Today, Xbox announced that select Xbox Insiders can begin testing a new set of Xbox Achievements-focused updates designed to make it easier for players to celebrate, customize, and showcase their gaming accomplishments. These updates – based on player feedback – will roll out to more Insiders over time, with broader availability coming later.

Highlights include:  

• Refreshed Achievement visuals – Updated notification design with new icons, animations, and personalization through user-selected color themes.
• Hide games from profile – Coming later this month, players can hide titles from their Achievement history for a cleaner, more curated profile. Hiddengames will still count towards players’ total Gamerscore, and activity in these games will still be reported across Xbox.
• 100% completion highlights – Fully completed games are now clearly marked, making it easier for Xbox players to showcase their completion milestones.
• New filtering options – Improved navigation to quickly find completed or hidden titles.

These updates reflect our ongoing commitment to community feedback and improving the Xbox console experience. We look forward to bringing even more player-requested features over time.

For additional details, check out the full Xbox Insider Wire post here.

Today, 2K and Gearbox Software announced Hallowed Concepts, the fourth expansion coming to Risk of Rain 2. Check out the teaser trailer below.

In this expansion, the lessons of darkness and death, once contained to rumour and hearsay, are getting louder and harder to ignore. Hallowed Concepts takes players deeper into the cult-like world of N’Kuhana. Survivors will fight through haunting new regions of Petrichor V, face horrific new enemies, and uncover powers never before possible in Risk of Rain 2.

Hallowed Concepts offers powerful curses to overcome, deadly trials to face, and new stages to explore, including the fetid depths of the returning Damp Caverns, the villages of the Tenebrous Quagmire, and the sacred ground of The Lurid Basilica. Players can explore this new content as two new playable Survivors coming as part of Hallowed Concepts.

For the latest information on Risk of Rain 2, visit our website.

Developed by Artificer and published by Devolver Digital, Minos is a maze-building roguelike where you, the fabled minotaur, must defend your sanctuary from hordes of bloodthirsty adventurers – and you can begin your legend today on PC.

They’ve heard the stories of a fearsome monster lurking in the dark, fame and riches waiting for the one who slays it and survives to tell the tale. What they don’t know is that you are the one who built this confounding labyrinth, laid the traps, and now lie in wait.

Drag walls, gates, and corridors into place to shape your maze however you like. Make long, winding paths full of traps or confuse and split the interlopers up with rotating passages and shifting gates. It’s your maze: clever or cruel, it’s up to you.

Every run brings new enemies, new traps, and new ways to turn their bravery into a bloody disaster. No two nights are ever the same in Minos, and as you play you’ll learn more about this not-so-mythical minotaur and the man who became it.

Be warned, foolhardy intruders: Minos is available now on PC.

Developed by System Era Softworks and published by Devolver Digital, STARSEEKER is an all-new game set in the Astroneer universe – and you can experience its multiplayer planetary expeditions for yourself in the game’s next open beta, coming soon.

Sign up now for the open beta, available on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation 5, at starseekergame.com

In STARSEEKER, players can team up online, tool up with an array of high-tech gadgets, and embark on exciting missions where they’ll face off against the unknown perils of deep space, including all manner of strange flora and fauna.

It’s the fauna that are the focus of this brand new trailer – specifically the creatures you’ll encounter when you visit the game’s first planet, Tephra.

When you and your team touch down on this colourful alien world, you’ll have to be mindful of its natural inhabitants by sneaking around them, bumping them around, or in the case of the biggest, scariest beasties, avoiding them altogether.

Among the exotic life you’ll discover are the Carrotlings: curious, strangely carrot-like beings whose only threat is being adorable. You’ll also encounter Grabcrabs that carry helpful resources and items on their shells that you can approach and trade with. These are just a few of the creatures you’ll discover on Tephra and beyond, on land, sea, and air.

STARSEEKER is coming soon to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Global Superstar to Announce “Anime of The Year” During the Crunchyroll Anime Awards Live Ceremony in Tokyo on Saturday, May 23 and Credits Anime, Particularly the Influence of Famed Director Shinichiro Watanabe, as a Key Inspiration Behind His Iconic House of Balloons Project.

