminary questioning for the Microsoft vs. FTC lawsuit. According to Hines, Bethesda initially made a deal with IP owners Walt Disney to develop an Indiana Jones game for multiple platforms, but this was changed following Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda, mirroring the circumstances surrounding the recently released (and maligned) Redfall.

https://twitter.com/stephentotilo/status/1671939745293688832?s=20

As we have reported on many an occasion, The FTC's lawsuit against Microsoft has been filed in order to argue against the latter's proposed $67 billion purchase of publisher Activision Blizzard. This long-running and increasingly cumbersome deal has had to climb over many hurdles and walls on its way to fruition, with the FTC lawsuit set to prove one of its largest obstacles. While preliminary hearings are underway, the case will go to U.S. courts in August, though both parties will have the right to appeal regardless of the result.

We can very likely expect to hear more behind-the-curtain tidbits before the summer is through.

The as-yet-unnamed Indiana Jones title is currently in development for Xbox and PC at MachineGames.

The post Indiana Jones will be an Xbox/PC exclusive following Bethesda acquisition appeared first on Destructoid.

Inflation strikes again

In a statement to The Verge, Microsoft confirmed a price increase on the Xbox Series X coming to most countries. Planned to roll out on August 1, the price increase will apply to most countries apart from the US, Japan, Chile, Brazil, and Colombia. This move practically mirrors Sony's PlayStation 5 price increase that occurred last year.

According to the statement, the Xbox Series X will move to £479.99 in the UK, €549.99 across most European Markets, CAD $649.99 in Canada, and AUD $799.99 in Australia. The Xbox Series S will remain at $299.99 and not see any sort of increase.

"We've held on our prices for consoles for many years and have adjusted the prices to reflect the competitive conditions in each market," said Kari Perez, head of communications for Xbox in their statement to The Verge.

Xbox Game Pass will see a price increase in most markets

Alongside the console price increase, the monthly cost of Xbox Game Pass for consoles will also be increasing. This price change will go into effect nearly a month earlier, on July 6. Under these changes, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will increase $2 from $14.99 per month to $16.99. The cost for the base Xbox Game Pass will increase by $1 from $9.99 per month to $10.99. The price of the PC Game Pass will not increase.

Of course, those already subscribed won't see the price increase until their next subscription renewal on or after July 6.

Although a bummer, I'm not surprised by these increases. Sony increasing the cost of the PlayStation 5 in select markets made it a no-brainer that Microsoft would probably do the same. As for the Xbox Game Pass, I think we all saw this coming. Most entertainment subscriptions have seen an increase in the last year or so including Sony's own PlayStation Plus. Hopefully Nintendo Switch Online won't be following suit!

The post Xbox Series X and Xbox Game Pass price increase in some countries appeared first on Destructoid.

FES Up

We now have confirmation that Atlus' upcoming remake Persona 3 Reload will be coming to PlayStation and Steam platforms alongside its previously announced Xbox and Windows editions. The new ports appeared on the official site in a CERO ratings listing, which was then followed by an updated trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RycGltKqjg

While this will hardly come as a surprise to most, there were still many only panicking that perhaps the black-and-blue brand would not be making the return journey to Tartarus. Frankly, this wasn't going to happen, not when there is so much cash to be made, but at least those who were concerned can rest easy that they will be revisiting The Dark Hour with Messrs Makoto, Junpei, Mitsuru, and company.

First leaked during Summer Game Fest, before being officially announced during Sunday's Xbox Game Showcase, Persona 3 Reload is a full remake of the 2006 PS2 classic. While fans have been craving this title for some title, the hype has been somewhat quashed by the revelation that Reload will not feature any of the content from expanded edition Persona 3 FES, nor the Persona 3 Portable release, which included the much-loved female protagonist, known to the community as "FemC".

Persona 3 Reload will launch in early 2024 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. Additionally, Persona 5 Tactica will launch on the aforementioned platforms and Nintendo Switch.

The post Persona 3 Reload finally confirmed for PlayStation and Steam PC appeared first on Destructoid.

So many potential builds, but only a few being played

Over the years, "Action RPG" games have evolved quite a bit, adding more and more player customization with each new entry into the genre. Diablo 3 released in 2012 with over a billion unique build possibilities across all of its classes. Hit ARPG Path of Exile has been constantly adding new abilities via its unique skill gem system for almost ten years.

