IGN x ID@Xbox Digital Showcase Returns April 29, 2024
Brenda Saucedo, Communications Manager, Xbox
Summary
The ID@Xbox Digital Showcase will premiere on April 29, 2024, at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST.
Get the latest updates on games like Vampire Survivors, Dungeons of Hinterberg, 33 Immortals, Lost Records Bloom & Rage, and more!
If you miss out, IGN will have the ID@Xbox Digital Showcase archived on their channel after the show concludes.
Last year, you got a first-hand look at Karateka, Axiom Verge 2,Sea of Stars, and many other incredible games during the first IGN x ID@Xbox Digital Showcase. Today, we’re excited to announce that the show is returning on April 29, 2024, with another batch of hotly anticipated indies for you to play across Xbox and PC.
On top of epic trailers, fresh gameplay, and new reveals, the show will feature new details on upcoming games like Dungeons of Hinterberg, 33 Immortals, Lost Records Bloom & Rage, and many others.
The ID@Xbox Showcase will premiere on April 29, 2024, at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST and you can tune in across all IGN Platforms.
We are also proud to share that the ID@Xbox Digital Showcase will also be available in American Sign Language (ASL): Stream the ID@Xbox Digital Showcase in ASL. We hope you’ll join us for lots of indie goodness, but if you cannot watch live, the showcase will be available on demand post-premiere on IGN’s channels, and of course, we’ll have a recap of everything showcased on Xbox Wire!
From Wētā Workshop, known for their work on the world of Middle-earth for The Lord of the Ring film trilogy, comes Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game, a Hobbit life sim set in the Middle-earth universe of J.R.R. Tolkien. Coming later this year to Xbox Series X|S.
Wishlist on Xbox: https://www.xbox.com/games/store/tales-of-the-shire/9PKKJBVPP4GW
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Explore New Worlds and Solve Environmental Challenges With Gaming This Earth Day
Trista Patterson, Director of Sustainability, Xbox
Summary
Explore games that allow players to explore and engage with the natural world
Help Duriel sacrifice his horde as they donate buckets of maggots to Tiggywinkles animal rescue hospital
Learn about a new building at Rare, which has sustainability at its heart
At Microsoft we have made bold commitments to improve the impact of our business on the environment. Consequently, Xbox has made strategic, innovative and meaningful investments that scale up across the gaming industry:
Our Shutdown (Energy Saving) power mode, Active Hours and Carbon Aware console updates have made the use of our consoles more energy and emissions efficient.
The Xbox Sustainability Toolkit has empowered game developers to optimize their game code for energy efficiency on Xbox consoles and beyond.
In addition to these software innovations, we are making advancements in hardware and infrastructure spaces as well:
We are supporting impact reductions in-office, with Rare unveiling a new LEED Gold accredited building on its UK campus — Xbox’s first mass timber building in Europe for Xbox Game Studios.
As important as it is that we make these material changes, one of the great benefits gaming can have on environmental issues is often overlooked! The medium of gaming can act as a tool which provides world exploration for those that may not easily access the natural environment. It also fosters outside of the box thinking, empathy, and team action – all necessary ingredients to solve environmental issues. Gaming can unlock the world, break the barriers of what is possible and inspire environmental action for generations to come.
Read on to learn more about gaming as a medium for environmental change and how Xbox is celebrating Earth Day.
Bring climate and sustainability science to life with incredible animals. Minecraft Education Planet Earth III created in partnership with BBC Earth engages students with a free curriculum that includes lesson plans and discussion guides. Explore the way these animals’ lives are intertwined by playing as both predator and prey, parent and offspring, friend and ally, and discover the precarious balance of survival.
Research climate change while learning the principles of AI. With Minecraft Education AI for Earth students will learn principles of AI while taking their first steps into this exciting realm of computer science. Learners will use the power of AI in a range of exciting real-world scenarios, including preservation of wildlife and ecosystems, helping people in remote areas, and research on climate change.
