The Game Developers Conference in San Francisco next March is shaping up to be a fantastic show, and today organizers want to make sure you know about a great talk from Bungie about the storytelling in its 2017 hit Destiny 2.

The talk is about how the Destiny 2 team told stories in the game, but it’s on the Programming track of talks so you know it’s going to be both technical and unconventional.

The talk, “Walking, Talking, and Projectiles: Storytelling Tools in ‘Destiny 2‘”, will see Bungie senior tools engineer Evan Moran going in-depth into Bungie’s new visual scripting tool called the Scene Editor that builds stories by coordinating AI movement and behavior.

This technique for non-cinematic stories keeps players in the heart of the action; Moran plans to showcase several examples from the beginning of Destiny 2 and explore the ways this new visual language supports complex coordinated interactions while chronicling surprises and pitfalls the team encountered along the way.

Plus, we have lots more GDC 2018 announcements to make in the coming months. For more information about GDC 2018 visit the show’s official website, and subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.

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The Steam Selection Committee has spoken again for the 2017 Steam Awards Nominees. Come back every day from December 21st to January 2nd to vote for each award, and find out the winners on January 3rd!

December 21st 10 AM PST
The “Choices Matter” Award – Games are about agency, and this award is for the game that has it in spades. Maybe it’s because there are 31 ways you can breach into a villains lair. Perhaps there are dozens of potential partners for you to build a romantic future with. Or maybe you find yourself constantly saying “Where oh where should I plant those turnips”? In all three scenarios there is a common bond: the choice was always yours.

-The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
-Divinity: Original Sin 2
-Life is Strange: Before the Storm
-The Walking Dead: A New Frontier
-Dishonored 2

December 22nd 10 AM PST
The “Mom’s Spaghetti” Award – There are games that make you excited. There are games that make you happy. Then there are games so intense that they elicit a physical reaction. We’re talking weak knees. We’re talking sweaty palms. We’re talking fear-induced accidents. We’re talking your friends reminding you to breathe. We’re talking about mom’s spaghetti.

-PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS
-Outlast 2
-RESIDENT EVIL 7
-The Evil Within 2
-Alien: Isolation

December 23rd 10 AM PST
The “Labor of Love” Award – This game has been out for a while. The team is well past the first unveiling of their creative baby, but being the good parents they are, these devs continue to nurture and support their creation. This game, to this day, is still getting new content after all these years.

-Team Fortress 2
-Warframe
-Titan Quest Anniversary Edition
-Path of Exile
-Crusader Kings II

December 24th 10 AM PST
The “Suspension of Disbelief” Award – Let’s be honest: games can have some pretty ridiculous elements in them from the stories that drive the action, to the items required to conquer obstacles, to even the protagonists themselves. This award is for the game that has a key component, which when described out of context, seems totally insane, but while playing the game doesn’t even make you bat an eye, because in the moment it makes total sense.

-Saints Row IV
-Goat Simulator
-South Park the Fractured But Whole
-Rocket League
-Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

December 25th 10 AM PST
The “The World Is Grim Enough Let’s Just All Get Along” Award – Games delight and entertain us, giving us much needed breaks from the sorrows and low points of our lives and let’s be honest, for a lot of people it’s been a rough 2017. That is why the SASC has chosen to celebrate a game that doesn’t involve combat or conflict.

-Stardew Valley
-Cities: Skylines
-Slime Rancher
-ABZU
-To the Moon

December 26th 10 AM PST
The “No Apologies” Award – This award is for the game that you love unconditionally. Does it have some faults? Maybe. Do other people not understand your love for it? Sure. But make no mistake. There is no guilt here. Only pleasure.

-Rust
-Mount & Blade: Warband
-HuniePop
-Gothic II: Gold Edition
-The Witcher: Enhanced Edition (The Witcher 1)

December 27th 10 AM PST
The “Defies Description” Award – This game is like… well actually it’s more similar to…picture a combination of… ya know what, I can’t describe it, just play it.

-Garry’s Mod
-The Stanley Parable
-Pony Island
-Antichamber
-Doki Doki Literature Club

December 28th 10 AM PST
The “Cry Havoc And Let Slip The Dogs of War” Award – The Bard said it best. This game doesn’t necessarily offer the biggest explosions… it offers something better. Potential. Potential to be a rampaging force of nature. Or not. Who knows. You’re an agent of chaos and no one is going to tell you what to do.

-Just Cause 3
-Total War: Warhammer II
-Broforce
-Red Faction: Guerilla Steam Edition
-Middle-earth: Shadow of War

December 29th 10 AM PST
The “Haunts My Dreams” Award – This award is slightly a misnomer, because this game doesn’t just haunt your dreams. It consumes your thoughts every waking moment of the day. This game doesn’t demand your time. You give it willingly.

-Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
-Dota 2
-Dark Souls III
-Factorio
-Sid Meier’s Civilization VI

December 30th 10 AM PST
The “Soul of Vitruvius” Award – The Vitruvian Man was Leonardo’s celebration of the ideal form. And in that spirit the SASC looks to celebrate the game with the most lovingly rendered character be it human, alien, anthropomorphic cat people, or even a piece of produce.

