Xbox Series X Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Mojang and Wizards Of The Coast have announced the launch of Dungeons & Dragons downloadable content (DLC) for Minecraft, which will introduce a “story-driven” campaign and five classes to choose from.The Dungeons & Dragons DLC is set to launch on the Minecraft Marketplace in spring 2023, and will include a number of enemies, locations and features from Wizards Of The Coast’s 1974 game.In the DLC, players will choose from five Dungeons & Dragons classes – including Barbarian and Wizard – and explore five Forgotten Realms from the D&D universe.

Atlas Fallen has been delayed, moving its release date from May to August 2023.As announced earlier in the month, Atlas Fallen was originally meant to launch on May 16. However, Deck13 and publisher Focus Entertainment have confirmed the game will now be released on August 10.“Our goal has always been to create a memorable A-RPG experience in a unique setting, with exciting gameplay and the option for fully playable seamless co-op with a friend,” reads a statement posted by Deck13 on Twitter.“We’d love to give the game some extra time which will allow us to deliver the best possible version of Atlas Fallen.”Sorry we didn't use the customary yellow background, missed opportunity.

NME 100 artist Eli Smart has covered his 2022 single ‘See Through’ for The Sims 4, replacing all of its lyrics with the game’s fictional Simlish language.The Simlish version of ‘See Through’ was introduced with The Sims 4‘s latest expansion pack, Growing Together. You can listen to the cover below.The Sims has a long tradition of inviting artists to cover their songs in Simlish.

Diablo franchise at Blizzard, has shared that not all classes in Diablo 4 should feel equally balanced at all points.Diablo 4 kicked off its first beta on Friday (March 17), giving players an opportunity to play three of the game’s classes before the game’s next open beta on March 24.While two classes – Necromancer and Druid – are yet to be unlocked for players, those who took part in the early beta got to try out the Sorcerer, Rogue and Barbarian classes.However, a number of social media posts and threads on the game’s subreddit have claimed that Diablo 4‘s Barbarian class feels much weaker than its counterparts.Speaking to NME‘s Jake Tucker, Fergusson acknowledged that balancing would play a larger part in Diablo 4 since the game will place more emphasis on player versus player (PvP) interactions.However, Fergusson shared that although classes should feel balanced to play against each other, not every class should feel as powerful at the same time as others.“There is a lot of balance there, but the trick around balance is that it’s a balance over time — not a balance of the moment,” shared Fergusson. “Not all classes at level five should have the same power.”“Due to the enchantment specialisation, Sorcerers will have the most skills of any class because [with] Barbarians having four weapons, they will have the most legendary slots of any class.

Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl developer GSC Game World has confirmed that it’s been the victim of a hack, following claims that “a huge amount of materials” from the game would be leaked if the Ukrainian studio does not apologise to Russian fans.Details of the hack first surfaced on Saturday (March 11) when a user from Russian social media site VK claimed to have “tens of gigabytes” of content taken from Stalker 2, including the game’s story, maps and cutscene information.The statement was accompanied by a number of unreleased screenshots and concept art from the game.In the post, the hacker demanded that GSC Game World “rethink [its] attitude towards players from Belarus and Russia,” remove the ban on the hacker’s account from Stalker 2‘s official Discord, and announce a Russian-localised version of Stalker 2.Currently, Stalker 2 is not available for purchase in Russia.The hacker has threatened to release the stolen Stalker 2 footage if GSC Game World does not comply by March 15 and claimed that “it is not necessary to spoil the game for people because of politics”.Yesterday (March 12) GSC Game World confirmed that although an employee had been hacked, it had no plans to comply with the hacker.A message from GSC Game World team pic.twitter.com/rqRM0tFZmO— S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) March 12, 2023“This is not the first attempt to hack and leak our data, including personal information,” wrote the studio.

