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Tag: Xbox

  • Can ‘Hollow Knight: Silksong’ Make Me Love the Xbox Handheld?

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    Hollow Knight: Silksong doesn’t need Xbox to capture our hearts. The sequel to the indie darling Hollow Knight blazes with a subtle intensity—the result of every squeak and bark from the hand-drawn enemies to the sweeping and foreboding music running like a river through the two abridged demo levels I played. Like the original Metroidvania-style side-scroller, Silksong is a game that could likely run on every system more powerful than a Tamagotchi without much fine-tuning. Even without playing the short demo players first had access to at Gamescom last month, the game sells itself. Xbox needs Silksong to help convince players they need its new handheld, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally.

    See ROG Xbox Ally at Best Buy

    Xbox brought the game to Gizmodo’s offices to give us hands-on experience with the game I already suspected I’d adore—and test out its first true novel hardware release of the past several years. The game is self-evident. It feels reminiscent of the first Hollow Knight yet distinct, with new protagonist Hornet focusing on swift dives and strikes with her needle and thread. As for Xbox, we still don’t know how much the handheld will cost, even though we’re edging closer to Microsoft and Asus’s shrinking October release window. The Xbox Ally X is running on the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, the long-anticipated APU—or accelerated processing unit—built for handheld gaming. It’s been closing in on a year since AMD announced that chip. It’s only now that we’ll get to see what it’s capable of. Silksong is the wrong game to test that.

    Xbox Ally X feels more Asus than Microsoft

    The Xbox Ally X’s plastic shell is emblazoned with tiny text reading ‘Xbox Ally.’ © Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

    In every way that matters, the higher-end Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is a sequel to the Asus ROG Ally X. I can see you’re confused. There are too damn many Xs in that name. It’s simpler to call the new device the ROG Xbox handheld. But that belies just how much of an iteration the handheld is. The Xbox Ally X is thicker by more than a few millimeters. It’s slightly heavier, and in my short experience with it, its fans were louder than the original device even when playing Silksong. When you lay both on the table, the difference is more stark. This is not a slim and low-profile Nintendo Switch 2. This is not an Xbox—a simple and straightforward console. The ROG Xbox Ally is a handheld PC in every way that matters.

    The grips are meant to resemble an Xbox controller, and for that, it may be the most comfortable to use long-term compared to every other Steam Deck-like device available. The Xbox Ally X weighs 1.58 pounds, but in my 1.5 hours of play, I never felt my arms growing fatigued holding it up. Just like the Ally X from 2024, the face buttons and sticks had the kind of presence on my fingers that helps me sink into the games running on its 7-inch 1080p IPS display. Silksong seemed bright and vibrant on the glossy display. The surprise improvement was from its triggers. They’re larger, and it meant that one of my colleagues with much smaller hands than me could still hit each bumper without having to slide their hand up the grips.

    Handheld Windows 11 mode with Xbox UI is unfinished

    Asus ROG Xbox Ally X handheld hands-on
    Even the back fan grills look the same as the ROG Ally X. © Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

    The hardware is self-evident. The Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are meant to both run an all-new version of Windows 11 built specifically for the small screen. There’s an all-new Xbox button on the left-hand side of the handheld, which brings up the main menu that’s built as an extension of the existing Xbox Game Bar on PC. Xbox stressed that the software was unfinished. Hitting the ROG button still brought up the Asus Armoury Crate software to adjust brightness, volume, and performance settings. The UI could change by release in October.

    Asus ROG Xbox Ally X handheld hands-on
    © Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

    I didn’t get to experience any of that. The new version of Windows 11 is supposed to dual-boot with the operating system as the regular desktop environment and a new version that limits several background tasks. This new version is meant to enhance performance when gaming. These background processes are sapping performance in all versions of Windows 11, and it’s only now that Microsoft is modifying its operating system to enhance gaming. Xbox knows it now needs to compete with SteamOS. Valve’s handheld-centric operating system is Linux-based with the addition of a compatibility layer for all those games that won’t work on the open-source platform. Recent tests have proved handhelds run better on SteamOS than Windows. Microsoft needs to show that players can stick with Windows without losing out on all their favorite apps.

    The Xbox handheld could be great for people who don’t mind dragging around a larger handheld. Hollow Knight: Silksong is already shaping up to be great, but it’s not a game built to help us test what the device is capable of. Xbox needs to sell their handheld for prices console gamers expect to spend. Otherwise, most players will be playing Team Cherry’s Metroidvania somewhere—anywhere—else.

    See ROG Xbox Ally at Best Buy

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    Kyle Barr

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  • ‘Call of Duty’ May Enlist for a Movie Adaptation

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    Activision Blizzard and Microsoft’s Call of Duty franchise could take its blockbuster success to the big screen.

    According to Puck’s Matt Belloni, Paramount is currently negotiating for film rights to the long-running shooter series. Getting this IP is said to be a “tough priority” for new Paramount head David Ellison, since it’d be another major gaming property in the studio’s portfolio after Sonic the Hedgehog. There’s a new Call of Duty game annually—Treyarch and Raven’s Black Ops 7 lands in November—and typically among the bestselling titles of each year.

    Way back in 2015, Activision Blizzard opened a movie studio to kickstart a Call of Duty cinematic universe, starting with a film that never materialized. The publisher hasn’t tried making a movie since then, as it’s had a busy couple of years. But now it’s part of Xbox, which is slowly embracing adaptations: along with the now-ended Halo show, there’s a Gears of War movie coming and a TV show based on Obsidian’s Grounded. (Blizzard games Overwatch and Diablo also had shows in the works, but the developer’s deal with Netflix fell through.)

    What does a Call of Duty movie look like? That’s a good question, since the series has jumped between various real and fictional wars over its 21-year lifetime, from World War II to the modern day and far future. (Don’t forget the one set in space!) Or failing that, it could always take the easiest route possible and do a movie based on the ever-popular Zombies or Warzone modes.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    Justin Carter

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  • Xbox cloud games will soon follow you just about everywhere

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    Microsoft just launched a service for Xbox Insiders that brings all cloud-playable games, along with play histories, to the official Xbox PC app. This includes console exclusives spanning multiple generations and hundreds of other releases. The service extends to games owned by the player and Game Pass titles.

    The big hook here is that recently-played games will follow people across devices, including Xbox consoles, PCs and Windows handhelds. This will make it easier for folks to jump back into something, even when going from, say, an Xbox Series X to a PC.

    The new “play history” section of the PC app and Xbox console UI will display cloud games as recently-played titles, and this list follows people wherever they go. It includes cloud-powered game saves, so there will be no wasted time. Being as this is all part of Xbox Cloud Gaming, players will be able to start a game on a console and finish on a PC, even if that title isn’t available natively on the second platform.

    There’s also a new search filter in the library section for cloud games, along with a “jump back in” list on the home screen of the app. “While the large tiles highlight games you’ve recently played on your current device, the play history tile shows games you’ve played across any Xbox device, making it easy to pick up where you left off,” the company wrote in a blog post.

    This is all thanks to the redesigned library feature for the Xbox app. This allows games purchased from various platforms to all be launched from the same place.

    Update, August 29 2025, 12:05PM ET: Microsoft has confirmed that cross-device and cloud-playable play history is now rolling out to everyone, following a successful testing phase for Xbox Insiders. If you’re playing on an Xbox console, you’ll find the play history tile on your home page, while on the Xbox PC app it sits under the Most Recent section in the sidebar menu, as well as in its dedicated tab in My Library.

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    Lawrence Bonk

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  • Shinobi: Art of Vengeance – How the Passion of a French Studio Brought a Japanese Legend Back to Life – Xbox Wire

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    The legendary Shinobi returns today with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. At the helm of this revival is French studio Lizardcube, led by CEO and Creative Director Ben Fiquet. We spoke with him to understand how his team managed to balance respect for the series’ heritage with a modern touch, all while pouring an incredible amount of passion into every detail.

    To appreciate the importance of this comeback, it’s worth remembering that Shinobi defined a whole generation of players back in the late ’80s. Born in the arcades and later released on the Master System and Mega Drive, the white-clad ninja Musashi became an icon of Sega’s golden years. Demanding gameplay, striking visuals, and unforgettable soundtracks made Shinobi a symbol of the 2D action genre’s golden age.

    As launch day draws near, emotions are running high at Lizardcube: “Of course there’s some apprehension, but also a lot of excitement,” explains Fiquet. “We released a demo at the end of July, and the feedback has been excellent. That really reassures us about how the game will be received and about bringing this iconic series back to life.”

    This excitement fuels the team, who see this release not only as an achievement but also as a huge responsibility: to deliver an experience worthy of the Shinobi name.

    Reviving such an emblematic series requires striking a delicate balance. For Fiquet, the challenge was clear – extend players’ memories without simply replicating the past: “Players don’t want to replay exactly the same game they knew on Master System or Mega Drive. They hold on to strong memories, but gameplay has evolved. Our role is to prolong those memories while adapting them to today’s expectations.” This is the philosophy that guided Lizardcube: staying true to the franchise’s identity while refining its mechanics for a new era.

    Shinobi Screenshot

    This expertise isn’t new for the Paris-based studio. Having already worked on Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap (2017) and Streets of Rage 4 (2020), Lizardcube has earned its reputation as a specialist in bringing beloved franchises back to life. Their strength lies in recreating a faithful atmosphere while adding artistic and gameplay polish that elevates nostalgia into something fresh. With Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, this vision takes on a whole new scale.