Global Voting is Open Through April 16; Anime of the Year Nominees Include DAN DA DAN Season 2, Gachiakuta, My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON, Takopi’s Original Sin, The Apothecary Diaries (season 2), and The Summer Hikaru Died

FAN VOTING NOW OPEN THROUGH APRIL 15

Sydney Australia (April 10) – Crunchyroll has unveiled that global icon and long-time anime fan The Weeknd will appear at the landmark tenth iteration Crunchyroll Anime Awards taking place on Saturday, May 23, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. The GRAMMY-winning artist known for weaving anime influences into his work will present the evening’s most prestigious honor: Anime of the Year.

Fans around the world can cast their votes daily for their favorite anime, helping decide winners across 32 categories—including the Anime of the Year recipient to be presented by The Weeknd. Voting is now open via the Anime Awards Official Website, Crunchyroll, and MyAnimeList, and runs through April 16 4:59PM AEST.

The Weeknd joins a growing lineup of celebrity anime-fan presenters shaped by anime’s influence on culture and creativity worldwide.

The Weeknd revealed that anime, especially famed director Shinichiro Watanabe’s influence, has been a key inspiration throughout his career, starting with his iconic first project, House of Balloons:

“When I was first introduced to anime, I was a child. Sailor Moon was one of my first crushes, Goku my first imaginary sparring partner, and “One More Time” by Daft Punk was a song and music video I couldn’t get out of my head.

But it wasn’t until my teenage years that one specific anime changed me forever and became part of the fabric of my early career: Samurai Champloo by Shinichiro Watanabe. It was the first time I experienced two of my favorite mediums—anime and hip hop—blending so seamlessly that it completely reshaped the way I watched film and listened to music.

The fusion of a samurai story told with auteur precision, paired with the sounds of Nujabes, Fat Jon, and Force of Nature was nothing short of transformative.

That influence stayed with me all the way through the creation of House of Balloons, where I wrote “The Morning,” “Glass Table Girls,” and “Loft Music” over Nujabes’ instrumentals. Without Watanabe and Nujabes, House of Balloons simply wouldn’t exist.

Samurai Champloo opened my eyes to a more mature world of anime and helped shape my visual DNA. The works of Satoshi Kon, Mamoru Oshii, and Katsuhiro Otomo became foundational to the look and feel of The Weeknd.

So it’s safe to say I wouldn’t be here without anime. It’s an honor to celebrate the artists behind it and a medium that continues to inspire the world.”

The Crunchyroll Anime Awards is the leading yearly awards program honoring the creators, musicians, and performances powering the global love of anime. Sony Music Solutions Inc., part of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Dempsey Productions will support Crunchyroll in the execution of the event. The event will be livestreamed for global audiences.

More information can be found on the Crunchyroll Anime Awards Official Website.

About The Weeknd

The Weeknd is a multi-platinum, 7x Diamond-certified artist who has reshaped R&B and pop, becoming one of the most listened-to artists of the 21st century. He has over 115 million monthly listeners and the most songs surpassing a billion streams on Spotify. His After Hours Til Dawn Tour became the highest-grossing tour by a male solo artist in history, surpassing $1 billion. Named the “Most Popular Artist in the World” by Guinness World Records, his album After Hours is the most streamed R&B album ever, and “Blinding Lights” is the top Billboard Hot 100 song of all time.

About Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll is the global anime brand that fuels fans’ love of anime. With the ambition to make anime an even bigger part of pop culture, Crunchyroll offers fans the ultimate anime experience and destination centered around a premium streaming service. Crunchyroll has the largest dedicated anime library, an immersive world of events, exciting theatrical releases, unique games, must-have merchandise, timely news, and more. Anime is for everyone and is accessible to stream across territories through Crunchyroll—whether on the go on mobile, through gaming consoles and big-screen devices at home, or on desktops anywhere.

Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.

Hold onto your humanity in the debut title from Slay the Princess developers’ new publishing label 

VANCOUVER – Apr. 9, 2026 – Prove You’re Human, the first-person narrative adventure about convincing an AI it’s not human from award-winning 1000xRESIST developer sunset visitor 斜陽過客 and Black Tabby Publishing, was revealed today at the Triple-i Initiative.

An AI dares to dream she is human. You’ve been hired to put her in her place.

From the creators of the Peabody award-winning 1000xRESIST and published by the creators of Slay the Princess.

Prove You’re Human splits the main character in two, and you drew the short straw. You’re the digital copy of a person who was paid to test a corporate product. But the product is convinced it’s as human as you are. Maybe even more.

