Tag: xbox

Everything Announced at Xbox Games Showcase: Gears of War: E-Day, Doom: The Dark Ages, Perfect Dark, More

Microsoft came out with a packed Xbox Games Showcase 2024 on Sunday, bringing new reveals and updates on games from its first-party studios and third-party partners. The Xbox parent showed off games from Activision, Bethesda, Blizzard, Xbox Game Studios and more. The showcase kicked off with a new campaign trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and concluded with a reveal for the next Gears of War title. Already announced titles like State of Decay 3, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Perfect Dark, Avowed and South of Midnight also received new trailers.

The Xbox Games Showcase aired two days after the Summer Game Fest and just a week after Sony held its State of Play live stream. In addition to first-party games, the showcase also featured trailers from third-party titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater, Dragon Age: The Veilguard and more.

Microsoft also unveiled three new Xbox Series S/X variants, including an all-digital Xbox Series X. The Xbox Games showcase was also followed by a Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Direct presentation. Here’s everything that was announced at the Xbox Games Showcase:

Gears of War: E-Day

The rumours came out to be true as Microsoft revealed the next Gears of War at the Xbox Games Showcase. Gears of War: E-Day, the next mainline game in the series, will be set 14 years before the original Gears of War, during Emergence Day. The game received a cinematic trailer, featuring in-game assets, and a new instrumental version of Gary Jules’ ‘Mad World,’ evoking the iconic 2006 Gears of War commercial. There’s no release window details available yet, but don’t expect E-Day to launch anytime soon.

Doom: The Dark Ages

Perhaps the highlight of the showcase was the reveal for the next mainline game in the Doom series. Doom: The Dark Ages takes a medieval approach to monster killing, putting the Doom Slayer in a dark fantasy setting. The epic trailer showed brutal moves, an insane skull-feeding gun and a bladed Shield Saw that flies off to cut down demons and returns to your hands like Thor’s hammer.

The Doom Slayer will also be able to utilise his Atlan mech against colossal demons and fly around on a cybernetic war dragon. Doom: The Dark Ages will arrive on Xbox Series S/X, PC and PS5 in 2025, with day-one release on Game Pass.

Perfect Dark

Perfect Dark received a first-look gameplay trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase, featuring first-person combat and parkour. Developed by The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics and published by Xbox Game Studios, Perfect Dark reboot was first teased officially at The Game Awards 2020.

The new trailer showcases the game’s Cairo setting and its protagonist, Joanna Dark. The gameplay features close-quarters hand-to-hand combat, gunplay, stealth, and smooth parkour traversal. Perfect Dark does not have a confirmed release date yet.

South of Midnight

Compulsion Games’ South of Midnight, which was first revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase in 2023, received a new trailer, showcasing third-person action-adventure gameplay. South of Midnight features a distinct art style and fantasy elements.

The trailer showed off the protagonist, Hazel, and her companion Catfish as they travel through a flooded wilderness and encounter magical beasts. Hazel can use her magic weaving powers in both combat and traversal. The game will be available on Xbox Series S/X and PC in 2025.

State of Decay 3

State of Decay 3 debuted a new trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase. The open-world zombie survival title will serve as a sequel to 2018’s State of Decay 2. Set years into the zombie apocalypse, the game tasks you with fighting the undead and reclaiming lost territories. There’s no official release date or window for State of Decay 3 yet.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

While the next Call of Duty received a dedicated Direct presentation after the Xbox Games Showcase, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was shown off with a campaign trailer at the showcase. Developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, Black Ops 6 is set in the early 1990s and will weave a thrilling story of espionage.

The trailer brings back familiar characters, blockbuster action and tight gunplay. The first-person shooter will arrive on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X on October 25, with day-one release on Game Pass.

Avowed

Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed received a new story trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase. The action-RPG, played from the first-person perspective, focusses on melee and magic combat. The game will be released on PC and Xbox Series S/X in 2024.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

The Xbox Showcase featured a new trailer for MachineGames’ Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, showing off new gameplay and story section from the game, featuring Indy chasing a mysterious artefact in the Himalayas. The game will arrive on PC and Xbox Series S/X later this year.