-NieR: Automata
-Rise of the Tomb Raider
-Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
-I am Bread
-Bayonetta

December 31st 10 AM PST
The “Whoooaaaaaaa, Dude! 2.0” Award – The Academy wasn’t clear enough in the awards description last year. Let’s try this again. This award is for the “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” of video games.

-Hotline Miami
-Luna
-Antichamber
-CPU Invaders
-The Evil Within 2

January 1st 10 AM PST
The “Best Soundtrack” Award – There are very few things that can enhance a game better than music. The right song can set the tone for every aspect of gameplay, from simple exploration, to climatic boss fights. This award is for the soundtrack that captured the essence of their game so perfectly that it effortlessly immersed players into the game world.

-Nier: Automata
-Crypt of the Necrodancer
-Undertale
-Cuphead
-Transistor

January 2nd 10 AM PST
The “Even Better Than I Expected” Award – We’ve all been there. You get super excited for a game, you pre-order it, and you anxiously wait as it downloads. Then you finally play it. How do you feel now? If the answer is “Elated beyond words because even I, a conductor aboard the hype train, was blown away with how good this thing was” then you have found the perfect candidate for this award.

-Assassin’s Creed Origins
-Cuphead
-Call of Duty: WWII
-Hollow Knight
-Sonic Mania

VOTING RULES
Every day, from December 21st to January 2nd, starting at 10 AM Pacific, a new category will be available for voting. Each category will only be open for voting for 24 hours before moving onto the next category, so be sure to check in every day to vote! The 2017 Steam Award winners will be announced on January 3rd.

Super Time Force features a central mechanic where players can manipulate time and create iterations of themselves in order to complete challenges. But what does it have to say about quantum entanglement? 

In this 2014 GDC session Capy Games’ technical director Kenneth Yeung discusses the game design difficulties of time manipulation in Super Time Force, and how the team tackled the issue using science.

Yeung delves into the challenges of making a complicated, paradox-filled mess feel simple and fun, while providing the cons of time travel as a mechanic. How do designers avoid nullifying any challenge if players know what happens in the future?

Developers interested in learning about how the time travel paradox was solved (in games) can now go back and watch the talk completely free via the official GDC Vault YouTube channel!

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC Next already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.

Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Americas.

Microsoft has announced that it will be bundling PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds with new Xbox One X consoles sold between December 17 and the end of 2017.

The move is the closest thing the Xbox One X has seen to a holiday discount this year, with the combined console and game coming in at the One X’s standard $499 price tag. Given the popularity of Battlegrounds as well, it’s likely this will help fuel the competition between the One X and PlayStation 4 Pro analysts expect to see during the current holiday season.

Meanwhile, the promotion comes just days after Battlegrounds made its console debut on the Xbox One through the platform’s early access-like Xbox Game Preview program. Within 48 hours of its December 12 release, Microsoft says PUBG surpassed 1 million players on the Xbox One alone.

While players don’t necessarily equate to sales, it is worth noting that the PC release of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds reached 1 million sold just over two weeks after its first launch and has since skyrocketed to over 20 million sold in less than a year.

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!

Xbox Takes Home Honors at The Game Awards
The Game Awards is designed to recognize the creative and technical excellence in the video game industry, bringing together a diverse group of players, developers, and culture to celebrate gaming as the most immersive and inspiring form of entertainment… Read more

Big Bundle Sale: Over 50% Off Great Indie Bundles
We here at ID@Xbox have taken over 35 of our favorite indie game bundles, pulled them together and discounted them by at least 50% in the Big Bundle Sale. Now’s a wonderful time to build that game catalog with fantastic critically acclaimed bundles like… Read more

Marshawn Lynch Lends a Hand for Xbox One X Enhanced Madden NFL 18
Madden NFL 18 on Xbox One X delivers the most detailed, highest resolution Madden NFL game available on any console. And to celebrate, today, in partnership with EA Sports, we’re excited to debut a new campaign featuring Oakland Raiders running back, Marshawn Lynch… Read more

The Surge’s Major Expansion, A Walk in the Park, is Now Available on Xbox One
Greetings from Deck13! Today we’re releasing The Surge’s DLC expansion, A Walk in the Park, and I wanted to take a minute to talk to you guys about it. Alongside the new DLC, we’re also going to have The Surge: Complete Edition, which has the base game and all the downloadable goodies in one giant package… Read more

Play The Division for Free with Xbox Live Gold This Weekend
In the nearly two years since players were introduced to the lawless, virus-stricken New York City of Tom Clancy’s The Division, the game has consistently posed new challenges, introduced new modes, and delivered new loot to the agents bold enough to roam its streets… Read more

Dead Rising 4: All New Content and Xbox One X Enhanced Updates
Having Dead Rising 3 launch alongside the Xbox One back in 2013 was exciting for the team here at Capcom Vancouver. To be able to work with cutting-edge hardware to bring the game’s vast open world of undead horrors to life allowed us to unlock our creativity in ways we never thought possible… Read more

