Castlevania: Belmont's Curse

KONAMI

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$29.99

Pre-order

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse – October 15
XBOX Play Anywhere

1499. Paris is engulfed in flames as monstrous creatures suddenly emerge from the shadows. Trevor Belmont, the hero who defeated Dracula, ventures into the burning streets with his daughter, Rose Belmont. Armed with the legendary holy whip, the Vampire Killer, they hunt down the beasts bleeding from the looming castle. Rose is soon swept up in the dark conspiracy that lurks beneath. Will she succeed in saving Paris from devastation?

Deep Dish Dungeon

Raw Fury AB

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Deep Dish Dungeon – October 13
Game Pass / XBOX Play Anywhere

Deep Dish Dungeon is a dungeon crawler and exploration game that rewards curiosity and resourcefulness. In an atmospheric environment, explore corridors, rooms and passageways solo or with up to two friends, and gather resources to improve your camping site. Craft tools and cook nourishing meals to bolster strength throughout the journey, and unravel the enigma that lies within the shadows.

Planet Zoo 2

Frontier Developments

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$49.99

Pre-order

Planet Zoo 2 – October 13
XBOX Play Anywhere

Build a wilder world in Planet Zoo 2 – the sequel to the beloved zoo simulation game. Let your creativity soar by constructing and managing distinctive zoos around the world, full of awe-inspiring animals, including fully aquatic and flying species for the first time. Plus, take the next step in animal conservation and release your species into customisable, expansive Wildlife Reserves. 

Valor Mortis

Lyrical Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Valor Mortis – October 13
Game Pass / XBOX Play Anywhere

You served Napoleon. You died for Napoleon. You have risen for Napoleon. You are William, a soldier of the Grande Armée brought back from a battlefield grave. But the Europe you awaken to is not the one you sacrificed for. A mysterious plague now sweeps the continent, and you have been reborn with its corrupting power pulsing through your veins. Each death is a chance to grow stronger. Master a combat system of parries, dashes, and visceral finishers across a variety of weapons. Channel your power to enhance attacks and unlock new supernatural abilities to inflict upon your enemies.

Just Dance: Decades of Hits

Ubisoft

☆☆☆☆☆ 167

★★★★★

Get it now

Just Dance: Decades of Hits – October 13

Celebrate iconic intergenerational hits brought to life with unique choreography. Each decade features its own visual identity and carefully curated tracklist, letting you jump between musical eras or build the ultimate throwback-to-modern playlist in one seamless experience. Discover it all through the all-new Adventure Mode, a cheerful story-driven journey that has you dancing your way through the decades.

Harvest Moon: Echoes of Teradea

Natsume Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$49.99

Pre-order

Harvest Moon: Echoes of Teradea – October 14

Embark on an unforgettable journey through the enchanting world of Teradea, where peaceful farm life meets thrilling adventure! Raised in the quiet comfort of Bloomfield Village, your life is about to change forever. A mysterious mist creeps from the Forest of Echoes, wild beasts roam under the cover of night, and strange disasters threaten villages across the land. Venture across a vast, living landscape filled with hidden caves, remote islands, lively towns, and long-forgotten secrets. Between your travels, cultivate your farm, raise animals, harvest crops, and build a place to call home. Guided by the Harvest Goddess and aided by the friends you’ll meet along the way, you’ll find new ways to grow, explore, and lend a hand wherever it’s needed.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2

Devolver Digital, Big Fan Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$24.99 $22.49

Pre-order

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 – October 14

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 is the brutal and fast-paced sequel to retro FPS Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun. Following directly on from the end of Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, your duty takes you to new locations in a branching, single-player campaign that effortlessly blends the grimdark Warhammer 40,000 universe with a fast-paced first-person shooter.

Bluey's Happy Snaps

Gameloft

☆☆☆☆☆ 1

★★★★★

Get it now

Bluey’s Happy Snaps – October 15
Game Pass / Smart Delivery / XBOX Play Anywhere

Play, explore, and capture moments with Bluey and Bingo in this photo-powered adventure across familiar spots from the show. Snap memories solo or side-by-side with a second player, discover Australian wildlife, and turn in-game moments into real fun for Real Life. Bluey and Bingo have found Dad’s old camera (back from when he was cool). Take it with you around Bluey’s hometown of Brisbane as you snap photos of the games you play, chase bin chickens and uncover hidden surprises. Each snapshot is saved to your own scrapbook, where you can keep your best moments.

Chained Beasts

Featherweight Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Chained Beasts – October 15
Game Pass / XBOX Play Anywhere

Step into the Colosseum chained to your friends. Chained Beasts is a co-op gladiator roguelike for 1-4 players, combining brutal combat with teamwork and slapstick moments. Can you gather your friends, crush your enemies, win the crowd and gain your freedom?

DESOLUS

The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

DESOLUS – October 15
Smart Delivery / XBOX Play Anywhere

Explore a city of Gothic architecture torn between past and future in Desolus, a first person puzzle game. An enigmatic cataclysm has fractured reality, opening portals which lead to other times. Explore the past and future versions of an expansive city. Solve Escher-like puzzles through the use of black holes, traveling back and forth through time to make architecture whole again.vv

The Jackbox Party Pack 12

Jackbox Games, Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

The Jackbox Party Pack 12 – October 15
Smart Delivery / XBOX Play Anywhere

Escape to a world of hilarity with The Jackbox Party Pack 12! Our Chicago comedians and party wizards created five all-new games perfect for holiday gatherings, game nights, and happy hours. Only one person needs to own the game. Use your phones as controllers to jump right in!

Beyond These Stars

Hooded Horse

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Beyond These Stars – October 16
Game Pass

Recovering from uncertain times, your Peeps find themselves on the back of Kewa – a lonely Space Whale journeying across the universe. Building a city on the back of a sentient creature comes with its own set of challenges, but as you build your relationship and travel across the galaxy, you’ll come across great opportunities for exploration and stable expansion. Meet other species, pursue the needs and wants of your Peeps, and seek the truth about their ancestors and the Space Whales alike.

Tales of Eternia Remastered

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Tales of Eternia Remaster – October 16

Journey to Eternia, a world split into two isolated realms, Inferia and Celestia. In the remote Inferian village of Rasheans, Reid Hershel and his childhood friend Farah Oersted meet a mysterious girl named Meredy. During their journey to discover Meredy’s origins, the group discovers that a collision called the “Great Fall” threatens both Inferia and Celesita. Harnessing the power of elemental spirits known as the Greater Craymels, Reid and his companions embark on an epic journey to save the two realms from catastrophe.

Tenebris Somnia

New Blood Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Tenebris Somnia – October 16
XBOX Play Anywhere

Tenebris Somnia is a 2D retro survival horror adventure game with live action cutscenes created by an award-winning film crew from Argentina. Unveil the depths of a disturbing story by solving puzzles and fighting horrible creatures. …What if they aren’t just nightmares?

Alpha Nomos

RibCage Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Alpha Nomos – October 12
XBOX Play Anywhere

It’s time to wield the beat in Alpha Nomos, a rhythm-action roguelite where every instrument is a weapon and every fight moves to the music. Play as Cello and slice through an army of rogue puppets in a vibrant, melody-twisted world where combat pulses to the soundtrack and timing is everything.

Colorbound

Whitethorn Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$14.99

Pre-order

Colorbound – October 12
XBOX Play Anywhere

Bring the world around you to life with the power of color in Colorbound, a vibrant palette-platformer. Join Anku on a heartfelt journey to reunite his late grandfather’s band by using color to shape the world around you. As you journey, you’ll solve puzzles, uncover secrets, and help a family of musicians come together one last time.

Survivor Cells

YAW Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$9.99

Pre-order

Survivor Cells – October 13
XBOX Play Anywhere

Prepare to subvert the rules of the genre. In Survivor Cells, dodging or running won’t save you. Survival demands an active defense and a relentless offense. Position yourself strategically, face colossal hordes of viruses and bacteria, and build the ultimate biological barrier combining advanced medicines and cutting-edge nanotechnology!

Cleaning Simulator

RockGame S.A.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Cleaning Simulator – October 14

Cleaning? Did you say boring? No way! Cleaning Simulator invites you to grab your mop, vacuum cleaner, and sponge for a delightful cleaning adventure. Dirty floors, mountains of dishes, buzzing flies, dusty carpets, and chaotic rooms… They’re all waiting for you. But don’t worry—if you’ve got the right tools in hand, this mess will be sparkling clean in no time.

Creepy Tale: Snow Child

Sometimes You

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$14.99 $11.99

Pre-order

Free Trial

Creepy Tale: Snow Child – October 14
Smart Delivery / XBOX Play Anywhere

An explosive mix of action and mystery, seasoned with black humor and a sinister atmosphere. Journey into Hell alongside a brave boy named Blizzy and defeat Evil itself. Save the world and become a hero. But at what cost?