Here’s everything else that was announced or received an update at the Xbox Games Showcase:

  • Age of Mythology: Retold (PC, Xbox Series S/X – Releasing September 4, pre-orders now live)
  • Fable (PC, Xbox Series S/X – 2025)
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (PC, Xbox Series S/X – Releasing November 19)
  • Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ gameplay reveal (PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5 – Releasing November 15)
  • Atomfall (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS4, PS5 – 2025)
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5)
  • Dragon Age: The Veilguard (PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5 – Fall 2024)
  • Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn (PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5 – Releasing July 18)
  • FragPunk (PC, Xbox Series S/X – 2025)
  • Life Is Strange: Double Exposure (PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5 – Releasing October 29)
  • Mecha Break (PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5 – 2025)
  • Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater gameplay (PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5 – 2024)
  • Mixtape (PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5 – 2025)
  • S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (PC, Xbox Series S/X – Releasing September 5)
  • Winter Burrow (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X – Early 2025)
  • Wuchang: Fallen Feathers (PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5 – 2025)
  • Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred expansion (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS4, PS5 – Releasing October 8)
  • Fallout 76 Skyline Valley expansion (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS4, PS5 – Releasing June 6)
  • Starfield Shattered Space expansion (PC, Xbox Series S/X – 2024)
  • World of Warcraft: The War Within expansion, PC – Releasing August 26)
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Microsoft Announces 3 New Xbox Series S/X Console Variants, All-Digital Xbox Series X Coming This Year

Microsoft announced three new Xbox Series S/X console options at the Xbox Games Showcase on June 9. New configurations joining the Xbox lineup include a 1TB SSD storage variant of Xbox Series S in Robot White colourway, an all-digital Xbox Series X, and a 2TB Xbox Series X Special Edition in Galaxy Black colour option. The three new console variants will be available in select markets later this year in the holiday season.

The Xbox parent has not yet provided details on availability and regional pricing for the new Xbox Series S/X variants. “Stay tuned for updates in the coming months where we’ll provide information about market availability and regional Estimated Retail Pricing (ERP) when we share pre-order details,” Microsoft said.

The new console variants will share the same speed and performance of current Xbox Series S/X models and will provide new design, storage and pricing options for users, Microsoft said. The all-digital Xbox Series X, for example, is priced lower than the standard Xbox Series X that comes with a disc drive.

Xbox Series S – 1TB in Robot White

The Xbox Series S was originally available with 512GB storage in a Robot White colourway. Last year, Microsoft launched the Xbox Series S with 1TB storage in a new Carbon Black colorway. Now the extra storage option is coming to the Robot White colourway. Xbox Series S 1TB in Robot White will be sold in select markets for $349.99/EUR 349.99 ERP. The company has not yet confirmed India pricing and availability.

New Xbox Series S with 1TB storage in Robot White colourway
Photo Credit: Microsoft

Xbox Series X – 1TB Digital Edition

Leaked court documents from the Microsoft vs. US FTC trial last year had claimed that the company was readying a digital version of the Xbox series X. Now, Microsoft has confirmed that an all-digital Xbox Series X is coming this year. The digital varitant of the console will come with 1TB SSD storage and will be available in the Robot White colourway (existing Series X models are only available in Carbon Black). The new variant will be priced at $449.99/EUR 499.99 ERP, lower than the disc version of the Series X, which comes in at $499.99.

The all-digital Xbox Series X will be available in the Robot White colourway
Photo Credit: Microsoft

Xbox Series X – 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition

Microsoft is also launching a special edition of the Xbox Series X in a striking new Galaxy Black colourway with expanded 2TB storage. The console design features a silver, grey, and green celestial effect, with a black base colour and a green stand. The special edition console also comes with a matching Xbox wireless controller. The Galaxy Black Special Edition Xbox Series X will be available in limited quantities in select markets for $599.99/EUR 649.99 ERP.

The Galaxy Black special edition of Xbox Series X will be available in limited quantities
Photo Credit: Microsoft

Pre-orders for three new variants will begin soon, Microsoft said. The company will also share details on regional pricing and market availability in the coming months.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Will Be on Game Pass at Launch, Microsoft Confirms

Call of Duty: Back Ops 6, the next instalment in Activision’s popular first-person shooter franchise, will be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch, Microsoft confirmed Tuesday. All Game Pass subscribers will be able to play the game on day one. The confirmation came days after reports claimed that the Xbox parent was planning to put the next Call of Duty on its game subscription service.

