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Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass for Console: Jump Force, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, and More

by Megan Spurr, Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass Posted on September 18, 2019September 18, 2019

Watching my favorite cartoons after school as a kid was the best! I couldn’t stop thinking how utterly cool it would be if all my favorite characters were in one spot for a battle royale to see just who the best really was. And I loved inventing my own stories and bringing the heroes to life with my toy cars and LEGO. If you were anything like me as a kid, past-you is going to thank present-you for downloading the games that future-you is going to play soon with Xbox Game Pass. Games Coming to Console: September 19 Jump Force – Xbox One X Enhanced Some of the most famous Manga heroes are thrown into a whole new battleground: our world. Uniting to fight the most dangerous... Read more

The Forza Racing Championship Invitational Series Kicks Off on Saturday

by Jacob Norwood, Community Manager for ForzaRC Posted on September 20, 2019September 20, 2019

We are one day away from the start of the most exciting season of Forza Racing Championship yet. That means it’s time to drop some last-minute details about how the ForzaRC Invitational Series 2019 is going to play out. This season is all about teams – three drivers and a coach. The decision to move to a teams format was a huge one, and we knew it would open the doors to a whole new level of competition. Being the fastest racer on the field is no longer a guarantee of victory, and everything you think you know about these drivers and teams can change in an instant. First off, we’ll be hosting six weeks of online competition. Here’s the structure of each match and round: ... Read more

Frostpunk: Console Edition – Radial-Driven Design of Gameplay and Controls

by Kuba Stokalski, Lead Designer, 11 bit studios Posted on September 20, 2019September 19, 2019

Hi, Kuba here, lead designer of Frostpunk, a multi-award winning strategy game from 11 bit studios coming to Xbox One on October 11. A one-of-a-kind society survival game where heat means life and every decision comes at a price. I’m proud to say that with its complex strategic gameplay, demanding challenges and rich story, Frostpunk extends its unmatched survival experience from PC to Xbox One. The game mixes steampunk with frozen postapocalyptic setting and the player’s goal is to build and reign the last city on Earth. Heat means survival so the generator is the life-saving heart of our society. Radial shapes surrounding it have been established to be a pretty important factor... Read more

Games

Pre-purchase Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition for Nintendo Switch Today

by Daniel Smith, Senior Producer, Xbox Game Studios Posted on September 20, 2019September 20, 2019

Following last month’s announcement that we’re bringing Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition to Nintendo Switch on September 27, 2019, we’re excited to share that you can now pre-purchase the full game and download the demo today on the Nintendo eShop! We’ve been blown away by the warmth and support from our fans and we can’t wait for the community to begin playing next week. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition is a unique action platformer that combines deep Metroidvania style gameplay with emotional storytelling. The game tells the story of Ori who is on a quest of self-identity, sacrifice and perseverance, all while solving the mysteries of a dying forest... Read more

Games

Escape Hell with Your Best Bud in Afterparty, Available October 29 with Xbox Game Pass

by Sean Krankel, Co-Founder and Creative Director at Night School Studio Posted on September 20, 2019September 20, 2019

It always feels weird to put a game out into the world, but this time it’s especially surreal. What started as a dumb joke between my cousin and I while walking through a cemetery has somehow birthed a sprawling fantasy adventure about a pub crawl with demons, and it’s only a few weeks away! We’re dropping Afterparty on October 29, available on Xbox One and with Xbox Game Pass for Console and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, just in time for Halloween. A quick recap in case you haven’t heard about our game: In Afterparty, you play as two recently deceased best friends, Milo and Lola, about to be “processed” for an eternity in Hell. But they learn of a nigh impossible technicality:... Read more

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for September 24 to 27

by Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor Posted on September 20, 2019September 19, 2019

Welcome to Next Week on Xbox, where we cover all the new games coming soon to Xbox One! Every week the team at Xbox aims to deliver quality gaming content for you to enjoy on your favorite gaming console. To find out what’s coming soon to Xbox One, read on below and click on each of the game profiles for pre-order details (dates are subject to... Read more

