Category: Xbox News

We know you’re busy and might miss out on all the exciting things we’re talking about on Xbox Wire every week. If you’ve got a few minutes, we can help remedy that. We’ve pared down the past week’s news into one easy-to-digest article for all things Xbox! Or, if you’d rather watch than read, you can feast your eyes on our weekly video show above. Be sure to come back every Friday to find out what’s happening This Week on Xbox!

Escape from a Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland in Metro Exodus, Available Now on Xbox One
With its blend of deadly combat and stealth, exploration and survival horror, and in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created, it’s time to strap on your protective mask and enter the epic, story-driven world of Metro Exodus on Xbox One… Read more

It’s Time for Savings on All Things Xbox
For the love of gaming, we are sharing Xbox One deals on consoles, accessories, and more! Starting February 17, you can save $50 on any Xbox One bundle, including Xbox One X, the world’s most powerful console, and Xbox One S, the best value in gaming and entertainment… Read more

8 Things You Need to Know When Starting Far Cry New Dawn
Far Cry New Dawn is now available on Xbox One and enhanced for Xbox One X. This time around, the adventure takes place in a superbloom-covered post-apocalypse that’s as vibrant as it is chaotic, but a healthy coating of pink flowers and graffiti isn’t the only thing that’s different… Read more

Pipe Push Paradise’s Puzzle Purgatory Comes to Xbox One
Hey! I’m Corey Martin. My pal Teodoro Zamudio and I made a small open-world puzzle game called Pipe Push Paradise, which I’m very excited to say will be available to download for Xbox One today! ‘Thinky’ puzzle games so seldom get console releases, and I’m proud to be a small part of changing that… Read more

Play Anthem Today on Xbox One with EA Access
Prepare to climb into a javelin of your very own, rocket across the skies, plunge into the watery depths, and join in unforgettable battles. You can enter the beautiful and dangerous world of Anthem days before its worldwide February 22 launch by becoming an EA Access member… Read more

Gears of War: New Line of Collectibles and Books to Debut at New York Toy Fair
Since its 2006 debut, Gears of War has established itself as one of the best-selling and most iconic video game franchises of all time, known for acclaimed gameplay, compelling characters, and visceral action. Now, with three new Gears of War games in development… Read more

Crackdown 3 Launches Worldwide Today with Xbox Game Pass
It’s time to step up your boom, Agents! Crackdown 3 is now available with Xbox Game Pass on both Xbox One and Windows 10 PC. In the latest entry in the Crackdown franchise, longtime fans will feel right at home in the quest to take back New Providence… Read more

Soar to New Heights with The King’s Bird Today on Xbox One
I co-founded Serenity Forge along with a couple of friends a few years ago; and since then we’ve co-developed games like Where the Water Tastes Like Wine and the upcoming Once Upon a Coma, as well as ported and published games like… Read more

Free Play Days: NBA 2K19 and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Here’s this weekend’s all-star lineup for Free Play Days! Xbox Live Gold members can celebrate all-star weekend with NBA 2K19 and play Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege in-between matches of the Six Invitational for free. The Free Play Days event begins… Read more

Get Famous with Your Sims on Xbox One
It’s time to fulfill your Sims’ dreams of becoming famous! Now you can be crazy famous, like millions of fans, crazy awesome mansion, movie star famous — today’s the day your Sims will get that chance. The Sims 4 Get Famous expansion pack is available now on Xbox One… Read more

Make a Date with the Black Desert Open Beta February 14 – 17
This Valentine’s Day, you’re invited to gear up for Black Desert’s final open beta – click here to sign up on Xbox One. From February 14 12:00 a.m. PST to February 17 11:59 p.m. PST, Black Desert will be available for all North America and European players with Xbox Live Gold… Read more

Xbox Game Pass Brings the Boom to Extra Butter
Gamers and sneaker enthusiasts rejoice! Xbox Game Pass and Extra Butter are working together to celebrate the launch of Crackdown 3 with games, shoes, and an in-store sweepstakes. We’ve set up demo stations at Extra Butter’s Lower East Side location in New York City… Read more

Games to Fall in Love with on Xbox Game Pass
With Xbox Game Pass there’s no shortage of games for you to fall in love with this Valentine’s Day. From sailing to driving to jumping, even combine harvesting, there’s bound to be room in your heart for a few of these titles. We’ve highlighted some of our Xbox Game Pass… Read more

Tips & Tricks for the Fast-Paced Arena Brawler Hyper Jam
On behalf of the Bit Dragon team, I am thrilled to announce that Hyper Jam has launched on Xbox One and is available for purchase right now on the Microsoft Store! For those of you who don’t know, Hyper Jam is a fast-paced arena brawler featuring a killer synthwave soundtrack… Read more