Explore games with environmental themes on Game Pass
Simulation games provide a unique ability to explore and grow environments while also managing and regenerating natural resources. Check out these games that highlight these themes within their mechanics and stories:
Lightyear Frontier (Game Preview) (Available with Xbox Game Pass on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud) – Build a sustainable ecofarm and carefully manage your relationship with the ecosystem in this peaceful open-world farming adventure on a planet at the far edge of the galaxy. This game encourages sustainability efforts, including planting trees to replace those you harvest and cleaning up pollution. Invite up to three friends to create a flourishing homestead.
Coral Island (Available with Xbox Game Pass on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud) – Play a part in conserving native flora and fauna, dive into the seas to clean up the coral reef, and pick up trash all around the island in this family-friendly farming simulator inspired by Southeast Asia. The development team from Indonesia included themes of conservation in the way players must maintain the island’s ecosystem all while encouraging you to form a bond with nature.
Stardew Valley (Available with Xbox Game Pass on Console, PC, and Cloud) – You’ve inherited your grandfather’s overgrown farm plot and with a little dedication, you might be able to restore Stardew Valley to greatness! With an anti-consumerism plot against the JoJa Corporation and a whole lot of land to explore, Stardew Valley showcases love of nature and focuses on life’s simple pleasures.
Give
The Seattle Aquarium uses Xbox Controllers to research the depths of local waterways
Xbox is excited to spotlight and support the incredible underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) research work of the Seattle Aquarium—a program designed to inform habitat restoration efforts throughout the region and reverse the decline of local kelp forests. The aquarium’s ROV Nereo, named after the scientific name for bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana), is a small, customizable, and easily maneuverable device that can dive up to 100 meters deep and transmit live video and data to the surface. Our favorite part? The researchers use Xbox controllers to pilot the ROV Nereo and navigate through the dense and dynamic kelp forests in Elliott Bay, the waterway surrounding the aquarium.
In addition to providing food and shelter for hundreds of marine animals, bull kelp also sequesters carbon from the water and locally mitigates the effects of ocean acidification. While some regions in the Salish Sea have thriving kelp forests, other regions are seeing up to a 95% decline, and researchers aren’t always sure why. The aquarium’s ROV work helps researchers survey declining kelp ecosystems and the factors that impact their health so the broader Washington kelp conservation, restoration, and management community can work towards restoration.
To expand the scope and scale of this work, the aquarium is collaborating with the Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources Shellfish Program to help them get their own ROV program up and running. The aquarium is also partnering with state agencies and Reef Check to compare ROV and scuba diving as methods for collecting data, and to evaluate the effectiveness of different environmental monitoring strategies. By using Xbox controllers to operate the ROV, the aquarium is not only making research more fun and accessible to future generations of marine conservationists, but also demonstrating the power of technology for environmental conservation and education. Through education and outreach events with a variety of local organizations, the aquarium hopes this program will inspire more people to appreciate and protect the kelp forests and the marine life they support.
Duriel the Maggot King has enlisted Diablo IV fans to help sacrifice his horde. For every 25 likes on the Earth Day post from Diablo’s X account, Blizzard will be donating a bucket of Maggots to Tiggywinkles, up to 666 buckets of maggots, to help feed their bird nursery. With each bucket containing roughly 45,000 maggots, you could help Blizzard fund Tiggywinkle’s bird rehabilitation program for more than two years by simply liking their post.
Tiggywinkles is a specialist animal rescue hospital in the UK. They are dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating all species of local wildlife. Every animal brought to the hospital is given a chance and treated with the best available care. Any animal or bird unable to be released back to the wild is maintained at the Hospital, in as natural conditions as possible. Head to the Diablo X account to help turn likes into buckets of maggots for the birds.
Engage
Barn X on the Rare Campus
Xbox has constructed its first mass timber building in Europe at Rare, the Xbox Game Studio and creator of Sea of Thieves. The new solar-powered studio is already inspiring game developers to create unique shared experiences for players.
Located in Twycross, Leicestershire, Rare’s new building – called ‘Barn X’ – was opened in early 2023 on the Rare campus, which is surrounded by nature in the heart of the English countryside.
Rare’s Studio Head, Craig Duncan, said: “Our new barn is a demonstration of leading-edge sustainability and environmental design, creating a model green workplace. The opportunity to expand our campus by building a state-of-the-art environment for our teams while supporting Microsoft to achieve its sustainability goals has been genuinely rewarding. The new space design promotes collaboration, creativity and wellbeing, which are essential ingredients for a team to create fun experiences for players everywhere.”