    From the very first images, the studio’s distinctive style is unmistakable. Instead of opting for a realistic 3D approach, the team chose to embrace traditional 2D animation—a bold choice in today’s landscape.

    “2D gives us finer control, almost an intimacy, over every pixel. There’s a warmth and honesty in hand-drawn animation that you don’t always find in 3D.” This artistic direction gives the game a sense of timelessness, reminiscent of classics like Cuphead or Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, while paying tribute to Shinobi’s visual legacy.

    Shinobi Screenshot

    But beyond aesthetics, the feel of the game was central to development. “I love games that get straight to the point: you launch, you play, and you immediately have fun,” explains Fiquet. The combat system reflects this philosophy: combos, dashes, double jumps, and executions flow naturally without heavy tutorials.

    Each encounter feels like a rewarding little challenge, almost a mini-game within the game. A unique “execution” mechanic even rewards players for skilfully chaining enemies, turning combat into a rhythmic and spectacular dance.

    Demanding yet approachable, the game also includes options to adjust difficulty, making it accessible to newcomers without compromising depth for veterans. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance was designed so that every type of player can find their rhythm—an inviting entry point for the curious and a perfect playground for seasoned players on Xbox.

    Shinobi Screenshot

    While Shinobi is a quintessential Japanese franchise, Fiquet highlights the project’s dual identity. “I’m a Sega kid. I grew up with the Master System and the Mega Drive, and Shinobi was one of my very first games.” This personal connection is paired with deep respect for Japanese craftsmanship: “We don’t make Japanese games, but we have enormous respect for Japanese game culture. Our French touch blends with that heritage, and that’s what convinced Sega.”

    Breathing new life into such a legendary franchise is no easy task, but Lizardcube’s relationship with Sega has been built over time. “There was real mutual respect. Of course, there are cultural differences and different working rhythms, but every discussion was about improving the game. We found a great synergy.” Thanks to this mutual trust, every exchange with Sega was focused on improving the game, always with respect for the original spirit of Shinobi.

    Shinobi Screenshot

    To extend the experience, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance also includes secrets, powers, and unlockable skins. And that’s just the beginning: the first DLC has already been revealed. “It’s the ‘Sega Villains Stage’. You’ll get to face iconic antagonists from across the Sega universe. The first one we announced is Robotnik. Seeing Musashi take on Robotnik is pure fan service, but it’s exactly the kind of thing that makes working with Sega so exciting.”

    With Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Lizardcube delivers far more than the return of a legendary hero on Xbox—it offers a love letter to video games: to their heritage, their challenge, and their ability to evolve. It’s a bold gamble, crafted with passion and precision, proving that a legend can return without losing its soul.


    SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance

    SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance

    SEGA


    ☆☆☆☆☆
    19


    ★★★★★


    Pre-order SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance and receive a 10% discount, the Original Arcade Outfit, and Fortune Hunter Amulet.The iconic SHINOBI returns in an all-new 2D action platformer with a unique hand-drawn look created by the team behind the hit brawler Streets of Rage 4.

    Play as the legendary Shinobi Joe Musashi, master of the ninja arts. After finding your village burned to the ground and your clan turned into stone, you must set off on a quest for vengeance, ready to face an unparalleled evil and avenge your clan.

    • EXECUTE THE NINJA ARTS WITH PRECISION
    Wield your vast ninja arsenal including the great Katana Oborozuki, Kunai, Ninjutsu arts, and Ninpo to vanquish your foes.

    • MASTER THE WAY OF THE SHINOBI
    Unleash limitless combos with unique combat moves, acquire Amulets for enhanced abilities, and discover Ningi tools to overcome obstacles and uncover new paths.

    • JOURNEY THROUGH A STYLISTIC NEW WORLD
    Venture through more than a dozen unique and visually striking stages, from military bases to a scorching desert, challenging platforming puzzles, and hidden secrets.

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    Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief

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  • Project Bloomwalker is A Beautiful Crafting Adventure About Purifying The World, and We Love It – Xbox Wire

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    Some games simply ‘wow’ you from the moment you’re permitted to enter their worlds, and in that regard, Project Bloomwalker is a blessing indeed. Revealed for the first time in the Xbox @ gamescom 2025 Broadcast, Project Bloomwalker is a beautiful survival crafting affair set in a gorgeous, anime-infused land that has been corrupted – its plant life shrivelled, and its ground turned an ashy white. As a ‘Bloom Walker’, you have the ability to cure the world of this blight, using your travelling caravan, a deceptively spacious house escorted by giant robotic legs, housing an equally giant talking cat. It’s quirky, inviting, and frequently magical.

    During a hands-on demo at gamescom, we were invited to explore Bloomwalker’s world, and how you’ll seek to purify it. This really is the crux of the game. You’re not crafting to dominate the natural world – you’re there to heal it, and it feels truly different as a result.

    The demo begins with your character carefully escorting their house through some tainted areas, using its power to slowly restore the world around it. It’s immediately inviting; the ground around it is restored as it works – the terrain explodes into vibrant green, foliage and massive mushrooms transform from nasty, sludgy mounds to bright, rainbow hues – everything here feels intentionally placed and ripe for exploration, which is exactly what you’ll need to do.

    While the majority of the world we saw in the demo was relatively safe (sans one attack from a giant pelican), the tainted areas require some thought to explore, adding layers of puzzle to the mix. You’ll need to be prepared to encounter enemies like the aforementioned pelican, and venture into dangerous, blighted parts (taking damage as you do) until you can clear it. Luckily, there are resources like the Breathblossom that allow you to temporarily breathe in those spots, but you’ll need to work fast. For all of its beauty, Project Bloomwalker’s world can be treacherous, and it seems you’ll need to brace yourself for it in order to survive and keep your house moving.

    The house’s purification power (or ‘purrification’, according to our cat, Kuroru), won’t last forever; after a short amble to the designated spot, we’re invited to settle the house down and start crafting more purification crystals. This is the resource that allows you to keep purifying, and it can be made from a number of items scattered around the map – berries, apples, honey, and a few other special materials like luminite.

    Project Bloomwalker Screenshot

    This is where Kettlekid comes in, a creature I can only describe as the sentient, very hungry contents of a cauldron. Throwing your gathered resources into Kettlekid will create purification crystals, used to fill purification gauge so the house can keep on moving. These crystals are ferried over to your house by the absolute highlight of the demo – Oddlings. These tiny, squeaky balls of pure joy are here to help you, but they’ll need a bit of care to function effectively.

    Fortunately, you have a wooden crafting table (also equipped with legs, naturally) at your disposal, which allows you to craft little leafy beds and tents for your Oddlings to rest in. In a pinch, you can also approach Oddlings that are exhausted and give them a hug, which will not only restore 50% of their energy, but also cure a tiny part of your own soul, too. It’s truly adorable.

    Project Bloomwalker Screenshot

    Rogue Oddlings can also be found out in the wild, either stressing out in the open or concealed by a small puzzle. Once you found them, they can be adopted and recruited into your own Oddling army. While they’re a joy to have around anyway, building a larger group also expedites some automated crafting activities (like getting crystals from Kettlekid over to the house). There’s a hint of factory sim underneath all the loveliness.

    Your own ambling house is truly impressive; the quaint little cottage, while small on the outside, houses a pocket dimension of sorts – a whimsical, celestial-themed bedroom full of sparkling trinkets and cute decorations. It’s truly amazing the first time you realize that it’s bigger on the inside than the outside, with no loading screen or transition. The attention to design is really felt here – I spent a good few minutes peering into round terrariums and zooming into the walls to absorb every magical detail. It’s also where you’ll come to chat to Kuroru about what’s going on, orienting you on your next goal.

    Project Bloomwalker Screenshot

    Even with just a short time in Project Bloomwalker, I’m absolutely entranced by its whimsical landscape and characters, and its poignant premise.

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    Danielle Partis

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  • 5 Things You Might’ve Missed in the Wildekin Reveal Trailer – Xbox Wire

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    You’ve tumbled from the sky and crash-landed into Wildekin, an upcoming 3D pixel art adventure unveiled during a World Premiere in the Xbox @ gamescom 2025 broadcast today.

    Coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One the near future, our debut trailer is jam-packed with creative and chaotic co-op mayhem, here are five details you might have missed.

    1. Play as a Wildekin With the Character Creator

    Create your own weird little guy with Wildekin’s character creator. You can be a hefty rhinoceros, barreling into battle or a sturdy pink tortoise directing all the construction in town or why not become every Wildekin’s best friend as a cute pooch? Every player can fully customize their Wildekin with a variety of head, ear, tails and color combos to choose from. The only limitation is your own imagination when becoming one of the many unique Wildekin falling from the sky.

    1. Head Out to Sea on a Perilous Search For Others Like You

    There’s a big, bold world out there, brimming with adventures. Speak to Captain C.L., a weathered captain of the seas, and chart a course to new islands. Each island hosts dangerous enemies, hazardous puzzles, mighty bosses to defeat, and, of course, loot! Taking to the seas can be a perilous undertaking, and though your gear may be inadequate, arming yourself with a can-do attitude and total disregard for your own safety will (maybe). You’ll be rewarded with precious treasures, friendly Wildekin to take home and sea charts to progressively more dangerous shores.

