High On Life is the biggest Game Pass release of 2022, the biggest 3rd party launch in Game Pass history, and the biggest single-player game launch on Game Pass ever.
High On Life is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Windows, and is available as part of Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
Today, we’re happy to announce that HighOn Life — the comedy-shooter featuring charismatic talking guns from Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland’s Squanch Games — is Xbox Game Pass’ biggest launch of 2022, the biggest 3rd party Game Pass launch of all time, and the biggest release of a single player-only game in the service’s history. Those stats are measured in terms of engagement, based on the number of hours played in the first five days of release.
“This was our first time launching a game with Game Pass,” said Mike Fridley, Studio Director and COO of Squanch Games, “and we’ve been blown away by the response from the players who have made us the most popular game on Game Pass right now. When Squanch Games was first created, it was to make the games we wanted to play – and Game Pass is helping us reach the players that want to play those games too.”
“High On Life is an incredibly unique title that we’ve been excited about for a long time,” said Matt Percy, General Manager of Content Planning at Xbox. “It’s fantastic to see so many Game Pass members jump into it at launch to experience Squanch’s story for themselves ahead of the holidays.”
High On Life tells the story of a regular teenager who gets embroiled in a galactic conflict after an alien cartel discovers humans can be used as drugs. Of course, the only recourse is to become a bounty hunter and take the whole cartel down. A mixture of classic shooting, light RPG mechanics, and outrageous humor, High on Life has proven a huge hit with fans across the world.
In a recent podcast interview with Larry Hryb, Xbox’s Major Nelson, co-creator Justin Roiland explained how much there is to find along the way, and encouraged players to journey “off the golden path” for plenty of deeply buried details and secrets. Inspired by Roiland’s own gaming interests, including Fallout 3, the team went above and beyond to prioritize extra voices, animations, and details that reflect player decisions. To learn more, check out the interview here.
Thank you to the Xbox community and those who have joined us on this quest to save this crazy world from the alien cartel. If you aren’t among the millions of players who are already exploring the world of High On Life yet, you can grab the game right now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Windows, and with your Game Pass membership.
High On Life
Squanch Games, Inc.
☆☆☆☆☆622
★★★★★
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass
From the Co-Creator of Rick & Morty and Solar Opposites, comes High On Life. Fresh out of high school with no job and no ambition, you’ve really got nothing going for you until an alien cartel that wants to get high off humanity invades Earth. Now, you and a team of charismatic talking guns must answer the hero’s call and become the deadliest intergalactic bounty hunter the cosmos has ever seen. Travel to a variety of biomes and locations across the cosmos, go up against the nefarious Garmantuous and his gang of goons, collect loot, meet unique characters, and more, in the latest comedy adventure from Justin Roiland!
2022 has been an incredible year for PC gaming. We have been so fortunate to have partners bringing amazing games to PC Game Pass like A Plague Tale: Requiem (on day one!), Persona 5 Royal, and rolling out the full game release of Grounded. All these games and hundreds more are in the Xbox app on PC, and I’m excited to share our final update for the Xbox app on PC as the year comes to a close.
Before we get to what’s new, I want to thank everyone in our community for your continued feedback and discussions to make the PC gaming experience even better. We’ll be back with more updates and more games in 2023, but for now let’s recap what updates you can see right now!
Riot Games Now Available with Xbox Game Pass
As we shared earlier today, exclusive benefits for Riot Games are now available for all Xbox Game Pass members. You can find Valorant, League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, and Legends of Runeterra in the Xbox app on PC. To get started, pick which game to download and play, then follow the prompts to link your Game Pass and Riot accounts. We’re excited members can start playing Riot games with your Game Pass benefits on PC!
Delivering a Faster and More Responsive App
This year, we continued to improve the performance and reliability of the Xbox app. With recent updates, the app now launches up to 40% faster. We have also made fixes to the Game Pass tab so that it loads up to 30% faster and is more responsive as you browse games.
Game Installation and Management Features
In February, we introduced a series of features to make installing PC Game Pass games better to meet the expectations of PC players. This includes features like accessing local game files, installing to any directory, moving games between drives, easier ability to mod games, and verifying and repairing installs.
In June, we rolled out the PC Bootstrapper, which provides a consistent and simple way for developers to integrate capabilities like Xbox services and game saves, as well as communicate game launch status, ensure the installed game is up to date, and more. This helps deliver the best experiences for players.
We’re also committed to improving the reliability of game downloads and installs with every update. With the September update, we saw player reports of games that didn’t download or didn’t install successfully reduced by nearly half, and we continue to see success rates trending up month after month for players downloading, installing, and launching games. We’ve also added notifications when Gaming Services updates are required so that the app will always be fresh for the best game play.
Making it Easier to Discover Great Games
We’ve continued to update the app to make it easier to discover the games you’ll love. You can see how well a game will run on your PC before you download it with the game performance fit indicator, and we partnered with HowLongToBeat so that you can view estimates for how long it will take you to complete a game for most PC Game Pass games.
We’ve also made updates to make it easier to find your next game. Trailers, screenshots, and game descriptions are available at a glance right at the top of the Game Details pages and also show news from developers for most games. We changed the layout of the Xbox app on PC to make it easier to find new games, including more collections to explore, games front and center at the top of the tab, and improved accuracy of search. We also rolled out navigation improvements to find more games to play. All navigation is on the sidebar and the queue helps you easily track game installations so you can jump right in and play.
Thank you from our team for another great year of gaming. Please keep sharing your comments in the Feedback Hub, via Twitter, or the Xbox Insiders Reddit.
This holiday season, you can play with the planet in mind. In the spirit of this season of giving, we want to share our tips for how you can be kinder to the planet while doing what you love most, playing.
Buying a new device? Reduce your impact with refurbished consoles and ground shipping
Xbox now offers Xbox Series X|S (Refurbished) as a lower waste alternative to buying a brand-new console. These refurbished consoles undergo a rigorous certification process, are tested to confirm they’re working properly, and inspected for hardware and cosmetic quality to deliver the high-quality gaming experience our fans love, while improving the circularity of our consoles.
Buy your console or Xbox accessories through the Microsoft Store and choose ground shipping. Microsoft Store offers the option of free ground shipping (3-7 business days) on eligible orders in the contiguous US, which is a lower-carbon emission solution compared to standard airfreight expedited and express shipping.
Trade-in your used device for cash
If you’re upgrading your own console, you can trade in eligible devices through the Microsoft Store to give them a new life and get cash back. The Microsoft Store Trade-in Program is powered by Teladvance, a company that specializes in electronics reuse and recycling. You get cash back and your used device gets a new home — or it’s recycled in a responsible way. Click here to learn more about this program and where it’s available.