Inside Xbox One X Enhanced: Kingdom Hearts III
Many of gaming’s most compelling stories come from those who’ve helped to create our favorite Xbox One games. In our Inside Xbox One X Enhanced series, these creators will share the behind-the-scenes accounts of the work involved in enhancing these epic games for Xbox One X… Read more

The Evoland Series: From Game Jam Project to Worldwide Success
Hello, time traveler! I’m Nicolas, lead game developer at Shiro Games, a French independent studio. We released Evoland and Evoland 2 on PC few years ago and we’re now introducing the Evoland Legendary Edition on Xbox One which includes both titles… Read more

Xbox Sessions: Terry Crews Steps Up His Boom as Commander Jaxon in Crackdown 3
Terry Crews can do anything – he’s a talented actor, an activist, artist, and a former professional football player. He’s a man of many strengths (and muscles), but how are his gaming skills while playing as his in-game character, Commander Isaiah Jaxon, in the upcoming Crackdown 3? Tune-in to the next episode of Xbox Sessions, airing Thursday, February 14 at 4 p.m. PST on the Mixer Xbox Channel, Twitch Xbox Channel, and the Xbox YouTube Channel to find out! Ahead of Crackdown 3’s February 15… Read more

Adventure FPS Away: Journey to the Unexpected Available Now on Xbox One
Hello everyone! Away: Journey to the Unexpected is a colorful first-person adventure game with rogue-lite elements, heavily inspired by anime from our childhood, and it’s available today on Xbox One. The game has evolved quite a bit since its prototype…. Read more

Jump Force Tips and Tricks
The moment you’ve been waiting for is here! Those of you who have pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition of Jump Force get early access to the game starting tomorrow, February 12! We know that you’re excited to jump right into battle alongside your favorite manga heroes… Read more

R.B.I. Baseball 19 Coming to Xbox One March 5, Pre-Order Today
Today is an exciting day for MLB fans. Not only are pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training, but R.B.I. Baseball 19 will launch March 5 on Xbox One and is available for pre-order on the Microsoft Store. Baseball is back, Spring is right around the corner… Read more

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 19 – 22
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox, where we cover all the new games coming soon to Xbox One! Every week the team at Xbox aims to deliver quality gaming content for you to enjoy on your favorite gaming console. To find out what’s coming soon to Xbox One, read on below and click on each of the game profiles for pre-order details (dates are subject to… Read more

Creating the Turned-Based RPG Dark Quest 2
Dark Quest 2 is a turn-based RPG inspired by legendary board game Hero Quest. The core idea of the game was to make a board game system while understanding that you are making a video game and not a board game… Read more

With its blend of deadly combat and stealth, exploration and survival horror, and in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created, it’s time to strap on your protective mask and enter the epic, story-driven world of Metro Exodus on Xbox One.

Featuring a gripping story and classic Metro gameplay with new huge, non-linear levels, you’ll experience a unique blend of sandbox exploration and survival horror across a beautiful and hostile world as you eke out a living in this apocalyptic Russian wilderness, brought to life with stunning day/night cycles and dynamic weather.

It’s in the world that you’ll have to scavenge and craft in the field to customize your arsenal of hand-made weaponry and engage human and mutant foes alike in thrilling tactical combat. But you won’t have to survive in this hostile world alone. Your choices throughout Metro Exodus will determine the fate of your companions as your decisions will have consequences if you’ll make it out alive.

To equip players for an immersive experience as they trek across the ravaged Russian landscape, why not pick up the Xbox One X Metro Saga bundle, which includes full-game downloads of Metro 2033 Redux, Metro: Last Light Redux, and Metro Exodus, so you can jump into the haunting tale of humanity’s survival from the very beginning. And as an Xbox Game Pass member, you can play Metro 2033 Redux and Metro: Last Light Redux today to get caught up on the rich backstory of Metro Exodus.

Enhanced for Xbox One X in 4K Ultra HD and with HDR support, Metro Exodus will take players on a journey through vast sandbox levels packed with apocalyptic creatures across four beautiful but hostile seasons. Experience it today on Xbox One.

For the love of gaming, we are sharing Xbox One deals on consoles, accessories, and more! Starting February 17, you can save $50 on any Xbox One bundle, including Xbox One X, the world’s most powerful console, and Xbox One S, the best value in gaming and entertainment. And there’s no shortage of amazing bundles to choose from at a participating retailer near you.