Love Beyond Differences: Riku & Lily

Lucky Raccoon Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Love Beyond Differences: Riku & Lily – October 14
Smart Delivery / XBOX Play Anywhere

Love Beyond Differences: Riku & Lily is a narrative-driven spot-the-difference puzzle game about love, memory, and the moments that shape a lifetime. Now elderly, Riku looks through an old photo album with his grandchildren and tells them the story of his life with Lily. Some memories have begun to fade, appearing in grayscale throughout the album. By finding the differences hidden within each illustrated scene, you help Riku reconstruct those memories and restore the pages to full color.

My Recycling Center 2

Darius Bode

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

My Recycling Center 2 – October 14
Smart Delivery

Design and expand your new recycling center in this first-person simulation game. Take care of unloading, sorting and compacting the waste. The new level editor allows you to freely design the yard, place upgrades and set it up the way you like. With increasing experience, multiple customers will show up simultaneously and might create a queue if unloading does not happen fast enough.

Prison Run and Gun

Silesia Games Sp. z o.o.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Prison Run and Gun – October 14
XBOX Play Anywhere

Get out of the prison and try not to die! Take advantage of the chaos in the prison to fight your way through 30 levels, testing your wits and reflexes as you face explosions, heavy gunfire and deadly obstacles in a bid to reclaim your freedom!

Ratatan

GAME SOURCE ENTERTAINMENT

☆☆☆☆☆ 1

★★★★★

$34.99 $31.49

Pre-order

Ratatan – October 14

Ratatan is a rhythm roguelike action game that combines rhythm games and side-scrolling action, with online co-op gameplay supporting up to 4 players. An intense battle unfolds with over 100 characters fighting in a massive melee. Let’s defeat the enemies together!

Shockwave Triggers

Eastasiasoft Limited

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Shockwave Triggers – October 14
Smart Delivery / XBOX Play Anywhere

Collect the crystals and reclaim your future as you survive bullet hell mayhem in a post-apocalyptic world! Shockwave Triggers is a vertical-scrolling shoot’em up where you’ll choose between 2 pilots – the fast and versatile Amira, whose crystal-sensitive sister has been kidnapped, and the slower but more powerful Turbo B, a mechanic determined to take down the supreme leader of the WW army!

The Witch's Bakery

Silver Lining Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

The Witch’s Bakery – October 14
XBOX Play Anywhere

The Witch’s Bakery is a cozy Adventure RPG about a joyful witch who opens her bakery in modern Paris. She has one special power: she can see into people’s heart and heal emotions through magic!

Wolfsschanze – Operation Götterdämmerung

Markt+Technik Verlag GmbH

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$14.99

Pre-order

Wolfsschanze – Operation Götterdämmerung – October 14

East Prussia, 1944. Behind concrete, barbed wire and heavily armed security rings lies one of the most dangerous places of the Second World War: the Wolf’s Lair – the sealed-off power centre of the Nazi leadership. As an elite soldier, you fight through heavily guarded facilities, defensive positions and bunkers. Every advance is brutal, direct and fast-paced. Short, hard firefights await you, where every explosion blasts open a path and every hit brings you closer to the key figures of the dictatorship – up to the final showdown with Hitler himself.

YAR: Forgotten Throne

Axyos Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$29.99

Pre-order

YAR: Forgotten Throne – October 14

Choose your path as a Warrior, Volkhv, or Archer and journey across the lands of Borea in a story-driven open-world RPG. Uncover the source of the darkness poisoning its forests and wildlife as you take on 100+ varied quests, side with one of two factions, and shape your hero through progression, active and passive skills, and character attributes.

1×1 Street Football: mini soccer PvP

Witenovastudio OÜ

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$9.99 $7.99

Pre-order

1×1 Street Football: mini soccer PvP – October 15
Smart Delivery / XBOX Play Anywhere

Street Football is a fast-paced arcade sports game where football meets street fighting. Take control of unique heroes, and use powerful street skills to outplay your opponents. Score spectacular goals, perform flashy finishers, and dominate playgrounds inspired by football cultures from around the world. Challenge friends, climb international leagues, improve your characters, and build your career as a street football champion.

Cubic Cosmos

Happy Player

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$17.99

Pre-order

Cubic Cosmos – October 15

Cubic Cosmos is a thrilling, fast-paced, roguelike card game. You have been trapped in a deadly game. One wrong move could see you reduced to a plaything of the goddess. Can you free yourself from the endless cycle and escape your fate? Build lethal decks, chain massive combos, and halt the enemy march!

Disney/Pixar Toy Story 3 Complete Edition

Atari

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Disney/Pixar Toy Story 3 Complete Edition – October 15
Smart Delivery

Reopen the toy chest and saddle up as Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie in Toy Story 3 Complete Edition, a 3D adventure based on the hit 2010 animated film, Toy Story 3. The updated game features improved graphics and a few new surprises in store. Play through authentic moments from the movie in Story Mode, or drop into the wild west sandbox of Woody’s Roundup in Toy Box Mode.

Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup!

Atari

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup! – October 15
Smart Delivery

Step back into Andy’s room with Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and more classic characters in Toy Story: Retro Roundup! This five-game collection features console and handheld versions of four early Toy Story titles, as well as A Bug’s Life. All the games have been upgraded with new features, quality-of-life improvements, and an overflowing toy chest of behind-the-scenes content. Revisit the ‘90s and early 2000s hits you loved and share these titles with a new generation of Toy Story fans.

Floppy-Ear Chaos

SCRAPIEDEE SRL

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Floppy-Ear Chaos – October 15
XBOX Play Anywhere

Unleash pure chaos as a furious rabbit in this fast-paced comedic brawler with roguelike elements! Fight through waves of quirky enemies, unlock absurd upgrades, and experiment with wild abilities that change every run. Smash, spin, and explode your way through vibrant, comic-style arenas where every battle is unpredictable, over-the-top, and packed with humor.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Holiday Play Edition

GameMill Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆ 30

★★★★★

$39.99

Pre-order

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Holiday Play Edition – October 15

Dash into the enchanting world of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and embark on a quest to save Christmas in this magical adventure inspired by the animated classic! Journey through Rudolph’s winter wonderlands as you help Rudolph and his friends overcome challenges, enjoy joyful exploration, and experience cooperative gameplay in a festive adventure for the whole family.

Swarm Me

EpiXR Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$6.99

Pre-order

Swarm Me – October 15

Swarm Me is a top-down survival game where players defeat massive enemy swarms by luring them into traps, hazards, and environmental kills, relying on movement, items, and positioning. Swarm Me was inspired by the late-round experience of “Kino der Toten” from Call of Duty: Black Ops, where enemy health scales beyond conventional killing and survival depends entirely on movement, positioning, and environmental traps. The project set out to capture that specific feeling of controlled panic found in high zombie rounds, when weapons become ineffective and only smart use of traps, crowd manipulation, and limited high-impact tools can keep the player alive.

Tingus Goose

Dark Product

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Tingus Goose – October 15

Tingus Goose is a delightfully absurd idle game where you plant seeds in patients, bounce babies for profit, and ascend through surreal worlds toward riches. Witness the miracle of life in this accurate goose-growing simulator. Pop your seed into a patient’s conveniently empty torso, add water, and watch a towering goose-tree burst with fresh Babies (nature’s most renewable source of cash).

Troll Slayer

Head Bear Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Troll Slayer – October 15

The forest near the kingdom has become overrun with trolls, and only one brave knight stands between them and the kingdom. Take up your sword and venture into the forest in this simple and challenging 2D pixel art platformer. Jump across dangerous terrain, avoid deadly hazards, and fight different types of trolls standing in your way.

Weekend Solitaire: Voyage

Ocean Media LLC

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Weekend Solitaire: Voyage – October 15

Weekend Solitaire: Voyage offers a colorful array of puzzles through a gentle cascade of challenges. As you navigate through vibrant and dynamically animated levels, your strategic mind is both soothed and tested, immersing you into a relaxed, yet focused state. With every card turned and each layout solved, the game crafts an inviting and seamless experience, designed to delicately engage and guide you through the subtle mastery of solitaire.

Moto X

Ratalaika Games S.L.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Moto X – October 16
Smart Delivery / XBOX Play Anywhere

Revive the moto racing spirit with this game, developed in 1994. Compete against motorcycles of 250cc, 550cc, and 750cc in different tracks full of obstacles and the best riders. Skills aren’t going to be enough to win. Throughout the race you will find items that will give you power ups to help you beat your opponents. Use them to your advantage!

Sproutrex

trezegames

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Sproutex – October 16

Take control of Sproutrex, a small nature-powered mechanical sphere equipped with a propeller, and explore a colorful pixel-art world where plants and machines have grown together. Run, jump, glide and fly your way through 28 handcrafted levels filled with hazards, enemies, moving platforms and environmental challenges. Use Sproutrex’s unique abilities to reach new areas, overcome dangerous obstacles and discover different ways through each stage.