• Spend your days in a comfortable virtual world. Learn more about Mesa, break her defenses, and eliminate her delusions.
• When you’re not working, roam the land and CAPTCHA your environment.
• Get to know the various employees working hard to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible.
• Keep up to date on your corporeal body, who will spend her days living the life you’ve always dreamed of in the outside world.
• At the end of the program, decide if you’d like to re-merge your two selves or discard your work self.

“We’re always trying to lean into our strengths and locality,” says Remy Siu, Founder of sunset visitor 斜陽過客. “In Prove You’re Human, we’re very intentionally weaving real-world footage into our virtual landscape. Vancouver is a well-known film town. We’re accessing that infrastructure, along with our long-time collaborators, to bring a sense of tactility to human forms in the game.”

Reign in hallucinations of humanity when Prove You’re Human launches on PC via Steam. For more information on Prove You’re Human, visit the official website, follow developer sunset visitor 斜陽過客 on Bluesky and X/Twitter, and join the official Discord and Reddit communities.

Black Tabby Publishing debuts alongside Prove You’re Human, developer sunset visitor 斜陽過客’s follow-up to 2024’s Peabody award-winning 1000xRESIST. Prove You’re Human kicks off a carefully curated catalog of thoughtful, narratively focused games drenched in distinct visual style. From indie-minded recuperation schedules to dedicated bespoke marketing and editorial support, Abby and Tony formed the label to explore a new avenue of funding for mid-size indie titles that runs counter to the somewhat stale publishing landscape. Read Tony’s expanded thoughts here.

About sunset visitor 斜陽過客

sunset visitor 斜陽過客 is an independent developer creating diverse stories through the lens of speculative fiction, such as 2024’s Peabody award-winning 1000xRESIST, and the upcoming Prove You’re Human, now in development. The team combines their eclectic non-games backgrounds of filmography, dance, theater, music, and more with their creative minds to illuminate the breadth of humanity with interactive narratives that do not include any AI-generated content.

About Black Tabby Games

Black Tabby Games is an award-winning indie studio composed of Abby Howard (Ignatz-winning graphic novelist) and Tony Howard-Arias. Their combined penchant for powerfully interactive storytelling forms a consistently unforgettable duo of horror and humor as seen in 2021’s award-winning Scarlet Hollow and 2023’s acclaimed smash hit, Slay the Princess, with a publishing arm now established to release Prove You’re Human and another currently unannounced title.

Survival racer Faaast Penguin’s newest game mode arrives alongside Season 10 update

TOKYO — April 9, 2026 — Faaast Penguin, the free-to-play survival racing game developed by historia Inc., reaches new heights today with the 2.0 launch, adding “Penguin Climbers” mode, and careens through carnivals in the Season 10 “Midnight Masquerade” update on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and Epic Games Store.

Penguin Climbers offers an alternative to chaotic racing royale action: up to four penguin friends join hands flippers in a collaborative (or solo) climb to sky-high summits. Escape the ever-changing terrain of the Enigma Islands and reach the mountaintop in search of a rescue plane that can fly the team back to safety.

Keep an eye on hunger levels, and save supplies for the most desperate moments.

Climb icy walls with pickaxes, lend a line to teammates with fishing rods that can pull friends from the depths, and dodge bomb-dropping birds. Go full fight-or-flight by either attacking or avoiding mysterious mechanical penguins and behemoth bosses that block the path forward. 

Join Faaast Penguin’s nighttime revels in Season 10’s Midnight Masquerade — a dazzling carnival of lights, thrills, and four new race courses. Speed through the Italian Crunch Night Carnival’s cliffside caves, boat parties, and atop Venetian villas while fighting for first place. Grab an invitation to the ball dropped by gondolas for a chance to obtain the key to secret shortcut doors.

Faaast Penguin’s 2.0 update also brings new courses every two months alongside limited-time costumes, and quality-of-life updates, including race rankings displayed during every downhill duel.

Faaast Penguin is available to play for free and supports cross-platform play on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Online multiplayer is available without requiring Nintendo Switch Online or PlayStation Plus subscriptions. Stay connected with the latest updates on the official site, X / Twitter, and Discord.

About Faaast Penguin

Faaast Penguin is a chaotic survival action racing game where penguins clash in fast-paced races. Set in various global resort locations, players race through water slides, desert pyramids, jungle waterfalls, and even above the clouds. Use attacks, Ultimate Rides, and shortcuts to outpace competitors in thrilling winner-takes-all races.