    1. Build and Decorate A New Home For the Wildekin

    After all that adventuring, you’ll be ready to kick your hooves up and relax in your little corner of the world… once you’ve built a house… and crafted some furniture. Not only are you this town’s very own knight in wooden armor; you’re the town planner too! Construct, decorate and redecorate again. Plonk down your neighbor’s home. Don’t like where you’ve put it? Pick it up again and move it to the other side of town, hopefully they’re not inside! Wish someone else would pull their weight in this town? Assign resident Wildekin with jobs at the local shops (which you also built, by the way) and they’ll help you craft new furniture at the workshop, or new gizmos and gadgets to aid you on your adventures.

    1. Become Friends With Your Rescued Wildekin Neighbours

    This town might be full of weirdos, but they’re your weirdos! Befriend your neighbors by intruding on their morning stroll for some oversharing, or bribe your way into the locals’ hearts with gifts and loot. Hey, why not head over to their house, uninvited, and let yourself in to judge how they’ve decorated the place? Every Wildekin has their very own unique personality (some stranger than others) for you to discover and wonder why you ever let these little fluffballs into your town. The Wildekin in your town contribute, in their own way, to build a thriving community. They’ll organize seasonal festivals, friendly competitions and even gift you items to help you on your adventures… if you get to know them well enough.

    1. Build and Explore together With up to 4 Player Co-op Online Multiplayer

    But what’s all this fun and adventuring without your IRL friends? Gather three of your pals and go venture into the chaotic, perilous adventures of your dreams. Inhabit the same world, you can all share a home together, or fill up the town with your own houses and decorate with your own, obnoxious flair. Quest, world and crafting progress is shared. If one brave soul goes to face a mighty boss, your friends will be right behind you. If one of you unlocks a neat crafting recipe, your friends can use it too. Relationships with the residents of the town though? Those are personal.

    Wildekin will be arriving on Xbox consoles with a good mix of wholesome, creative and chaotic adventures to be had with your NPC neighbors, or bring some friends along for co-op town-building and island-hopping. Wish List today on the Microsoft Store for Xbox, and if you’d like to hear the latest news from the developers, you can join the Chucklefish official Discord to be a part of the conversation.


    Wildekin

    Wildekin

    Chucklefish


    ☆☆☆☆☆


    ★★★★★


    Wildekin is a 3D pixel-art adventure where up to 4 friends can build, explore, survive and thrive—or at least try to before some creature tries to turn you into a light snack!

    ⚔️ Explore Together – Up to 4 players can team up online to fight monsters, rescue lost Wildekin, and survive in the perilous Wilderness
    🏠 Build Your Town – Construct stores and homes, assign jobs, craft gear, and decorate your weird little corner of the world
    🐾 Live the Good Life – Celebrate seasonal festivals, take part in contests, fulfill requests, and befriend Wildekin each with oddly specific personalities and quirks

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    Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief

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  • There Are No Ghosts at the Grand Is Exactly as Unusual as You’d Hoped – Xbox Wire

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    The first-ever public demo of There Are No Ghosts at the Grand takes me just under half an hour to finish. And yet, in that short time, this game morphs from a comedy hotel renovation sim, into boat repair, then an interactive musical, then a small-scale survival game, then a narrative horror and, finally, (checks notes) a first-person shooter that involves firing furniture at haunted armchairs with spider legs.

    If you, like me, watched the Xbox Games Showcase reveal and wondered “can it possibly include this much stuff?”, I’m happy to tell you: a) Yes it can, and b) This is going to be a real treat.

    For such an unexpected execution, this game starts from a remarkably grounded place. You play Chris David, an American who inherits The Grand, a dilapidated seaside English hotel – and subsequently upsets the entire town by deciding to renovate it (and, hopefully, hunt down its spectral secrets along the way).

    Lest you think this a po-faced take on gentrification, however, just a few moments with the demo will show you quite how wild developer Friday Sundae are going to get with that basic idea. Your main interaction with the world comes through a set of sci-fi tinged power tools – a blaster for breaking down useless items, a vacuum to clear them up (and eject them when you have a new use for them), a furniture placer that can move or create household items, and a paint sprayer. Oh, and they’re equipped with an… overenthusiastic Scottish AI.

    There Are No Ghosts at the Grand Screenshot

    When the demo begins, they’re put to deeply satisfying use in the hotel – first, blast the paint off of the walls, repaint them in a colour of your choice, destroy broken furniture, adorn the room with new items, and vacuum up the debris, leaving a fresh new lounge behind you. It walks a line between letting you know exactly what you need to do, but with enough freedom to let you feel as though the decoration is your choice. Painting walls, for example isn’t a case of meticulously covering every surface – once you’ve filled enough space, it auto-completes the rest – but the paint you choose, and its accompanying vibe, is up to you.

    I genuinely could have spent my half-hour just doing this – but as soon as you get a handle on it, the demo switches gears. A less-than-friendly local, Maddie Green, shows up to introduce you to a wider mystery – unidentifiable slime has been washing up on the local beach, and she’s got a theory that it’s originating from a nearby island. Cue a (fully controllable) moped ride through the beautifully rendered town to the beach, a spot of boat maintenance (using the same tools to do so), a quick puzzle to enter the right coordinates to get to the island, and then a boat ride there.

    There Are No Ghosts at the Grand Screenshot

    It becomes very clear, very quickly that this is a much bigger game than it first appears. And that’s before Maddie starts articulating her feelings about David through song. Yes, this is also a musical – and a musical you can take part in. Halfway through the song, you’re given dialogue options, both of which cause David to sing a different verse of his own. It’s a joyous moment of surprise.

    After an unfortunate crash onto the island, you’re then asked to use your tools for another purpose – scouring the area for materials with which you can patch the boat back up… before Maddie “accidentally” floats away, abandoning you on the island for the night. Suddenly, you’re in a whole new, freely explorable space – you search the island for a way into its abandoned World War 2 bunker, and use your tools to renovate one of its rooms… before the noises start, and a whole other piece of this game reveals itself.

    There Are No Ghosts at the Grand Screenshot

    In the dead of night, you begin to find “memory bubbles” in the bunker – and puzzle sequences ask you to replace furniture that was part of these memories in order to learn more. At this point, you realize this is now a gentle horror game – with jump scares thrown in (not to mention that Bones, a cat that’s been accompanying you throughout, can talk, and is unaccountably Australian).

    After all of this, you emerge from a hidden passage back onto the beach – which is now covered in armchairs, a truly surreal moment that only gets odder once they sprout hideous legs and begin chasing you. Your power tools offer the option to “change mode” – and suddenly it’s a first-person shooter for a hot minute, as you fire vacuumed furniture at the monsters chasing you across the island.

    There Are No Ghosts at the Grand Screenshot

    If all of this sounds bizarre – well, it is. But the real achievement here is that it holds together – Friday Sundae has managed to use the same set of tools to pull together all these disparate ideas, and built a game that feels cohesive, not scattered. It begs a happy question – if all of this is in a single demo, how much farther will the full game go?

    There Are No Ghosts at the Grand arrives in 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC. It will be available day one with Game Pass, and is an Xbox Play Anywhere title.


    There Are No Ghosts at the Grand
    Xbox Play Anywhere

    There Are No Ghosts at the Grand

    Friday Sundae Studio Ltd


    ☆☆☆☆☆


    ★★★★★


    When Chris David unexpectedly inherits a dilapidated English hotel, he has exactly 30 days and 30 nights to restore the crumbling edifice before it…or something else…claims him.

    Nothing is as it seems in the hotel – lurking beneath the veneer of paper and paint he applies by day, something horrible shivers and slithers in the night. Don’t believe them when they tell you that there are no ghosts at the Grand.

    Decorator by Day, Ghost Hunter by Night
    While the daylight lasts, restore the hotel’s faded grandeur by wielding friendly, talking power tools – a sand blaster, paint sprayer, furniture cannon, and daisy-chain gun. When night falls, those same tools transform into weapons against the supernatural. Unleash the vacuum on vengeful spirits, expose invisible assailants with the paint sprayer, or subdue slithering spooks with a well-aimed bookcase to the face using the furniture cannon.

    Restore the Hotel and the Surrounding Village
    Restoring the hotel by day demands sharp aim and some occasional lateral thinking. You’ll shoot paint and paper on the walls, blow out broken windows, and smash old furniture. At other times, you’ll need to slow down to consider light environmental puzzles, using the hotel’s dark past to unravel cryptic clues.

    An Eerie, Intriguing, Supernatural Mystery
    At the heart of the game lies a rich, supernatural mystery – one that winds through the Grand Hotel’s storied history, its former owners, and the player’s own buried past. The hotel and its surrounding village hold more than meets the eye, with every townsfolk guarding secrets of their own. Yet beneath the surface, even Chris harbors truths yet to be revealed…even to himself.

    A Ghost Story in Song
    There are No Ghosts at the Grand is many things, including a musical. Each mysterious character you meet or choose to help has their own story and song waiting to be uncovered. From spooky ska to wartime jazz to skater punk, each song is uniquely theirs and sometimes surprisingly so. Duet with them to reveal their deeper truths.

    A Village Worth Exploring
    The faded English seaside village is full of activities. Explore the streets on your scooter, play mini-golf, comb the beach with a metal detector, or snap photos on the old pier. Take the fishing boat out to explore hidden coves and dredge up sunken treasures. Just be sure to be home by nightfall, because around here, things change when the sun goes down.

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    Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief

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  • Xbox unveils its Handheld Compatibility Program

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    Microsoft announced Wednesday during Gamescom 2025 that not only will its Xbox Ally handhelds be released on October 16, but the company is spinning up a new initiative to support optimized gaming on these devices called the Handheld Compatibility Program.