Capcom has released a free demo for its upcoming Resident Evil 4 remake, offering players a “thrilling slice” of the survival horror ahead of its March release.The Resident Evil 4 Chainsaw Demo launched last night (March 9) and is available to play on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS4 and PS5.According to the demo’s Steam page, it will allow fans to play a “specially tuned” version of Resident Evil 4‘s opening sequence.Unlike past Resident Evil demos, this one will not have any time limit attached — meaning that although the playable area is limited, players can explore it for as long as they like.“Experience a taste of Resident Evil 4, a reimagining of the original game released in 2005,” reads the description. “With modernized gameplay, a reworked story, and vividly detailed graphics, you can relive the nightmare of survival horror.”The demo was announced at yesterday’s Capcom Spotlight, which also brought a new teaser trailer for the game.

The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum has received a new trailer, showcasing Gollum’s journey through Middle-earth and reiterating its 2023 release window.The trailer was released today (March 9) during Nacon Connect, a livestream showcasing all of Nacon‘s upcoming games.Developer Daedalic Entertainment‘s upcoming game tells the story of Gollum before the events of The Fellowship Of The Ring, and the latest trailer shows his escape from Mordor and journey into elven territory.In the video, Gollum sneaks past orcs, elves and Nazgûl on his quest to reclaim the One Ring before Sauron can find it. It also features appearances from Gandalf, Shelob and Thranduil.The latest trailer also includes a tribute to The Hobbit, with Gollum’s opening words – “Gnaws iron, bites steel, grinds hard stones to meal” – referencing the riddle that he tasks Bilbo with solving.While Daedalic Entertainment is yet to provide an exact date for The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum‘s launch, today’s trailer confirms that it is planned to release this year.That will be welcome news for fans, as the game has been already been delayed for several years.

Paradox Interactive has announced Cities: Skylines 2 – a sequel to developer Colossal Order‘s 2015 city-building simulator.Cities: Skylines 2 was announced during the Paradox Announcement Show yesterday (March 6), where details of the game were revealed.The city-building sim is set to launch this year and will be available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox Game Pass.As for what the sequel will deliver, Colossal Order has billed Cities: Skylines 2 as being “the most realistic city builder ever” on its Steam page.“Use your creativity and strategic planning skills to grow your city into a thriving metropolis that will attract businesses, residents, and tourists alike,” reads the description. “From residential neighborhoods to bustling downtowns, the possibilities are endless.

Paradox Interactive has announced new downloadable content (DLC) for medieval grand strategy game Crusader Kings 3, with Tours And Tournaments set to allow the hosting of extravagant events in players’ kingdoms.Tours And Tournaments was announced today (March 6) during the Paradox Announcement Show.Set to launch this spring, Tours And Tournaments will allow players to host celebrations and tournaments in their realm, along with the ability for rulers to tour their lands.Tournaments will offer a means of improving the host’s social standing or military prowess, while touring a realm will let players offer gifts to their vassals or extort them for higher taxes. Meanwhile, players will also be able to host weddings that serve as an opportunity to “honour your in-laws, cater to your vassals, and demonstrate your power”.Tours And Tournaments will also introduce a travel system, which means that players will need to plan their route to and from each event.

Paradox Interactive has revealed The Lamplighters League, a turn-based adventure game that it will be publishing for developer Harebrained Schemes.Due to launch for Xbox and PC platforms in 2023, The Lamplighters League is set in an alternate version of the 1930s and tasks players with putting a stop to the Banished Court, a cult that’s spent a millennia trying to take over the world.Announced during the Paradox Announcement Show, The Lamplighters League will task players with controlling a band of “misfit” characters.Each has unique abilities, leaving players to deploy them in turn-based missions that begin with real-time infiltration segments. Between missions, players will need to make “global level” choices and manage each character’s various injuries and stress levels.An announcement trailer and two-minute video detailing The Lamplighters League have been shared by Paradox, which you can watch below.As detailed in the trailer, The Lamplighters League won’t just see the organisation fighting cultists; towards the end of the cinematic, a much larger figure can be seen emerging from the water.Developer Harebrained Schemes is best known for creating the Shadowrun trilogy, along with 2018 strategy game Battletech.Discussing The Lamplighters League, game director Christopher Rogers said that the game “is all about weaving tactical gameplay that challenges your mind with narrative and characters that engage your heart”.“We love these characters and hope that players and fans enjoy getting to know them while exploring each one’s unique abilities the way we did.