Use the power-saving setting, shutdown (energy saving), on Xbox Series X|S to reduce energy consumption
One of the quickest ways to reduce emissions from gameplay (and your energy bill!) is to make sure you have the latest energy saving features enabled. You’ll use up to 20x less power when your console is turned off using shutdown (energy saving) mode and your system and games will stay updated.
Turn on Shutdown (energy saving) in three easy steps:
1. Press the Xbox button on your controller.
2. Navigate to Profile & system > Settings > General > Power options. 3. Choose Shutdown (energy saving).
Learn more about the environment with Minecraft’s new Frozen Planet II maps.
A recent Xbox survey showed that more than 50% of games played during the holiday season were family-friendly, such as Minecraft. This holiday, explore five amazing Minecraft maps inspired by the new Frozen Planet II television series from BBC Earth. Play as eight different animals, learning what it takes to survive and thrive in some of the world’s harshest conditions. Protect your polar bear cubs, hunt as a killer whale, and gather nectar as a bumblebee in beautiful frozen worlds. The Frozen Planet II maps are available for Minecraft: Education Edition and Bedrock in the Minecraft Marketplace.
Donate Microsoft Rewards points to an environmental nonprofit.
Through Microsoft Rewards with Xbox, you can earn points while you play, complete your Quests and offers, and make select purchases on the Microsoft Store! Players in the United States can donate points in a few easy steps: turn on your console, go to the Microsoft Rewards app on Xbox, scroll over to Redeem, and navigate down to Donate your points. On the web, you can simply visit Microsoft Rewards (bing.com) to Donate. You can then select between one of the many nonprofits, including the three environmental causes we partner with to donate your points. Read about them below:
World Wildlife Fund – As the world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in nearly 100 countriesto build a future in which people live in harmony with nature. To deliver on this mission, they work to conserve and restore biodiversity, reduce humanity’s environmental footprint, and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources to support current and future generations
Water.org – 1 in 10 people lack access to safe water and 1 in 4 people lack access to a toilet. Water.org is a global nonprofit organization working to change this. They help people living in poverty get access to safe water and sanitation at home – giving women hope, children health and families a bright future.
The Nature Conservancy – The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. Their mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.
The Groundedteam and Obsidian Entertainment are very happy to announce that over 15 million players have entered the backyard. When Grounded hit its full release just a couple of months ago, the backyard was swarmed by players looking to see what life was like on a micro level. Whether you’ve been with us from the very beginning, or have only recently taken on your first mite, we want to thank you for being a part of this impressive community.
Since its early access launch, Grounded has been a game that has been built by the community and the full release has not changed that. Thanks to the feedback from newcomers and old friends alike, the team has a special update ready just in time for the holidays. A Holiday Treat will bring in a host of quality-of-life features as well as some exciting new gameplay features and content to help those explore the backyard.
Of the new gameplay features that will make a lot of people happy is the ability for the ZIP.R lines to go up. No longer will players only be able to descend on their ziplines placed throughout the yard as they will now have the ability to ascend as well, helping get to places they want to explore even quicker. There is also a new trap that will help protect your base against invading creatures. When it comes to the base, there are also a host of new base decoration and vanity items coming in this update like new chairs, dressers, half stairs, and even a holiday “tree” that can be displayed during the month of December.
The real big changes come in the quality-of-life updates that the community has asked for. The big one is an additional row of space in the player inventory. This will help for those who like to carry multiple weapon types and armor sets depending on the situation, but also want to harvest and collect everything they can find. And speaking of carrying weapons for different situations, there are now multiple hotpouches that can be cycled through so players will have even more access to items in their inventory without having to open the menu.
For those who don’t want to deal with waking up in the middle of the night, we have changed the way sleeping works so that you will be able to wake up after the sun rises. Fans of spicy weapons can pre-cook their meals as creatures will now drop cooked meat instead of raw. Toasty! And players can now toggle off their own nameplates for everyone else, so games of hide and seek can now commence. But that’s not all! Everyone can now name trailer markers, build from nearby chests and pallets, and labs have received a new “Water Cooler” building so thirst can be quenched on those long lab excursions.
Grounded is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11, and Steam for $39.99. It’s also available with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta). To learn more about Grounded and for full details on the Holiday Treat update, check out the latest Developer Vlogs on the Obsidian YouTube Channel or visit the official website.
Grounded
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆636
★★★★★
$39.99$31.99
Xbox One X Enhanced
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass
The world is a vast, beautiful, and dangerous place – especially when you have been shrunken to the size of an ant. Explore, build, and survive together in this cooperative survival-adventure. Can you thrive alongside the hordes of giant insects, fighting to survive the perils of the backyard? Uncover the mysteries while playing through the story!
How did you wind up so small? Who did this to you? How do you go home? These are all answers you will uncover as you play through the story. Solo or with friends – anytime!
You can face the backyard alone or together, online, with up to three friends. Not only that, but with the Shared Worlds feature, you can continue to play in your shared world even if the original host is not on, with all your progression saving! (Online console multiplayer requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Xbox Live Gold, sold separately.) Nowhere is safe – not even your base.
Creatures can be found roaming the yard in a multitude of environments, such as the depths of the pond, the caverns of the termite den, and even the sweltering heat found in the sandbox. You can even attract them to different places in the yard by activating the MIX.R devices. However, the more you interfere with the creatures in the yard, the higher the chance that they come knocking at your own door, so you better prepare. Play true to your playstyle!
Use the in-game customization systems such as Mutations and Milk Molars to activate the bonuses and perks you want for your character. Not only that, but craft and upgrade your armor and weapons to give your character the stats and advantages you need in order to take on the perils of the backyard. It’s time to go big, or never go home!
Earlier tonight, the creative and technical excellence of the video game industry was on full display during The Game Awards. Hosted by Geoff Keighley and featuring guest presenters like Al Pacino, Rahul Kohli, Halsey, Keegan-Michael Key, and many others, it proved to be an exciting event where we were all able to take a moment and celebrate all thing gaming.
This evening’s show honored a unique group of game developers, celebrated players, and recognized excellence with many awards being handed out in categories like Game of the Year, Best Sim/Strategy Game, Best Action/Adventure Game, Best Sports/Racing Game, and others. Xbox is grateful to have had As Dusk Falls winning for Games for Impact and nominated for Innovation in Accessibility, and Starfield for Most Anticipated Game. You can see the full list of winners and nominees here on the official site for The Game Awards.