Barn X has recently been certified LEED GOLD for its design and construction – a worldwide-recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. It is one example of how Microsoft is implementing sustainable solutions for the future as it pursues its goal to be carbon negative by 2030.
You can read more about the new building and how it is enabling creativity and enhancing wellbeing here.
Playing for the Planet Annual Impact Report
As a founding member of the Playing 4 The Planet Alliance, we are excited to share the 2023 Annual Impact Report. The report includes:
A measure of progress towards Playing 4 the Planet’s strategic goals.
Updates on focus areas, such as decarbonization, The Green Game Jam, and more.
A review of members’ commitments towards sustainability.
And even more from Team Microsoft: Visit Microsoft Unlocked to explore innovations across Microsoft products, partners and customers that are helping to achieve our carbon goals!
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to enjoy a 3-month free trial of Apple TV+ on your Xbox. Whether you’re a sports fan, an action lover, or a comedy enthusiast, you’ll find something to suit your taste on Apple TV+. But hurry, this offer ends on July 7, 2024, so act now and claim your 3 months of unlimited streaming.
Imagine watching the thrilling adventures of “Argylle”, the world’s greatest spy, as he travels across the globe with a star-studded cast. Or cheering for Aaron Judge and the Yankees as they face their rivals on “Friday Night Baseball” from MLB. Or diving into the history and heroism of “Masters of the Air”, the Apple Original series that follows the lives of American bomber pilots in World War II.
Not fully intrigued? How about the chance to catch the GOAT, Lionel Messi, play with his former FC Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, as they lead Inter Miami CF through the MLS gauntlet this season?
This is just some of the amazing content you can watch on Apple TV+, along with countless other movies and shows. You can also enjoy award-winning documentaries, kids’ entertainment, dramas, and more, all in stunning 4K HDR quality. And with the Apple TV app on your Xbox, you can easily browse and access all your favorite content in one place.
But don’t take our word for it. Try it for yourself and see why Apple TV+ is the ultimate streaming service for Xbox users. All you need to do is sign up for a new or qualified returning Apple TV+ subscription on your Xbox before July 7, 2024, and you’ll get 3 months of Apple TV+ for free. No strings attached, no hidden fees, just unlimited entertainment at your fingertips.
Don’t wait, this offer won’t last forever. Grab your Xbox controller and start your free trial of Apple TV+ today. You’ll be glad you did. Terms apply, visit the website to learn more.
It’s time to begin your adventure, young shaman. Explore the beautiful and treacherous lands of Kenzera with the God of Death in Tales of Kenzera™: ZAU: https://www.xbox.com/games/store/tales-of-kenzera-zau-standard-edition/9NNR5Z7KQD2L/0017
It’s time to wield the dance of the shaman and reclaim your father’s spirit.
Crafted by Surgent Studios, the entertainment studio founded by actor Abubakar Salim (Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Raised by Wolves) and published by EA Originals, Tales of Kenzera™: ZAU is a metroidvania-style adventure and a thrilling emotional journey inspired by the rich myths of Bantu cultures.
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Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! This weekly feature highlights all the games arriving soon on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass. Discover more about these forthcoming titles below and explore their profiles for additional information (note that release dates are subject to change). Let’s dive in!
Available on day one with Game Pass! Gather your allies for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, the grand JRPG adventure. Assemble your 6-party team from a cast of over a hundred heroes and shape your destiny in this lush, hand-crafted 2.5D world brimming with war, intrigue, and magic. Manage your town of vibrant characters, play delightful mini-games, and prepare for an unforgettable narrative of boundless charm.
Gather your heroes and journey beyond the dungeons of Castle Hammerwatch to explore a pixelated world like never before. Adventure alone or gather your party to aid King Roland’s resistance, all while helping villagers along the way. Battle beasts, finish off hordes of the undead, and face the forces of evil in this epic ode to classic ARPGs.
As a newly appointed captain of the Pegasus corporation, you must guide a roster of colorful pilots, eclectic advisors, and state-of-the-art landers through a taxing series of missions. Deliver cargo, retrieve resources, and rescue stranded pilots as you navigate a mysterious universe of moons and planets.