Vampire Survivors creator Luca ‘Poncle‘ Galante has shared that a sequel to his breakout indie hit is “unlikely” unless he thinks of something “radically new” to offer.In 2022, top-down auto-shooter Vampire Survivors became one of Steam‘s most-played games while still in Early Access. The game went on to launch in October, with NME naming it as one of the best games of 2022.In an interview published yesterday (March 2), Galante told GameSpot that a sequel to Vampire Survivors is unlikely due to the game’s design.“With the way Vampire Survivors is designed, we can deliver both new content and new game mechanics on the existing game, so why make a sequel?” asked Galente.

Grand Theft Auto Online (GTA Online) event has been revealed, offering players a chance to rake in double rewards on all of missions starring Dr. Dre.Announced yesterday (March 2), developer Rockstar Games has revealed that a number of missions and activities from The Contract, which was introduced with new music from Dr.

Destiny 2 expansion Lightfall launched this week, and players are still uncovering everything it contains – including a new emote that references an iconic scene from the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure anime.Added with the launch of Lightfall, the emote is named Torturous Dance. The cosmetic is a reference to the fan-favourite Torture Dance that JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure characters perform in one scene of the anime’s Golden Wind arc.When equipped, the Torturous Dance lets players perform the same dance that’s seen in the show.

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 has today (March 1) released its newest season, Reign of Fire. This newest season focuses on the alliance between in-game baddies the Black Tusk and the True Sons.If you haven’t played The Division 2 in a while, there are plenty of new story beats going on. A section of the True Sons led by Captain Lewis is now siding with The Division and private military company the Black Tusk’s mysterious CEO Natalya Sokolova is stepping from the shadows into a more prominent role in the story as she arrives in Washington to contest The Division directly.There’s a trailer, below, which is light on details but big on explosions.The centerpoint of Reign of Fire is Zachary “Stovepipe” Beattie, an EOD specialist working within the Black Tusk.

Rainbow Six Siege operator Grim is currently planned for a rework, according to a round table on game balance and onboarding at Ubisoft’s HQ, along with remarks from NME’s interview with Siege’s creative director Alex Karpazis.Grim hasn’t made much of an impact in Rainbow Six Siege since his addition in Operation Brutal Swarm back in August 2022, and comments from the balancing round table have shown that the Siege developers are keen to look at how they can make him more interesting, admitting that while Grim is viable in high-level post-plant situations, but that “this operator needs to be viable at multiple times”Karpazis talks a little bit more about the approach the development team takes to reworks. “First we listen to the community,” said Karpazis.

Ghost Ship Games, the developer behind Deep Rock Galactic, has announced that it will be launching a publishing arm to help “lift up” smaller developers.Titled Ghost Ship Publishing, the new arm of Ghost Ship will serve as a “launchpad for independent video games in the rapidly growing Danish games industry and beyond.”Ghost Ship Publishing will announce some of its upcoming titles on March 2, as part of Deep Rock Galactic‘s fifth anniversary livestream.Ghost Ship explains that the “careful approach to open development and a flexible design philosophy” from the game will be foundational for future games published by the studio.“Becoming a publisher is a way for us to give a bit back to the industry, and to help lift up both the Danish gaming scene and other small developers like ourselves across the globe,” commented Søren Lundgaard, CEO of Ghost Ship Games. “Our goal is to assist fellow developers with funding and marketing expertise, while also helping them establish a solid business.