Tunic Nominated: Best Indie, Best Action/Adventure, Best Debut Indie
It was also an exciting night of news and reveals of upcoming games that are coming in 2023 and beyond. Below is a recap of some of the most notable news to come out of tonight’s show:
The Force is strong in Star Wars: Jedi Survivor with explosive new trailer We were treated to an explosive new trailer for the upcoming Star Wars: Jedi Survivor tonight at The Game Awards, along with the confirmation that Cal Kestis will return March 17, 2023, on Xbox Series X|S! Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play members can catch up on Cal’s previous adventures in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and get all the Deluxe Edition content as a Perk from December 9 through January 20.
You can pre-order Star Wars Jedi: Survivor now on the Xbox Store to receive exclusive cosmetic items to outfit Cal with, like the Obi-Wan Kenobi inspired Jedi Survival Cosmetic Pack. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play members can enjoy a 10% discount on pre-orders. Check out our latest preview here on Xbox Wire and stay tuned for even more information in the lead up the launch of Star Wars: Jedi Survivor on Xbox Series X|S.
Fall Guys and Fortnite kick off celebration featuring Gears of War characters Fall Guys is set to welcome another set of legends from the video game pantheon into the Blunderdome. Developed in conjunction with The Coalition, Marcus Fenix and Gears of War franchise favorites Kait Diaz and General RAAM are set to proudly take their place among the Bean Horde. In addition, Marcus Fenix and Kait Diaz will be returning to the Fortnite Battle Royale Island this week alongside more items from the Delta One Set. Check out our Xbox Wire article from earlier today here for full details.
Company of Heroes III is bringing the battle home to console Relic Entertainment and Sega announced they’re bringing the acclaimed tactical gameplay of Company Heroes III to Xbox Series X|S next year. Built from the ground up for console, it will feature a unique tactical pause feature (think XCOM: Enemy Unknown) along with a dynamic campaign map featuring theaters of war in Italy and North Africa. As big fans of the original games on PC, we’re extremely excited to see more of this in action. We’ll have more to share soon about Company Heroes III here on Xbox Wire.
Remnant II emerges from the ashes with first-look trailer Gearbox SF (formally Perfect World) and Gunfire Games revealed that a sequel is in the works to the best-selling game, Remnant: From the Ashes, that pits the last remnants of humanity against the harrowing forces of evil. Remnant II aims to evolve the co-op survival shooter formula with new unseen worlds filled with deadly surprises and encounters when it comes to Xbox Series X|S in 2023. We’ll have more to share soon on Xbox Wire about Remnant II so stay tuned.
First gameplay reveal of Dune: Awakening We got to witness the epic scale of the upcoming Dune: Awakening in a world-first reveal. The new gameplay trailer showcased the open world survival MMO taking place within the rich universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune, where players can look forward to searching for water, building shelters to withstand deadly storms, and battle for control of spice on the planet Arrakis. If this sounds fun to you, sign up for the beta here at duneawakening.com.
Retro-futuristic sci-fi platformer Replaced coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2023 Earlier this year, Coatsink and Thunderful made the difficult decision to postpone Replaced. Since the announcement, Sad Cat Studios have been able to regroup and resume work on the game. Tonight, the team shared a glimpse of what they’ve been up to with a brand-new trailer that took a closer look at the game’s world, combat, and music. We’re also excited to reveal that Replaced will be coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2023. Learn more about this exciting new title here on Xbox Wire.
Crash Team Rumble Announced Heroes and villains of the Crash Bandicoot universe will converge in Crash Team Rumble, facing off in an epic 4v4, team-vs-team Wumpa-collecting, island-hopping championship. Check out the reveal here, which aired during The Game Awards.
Prepare to explore the dangerous world of Regnas in Blue Protocol Become the hero of your very own fantasy adventure in Bandai Namco and Amazon Games’ Blue Protocol, an upcoming free-to-play online action RPG arriving in 2023. Explore the beautiful and dangerous world of Regnas in an immersive experience with deep character customization and action-packed combat. Learn more about Blue Protocol here on Xbox Wire.
New gameplay reveal of Space Marine 2 Hard to believe it has already been a year since the big reveal of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. Tonight, we were served the first extended look at all that gloriously violent Space Marine goodness that made the original game such a thrill to play.
Focus Entertainment shows off Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Following the success of narrative RPG Vampyr, Focus Entertainment and Don’t Nod revealed a new collaboration tonight to bring one of their most ambitious projects to date with the announcement of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. The world premiere reveal trailer showcased the hallmarks of a striking art direction, strong characters and plot, as well as a unique fantasy world. Check out the trailer here.
Get ready to get down with Party Animals in early 2023 with Xbox Game Pass Get ready to join the party in early 2023 on Xbox and Windows! Party Animals is a physics-based multiplayer game where you’ll face off against your friends as one of several fuzzy fighters, brawling across multiple modes and maps using a variety of hilarious, over-the-top weapons. Check out the latest trailer here from The Game Awards and stay tuned to Xbox Wire for more details in the lead-up to its day one launch with Xbox Game Pass in 2023.
Wild Hearts kicks off pre-orders alongside the reveal of the Deathstalker Ready to try your skills and your luck against giant beasts like Wild Hearts’ Deathstalker? Join the hunt on February 17, 2023, by pre-ordering the Karakuri Edition now on the Xbox Store and you’ll be sure to leave a lasting impression on your fellow hunters. It includes the base game and six exclusive items. We’ll have more to share soon here on Xbox Wire about Wild Hearts and the Deathstalker.
Enter a ‘90s action movie with Crime Boss: Rockay City 505 Games showed off Crime Boss: Rockay City, an organized crime game, which centers around one Travis Baker (Michael Madsen) who attempts to claim the underworld throne of Rockay City through a series of turf wars, robberies, side stories, playable solo or with friends. The game also looks to be channeling ‘90s action movies by landing a stellar cast that includes Michael Rooker, Kim Basinger, Danny Glover, Damion Poitier, Danny Trejo, and Vanilla Ice (what?!) and the legendary Chuck Norris. We’ll have more to share soon about Crime Boss: Rockay City here on Xbox Wire.
New Hellboy game revealed Revealed tonight at The Game Awards, Hellboy Web of Wyrd is a rogue-lite action-adventure game with an original story created in partnership with Dark Horse Comics and creator Mike Mignola. Featuring monstrous toe-to-toe brawling, you can look forward to chaining together hard-hitting melee and ranged attacks to fight a diverse array of increasingly nightmarish enemies. Check out the reveal trailer above.