Vehicle-Building Sandbox Racer Trailmakers Available Now on Xbox One

by Mikkel Thorsted, Game Director, Trailmakers Posted on September 19, 2019September 19, 2019

The imagination is a beautiful thing. Watch any kid playing alone and you’ll experience the magic of the imagination first-hand – they can entertain themselves for hours on end with nothing more than a pile of building blocks. We don’t believe people ever really lose their imaginations, so we set out to make a game where your imagination can run wild, and people could create things others wouldn’t even be able to dream of! That game is called Trailmakers, and it’s finally getting its full launch on Xbox One today! Trailmakers is part creative vehicle-building sandbox and part racing game. Like playing with LEGO as a kid, you take simple blocks and put them together to make... Read more

It’s Time to Choose Your Side in Narcos: Rise of the Cartels, Coming to Xbox One Later This Year

by Jack Gosling, Content Strategist, Curve Digital Posted on September 19, 2019September 19, 2019

With its brilliantly-written characters and gritty re-telling of the Colombian drug wars, "Narcos" has quickly become one of the Netflix’s most successful and celebrated shows. Narcos: Rise of the Cartels re-creates the first season of the award-winning TV series on Xbox One, with two campaigns each told from a separate side of the fight. Should you help build the Medellin Cartel’s quickly-expanding drug empire, or fight against them tooth and nail as the DEA? Combining traditional turn-based strategy with brutal real-time combat, Rise of the Cartels’ two campaigns offer vastly different perspectives on the infamous 80s drug war. If you choose to enter the criminal underworld, form... Read more

Rock Band Rivals Season 13 is Here with New Challenges, DLC, and More

by Daniel Sussman, Product Manager, Harmonix Music Systems Posted on September 19, 2019September 19, 2019

Fall is everyone’s favorite season. Until now. Season 13 of Rock Band Rivals is primed to be your new favorite season. It’s got everything: new in-game instrument rewards, weekly DLC with awesome tracks for Halloween, and a birthday celebration! That’s right. Rock Band 4 is turning 4 (!!) in October so keep your eyes peeled for news about free content coming your way to celebrate. Find your Crew, Crush your Rivals Rock Band Rivals Season 13 will run from mid-September through mid-November, a time of year ripe with pumpkins and witchcraft. Our season theme will be an instrument focus, with XP bumps, particular Spotlight selections and some great supporting DLC. We have... Read more

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Watch the Ghost Recon Breakpoint Trailer Staring Lil Wayne and Prepare for Open Beta on September 26

by Will Tuttle, Xbox Wire Editor in Chief Posted on September 19, 2019September 19, 2019

With just a few weeks to go until the highly anticipated release of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint on Xbox One, Ubisoft released a new live-action trailer starring Grammy Award–winning artist Lil Wayne and directed by David Leitch (“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” and “Deadpool 2”). Look for the “Squad Up ft. Lil Wayne” trailer to air during Thursday Night Football on October 3 and WWE SmackDown on October 4 to promote the launch of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint. You can also view it today at the top of this article. Ubisoft also announced that an open beta will take place September 26–29 on the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox... Read more

How the Co-Op Adventure We Were Here Came to Be

by Lucia de Visser, Producer and Co-founder, We Were Here Posted on September 19, 2019September 19, 2019

A simple question: if you found yourself trapped inside a mysterious castle deep within the wastes of Antarctica, with only a walkie-talkie in hand and a friend on the same frequency in another part of the castle, which friend would you pick? In We Were Here, you can test out your choice in case of just such a situation! You and a co-op partner play the role of Antarctic explorers forced to find shelter from a fierce snowstorm inside an ancient fortress that appears on no maps… this is Castle Rock. The doors have sealed themselves behind you, and the only way forward is to go deeper into the castle. Ultimately you hope to escape, but the only chance you have is by working together.... Read more