As we began to learn more about Diablo 4 leading up to its release, just one week ago, it quickly became apparent we'd once again get a massive amount of potential builds. With five classes each with their own unique skill trees full of active and passive skills, the possibilities seemed endless. But now less than two weeks since the early access release of the game, it's starting to look like Diablo 4 may have a bit of a skill diversity issue. Let's take a bit of an analytics look at the situation and try to determine if things are as bad as they seem, or if this is just an early exaggeration.

Examining Diablo 4 skill diversity

https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/145l33t/skill_diversity_or_lack_thereof_top_sc_skill/

Thanks to a nifty spreadsheet compiled on the /r/diablo4 subreddit, we can see what skills players are using.  This sheet shows us what percentage of skills the highest level players in non-hardcore Diablo 4.

We obviously can't draw conclusions based on this limited sample size of the top players. But this information at least gives us a glimpse at what may be some pretty lacking skill diversity. For leveling, some skills are better than others but most are viable enough. This data is based on the highest-level players, so these builds are intended for the all-important endgame.

[caption id="attachment_383879" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The boring life of an elemental master

Let me start by saying my main class is a Sorcerer. Even though I'm not at max level, I'm over Level 50 and participating in endgame content. While I'm still enjoying the class, I've considered rolling as another primarily for the issues apparent by looking at the above spreadsheet. Once you've reached the endgame as a Sorc, you take all four defensive skills.

Teleport is arguably the best mobility skill in the game, so it's understandable that over 99% of Sorcs are using it. Ice Armor and Flame Shield both give extreme tankiness to an otherwise squishy class. Frost Nova is not only great for crowd control, but also for applying Vulnerability, which is extremely important.

Even still, it's very telling that about 97% of Sorcerers are using at least 3 defensive skills.

From there, we have two slots for offensive skills. As you can see, the choice really comes down to Ice Shards paired with Deep Freeze or Arc Lash paired with Unstable Currents. About 10% of players are attracted to the slower but high-burst damage Meteor build. This class has six potential core skills, and five basic skills. Despite this, only two or three of those are actually being used. Furthermore, Sorcerers have three unique Conjuration skills, but 95% of players aren't using any of them.

Overall, we can see that despite the class having many possibilities, only a couple of those are practical.

[caption id="attachment_384205" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Spinning and winning

Barbarians have been through a series of nerfs and balance changes in the short time since Diablo 4 released. They've also had several of their most effective Aspects get completely disabled, leading to less build variety until their full arsenal is available to them. Despite the nerfs, however, one thing is certain: shouts are strong. Nearly every Barbarian is using all three shouts; Rallying Cry, War Cry, and Challenging Shout. Similar to the mass use of Teleport, most Barb players use their Lunging Strike mobility skill.

Whirlwind has been a staple Barb skill since Diablo 2. The popularity of the skill continues in Diablo 4, with 84% using it as their primary skill. Almost all Whirlwind Barbs are using the Wrath of Berserker Ultimate. If not running this build, most other players are using Hammer of the Ancients with the Call of the Ancients Ultimate.

Unfortunately, that is pretty much the current variety for Barbarians in Diablo 4.

[caption id="attachment_383863" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Rogues prefer melee over ranged

For the Rogue class, most players seem to be leaning towards melee play. Twisting Blades is the most popular build by far, followed by Death Trap. These two are very similar to each other, and focus on the melee-style gameplay of the class. Even though the ranged Penetrating Shot skill has viability, only about 10% of the top players are running it.

Understandably, a large portion of Rogues are using the two mobility skills Dash and Shadow Step regardless of their build. The mobility of the class paired with their high damage is what makes them so strong, as they don't have much in the way of defensives.

[caption id="attachment_386186" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Bone Necromancers

A last-minute nerf to Necromancer Minions during the Server Slam beta has led to Bone being the favorite skills for Necro. Nearly 70% of Necros favor the high-damage Bone Spear build. The tight AoE-focused Bone Spirit is also seeing quite a bit of play. Minions were extremely popular in the first two beta weekends, which makes me wonder if they'd be as popular as the two Bone-focused builds if Minions weren't nerfed.