Experience true power with the brand-new Xbox One X Metro Saga bundle, released today. Embark on an incredible post-apocalyptic journey and save $50 on this hot new bundle starting February 17. The bundle includes full-game downloads of the entire saga: Metro 2033 Redux, Metro: Last Light Redux, and Metro Exodus.

Join the worldwide Fortnite phenomenon with $50 off the Xbox One S Fortnite bundle and get ready to battle to be the last one standing. This bundle includes a full-game download of Fortnite with the Eon cosmetic set download and 2,000 V-bucks. Also included in Fortnite is Battle Royale, a 100-player PVP mode where you fight to the end. Build and destroy environments and join intense PVP combat on Xbox Live, the fastest, most reliable gaming network.

Get $50 off the Xbox One S Battlefield V bundle and enter mankind’s greatest conflict: World War II. Join the ranks with a full-game download of Battlefield V Deluxe Edition containing paratrooper apparel for your Company of soldiers, special assignments, and weekly Airlifts. Plus, enjoy an outstanding Battlefield experience with full-game downloads of Battlefield 1943, Battlefield 1 Revolution, and one-month EA Access.

Looking for the world’s most powerful console? Save $100 on the Xbox One X Fallout 76 bundle and explore, quest, build, and triumph in a post-nuclear wasteland. Prepare for an epic adventure in the prequel to the award-winning Fallout RPG series. Journey alone or with friends in a new and unique Fallout adventure, and for the first time ever, Vault Dwellers can team up online on Xbox Live!

And if you need more accessories for your arsenal, starting on February 17th, you can save $10 on select Xbox Wireless Controllers.

Equip yourself with $10 off the Xbox Wireless Controller Phantom Black and sense victory within; or elevate your game and save $10 on the Xbox Wireless Controller Grey/Blue edition, featuring a dark grey design with light grey and blue accents. There’s plenty of other controllers to choose from as well, so be sure to size them all up and choose wisely!

And to top it all off, save $10 on a 3 month or 6 month subscription to Xbox Live Gold where you can play with the greatest community of gamers on the world’s fastest most reliable gaming network!

Now is the best time to jump in with Xbox One. Enjoy over 100 games right out of the box with Xbox Game Pass, and access all your favorite entertainment through apps like YouTube, Netflix, and more. Watch 4K Blu-ray movies and stream 4K video on Xbox One S, and experience immersive true 4K gaming on Xbox One X—the world’s most powerful console.

Whether you’re playing games, watching your favorite shows or streaming gameplay, Xbox One delivers brilliant graphics with HDR technology, premium audio, and the fastest, most reliable gaming network. Visit Xbox.com to learn more.

Far Cry New Dawn is now available on Xbox One and enhanced for Xbox One X. This time around, the adventure takes place in a superbloom-covered post-apocalypse that’s as vibrant as it is chaotic, but a healthy coating of pink flowers and graffiti isn’t the only thing that’s different about Hope County. To help you get the lay of the brightly colored land, we’ve assembled eight things you need to know before you venture out into the post-apocalypse either by yourself or with a co-op buddy.

Live Long and Prosper(ity)

Nearly everything you’ll do in Far Cry New Dawn begins and ends with your homebase, Prosperity. Here, you’ll take on missions, get to know the locals, upgrade your gear, and even travel outside of Hope County on Expeditions. When you first arrive in Prosperity, you’ll be tasked with heading out to find local Specialists to help you upgrade your homebase. These Specialists won’t go out into the wilderness with you to fight back against the Highwaymen. Instead, they’ll take up residence in Prosperity and allow you to upgrade everything, from weapons to vehicles to explosives.

Using the most valuable resource in the apocalypse, ethanol, you’ll upgrade stations around Prosperity that will provide you with the means to improve your gear. Upgrading your Workbench allows you to craft more powerful weapons, improving your Garage will improve the quality of vehicles available to you, and buffing your Training Camp strengthens your Guns for Hire. And then there’s the Healing Garden, Explosives Lab, Infirmary, and Cartography station; the people in Prosperity are eager to lend a hand against the Highwaymen.

Build Your Roster

While the Specialists needed to build up Prosperity are clearly marked on your map, Guns for Hire are not. If you want to take out the Highwaymen with Hurk, Pastor Jerome, or Timber the adorable genius dog by your side, you’ll have to explore Hope County and take on side missions from captured Outposts. Want Nana, the sniper, to take out your enemies from afar? Or Horatio the massive boar to bulldoze Highwaymen? You’re going to have to find them.