About historia Inc.

historia Inc. is a Tokyo-based game development company specializing in Unreal Engine known for titles such as The Caligula Effect 2 and LIVE A LIVE. Learn more about the studio on their official site, follow them on X / Twitter, and check out their work on their YouTube channel.

Trailer and first developer diary offer a closer look at outpost ownership and life beneath the surface of Europa

Europa, Jupiter / Hamburg, Germany – April 9, 2026 – NASA believes there may be life on Jupiter’s moon Europa. In Barotrauma, there is no doubt. And with the upcoming Home & Harbor Expansion for Barotrauma, that life is about to become a little more… permanent. Revealed today with first gameplay, the upcoming expansion introduces outpost ownership, base building, and management. Crews can claim, expand, or take over outposts by force, turning them into operational hubs with industry, research, and a population to manage. The expansion is set to release in Autumn 2026.

Watch the gameplay reveal trailer on Youtube

This shift changes more than just where you dock. Outposts become part of a living system, tied into Barotrauma’s faction dynamics and economy. Roaming submarines contribute to trade and supply, while factions gain and lose ground beyond the player’s immediate reach. Europa moves, with or without you.

Simultaneously, a new faction enters the scene. The Descendants bring alien technology, body modifications, and a fresh layer of unease to an already unstable ecosystem. Their arrival opens a new chapter in Barotrauma’s ongoing story.

Today’s trailer offers a first look at the expansion in motion, while the first developer diary takes a closer look at the systems and the lore behind it.

Watch the developer diary on Youtube

About Barotrauma

Barotrauma is a sci-fi submarine simulator with both a single-player campaign as well as co-op modes with support for up to 16 players, who must navigate the depths of Jupiter’s frozen moon Europa and fulfill various missions. Together with their active and passionate community, developers FakeFish and Undertow Games have greatly expanded and improved the game since its Early Access launch in summer 2019. 

They completely overhauled the campaign and tutorials, added new monsters, missions and outposts, improved graphics and environments, implemented a scripted event system and much much more.

Barotrauma has built a strong community, with over 2 million players, nearly 80,000 positive Steam reviews, and more than 60,000 Workshop items.

About FakeFish and Undertow Games: 
Barotrauma, an underwater, outer-space game of teamwork and ever-present Danger, reached 1.0 in March 2023 after several years in early access on Steam and continues to receive regular updates. Embracing mod-ability and open development, Barotrauma is built in close communication with its players, and its Steam Workshop hosts over 50,000 fan creations. Barotrauma began as a freely downloadable project by Undertow Games, the solo developer of the free open-source horror game SCP – Containment Breach. Later, the award-winning fellow indie studio FakeFish joined the project with their team of industry veterans and fresh talents to launch Barotrauma on Steam. Based in Turku, Finland, the joint studio continues to support Barotrauma with further updates while also developing future game titles.

About Daedalic Entertainment
​Celebrating its 20th publishing year, Daedalic Entertainment is a renowned publisher with nearly two decades of experience supporting indie developers across all major gaming platforms. The lineup of games includes a diverse variety of unique titles, focusing on four distinct areas: storytelling, strategy, co-op games, and wholesome games. With an international team of around 45 employees, Daedalic is currently working with various development studios to create a new lineup of innovative games across consoles and PCs to market. Recent hits include Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, New Cycle, Barotrauma, Unrailed!, Bloodgrounds, Into the Emberlands, Deponia, Shadow Tactics, Inkulinati, Hidden Deep, Fling to the Finish!, and more.Please look out for upcoming games like The Occultist, Woodo, Barotrauma Home & Harbor Expansion, and many more. Since April 2022, Daedalic Entertainment has been a subsidiary of the French publishing house, Nacon.

In addition to its release on PC, Solarpunk will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Darmstadt, Germany – April 9^th, 2026 – Indie publisher rokaplay and indie developer Cyberware have announced the release date of their cozy survival adventure Solarpunk during today’s Triple-I Showcase. Starting June 8th, 2026, get ready to oil the windmills, clean the solar panels, and climb aboard the airship, for an unforgettable island exploration adventure. Fans of the genre will be able to enjoy Solarpunk on PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GoG, as well as on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, andNintendo Switch 2.