[caption id="attachment_386412" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Druids are perhaps in the best spot

As we look at the final class, we can see that Druids may have the most viable end-game builds right now. Most Druid players are using Earthen Bulwark, Debilitating Roar, and Grizzly Rage, because all three skills are beneficial regardless of damage skills. From there, we see Trample getting a lot of use. Trample is part of the strong AoE Pulverize build as well as Trampleslide. Another increasingly popular AoE skill is Tornado, which is being used with Grizzly Rage to eventually achieve permanent werewolf form.

What does this all mean?

So does Diablo 4 have a skill diversity issue? It's obviously way too early to claim the sky is falling. With nearly three million players, this ~2,500 sample size is definitely too small to consider anything as proven fact. Furthermore, we have to remember this data is based on the top player pool. Some players play whatever they want, regardless of what is meta or optimal.

But the fact that these players are essentially choosing between the same two or three builds for each class when they are hundreds of possibilities is a bit alarming. Is it a balancing issue? Do these popular builds do too much damage and simply need to be balanced to encourage others to pick whatever skills are most fun to them? There's plenty of room for improvement, and I'm not exactly sure what ideal diversity would look like in Diablo 4. I think an optimistic, (although unrealistic), scenario would include every Core Skill having a viable build. As of now, less than half of them seem to.

The developers have made it clear they plan to balance things. On top of the nearly daily hotfixes and balance changes, they are intentionally waiting to add competitive leaderboards. Hopefully, by then, we will see even more diversity in skills across Sanctuary.

The post Does Diablo 4 have a skill diversity issue? appeared first on Destructoid.

A little horror with your comedy

Even though the over-the-top humor Rick and Morty-style humor isn't for everyone, High On Life went on to be the biggest 3rd party launch ever on Xbox Game Pass. Well, strap in for more, as Squanch Games has announced the first DLC for their comical first-person shooter newcomer.

Set two years after saving Earth from an alien cartel, the aptly named High On Knife DLC introduces a bit of spooky horror to the largely comedy-centric game. We got a brief teaser trailer to show what level of scares we can expect from this new adventure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZl7wX0KcGE

No more Justin Roiland

Following his departure from the company earlier this year, former Squanch Games CEO Justin Roiland will not be returning to voice the quirky talking weapons you pick up throughout the game. The DLC will feature two new guns: Harper, voiced by SNL alum Sarah Sherman, and B.A.L.L., voiced by High On Life's narrative director Alec Robbins.

Here's a quick overview from Squanch Games Chief Creative Officer Mikey Spano:

“This trailer shows off a portion of the DLC where we’re dropping players into a darker, scarier setting ruled over by a mysterious, goopy new boss named Mux (voiced by Gabourey Sidibe.). We’re also introducing two brand new guns: Harper is an ex-military pistol trying to overcome her past and B.A.L.L. is a pinball gun operated by a chaotic gaggle of little gibberish-speaking weirdos. You’ll need both of them as well as Knifey’s hyper-violent new upgrade to overcome the powerful, two-headed, laser-beam-blasting Bloat that hunts you in the dark. This is just a small slice of the DLC - there’s a ton more weird, funny, and surprising stuff we packed in that we think you’ll love so make sure to stay tuned!"

[caption id="attachment_386574" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Squanch Games[/caption]

Are we in space?

Based on the trailer, we might be headed to some sort of space station or even a spaceship, with a setting similar to what we'd see in Dead Space or Aliens: Isolation (long corridors inside of some metal installation with fleshy-looking goo covering the walls). Also, what's with the various massive creatures walking around throughout the teaser?

High on Knife will be available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. No word whether or not we can expect the DLC to come to Xbox Game Pass as well. There's no release date just yet, but Squanch Games assures us it's coming soon.

The post New High On Life DLC coming soon, will have a horror focus appeared first on Destructoid.

Xbox gets ready to showcase what's ahead

It's been a busy weekend of streams, and today was one of the big ones. Microsoft took to the stage in Los Angeles for its dual-header of the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 and its Starfield Direct. The first half is all about Xbox, between its first-party and third-party offerings, while the latter puts the lens squarely on Bethesda's impending RPG.

The summer may be a little off this year without E3, but today's show felt strong to me. Maybe it's the sheer variety, from new originals to first-party reveals. Or maybe it's that, even with some leaks, Xbox managed to get a few moments of surprise. As far as trailer-bonanzas go, I feel like it was a good one. A lot of the games are aimed towards 2024, though.