Travel the World

After you earn enough ethanol, you’ll gain access to Expeditions, earning the ability to leave Hope County for smash-and-grab missions at Highwaymen strongholds across the country. Expeditions are missions that take you to a wide variety of memorable locales across the US, including abandoned amusement parks, stranded aircraft carriers, and desert canyons, among others. They are rollicking and raucous adventures, with more enemies to outwit, special packages to search for, and mad dashes through heavy fire to an extraction point once you’ve grabbed your prize.

Expeditions are also excellent ways to acquire many of the resources you’ll need to upgrade and craft your gear. Just make sure you have a varied arsenal for the job. It’s best to try and go in as quietly as possible because once you grab the target package, a GPS tracker attached to it will notify the Highwaymen of your exact position, at which point you’ll have plenty of enemies on your tail and will need all the stopping power you can get. And as an added bonus, upgrading Prosperity’s Expeditions station also means upgrading your helicopter, which opens up the ability for you to fast travel around Hope County.

Level Up

You may notice that your rank one (white) assault rifle isn’t doing much damage to those rank two (blue) enemies and is barely tickling those rank three (purple) and four (gold) baddies. That’s because in Far Cry New Dawn everything, from weapons to vehicles to enemies and wildlife, has ranks. They’re also packing health bars so you can see exactly how effective your weapons are on your current target. If you find yourself up against some Highwaymen that are more than one rank above you, it’s best to retreat and wait until you’ve upgraded your arsenal to take them down. You’ll also need to spend some Perk Points on the Advanced, Expert, and Master Takedown perks if you want to be able to stealthily take down enemies that are rank two and above (which you definitely want to do).

Loot Everything

You’ll likely notice that new weapons and vehicles aren’t exactly coming fresh off the supply line in the post-apocalypse, that means that if you want a new Saw Launcher, sniper rifle, or truck, you’ll need to craft it using various crafting materials. Collecting resources like components, gears, springs, copper, and titanium is your ticket to better gear. Fortunately, locations now show you how much of a coveted resource they hide, so you’ll know just how many rolls of duct tape to look for before packing up and moving on to the next spot.

As mentioned above, you won’t get far without ethanol. While you won’t find it just lying around like you will other resources, there are a few reliable ways to acquire it. The first, and most efficient, is by clearing Highwaymen Outposts. Defeat all the Highwaymen at a particular Outpost, and you’ll claim it for yourself and earn a healthy dose of ethanol – and if you take the Outpost down without triggering alarms or being spotted, you’ll earn even more for your troubles.

While wandering the open world of Hope County, you’ll occasionally see nearby Supply Drops falling from the sky; if you chase them down and claim them before any nearby Highwaymen, you’ll net yourself additional resources, including ethanol. Also, be on the lookout for ethanol truck shipments moving from Outpost to Outpost; successfully highjack one and return it to one of your Outposts or Prosperity, and you’ll secure more ethanol for your cause.

Perks of the Apocalypse

Make sure you’re not so busy upgrading Prosperity, your weapons, and your vehicles that you neglect your Perks. Like Far Cry games of the past, Perks allow you to expand your capabilities and do things like grapple up to high points, hold more weapons, perform takedowns on tougher enemies, and repair broken vehicles. You’ll naturally unlock Perk Points through your progress, but there are a few ways to earn some more. Head to the Challenges menu to find weapon, exploration, hunting, and kill challenges that you can complete for bonus Perk Points (simply killing a bunch of enemies with every new weapon you find is a great way to grab Perk Points early on).

You’ll also be able to get Perk Points by completing Treasure Hunts. Marked with a diamond symbol, Treasure Hunts will task you with solving an environmental puzzle; success will earn you three Perk Points and a nice bundle of resources. Lastly, Highwaymen across Hope County are terrorizing civilians and kidnapping them; save a civilian caught in a tricky situation, and you’ll earn yourself another Perk Point.

Scavenge Outposts and Expeditions

Once you take out an Outpost or complete an Expedition, you’ll have the option to scavenge it, essentially abandoning it to the Highwaymen. Doing so will get you a small dose of ethanol, but also means that the Highwaymen will reclaim the area and repopulate it with tougher enemies and more alarms. At that point, braving the tougher challenge you’ve created and reclaiming the Outpost will earn you even better rewards. Just be sure not to tackle a challenge too early; trying to take down an Outpost or Expedition that’s ranked above your current weapon loadout will likely result in your premature death.