    The initiative seems to be similar to Valve’s Steam Deck Verified, where Xbox will test games to ensure their compatibility with the new Xbox Ally handhelds. “We have worked with game studios to test, optimize, and verify thousands of games for handheld compatibility, allowing you to jump into the game without having to tweak settings, or requiring only minor adjustments,” said Roanne Sones, CVP of Gaming Devices and Ecosystem at Xbox.

    The program will be available on release day and users will be able to see handheld compatibility directly in their game libraries. Games will be badged as “Handheld Optimized,” indicating games with default controller inputs, appropriate resolution for full-screen play and more. Games badged as “Mostly Compatible” may require minor in-game setting adjustments for an optimal experience on the Xbox Ally handheld.

    Microsoft says it will continue to partner with developers to submit their titles for handheld compatibility testing.

    In addition to the “Handheld Optimized” badge, games will also be given a Windows Performance Fit indicator of either “Should play great” or “Should play well.” In a statement to Engadget, a Microsoft spokesperson said “Windows Performance Fit predicts how well a game will run on a specific device using telemetry-based performance data, such as expected frame rates. For example, games that carry the ‘Should play great’ designation should average 60FPS or better on this device, while games that carry ‘Should play well’ label should average 30FPS or better on this device.”

    Update, August 20, 6:20 PM ET: This story has been updated after publish with further explanation from Microsoft about Performance Fit.

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    Andre Revilla

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  • Sony’s PlayStation 5 Gets a Big Price Hike

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    After Xbox and Nintendo both made their consoles and peripherals more expensive, it was inevitable that Sony would make the same move. Now every version of the PlayStation 5 costs $50 more, no matter if you decide to opt for the all-digital version or the PlayStation 5 Pro. No matter whether you’re an Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo diehard, all your consoles will cost you way more, all down to the economic shitstorm caused by Trump tariffs.

    In a blog post, Sony said it was navigating “a challenging economic environment,” which is common code for steering the ship around supply chain and manufacturing issues caused by Trump’s obsession with import taxes. Starting Thursday, Aug. 21, the PlayStation 5 with disc drive will cost $550. Sony hiked the PlayStation 5 digital edition to $500, the same price as the version that could play physical media. Finally, the most expensive console, the PS5 Pro, will demand a whopping $750 from your wallet. All the PS5 accessories are keeping their current prices, but that means if you want a PS5 Pro with a separate $80 disc drive, you’ll end up spending $830 just to play all your PS4 and PS5 game discs with better graphics and performance options.

    Before the hike gets into gear, you still have the option to grab a cheaper version. Deals hunter Wario 64 pointed out that the PS5 Slim model Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 bundle still costs $400. Along with the $80 optical drive, it could be the cheapest way to get the stock standard PS5 before tomorrow’s price hikes.

    Microsoft hiked its digital Xbox Series X console prices up to $550 back in May in response to ongoing Trump tariffs. The Series S went up to $380 from $300. If you want a Series X with the optical drive, you need to pull out $600 from your wallet. Microsoft similarly made its controllers and official headset more expensive as well. While Nintendo kept its Switch 2 price steady at $450, earlier this month, the Mario maker increased prices for its original $300 Switch consoles by $40. The Switch Lite is now priced at $230, but the major blow was news that the Switch OLED now demands $400, just $50 less than the Switch 2. Nintendo also hiked prices of its Switch 2 controllers and other accessories by around $5 after already boosting costs back in April.

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    Kyle Barr

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  • Keeper’s First Extended Gameplay Shows Us an Ever-Changing Adventure – Xbox Wire

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    There’s a primal human pleasure in simply finding out what something does. It’s the reason you’d still want to push a button that says “do not touch”, or wonder what’s behind a locked door. Keeper thrives on that idea, building out a game of discoveries and experiments around it.

    Seeing extended gameplay for the first time at gamescom, Keeper’s key trick – of telling its story in a never-before-seen world, all without words – means that almost everything you do is less about completing an objective you’re told to follow, and more about finding out what the objective is.

    Shine Your Light

    First revealed at Xbox Games Showcase earlier this year, Keeper is a dreamy, otherworldly adventure that puts you in the misshapen body of a suddenly sentient walking lighthouse – but there’s no narrator, nor talking sidekick to explain where you are, what’s going on, and what you should be doing. Working these things out is the game.

    “A key tenet of this game is the unexpected,” Creative Director Lee Petty tells me. “We wanted players to be able to relax a bit, chill out a bit, and embrace the unexpected. So to that end, there’s some experimentation, but there’s nothing the player can do to die in this game. They can’t mess up the experience. We sort of get the player on board early so that, when something unexpected is thrown at them, it’s not a moment of panic that they don’t know how to get through.”

    In three portions taken from early sections, I see how Keeper slowly introduces new ideas in subtle ways. With only the ability to walk, shine a beacon, and the help of a bird companion called Twig, the player needs to work out what they should be doing through context clues.

    Keeper Screenshot

    “The lighthouse beam has two main modes,” explains Petty. “It has an unfocused and a focused mode. The unfocused mode is for exploring – as you shine it around, you might see little subtle shimmers or reactions in the world. Bigger transformations occur when the player focuses that bigger, brighter beam on things, and that’s often used to solve puzzles as well.

    “Twig rides along on the lighthouse and can do things that the lighthouse can’t. The lighthouse doesn’t have arms, only legs. Twig however, can directly manipulate things in the world. So what the player can do, for example, to solve a puzzle is use a combination of that light ability and Twig’s ability to pick up and collect things.”

    I see this early on, as the lighthouse comes across a lumpen… thing blocking its path. Under the unfocused beam, the creature bristles slightly, enough to show you that it’s reacting – and, focusing the beam, it puts a claw in front of its eyes. This produces a shimmer, which attracts Twig, who flies to grab the claw, and an option to “tug” appears on the screen. Twig pulls at the creature, who flops to one side, revealing a seed that Twig stows away for a future puzzle.

    Keeper Screenshot

    It’s a sequence of purely organic discovery – the game doesn’t tell you what you need to be doing, and the weirdness of it all means you don’t come in with a preconceived idea of what you should be doing, other than trying things out. And this is repeated throughout. I see the lighthouse effectively organising a dance of creatures attracted to its light to smash through a sheet of ice, a gorgeous discovery that touching a certain spore-like plant will allow the lighthouse to subvert gravity itself, and even a wild sequence in which it becomes apparent that the beam can control the flow of time on objects it touches in a certain area.

    The real ace in the hole here is that Keeper’s world is unlike any other – its bucolic landscapes inhabited by scuttling, alien-like creatures, trees with faces, and flora with unusual effects. It means that, even once you do work out where to go, or what to look at, the effects of your interaction remain a surprise. Crucially, Double Fine never want that feeling to go away:

    “We wanted the entire game to have this sort of organic, almost handmade, bespoke feel,” Petty adds. “It’s not a game of repeating actions as much as a game of wandering among unique areas and set pieces that change.”

    Keeper Screenshot

    In just 15 minutes of gameplay, I see – by my count – 11 different puzzles (not to mention smaller interactions as you prod and poke at the world around you). It’s clear that the aim here is to keep surprising the player with what they realize they’re being asked to do. Not all of this is ‘mission-critical’, either – the more you explore, the more you’ll find:

    “There’s a lot of stuff for the player to discover along the experience,” adds Petty. “Some of those come in the form of environmental storytelling, some of those things are in the form of hidden interactions with the various creatures, and a lot of it is also just about the players’ interpretation of the games events, and finding meaning in the experience.”

    Crucially, though, this is all done with the same small pool of button presses. It might have been complex for the developers to find so many ways to play with these toys, but they didn’t want the player to be bogged down by an unwieldy control scheme:

    “We wanted Keeper to be an experience that wasn’t especially difficult to play,” says Petty. “It’s not a game about control, mastery or incredibly hard challenges, because we wanted this sort of unique, weird-but-chill experience for players to go on. We don’t have a need for all those buttons on the controller.

    Keeper Screenshot

    “And we also just have a really big set of accessibility features where people can map the controls to what they want. If they prefer to play with keyboard and mouse, or they play on a controller, we support both of them.”

    For a game this overtly strange, it’s a way of easing you in – in all ways, Keeper has been designed as a welcoming experience, not an alienating one. You’re discovering this world, not being repelled by it – and it seems there’s a great deal to discover. What I’ve seen is from its earliest stages, and a literal cliffhanger at the end of the demo – in which the lighthouse tumbles into an abyss caused by a bridge, well, ceasing to exist under its feet – promises that there are far more surprises to come.

    Keeper arrives for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, and Steam on October 17, priced at $29.99 USD. It will be an Xbox Play Anywhere title, and available day one with Game Pass.


    Keeper
    Xbox Play Anywhere

    Keeper

    Xbox Game Studios


    ☆☆☆☆☆


    ★★★★★


    From Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Keeper is a beautiful and surreal otherworldly adventure, and a story told without words.

    On an island in a long-lost sea, a forgotten lighthouse stands dormant in the shadow of a distant mountain peak. As withering tendrils spread and coalesce, it awakens. Taken with a mysterious sense of purpose and joined by a spirited seabird, it embarks upon a heartening tale of unlikely companionship, an odyssey of mystifying metamorphosis, and an unexpected journey towards the center of the island, into realms beyond understanding.

