Motion Twin’s Dead Cells is receiving a new physical edition thanks to publisher Merge Games. Dead Cells – Action Game of the Year edition will release on August 20th for North America and August 23rd for Europe. It will be available for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.

The physical edition includes some neat goodies along with the actual game. These include a key chain, art book and reversible cover. Of course, the Rise of the Giant DLC – which brings tons of new weapons, cosmetic outfits, items, new areas and a new boss to battle – is also included.

Of course, those who wish to pick up the game physically can do so on PS4 and Nintendo Switch (it doesn’t include the update, which can otherwise be downloaded separately). Dead Cells is also available for PC and Xbox One digitally. After selling more than two million copies, it’s also slated to come to iOS devices in the Summer.

New Dead Cells – Action Game of the Year physical edition (includes, exclusive keyring, new art book and reversible cover.) is coming to #PS4 and #NintendoSwitch https://t.co/PxqRc391dw Thanks @MergeGamesLtd for putting so much love in your work! pic.twitter.com/9CA8JwSHI3

— Motion Twin (@motiontwin) June 5, 2019

Dead Cells came out last year to strong acclaim and sales, and has since seen a lot of updates, of which the developer says they have no plans to stop anytime soon (but that also means no sequel, on the flip side). One of those updates was the large scale expansion, Rise of the Giant. It already came out for PC at the end of March, and now it’s Nintendo’s turn, as it will come to the Switch this week.

As confirmed by the Switch’s News Channel, the update is coming soon. It adds a good deal to the game with two new areas, boss fights, ten new enemies, new weapons, and the ability to come up with your own outfit and skin designs for your protagonist.

The game is available now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC, and is coming to mobile devices soon as well. Rise of the Giant was already released on PC, available now to those players. It will release on Switch May 23^rd. No word yet on when PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players will get access to it.

If you haven’t played it, Motion Twin’s Dead Cells is quite the title to lose a few dozen hours in. The rouge-lite Metroidvania action title was recently bolstered by the Rise of the Giant DLC, a free update which reworked the Boss Cells system, added new outfits, and much more for fans. Even though the DLC has been out for just a few days, what does Motion Twin have planned next?

Speaking to DualShockers at PAX East 2019, studio head and producer Steve Filby said that the development is “not planning on stopping anytime soon” when it comes to new content. In fact, it’s currently working on a new update that should arrive by Summer, and new levels that will be out even later in the year.

It’s not confirmed whether these will be free updates or paid DLC – the studio is currently looking for the community’s feedback on the same. Filby also said that the developer is “excited” about Google Stadia, the recently announced cloud-based streaming platform, and that working on it is “definitely something we’re looking into.” Google Stadia is out later this year for the United States, Europe, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Motion Twin’s first major DLC for Dead Cells will be going live tomorrow with Rise of the Giant. And what better way to celebrate its upcoming release than with an animated trailer? Check out our immortal hero in action as he descends into a new level, meets new enemies, and battles a towering new boss (before dying, of course).

Rise of the Giant introduces a new biome with some new areas and new bosses. There are a fair number of secrets to unlock as well, some tied to the new Boss Cell progression. Each Boss Cell will have new enemies and opportunities to unlock 50 new outfits for the protagonist.

Of course, you can also expect new weapons like the Giant Killer, Boï Axe, and Thunder Shield. Three new skills including a flying owl that attacks enemies have also been added. Rise of the Giant will be available free for the base game on Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Simply download the latest update when it’s live.

Motion Twin’s first major DLC for Dead Cells, Rise of the Giant, is out on March 28th. It’s completely free and will provide tons of new content, like the new Cavern location. Boss Cells have also been revamped, and there are 50 new skins that players can unlock upon progressing.

The new Cavern requires beating the game to access, so you’ll need to have that done. It features new enemies and a new boss, but keep your eyes open for the new secret level as well. A new secret boss will be available that can lead to a new ending.

If that weren’t enough, 10 new weapons, including the Giant Killer and Thunder Shield, and new skills also await players. Rise of the Giant is available to try in the alpha branch on Steam for current game owners. Otherwise, Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch players can look forward to its full release on March 28th.