Also, if you set off an alarm at any scavenged Outpost, you’ll trigger the arrival of an Enforcer, a rank four enemy that will make short work of you if you’re packing inferior weaponry. Moral of the story: Scavenging Outposts and taking on higher-rank Expeditions can be lucrative, but be sure your arsenal matches the difficulty rank or you’re in for a rough ride.

What’s that Beeping Sound?

Highwaymen vehicles – with their steel cages, LMG turrets, and graffiti paint jobs – may look like a tempting ride, but beware: if you enter or even approach a Highwaymen ride and hear a beeping sound, it’s best to distance yourself from it as quickly as possible. The beeping indicates the vehicle is booby-trapped and rigged to explode any second, and the blast is enough to kill both you and your Gun for Hire if they’re anywhere near you. If you’d rather not worry about blowing up anytime you get behind the wheel of a car, it might be worth investing in the Hotwire Perk, which will automatically disable Highwaymen booby traps.

Far Cry New Dawn is available now on Xbox One for $39.99 on the Microsoft Store. And if you haven’t played Far Cry 5 yet, you can purchase both games as part of the Far Cry New Dawn Complete Edition and Ultimate Edition bundles.

Here’s this weekend’s all-star lineup for Free Play Days! Xbox Live Gold members can celebrate all-star weekend with NBA 2K19 and play Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege in-between matches of the Six Invitational for free. The Free Play Days event begins Thursday, February 14 at 12:01 a.m. PT and runs through to Sunday, February 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT. You can find and install the games here. To download on console, click on the Gold member area on the home dashboard on your Xbox One.

The games are also available at a discount (see below) so you can continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned in-game.

NBA 2K19

Whether you’re on Team Giannis or Team LeBron, make the most of NBA All-Star Weekend and hit the court! In this critically acclaimed basketball video game, unlock special moves with the new Takeover feature, create your very own MyPLAYER card in MyTEAM, or run the neighborhood with live events on the block. With an all-new narrative in MyCAREER, fans can go from neighborhood legend to global phenomenon and live out their NBA dreams.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

Jump in to this intense, tactical shooter where explosive action awaits you! Work as a team and put your strategies and tactics to work against the opposition. In combat, you will have access to an array of weapons, gadgets, and operators to defeat your enemies and their surrounding environment. With Rainbow Six Siege, expect an evolving experience with new content, maps, balancing changes, and more.

This weekend, you can also tune in to Mixer to watch the third annual Six Invitational, the most prestigious tournament in the Siege esports calendar, streaming live from Montreal at https://mixer.com/rainbow6. Programming highlights include:

• The Grand Final of the tournament on Sunday
• Live broadcast premiere of the Rainbow Six esports documentary: “To Win It All: The Road to the Six Invitational”
• Full reveal of Operation Burnt Horizon, the next season of new content set in Australia

Don’t miss out on this weekend’s great games! Learn more about Free Play Days here and stay tuned to Xbox Wire to find out about future Free Play Days and all the latest news on Xbox.

Hello, time traveler! I’m Nicolas, lead game developer at Shiro Games, a French independent studio. We released Evoland and Evoland 2 on PC few years ago and we’re now introducing the Evoland Legendary Edition on Xbox One which includes both titles!

The initial concept of Evoland was imagined during a Game Jam (Ludum Dare #24). The theme of this Game Jam was evolution. We had the idea of creating a game which would evolve through its structure rather than through its content. From there, we worked on building a full game and because a large part of the team is formed by retro-gaming enthusiasts, Evoland‘s core concept is based on nostalgia, and Evoland 2 allowed us to explore more gameplay mechanics and graphic designs. For this game, we created four different eras, the antiquity (old Gameboy style), the past (NES), the Present (SNES), and the Future (N64).

The games are designed to be fun yet challenging adventures! You’ll find everything that made you love old-school adventure/RPG games (turn-based combat, tactical maps, collectibles, etc..) with a deep and interesting story.

Evoland Legendary Edition takes you on an epic adventure through space and time exploring the history of famous video game genres. As you progress through this epic adventure your game will evolve. You may start in a 2D environment, playing a classic “Final Fantasy-like” RPG and see yourself transported to a 3D shoot-them-up or a side scrolling Double Dragon-type of game!

There is a lot of mystery around the main character himself. Pay attention to the little details of the story, you will be able to pick up bits of information from the very first moment of gameplay to the very end, and try to piece together his real story. There are a few interesting views from various players who have crafted possible theories about our hero’s past, which could even be his future in some cyclic interpretations!

We really appreciate you reading this introduction to the Evoland Legendary Edition! We can’t wait for you to be able to experience this epic adventure on Xbox One. We truly hope you’ll love playing the game as much as we loved making it!