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    Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief

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  • How to watch Gamescom 2025 and what to expect

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    It feels like Summer Game Fest is only just in our rear view mirror and yet there’s another video game extravaganza on the horizon. Gamescom is the planet’s largest gaming event and we’re sure to find out about a bunch of interesting new games at the Opening Night Live showcase. Xbox is broadcasting from the show floor across two days, and there will be other presentations that are worth keeping an eye on, including a “special announcement” for Hollow Knight: Silksong.

    Gamescom is taking place between August 20 and 24 this year, and we’re learning bits and pieces about what to expect from the various showcases. The affair will kick off with Opening Night Live, a showcase hosted by Geoff Keighley that bridges the gap between his two other major events, Summer Game Fest Live and The Game Awards. That will be followed by two days of Xbox broadcasts, the latest edition of the Future Games Show and three days of Bethesda streams.

    There will also be news from Ubisoft on what’s next for The Division 2. The company will host two panels related to the franchise during Gamescom. One will include more info about The Division Resurgence (a delayed mobile game), as well details about a “big Division 2 project.”

    We’ll update this preview with more Gamescom details as we get them, and embed video versions of each stream as they become available too. Here’s our breakdown of how to watch Gamescom 2025 and what to expect from the event.

    Gamescom schedule

    • Opening Night Live — August 19, 1:30PM ET (pre-show), 2PM (main show)

    • Xbox @ gamescom 2025 Broadcast — August 20, 9AM ET

    • Future Games Show — August 20, 2PM ET

    • Xbox @ gamescom 2025 Broadcast — August 21, 9AM ET

    • Hollow Knight: Silksong – Special Announcement — August 21, 10:30AM ET

    • Awesome Indies — August 21, 12PM ET

    • Bethesda — August 22-25

    How to watch Gamescom Opening Night Live – August 19, 2PM ET

    Watch on YouTube

    Opening Night Live perhaps won’t feature as many heavy hitters as Summer Game Fest Live or The Game Awards typically have, but one thing’s for certain: Call of Duty fans will definitely want to tune in. The two-hour showcase will feature the “worldwide reveal” of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. We’ll almost certainly get a release date here too. Reports suggest we won’t get a release date for Hollow Knight: Silksong at ONL, but we may not have to wait much longer… (more on that in a bit).

    You can also expect a trailer for multiplayer RPG Honor of Kings: World, along with new looks at Ghost of Yotei, The Outer Worlds 2, Resident Evil Requiem, Silent Hill f, Ninja Gaiden 4, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion and The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin. You’ll get to see the opening cinematic for the World of Warcraft: Midnight expansion as well.

    It won’t all be game reveals and announcements, though — there’ll be a performance of music from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 featuring composer Lorien Testard and vocalist Alice Duport-Percier. Additionally, you’ll get a peek at season two of Prime Video’s Fallout series, which will arrive in December.

    We’ll be keeping tabs on all the news from Opening Night Live right here on Engadget. Myself, senior editor Jess Conditt and editor-in-chief Aaron Souppouris will be live-blogging our way through ONL. Join us! It should be fun.

    How to watch Xbox @ gamescom 2025 Day 1 Broadcast — August 20, 9AM ET

    Watch on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok or Facebook

    One major piece of news we’re likely to get from Xbox during one of its streams (if it isn’t revealed at ONL beforehand) is the release date and pricing for the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X handheld systems. Leaker billbil-kun has reported the devices will arrive on October 16, at least in Europe, costing €599 for the Xbox Ally and €899 for the higher-end Xbox Ally X.

    Microsoft had already confirmed these handhelds would be available in time for the holiday season, so that rumored release date makes sense. Either way, we should get confirmation during Gamescom of when to expect these devices, especially since the company says it will discuss the handhelds during its August 20 stream.

    This particular event will feature the likes of Grounded 2, Keeper and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The Order of Giants, an expansion for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, will be showcased alongside Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Dying Light: The Beast, World of Warcraft: Midnight, Hotel Barcelona, Invincible Vs., Cronos: The New Dawn, Outbound, Powerwash Simulator 2 and Starsand Island.

    Along with the English-language broadcast, Xbox’s streams will be available in other languages on regional Xbox channels on the likes of YouTube, Twitch, TikTok and Facebook. The streams will be available in Traditional Chinese, German, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese and Mexican Spanish, as well as with ASL and English audio descriptions.

    How to watch Future Games Show — August 20, 2PM ET

    Watch on Twitch or YouTube

    Actors David Hayter (Snake in the Metal Gear series) and Maggie Robertson (Lady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village) will be hosting this edition of the Future Games Show. This installment will feature more than 50 games across world premieres, new trailers and sudden demo releases.

    Capcom, Bandai Namco Entertainment, EA and NACON are among those who’ll be represented in this one, which will feature projects from AAA and indie publishers and studios. Several games have been confirmed to make an appearance here, including Skate (which is slated to hit early access this year), Resident Evil Requiem, Cronos: The New Dawn, Hotel Barcelona, Deer & Boy, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin and Katanaut. Not only that, there will be a post-show that will run for 40 minutes and feature more trailers, world premieres and demo announcements.

    How to watch Xbox @ gamescom 2025 Day 2 Broadcast — August 21, 9AM ET

    Watch on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok or Facebook

    Xbox will be broadcasting live from the Gamescom show floor for a second straight day. This particular stream will include details on Ninja Gaiden 4, The Outer Worlds 2 and Overwatch 2 (perhaps with more info about Season 18, which is set to start on August 26).

    You can also expect looks at Onimusha: Way of the Sword, At Fate’s End, Age of Empires IV, High on Life 2, Jurassic World Evolution 3 and Fragpunk. In addition, the lineup for this stream includes Silent Hill f, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Lego Voyagers, Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection, Mistfall Hunter and My Hero Academia: All’s Justice.

    How to watch Hollow Knight: Silksong – Special Announcement — August 21, 10:30AM ET

    Watch on YouTube

    This is not a drill. Team Cherry has scheduled a “special announcement” for maybe the most anticipated and hyped-up game this side of Grand Theft Auto VI. The developer and publisher hasn’t revealed exactly what it plans to announce regarding Hollow Knight: Silksong, but it’s gotta be a release date, right? A deeper dive into the game would be most welcome too.

    It’s been six long years since we had some hands-on time with Hollow Knight: Silksong. However, Gamescom attendees will be able to try it out at the Microsoft and Nintendo booths on the show floor. I hope the two companies have lots of space to accommodate what are sure to be long lines.

    How to watch Awesome Indies — August 21, 12PM ET

    Watch on YouTube and Twitch

    The Indie Arena Booth will host more than 200 games for Gamescom attendees to check out, but you won’t necessarily need to be there in person to see them. Many will be featured in an hour-long showcase called Awesome Indies. Here, we’ll see “exclusive trailers, first peeks at never-before-seen gameplay, amazing premieres and exciting newcomers,” according to Gamescom.

    There are a lot of interesting games being featured at the booth, including Cairn and Strange Antiquities. I’m particularly hoping the showcase will include some more details about Ball x Pit, which is one of my most anticipated games right now, Militsioner and the creepy-looking Fractured Blooms.

    How to watch Bethesda broadcasts – August 22

    Watch on Twitch

    There will be plenty from the Bethesda side of the Xbox division as well. The publisher will be broadcasting from the Xbox show floor at Gamescom for three days, starting on August 22. According to Microsoft, these streams will include “developer interviews, game showcases, community segments, crafting highlights and live IRL tours.”

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    Kris Holt

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  • Helldivers 2 x Halo: ODST – The Crossover You’ve Been Waiting for Arrives August 26 – Xbox Wire

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    Helldivers 2 arrives on Xbox Series X|S next week, August 26 – and it’s dropping in with a magnificently Xbox-themed surprise. Introducing the Helldivers 2 x Halo: ODST Legendary Warbond, a collection of equipment you might just recognize.

    In the world of Helldivers, ODST stands for “Obedient Democracy Support Troopers.” As every good soldier knows, nothing is more important than complete and total obedience in support of Democracy. This set of gear is inspired by storied heroes, and will allow you to join the ranks of the best-of-the-best. Of the best.

    Comprising four weapons, two armor sets, and more, this Warbond will let you outfit yourself like those heroes. Let’s dive into what’s included:

    Helldivers 2 x Halo: ODST Weapons

    • MA5C Assault Rifle – An iconic rifle; the definition of reliable and having taken down countless aliens bent on wiping out humanity, it is time to turn its sights on enemies of Managed Democracy. It comes equipped with the convenient ammo counter and a built-in compass – let it guide you to victory.
    • M7S SMG – Silent and deadly, with caseless ammo and a non-removable suppressor; this weapon is ready to spread Freedom to every corner of the galaxy.
    • M90A Shotgun – This powerful shotgun carries a kick and has a handy flashlight mounted on it so you can see the fear in your enemies’ eyes before you teach them a valuable lesson about Liberty.
    • M6C/SOCOM Pistol – They say keep your friends close and your sidearm closer. Well, we say that. The standard-issue ODST sidearm is your silent ally in the field – equipped with a built-in laser sight, flashlight, and, for the first time in Helldivers 2, a suppressor to support stealth gameplay. Because sometimes the best way to enforce Peace is quietly…

    Helldivers 2 x Halo: ODST Armor

    • A-9 Helljumper – Debuted during the New Mombasa Armor Show, this sleek ensemble is sure to turn heads and blow minds.
    • A-35 Recon – Made famous by the Ministry of Intelligence’s hide-and-seek-and-destroy champion of ’52, this armor has been improved by removing excess shoulder protection.
    • Feet First Armor Passive – Applied to both the above armor sets, this passive allows your Helldiver Helljumper to make less noise when moving, become immune to leg injuries, and increases the range of discovering points of interest by 30%.