Supercar Collection Simulator

Kiki Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Supercar Collection Simulator – October 16

Start your own diecast car store and turn a small shop into the place every collector visits. Buy sealed surprise boxes from eight Supercar series – Basic, Faster, Pro, Elite, Champion, Master, Extra and Ultra – and open them at your unboxing table. Every box hides a random set of cars, from common runs to the rarest Special editions. Keep the ones you love in your personal collection, or put them on the shelves, set a price and sell them to the collectors who walk through your door.

The post Next Week on XBOX: New Games for October 12 to 16 appeared first on XBOX Wire.

Summary

• Knowledge based metroidvania.
• Creators discuss the challenges of building a new genre.
• Out now on XBOX Series X|S, PC, and Day One with Game Pass.

“This is the best demo I’ve ever played.”

Two years ago, a demo from a three-person team in northwest North America hit my email and I wasn’t really prepared for how special it would end up being. My name is Buddy Solá, I’m the Head of Publishing for Akupara Games and with a title like that, you can imagine I spend quite a lot of time playing demos from prospective indie developers. To put it in the clearest possible terms, Echo Weaver is the best demo I’ve ever played in my career in indies.

Created by Moonlight Kids, Echo Weaver is something of a cross between Outer Wilds, Edge of Tomorrow, and Celeste, and we’ve been using a very fancy new term to describe its genre. If a Metroidvania is a game where acquiring gear and upgrades lets you progress in new ways, Echo Weaver is a Metroidbrainia, where the only thing you ever need to acquire is knowledge.

You’re stuck in the colony of Provenance, a futuristic space colony suffering after something called the Collapse – and you’re stuck not just in place, but also in time. Every cycle, you’ve got minutes to live, tracked right at the top of your screen. When that clock runs out, the cycle starts over. You have a whole new chance to progress as long as you’re clever. Make no mistake, this isn’t a roguelike. Nothing here is random or procedurally generated. It’s a grand, clockwork time loop puzzle, and every reset gives you a chance to come back faster, smarter, and armed with everything you learned last time.

Moonlight Kids is a three-person studio spread across three states, fully remote since 2018. Their debut, Wild at Heart, took cues from Pikmin and Luigi’s Mansion and turned it into a quiet, beloved indie of 2021, picking up a Day of the Devs slot and an IGF nomination along the way. Echo Weaver is their follow-up, and it’s a noticeably darker turn, though the team was quick in a recent livestream to push back on the idea that “darker” means “hopeless.”

“The whole game is sort of about being totally lost,” one of the designers told us on the Akupara 10th Anniversary Livestream. “And then, it’s about discovery, and ultimately, it’s about mastery.” That’s the design philosophy: start somewhere oppressive and master your way into brighter, quirkier spaces as you learn the loop.

That mastery doesn’t come cheap. The team was candid about just how brutal this particular game was to build. “It’s like five times as much work as it is to make any other type of game that isn’t using a knowledge-based time loop core,” one of them said. “Honestly, the hardest game I’ve ever worked on.” It’s a concept that sounds smart until you actually try it: originally, designing a time loop game seemed easier, since they wouldn’t need to build save systems. Instead, because the whole world streams in with no loading screens, they ended up having to save the state of literally everything, constantly, as it loads and unloads around you. As one dev put it: “very funny, in hindsight.”

And the entire game is knowledge-gated on purpose. “If you Googled all the answers ahead of time, you could boot the game up and beat it in five minutes,” the team explained. “There’s no ‘go spend two hours getting your hookshot.’ It’s all stuff you can already do– it’s just buried behind layers and layers of secrets.” Even the endgame, what the team calls “the Golden Path,” changed almost entirely from their original plans, because you genuinely can’t know how all the pieces fit together until you’ve built every piece.

But now that the game is out on XBOX, the team has followed through on the vision that they set out with two years ago, even if the specifics didn’t survive the trip. Echo Weaver actually started out much darker: a mature-rated game with brutal finishers, a totally different tone. The team pulled back from that, not out of nerves, but because, as they put it, “It was just a tonal mismatch with the art style.” What stuck around was the part that actually mattered– that arc from lost to capable, from nothing to mastery. As one of them summed it up: “glad we ended up where we were.”

If Moonlight Kids’ pitch sounds like your kind of trouble, hop into their Discord. Echo Weaver lands today on XBOX with Game Pass. See you in the loop.

Echo Weaver

Akupara Games

☆☆☆☆☆ 36

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Free Trial

Time is Your Resource Master an unraveling time loop in this knowledge-based Metroidvania. As the last Weaver, exploit time-altering anomalies and use what you learn to break the cycle. Explore what remains. Uncover the mystery. Perfect the loop. Wield the Enigmatic Power of the Glaive Bound to your very being, an alien glaive grants you strange, reality-bending powers. The infinite time loop is the perfect training ground to master them. Can you decipher its fractured essence? Find clever uses of its power to bypass obstacles? Use past-loop revelations to find hidden shortcuts? Only a Weaver who harnesses the glaive's power will be able to outsmart a world determined to reset you. Unearth the Secrets of Provenance Scrappy survivors populate the loop, opposing those who wish to drown a better future. To carve your path to freedom, you'll need to understand those trapped alongside you. A pizza-slinging cat who guides you through the ruins. A cranky leader who protects refugees after The Collapse. A wicked cleric evangelizing doom to any who might listen. Only you can dismantle the conspiracy deep at the heart of this world and free those confined to eternal purgatory. Secrets are Your Upgrades Every power you will ever yield is already at your disposal… you just don't know it yet. Each new loop offers up more clues; every reset becomes a another opportunity to optimize. Put the pieces together, unlock your potential, and chart the one perfect loop to deliverance. In this unique genre mix perfect for fans of both Outer Wilds and Ori and the Blind Forest, master time itself to shatter the cycle once and for all.

The post You Have Minutes to Live: Introducing Echo Weaver appeared first on XBOX Wire.

Additionally, ARC Raiders is free for all XBOX members to try from October 8 until October 11 (XBOX Game Pass Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential membership not required).

Watch out! These games are time bound. High On Life 2, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Little Nightmares III, and Rogue Waters are available for all XBOX players to try out with timed trials.

How to Start Playing

Scroll down and find and install the games on each of the individual game details page on XBOX.com. Clicking through will send you to the Microsoft Store, where you must be signed in to see the option to install with your XBOX Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential membership. To download on console, click on the Subscriptions tab in the XBOX Store and navigate down to the Free Play Days collection on your XBOX One and XBOX Series X|S.

Keep the Fun Going

Purchase the game and other editions at a limited time discount and continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event! Please note that discounts, percentages, and title availability may vary by title and region.

Free Play Days (Game Pass Membership Required)

Screamer
High-octane action and anime aesthetics collide in this arcade racing game, featuring fighting mechanics and a storyline that hits hard. In this world, some race for glory while others seek power or revenge. Every race is a fight and every battle is personal. For a limited time, get 60% off the Standard Edition or the Digital Deluxe Edition and keep playing after the weekend is over.

Screamer

Milestone S.r.l.

☆☆☆☆☆ 88

★★★★★

$59.99 $23.99

Get it now

Family Man
Family Man is part of Xbox Free Play Days, so you can try it all weekend for free, and grab the game for 85% OFF! Family Man is a dark, story-led RPG that asks the question: When pushed to the limits of your own morality, how far would you go for the sake of your family? Make difficult decisions, earn cash to put food on the table, and decide just how moral your compass is.

Family Man

No More Robots

☆☆☆☆☆ 49

★★★★★

$19.99 $2.99

Get it now

Free Play Days For All

ARC Raiders
This October, we’re celebrating a year of ARC Raiders by giving new Raiders the chance to play for free for an entire weekend! Speranza is throwing open its hatches to new Raiders looking to enlist by scavenging the surface to thrive in a desolate world.

Experience ARC Raiders’ biggest update since launch: Frozen Trail. An unprecedented disruption has drawn dangers to the Rust Belt unlike anything we’ve seen before. With a colossal new threat eviscerating anything in its path, both the Nomads’ trails and Toledo itself threaten to become collateral damage of ARC’s ill-equipped salvage operation. Plus, from October 8 through October 15, you can buy the ARC Raiders base game, Deluxe Edition, and Deluxe Edition upgrade, at 50% off.

ARC Raiders

Embark Studios

☆☆☆☆☆ 11976

★★★★★

$39.99 $19.99

Get it now

High On Life 2
You’ve done it. You’ve taken down an intergalactic cartel, brought humanity back from the brink of extinction, and hunted dangerous bounties to the far corners of the galaxy. Bounty hunting has brought you fortune, fame and love; but when a mysterious figure from your past reappears and puts a price on your sister’s head, your cushy life gets thrown into chaos.

An intergalactic conspiracy threatens the fate of humanity! Team up with a wide cast of talking alien guns as you shoot, stab, and skate your way through the exotic locales to take down the bad guys and save your favorite species (humans)!