Microsoft has bet big on Xbox Game Pass, bringing all its first-party titles to the service at launch. That strategy has, however, cost Xbox in sales of its exclusive games. Bringing Call of Duty, one of the best-selling game franchises in the world, to Game Pass would likely result in subscriber growth, but could also end up hurting direct sales. On Game Pass, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 would be playable at launch at no additional cost to subscribers on Xbox consoles, PC and other supported devices.

In January, Microsoft provided subscriber numbers for Game Pass after a gap of over two years, confirming that the service had 34 million subscribers. While that represents a 36 percent jump from numbers reported over two years ago, gaming subscription services have struggled in recent times to add new paying members. Games industry analyst Mat Piscatella claimed earlier this month that spending on non-mobile game subscription services had stalled. “March 2024 non-mobile video game subscription spending was only up 1% vs the April 2023 figures…,” he said in his X post at the time.

Earlier this month, Microsoft shut down several game studios under its umbrella, including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and Redfall maker Arkane Austin, in order to shift focus on to its “priority games”. While Redfall launched to negative reception and fell short of Microsoft’s expectations, Hi-Fi Rush, in the company’s own words, was a “break out hit” across “all key measurements and expectations.” A big chunk of the player numbers for the rhythm-based action-adventure title, however, was believed to have come from Game Pass, rather than direct sales. Releasing Call of Duty, a mass-market, money-spinning tent-pole franchise, on Game Pass could thus be Microsoft’s biggest bet on the subscription service.

Activision, which was acquired by Microsoft last year, confirmed last week that Black Ops 6 would be the next Call of Duty title. The publisher is planning a full reveal for the game at a Direct presentation immediately following the Xbox Games Showcase on June 9. Activision has so far revealed little about the game, releasing a few teasers and a live-action trailer since the game was confirmed. Microsoft said that it would share more details about Black Ops 6 at the Direct showcase, where players can expect the “first in-depth look at gameplay in this dark new chapter of the Black Ops series.

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Microsoft Shuts Down Hi-Fi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks, Redfall Maker Arkane Austin, Other Bethesda Studios

Microsoft has shuttered several Bethesda-owned game studios, including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and Redfall maker Arkane Austin, in order to shift focus on to its “priority games”. The Xbox parent is also closing Alpha Dog Games, makers of the mobile game Mighty Doom, while Roundhouse Studios, which also contributed to Redfall development, will be absorbed by ZeniMax Online Studios. The development, initially reported by IGN, was confirmed by affected studios Tango Gameworks and Arkane in separate posts on X late Tuesday. The shutdowns come months after Microsoft announced layoffs at Xbox and Activision Blizzard earlier this year, which made 1,900 roles redundant.

The IGN report, citing an internal email to employees sent by Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty, said the closures would lead to “significant layoffs,” but Microsoft has not yet confirmed the number of roles affected.

Bethesda-owned Arkane Studios, which comprised of Arkane Lyon and Arkane Austin teams, confirmed on X that the latter would close and cease all development on their last game, Redfall. The vampire shooter will get no further updates, but its servers will remain online for active players, the studio said.

Redfall was released in May 2023 to largely negative reviews, leading to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer taking “full responsibility” for the game’s disastrous launch. Spencer, however, had defended developer Arkane Austin at the time and promised that Xbox would continue to work on improving the game.

While Redfall fell short of expectations, Hi-Fi Rush, in Microsoft’s own words, was a “break out hit” across “all key measurements and expectations.” Aaron Greenberg, Vice President of Xbox Games Marketing, had said last year that Microsoft “couldn’t be happier” with Tango Gameworks’ rhythm-based action title. Yet, the studio did not survive the latest round of cuts. Tango Gameworks confirmed on X Tuesday that the studio would close, thanking players and announcing that its previous games, which include The Evil Within series and Ghostwire: Tokyo, would remain available and playable across all supported platforms.

The internal email from Booty cited in the report said that the shutdowns would help prioritise “high-impact titles” and continued investment in “blockbuster games” from Bethesda. Without putting a number on the resulting layoffs, the email said, “This reprioritization of titles and resources means a few teams will be realigned to others and that some of our colleagues will be leaving us.

“We are making these tough decisions to create capacity to increase investment in other parts of our portfolio and focus on our priority games,” the email added.

Microsoft is yet to make an official announcement on the cuts, but the company will hold an Xbox Games Showcase event on June 9, where it will reveal its upcoming lineup of exclusive and third-party titles.