    Helldivers 2 x Halo: ODST Capes and More

    • Honored Heirloom Cape – Should the wearer of this cape perish at the hands of Freedom’s enemies, it is customary to pass the cape on to their bravest child during the funeral, inspiring the next generation to take up arms.
    • Eye of the Clandestine Cape  – Those who serve Liberty from the shadows often elect to stay anonymous, moving like traceless spectres through the night. May they watch over us always.
    • More! – The Warbond will also include ODST-themed player cards, a new player title, “Rookie”, and new vehicle pattern in a very familiar color known as Mean Green.

    Legendary Warbonds

    For those who haven’t played Helldivers 2 before, Warbonds are optional collections of rewards that can be purchased through the in-game Acquisitions Center. The content inside is unlocked gradually by playing, but you never need to worry about missing your chance – Warbonds don’t expire, meaning you can take as long as you need to get all the goodies inside.

    Legendary Warbonds are a brand new tier for the game. The Helldivers 2 x Halo: ODST Legendary Warbond can be unlocked for 1,500 Super Credits (which can be found in-game, or purchased separately). Be aware, Legendary Warbonds can’t be unlocked with the new Premium Warbond Tokens, also launching on August 26.

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    Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief

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  • Microsoft Envisions Every Screen as an Xbox. How’s That Going So Far?

    Microsoft Envisions Every Screen as an Xbox. How’s That Going So Far?

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    The problem isn’t bandwidth though, it’s latency. Video games are built on instant feedback. Some games can fudge the definition of “instant” a bit, but anything more than half a second of delay between input and action would be unplayable for even the most forgiving games.

    This is the problem I faced when trying out Xbox Cloud Gaming on an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max. On paper, this is one of the most accessible ways to get into Xbox gaming. With this $60 streaming stick and a Bluetooth Xbox controller, you can stream games from the cloud to any device that has an HDMI input.

    In practice, the input lag was problematic. I tried playing Starfield on the Fire TV, and I was able to role-play just fine, but as soon as combat began, I felt like I was learning how to control a marionette in real time. Under gunfire. I’d briefly flick my control stick in a direction for a moment, let go, and watch the stick snap back to its default position, and then my character would move. That’s not a good way to dodge bullets. It worked a bit better for more casual games like Donut County, but even then it felt a bit like dictating an email to someone who’s a slow typer.

    Bluetooth is fine for basic things like streaming music, but when you need to sync visuals and inputs to audio, the cracks start showing. Add that to the natural latency that comes from pinging a remote server somewhere in the world, and it can feel pretty bad. Even when playing locally, console manufacturers either use proprietary wireless protocols or add custom enhancements on top of Bluetooth to deal with the latency problem.

    One fix is to use a controller that skips Bluetooth and connects directly to Wi-Fi. This is something Google’s ill-fated Stadia tried—and Microsoft may also be working on—which takes out one link in the chain. Currently, my Xbox controller connects via Bluetooth to my Fire TV Stick, which then passes that signal onto my Wi-Fi router, each step adding precious milliseconds.

    A Wi-Fi controller could help cut that down. But until Wi-Fi—or some version of low-latency—controllers are common, cloud streaming is always going to struggle. It might still struggle even with such a device, as long as internet speeds vary so widely by region. This means there will probably still be a need for a console to play games locally. But does it have to be an Xbox?

    The Windows Factor

    Microsoft may own Windows, but Valve has dominated the PC gaming space for more than a decade. Valve operates the Steam gaming storefront, and while its dominance is slowly (very slowly) eroding, it’s almost a guarantee that you have a Steam library with hundreds of games if you play on a desktop or laptop.

    There’s little reason for PC players to buy games via the Xbox Store instead of Steam (or Epic or GOG), but Xbox Game Pass changes that equation. For $10 to $20 a month, players can get access to a generous library of games. It’s a compelling deal that’s brought in over 34 million subscribers, which may even be more than the total number of Xbox Series X/S units sold.

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    Eric Ravenscraft

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  • How to solve the piano puzzle in Black Ops 6

    How to solve the piano puzzle in Black Ops 6

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    The piano puzzle is one of the earlier mysteries you’ll come across in the Black Ops 6 campaign.

    Found on the way to the training area on the safehouse’s ground floor, you’ll have to find a hidden code to play the piano, which, in turn, will lead to more secrets to solve.

    This Black Ops 6 guide offers an explainer on how to figure out the piano puzzle, as well as an explicit piano puzzle solution.

    How to solve the piano puzzle in Black Ops 6

    The first piece of the puzzle for solving the piano puzzle is picking up the blacklight torch. This is located on the nearby table in the same room, and can be toggled to read hidden messages.

    Image: Treyarch / Activision

    With the blacklight turned on, use the piano. You’ll see characters appear above the keys, which is a vital part of solving the puzzle. But what do these characters relate to, exactly?

    Solving the piano puzzle in Black Ops 6

    Image: Treyarch / Activision

    If you haven’t already, turn the blacklight on while exploring the mansion, which is how you’ll find the code. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it yourself, know that everything you need is closer than you think.

    If you want to know what to do next, we’ll start explaining where to look after the below image.

    Solving the piano puzzle in Black Ops 6

    This is the sort of clue you’re looking for to solve the piano puzzle.
    Image: Treyarch / Activision

    To find the piano puzzle clues, use the blacklight in the room you found it in. Specifically, look directly above the piano, where you’ll find the first note you need to play.

    It also has an arrow pointing right. Follow this direction, and you’ll come across a second note. Repeat this until you work your way around the room, until you have five notes.

    1/5Image: Treyarch / Activision

    Black Ops 6 piano puzzle solution

    With all notes in hand, we can now play the piano. Make sure the blacklight is turned on, and play the keys directly below each note you found in the room in the order you found them in.

    The piano puzzle solution is:

    Solving the piano puzzle in Black Ops 6

    For example, play this key for ‘Pe’, as shown in the text above.
    Image: Treyarch / Activision

    If you are successful, a hidden door to the right will open up — leading to a secret basement area, where more safehouse puzzles await.

    Solving the piano puzzle in Black Ops 6

    Image: Treyarch / Activision

    If the code above doesn’t work for you, it’s possible the solution is random for each player. If that’s the case, follow the above steps, writing down or taking pictures of each note as you go, and enter those into the piano. Good luck!

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    Matthew Reynolds

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  • Microsoft’s New Xbox Series X and S Are on Sale Now, but Should You Buy?

    Microsoft’s New Xbox Series X and S Are on Sale Now, but Should You Buy?

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    It’s been a few years since the Xbox Series X and Series S launch, and while the console hasn’t broken sales records, there’s a respectable number in the wild. It’s about time for a refresh, and Microsoft is delivering new all-digital versions of its consoles (say goodbye to the optical drive). You can order them right now.

    Whether you should is another question entirely. Microsoft has been pretty open about the fact that the company envisions a future where “every screen is an Xbox.” PC gaming on Windows—whether on gaming laptops or handhelds—is just as important to the company as the living room console. You can even stream Xbox games through a Fire TV stick now. Still, there are plenty of reasons to buy an Xbox Series X/S. It’s the most convenient way to set up a Microsoft-centric gaming system to play from your couch. So, if you’re interested, here’s how to buy one.

    Updated October 2024: We’ve updated the language for the official launch day of the Xbox consoles.

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that’s too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.

    What’s Different About the New Xbox Consoles?

    Similar to the recent PS5 Slim, there’s not much of a difference in this mid-cycle refresh of the Xbox. The Series X and Series S have more or less the same hardware under the hood. But there are a couple of small changes.

    The Xbox Series X loses the disc drive and gets a white coat of paint. As an unapologetic Xbox Series S-owner, I like the white look more, so it’s nice to see it available on the more powerful hardware. This “all-digital” Xbox Series X starts at $450, about $50 less than its predecessor, a decent trade-off if you never bought physical copies of Xbox games.

    The smaller Xbox Series S never had a disc drive, so there’s no drive to eliminate. Instead, for this refresh, Microsoft doubled the storage from 512 GB to 1 TB. The price has also gone up by $50 to $350. Given how huge AAA games can get, this seems like a no-brainer, though it’s worth noting that you can easily increase the storage of the current Xbox Series X or Series S with an expansion card.

    Finally, Microsoft is releasing a special, limited-edition version of the original Xbox Series X (which has a disc drive) with a unique “Galaxy Black” paint job. This one has a space-like pattern of white and green dots with a generous 2 TB of storage. This model costs $600 and ships when the other upgraded consoles drop in mid-October.

    Microsoft also recently replaced the Xbox Game Pass for Console tier of its subscription service with a new offering called Xbox Game Pass Standard. This includes the same library of console games as well as online console multiplayer service. The catch is you won’t get access to day-one releases. You’ll have to wait for some time to play certain games after release. Microsoft’s FAQ says this could be “up to 12 months or more,” which technically includes all possible lengths of time, but it seems the average delay for new releases is likely around a year. This new tier costs $15 per month, while Game Pass Ultimate—which previously cost $17 a month—has been bumped to $20 monthly.