High On Life 2

Squanch Games, Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆ 2090

★★★★★

$39.99 $31.99

Get it now

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Free Trial

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Enter the Chornobyl Anomalous Zone in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl — a vast open world where anomalies, mutants, and rivals stand in your way. Explore, scavenge, and try to survive in this brutal and dangerous land.

The massive Update 2.0 improves performance, significantly transforms the look and feel of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, and introduces new features that make the journey more immersive than ever. Test your luck in the Zone during Free Play Days, then continue your journey with 30% OFF the full game!

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

GSC Game World

☆☆☆☆☆ 7191

★★★★★

$59.99 $41.99

Get it now

Free Trial

Little Nightmares III
Face your childhood fears in Little Nightmares III, a haunting adventure filled with dark mysteries and unforgettable horrors. Explore the secrets of the Spiral, solve puzzles, and evade terrifying creatures lurking around every corner.

Little Nightmares III

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆ 594

★★★★★

$39.99 $19.99

Get it now

Rogue Waters
Rogue Waters is an addictive Tactical Turn-Based Rogue-lite pirate adventure. Play as Captain Cutter, commanding your ship and crew through procedurally generated encounters to seek revenge. Free to play for 2 hours in a timed trial during Xbox’s Free Play Days and 75% OFF to buy! The high seas await. Will ye heed the call?

Rogue Waters

Tripwire Interactive LLC

☆☆☆☆☆ 47

★★★★★

$29.99 $7.49

Get it now

Free Trial

Rogue Waters is a Pirate Tactical Turn-Based Rogue-lite. Play as Captain Cutter, commanding your ship and crew through procedurally generated encounters to seek revenge. Recruit, train, and upgrade crew, use powerful sea creatures, and engage in dynamic naval and melee combat to gain the upper hand. Set sail as Captain Cutter, a pirate caught in a deadly struggle for power and vengeance. Navigate dangerous waters, unleash mythical sea creatures, and outwit enemies as you chase legendary treasure and confront dark secrets. ● Embark on a journey of loyalty, betrayal, and revenge, as you unravel the mysteries of the Sea Shepherd prophecy and face the immortal Captain Blackbone. ● Use your Pirate Cave (HUB) to equip ship upgrades & crew members before each run. ● Each run generates new encounters, requiring careful navigation as you work your way toward Captain Blackbone. ● Enjoy a rich, story-driven adventure across 3 acts, with endless replayability. Recruit and grow your pirate crew, discovering their hidden potential as you lead them into battle. It's your responsibility to mold them into the legendary pirates they were destined to be. ● Recruit from 6 unique classes, each with distinct abilities and playstyles for your ship’s crew. ● After each run, upgrade your crew’s skills to increase their effectiveness. ● Damage persists across runs, requiring you to swap out crew members to allow them time to heal. Face new challenges as the game world shifts procedurally with each run, offering fresh secrets, combat scenarios, and treasures to discover. ● Encounters feature diverse pirate factions and enemy types—choose your battles wisely. ● Your crew will engage enemies on ships and land alike. ● Visit shops to heal, upgrade crew, buy cannons, and repair your ship. ● You can extort shops for loot, but it’ll lead to a fight. Customize your naval encounters with cannons and ship artillery. Unleash powerful shots during naval combat to destroy enemy ship modules and gain the upper hand in boarding fights. ● Encounters begin with Sea Battles where you can use cannons to target key areas of enemy ships. ● Both your ship and the enemy's have distinct buffs that can be destroyed. ● Crew members can be targeted and killed during battle, so defend your ship and crew before boarding. Experience a fresh take on turn-based tactical combat that replicates the visceral intensity of cloak-and-dagger duels. Use the environment to gain the upper hand like never before. ● The boarding phase involves hand-to-hand combat where your crew faces off against enemies. ● Use your crew's unique abilities to maneuver and pin enemies against obstacles for fatal damage. ● Leverage the environment by pushing enemies into spikes, grabbing one-time weapons, or swinging into position with ropes. Legendary sea creatures, once thought to be myths, roam the oceans of Rogue Waters. Free them from captivity and gain their trust to summon them in battle. Summon 3 sea monsters to assist in the boarding phase: ● The Kraken crushes nearby enemies. ● The Mermaid disrupts and pushes enemies in any direction. ● The Giant Snail drops a deadly spiked obstacle on the deck. Each run resets your equipment and items, but unlocks permanent upgrades for your crew, ship, and Captain Cutter, allowing you to grow stronger with every battle. Items and upgrades reset between each run: ● Personal items (character equipment): additional weapons, attack modifiers, and side upgrades for abilities. ● Shipboard weapons (cannons and similar items): each new run begins with a usable, basic starter set. ● Ship modules reset as well. Each run permanently increases your progress: ● Unlock skill trees for crew members and Captain Cutter. ● Acquire ship and port facility upgrades in the Pirate Cave (HUB).

Don’t miss out on these exciting Free Play Days for XBOX Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential members! Learn more about Free Play Days here and stay tuned to XBOX Wire to find out about future Free Play Days and all the latest XBOX gaming news. 

The post Free Play Days – ARC Raiders, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Little Nightmares III, Screamer, and More appeared first on XBOX Wire.

Here’s what’s coming: 

There’s a 7-Eleven in Horizon’s Japan Now 

If you’re new to the Evolving World, it’s how Forza Horizon 6 keeps changing under your tires. For the Horizon Meets update, Playground Games is dropping a storefront inspired by 7-Eleven into the world, featuring a themed Car Meet. Head to the game’s Nangan region, bring friends, park the rides you’ve made, and download the car liveries and tuning setups on display from other players. 

Stuff to Play With, Wear, and Chase Down 

Beyond the store itself, you can rep 7-Eleven in Forza Horizon 6’s Japan in a number of new ways: 

Konbini Prop Pack: 7-Eleven-themed items you can use to dress up your Estate, your Garages, and your own custom tracks in EventLab. This includes the entire konbini! 

Clerk Uniform: New avatar clothing inspired by the uniform worn by 7-Eleven clerks in Japan, in case you want to look like you actually work at the store. 

Egg Salad Sandwich Collectible: Smash 20 Egg Salad Sandwich Collectibles (find them near the 7-Eleven Evolving World Car Meet) during Autumn and earn Points completion towards the Festival Playlist, as well as a new Forza LINK reward. 

There’s far more coming in the Horizon Meets update – check out Forza.net for all the details. 

The Toyota Supra GR Livery 

Through October 27, fans in the US and Canada can grab an exclusive in-game 7-Eleven Toyota Supra GR livery and a free Slurpee drink with the purchase of an XBOX Gift Card with 7Rewards at participating 7-Eleven stores. 

The 7-Eleven x Forza Horizon 6 Merch Drop 

The real-life7-Eleven x Forza Horizon 6 merch drop arrives October 8, exclusively on 7Collection.com with hoodies, shirts, hats, and accessories featuring Toyota cars from the game in original Japanese-inspired art styles. 

See You at the Car Meet 

The Horizon Meets update is available to download now, with the Festival Playlist and Evolving World content rolling out today. Grab a Slurpee drink, pick up an XBOX Gift Card, and we’ll see you in the parking lot.  

The post Pull Up to 7-Eleven in Forza Horizon 6 appeared first on XBOX Wire.

That opportunity is why we’re creating XP.

As Asha shared in her email this morning, XP is a new XBOX division, led by newly appointed President, Kayleen Walters, spanning film and television, consumer products, strategic partnerships, and live experiences. It brings together capabilities that have existed across various teams at XBOX for years and aligns them behind a shared mission: helping our franchises reach more people, create deeper connections with players and new fans, and unlock new opportunities for these fandoms to grow around the world.

Great games remain at the center of these franchises and at the heart of XBOX. XP will partner with the best creative minds across our studios, along with trusted partners, to build on that foundation and create more ways for people to experience the worlds they love.

The formation of the XP division formalizes four investment areas:

• XBOX PICTURES: Bringing our worlds and characters to new audiences through film, television, and other forms of linear storytelling.
• XBOX PRODUCTS: Creating products that are authentic to the fandom that allow fans to celebrate and express the franchises they love.
• XBOX PLACES: Bringing communities together through live events, immersive experiences, attractions, broadcasts, and destinations.
• XBOX PARTNERSHIPS: Working with creators, brands, and communities to develop new experiences, sponsorships, and brand partnerships.

Throughout her career, Kayleen has helped steward some of the world’s most iconic entertainment properties. Across 13 years at Lucasfilm, she helped grow and relaunch one of the most influential franchises in history. At Mojang, her record speaks for itself. Under her tenure, Minecraft grew from an already-record setting 350 million units sold to over 425 million, its merchandising business became one of the top 20 globally. A Minecraft Movie had the biggest opening weekend ever for a video game adaptation and finished #1 at the domestic box office, and Mojang secured the first of many theme park placements to come.

Kayleen understands that the strongest franchises grow by remaining true to what and who made them special while creating new ways for fans, creators, partners, and communities to participate. I cannot imagine a better leader for this division and we are just getting started imagining what it will build.