Meet Your Maker starts construction in spring 2023 Meet Your Maker is nearly ready to hand over the keys to its post-apocalyptic wasteland with its just-revealed launch of Spring 2023.This building-and-raiding game will be completely driven by user-generated content. Rather than designing a standard FPS experience, Behaviour Interactive is offering up a devious toolbox of blocks, traps, guards, and more, inviting players to create their own experiences and challenge each other. We’ll have more to share soon about Meet Your Maker here on Xbox Wire.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II shows off Raid Episode 01, Coming December 14 We got our first look at Raid tonight, set to make its debut in Modern Warfare II starting mid-season on December 14. A squad of three players will need to work as one to successfully infiltrate a hidden submarine dock within the borders of Urzikstan and Al Mazrah. Complete the first episode to unlock the new operator, Gaz. You can check out the Raid Episode 1 Trailer reveal trailer above.
Three years ago, I began a soul-searching journey involving my own mental wellness. As Quality of Life Program Manager with 343 Industries, I have the privilege to engage in work coordinating the Halo team’s cultural and philanthropic efforts as well as working with Team Xbox and Microsoft to develop diversity and inclusion initiatives. As much as I love my job, at the end of busy days filled with meetings and thoughtful conversations, I can find myself worn down. Depleted. At first, I thought I was just peopled-out because I am an introverted person, but when I started talking to a therapist about it, I discovered that I experience clinical depression.
For the first time in my life, I finally had the words to describe the wet, heavy blanket I had been carrying all this time. With this awareness, I’m working on how to better care for myself. I talk with my therapist about what triggers my depression and how I can deal with my day-to-day life. Depression is not an end-level boss to beat; it is a part of me that I work to accept and manage. I take medication as part of my treatment, now, and I’ve never felt more balanced in my life! Initially, I had a lot of apprehension about taking medication, but it’s a change I’m glad I talked through and eventually made. With medication, my brain started doing something that it seemed everyone else was able to do. So, now I take medicine for heartburn and heartache, what’s the difference?
Gaming is one of the main ways that I feed my soul or my spirit. I love all kinds of gaming: board games, card games, and party games. But especially video games. I have been Cloud Strife taking on Shinra. I have been an adventurer and taken an arrow to the knee. I have lived a thousand lives over and over again through the stories of video games. When I am really in the depths of my depression, I often turn to Katamari Damacy. That game makes no sense at all, but it’s such a delight. You are tasked with rolling up all the things in the world into a ball, everything from fruit to furniture to buildings to people, and somehow…make new stars out of it? I have no idea. But, when the world doesn’t make sense, I can just roll up all the junk into a ball and keep going.
Gaming can be such a great source of release. And, while I love competition as much as the next gamer, the times when gaming has helped me the most is when I am using it to relax and explore. As a Black man, spaces where I feel that security can be hard to find. Moreover, I know that that’s not something out of the ordinary, which is why I’m adamant about playing games that bring me joy and encouraging others to do the same. I have Minecraft caves and Stardew Valley farms that I have enjoyed as much as some of my plasma-scorched battlefields. Ultimately, I just like seeing people, myself included, play what makes them happy (minus any toxicity)!
Gaming is fun and, honestly, I just want to say to other men out there, and especially to other Black men, it’s okay to have fun with gaming and not take it so seriously. It’s okay for it to not be a competition and just have a relaxing time planting crops in a cozy game. You do you.
Games also have the potential to be this transformative experience that can connect us with other people and experiences. Spiritfarer, which is a management simulator that tells a story about grief through relationships, straight-up made me cry as I connected with my own experiences of grief. I once attended an in-game funeral for a real person I have never met because I felt so connected to them through the relationship we developed over gaming. I think it’s mind-blowing that games have the power to connect us like that. Because, really, it’s not what we are going through that is so difficult, but that we often try to go through it alone.
Life is not a single-player game. To anyone out there feeling alone, just know this: someone cares. Someone, most likely someone you know and love, is willing to hear you out. Whether or not you have the privilege to seek out therapy right now, finding someone to talk to about what you are going through is always a great first step.
If you need some support and aren’t sure where to turn, start with one of the resources below. Join the Team Xbox community as we embrace the power of play as one of many tools to encourage mental wellness throughout the year.
Discover
Xbox Ambassadors Feature Stories about How Video Games Helped Them through Stress and Burn Out
To promote Mental Health Awareness, Xbox Ambassadors shared how video games have helped them through times of stress and burn out.
v Amarie v She/Her. United States.
“The Elder Scrolls Online has my heart when it comes to stress relief. The biggest reason for this is the music that the game offers and the amazing landscapes. Tamriel is the most beautiful place to escape too, and I can spend hours exploring. I am so grateful to this game and the community has been amazing. In a very strange way Tamriel feels like a 2nd home to most [of] us who really immerse ourselves. I am truly, truly grateful.”
CutePixiestik She/Her. United States.
“My gaming was placed on back burner when I became a parent. However, as my child grew up and financial stresses lessened, I got back into gaming with playing with my son and convincing my husband to try also. Gaming was there to give me a special time to share with my family and provide an outlet for stress and stiff fingers and eye-hand coordination. From playing Fortnite, Halo, Call of Duty and Asphalt 9, they all seem to give me an outlet to put the stresses of the day away and enjoy gaming with friends and family.”
Microsoft Rewards members can earn and donate points to organizations supporting mental wellness with Xbox. The organizations below will be featured on console:
Crisis Text Line – Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention in English and Spanish by empowering a community of more than 55,000 trained volunteers to support people in their moments of need. Text PAUSE to 741741 to connect with a volunteer crisis counselor. (US)
The Games and Online Harassment Hotline (Feminist Frequency) – The Games and Online Harassment Hotline is a free, text message-based, confidential emotional support hotline. This Hotline was created specifically for the gaming community. Whether you’re a player, a developer, a streamer, a competitor — any part of this community — they are here for you, whether that means offering emotional support or finding the referrals and resources that you need. (US)
Take This – Take This is a mental health advocacy organization with a focus on the game industry and community. They provide resources, training, and support individuals and companies that help the gaming community improve its mental well-being and resilience. The organization addresses the underlying conditions that can create and perpetuate mental health challenges: stigma, harmful studio culture, harassment and toxicity, lack of diversity and accessibility, and problematic game and community design. Take This also runs the AFK Room Program at game conventions. (US)
Lifeline– Lifeline is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing emotional distress with access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. They are committed to empowering Australians to be suicide-safe through connection, compassion and hope. (AUS) – Coming soon!