Still, with a big Cyberpunk update and the massive Starfield arriving this year, we certainly won't be lacking for things to play until then. Here's everything Microsoft spotlighted in its 2023 Xbox Games Showcase.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGtYn7DCIYo

Everything shown at Xbox Games Showcase 2023

• First up is Fable—we're getting that lingering question mark out of the way early. It's a charming mood-setter for Playground, featuring a vegetable enthusiast/giant and a hero on a journey. No firm details.
• South of Midnight looks like a Southern fantasy, which is a great set-up. It's from Compulsion Games, the We Happy Few crew, so it could be pretty interesting.
• Ubisoft Massive reveals Star Wars Outlaws, an action-driven game about scoundrels in the Star Wars universe. That's set for 2024 on Xbox Series X|S, and you won't have to wait for more, as there will be some gameplay at tomorrow's Ubisoft Forward.
• Thunder Lotus, the team behind cozy afterlife sim Spiritfarer, are here with a giant raid party game. What looks like a pretty big number of players can team up in the top-down action game 33 Immortals. That's set for 2024 on Xbox Series X|S.

[caption id="attachment_385891" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Xbox[/caption]

• Payday 3 is set for September 21, and looks to be more heisting and stealing for a party of players. The second entry was a long-running co-op stand-by, so I'm glad those folks are getting something new to dive into soon.
• Here's the Persona 3 Reload announcement that leaked early. But while the surprise may have been swept out from under the reveal, it still looks phenomenal.
• Obsidian is next up, with a big look at Avowed, its fantasy RPG. That's set for 2024 on PC and Xbox Series X|S, and looks like it's got plenty of magic and mystery waiting.
• Rare and Lucasfilm are teaming up for a Sea of Thieves crossover into Monkey Island, which makes so much sense that I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet. It arrives for free on July 20.

[caption id="attachment_385906" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Xbox[/caption]

• Microsoft Flight Simulator is getting search and rescue, skydiving transport, industrial transport, and more. Plus, air racing! It seems like a titanic update for Flight Sim, which is already an impressively huge game, in 2024.
• Oh, and a Dune firefly vehicle is coming to Flight Sim too. Even in the sim world, the spice must flow.
• Ninja Theory has a new update on Senua's Saga: Hellblade II. Ninja Theory keeps on impressing with its visuals and graphics, as well as the anxiety-inducing audio design. It's a very moody trailer for a showcase, but at least we finally have a launch window: 2024.
• Oh hell yeah, it's Ryu Ga Gotoku's time on the showcase, and we've got the shining behind of Ichiban Kasuga here. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth looks pretty wild, and is easily a contender for best trailer of the summer.

[caption id="attachment_385922" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Xbox[/caption]

• Fallout 76 gets a little trailer for its Atlantic City update, with a fittingly Fallout teaser.
• Capcom premieres Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, an original game. The publisher has been on a spree of hits so far, so I'm keen to see what new IP they're putting together. It's certainly gorgeous.
• The Forza team is showing off some cars, which are also coming to Forza Motorsport. Engines start revving on October 10, 2023.
• Elder Scrolls Online has its own update on the way,
• Overwatch 2 is here with some of its re-tooled PvE content, after Blizzard called off its original plans. It looks like we're getting some story scenes and character action, at the least. A new mode is on the way with Flashpoint, plus Hero Mastery and other content like a firing range. That hits August 10.

[caption id="attachment_385933" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Xbox[/caption]

• Here's the second Atlus leak, which I'm very excited for: Persona 5 Tactica, a tactics RPG starring the P5 cast. That's set for November 17. Here's hoping for some Fire Emblem-style social links!
• Starfield is here, and it really feels like Microsoft is pushing hard on this. A giant showcase trailer showing off gameplay, worlds, and more, with a reminder of its impending September release date and the Direct coming after the showcase.
• Jusant seems like a climbing-focused game. There's a neat tangibility to aspects of this, like the rappel line hanging out from the character's side as they leap and clamber. I really dig it.
• The Chinese Room has some new horror with Still Wakes the Deep, coming in early 2024. It's set on an oil derrick, it seems, which seems like a bad place to be trapped with any monsters.
• Oh wow, Dungeons of Hinterberg is a game with a gorgeous look coming in 2024. Will be keeping an eye out for this one!
• Keanu's back for more Cyberpunk 2077, via the upcoming expansion Phantom Liberty. The story takes place during the events of 2077 and takes V into Dogtown, to help the president of the NUSA. Idris Elba plays a major role in the story for this one, and even looks to add onto the relic struggles for V. The expansion arrives September 26.