Adventure into the beautiful and treacherous lands of Kenzera as Zau, a young shaman who bargains with the God of death to bring his Baba back from darkness. With your cosmic powers and untried courage, advance into unknown mythological lands in this metroidvania title. Will you embrace the dance of the shaman?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants
Re-experience the 2017 arcade classic with three additional stages and six additional boss battles! Take control of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, or Raphael in this classic beat ‘em up inspired by the cult favorite Turtles in Time. Play with your friends through local co-op and dominate the Foot Clan to foil the Shredder’s maniacal plan.
Play a little bird on its journey to find a home after losing its dear friend. You will discover unknown, giant, and beautiful environments and you will be able to enjoy the feeling of flying while exploring a whole world filled with beauty and little secrets.
Expand your farm business, produce cheap and sell your products at high prices. Control the land cultivation process, select the best employees, buy the most appropriate farm equipment, raise livestock, and process the harvested crops. Manage your own farm in the game Farm Tycoon!
Come and visit the famous Big Apple for a brand new cat-spotting adventure! Relax and look around the city, and with enough patience, find over 700 feline friends! The city only gets more vibrant the more cats you find!
An adventure roguelike with permadeath where you must overcome huge mountains. Thanks to the procedurally created environment, no two climbs are the same. Keep your climber alive by always making sure that your vital values don’t get into the critical range. This is made more difficult by a dynamic weather system, day/night changes, and a multitude of randomly generated events.
A distinctive game that recreates Moscow Metro and authentic train controls. 24 stations, various tunnels, and items within them. The game uses modern technologies to show the full experience of Russian capital’s subway — stations on this line will reflect the changes of their era.
Take the role of a nimble rodent separated from his family and lost in a frightening forest filled with fearsome foes! Ratyrinth is a side-scrolling precision platformer with brainteasing level design and retro presentation. Run, jump, cling to walls, swim and climb through mazelike stages presented in minimalistic 2-tone style with fluid pixel art animation.
Available on day one with Game Pass! A soulslike adventure set in a crumbling underwater world. As Kril the hermit crab, you’ll need to wear the trash around you as shells to withstand attacks from enemies many times your size. Embark on an epic treasure hunt to buy back your repossessed shell and discover the dark secrets behind the polluted ocean.
Developed by Masaya in 1997, this robot action game gained popularity at the time thanks to its customizable features, incredible robots, engaging storyline, and its position as the next installment in the Leynos series. The Saturn Tribute version includes new features like Rewind, Quick Save & Load, and Tips functions for smoother gameplay. You can also get power-ups with your Assault Suit.
Available on day one with Game Pass! Manor Lords is a medieval strategy game featuring in-depth city building, large-scale tactical battles and complex economic and social simulations. Rule your lands as a medieval lord — the seasons pass, the weather changes and cities rise and fall.
In this action RPG, players will find a nostalgic and heartwarming world created by Akira Toriyama where you’ll meet the Fiend Prince Beelzebub, his chaperone Thief, and the fearless Sheriff Rao, and follow the team on an extraordinary adventure in search of the Legendary Spring hidden in the desert. The end is only the beginning, as beyond this arid ground lies a new realm to explore.
Travel the world as an up-and-coming pro, go toe-to-toe with the biggest names in tennis, and take Centre Court at Wimbledon, Roland-Garros, the US Open, and the Australian Open as you strive to become a Grand Slam Champion in the MyCareer mode. Or choose from over 24 playable pros and unleash their explosive power and clever finesse against other players locally or online.
Aliens have attacked the planet, and they’re turning innocent people into mindless zombies. It won’t be long before the invaders have destroyed the planet unless somebody with guns stands in their way. That’s where you come in! Lead a cadre of soldiers who are ready to take down every last enemy in their path.
Truck Driver: The American Dream is now available!
The trucking adventure keeps rolling! Truck Driver®: The American Dream ‘Brave Girl’ Update is finally here and packed with loads of fresh content — all for free!
Embark on an epic journey alongside ‘Brave Girl’ and enjoy 6 to 7 hours of gameplay. Discover exciting additions, enhancements, and unlock a variety of fresh options for an upgraded trucking experience!
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