Today is an exciting day for MLB fans. Not only are pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training, but R.B.I. Baseball 19 will launch March 5 on Xbox One and is available for pre-order on the Microsoft Store. Baseball is back, Spring is right around the corner, and we’re even closer to Opening Day! We’re also excited to unveil the R.B.I. 19 intro video with music featuring “Warrior” by Evaride that you can watch above.

In case you missed the news over the last few weeks, we revealed Houston Astros third-baseman Alex Bregman as our cover star & Toronto Blue Jays second baseman and shortstop Lourdes Gurriel Jr. as our Canadian cover star.

With R.B.I. Baseball 19, fans can enjoy new additions and improvements across all aspects of the game with a genuine MLB experience, heightened authenticity, and incredible depth including the ability to manage your MLB franchise across multiple seasons, hundreds of new animations, updated player models, every official 2019 uniform, more player gear, improved ball physics, and enhanced environments!

For more information on R.B.I. Baseball 19, follow @RBIGAME on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

R.B.I. Baseball 19 is available for pre-order today on Xbox One via the Microsoft Store. It will launch on Xbox One March 5. Click here for more details.

Hey! I’m Corey Martin. My pal Teodoro Zamudio and I made a small open-world puzzle game called Pipe Push Paradise, which I’m very excited to say will be available to download for Xbox One today! ‘Thinky’ puzzle games so seldom get console releases, and I’m proud to be a small part of changing that.

Pipe Push Paradise is something of a throwback to old DOS classics like Sokoban and Pipe Dream (aka Pipe Mania), extruded into 3D. It’s also heavily inspired by modern puzzle games such as The Witness, Stephen’s Sausage Roll, and A Good Snowman is Hard to Build. As Pipe Push Paradise’s designer, it was very important to me to explore the game’s system thoroughly and obsessively, to present the player with strictly unique puzzles, and to make a lean, difficult game that’s full of surprising ideas.

The basic premise is simple – you arrive on a small island (setting your puzzle game on an island makes it 10% better, I don’t make the rules), the plumbing is a mess and it’s your job to fix it. You do so by physically rolling pipes around, and rolling them can cause… well, surprising outcomes. For most puzzles, its immediately clear what shape you need to make, and getting there is the tricky part. In others, finding the shape you need to make can seem literally impossible (it’s not!).

Making this game was a pretty obsessive labour of love. When I first started making the puzzles, I’d just throw elements around randomly and see if it was challenging. The thing you eventually realize is that difficulty is not what makes a puzzle interesting, it’s completely peripheral. Any puzzle worth making illustrates a truth about the game’s system. That’s something you extremely rarely get from randomness. It comes from exploring and discovering the system yourself, finding something cool, then manufacturing a puzzle that forces the player to discover that truth as well.

I got some crucial advice along the way from game designer Alan Hazelden (co-creator of Cosmic Express, A Good Snowman is Hard to Build, and Sokobond) who said I should be able to clearly verbalize the idea or concept of any given puzzle. If I can’t explain what makes a puzzle unique, or my language starts to meander, it’s probably not a very special puzzle. It may seem like an obvious point, but it was a completely heartbreaking revelation for me. Setting that standard made me literally cut half of the game. As a result, there’s no filler in Pipe Push Paradise and you have Alan to thank for it.

As for whether you’ll like this game, it mostly depends on whether you’re ok with getting stuck. You’re supposed to get stuck! It’s hard. Some people feel judged by puzzle games, and I get that. I can tell you as its designer that I absolutely want you to finish this game. I have lots of stuff to show you, so don’t give up!

Pipe Push Paradise is available now for Xbox One and can be purchased from the Microsoft Store.

We know you’re busy and might miss out on all the exciting things we’re talking about on Xbox Wire every week. If you’ve got a few minutes, we can help remedy that. We’ve pared down the past week’s news into one easy-to-digest article for all things Xbox! Or, if you’d rather watch than read, you can feast your eyes on our weekly video show above. Be sure to come back every Friday to find out what’s happening This Week on Xbox!

