Descenders Next offers multiple biomes, each with different nodes and unique conditions. Upon unlocking new nodes, you can partake in procedurally generated runs like the original (if a unique race isn’t already present). Multiplayer is also introduced, and you can unlock new gear upon accruing points.

For more details on Descenders Next, check out our feature. Early access currently offers four biomes, two sports, and three teams. It will continue for two years, during which RageSquid will add more environments, modding support, new multiplayer modes, additional sports, and many more customization options. Best of all, the price won’t change when it exits early access. Stay tuned for updates in the meantime.

Krafton said in a press release that it “sought to keep the Unknown Worlds’ co-founders and original creators of the Subnautica series involved in the game’s development,” but now wishes them “well on their next endeavors.” It’s also “confident” about Papoutsis bringing “renewed energy and momentum to delivering the long-anticipated Subnautica 2 experience to fans.”

“There is nothing more important than the gamer experience. Given the anticipation around Subnautica 2, we owe our players nothing less than the best possible game as soon as possible,” said CEO Kim Chang-han. “We are thrilled Steve is joining us in our shared commitment at KRAFTON and Unknown Worlds to deliver Subnautica 2 as a more complete and satisfying entry in the series—one that truly lives up to player expectations.”

“Krafton puts players at the heart of every decision because they deserve the absolute best. We understand how eager our community is to dive into the underwater world of Subnautica 2, and we are working diligently to deliver an experience that meets those expectations—while maintaining our unwavering commitment to quality and player experience. We deeply appreciate the patience and trust of our Subnauts, and we are doing everything possible to ensure the final result is worth the wait.”

Papoutsis added, “I am thrilled to be taking on this new role within the Krafton family and to be working alongside the immensely talented team at Unknown Worlds. Player experience is our North Star, and the team is laser-focused on delivering the best possible game for the Subnautica community. We appreciate Ted, Charlie and Max for their past roles in having built this beloved world, and thank the fans for your devotion and patience.”

Subnautica 2’s early access launch doesn’t have a release date, but it will be available on PC and Xbox Series X/S (via Game Preview). It features a new story and a world “too dangerous” for humans. Yet their ship AI insists they push ahead (and hopefully not in a HAL 9000 way). You still craft tools like the Scanner and Flashlight while discovering other recipes and building bases.

However, the building system has been overhauled to allow more customization. There are also new biomes and aquatic life (including Leviathans) to discover. Also, for the first time in the series, four-player co-op is supported. Stay tuned for more details on Subnautica 2 in the coming months.

After all, Grounded launched last year for PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch as one of the first four Xbox exclusives to make the jump to other platforms. While there aren’t any plans for Grounded 2 to do the same, executive producer Marcus Morgan told IGN that the team will “see where it goes in the future.”

“I will say that I’m so, so happy for Grounded that we were able to go on all those platforms. At the end of the day, we have a little tagline of ‘Ride together, survive together.’ This game, to me, is about playing together with your friends no matter where they play. And so our goal always is to reach as many players as possible. We’ll start off with this. We’ll see where it goes in the future.”

Obsidian will provide a roadmap for Grounded 2 on the same day that early access goes live. While it could repeat its predecessor’s process, Morgan says the team isn’t putting “any hard and fast constraints on that because there is a very sincere commitment to the early access process of putting content out there, seeing how people react to it, iterating on that and building from it.”

“I definitely see Grounded 2 as being…it’s set up to be much more expandable than maybe we had initially laid out Grounded 1 for, but we need to see how it goes in terms of whether or not we put a cap on or not.

“In terms of what we do for future content and beyond, that’ll really be dictated by what players do and then assuming if back-end and tech can still hold and keep us in the future, but we would stick with that too. But we’ll play that out as we work with the community through it.”

Grounded 2 will retail for $29.99 when early access begins on July 29th, though it’s also playable via Game Preview for Game Pass subscribers. Head here for more details on why Obsidian chose to make a sequel instead of updating the first game.

Speaking to IGN, executive producer Marcus Morgan said, “We started Grounded on the original Xbox One. And we were running out of room to actually physically get things into the game. And so if we wanted to add any more content, we actually would’ve had a hard load to expand the game. And that ruined the concept of being really immersed and really being in this continuous space.”

There was also a desire to tell a new story (since the first game concluded well enough) and add mounts known as Buggies that also help in building and combat. “We had already prototyped out making multiple creatures in Grounded 1. The challenge was that we didn’t design all the spaces to match that new style of play.