Get Ready to Gear Up for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds With Limited-Edition Cosmetic Packs
Beginning tomorrow, December 7, in celebration of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ upcoming launch on Xbox One next Tuesday, December 12, the first of the three special, limited-edition cosmetic packs that we announced at Paris Games Week – the PUBG Warrior Pack – will become available to fans worldwide… Read more

Full Metal Furies is Coming to Xbox One January 17
It’s hard to believe that after nearly four long years, the opportunity to show off Full Metal Furies is fast approaching. It all started with the naïve idea that after making our first game, Rogue Legacy, the next one would be smooth sailing… Read more

GDC 2018: Save the Date for Gaming for Everyone Community Events
GDC 2018 is just a few months away and Xbox is excited to be back with a full week of community events, including the first ever Gaming & Disability mixer for everyone interested in meeting the people who are working to make gaming more accessible… Read more

Everspace: Free Hardcore Mode Now Available on Xbox One and Windows 10
As demanding as playing on the hard difficulty setting is, this stand-alone hardcore mode offers an entirely new level of challenge for veteran pilots, with the additional caveat of disallowing improvement in starting conditions. Each run begins with the same fixed set of pilot perks, with ship perk upgrades only allowed at the end of each sector, provided you have collected enough credits… Read more

New PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Trailer Unveiled at The Game Awards
Earlier tonight at The Game Awards we were treated to a brand-new trailer featuring footage of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, the worldwide smash-hit coming to Xbox Game Preview on Tuesday, December 12. PUBG is a last-man-standing shooter in which players are dropped onto a realistic 8 x 8-kilometer island… Read more

Inside Xbox One X Enhanced: For Honor
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, how they’ve helped chart the course of the world’s most powerful console… Read more

Sea of Thieves Arrives March 20, Pre-orders Available Now
At The Game Awards last night, we were thrilled to announce that Sea of Thieves’ shared-world adventure will be setting sail globally on the Xbox One family of devices and Windows 10 PCs on March 20, 2018 for $59.99/£49.99/€69.99. The game is now available for pre-order, and you can check out the trailer above for the latest taste of the daring adventures you’ll find in-game… Read more

All Aboard the Post-Apocalyptic Train in the New Metro Exodus Trailer
Inspired by the best-selling novel “Metro 2035” by Dmitry Glukhovsky, the world of Metro Exodus takes place in the wake of a nuclear apocalypse, where survivors try to eke out a daily existence in the metro system of Moscow, Russia. With its blend of RPG elements and tense shooter gameplay… Read more

Console Launch Exclusive and Xbox Play Anywhere Title Hello Neighbor Available Now
What an incredible journey this has been! Ever since we announced Hello Neighbor just over a year ago, we’ve seen thousands of YouTube videos, lots of fanart, cosplayers, and whole families checking the game out at conventions. It’s very rare that a game can appeal to both kids and their parents… Read more

OpTic Gaming Extends its Dominance by Winning the Gears Pro Circuit Dallas Open
Gears of War Esports kicked off Season 2 in a huge way last weekend at the Gears Pro Circuit Dallas Open. With more than 60 teams rolling into Dallas all with their eyes on the $300,000 prize pool, it was clear teams were eagerly anticipating the first major LAN event of the season… Read more

With SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate Edition blasting its way onto the Switch’s eShop on 28th December, and with the incredible success of the wonderful SteamWorld Dig 2 that came to the console earlier this year, it’s pretty safe to say that Image & Form had a pretty decent 2017. The future is looking just as welcoming, however, as the developer has now announced plans to bring more games to the Switch in 2018.

In a new video on their YouTube channel, CEO and Community Manager, Brjánn and Julius talk about what you can expect from SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate Edition when it launches very, very soon, and also talk about how the Switch has generated far more sales of SteamWorld Dig 2 than other console rivals, and even Steam, managed.

The charming video gets even more exciting, though, as the pair begin to discuss the possibility of bringing more Image & Form titles to the console in the future. The tower-defence, mobile game Anthill is one of the games shown in the video, possibly hinting at more news to come, and talk of “a few surprises” definitely piques our interest, too.

What would you like to see from Image & Form in 2018? Would you like to see older games be reborn on Switch such as the original SteamWorld Dig, or perhaps you’d like to see some entirely new franchises? Let us know your ideas in the comments below.

We all know eternal Pokémon mascot Pikachu will forever remain a force for good – including when he hits the big screen with Ryan Reynolds’ voice, no less – but that doesn’t mean The Pokémon Company can’t throw an adorable curve ball in the form of these new bad guy-themed plushies.

They’re part of a new ‘Rainbow Rocket’ line designed to tie in with the post-game content of the same name that extends the life of Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, one that… well, play it and find out.

And the best part? We’re getting six special takes on the iconic monster in soft, cuddly form. Each one is based on a famous team leader, so if you’ve ever wanted an evil version of Pikachu that looked like Giovanni, then you’re in serious luck. The bad news? They’re only available in Japan. Boo, we want evil soft toys, too!

Are you feeling these new heel-turn takes on a Pokémon icon, or do you prefer your pocket monsters to remain true to canon? Go on, comment, you know you want to…