Xbox gamers can earn Microsoft Rewards points in various ways when they join, such as playing games and completing Game Pass Quests, completing offers in the Microsoft Rewards app on Xbox, and select purchases at the Microsoft Store (exclusions apply). Earn points and redeem them for real rewards. Join us today and donate through Xbox.
Play
Take a Break and Recharge Your Way with Games Curated by Staff at Microsoft
Games allow us to immerse ourselves in fantasy realms and experience different perspectives in a powerful way. In a world where we could all benefit from additional ways to rest and reset regularly, more games are being designed with the opportunity to recharge in mind. As a common tool for relaxation, comfort, and cultivating positive feelings, games can help us create supportive communities in which we can relate to each other’s experiences and share stories of how games have impacted our lives.
We want to highlight a collection of games that provide an escape from the trials of life, give us ways to connect to our unique identities, and share stories that explore the significance and strength of mental health awareness. We understand that people play games for a variety of reasons, ranging from wanting to relax to wanting to dive deep into emotional stories they can empathize with. As part of our ongoing work to create more inclusive gaming ecosystems and elevate content that resonates with communities, we are including a diverse set of games, allowing people to engage with content that appeals to their personal gaming needs. This collection is available on Xbox, Windows, Mobile, and the Cloud year-round.
Persona 5 Royal (Available with Xbox Game Pass and Rated M) — Persona 5 Royal steps up an already incredible story that navigates the cross-section of mental health and heroism by introducing the character Dr. Takuto Maruki. As the guidance counselor of Shujin Academy, Dr. Maruki supports the Phantom Thieves’ by listening to their traumatic pasts, validating their emotions, and providing them with empathy and encouragement. Not only does this game elegantly portray the complex feelings that come with common human struggles like grief, trauma, dissociation, and depression, but now it also provides a prime example of the positive impact that therapy can have on our lives. Content warning: suicide.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (Available with Xbox Game Pass and Rated M) — Senua, a Celtic warrior, embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to save the soul of her dead lover. Developer Ninja Theory collaborated closely with neuroscientists and people with lived experiences of psychosis to bring Senua’s story to life with authenticity.
Disney Dreamlight Valley (Available with Xbox Game Pass) — In this unique hybrid of adventure games and life-simulators, Disney Dreamlight Valley allows players to be a hero in a Disney-themed universe of their own creation. Filled with iconic Disney and Pixar characters, storylines in the form of quests, and seemingly endless customization options, this game provides a calming atmosphere for open exploration, free from any form of combat, while engaging fans in a captivating story that they can complete at their leisure.
Unpacking (Available with Xbox Game Pass) — This zen puzzle game allows you to unweave the coming-of-age story of a queer woman moving through a variety of stages in life. Decorate and organize each new interior living space in a meditative way while contemplating what we hold on to and let go of through the sentimental meaning of our personal belongings.
Stardew Valley (Available with Xbox Game Pass) — Winner of the Dr. Mark Award from Take This for excellent portrayal of mental health, healing, and hope, Stardew Valley is a calming game full of farming, building relationships, and task completion that provides a satisfying feeling of accomplishment. Complete with a relaxing soundtrack, this game is all about slowing down.
View this collection on the Microsoft Store on Xbox and the Microsoft Store on Windows in all Xbox regions. Visitors can find this collection at any time by searching within the Stores for “Mental Health” and related terms.
Find a Save Point
Perhaps you enjoy cozy games with cartoon graphics and chill play options? Or perhaps you prefer an RPG with retro graphics and an engaging story? Whatever way you choose to recharge, we wanted to share this beautiful nighttime camping scene, which is reminiscent of save points in many games which you can use as your profile theme or gamerpicas a reminder to take a pause, breathe, and rest on your journey.
Never Fight Alone with Gears of War
Gears of War has always told stories about belonging and brotherhood. The rapidly rising rates of suicide, depression, and loneliness concern us deeply and we believe in the opportunity to come together to reduce and prevent further suffering.
The Coalition has made a multi-year commitment to donate 1% of net revenue from all Gears of War games and merchandise to organizations working to prevent suicide and combat loneliness. This year, all proceeds benefit Crisis Text Line.
To show your support, you can purchase the 2022 Benefit Tee from the Xbox Gear Shop.
New Gamerpics, Profile Theme, and Avatar Items
In honor of mental health awareness, we’re introducing a new gamerpic, profile themes, and avatar items featuring Xbox logos inspired by relaxing, cozy games! We hope you will be inspired to take a break and relax in the world of your favorite cozy game, perhaps by crafting, decorating, building relationships, or enjoying the view of a star-filled sky. These gamerpics and profile themes will be available on console and the Xbox PC app. Get your avatar items here. Content is subject to availability by country.
Tune in
Xbox Plays Celebrates Mental Health Awareness
In December, the Xbox Plays team will feature some great guest streamers who will take over the Xbox Twitch channel and share their favorite feel-good games, stress relief tips, and more! Follow us on Xbox Twitchand don’t miss any of these cozy streams!
Monday, December 5 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. PT – Phedranplaying Minecraft
Monday, December 5 from 3 p.m.-6 p.m. PT – sheilurplaying Disney Dreamlight Valley
Wednesday, December 14 from 3 p.m.-6 p.m. PT – emmeplaying Stardew Valley
Xbox Partners with Calm
The holidays can be a time of joy and connection, but for many, they can negatively affect mental health. One place people are turning to destress and re-energize is through gaming, according to a recent survey conducted in six countries by YouGov, and commissioned by Xbox. Of the survey respondents who play video games, 54% turn to video games to relieve stress.
Now, players everywhere will have a new tool to improve their general wellness, all within two video game universes. Calm, the #1 app for sleep, meditation and relaxation is partnering with Xbox to bring the first-ever video game-themed soundscapes to the platform. Officially available on December 7, players can immerse themselves and enjoy the meditative sounds of whirling waves and chattering birds from the ocean expanse of Sea of Thieves and the ambient alien sounds of Zeta Halo from Halo Infinite both available through Calm Premium. To ensure players can listen to the new soundscapes with ease, we’re also announcing a new Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perk. Starting today, Ultimate members can receive three months of Calm Premium for free, and then 50% off their first year subscription, when they sign up (new Calm Premium members only). Calm also offers a 7-day free trial to Calm Premium subscription content via www.calm.com/freetrial.
The partnership with Calm is part of Xbox’s ongoing commitment to supporting players’ mental health and connecting them with resources to support their well-being. According to Calm, 81% of people who use Calm 5 or more times per week reported an improvement in their stress levels, as did 68% of people who engaged with the app only once or twice per week.
Check out the new Sea of Thieves and Halo Infinite soundscapes through Calm Premium by taking advantage of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perk today.