Fatshark has shared the main theme to Warhammer 40,000: Darktide with NME, which you can check out here.The soundtrack to Darktide has been created by BAFTA-winning composer Jesper Kyd, who listeners may recognise as the composer for much of the Assassin’s Creed series (including Valhalla and upcoming entry Mirage). Kyd also composed Fatshark’s Vermintide games, as well as Borderlands and Hitman: Contracts.Ahead of Darktide launching on November 10, Fatshark has shared a taste of Kyd’s Darktide score with NME – you can listen to the survival shooter’s main theme below:Discussing Darktide‘s main theme, Kyd shared that it “embraces the sound of dark folk music mixed with a thundering analog sequencer synth bass line.”“The Imperium proclaimed ‘reject’ you play in the game with ‘nothing to lose’ is celebrated in the music as a call to arms,” continued Kyd.

Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty has shared that the upcoming reboot of Perfect Dark is being done “very carefully” so that it works for modern-day audiences.During a Pax West 2022 interview, which was shared on Twitter (September 2), Booty was asked how one reboots Joanna Dark – the protagonist of Perfect Dark – in the modern age. To this, he said, “very carefully,” going on to add, “those things they don’t always age well…”Booty doesn’t clarify this statement, but by the way the question is asked and answered he could be referring to the design choices of Joanna Dark when the game originally launched in 2000.Matt Booty describes rebooting Perfect Dark for the modern day as "Very Carefully".He also describles the game as a cross between a Bourne Identity and James Bond.

Lies Of P has explained why Neowiz decided to have the game focus on the character of Pinocchio.During Gamescom 2022, one of the biggest reveals that had everyone talking was the dark-retelling of Pinocchio, Lies Of P; a Soulslike role-playing game featuring visuals similar to Bloodborne.Pinocchio is an interesting angle for a game that looks to be leaning towards the horror elements since the character is best known for the iconic Disney animated film. However, the Lies Of P director has an answer for why Neowiz went in this direction.In a recent interview with IGN (transcribed and edited by GamesRadar), director Choi Ji-Won said, “We had to find a very well-known thing first, because this is our first Soulslike game, so we wanted to have the fanbase first.

Embark Studios has announced that free-to-play sci-fi shooter Arc Raiders has been delayed, and will now launch in 2023.In a statement posted yesterday (August 8), Embark Studios shared that it has “made the decision to delay Arc Raiders to 2023,” and said it would be “using this extra time to expand the experience, and allow it to reach its fullest potential.”“We will be diving into more details as soon as we start to test the game more extensively with players,” added the studio.Arc Raiders was revealed at last year’s The Game Awards, with a trailer that showcased the game’s sci-fi setting. As detailed on Arc Raiders‘ Steam page, the multiplayer shooter is set in a world where humans must deploy into dangerous firefights to prevent robotic invaders – known as Arc – from successfully landing from orbit.Back in 2021, Owen Mahoney – CEO of Embark Studios’ parent company Nexon – shared more details on when Embark’s first game will launch.“It will depend on when our developers feel they have an outstanding game that they are proud to show their closest friends,” said Mahoney.

Bandai Namco has announced that Dragon Ball FighterZ will be coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles alongside a rollback netcode update.Announced during the annual fighting game tournament Evo 2022 (August 5 to 7), it was confirmed that alongside a current-gen release which is now in development, Dragon Ball FighterZ, as well as Samurai Shodown, will be getting rollback netcode.Rollback netcode is pretty important in online fighting games and is a frequently requested feature to be added. Most fighting games feature delay-based netcode, meaning when players hit buttons they aren’t acted on or seen immediately by either player.

Fatshark has announced that the launch of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide has been pushed back by a month, citing the need to make “critical” improvements.In a Twitter post shared yesterday (July 28), Fatshark announced that Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is now planned to launch on November 30 for PC, with Xbox Series X|S versions planned to release “shortly after”.The hack and slash shooter has suffered several delays, although it was originally meant to launch in 2021, it was last planned to release on September 13 2022.pic.twitter.com/KIVYkrCApT— Warhammer 40K: Darktide (@Darktide40K) July 28, 2022“Delaying a game is perhaps one of the most difficult decisions a developer faces and one we are not excited about making,” shared Fatshark. “Still, we hope this speaks to our commitment to taking the time necessary and doing whatever it takes to get you the best possible game.”Fatshark explained that the delay is due to needing “more time to improve stability, performance, and to mature key systems,” and added that each of these areas are “critical to making sure we have the best possible experience.”However, it’s not all bad news as Fatshark has announced that it will be inviting fans to play beta versions of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide “soon”.