Elite Dangerous: September Update — Calling New and Experienced Commanders

by Adam Woods, Executive Producer Posted on September 19, 2019September 18, 2019

Continuing on with our commitment to support new Commanders entering the galaxy of Elite Dangerous this year, we’re really excited to introduce the September Update which is host to a brand new narrated starter experience, putting new pilots in the cockpit of their first ship, the classic Sidewinder. Commanders will be guided by Pilots Federation flight instructor, Theo Acosta, through the essentials of pilot training from basic flight controls, travel, combat and docking with a Starport. We’re also pleased to confirm that the narrated experience is available in all Elite Dangerous supported languages too. This new starter experience will also be added to the existing list of... Read more

Free Play Days – Dead by Daylight: Special Edition, Just Cause 4, and TerraTech

by Vincent Wang, Product Marketing Manager, Xbox Posted on September 19, 2019September 18, 2019

Through this weekend, Xbox Live Gold members can play a fantastic variety of titles from horror to action to creation. Survive or kill in adrenaline-filled matches from iconic horror films in Dead by Daylight: Special Edition. Experience explosive action in a large, open world in Just Cause 4. Design and build your own creations in a sandbox adventure game in TerraTech. This weekend, the choice is yours! You can find and install the games here on Xbox.com. In the Microsoft Store, you must be signed in to see the option to install with your Xbox Live Gold membership. To download on console, click on the Gold member area on the home dashboard on your Xbox One. If you like what you’ve... Read more

We Choose Our Favorite Borderlands 3 Characters (That Aren’t FL4K)

by Will Tuttle, Xbox Wire Editor in Chief Posted on September 18, 2019September 18, 2019

Borderlands 3 is here and it’s currently holding the attention of your friendly neighborhood Xbox Wire editorial team. We recently took a glowing look at one of the game’s playable characters, the robotic Beastmaster named FL4K. As you might have noticed if you read the article, our own Jeff Rubenstein was quite smitten with FL4K’s Dr. Doolittle-like animal whispering abilities. Of course, his judgment might have been clouded by the pile of Skill Points that was thrown his way to level up the character right from the jump. Now that we’ve had the chance to play Borderlands 3 for a couple days, however, we’ve all got our own opinions about which class is best. Looking to start... Read more

Metroidvania Mable and The Wood Launches on Xbox One Today

by Andrew Stewart, Founder, Triplevision Games Posted on September 18, 2019September 18, 2019

“Once upon a time, it was the end of the world…” Mable and The Wood is a game that began life as a simple combat game about a girl who couldn’t lift her sword. Four and a half years and a successful Kickstarter later, I’m delighted to be bringing the game to Xbox One with help from Graffiti Games! The game tells the story of Mable, a young girl who has been resurrected by a strange cult in order to save the world. They have an old prophecy that says you will hunt down the Great Beasts, take their shape, and use their powers to save this dying world. But what if they're wrong? The prophecy is old, and words lose their meaning with time... Mable is still that little... Read more

Build Yourself up with Bastion’s Brick Challenge in Overwatch on Xbox One

by Lynette Greathouse, Associate Consumer Marketing Manager, Overwatch Posted on September 17, 2019September 17, 2019

We’re bringing the magic of LEGO into Overwatch with some LEGO-inspired content available to unlock in-game. Play Overwatch on Xbox One and watch livestreams on Twitch to earn new content inspired by LEGO – including the new legendary Brick Bastion skin. From now until September 30, players can earn five sprays, six player icons, and the legendary Brick Bastion skin, for a total of twelve new rewards. Wins in Quick Play, Competitive Play, or Arcade will all earn you limited-time player icons, sprays, and a new legendary skin: Brick Bastion! These special Bastion’s Brick Challenge rewards are a bonus on top of your normal earnings for playing in the Arcade. Now get in there!... Read more