About Calm
Calm is the leading mental health brand, on a mission to support everyone on every step of their mental health journey. With the #1 app for sleep, meditation and relaxation, Calm’s transformational content supports users across seven languages in more than 190 countries. Calm Business, Calm’s enterprise-level solution, helps employees improve their mental health to stay productive in the workplace. Over 3,000 organizations around the world trust and choose Calm Business as their mental health partner. Calm Health, Calm’s mental health care solution for payers, providers and self-insured employers, connects mental and physical healthcare to drive positive patient outcomes through clinical, condition-specific mental health programs, caregiver communication tools and more. Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2020 and Time100’s Most Influential Companies of 2022. For more information, please visitwww.calm.com.
Xbox Game Studios Game Camp was founded in 2020 on the belief that extraordinary talent resides everywhere. The goal of the program is to enable people from traditionally marginalized communities and non-traditional backgrounds to realize their potential in the gaming industry and grow thriving games communities and industries in places all over the world.
In this Q&A series, we aim to highlight the stories of Game Camp Alumni with unique game creation journeys. Today, we will be chatting with the CEO & Creative Director of LemonJuice Game Studio Austin-Taylor Caldwell, about his experience at Game Camp and his current project, Beyond the Nightlight, a 3D horror adventure game that sheds light on mental health and addiction.
Tell us about yourself (if applicable: your team and the game you’re working on)?
My name is Austin-Taylor Caldwell. Like most other individuals in the gaming industry, I grew up playing video games. However, to think about making a career in gaming was laughable to me from a young age. I was raised in the poorest county in my state where resources and connections to the tech industry were extremely far and few. Fast forward to 2020, I decided to jump into the deep end and founded LemonJuice Game Studio to make cinematic games within the horror genre. From solo development to Game Camp, LemonJuice now stands at 20 members who are working closely together on our current title, Beyond the Nightlight. It is a 3D horror adventure game that centers around mental health and addiction in hopes to shine light on the topic and potentially help those struggling with these illnesses every day.
Why did you decide to center Beyond the Nightlight on mental health and addiction?
Beyond the Nightlight centers around the study that when we die our brains have seven minutes of activity left, during this time is when our life ‘flashes before our eyes.’ Our protagonist Jolene is in her final seven minutes and does not know it yet. She races through this odd world in a porcelain doll body, chased by Death, to reclaim her memory of what happened to her and how she can get a second chance at life.
I lost my mother in 2019 to drug addiction and that was probably the hardest point in my life. A year later, I found out from my therapist that I have both depression and anxiety…which didn’t help the situation. Beyond the Nightlight is built from real trauma and experiences from real people to show the players that do struggle with similar if not exact issues, that they’re not alone.
“Xbox Game Studios Game Camp taught me things I would have otherwise taken 10 years to learn. Game Camp helped me identify my “superpower” in development and focus on that instead of spreading myself thin.”
Austin-Taylor Caldwell, CEO & Creative Director of LemonJuice Game Studio
Walk us through your game creation journey before you attended Xbox Game StudiosGame Camp?
Before Game Camp, I taught myself game design through Unreal Engine Documentation and a ton of YouTube. Working a full-time job made devoting time to learn game development difficult, but not impossible. I would wake up a couple hours early to get through a few lessons or add a new feature to my project, then go into work and use my lunch to research various systems or solve some problems I may have run into that morning. Returning home after work was when I really put in the work by staying up way later than I should to continue adding features to my project and learning everything I could to make a playable product.
What are some of the key takeaways you learned from your experience at Xbox Game Studios Game Camp?
Xbox Game Studios Game Camp taught me things I would have otherwise taken 10 years to learn. Game Camp helped me identify my “superpower” in development and focus on that instead of spreading myself thin trying to be distinguished in every department. That alone is invaluable, but more than that it also taught me how to manage a team, communicate and network to establish long lasting relationships, how to create and manage a development pipeline, and so much more. Game Camp truly changed my life.
What excites you about the game creation process?
Seeing the first prototype is a feeling words cannot describe. Spending days on days crafting this world and seeing it come to life is enthralling. Directing that is extremely fun to me and seeing others get inspired and watching their eyes light up over a new idea they propose is truly what makes game development so beautiful.
What are some unique challenges your dev teams overcame?Were there any tools/services that helped overcome this?
The biggest challenge we faced was switching our 2D project from Unity to the 3D project it is now within Unreal Engine. Having to rebuild the code in a different language took a bit to get off the ground, but Unreal Engine Documentation helped us as a team get our bearings together and now, we are back up on the ground and sprinting!
Tell us about the tools you are using for game development and why.
We are utilizing Unreal Engine 5 and Quixel Megascans for Beyond the Nightlight . We decided to work within Unreal Engine 5 as the amount of tools provided free of cost truly tip the scales on what we can accomplish. Plus, having Megascans that we can use with ease and easily import into Unreal Engine is amazing for painting a very detailed and immersive environment.
Can you tell us about your experience working with an Xbox Game Studios mentor and what you learned from them about the game creation process?
Working with our mentor, Rosa Dachtler, was a great experience. She was extremely helpful and always available to help in any way she could. Particularly, she guided and supported us as we made an extreme switch in production with only 2 weeks of production time left. She taught us how to build a powerful narrative around action-packed gameplay and how departments can better communicate with each other throughout the design process.”
Now that you’ve attended Xbox Game Studios Game Camp, what’s next for LemonJuice?
Game Camp readied LemonJuice with the tools and knowledge needed to dive headfirst into the industry. We are currently in the final stages of wrapping up our prototype for Beyond the Nightlight. We intend to bring it to publishers so LemonJuice as a collective can work on this project full time and be equipped with the necessary tools to make it as beautiful as we have envisioned. I have always dreamed big, and it is still my dream and goal for my company to become a 1st or 2nd party studio for Xbox Game Studios.
To learn more about Xbox Game Studios Game Camp visit xbox.com/gamecamp.
Black Panther is one of the most culturally impactful heroes of our generation, representing technological innovation, courageous leadership, and Black excellence — all values that resonate deeply within the Xbox community. To celebrate the November 11 theatrical release of Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Xbox aims to inspire a new generation of heroes to innovate, build, and create a space for themselves in the Gaming and STEM industries.
Xbox is offering interactive experiences inspired by the new film, while amplifying diverse voices in the fields of technology and gaming. In the spirit of Xbox’s brand platform, Power Your Dreams, we are kicking off with a drone presentation high in the night sky narrated by Letitia Wright who plays fan-favorite Shuri — Princess of Wakanda and lead scientist of the Wakandan Design Group — reminding us that we each have the potential to power our dreams. The program will point participants to the official “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”-themed Xbox microsite at xbox.com/wakanda-forever, where consumers can explore more information on the film and exclusive Xbox promotions.