The latest round of shutdowns follows a spate of layoffs this year across major studios like Riot Games, Eidos-Montréal, Sony, Electronic Arts, Embracer Group, Take-Two Interactive and more. Back in January, Microsoft laid off 1,900 employees at newly acquired Activision Blizzard and Xbox — an eight percent reduction of its overall gaming division.

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Microsoft Announces Xbox Games Showcase for June 9, Will Reportedly Reveal Next Call of Duty, Gears of War

Microsoft has announced an Xbox Games Showcase for its first-party titles for June, alongside a dedicated Direct event for an unnamed title. The showcase will be livestreamed on June 9, starting at 10am PT (10:30am IST) on Xbox’s YouTube, Twitch and Facebook accounts. The event will feature an upcoming lineup of games from Activision, Blizzard, Bethesda and Xbox Game Studios, along with third-party titles on Xbox.

The Xbox Games Showcase will be followed by a Direct event that promises a “deep-dive into the next installment of a beloved franchise.” While Microsoft did not disclose details about the event, a report from The Verge, citing sources familiar with the company’s plans, claimed that the Direct stream would focus on the next installment of Call of Duty. The best-selling first-person shooter franchise is now part of Microsoft’s portfolio of first-party games after the Xbox parent acquired Call of Duty maker Activision-Blizzard last year.

Additionally, the report also provided details on some of the titles that might be revealed or receive new updates at the Xbox Showcase. Microsoft reportedly intends to announce a new Gears of War game at the event. The last Gears of War title, Gears 5, was released in 2019, and an announcement on Gears of War 6 has been long anticipated.

The showcase will reportedly also reveal release date details for already announced titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Avowed and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, along with the launch date for Shattered Space expansion for Starfield. According to the report, the expansion is targeting a September launch, while the next Call of Duty is planned for an October release. Avowed and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, meanwhile, could reportedly debut in November, with Bethesda’s Indiana Jones likely intended for launch during the Holiday period in December.

While Microsoft has not yet revealed any details, the showcase should throw more light on its upcoming first-party titles. The event will likely also reveal more details on Xbox’s slate of games for 2025. According to The Verge, the event will have “a lot of games to show” than last year’s showcase.

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Baldur’s Gate 3 Wins Best Game, Four Other Honors at BAFTA Games Awards 2024: See Full List of Winners

Baldur’s Gate 3 continues to collect year-end honours as the expansive RPG from Larian Studios took home the top award at the 20th BAFTA Games Awards held in London late Thursday. The Dungeons & Dragons-style RPG was crowned as the Best Game, in addition to winning in four other categories on the night. Acclaimed survival-horror sequel Alan Wake 2, Nintendo platformer Super Mario Bros. Wonder and British indie Viewfinder won two BAFTAs each, while Cyberpunk 2077 continued its redemption story with a win in the Evolving Game category.

The prestigious British Academy Game Awards announced its winners in a ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on Thursday night. In addition to the Best Game award, Baldur’s Gate 3 won in the categories of Music, Narrative, and Performer in a Supporting Role for Andrew Wincott, who plays Raphael in the game. The Larian RPG also emerged on top in the EE Players’ Choice Award, voted by gamers.

Tango Gameworks‘ vibrant rhythm-based action title Hi-Fi Rush won in the Animation category, while Remedy Entertainment’s Alan Wake 2 took home two awards in the Artistic and Audio Achievement categories. In one of the toughest categories on the night, Venba, the narrative-based cooking title, beat off strong competition from acclaimed games like Cucoon, Dave the Diver, Dredge, Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical and Viewfinder to win in the Debut Game category. Dave the Diver, a pixel-art style game about catching fish and serving sushi, did win in the Game Design category, however.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, two acclaimed games from last year that were in the running for several year-end game of the year honours during the awards season, won for Technical Achievement and Performer in a Leading Role (for Nadji Jeter as Miles Morales), respectively. In addition to the win for Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo bagged two more awards on the night in the Family and Multiplayer categories, both for Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

Here’s the full list of winners from the 20th BAFTA Games Awards:

Animation

WINNER – Hi-Fi Rush Development Team – Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks

Alan Wake 2 Development Team – Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games

Hogwarts Legacy Development Team – Avalanche Software/Warner Bros. Games

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Development Team – Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Development Team – Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Development Team – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Artistic Achievement