Strange Scaffold has launched the Bean Bone update for Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator, an Among Us crossover which will allow players to “buy the mangled remains of your former crewmates”.The Bean Bone update launched on Monday (July 25), which adds a sizeable slice of free content – including a new “Bean Bone” organ, which is a crew member from Innersloth‘s Among Us that has been chopped in half.“Among us organ traders, the Bean Bone is known as the most delicious organ in the galaxy,” shares the Bean Bone’s in-game description, while Strange Scaffold founder Xalavier Nelson Jr. added that the update will let plays “buy the mangled remains of your former crewmates.”The Among Us crossover also brings a “multitude” of new quests, more character portraits to choose from, and the ability to help Interstellar Influencers “go viral (and make their subsequent apologies) on the galactic stage.”“Their entire role is to make your life while working with them a living hell,” added Nelson in a follow-up post, who also said that the update includes “the most evil quest I’ve ever designed.”BEHOLDTHE STORY OF THE MOST EVIL QUEST I’VE EVER DESIGNED, COURTESY OF THE NEW AMONG US-THEMED UPDATE FOR MY VIDEO GAME, WHICH IS ALSO CURRENTLY ON SALEBUY IT AND JUSTIFY MY MADNESShttps://t.co/aEh6ac49qh pic.twitter.com/pGkl2tP4lA— Xalavier Nelson Jr.

A Plague Tale: Requiem developer Asobo Studio has confirmed when the studio’s upcoming title will launch.During the Focus Showcase that aired today (June 23), Asobo Studio announced that A Plague Tale: Requiem will launch on October 18 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.Along with the release date, the showcase also included an extensive look at new in-game footage. The latest video shows protagonists Amicia and Hugo pursued by soldiers, who the pair outwit with a range of creative skills.Asobo Studio has also revealed that it is working with Nvidia to add RTX features to PC versions of the game, which includes ray tracing and DLSS.You can go back and watch the livestream below: A Plague Tale: Requiem is a sequel to 2019’s A Plague Tale: Innocence, which introduced Amicia and her younger brother Hugo as they were pursued by Inquisition soldiers across France.As to what the sequel will involve, the Steam page for A Plague Tale: Requiem shares the following:“After escaping their devastated homeland, Amicia and Hugo travel far south, to new regions and vibrant cities.

Enemy of the State is an upcoming crime shooter from Brave Lamb Studio, set to release in mid-2024.Set in the prohibition-era United States, gaining a step-up over rival gangs is the name of the game in Enemy of the State. The trailer, viewable below, features a violent stand-off between two rival gangs during a bank heist.Set in a “stylized noir world of the 1920s”, Enemy of the State is playing on the brutal gang wars of the period.

Summer Games Fest has given us another look at Fatshark‘s forthcoming co-op first-person shooter Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, giving us more of a glimpse of the game’s combat and environments.Fatshark is best known for swords and sorcery stab-fest Warhammer 40,000: Vermintide, and Darktide marks the team’s jump to the science fiction world of Warhammer 40k. It’s a good jump for people who wished that Vermintide had a little more firepower to it, and for anyone that thought normal swords were a little lacking: while the four-player co-op is going to feel similar to fans of Vermintide, the trailer shows a bunch of gory gunplay and also 40k’s iconic chainsword, used here to decapitate a baddie.It’s also a good look at the industrial environments that players will be exploring in Darktide ahead of the game’s September release date.