Matthew Ball

The post Introducing XP appeared first on XBOX Wire.

Team,

At Town Hall on Tuesday, I talked about the four Cs and the choices we are making to put them into practice. You’ve seen a lot of our work on Core and Content. Today I want to share two leadership appointments supporting Creator and Connection. Kayleen Walters will transition from her role at Mojang to President of XP, a new XBOX division focused on how people experience our franchises beyond the games themselves, and Maria Angelidou-Smith will join XBOX as CEO of Mojang and Minecraft. Both will report to me.

Kayleen has spent her career building entertainment franchises. Before XBOX, she spent 13 years at Lucasfilm helping guide Star Wars across films, products, and partnerships. At Minecraft, she helped grow consumer products into a multibillion-dollar business with more than 250 licensees and was Executive Producer of A Minecraft Movie, the biggest film in the U.S. last year and a top-five release worldwide. She is also a producer of the sequel.

XP is a play on “Experience Points” and formalizes four investment areas for us: XBOX PICTURES for film and television adaptations; XBOX PRODUCTS for licensing and merchandise; XBOX PARTNERSHIPS for sponsors and brand partners; and XBOX PLACES for our marquee broadcast and in-person events, theme parks, and other location-based experiences. Our franchises can mean more to people than the time they spend playing them, and Kayleen knows how to build those experiences with the industry without losing what made people care about the franchise in the first place.

Kayleen’s move also gave us time to think carefully about what Mojang needs in its next leader.

Minecraft is one of the largest communities in entertainment. Hundreds of millions of people play, build, create, teach, watch, mod, run servers, and build businesses around Minecraft. The community doesn’t just consume the product. It helps shape what the product becomes. That was central to our search. Mojang already has an exceptional game development team that knows Minecraft and its players deeply. We wanted someone who has built products for communities at enormous scale, who is deeply technical, and who understands how creators, product, technology, and monetization come together.  

Maria brings a rare combination of those experiences. She spent nearly a decade at Meta, where she led Facebook Groups used by more than 1.8 billion people each month, as well as Events, Creators, Search, Profile, and Monetization. She later led product and technology at Personio and served as Chief Product Officer at Reddit, another of the world’s largest community platforms. She has built products used by billions of people and led product and engineering organizations through significant growth and change.

Maria brings deep experience to Mojang, along with a respect for what makes Minecraft special. Her first priority will be learning from the teams and communities who know Minecraft best. She starts Monday, October 19.

Please join me in congratulating Kayleen and welcoming Maria to XBOX!

Asha

The post New Leadership Appointments and XBOX Division appeared first on XBOX Wire.

Summary

• Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection will be available on November 18^, 2026 for XBOX on PC, with XBOX Play Anywhere support.
  On October 8, Monster Hunter Stories celebrates its 10th anniversary – get acquainted with three titles to date in the series, each featuring a carefully crafted story for players to enjoy.
  Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, both available now, will be featured in Free Play Days from October 22 through October 25, 2026.

The hit RPG Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, currently available on XBOX Series X|S, will launch on XBOX on PC on November 18^, 2026, with Xbox Play Anywhere support. This will allow players to enjoy the game on XBOX Series X|S, Windows 11 PCs, and compatible handheld gaming devices at no additional cost. Players can pick up right where they left off on their preferred device, with all save data, additional game content, achievements, and more carried over seamlessly.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is a turn-based RPG set in the world of Monster Hunter, allowing players to enjoy an adventure on a larger scale than ever before. The story follows the prince or princess of Azuria, the only Rathalos Rider in the country, and Eleanor, the princess of Vermeil, each setting out for the forbidden ground with their own hopes and convictions, embark on a journey to uncover the truth of the world.

After making an historic discovery, the protagonist, a trained Rider, sets out on a journey to learn more about the various situations unfolding across the world. Players can enjoy a variety of features, including evolving turn-based battles and Habitat Restoration, which allows players to release monsters back into the wild and change their Ecosystem rank.

Even after taking your time to enjoy the main story, there is still more to experience. After updating the game to the latest version and loading your cleared save data, you can take on a high-difficulty version of the final boss battle. If you can beat this challenge, Royal versions of nearly all monsters will appear throughout the various areas of the map. In addition, Royal Invasive Monsters and Royal Calamitous Elder Dragons will also appear, offering highly challenging battles. Take on these formidable foes with your well-trained roster of monsters.

Experience Rudy’s Story

The DLC Side Story: Rudy is also available now. This content is included in the Deluxe Edition, Premium Deluxe Edition, and Deluxe Kit, so if you own any of these, you can download and enjoy this DLC at no additional cost.

Experience the story behind the origins of Rudy, who travels alongside the protagonist as Royal Palico.

10 Years of Monster Hunter Stories

Thanks to the support of our loyal fans, Monster Hunter Stories celebrates its 10th anniversary on October 8th. We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has supported the series over the years. To mark this special occasion, we are delighted to share a special commemorative visual with you.

We look forward to your continued support of the Monster Hunter Stories series.

History of the Series

Three titles have been released to date in this RPG series where players become a Rider, forge bonds with monsters, raise them, and live alongside them while exploring the world of Monster Hunter. Each title weaves an epic story centered around the bonds between humans and monsters.

A story of beginnings, following the protagonist as they set out into the outside world alongside Rathalos, they have bonded with, growing into a Rider along the way.

Monster Hunter Stories

Raised in a village of Riders who raise monsters and live alongside them, the protagonist overcomes a series of trials, grows into a Rider, and eventually sets out into the outside world. There, they encounter a world of Hunters who hunt monsters to make a living. Though initially bewildered by this way of life, the protagonist begins living alongside the Hunters, sharing in their daily lives and forging a connection between Hunters and Riders.

An ominous shadow known as the Black Blight, a calamity that drives monsters into a frenzy, begins to creep across the world. The everyday lives and environment that were once taken for granted undergo serious changes, which gradually spread on a global scale. Riders and Hunters are put to the test as they face the responsibilities entrusted to them.

The key lies in the Kinship Stone possessed by Riders and its hidden power. As the story unfolds, they draw closer to the truth of Redan’s Legacy, which contains the long-hidden origins of the Riders.

A new Rider’s story of forging bonds with monsters. What awaits them: destruction or hope?

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

In a world where all Rathalos have mysteriously flown away, the protagonist, a descendant of the great Rider Redan, has a fateful encounter with a young Wyverian girl, Ena, who entrusts them with an Egg. When the Rathalos finally hatches, its wings are black, just as the legend foretold, and its appearance is unmistakably that of Razewing Ratha.

To uncover the truth behind the mysterious events unfolding across the world and the legend itself, the protagonists embark on a journey to weave a story of destruction and hope.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

Azuria and Vermeil: two countries, on a path to destruction. When all hope seems lost, an egg is found. Inside is a Rathalos, a species thought to be extinct. But this quavering light of hope is quickly extinguished, giving way to the darkness of despair. Born from the egg is not a single Rathalos, but twins, bearing the Skyscale marking that hearkens back to the disastrous civil wat of 200 years prior.

The natural world teeters on the verge of destruction with countless monster species facing extinction. In the shadow of these dark times, the flames of war rekindle. A Rider and their trusted Rathalos, buffeted by the winds of fate, set out on a  journey for the truth.

Enjoy Monster Hunter Stories as part of Free Play Days

Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin will be available for all XBOX players to try out with a three-hour timed trial from Thursday, October 22 to Sunday, October 25, 2026. (No XBOX Game Pass membership is required.) Take this opportunity to give them a try!

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, currently available on XBOX Series X|S, also offers a free trial version that allows players to carry their progress over to the full game. If you haven’t played it yet, be sure to give it a try. The official website also features a Monster Hunter Stories series Music Selection video highlighting the music that brings the epic adventure and story of bonds to life. Be sure to check it out!

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

☆☆☆☆☆ 185

★★★★★

$69.99

Get it now

The third entry in the Monster Hunter Stories RPG series is here! Twin Rathalos, born in a twist of fate. Monster Hunter Stories is an RPG series set in the Monster Hunter world, where you can become a Rider, raising and bonding with your favorite monsters. The Story Azuria and Vermeil: two countries, on a path to destruction. When all hope seems lost, an egg is found. Inside is a Rathalos, a species thought to be extinct. But this quavering light of hope is quickly extinguished, giving way to the darkness of despair. Born from the egg is not a single Rathalos, but twins, bearing the Skyscale marking that hearkens back to the disastrous civil war of 200 years prior. The natural world teeters on the verge of destruction, with countless monster species facing extinction. In the shadow of these dark times, the flames of war rekindle. Two countries, and two Rathalos. A Rider and their trusted Rathalos, buffeted by the winds of fate, set out on a journey for the truth. *There are other bundles that include this product. Please be careful of duplicate purchases. Agreement to the End User License Agreement is required to play this title. (https://manual.capcom.com/eula/game/) ©CAPCOM MONSTER HUNTER STORIES is a trademark and/or registered trademark of CAPCOM CO., LTD. and/or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries.