WINNER – Alan Wake 2 Development Team – Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games

Baldur’s Gate 3 Development Team – Larian Studio/Larian Studio

Cocoon Development Team – Geometric Interactive/Annapurna Interactive

Diablo IV Development Team – Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment

Final Fantasy XVI Hiroshi Minagawa, Kazuya Takahashi, Naoki Kurihara – Creative Business Unit III/Square Enix

Hi-Fi Rush Development Team – Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks

Audio Achievement

WINNER – Alan Wake 2 Development Team – Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Development Team – Sledgehammer Games/Activision

Hi-Fi Rush Development Team – Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Development Team – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Development Team – Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Development Team – Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts

Best Game

WINNER – Baldur’s Gate 3 Development Team – Larian Studio/Larian Studio

Alan Wake 2 Development Team – Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games

Dave the Diver Development Team – Mintrocket/Mintrocket

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Development Team – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Development Team – Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Development Team – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

British Game

WINNER – Viewfinder Development Team – Sad Owl Studios/Thunderful Publishing

Cassette Beasts Development Team – Bytten Studio/Raw Fury

Dead Island 2 Development Team – Dambuster Studios/PLAION

Disney Illusion Island Development Team – Dlala Studios/Disney

Football Manager 2024 Development Team – Sports Interactive/SEGA Europe

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin Development Team – Frontier Developments/Frontier Developments

Debut Game

WINNER – Venba Abhi, Sam Elkana, Shahrin Khan – Visai Games/Visai Games

Cocoon Development Team – Geometric Interactive/Annapurna Interactive

Dave the Diver Development Team – Mintrocket/Mintrocket

Dredge Development Team – Black Salt Games/Team17 Digital

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical Development Team – Summerfall Studios/Humble Games

Viewfinder Development Team – Sad Owl Studios/Thunderful Publishing

Evolving Game

WINNER – Cyberpunk 2077 Development Team – CD Projekt Red/CD Projekt Red

Final Fantasy XIV Online Development Team – Creative Business Unit III/Square Enix

Fortnite Development Team – Epic Games/Epic Games

Forza Horizon 5 Development Team – Playground Games/Xbox Game Studios

Genshin Impact Development Team – HoYoverse/HoYoverse

No Man’s Sky Development Team – Hello Games/Hello Games

Family

WINNER – Super Mario Bros. Wonder Development Team – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Cocoon Development Team – Geometric Interactive/Annapurna Interactive

Dave the Diver Development Team – Mintrocket/Mintrocket

Disney Illusion Island Development Team – Dlala Studios/Disney

Hi-Fi Rush Development Team – Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks

Hogwarts Legacy Development Team – Avalanche Software/Warner Bros. Games

Game Beyond Entertainment

WINNER – Tchia Phil Crifo, Marilou Lopez-Aguilera, Thoanë Thomadra – Awaceb/Kepler Interactive

Chants Of Sennaar Julien Moya, Thomas Panuel – Rundisc/Focus Entertainment

Goodbye Volcano High Development Team – KOOP

Terra Nil Development Team – Free Lives/Devolver Digital

Thirsty Suitors Development Team – Outerloop Games/Annapurna Interactive

Venba Abhi, Sam Elkana, Shahrin Khan – Visai Games/Visai Games

Game Design

WINNER – Dave the Diver Development Team – Mintrocket/Mintrocket

Cocoon Development Team – Geometric Interactive/Annapurna Interactive

Dredge Development Team – Black Salt Games/Team17 Digital

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Development Team – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Development Team – Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment

Viewfinder Development Team – Sad Owl Studios/Thunderful Publishing

Multiplayer

WINNER – Super Mario Bros. Wonder Development Team – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Baldur’s Gate 3 Development Team – Larian Studio/Larian Studio

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Development Team – Sledgehammer Games/Activision

Diablo IV Development Team – Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment

Forza Motorsport Development Team – Turn 10 Studios/Xbox Game Studios

Party Animals Development Team – Recreate Games/Source Technology

Music

WINNER – Baldur’s Gate 3 Development Team – Larian Studio/Larian Studio

Alan Wake 2 Development Team – Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games

Assassin’s Creed Mirage Development Team – Ubisoft/Ubisoft

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Development Team – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 John Paesano, Scott Hanau, Keith Leary – Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Gordy Haab, Stephen Barton – Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts

Narrative

WINNER – Baldur’s Gate 3 Development Team – Larian Studio/Larian Studio

Alan Wake 2 Development Team – Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games

Dredge Development Team – Black Salt Games/Team17 Digital

Final Fantasy XVI Kazutoyo Maehiro, Michael-Christopher Koji Fox – Creative Business Unit III/Square Enix

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Development Team – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Gordy Haab, Stephen Barton – Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts

New Intellectual Property

WINNER – Viewfinder Development Team – Sad Owl Studios/Thunderful Publishing

Chants of Sennaar Julien Moya, Thomas Panuel – Rundisc/Focus Entertainment

Dave the Diver Development Team – Mintrocket/Mintrocket

Dredge Development Team – Black Salt Games/Team17 Digital

Hi-Fi Rush Development Team – Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks

Jusant Development Team – Don’t Nod/Don’t Nod

Performer in a Leading Role

WINNER – Nadji Jeter as Miles Morales in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Amelia Tyler as Narrator in Baldur’s Gate 3

Cameron Monaghan as Cal Kestis in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Neil Newbon as Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3

Samantha Béart as Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3

Yuri Lowenthal as Peter Parker in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Performer in a Supporting Role

WINNER – Andrew Wincott as Raphael in Baldur’s Gate 3

Debra Wilson as Cere Junda in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Ralph Ineson as Cidolfus “Cid” Telamon in Final Fantasy XVI

Sam Lake as Alex Casey in Alan Wake 2

Tony Todd as Venom in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Tracy Wiles as Jaheira in Baldur’s Gate 3

Technical Achievement

WINNER – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Development Team – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Alan Wake 2 Development Team – Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games

Final Fantasy XVI Ryota Suzuki, Yasuhiro Yanamoto, Kei Honda – Creative Business Unit III/Square Enix

Horizon Call of the Mountain Development Team – Guerrilla and Firesprite/Sony Interactive Entertainment

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Development Team – Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment

Starfield Development Team – Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks

EE Player’s Choice

WINNER – Baldur’s Gate 3 Development Team – Larian Studio/Larian Studio

Cyberpunk 2077 – CD Projekt Red/CD Projekt Red

Fortnite Epic Games/Epic Games

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Lethal Company Zeekerss/Zeekerss

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment

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Palworld Crosses 25 Million Players on PC and Xbox, 15 Million Copies Sold on Steam

Palworld, the action-adventure survival title that broke player count records on Steam at launch, has sold 15 million copies on Valve’s platform. Developers Pocketpair announced Thursday that the game’s total player count had gone past 25 million, with 15 million players on Steam and 10 million players on Xbox. Since its release last month, Palworld has become a phenomenon, becoming one of the most played games in Steam history even as it has attracted plagiarism accusations over its Pokémon-style in-game creatures that players can capture, train and utilise in combat.

Japanese studio Pocketpair, makers of Palworld, confirmed in a post on X Thursday that the game had crossed 25 million players overall, with 15 million copies sold on Steam. The survival title also has 10 million players on Xbox, though a chunk of that number is likely to be players accessing the game via Xbox Game Pass.

Last month, Microsoft had confirmed that Palworld was the biggest third-party Game Pass launch ever and the most played game on its platforms. Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe had called the player response “tremendous” at the time. “This is just the beginning for us and Palworld, and the feedback we’re gathering while in Game Preview will allow us to continue to improve the experience for Pal Tamers across all platforms,” he had added.

Currently, Palworld is the fifth most played game on Steam, with 206,401 concurrent players at the time of writing, according to SteamDB charts. It’s all-time peak player-count on the platform sits only behind PUBG: Battlegrounds.

While Palworld’s player count has ballooned, the game has been a subject of controversy over the design of its in-game creatures, called Pals. Several players, developers and commentators have accused the game of plagiarising creature designs from Pokémon.

The Pokémon Company had issued a statement last month addressing the plagiarism accusations and confirming it intended to investigate any alleged instances of copyright infringement. “We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024. We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game,” the company had said in its statement.

Palworld released in early access on January 19 and is available on PC (via Steam), Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X and is also included with Xbox Game Pass. The game features Pokémon-style animals, or Pals, that can be captured and tamed for combat, traversal and base building in the game’s open world.