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    Eric Ravenscraft

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  • Xbox Cloud Gaming may finally let you stream your non-Game Pass purchases soon

    Xbox Cloud Gaming may finally let you stream your non-Game Pass purchases soon

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    Microsoft is expanding Xbox Cloud Gaming’s streaming capabilities to support titles that aren’t on Xbox Game Pass, reports. The company has stated its plans to let users stream games from their own libraries numerous times over the last few years, going back to the announcement of , but the feature hasn’t yet materialized. Now, Microsoft is ready to start testing it among Xbox Insiders in November, with plans to ultimately support thousands of games, according to The Verge, which cites sources “familiar with Microsoft’s plans.”

    Xbox players have long been asking for the option to stream games that they’ve purchased, rather than only those that are available on Xbox Game Pass. If the testing period goes as planned, more players could soon see the ability to do this. The report comes on the heels of Xbox president Sarah Bond’s announcement on Friday that Android users will be able to starting next month.

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    Cheyenne MacDonald

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  • How to Choose the Best Game Subscription Service

    How to Choose the Best Game Subscription Service

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    Note: Xbox Cloud Gaming is not to be confused with Xbox Remote Play, which is free and lets you stream Xbox games you own from a console to your phone, PC, or another Xbox over your home network.

    This service was only available in Colombia and Ireland, and it enabled up to five friends and family members to share Game Pass Ultimate benefits. It cost €22 per month in Ireland. Unfortunately, this service is no longer available, though this statement from Microsoft gives us some hope that it might launch globally one day:

    “On August 15, 2023, the Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family preview program will end as we review what we’ve learned over the past several months and investigate how to build an offer which we can launch worldwide.”

    Nintendo Subscriptions

    Nintendo Switch Online vs. Expansion Pack

    Your options with Nintendo are straightforward. Nintendo is the only console manufacturer that currently offers a family gaming plan.

    Switch Online.

    Photograph: Walmart

    Nintendo’s online multiplayer service costs $4 per month ($8 quarterly or $20 per year) for an individual membership or $35 per year for a family membership. You can play games online with friends, save games in the cloud, use voice chat in supported games, and gain access to a library of more than 100 classic NES and SNES titles. You can also use the Nintendo smartphone app to receive occasional special offers. A family membership covers up to eight separate accounts in your family group and enables you all to play and enjoy membership benefits on multiple Switch consoles simultaneously (an option that is sadly lacking on PlayStation and Xbox).

    Vintage Nintendo game box art underneath Nintendo 64 logo and controller on red backdrop.

    Courtesy of Nintendo

    This newer offering costs $50 per year for an individual membership or $80 per year for a family membership. It gives you everything listed above but adds a library of Nintendo 64 games, Sega Genesis games, and the Happy Home Paradise downloadable content (DLC) for Animal Crossing: New Horizons (you don’t need to subscribe to access the Animal Crossing DLC).

    Mobile Subscription Services

    Apple Arcade, Google Play Pass, and Netflix Games

    Mobile games get a bad rap, but the quality of these titles has slowly begun to change for the better. The services below also strip out ads and in-app payments.

    Apple devices showing Apple Arcade game featuring skateboarder

    Apple Arcade.

    Photograph: Apple

    Looking for a library of games for your iPhone or iPad? Step into the Apple Arcade. Boasting more than 200 premium games with no ads or in-app purchases, Apple’s mobile gaming subscription is easy to recommend. The subscription service costs $5 per month or $50 per year, and you can use family sharing to give up to five family members access. Better yet, you can get three months of Apple Arcade for free if you buy a new iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV, or Mac. There are some compelling, exclusive games in Apple Arcade, alongside some premium titles that are available in the App Store. Apple adds a few new titles each month, but sometimes removes games, too. Apple Arcade is also included as part of any Apple One subscription.

    Got an Android phone or tablet? Consider Google Play Pass. The service includes close to 1,000 games and apps. It costs $5 per month or $30 per year and can be shared with up to five family members. Just like Apple Arcade, Google’s service is free of ads and in-app purchases, but there are no exclusives here. It simply offers access to some popular games you usually have to pay individually for.

    You may be surprised to learn that Netflix includes mobile games as part of any Netflix membership. Don’t get too excited—there are more than 80 titles to choose from, some are exclusives and some of them are pretty fun. Learn how to play Netflix games to find out for yourself.

    Game Streaming Services

    GeForce Now vs. Amazon Luna

    Microsoft and Sony have ways to stream games from the internet to your PC, console, tablet, phone, or laptop, but there are a few dedicated services that focus entirely on this game-streaming business model.

    Nvidia’s game streaming service is slightly different. It requires a strong internet connection (at least 50 Mbps for the highest quality) and you have to bring your own games. It can plug into your Steam or Epic library, but not every game is supported. This is one of the easiest ways to play the latest games with the best graphics possible if you don’t have a kitted-out PC (graphics cards are still hard to find). There’s a limited free tier that lets you play on a basic rig for up to an hour, but you can pay $10 per month ($50 per year) for Priority service for a decent setup offering 1080p at 60 frames per second for up to six hours, or $20 per month ($100 for six months) for access to an RTX 4080 graphics card for 4K gaming at 120 fps for up to eight hours.

    Luna controller

    Luna controller.

    Photograph: Amazon

    Amazon has a game streaming service much like Google’s ill-fated Stadia. Luna is segmented by channels: The Luna+ channel is $10 per month and includes a wide variety of games in different genres, but the Ubisoft+ Channel is $18 per month for access to dozens of Ubisoft games, like Assassins’ Creed. There’s a party game channel called Jackbox for $5 per month, and if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can play a rotating selection of games for free. It works on Windows PC, Mac, Fire TV, Fire tablets, iPad, Chromebooks, and phones. You can use Luna’s controller to play, an Xbox One or PS4 controller, or a keyboard and mouse.

    This is Amazon’s fledgling service, and it’s a bit weird. There certainly isn’t enough here to justify an Amazon Prime subscription ($15 per month or $139 per year), but if you already have one, then it’s worth a look. You can get in-game loot in some popular games, free game downloads, free DLC, and a free Twitch subscription (subscriptions to specific Twitch streamers).

    Sadly, Google’s Stadia has shut down. The service ceased operating completely on January 18, 2023.

    The Rest

    Humble Choice, EA Play, and Ubisoft Plus

    We have an alternative type of membership from Humble, and some game publishers have decided that their catalogs are big enough to be offered up as subscription services (though many of their titles are also available through services we already covered).

    Humble Bundle advertisement featuring game art.

    Courtesy of Humble Bundle

    Unlike the other game subscription services on our list, a Humble Choice membership at $12 per month gives you access to a fresh mix of mainstream and indie PC games every month that are yours to keep forever. You also gain access to the Humble Games Collection (a curated library of interesting indies) and special discounts. And 5 percent of every Humble Choice membership is donated to Humble’s featured charity of the month.

    Pay $6 per month or $40 per year and you get access to EA titles like FIFA 23, Madden 23, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, and Titanfall 2 on Xbox, PlayStation, or PC. You can also play select new releases for up to 10 hours before launch, get access to in-game challenges and rewards, and snag a 10 percent discount on game downloads, Season Passes, and DLC. The Pro tier at $17 per month or $120 per year upgrades you to premium game editions. For most folks a Game Pass subscription makes a lot more sense.

    Note: EA Play is included at no extra cost as part of Xbox Game Pass PC or Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions.

    For $8 per month you can play Ubisoft’s library of around 50 “Classics” on your PC. If you want new releases the day they launch, premium editions, DLC, and in-game rewards you must upgrade to Premium for $18 per month, which also enables you to play selected games on Xbox or via the cloud on Luna. This service feels way too expensive for what you get, so it’s only really for die-hard Ubisoft fans who can’t live without all the premium editions and extras.

    Note: You can play more than 50 of Ubisoft’s best games through Sony’s PS Plus Extra and Premium subscription services.

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    Whitson Gordon, Simon Hill

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  • How to get more time and loot in Kurast Undercity in Diablo 4

    How to get more time and loot in Kurast Undercity in Diablo 4

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    Kurast Undercity is a time-attack-style dungeon that’s exclusive to Diablo 4’s first expansion, Vessel of Hatred. Here, you’ll dive under Kurast, the capital city of Nahantu, to blast through the dungeon as fast as possible, earning back time for killing monsters and increasing your reward threshold by earning attunement.

    In this Diablo 4 guide, we’ll teach you how to unlock the Kurast Undercity activity, how to upgrade your loot rewards, and how to stop yourself from running out of time.

    How to unlock Kurast Undercity in Diablo 4

    Kurast Undercity takes place… under the city of Kurast, as you might imagine. To unlock this activity, you first need to progress the Vessel of Hatred campaign until you reach Kurast and do some work for the council there. This should be around the time you face the first major boss.

    A member of the council will then teach you how to do the basic version of the Kurast Undercity. (In the endgame, you’re able to apply modifiers, which we won’t get into here.) As you progress the questline, you’ll unlock new districts to adventure through.

    How to get more time in Kurast Undercity

    Image: Blizzard Entertainment via Polygon

    Kurast Undercity is a time-attack dungeon, and you only start with 100 seconds by default. But in order to complete the dungeon and earn your rewards, you’ll need to battle through multiple dungeon floors to find the boss. Unless you are overleveled for the difficulty you’re on, this process will almost certainly take you over 100 seconds, meaning the dungeon will kick you out and end your run before you can finish.