Motion Twin is currently testing its first major DLC, Rise of the Giant for Dead Cells, the rogue-lite Metroidvania title with stellar combat. While the alpha branch is available for Steam owners to download, there wasn’t too much indication as to when it would release. Thanks to a recent mini-documentary by Red Bull Gaming, it seems that we won’t have to wait long – it’s currently slated for Spring.

At the 8:54 mark (the video’s timestamped, so just hit play), artist Noémie Szmrzsik-Cohard talks about how the DLC has been in development for nine months, and that “players are going to freak out.” Lead designer Sébastien Bénard also said, “The game as it is right now, it’s complete, but we really want to have an extra layer of quality on it. The DLC is really all about putting a proper conclusion to the story, and to explain things a little bit more and give the player new ways to understand the game world.”

While a firmer release date was not provided, it’s good to know that the DLC isn’t that far off. Currently, Rise of the Giant offers tons of new content, like new weapons, items, biomes, enemies, and bosses. It also completely revamps the Boss Cells system, while introducing lots of new outfits to earn. Stay tuned for more information on its release date.

Motion Twin is currently in the final phases of its first free DLC plans for Dead Cells. It’s dubbed “Rise of the Giant“, and though a final release date for it wasn’t provided, the developer has made an alpha version available for owners to test out on Steam. Simply head to your Library, right-click on the game, and select Properties. Locate the Betas tab and look for “Alpha – Not for the faint hearted” in the drop-down box.

Once selected, start downloading the update and you’ll be good to go. Rise of the Giant is touted as having “a lot of new content” and will expand on the current end-game. One of the new biomes and the accompanying boss actually won’t be accessible until you beat the game once. Along with adding a fifth Boss Cell, the developer is also revamping how Boss Cells work in general.

Boss Cells 1 to 5 will feature new enemies, new skins (with 50 new outfits to unlock), new weapons, and much more. It’s worth noting that any saves created in the alpha version will be lost whenever an update is released. While you can import your old save files from the base game and continue progressing, they can’t be exported back. Check out some of the patch notes below.

Rise of the Giant

Important features

• You’ll now get access to the Cavern level after you beat the game for the first time. Look for this place inside the Graveyard… This whole new level is filled with nasty traps, perilous lava pools and violent new enemies. New ways to die!
• Custom Mode will be now unlocked after few runs (no need to beat the final boss anymore). Custom options were adjusted accordingly.
• A new boss has arrived. Right after the Cavern, you will have access to this epic battle, so be prepared!
• A new shiny Skinning system was added to the game, giving you access to more than 50 new character outfits. You can unlock by paying for amazing loot boxes in our new Premium Shop using your credit c… Oh wait. No no no. We don’t do that anymore. They will just drop as classic blueprints from existing enemies (in higher difficulty modes) and bosses. You might also find a few ones in specific hidden area of the game. You can customize your outfits in the Flask Room.
• 10 new enemies types were added to the world! Some will wait for you in the Cavern or the hidden level, but many were also added to Hard / Very hard / Expert / Nightmare modes, for your sadistic pleasure. They will gladly bury your face into the ground, burn you to death and slice all your useful organs.
• 3 new skills, including a flying pet and a single-use scroll that will reveal the current level map.
• 10 new weapons, including the Giant Killer, the Boï Axe or the Thunder shield, for your violent needs.
• A new Specialist shop replaces the old Hunter Grenade door in Prisoners’ Quarters. It’s still unlocked the classic way through the Collector shop. You can buy a Hunter Grenade, a Map or a nice shinny skin there.
• A new complete hidden level was added for very advanced and skilled players to explore (did someone say Boss-Cells 5?). Unveil a whole new ending to your story by beating the crap out of the mysterious big bad guy that awaits for you there… Yes. There is an hidden boss fight too.
• A new cursed gem might now drop from enemies that will grant tons of gold, but also curse you.
• [Custom Game] Added an option to let the fountain always available in BC 1 and + (but will lock achievements)
• The Custom Mode is now unlocked by beating a mini-boss in Prison Roofs.
• Food drop was rebalanced. You now have 100% chance to have 1 unit on mobs and 1 unit hidden in walls in every levels, one food unit dropped by mobs is guaranteed to be clear from Infection, and food sold by shops is now always clean.