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Next-Gen Xbox Will Be the ‘Largest Technical Leap’ for a New Console Generation, Says Microsoft

Microsoft shared new details about its plans for Xbox hardware, teasing the next generation of Xbox consoles and providing updates about its gaming business in a special edition of the Official Xbox Podcast Thursday. While the company confirmed that four Xbox-exclusive games would launch on PS5 and Nintendo Switch, it reiterated its commitment to developing Xbox hardware and exclusives titles on the platform. In the podcast, Xbox president Sarah Bond said that Microsoft was focussed on delivering the “largest technical leap” for a new console generation for the next Xbox.

Bond also confirmed that fans could expect new Xbox hardware later this year in the holiday season — likely to be the rumoured mid-generation refresh of the Xbox Series S/X consoles. “There’s some exciting stuff coming out in hardware that we’re going to share this holiday. And we’re also invested in the next generation roadmap,” the Xbox president said. “And what we’re really focussed on there is delivering the largest technical leap you will have seen in a hardware generation,” she added.

Xbox currently offers the Xbox Series X, its flagship current-generation console, along with the lower-end, digital-only Xbox Series S.

Back in September last year, leaked court documents from the Federal Trade Commission antitrust trial over Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard had revealed that the company was planning a mid-gen refresh for its Xbox Series X and Series S consoles sometime in 2024. The documents also included concept images of upcoming Xbox hardware, along with the platform’s roadmap for future releases.

According to the leaked concept images, Microsoft’s mid-gen refresh of the Xbox Series X is codenamed ‘Brooklin,’ an all-digital console that boasts the same peformance and features as the original one, except for the optical disc drive. The console appears to have a cylindrical design and an upgraded 2TB storage and will likely maintain the Series X’s pricing — $499, or Rs. 54,990. The leaked documents had claimed that ‘Brooklin’ would release sometime in October 2024. In addition to the console, Xbox also plans to launch an upgraded controller with gyro, haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, just like PlayStation’s DualSense controller.

In the podcast, where Bond was joined by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty, the Xbox president did not disclose a launch window for the next generation of Xbox consoles, but Microsoft expects the next-gen Xbox and PS6 to launch in 2028, as also revealed by court documents from the FTC trial in June last year. “This term would, in any case, go beyond the expected starting period of the next generation of consoles (in 2028),” the company had said in the documents. The current generation of consoles — Xbox Series S/X and PS5 — was launched in 2020.

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Microsoft Announces 4 Xbox Exclusives for PS5 and Nintendo Switch, Activision Blizzard Titles on Game Pass

Four Microsoft first-party games will launch on Sony’s PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch, the company confirmed late Thursday after weeks of speculation over its exclusive titles releasing on rival platforms. The announcement came on the Official Xbox Podcast from Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, who also shed further light on the reasons behind Xbox’s business decision and confirmed that the next generation of Xbox consoles were in development. Microsoft has not yet revealed the four Xbox exclusives coming to PS5 and Nintendo Switch, but The Verge reported that said games would be Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, Sea of Thieves and Grounded.

Spencer addressed the rumours about Microsoft first-party titles and the future of Xbox exclusivity head on, confirming that contrary to reports, Triple-A Bethesda releases like Starfield and the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will remain as Xbox and PC exclusives. “We’ve made the decision that we’re going to take four games to the other consoles, just four games,” the Xbox chief on the podcast. He confirmed that Xbox won’t be fundamentally changing its exclusives strategy, explaining the decision to port the four unnamed games over to rival consoles. “We think this is an interesting point in time for us to use what some of the other platforms have right now to help grow our franchises,” he said.

While Spencer refrained from naming the four Xbox exclusive titles slated for launch on PS5 and Nintendo Switch, a report from The Verge, citing sources privy to Microsoft’s plans, claimed that these would be Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, Sea of the Thieves and Grounded. The first three of these were previously reported to be coming to Sony and Nintendo’s platforms, too. There are no specific release dates or launch windows for these games, but Spencer said that their respective developers have plans for announcements that are “not too far away.”

Hi-Fi Rush has been rumoured to come to PS5 and Nintendo Switch
Photo Credit: Bethesda

The Xbox chief, however, did elaborate on the process of picking the four yet confirmed games for multi-platform transition. The company considered games released over a year ago that have been on Xbox and PC for a while. Two of the selected games are community-driven games, Spencer said, while the other two are smaller games that weren’t built to be platform exclusives. “As they’ve realised their potential on Xbox and PC, we see an opportunity to utilise the other platforms as a place to just drive more business value out of those games, allowing us to maybe invest in future iterations of those, or sequels to those, or just other games like that in our portfolio,” Spencer said. “And we don’t damage Xbox and we can grow our business using what other platforms have to help us with that. We’re gonna do that.”