“Collaborating with Xbox is an opportunity to show women the power of growing within our respective crafts, whether you’re a designer, a gamer, or an actor,” said Letitia Wright, lead actor. “In many ways, my character Shuri and I have grown together. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” allowed me to expand as an actor while, Shuri grew into her role as Princess of Wakanda and lead scientist of the Wakandan Design Group. Shuri, along with all Wakandans, will have to endure change and embrace the next chapter in Wakanda.”
The site will feature limited-time only giveaways including film-themed custom Xbox console kits inspired by the iconic “Wakanda Forever” salute and the Black Panther hero suit, custom controller holders, bundled with replica Kimoyo beads and custom sterling charms. Budding innovators will also be able to participate in a brand new MakeCode curriculum inspired by the film, where users can learn how to write code for their own playable “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”-themed activity. These hardware and software exclusives will also be made available to fans and students globally and through Microsoft’s NTA programs that work with 1900+ Black social enterprises and non-profits.
Xbox has brought an all-star roster to their “Wakanda Forever” activations to celebrate the film’s release, including:
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” lead actress Letitia Wright, who plays fan-favorite character Shuri — Princess of Wakanda and lead scientist of the Wakandan Design Group — will offer inspiration and encouragement in a series of videos
On November 7, Professor Jacoby DuBose will deliver the very first Wakanda-inspired HBCU Lecture from Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, where he will expand on the MakeCode curriculum and take part in a panel of Black gaming and STEM innovators with the entire lecture streamed live on the University’s social channels
Project Amplify, tapping into Black professionals within Xbox and the gaming industry to share their personal origin stories, advice, and teachings for inspiring a more equitable STEM space
Xbox has teamed up with five Creators to buy out theaters across America and host free local screenings of the film beginning November 11. The local screenings will have reserved seats for youth from underserved communities; by bringing this film to the next generation of young heroes, Xbox aims to create more equitable access for diverse students and to empower them, just as “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” will inspire them, on-screen. Attendees will also have the chance to experience an introduction to the MakeCode platform and win Xbox’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”-inspired consoles and accessories.
Together, these activations and digital experiences are designed to empower underrepresented groups to realize the promise of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” by pursuing opportunities in game creation, mathematics, science, engineering, and more.
About Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
In Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba), fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. Introducing Tenoch Huerta as Namor, king of a hidden undersea nation, the film also stars Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena, and Alex Livinalli. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore, opens in U.S. theaters November 11, 2022.
From cozy to creepy, we pumpkin-rank some of our favorite Game Pass games to play this Halloween.
If you’ve been looking for something to sink your fangs into this Halloween, have we got a treat for you! We’ve pumpkin-ranked the following Game Pass games from fall-themed cozy gems you can snuggle up with as the weather changes, to some real creepers that will give a proper scare — pick and choose to celebrate the season however suits you! Now, go have a happy Halloween with Game Pass!
Rediscover Halloween in this imaginative RPG from Tim Schafer’s Double Fine Productions. Explore the monster-filled neighborhood of Auburn Pines, Autumn Haven Mall, and Fall Valley Carnival. Collect magical costumes with superpowers, unique weapons, and special items as you hunt down quests. Level-up your heroic warrior and battle the evil overlords in this epic adventure to save Halloween!
Betray your friends — and lie your way to victory. In the multiplayer social deduction game Eville you find yourself in a village riddled by a series of murders. Some say it might have been you … or was it? Convince others you’re not a murderer to stay alive!
Descend into the world of Hollow Knight! The award-winning action adventure of insects and heroes. Explore twisting caverns, ancient cities, and deadly wastes. Battle tainted creatures and befriend bizarre bugs. Uncover ancient history and solve the mysteries buried at the kingdom’s heart.
Reaping souls of the dead and punching a clock might get monotonous but it’s honest work for a crow. The job gets lively when your assigned soul is stolen and you must track down a desperate thief to a realm untouched by death, where creatures grow far past their expiry date and overflow with greed and power.
A group of kids are trying to break into their suspicious neighbor’s basement to rescue their missing friend. Only problem is that one of the kids is a traitor — a Secret Neighbor in disguise. His job is to gain the trust of other players and betray them; kids win if they get into the basement.
Under grim moonlight, the fierce clayborne warrior Grey Irma battles, driven by a lonesome purpose: Find the Sculptor, and unravel the mystery of her existence. Push the limits of your combat skills and master new abilities to progress through an unforgiving nonlinear 2D world and face off against the relentless darkness that seeks to destroy you.
Part human, part demon, and obsessed with vengeance. Become The Unknown, and fight through the fiercest domains of Hell. Destroy the demon hordes and their leaders to set yourself up for an epic showdown with The Red Judge herself. Every legend has a song. And yours is one of metal, vengeance, and destruction.
In this direct sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence, embark on a heartrending journey into a brutal, breathtaking world, and discover the cost of saving those you love in a desperate struggle for survival. Strike from the shadows or unleash hell with a variety of weapons, tools, and unearthly powers.
A thrilling cooperative first-person shooter from the creators of the critically acclaimed Left 4 Dead franchise. You’re at the center of a war against the Ridden. These once-human hosts of a deadly parasite have turned into terrifying creatures bent on devouring what remains of civilization. With humanity’s extinction on the line, it’s up to you and your friends to take the fight to the enemy, eradicate the Ridden, and reclaim the world.
Choose between playing as an unstoppable killer or one of four survivors trying to evade a gruesome death. Each character has their own deep progression system and plenty of unlockables that can be customized to fit your personal strategy. Work together to escape, or stalk and sacrifice every survivor.
Set in a nightmarish universe of odd forms and somber tapestry. Isolated and lost inside this dream-like world, you will explore different interconnected regions in a non-linear fashion. Every location contains its own theme, puzzles, and characters that are integral in creating a cohesive world.
For some, the journey into the games industry takes years of persistence and career building in another field before networking and passion lands them that job in gaming. This month, we’re featuring the stories of Xbox employees that started their careers in Retail and explore how they transitioned into their current roles in Xbox. Last time, we met Albert Dankwa III, a Content Program Manager for Xbox Support. Today, we’re happy to share the journey of Chris Douglas, a Business Program Manager for Xbox Game Studios (XGS) Game Camp.