    Scattered throughout each floor of the dungeon are Afflicted Monsters and Afflicted Structures (which usually look like big hamster wheels). These objects and enemies have an orange hourglass next to their icon on the map. Defeating Afflicted Monsters or destroying Afflicted Structures refunds you time and can even push you above that 100 second starting timer. However, these are elite monsters and high-health structures, so you’ll need to decide if the time you’ll need to spend killing them is worth the time you’ll get back.

    Ideally, you can stack up multiple Afflicted Monsters at once and deal area damage to kill them all at the same time, netting you a lot of time back for not much time spent.

    How to upgrade your Kurast Undercity loot chest

    A Spiritborn battles through the Kurast Undercity in Vessel of Hatred

    Image: Blizzard Entertainment via Polygon

    The whole point of Kurast Undercity — like most activities in Diablo 4 — is to get powerful new loot and further improve your build. You’ll get a chest filled with loot by reaching the final floor of the dungeon in time and then killing the boss. But you can upgrade this loot by filling up your Attunement meter. You need to have at least Attunement level 1 to get any reward upgrades.

    To increase your Attunement, which you can stack up to four times, you need to activate Beacons and Grand Beacons while racing through the floors. These Beacons will spawn a horde of monsters that are all linked to the Beacon itself. If you can kill every enemy attached to the Beacon, it’ll spew out a bunch of Attunement, which will steadily increase your meter. In our experience, there are more Attunement Beacons and Grand Beacons than you’ll need to cap out your Attunement meter, so you can skip some as you go and still get decent rewards.

    The only thing to be aware of with Attunement is that it’s designed to be a trap, meaning the push and pull of the Kurast Undercity activity is trying to test your greed. If you’re running low on time, stopping for more Attunement could cost you the entire run, meaning you get no loot rather than getting slightly less loot. Try not to be greedy, and you can get some great rewards while grinding the Kurast Undercity.

    Next, see our guides on all Tenets of Akarat locations and the best Spiritborn build.

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    Ryan Gilliam

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  • New California law means digital stores can’t imply you’re buying a game when you’re merely licensing it

    New California law means digital stores can’t imply you’re buying a game when you’re merely licensing it

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    When you turn on your Xbox Series X, open the Microsoft Store, and buy Farming Simulator 22, you might think you own the game, but you’d be wrong. You actually paid for a license to play the game — not to own it. Companies can revoke the license at any time. It doesn’t happen all too often, but it does happen, especially with older games: Ubisoft made headlines earlier this year when delisted racing game The Crew in December, took its servers offline, then started to pull licenses to the game. Licensing vs. actually owning a game becomes an issue, once again, when you consider where your games go when you die — you can’t technically pass your license along to another person, per many companies’ policies.

    A new California bill (AB 2426), signed into law by governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday, is an attempt to bring transparency to the buying and selling of digital goods like movies, e-books, and, yes, video games. California assemblymember Jacqui Irwin introduced the bill, in part, after hearing about Ubisoft’s move with The Crew. The bill won’t change the fact that we’re all licensing games instead of actually owning them, but it will force companies that operate in California to be more transparent about it. Companies and storefronts that would have to comply include Microsoft with the Microsoft Store, Valve with Steam, Sony with the PlayStation Store, Nintendo with its eShop, and publishers with their own stores, like Ubisoft’s Ubisoft Store.

    Polygon has reached out to all previously listed companies but did not hear back by publication time.

    The law is expected to go into effect on Jan. 1, preventing companies that operate digital storefronts from using words like “purchase” or “buy” unless the company is clear that it’s selling licenses, not “unrestricted ownership interest in the digital good.” This notice will have to be “distinct and separate” from other terms and conditions of the purchase, according to the bill. The law doesn’t apply to subscription-based services, free downloads like demos, or companies that offer “permanent offline download[s]” of digital goods. Companies will be fined for breaking the rules.

    “By sending AB 2426 to Governor Newsom, California is now the first state to recognize that when digital media retailers use terms like ‘buy’ and ‘purchase’ to advertise digital media licenses, they are engaged in false advertising,” University of Michigan professor Aaron Perzanowski said in a news release from Irwin. “Consumers around the world deserve to understand that when they spend money on digital movies, music, books, and games, those so-called ‘purchases’ can disappear without notice. There is still important work to do in securing consumers’ digital rights, but AB 2426 is a crucial step in the right direction.”

    Digital purchasing is already ubiquitous, as physical media becomes less easy to find. Stores like Best Buy have stopped selling physical movies as a whole, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see more retailers follow. Physical video games use the disc as a license, and that disk is yours. But a company could still take servers offline, for instance — access still isn’t guaranteed.

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    Nicole Carpenter

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  • The Casting of Frank Stone fits in with Dead by Daylight lore, but fails to scare

    The Casting of Frank Stone fits in with Dead by Daylight lore, but fails to scare

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    Dead by Daylight is an enormously popular and successful game. Behaviour Interactive has used that as a springboard for other projects, like Deathgarden: Bloodharvest, Meet Your Maker, and Islands of Insight. But none have proven as successful as the developer’s flagship project, which Behaviour is now using to experiment with other genres, like the cheeky Dead by Daylight dating sim Hooked on You or the upcoming co-op shooter currently codenamed Project T. The most recent attempt in this vein, a spinoff narrative game called The Casting of Frank Stone, shows a lot of promise — but it also reveals the trouble in expanding Dead by Daylight into a big, story-rich franchise.

    You may be forgiven for not even knowing that Dead by Daylight has a labyrinth of lore, told through item descriptions, in-game diary entries, short animations, and character biographies. These narratives don’t show up in a normal match of the 1v4 asymmetrical multiplayer game in which Survivors attempt to outwit and escape a nefarious Killer. For those who aren’t tuned in to new character releases, it’s possible to lose the original cast in the shuffle as Behaviour introduces new, licensed tie-ins like Trevor Belmont, Jill Valentine, or Lara Croft.

    Enter The Casting of Frank Stone, developed by Supermassive, which also stars a whole new cast of characters involved in the Dead by Daylight mythos. Dead by Daylight is made up of murderous Killers trapped in a realm of torment called the Fog, where they endlessly hunt Survivors in this cyclical kind of hell dimension. But what happens before the Fog rolls in to claim a new Killer and some poor Survivors? That has largely been left up to player imagination, but each new spinoff has explored the nature of the Fog a little more closely.

    Image: Supermassive Games/Behaviour Interactive

    The Casting of Frank Stone fits nicely in with the rest of Supermassive’s catalog as a five-to-six-hour game; the player must navigate the game’s heroes through a narrative experience, passing quick-time challenges and making choices that will determine their fate. The story plays out across three time periods, and depending on the player’s decisions, characters can meet a whole variety of grisly fates, from a simple stabbing all the way up to rapid aging or death by interdimensional portal.

    The game begins in the ’60s, with a showdown against the murderous Frank Stone himself as he prepares to sacrifice an infant to a dark god. Two decades later, a group of young filmmakers decide to create Murder Mill, a B movie based on the local lore around the serial killer Frank Stone and his abandoned steel mill. Finally, in 2024, that movie has become so infamous that it inspires a collector to invite a few guests to her towering manse, each one in possession of a part of Murder Mill. The first half of the game is a slow burn, establishing all this context before really rolling out the scares.

    Frank Stone’s dark god, the Entity, looms over all three time periods. The Entity is the antagonist of the Dead by Daylight universe: a distant and uncaring god who wants nothing more than to devour each individual reality of the multiverse. A cult known as the Black Vale is aware of the Entity, and the cult members know that it will notice acts of gruesome murder and heedless slaughter. Frank Stone seems to have caught the Black Vale’s eye, and they begin to prep him as delicious bait for their beloved Entity.

    The Black Vale and the Entity are well established in Dead by Daylight canon; the process of someone descending into murder and being claimed by the Entity happens in every single Killer biography. These other characters don’t show up in The Casting of Frank Stone, however; they’re only present in the game through little cameos and Easter eggs.

    A young woman clings onto a wall as the door before her opens a portal to a mysterious alternate realm, churning with bright green energy.

    Image: Supermassive Games/Behaviour Interactive

    That non-specificity becomes a big problem in The Casting of Frank Stone — the individual characters hardly seem to matter. Each character feels flat; the narrative has to spend so much time setting up the timelines, the nature of Frank Stone, and the other mysteries of the Dead by Daylight universe that we hardly get to learn more about the game’s other characters, like Madison or Stan in the present day.

    The best horror is the kind that speaks to something larger, using the scares to drive toward a greater point. George Romero’s zombies are a critique of consumerism, Jordan Peele’s Us is a story about enjoying privilege off the back of someone else’s suffering, and vampires are deeply tied to themes of wealth, exploitation, and power.

    The Casting of Frank Stone gestures at a few interesting avenues, like exploring the impact of our fascination with true crime, or the effect that investigating the Entity might have on one normal man, but ultimately the run time isn’t long enough to commit to any one statement. The end result feels like a story that fills out a fan wiki nicely, but doesn’t stand on its own two feet.

    There’s a lot of potential in the Dead by Daylight universe; characters like The Plague or The Doctor have sent chills up my spine. The Casting of Frank Stone is a huge improvement over the lackadaisical Hooked on You, but if I were to recommend a Supermassive game to a friend, I’d be more likely to suggest House of Ashes. Everyone can agree that murder cults are bad; I’d like to see Behaviour use the Dead by Daylight universe to tell a story with some actual teeth.

    The Casting of Frank Stone was released Sept. 3 on PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X. The game was reviewed on PC using a download code purchased by the author. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.

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    Cass Marshall

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