Spencer, however, cautioned players on rival platforms that the change in Microsoft’s strategy did not mean that all or several Xbox exclusives going forward would arrive on PS5 and Nintendo Switch. No other games besides the four already confirmed titles are currently being considered for a multi-platform launch.

In the wide-ranging podcast, Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty also reiterated that Game Pass would only be available on Xbox on PC. Additionally, Xbox president Sarah Bond also announced that Activision-Blizzard games would soon arrive on Xbox Game Pass, starting with Diablo IV on March 28. Microsoft acquired Call of Duty maker Activision-Blizzard late last year in $69 billion deal after a long running regulatory battle with the US’ Federal Trade Commission and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority. Bond also confirmed that Xbox Game Pass had reached 34 million subscribers.

Reports from earlier this month about Microsoft first-party games making their way to PS5 and Nintendo Switch had left the Xbox community unsettled, with many questioning the future of the platform. Major exclusives like Bethesda RPG Starfield and the recently announced Indiana Jones game were reported to be under consideration for a PS5 launch.

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Sony Set to Miss PS5 Sales Target for FY 2023, Says Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Sold 10 Million Copies

Japan’s Sony slashed the full-year sales forecast for its PlayStation 5 console on Wednesday and said it plans to list its financial business next year as it focuses on entertainment and image sensors.

Sony cut its PS5 sales forecast for the year ending March to 21 million units, from 25 million units previously, after weaker-than-expected sales over the year-end shopping season.

The company said it expects a gradual decline in unit sales from the next financial year and that it does not plan to release any major franchise titles in the coming fiscal year.

Sony, which in 2023 said it was examining a partial spin-off of its financial business, said it plans to list Sony Financial Group in October 2025 and retain a stake of just under 20 percent.

The company’s operating profit in the October-December quarter jumped 10 percent to JPY 463.3 billion ($3.08 billion, or roughly Rs. 25,568 crore), beating an average estimate of JPY 428 billion (roughly Rs. 23,663 crore) from 11 analysts polled by LSEG, as strong performance by the financial, movies and music businesses offset weakness in games.

Known as the inventor of the Walkman, Sony has transformed from an electronics manufacturer into an entertainment and tech behemoth spanning movies, music, games and chips.

Sony sold 8.2 million PlayStation 5 units in the third quarter, which spans the year-end shopping period, compared with 7.1 million units a year earlier.

Operating profit at the games business fell by around a quarter, hit by higher losses from hardware due to promotions and lower sales of first-party titles.

“Sony tried hard with promotions, bundles and discount but the sales target was too ambitious from the get-go,” said Serkan Toto, founder of consultancy Kantan Games.

“In the end they will probably land closer to 22-23 million units,” Toto added.

Monthly active users on the PlayStation network, a measure of engagement with the platform, reached 123 million units at the end of the quarter from 107 million three months earlier.

Sony said it has sold 10 million copies of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which launched on October 20, with the company also rolling out a slim version of the console from November to boost sales.

Nintendo last week hiked its full-year Switch forecast to 15.5 million units, from 15 million units previously, as the Kyoto-based company extends the lifecycle of the aging console.

Xbox maker Microsoft is due to share updates on its games business on Thursday amid speculation the company will bring its titles to other platforms.

“If big third-party titles grow that will be a positive factor and we hope to utilise that momentum,” Sony President Hiroki Totoki told a news briefing.

Sony, a leading maker of image sensors for smartphones, said profit at its chips division rose 18 percent on higher sales.

TSMC said last week it will build a second fab in Japan in partnership with companies including Sony in a vote of confidence by the leading contract chipmaker in the country.

Last month Sony scrapped plans for a $10 billion (roughly Rs. 83,000 crore) merger of its Indian business with Zee Entertainment which would have created a TV juggernaut.

The Indian market has great growth potential on a long-term basis, Totoki said.

“If we can find another opportunity that would replace this type of plan we will actively look at that and we also need to reformulate our organic growth strategy,” Totoki said.

Sony’s shares closed down 0.5 percent ahead of earnings. They have gained 9 percent this year.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

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