The post Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Heading to XBOX on PC November 18 appeared first on XBOX Wire.

Coming Soon

Echo Weaver (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – October 8
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Time is your greatest resource, and secrets are your only upgrades. Master an unraveling time loop in this knowledge-based metroidvania. As the last Weaver, exploit time-altering anomalies and use what you learn to break the cycle. Explore what remains. Uncover the mystery. Perfect the loop.

Forever Ago (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 8
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Following a tragic stroke of fate, Alfred embarks on a journey north in search of redemption. In this single-player road trip adventure, you’ll travel to beautiful places, capture memories with your camera, meet interesting characters, and even make some new friends.

Neon Abyss 2 (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – October 8
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

A love letter to roguelike action platformers, Neon Abyss 2 thrusts you into a pixelated cyberpunk world where ancient and modern gods rule. Struck down in New Athens, battle through The Abyss to claim revenge. Death comes easily, survival is punishment, and every defeat demands one more run.

Battlefield 6 (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – October 13
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Jump into the definitive Battlefield experience with all-out warfare, fast-paced close-quarters combat, and tactical destruction in Battlefield 6. EA Play members can unlock the EA Play Deployment Pack, claim the Season 5 EA Play Pack, and earn recurring seasonal rewards. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers get EA Play included, plus 10% off eligible EA digital purchases.

Deep Dish Dungeon (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – October 13
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Deep Dish Dungeon is a survival exploration game where you navigate through a puzzly hand-crafted dungeon, with metroidvania and crafting elements. Unravel the enigmas of the dungeon’s depths solo or online co-op multiplayer.

Valor Mortis (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – October 13
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Valor Mortis is a first-person action soulslike from the creators of Ghostrunner. Rise from death as a former soldier of Napoleon’s army. Wield supernatural powers, battle horrifying monsters, and unravel a conspiracy that threatens all of humanity.

Bluey’s Happy Snaps (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) – October 15
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Explore Bluey’s world like never before! Play, explore, and capture moments with Bluey and Bingo in Bluey’s Happy Snaps, a photo-powered adventure across familiar spots from the show. Snap memories solo or side-by-side with a second player, discover Australian wildlife, and turn in-game moments into real fun for real life.

Chained Beasts (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – October 15
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Chained Beasts is a 1-4 player co-op gladiator roguelike. Fight chaotic battles chained to your friends. Use your chains or the arena to beat up foes in creative ways and win over the bloodthirsty crowd. Endure physical and mental injuries to defeat fearsome bosses and survive the day.  

Beyond These Stars (PC) – October 16
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Build a city on the back of a Space Whale and learn to coexist as you journey through the stars. Manage intricate supply chains and the needs of your people as you build outposts, meet aliens, and uncover the mysteries of the universe.

In Case You Missed It

Shape of Dreams (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – Available Now
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Shape of Dreams delivers fast-paced top-down roguelite action with chaotic projectile-filled battles, fluid combat, and high-stakes co-op. Play solo or with up to three friends as you dodge overwhelming attacks and unleash devastating builds. The Starless Path anniversary update offers even more content and enhanced gameplay. 

Minecraft Dungeons II (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) – Available Now
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Gear up and team up to enter a new dimension in Minecraft Dungeons II! Journey into the Sift to explore uncharted lands and fight unfamiliar threats that will test you like never before. Uncover new ways to customize your gear and prepare for the toughest battle yet. Are you ready to face what awaits beyond the rifts?

Gears of War: E-Day (XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, PC, and Cloud) – Available Now
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Experience the horror and brutality of Emergence Day. 14 years before the original Gears of War, join Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago in a gripping origin-story campaign as the Locust Horde first erupt from below, igniting a desperate fight for survival.

In-Game Benefits

Asphalt Legends (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Available Today
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, Game Pass Essential, and PC Game Pass

Spark your competitive soul with Asphalt Legends and feel the collective heartbeat of the road in this arcade-style racing game! Unlock the Ford GT MKII, 250 tokens, and 250,000 credits to upgrade your collection and take the lead on the track!

Leaving October 15

The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Don’t want the fun to end? Save on these games now before they leave Game Pass!

• A Plague Tale: Requiem (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Crime Scene Cleaner (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Donut County (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Evil West (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Nova Roma (Game Preview) (PC)
• Pacific Drive (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Superball (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• The Casting of Frank Stone (Cloud, Console, and PC)

As always, keep an eye here or on social for what’s coming to your download queue next. Talk soon!

_{Note: Games with a ‘Handheld’ designation represent those that are optimized for handheld play.}

The post Coming to XBOX Game Pass: Battlefield 6, Valor Mortis, Forever Ago, and More appeared first on XBOX Wire.

Halloween has never been just about scares. Sure, there’s plenty of room for heart-pounding frights, but it’s also a season that celebrates imagination, creativity, and stepping into worlds beyond the ordinary. This month, indie developers embraced that spirit in unforgettable ways.

For October, the ID@XBOX team has curated six standout Indie Selects that invite you to discover mysterious realms, conquer new challenges, and uncover stories waiting to be told. From epic battles and eldritch horrors to cozy puzzles and island adventures, each game offers a richly crafted world filled with surprises around every corner.

So, whether you’re seeking thrills, mystery, or a new adventure to get lost in, here are this month’s Indie Selects (in no particular order):

Mortal Shell II

Mortal Shell II

Playstack

☆☆☆☆☆ 551

★★★★★

$49.99

Get it now

Mortal Shell II is still unapologetically challenging, but combat feels faster and more aggressive this time around. The removal of the traditional stamina gauge means encounters aren’t simply about waiting for a bar to refill. You can stay in the fight, combining melee weapons, sidearms, abilities and brutal executions. It makes combat feel considerably more fluid than before.

The world has grown too. Rather than simply pushing you down a predetermined path, Mortal Shell II encourages exploration across a compact, interconnected open world filled with hidden areas, dungeons, weapons, upgrades and, naturally, plenty of horrible things waiting to ruin your afternoon.

What I particularly enjoy is that exploration feels connected to progression. Finding another Shell isn’t just another collectible checked off a list. It can completely change how you approach the game. Weapons offer extensive upgrade paths as well, giving you plenty of room to shape your own approach to combat.

Mortal Shell II certainly isn’t interested in making life easy for you, but there’s something satisfying about gradually turning the tables. You go from cautiously approaching every new enemy to becoming the nightmare wandering through their world.

If you enjoy dark fantasy, exploration, challenging combat and the satisfaction of mastering a game that initially seems determined to destroy you, Mortal Shell II is absolutely worth having on your radar.

– Steven Allen

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game

PM-Studios, Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆ 57

★★★★★

$29.99

Get it now

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to assemble your dream team of benders and settle legendary rivalries yourself, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is ready to make that happen. This 2D tag-team fighter brings together iconic characters from “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “The Legend of Korra,” combining elemental bending, flashy special moves, and fast-paced team combat into an experience that’s easy to jump into and rewarding to master.

As a longtime fan of the Avatar universe, this game immediately grabbed my attention. There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching beloved characters leap from the screen into a fighting game that feels so true to the world they come from. From the first match, I found myself grinning at familiar abilities, character interactions, and bending styles brought to life in exciting new ways.

What impressed me most is how distinct every fighter feels. Experimenting with different team combinations kept me coming back for “just one more match” as I discovered new strategies and synergies. Fans of games like Dragon Ball FighterZ, Marvel vs. Capcom, and Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid will recognize the thrill of building a team and learning how each character complements the others.

There’s plenty to learn with its tag mechanics and assists, but the journey of improving feels rewarding and keeps every victory exciting. Whether you grew up with “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” fell in love with “The Legend of Korra,” or simply enjoy energetic team-based fighting games, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game captures the heart of the franchise while delivering a fun and action-packed experience that’s hard to put down.

– Jessica Ronnell

Mewgenics

Mewgenics

Nicalis Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆ 88

★★★★★

$39.99

Get it now

From the moment I started playing Mewgenics, I knew I was in for a wild ride. From Edmund McMillen, the developer behind The Binding of Isaac, Super Meat Boy, and The End is Nigh, Mewgenics is a roguelike tactical turn-based RPG presented in a unique and cartoonish macabre art style, filled with dark humor and clever references.

Mewgenics offers a staggering amount of content that easily demands over a hundred hours of playtime, complete with deep strategy and a generational breeding system (yes, you breed mutant cats).

The game hooks you right away with its chaotic setup, you’re managing a house full of mutated cats and sending them out on tactical, grid-based runs. Every item, skill, and attribute is randomized, meaning no two runs ever play out the same way. When your cats survive a brutal dungeon crawl, they bring back scars and mutations that you can pass down to future generations. Breeding the ultimate mutant cat squad and trying to balance their weird genetic traits became an obsession.