[caption id="attachment_385946" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Xbox[/caption]

• Cities Skylines 2 arrives on October 24, bringing some serene city-building and management.
• Atlus is here again, with more RPG action in a fantasy drama that looks really, really good. Like, just checking every box I want: grim fantasy, Persona style, gorgeous menus, everything. It's called Metaphor: ReFantazio, and I cannot wait to see more.
• Stoic is showing off Towerborne, an animated fantasy about defending humanity from the monsters coming in 2024.
• InXile is here with the steampunk fantasy world of Clockwork Revolution. It's a first-person shooter with an interesting vibe. No window yet, as it's arriving in "due time," but could be pretty neat.
• Phil Spencer heads to the stage with an Xbox Series S, carbon blac, with a 1 TB SSD. It's $349.99 and arrives on September 1.

[caption id="attachment_385961" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Xbox[/caption]

• That's it for the Xbox Games Showcase 2023. It's time for Starfield, so let's drop a new header and discuss!

Everything shown in the Starfield Direct

• Todd Howard's up first, talking a bit more about the drive and how they've never made a game like this. Space may be a new frontier, though I feel like my jump skill in Oblivion definitely pierced low-orbit at one point.
• Both first and third-person gameplay confirmed. We've also got a handy scanner and resource collecting too.
• We get more and more gameplay, spotlight a lot of what the player can do. The spaceships already look pretty great.
• The focus heads to New Atlantis, a massive city. Bethesda's doing a lot to make it look lived-in and full.
• There's some faction info, too. We get a look at some of the characters set to play a big role in the story.
• The galaxy UI gave me such heavy Mass Effect vibes that I thought I heard the map screen music in my head. And now, you do too.
• I love seeing traits as an option in character creation.
• Here we get a look at different abilities characters can build into. Everything from stealth and jetpacks to animal training is here. And we already know there's some jetpack fun to be had in Starfield.
• Ships have a ton of customization options, with lots of parts to interlock and rearrange. Kingdom Hearts Gummi Ship sickos finally have something new to latch onto.
• Romance confirmed!
• There's a Starfield watch, controller, and headset on the way. They look great!
• Customizable homes and outposts are great to see. Who doesn't want a little home on the range... err, space-range.
• This feels like the big, pre-release deep dive to really confirm that everything's locked in for September. And it seems like there's quite a bit riding on Starfield, so the confidence does feel appropriate. We'll see how it all comes together in just a few short months.

That's all for both the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 and the Starfield Direct. If you've got thoughts on how Xbox's game showcase came together, drop 'em below!

The post Everything shown at today’s Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct appeared first on Destructoid.

Forget a staycation, next year I'm taking a slaycation!

A little over two years ago, I stumbled across the Twitter account for Microbird, a game developer working on a quaint-looking action-RPG called Dungeons of Hinterberg. I loved the art direction, the setting, and the character design; it checked a lot of boxes for me. I told myself I'd try to keep the game in mind, but that didn't happen. I forgot about it until I saw the debut trailer for the game in today's Xbox Game Showcase.

Free from the awful Twitter video player, the game still looks outstanding and is once again checking all those same boxes for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7-3NsH82HA

I don't want to get myself too hyped for it as that tends to bite me in the butt with indies. But consider this one of my most anticipated games of next year. Dungeons of Hinterberg will launch for Xbox Series X|S and PC next year and will be on Xbox Game Pass day one.

The post Dungeons of Hinterberg still looks right up my alley appeared first on Destructoid.

Coming in 2024

The biggest Atlus announcements for the Xbox Games Showcase may have leaked early, but that doesn't mean there wasn't more in store we weren't expecting. Case in point, Metaphor: ReFantazio. From the creators of Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5—duh!—ReFantazio looks like an outstanding new RPG that features the "mirror of reality."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btHGCpUPjPk

I don't know if it was intended, but I got a lot of #FE vibes watching that trailer. Hopefully, Metaphor: ReFantazio manages to make a bigger impact than Soul Hackers 2 did. We'll find out next year when Metaphor: ReFantazio launches for Xbox Series X|S and PC.