Xbox Live Games with Gold have been announced, and there will be two modern titles – along with two Xbox 360 games – on offer.First up is Another Sight and Outpost Kaloki X, which will both be available for Xbox Live members from April 1. Another Sight is going to be part of the service for the whole of the month, right up until April 30, and is a steampunk fantasy platform game.Outpost Kaloki X was originally available on Xbox 360 and PC back in September 2004, and is a city building title.

Playground Games has revealed that a new Player versus Player (PvP) progression system is coming to Forza Horizon 5 on March 29, along with a plethora of other fixes and improvements that are all part of a bigger update.The official Forza support blog (thanks, Eurogamer) details the update, saying “Horizon Open has been updated with a new progression system including Badges which can be unlocked through gameplay”.Horizon Open is the PvP racing part of Forza Horizon 5, allowing players to jump in and out of any of the race types and play until they’ve had enough. The March 29 update has also “Added Custom Racing to Horizon Open, which will allow players to find races for their chosen race discipline and PI class”.As you’d expect, there’s also plenty of stability fixes and performance improvements.

GSC Game World has renamed its upcoming game to Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl, and has also announced it will be cancelling physical pre-orders sold to fans in Russia.The change in title reflects how the area’s name is spelled in Ukrainian, and the new title is visible on Steam – however it’s yet to appear on the game’s Microsoft or Xbox storefront pages.GSC Game World, which is based in Kyiv, has not commented on the change. However, yesterday (March 14) the studio shared a post on Russian social media site VK that outlined its position on sales of Stalker 2 in Russia.The post confirmed that although existing digital pre-orders of Stalker 2 would be honoured, no further pre-orders from Russia would be accepted.Furthermore, all physical sales have been cancelled, even for those who have already paid.

343 Industries for Halo Infinite looks to resolve the Quick Resume issues many players have been having with the game.A Halo Waypoint blog post (thanks Eurogamer) addresses the fix, stating that there are “improvements to online service connections after re-entering Halo Infinite using Quick Resume on Xbox Series X|S consoles.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been announced at The Game Awards, with a particularly blood-soaked trailer showing how players will be fighting for the Emperor.The trailer was revealed late last night (December 10), and the game itself will be a sequel to the first Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine that was released all the way back in 2011.While coming in at just over two and a half minutes, the trailer is packed with a lot of detail.

Stalker 2: Heart Of Chernobyl has released several new screenshots ahead of its April launch, showcasing one of the first games to fully utilise Unreal Engine 5.Today (December 9), Reddit user Kenny_Prophet – who appears to be an employee at GSC Game World – has shared five new screenshots from Stalker 2.The gritty survival game – set in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster – seems to have benefitted greatly from using Unreal Engine 5, as the screenshots reveal.

Paradox Interactive has announced that Crusader Kings III‘s first major expansion, Royal Court, will launch on February 8, 2022.Crusader Kings III: Royal Court players will be able to “accumulate artifacts and build new kinds of nations in one of strategy gaming’s deepest blends of politics, intrigue, and rich character-driven stories.”The Royal Court expansion will feature a visual representation of the player’s royal court which will reflect all the accumulated “majesty and prestige” in the

Microsoft has detailed Xbox’s November update, and it’s available now.The new update brings new accessibility features to Microsoft Store, better colour filters for the Xbox Series X/S, new audio output settings and a controller firmware update.The update also improves stability in several games, such as NBA2K22, FIFA 22 and Battlefield 2042.

Scorn – has apologised for a “hostile” update posted to Kickstarter, after telling backers to “just get a refund” if a lack of communication from the studio bothered them.As spotted by Kotaku, on Saturday (November 6) Peklar’s original Kickstarter post aimed to address some issues that backers have had with the project, including a perceived lack of communication.While the majority of the post is fairly reasonable, the very last line has struck fans the wrong way: “And for the end, a bit of

Scorn, the upcoming first-person survival horror game from Ebb Software, has been delayed once again.In a new Kickstarter update for Scorn, the developer explained that the game will now arrive sometime in 2022 but an official confirmation of the delay will be released on December 10–as spotted by PCGamer.“Development hell is a term that is thrown around quite often.