The dark and sometimes graphic humor and the relentless difficulty might not be for everyone, but for me, it hit the right buttons. Mewgenics easily eats dozens of hours, keeping you hooked on trying just one more run. Mewgenics creates something entirely fresh, endlessly repayable, and wonderfully grotesque, fur-real!.

– Oscar Polanco

The Sinking City 2

The Sinking City 2

Frogwares

☆☆☆☆☆ 144

★★★★★

$49.99 $39.99

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The Sinking City 2 takes the series in a bold new direction, delivering a third-person Lovecraftian survival horror experience set in a flooded 1929 Arkham. The story follows Calvin Rafferty as he searches for a way to save his fiancée, Faye, who has been trapped in a supernatural slumber after a ritual gone wrong.

From the moment I stepped into Arkham’s flooded streets armed with little more than a flashlight and a pistol, the game nailed its horror atmosphere. Traveling between districts by boat gives the city an open feel, while interconnected environments, puzzle-solving, investigation mechanics, and scarce resources keep the tension high.

What truly sets The Sinking City 2 apart, however, is its enemy design. Familiar Lovecraftian creatures provide plenty of frantic encounters, but the real stars are the Slither: parasitic worms that survive after their host dies. If ignored, they can crawl into nearby corpses, reanimate them, and force you to fight the same enemies all over again. This simple but brilliant mechanic transformed every multi-enemy encounter into a desperate scramble and created a constant sense of dread.

I don’t think I sat down once while playing The Sinking City 2. Between its unsettling atmosphere, intriguing mystery, satisfying survival horror gameplay, and genuinely frightening enemies, it stands out as one of the genre’s most memorable experiences and a must-play for horror fans.

– Raymond Estrada

Woodo

Woodo

Daedalic Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆ 7

★★★★★

$19.99

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Woodo is that takes the cozy puzzle genre and turns it into something closer to a child’s toy box coming to life as it tells you a story. The puzzles put you in the position of assembling handcrafted wooden dioramas piece by piece, watching each empty, colorless scene slowly fill with detail, animation, and life as you click objects into their correct spots. It’s a small, tactile premise, but it’s executed with a level of care that makes every placement feel extraordinarily satisfying.

The narrative at the heart of Woodo is a story about Foxy, a city girl sent to the countryside for the summer, and her growing friendship with a local villager, who happens to be a frog named, well, Ben the Frog. The narrative unfolds across a series of interconnected dioramas, each one capturing a different moment from their shared adventure, guided by a warm, friendly narrator’s voice that makes the whole experience feel less like a puzzle game and more like a warm, cuddly bedtime story. And while the gameplay is generally pretty simple, there is some complexity to it. The assembly of the wooden pieces isn’t necessarily linear – you have to rotate and explore the 3D space to uncover hidden pieces, while watching the world react and transform with playful animations as you place each one. This instills in the gameplay an almost toy-like sense of discovery.

That nostalgic pull is really the whole point. Woodo doesn’t exist to make you wrack your brain or lose a hundred hours in layer after layer of puzzle mechanics. Instead, it elicits the particular kind of childlike wonder that comes from sparking an adventure out of the simplest object. It’s a game that adapts to your pace, offering help when you need it without breaking the spell, and by the time you’ve filled in its last diorama, it’s hard not to feel like a kid again.

– Glenn Gregory

Lou’s Lagoon

Lou's Lagoon

Megabit Publishing

☆☆☆☆☆ 14

★★★★★

$24.99

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I honestly didn’t expect to dig into this one as hard as I have, but here we are. Lou’s Lagoon is a cozy exploration-and-crafting adventure where you play as an “up for whatever” helping-hand-style character who is just looking to lend some resourcefulness in the recovery efforts to reunite a series of tropical storm-hit islands via collecting, building, and resource gathering… And I may even discover where my missing Uncle Lou (a legend among the island denizens) went? Count me in!

To do all the things needed, you’ll wield everything from a two-way vacuum-like tool to a fishing rod (collect those fish scales!) and especially a handy glider to ride gusty currents. Roam the islands on foot while uncovering chests, befriend some in-need beach-faring folk, and complete quests that in turn let you upgrade your arsenal of gadgets to continue your journey. But the main hook for me is being able to pilot a little seaplane across the different archipelagos that dot your game world – the sense of discovery gave me that Skies of Arcadia feel (Dreamcast hive, rise up!). Add in busting through swag-filled air balloon loot drops and seeking out broken radio towers to repair to get comms systems up and running to fast-travel when you don’t want to fly – all of it feels gratifying in a way that hoovered up hours of my time and kept me up past my bedtime with no complaints.

Sure, some of the guidance and systems feel a little opaque or DIY at times, and man, the currency can sometimes be a bear to amass for purchasing new goods… but really, the joy in completing a goal or upgrading your “Swirler” (your two-way vacuum tool) to collect wool off of a grumpy island llama-like creature…totally worth it.

The post Indie Selects for October 2026: Discover and Progress Through Unforgettable Worlds appeared first on XBOX Wire.

These are the moments that are instrumental in your journey to become Champion of the Galactic League, and the moments that the team built around STAR WARS: Galactic Racer — available today for XBOX Series X|S.

“We’ve got a history of trying to make failure fun,” says Creative Director at Fuse Games Kieran Crimmins. “Failure can be this big, spectacular, exciting, interesting and rewarding experience in the game. Our wreck-out system is meant to be the ethos of how Fuse approach game making. Crashing isn’t just a big spectacle; it has consequence as well as mechanical rewards so you can learn something for your next run.”

“Failure is fuel, which is where our runs-based mechanic comes into play,” adds Co-founder and Head of Content at Fuse Games Steve Uphill. “It’s the opportunity to try again, and when you get the right combination of builds, parts and upgrades, failure makes winning feel hard earned, but so much more rewarding and creates a powerful and unique player story.”

In STAR WARS: Galactic Racer, player persistence is the key to success. Kieran explains what runs-based actually means, and how Fuse Games adds their own spin on the widely used term: “For us, runs-based is a replayable loop that allows you to experiment with a new way to play every time, see how far you get with it, and if you fail, you still get some great rewards to go again so you can try with a new combination of parts and abilities.”

“From start to end, the process looks like this: the player starts by choosing which vehicle you want to attempt that run in, whether it be a skim speeder, speeder bike, or landspeeder. They all have slightly different playstyles and attributes. Then, you pick a Racer Style, which gives your build a baseline direction. So, if you wanted to make an afterburner build or a cooled build for example, you start with that Racer Style, then select which abilities, parts and upgrades complement it at the end of each race.

Depending how well you do in the races, you’ll also get financial rewards that you can spend at the shop in between planets. There’s always going to be the temptation to try out new abilities or upgrades, but these are rewarded randomly, so there’s an element of luck involved. Most will be able to synergise with your build in some way, so it’s up to your knowledge and creativity for that limited set to find a path to success. If you’re lucky, you’ll win the league. If you don’t win the league, however, the path to success is filled with challenges, rivals, and events to test you. Crash too many times and you’ll ‘wreck out’, or you fail a high-stakes event, then you’ll lose a League Token and be back to the start.”

Failure is an important part of the game’s mechanics, which is why ‘wrecking out’ is so instrumental to gameplay: “You have a certain number of crashes that you’re allowed to do in any race,” says Kieran, “not all events have it, but a lot of them do. If you use all your crashes, then you’ll ‘wreck out’ and have to start from the beginning of that tour. Crucially, we wanted there to be an element of consequence in the gameplay. Your decisions matter across every part of the game, so you need some sort of finite failure state for your decisions to matter, and wrecking out felt like a great manifestation of that. Every corner matters, every interaction with another racer matters. It forces you to think about what choices you make and what you’re doing, rather than driving with abandon.”

It’s this element of player agency and choice that makes the runs-based loop in STAR WARS: Galactic Racer so satisfying. Kieran expresses the importance of player choice: “If you think about playing in its most base form, it isn’t someone tells you what to do then you do it. That’s a job, that’s instruction. Instead, we provide a play space full of fun things. Play is the choice to arrange them in the way that you want, and creating your own moments and journeys. The power of a good player story is the absolute power of play in general.”

And that agency doesn’t end when the run does. Kieran continues: “There are two important progression routes for a run. The first is your stat build-up, where you get temporary stats for each vehicle like cornering, resilience, ramjet, afterburner etc. This allows you to dial into your playstyle as well as your build, and you can add points to make those base stats different. The second one is your combination of parts. As standard, you’ll get to install up to five parts. Each of those parts have different rarity, and you build those up as you go through the different events, either from the shop or as event awards. They all do vastly different things and synergise in different ways, some even develop faults that change builds even further. The combinations in the parts system is so vast, I’m not even sure we’ve seen every single combination yet!”

“You also get permanent progression outside of each tour that you can put into one of your vehicle types. So, it’s the same set of stats, but they’ll stay there for the rest of your enjoyment of the game. Once you beat a tour, you open up a larger pool of parts. You’ll also unlock new ‘favors’ that you can equip to further modify the rules for the next run. Another form of permanent progression is the ability to upgrade your Racer Styles, so you can unlock all sorts of different ways to play.”