“You change the speed of traversal, you have to spread out your distance between [points of interest], how you handle over lands, how you handle interior spaces, how you handle environmental hazards. All that stuff wasn’t really thought through, so we needed to build a whole new space to really let those things land. That’s why the game’s so much bigger.”

Obsidian isn’t working on the game alone. Eidos Montreal (Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Shadow of the Tomb Raider fame), is on as a co-developer “in the truest sense,” says Morgan. Several developers were big fans of the original, and as a result, the studio designed the premise and villains for the sequel.

Grounded 2 launches on July 29th in early access for $29.99, though expect the price to increase as development progresses. The first zone is “nearly as big” as the first game’s entire backyard, and players can look forward to improved combat, new hostile bugs, and more. Obsidian will share a roadmap when early access goes live, so stay tuned.

The sequel seemingly follows the same teenagers from the first game, who have been shrunken again and must contend against giant-sized versions of insects. These include scorpions, butterflies and the ever-icky spiders with their web shields. Fortunately, you can use ants as mounts and even fight while riding around.

New weapons and gear sets have also been revealed, including an elemental stave that can chill enemies. The environments also look fairly sleek, with what seems to be a park as the latest “map” to explore.

Grounded 2 will also be available on day one for Game Pass. There’s no word yet on whether it will come to PS5, so stay tuned for more details.

As a side-scrolling beat ’em up, Towerborne takes place in a fantasy world where the remnants of humanity have holed up in the Belfry. Several threats remain, so they dispatch the Aces to navigate the tile-based world. Clearing a tile nets rewards, including weapons and gear, though you may also discover familiar-like beings called Umbras that can lend a hand.

Check out our review of the PC version when early access began; however, several updates have since gone live, including the Class Mastery Update. Available alongside the Xbox Series X/S version, it overhauls progression and adds over 50 new missions. Cross-platform play is also finally available alongside more Job variety, new Legendaries, and a “more refined” questline.

On March 20th, Supermassive Games’ The Quarry joins the service for the cloud and consoles, followed by Evil West on March 21st. March 26th sees Terra Invicta, the massive strategy title from the creators of XCOM’s Long War mod, releasing on Game Preview for PC players. Diablo 4 is perhaps the biggest release, coming to consoles and PC on March 28th.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged and Open Roads are coming on the same day and playable on cloud, consoles and PC. Finally, April 1st kicks off with the addition of Ark: Survival Ascended for cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X/S. On April 2nd, F1 23 is playable via EA Play on the cloud while Superhot: Mind Control Delete arrives for subscribers on the cloud, consoles and PC.

The titles leaving on March 31st include Hot Wheels Unleashed and MLB The Show 23 (which makes sense considering the addition of their sequels). Infinite Guitars is also going away, though Game Pass subscribers can avail of 20 percent discounts to purchase the titles.

But what is Vampire Survivors? It’s described as a “reverse bullet hell” title where players wander around, auto-attacking hordes of enemies. XP is earned, and level-ups are gained, unlocking new abilities and upgrades. As time goes on, the waves become thicker and more dangerous, but your build can become ridiculously powerful. You’ll also gain gold for unlocking new characters and permanent upgrades.

Version 1.0 adds two new modes for even more chaos – Inverse Mode, where stage layouts are upside down and gold gains are increased by 200 percent, and Endless Mode, where reaching the final minute triggers a new cycle. Enemy density, health and damage are increased each cycle, making it tougher to survive over time.

Even more content is coming to Vampire Survivors post-launch, so stay tuned in the coming months.

All of the content in this update is a “surprise” and should “hopefully offer a little something for everyone.” The developer did confirm that Santa Water/La Borra would be slightly nerfed and some new Achievements added. Existing Achievements will also get new unlock conditions, but if you’ve unlocked them, then they’ll remain so. Save data is also carrying over.

As for the port to the new engine, it’s still ongoing and should release before 2022 is in the books. “We’re at the last pass at optimization and polish (plus adding the final bits of content that still have to be seen on the current version too). Once it’s out, Save Data will carry over.” Though it will provide increased performance and improved compatibility, the port is optional, and the Electron version will remain available.

Of course, support won’t be ending at launch. The developer teases a “lot more” surprises along with quality of life improvements to Golden Eggs and Limit Breaks. Teasers for update v1.0 will start on October 7th, so keep an eye out for new details.

Vampire Survivors is available on PC via Steam Early Access and Game Preview. It’s also playable on Game Pass.