Play Apex Legends, a Free-to-Play Battle Royale from the Makers of Titanfall 2
Apex Legends is a free-to-play battle royale game where legendary competitors fight for glory, fame, and fortune on the fringes of the Frontier. To win in the Apex Games you’ll need to stay sharp, use your wits, and keep your friends close. But victory also favors the prepared, and a few helpful tips in your pocket can be the difference between defeat and… Read more

Safer Internet Day 2019: Our Continued Commitment to Safe, Welcoming and Inclusive Xbox Gaming
In honor of Safer Internet Day 2019, I’ll be joining students and leaders from Google and Facebook on today’s Youth & Tech Industry Issues in Perspective panel starting at 1:30 p.m. PST. Together, we will share our thoughts on the tough questions around technology, online engagement and living in a connected world. At Xbox, positive online experiences… Read more

Wargroove Tips and Tricks
Everyone at Chucklefish is blown away by the response to Wargroove. It’s been truly fantastic! That said, we know the game can get pretty tough, so we’re here to offer you some tips. We hope they help you on your way to becoming a groovy Commander! Knowledge is Power Each unit in Wargroove is unique, with unique stats, abilities, and critical hit conditions… Read more

The Official Monster AMA Supercross Championship Game is Back
Monster Energy Supercross The Official Videogame 2 will give you the chance to live like a pro rider, managing all the aspects of the life inside and outside the track! And as an Xbox One X Enhanced title we support an improved shadow quality, an overall post process effects quality that has been enhanced, and we improved FX quality… Read more

Community Achievement Unlocked: Aneska Joins the Spacelords
Ever since Spacelords launched as a free to play adventure in shooter form, the MercurySteam development team understood that the game’s unique proposition would attract a particular kind of player — one who wanted to experiment something beyond the more traditional formulas found in the genre. We have always maintained… Read more

Pumped BMX Pro Available Today on Xbox One and with Xbox Game Pass
Hello, Xbox Wire readers! We’re proud to announce that Pumped BMX Pro available now on Xbox One and with Xbox Game Pass. Pumped BMX Pro is a trick-based BMX game which has you riding and grinding your way through 60 levels of ever increasing difficulty, each with its own challenges and feats to complete… Read more

Free Play Days: The Sims 4, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and Fishing Sim World
Having trouble deciding what to play this weekend? Here’s this weekend’s Free Play Days event to help make it simple for you! Xbox Live Gold members can play The Sims 4, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and Fishing Sim World for free as part of the Free Play Days event. Express your creativity with your Sims… Read more

39 Days to Mars Available Now on Xbox One
Pack your tea-cosy, oil your Penny-Farthing, and hold on to your Top Hat, because: 39 Days to Mars is out now on Xbox One! It’s been a long journey to get to this point, and after five years of development, hundreds of hours of play-testing, and thousands of hand-drawn sketches, it’s unbelievably exciting to see 39 Days to Mars launch on Xbox One… Read more

A Plague Tale: Innocence Takes You Behind the Scenes in an Emotional New Webseries
A Plague Tale: Innocence, the new title from Asobo Studio, will release May 14 on Xbox One. You take the role of Amicia, a young girl in medieval France, navigating an infected and war-torn world while trying to protect her younger brother Hugo. Swarms of rats lurk in the dark while the mysterious Inquisition pursues them constantly… Read more

Play For Honor’s Wu Lin Faction for Free During the Weeklong Hero Trial
For Honor players who’ve held off on unlocking the four Heroes of the Wu Lin faction can see what they’ve been missing starting today on Xbox One, when a new Hero Trial will make them temporarily available for use on the battlefield. Xbox Live Gold members who already own For Honor on Xbox One will be able to play as the Tiandi… Read more

Salt and Sanctuary and the Salt That Nearly Was
At long last, Salt and Sanctuary is coming to Xbox One! Our 2D souls-like of deadly monsters, labyrinthine dungeons, and shattered heroes may be our studio’s fourth big game, but it’s our first title to grace Xbox One. Over a decade ago, when the studio was just me, I was lucky enough to get my big break when I was awarded… Read more

The Full List of Crackdown 3 Achievements Revealed
The boom is nearly upon us, as Crackdown 3 will be releasing on Xbox One on February 15. We’ve taken good looks at everything from the single-player campaign to the over-the-top multiplayer of Wrecking Zone, but there’s one thing we haven’t revealed yet: the game’s achievements. On today’s episode of Inside Xbox… Read more

Enjoy Great Discounts During the ID@Xbox Sports Spectacular Sale
In case you didn’t get enough excitement from this year’s big game, the ID@Xbox team has you covered. We have pulled together some of our favorite indie sports games and put them on sale! From now through February 11 you can save up to 60% on over 40 action packed sports games in the Indie Sports Spectacular sale… Read more

Crackdown 3 Wrecking Zone Technical Test Coming on February 7 for Xbox Insiders
We’re just a little over a week away from the launch of Crackdown 3, and we couldn’t be more excited for fans to dive back in to the over-the-top world of Crackdown that is coming to Xbox Game Pass on February 15. As the team moves full steam toward launch, we will be conducting a technical test of Wrecking Zone… Read more