Backstory
Chris grew up playing video games with his family, and from a young age was intrigued by how they worked. He remembers playing his first video game and thinking, “I don’t understand what’s happening. When I move these arrows or press this button, the character on screen moves and jumps, but how? What is going on between the controller and the system and the screen to make all these things happen? That started my journey and got me excited about technology and gaming.”
When he began talking to advisors and teachers about his plans after high school, Chris remembers being told “there’s no money in technology and video games, you won’t be able to do that.” As he got closer to graduation, Chris told his parents that he wanted to be part of the gaming industry, whether that was in development or marketing or some other capacity. He remembers them telling him “I don’t believe that is something for you. We don’t see a lot of people of color, especially black men, with these jobs.” Chris knows his parents weren’t trying to kill his dreams but rather wanted to protect him from failure. Growing up in a black household, Chris says “you don’t have the ability to fail. You don’t have the same privileges as other people and you only get one shot.” Now that he has learned more about the importance of having a growth mindset, Chris understands the benefits and opportunities that come from learning from your failures. Still, he acknowledges that the experiences of other black people often match his parents’ expectations.
After graduating high school, Chris began attending Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, the only historically Black, Catholic university in the United States. Still, many of the computer science professors were white men. Chris continued to meet adversity, but with the recent launch of Xbox from his dream employer Microsoft, he was determined to continue his pursuit of a career in gaming. Shortly after, Chris’ personal life took a turn when his mom found out she had breast cancer. Chris realized he could not work two jobs, support his family, and attend school.
After a series of warehouse and retail jobs, Chris became a store manager at GameStop, where he was promoted several times. While he enjoyed learning about new gaming features, in particular the Xbox 360, Chris realized that brick and mortar stores were not the future of retail. He left GameStop for AT&T, and after 5 years there had almost given up on his dream of gaming and working for Microsoft. Then Microsoft began opening retail stores.
As soon as they announced the store in New Orleans, Chris applied and became a learning specialist working with schools. As he worked with K-12 schools, he realized that many of the students had never seen a computer, so he started working with community development specialists and other groups in Microsoft to bring Surfaces, Minecraft Education, and coding workshops to local schools.
Chris says “the best moment of my entire life was when I walked into a school, and I was wearing my colorful Microsoft shirt, jeans, and Jordans, and this kid said that he had never seen anyone from Microsoft before – he didn’t think Jordans and working at Microsoft could even go together. That’s when I realized these kids were seeing themselves in me and it was incredibly humbling. I have a big responsibility to the kids in my community to help them get to where they want to be.”
Chris began bringing gaming into the outreach programs, inviting streamers and others to talk about games, marketing, and esports. Word got around the city that if you wanted to do something gaming related, talk to Chris at Microsoft.
Near the beginning of the pandemic, Chris was approached for help with a new project called XGS Game Camp, which focused on finding new ways to reach underserved communities interested in creating games. His managers were very supportive and let him split his time between retail and volunteering with XGS Game Camp, and when Microsoft decided to permanently close the retail stores Chris was offered the job of production assistant at inXile Studios, one of the local XGS Game Camp partners.
Chris spent a year learning about production, which touches everything from audio to animation to engineering, and had a great experience in his first real gaming role. But he felt like something was missing without the chance to regularly give back to his community. When Xbox Game Studios decided to further invest in XGS Game Camp and wanted Chris to join the team full time from his home base in New Orleans, he knew it was a perfect fit.
Big Dreams: Basketball or Gaming?
Around age 12, Chris started playing basketball, football, and track. As he focused more on athletics, he discovered a real talent for basketball and his family and friends began encouraging him to pursue a career in the NBA. Chris says, “There are 15,000 Men’s Division 1 NCAA athletes in the United States but only 60 people get drafted into the NBA. That’s a .004% chance, but my family believed I had a better chance of making it to the NBA than of working in the gaming industry!” Not convinced a basketball career was realistic, Chris continued to keep his other goals of being a chef or a game designer in mind as he went into high school. He cut grass and washed cars to pay for games and gaming magazine subscriptions and read everything he could about emerging industry and technology trends. Still, his family and friends urged him to continue playing basketball through high school and college, convinced a career in the NBA was more attainable than a job in gaming.
Chris reflects, “I love basketball more than anything, I really do. It’s one of the most exhilarating things to watch or play. When I used to play basketball, everything else stopped. There is this poetry about it when it’s happening. But there is something even more magical about being able to connect to a character in a game and go through that world and feel connected to the narrative, music, and environment. It’s a surreal experience. If you allow yourself to be open, games will transport you to a different place. You can experience a different reality and for a little bit you can forget about everything that’s happened and be focused on this other moment. For me it’s therapeutic.”
Despite the pressure from his community to give up on gaming, Chris says that “growing up I had to realize that sometimes even the people who love you the most don’t support you because they are trying to protect you, not because they don’t love you. You can’t allow anything to stop your dream.”
What a Business Program Manager does
Chris says that “Xbox Game Studios Game Camp is a program that’s built to prove that extraordinary talent resides everywhere. We try to meet people and talent where they are and help any budding game creators from traditional and non-traditional backgrounds. We want to add diverse voices to gaming – people of color, women, people from underrepresented communities and tough socioeconomic backgrounds. Our goal is to reach everyone interested in making games and demystify the gaming industry and help them with tools and resources. We want to help them realize their dream by building a network of subject matter experts inside Xbox they can learn from.”
As the Business Program Manager for XGS Game Camp, Chris’ job is to strategize the delivery of tools and resources for campers while building a rapport and getting to know them on a personal level. He maintains relationships with marketing, media, brand management, legal, mentors, engineering, non-profits, and more to stay on the bleeding edge of creation tools, engine advancements, and knowledge sharing to empower campers to deliver their vision.
Chris shares, “I really have an ability to change people’s lives. I get to be the person that I wanted to have in my life, to believe in them and their dreams when others don’t. I am thankful I can be that encouragement to keep people from giving up on their dream.”
Gaming History
Chris grew up playing games and he remembers the first Nintendo his parents bought clearly. “I was 7 or 8 and we had just come back from a family vacation at Disney World, which was a really big deal. When we got home, I wanted to play with my friends who I hadn’t seen in a week, but my dad told me I needed to come inside and spend more time with the family. I went to my room and lay on my bed, upset, and he came in and put a Nintendo on my bed – and suddenly it was the greatest day again. We hooked it up immediately and started playing together.”
Chris is currently playing Destiny 2, Deathloop, Overwatch 2, Moonscars, Prodeus, and Halo Infinite.
Xbox Game Studios Game Camp is a two-to-four-month program that is hosted in different cities around the world. Learn more at Xbox Game Studios Game Camp.