Everything You Need to Know About the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Beta Test on Xbox One

by David Hodgson, Editorial Manager, Call of Duty Posted on September 17, 2019September 18, 2019

Starting Thursday, September 19, get an early look at a collection of several maps and modes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has to offer before its launch on Xbox One, October 25. Be among the first to experience the intense multiplayer action, ranging from the quick, close quarter 2v2 Gunfight mode, to traditional 6v6 multiplayer gameplay and larger player count firefights. Try new gameplay mechanics, including bullet penetration, gun mounting, door breaching and night vision multiplayer gameplay maps featuring night vision goggles (NVGs) that allow for an amazing tactical experience. Beta Weekend: What’s the Plan? Beta Weekend: Cross-play This week’s beta test weekend is for... Read more

Stranger Things is Now Available in Dead by Daylight on Xbox One

by Olivier Latanicki, Brand Director, Dead by Daylight Posted on September 17, 2019September 18, 2019

Hello, People of the Fog. There are some serious 80s vibes coming to Dead by Daylight: Are you ready to meet new yet familiar faces in your quest to escape the Entity’s World and its nightmares? After more than three years of existence, we’re still looking into new ways to improve and renew our players’ experience while keeping the game exciting and fun. New maps and characters are one way to do so and today we’re excited to add a new chapter to our story, and not just any chapter: “Stranger Things.” We’ve teamed up with Netflix to work on a new map, a new killer and not one but two new survivors from the acclaimed series. The result: The Entity’s Realm is welcoming a... Read more

Wreck Your Friends in Car Crushers 2, Now Available on Roblox for Xbox One

by Christofer Oberst, Technical Writer, Roblox Posted on September 17, 2019September 17, 2019

If you ever wanted to see what it’s like to fire a cargo truck out of a giant cannon, smash an armored tank into smithereens, or watch with glee as your favorite sports car explodes into tiny little pieces, Car Crushers 2 is the ultimate vehicular smash ‘em up for you. Now you can experience Car Crushers 2’s over-the-top, metal-mangling mayhem on Roblox for Xbox One! Developed by 18-year-old Swedish developer Panwellz, Car Crushers 2 has everything you could ask for in a sequel: an expansive roster of vehicles, over 40 different crushers, a huge world to drive around in and perform crazy cool stunts with friends, demolition derbies, and more still to come. It’s a bigger game in... Read more

The Jurassic World Evolution: Herbivore Dinosaur Pack out Now on Xbox One

by Rich Newbold, Executive Producer, Jurassic World Evolution Posted on September 17, 2019September 17, 2019

As we’ve continued to expand the Jurassic World Evolution experience with updates and DLC we’ve given you the ability to have diverse parks full of the most authentic dinosaurs ever seen in a video game. Now I’m pleased to introduce the Herbivore Dinosaur Pack, which adds three distinct plant eaters. When we look at adding new dinosaurs to the game we always listen to the requests from the community and think about the dinosaurs that offer something unique. So when we decided to create three new herbivores we knew that we needed to include the fan favourite Dryosaurus. With their powerful legs and stiff tail Dryosaurus are capable of achieving high speeds with surprising... Read more

Inside Xbox One X Enhanced: Gears 5

by Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor Posted on September 16, 2019September 16, 2019

Many of gaming’s most compelling stories come from those who’ve helped to create our favorite Xbox One games. In our Inside Xbox One X Enhanced series, these creators will share the behind-the-scenes accounts of the work involved in enhancing these epic games for Xbox One X, how they’ve helped chart the course of the world’s most powerful console, and what that means for the future of gaming. Today, we’ll be chatting about Gears 5 with a crew from The Coalition, including Technical Art Director Colin Penty, PC Technical Lead Cam McRae, and Technical Director Mike Rayner. What specifically is your development team doing to enhance Gears 5 for Xbox One X? When we brought... Read more: Inside Xbox One X Enhanced: Gears 5