Inside Xbox February Episode News Recap
Today, on our February episode of Inside Xbox, we gave fans a closer look at the highly anticipated Xbox One exclusive Crackdown 3, talked to the creative talent behind Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, revealed new titles coming soon to Xbox Game Pass like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and de blob, unveiled a hot new Xbox One controller… Read more

Friends Play Free In Sea of Thieves February 6-13
Show your crew the ropes and set sail for adventure! Filled with thrills, spills and the best kind of shenanigans, few things in life are more enjoyable than crewing up with friends in Sea of Thieves. If you’ve never had the pleasure, then this is for you – over the coming week we’re letting every Sea of Thieves player invite three friends to join the fun… Read more

Xbox Game Pass: Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Crackdown 3, Pumped BMX Pro, and More in February
Hi, Xbox Game Pass friends! It’s time for another drop of games coming your way. In case you hadn’t already cried when you realized that your backlog of video games has grown that much larger, my apologies. And if you’re going to cry on the controller, make it player 2’s controller please. We’re taking you deep this time around… Read more

Kick Your Style up a Notch with the Xbox Wireless Controller – Sport Red Special Edition
Bring your ABXY game with the new Xbox Wireless Controller – Sport Red Special Edition. Whether you’re gearing up for a new Xbox Game Pass Quest or bringing some extra flair to your next Mixer stream, this vibrant, bold controller will make a statement. Inspired by the world of active wear and sports lifestyle, the Xbox Wireless Controller… Read more

Become A Hero At Halo: Outpost Discovery
One of our favorite things about the Halo franchise are the many ways to experience its rich setting – from the games themselves to the dozens of novels, live-action and animated films, comics and more, that have been created and crafted over almost two decades. Today, we’re excited to give fans a brand-new way to experience and immerse themselves… Read more

Introducing Xbox Game Studios
At Xbox, we believe when everyone plays, we all win. It’s why we’re passionate about building a portfolio of games for players across console, PC and mobile. As we’ve expanded our focus beyond the console, the Xbox brand has also evolved from its original roots. Today, Xbox is our gaming brand across all devices, no matter how or where you want to play… Read more

Unleash Your Power with the Xbox One S Anthem Bundle
After being revealed at this weekend’s basketball game that featured two of the court’s biggest franchises and stars, Xbox partnered with publisher Electronic Arts to show off the Xbox One S Anthem Bundle. In Anthem, you will be able to assemble your high-tech, hand-crafted Javelin exosuit to explore vast ruins, battle deadly enemies and claim otherworldly artifacts… Read more

OpTic Gaming Makes Dramatic Run to Take Home Another Title
With a massive player pool, thousands of rabid cheering fans and some of the best Gears Esports gameplay ever, the Gears Pro Circuit Mexico City Open went down as a highlight for both players and fans alike. OpTic Gaming proved their championship mettle with a dramatic run that ended with taking down Denial Esports in a dominating fashion to claim the $200,000 prize pool… Read more

Starting at 2:00 p.m. PST today, members of the Xbox One Preview Skip Ahead and Preview Alpha Rings will begin receiving the latest 1904 Xbox One system update (19h1_release_xbox_dev_1904.190206-1920). Read on for more about the fixes and known issues in the latest 1904 system update.   For the next few releases we will keep Alpha Skip Ahead and Alpha builds in sync to test core functionality.

Fixes:

Skype

• We have fixed the issue with Skype crashing when starting a video call or conversation.

System

• Captive portal fixes.
• Localization fixes.

Known Issues:

Disney Adventures

• We are tracking an issue that this title is crashing on launch.

Broadcasting on Mixer or Twitch

• We are tracking an issue that causes broadcasting to fail with both Mixer and Twitch.
• This happens if you attempt to start Mixer or Twitch broadcast with Kinect/webcam captured content sharing turned off.  This privacy setting is at:  Account \ Privacy & online safety \ Xbox Live privacy \ View details & customize \ Game content \ “You can share content made using Kinect or another camera”.  The workaround is to turn this setting to “Allow”

Netflix

• We are tracking an issue with the Netflix app.  When you are playing 4k content and then pause and place the console in connected standby upon relaunching the Netflix app when starting you console back up the Netflix app crashes.  Workaround:  Close and relaunch the Netflix app.  Some users have also found if they change the console display resolution from 4K to 1080p then launch the app.  After the app launch change the console display back to 4k.

Profile Color

• Sometimes users may encounter the incorrect Profile color when powering on the console.