These features carry over to multiplayer, too: “In multiplayer, we wanted to create a runs-based system that worked. They’re not exactly the same, because it’s a shorter session time, and we wanted people to move through it much faster. Similarly to campaign, you pick a Racer Style, upgrade your vehicle with parts, upgrades and abilities, but you gamble it all on the final knockout event in the multiplayer tour. Winning the multiplayer tour nets you vast amounts of XP so you can unlock new characters and customization. And, even if it hasn’t been your best run, you can still gain XP by voting on the player you think is going to win so you can still have an engaging final race. Because there is an element of luck and skill involved, we wanted to reward racers for playing, even if sometimes getting shunted into a wall could mean the end.”

The element of crashing and consequence in campaign and multiplayer is also what makes it dramatic to watch. Steve spends his time on the moment of impact itself, making sure each crash the player caused reads as such. “Having such a breadth of player choice and decisions meant that they’ll see crashes a lot. That’s why it was so important to us to not simply use pre-canned animations for the crashes. We wanted to generate a system that made every shot feel cinematic but was also procedural, so every time a crash happens you see it differently. 

We’ve got four different vehicle types, and each one behaves completely differently. The speeder bike is smaller than the other vehicles, so it rolls, the podracers have separate engine units to the cockpit, which has its own logic. We needed a crash system that worked across all of them, and made sure every crash told a story instead of just blowing up. The speeder bike hitting a tree on Endor is iconic to “STAR WARS: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi,” so that stays an instant hit. Bigger vehicles roll and come apart over time, extending the spectacle and creating impact.  And even then, if the same crash repeats, it loses the impact and emotion we want the players to feel. Timing was the real constraint throughout, show the impact and spectacle but keep the racing flow.”

“Podracing crash sequences in “STAR WARS: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” can be up to thirty seconds long. We’ve designed our maximum to be up to eight seconds. That’s the real challenge!” Steve laughs. “If I had it my way, they would be much longer. But the team was right. Longer cinematics slowed gameplay down too much. But that was a creative constraint: How do you build the vehicles and the camera system to make the most of eight seconds, cinematically and procedurally, when you don’t have long to play with?”

Vehicles were one half of that problem. The camera was the other, because a crash that isn’t framed right loses spectacle and instead, becomes noise: “The camera system might seem simple, but they’re incredibly hard. A crash is instantaneous and the system has to work out where the vehicle is, where it’s heading, how fast, what’s blocking the shot, all before it can even decide how to frame it. The whole sequence has to feel believable and weighted, or it falls apart.”

“If the weight feeling’s gone, the vehicles just feel like toys, like something that’s made of wood or plastic bouncing down the track. And we’ve got four vehicle types, all a different size and mass, so getting that sense of weight across all of them is genuinely hard. Sometimes they didn’t land… they bounced.” 

“The answer ended up being a mixture of iteration,” Steve continues, “as well as creating a system that allows the camera to intelligently read the environment. At the moment of the crash, we introduce some unique geometry to the scene that ensures the camera is always placed in the optimal position, whilst also triggering the right VFX, audio and various other elements to make the crashes immersive and satisfying to watch.”

“It’s kind of a modern marvel when you think about it,” adds Kieran. “If you were to film that for a movie sequence, you’re talking three to six months of planning and a day of shooting to get one fixed camera where you knew everything that was about to happen. This does it in milliseconds.”

Put the systems and the spectacle side by side, and you get something that’s easy to describe but hard work to build: a crash that feels earned and unique, not scripted.

This takes us back to that moment on the track, three corners from the finish. 23 runs of tuning, gone in half a second and exactly the kind of moment the team spent years making sure would land.

That’s the whole idea: the systems that give the crash meaning, the craft that gives it weight. Put those together and a racing game stops being about who crosses the line first, and instead about everything you’re willing to risk to get there.

STAR WARS: Galactic Racer is available now for XBOX Series X|S and is available for purchase on the XBOX Store.

STAR WARS: Galactic Racer Deluxe Edition

Secret Mode

☆☆☆☆☆ 135

★★★★★

Get it now

Pre-Order now to get the following digital content: • Exclusive Pre-Order Bonus Livery for your repulsorcraft • Exclusive Pre-Order Bonus Player Banner for multiplayer modes Note: Pre-Order Bonus content may be made available for purchase at a later date. ​​​The STAR WARS: Galactic Racer Deluxe Edition contains three exclusive vehicles, a unique Livery, three Arcade Events, a deluxe Player Banner, and a Digital Art Book. • Three exclusive vehicles: Become the envy of the paddock and pilot the Kor Sarun: Ciza T speeder bike, the Kor Sarun: Darc X landspeeder, and the Kor Sarun: Rak S skim speeder • Unique Livery for pilots who need to race in style. Coat any of your speeders with an exclusive Livery inspired by the Naboo N-1 starfighter • Three Arcade Events for the fearless racers. The Galactic League challenges you to three exclusive Arcade trials designed specifically for your Kor Sarun repulsorcraft • Deluxe Player Banner containing an exclusive Insignia and Background for multiplayer modes • Digital Art Book showcasing never-before-seen character, vehicle, and location artwork from the development of STAR WARS: Galactic Racer* ​​​​​STAR WARS: Galactic Racer is a ​​runs-based​​, high-stakes reinvention of racing born in the lawless Outer Rim of the ​​STAR WARS​​​​ galaxy.​​​​ The Empire’s grip on the galaxy has finally broken, and with its fall comes a new obsession: speed. As the New Republic struggles to rebuild, gambling, entertainment, and glory fuel a booming underground. Out of this chaos, the Galactic League is born: an unsanctioned racing circuit where syndicates sponsor pilots, fortunes are won and lost in seconds, and only the bold survive. No Force. No prophecy. Just skill, strategy, and the will to rise. COMPETE IN HIGH-STAKES RACES Slam, shunt, and takedown rivals across varied circuits as you pilot landspeeders, speeder bikes, skim speeders, and podracers. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. SURVIVE A DANGEROUS UNDERGROUND SPORT Join The Galactic League – an unsanctioned racing circuit born in the lawless Outer Rim. Become Shade, a lone racer chasing revenge and glory. BUILD AND CUSTOMIZE YOUR CRAFT Pilot different classes of repulsorcraft each with distinct physics and playstyles. Build a ride that showcases your style and gives you a competitive edge. BATTLE RIVALS IN MULTIPLE GAME MODES Ride solo through a story-driven campaign of shifting alliances or brave strategic PvP grudge matches where reputation rides with you. CLIMB THE RANKS AND EARN REWARDS Prove yourself through intense rivalries and escalating challenges. Every choice shapes your prospects as you build your status in The Galactic League. *Internet Connection required. Digital Art Book available for viewing and for download from starwarsgalacticracer.com/digital_art using the in-game redemption code. The STAR WARS: Galactic Racer Deluxe Upgrade add-on must be installed to access the Digital Art Book redemption code.

STAR WARS: Galactic Racer

Secret Mode

☆☆☆☆☆ 135

★★★★★

Get it now

Pre-Order now to get the following digital content: • Exclusive Pre-Order Bonus Livery for your repulsorcraft • Exclusive Pre-Order Bonus Player Banner for multiplayer modes Note: Pre-Order Bonus content may be made available for purchase at a later date. STAR WARS​​: Galactic Racer is a ​​runs-based​​, high-stakes reinvention of racing born in the lawless Outer Rim of the ​​STAR WARS​​ galaxy.​​​​ The Empire’s grip on the galaxy has finally broken, and with its fall comes a new obsession: speed. As the New Republic struggles to rebuild, gambling, entertainment, and glory fuel a booming underground. Out of this chaos, the Galactic League is born: an unsanctioned racing circuit where syndicates sponsor pilots, fortunes are won and lost in seconds, and only the bold survive. No Force. No prophecy. Just skill, strategy, and the will to rise. COMPETE IN HIGH-STAKES RACES Slam, shunt, and takedown rivals across varied circuits as you pilot landspeeders, speeder bikes, skim speeders, and podracers. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. SURVIVE A DANGEROUS UNDERGROUND SPORT Join The Galactic League – an unsanctioned racing circuit born in the lawless Outer Rim. Become Shade, a lone racer chasing revenge and glory. BUILD AND CUSTOMIZE YOUR CRAFT Pilot different classes of repulsorcraft each with distinct physics and playstyles. Build a ride that showcases your style and gives you a competitive edge. BATTLE RIVALS IN MULTIPLE GAME MODES Ride solo through a story-driven campaign of shifting alliances or brave strategic PvP grudge matches where reputation rides with you. CLIMB THE RANKS AND EARN REWARDS Prove yourself through intense rivalries and escalating challenges. Every choice shapes your prospects as you build your status in The Galactic League.

The post STAR WARS: Galactic Racer — Crashing with Consequence in Runs-Based Racing appeared first on XBOX Wire.