The post Metaphor: ReFantazio from Atlus was the most surprising reveal of the Xbox Games Showcase appeared first on Destructoid.

I don't know what this is but I want it

Leave it to Capcom to give us a trailer that actually has me excited. During today's Xbox Games Showcase, the company dropped its debut trailer for Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, a brilliant-looking game featuring a clash between the mortal world and the demon realm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PekONLKFGU

Doesn't that just look wonderful? So much color and animation—that RE Engine is spectacular—I'm going to need to upgrade to a Series X by the time this game comes out. And get an OLED television.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess will release sometime in the future and will hit Xbox Game Pass on day one.

The post Capcom’s Path of the Goddess looks like a colorful delight appeared first on Destructoid.

Explore it next year

Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind hit games like The Outer Worlds, Pentiment, and South Park: The Stick of Truth is taking players to the Living Lands next year in Avowed. During today's Xbox Games Showcase, a new trailer for the game debuted, and it actually managed to pull me in. I'm not the biggest first-person RPG fan, but something about this looks like a hoot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULsF7B6bFuU

As previously revealed, Avowed will take place in the same universe as the Pillars of Eternity series. Avowed will release in 2024 and, of course, it'll be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch.

The post Avowed from Obsidian Entertainment should keep us busy until the next Elder Scrolls appeared first on Destructoid.

The magnetism of a giant lady in a big ol' hat

Two years on from its initial release, (yep, two years), Capcom's gothic-horror title Resident Evil Village is still selling copies and scaring players worldwide — This morning, the publisher announced that the latest, (well, chronologically latest), entry in the survival horror series has surpassed eight million sales.

Resident Evil Village sees returning protagonist Ethan Winters journey into a grim European village, searching for answers following a violent attack on his home and family. There, he will encounter creatures and citizens beyond his darkest nightmare, coming face-to-face with a menagerie of monsters and demons, as well as the four lords of the land — namely Karl Heisenberg, Salvatore Moreau, Donna Beneviento & Angie, and the iconic Lady Dimitrescu, whose impact on the title's marketing, and therefore sales, cannot be overstated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKocYiRHYlI

Following the game's initial release in May 2021, an expansion pack, Winters' Expansion, was released in October of last year, which added new features and an additional campaign, Shadows of Rose. While the switch from "classic" Resi to the modern, first-person Resi has not been to everybody's taste, it cannot be denied that the evolution of the series has been incredibly impressive, borne out in both the critical and praise heaped upon the titles, as well as the titles' respective sales figures — A VR edition of Resident Evil Village was also developed to launch alongside the PlayStation VR2 hardware.

Resident Evil Village is available now on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch (via cloud)

The post Resident Evil Village hits 8 million sales milestone appeared first on Destructoid.

How many arms do you recognize?

Capcom has proudly announced that recent release Street Fighter 6 has hit the one million sales mark.

The scrapper sequel, which launched on PC and console platforms on June 2, had an enormously successful weekend, with over one million players passing through its Fighting Ground, Battle Hub, and World Tour modes. SF6 received positive reviews across the board for its great visuals, exciting new mechanics, and magnetic roster of new and familiar World Warriors. The response to three previous betas helped pave the way for the title's launch day success.

Capcom released a new image that sees series veteran Ryu fist-bumping with many recognizable roster stars, including Ken, Blanka, Chun-Li, Dhalsim, Elena, R. Mika, Cammy, and others.

https://twitter.com/StreetFighter/status/1665795932917575682?s=20

With these new figures, the Street Fighter franchise now boasts a mighty 50 million lifetime sales, a deserved number for a series that, ultimately, wrote the blueprint for the fighting game genre. While the success of 1991's Street Fighter II can be considered the de facto release in the franchise's storied history, later games such as Street Fighter Alpha 2, Street Fighter III: Third Strike, and Ultra Street Fighter IV are similarly important in keeping the lifeblood of the series pumping from generation to generation.

Street Fighter 6 is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. Be sure to check out our guide hub for the title, as well as my thoughts on which characters should arrive via the DLC train.

The post Massive fistbump signals one million Street Fighter 6 sales appeared first on Destructoid.