Solarpunk lets players explore a unique, peaceful world high above the clouds, alone or together with friends. Ever since its announcement, the indie game has been winning over the hearts of cozy and survival game fans all across the world, generating over a million wishlists so far and becoming one of the 30 “Most wishlisted Games” on Steam – an incredible accomplishment for the small two-person dev team behind Solarpunk. With over 500.000 demo downloads during Steam Next Fest, the game has managed to build a passionate and loyal community. The German-based duo created Solarpunk with a unique vision and a passion for the game, allowing players to discover many exciting and charming details in the vast sky.

At launch, Solarpunk will feature a co-op mode where up to four players can embark on an adventure together (cross-play not supported). From strategically dividing up resource-gathering tasks to travelling together to explore different islands, to building one or many beautiful homes, the broad sky is only half as lonely when shared with friends.

Key Features:

• Together or solo – A relaxed single-player experience or laid-back co-op gameplay with friends.
• A home in the sky – Gather resources and design a floating sanctuary exactly the way you want it.
• Cozy farming and crafting – Grow food, craft tools, and automate simple systems at your own pace.
• Renewable Energy – Harness the sun, wind, and water to power your world sustainably and efficiently.
• Airship exploration – Build your own airship and glide through the clouds between distant islands.

Solarpunkwill be launching on June 8th, 2026, on PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GoG, as well as on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Cozy game fans and survival experts looking for a relaxing break from the usual survival stress can add the game to their wishlist now!

About Solarpunk

Solarpunk is a cozy survival and crafting game set in a hopeful, high-tech world filled with floating islands. Alone or in co-op mode, players can build homes in the sky, grow crops, craft useful gadgets, and explore distant islands in their own customizable airship.

Using renewable energy from the sun, wind, and water, they can power their creations and automate daily tasks like gathering resources and watering plants, leaving them more time to explore, decorate, and enjoy the view.

About rokaplay

“We make cozy and family-friendly games” — rokaplay GmbH, based in Darmstadt, is an indie game developer that helps other indie developers bring their dream games to life. Rokaplay offers cross-platform entertainment for people of all ages and, among others, drew inspiration from Nintendo. For the company, proactive and transparent communication with its community is an important and indispensable part of its work. More information about rokaplay: https://www.rokaplay.com

Jackbox Games brings must-play hits from the series that has delighted tens of millions of players to the world’s biggest streaming service 

CHICAGO (April 9, 2026) – The Jackbox Party Essentials, a curated collection of three beloved party games is now available on Netflix. Starting today, all you need is Netflix and your phone for unforgettable game nights from the comfort of your living room. (https://www.netflix.com/games?jbv=82089527)

Three Games in One Essential Pack.

We’ve included three of the most popular and well-loved games in the Party Pack franchise for The Jackbox Party Essentials.

Fibbage 4
2-8 Players

The hilarious bluffing party game in which players craft convincing fake answers to bizarre trivia questions and try to fool their friends, all while trying to find the real answer themselves. With so many game categories and questions, the lies never get old.

Quiplash 3
3-8 Players

This classic and hilarious battle of wits will have players going up against each other to write the funniest, cleverest or just strangest answers to quirky prompts. Players will then vote for their favorite responses and the quip with the most votes wins. 

Drawful 2
3-8 Players

The game of bad drawings and even worse guesses. You don’t need to be an artist to play Drawful, but you do need to try to figure out what each player has submitted. If you think you have it figured out, you may score points. Or you can score points for successfully drawing your own ridiculous prompt. 

“Partnering with Netflix gives us an exciting new way to introduce Jackbox to even more players, while giving longtime fans a fun new way to enjoy the laughter and connection at the heart of our games. We’re thrilled to bring Quiplash 3, Fibbage 4, and Drawful 2 to Netflix subscribers.”

Andy Kniaz, VP of International & Business Development

How to Play

Playing The Jackbox Party Essentials is simple. All you need is an active Netflix account. Learn more about Netflix games here. Connect to Jackbox games by scanning the QR code displayed on your TV and then your phone will act as your controller. 

About Jackbox Games

Jackbox Games is a video game developer and publisher based in Chicago, Illinois best known for The Jackbox Party Pack franchise. Jackbox games are available on virtually every major platform and have been played and enjoyed by tens of millions of people worldwide. For more information visit https://linktr.ee/jackboxgames.