As the gaming industry swells in popularity, developers and publishers such as Microsoft and PlayStation are forever on the lookout for games that capture people’s attention. One category of game that’s become popular in recent years is casino games.
From Texas Hold‘em poker and roulette to slot machines and blackjack, gamers can enjoy simulated experiences on their consoles, all from the comfort of their own home.
In this guide, we take a look at some of the best Xbox casino games of 2023. We also look at the relationship between playing these games and winning real money and look at some popular slot games in which you can walk away with some extra funds in your back pocket.
First, let’s take a look at some of the best Xbox casino games you can play in 2023.
Red Art Games announced that its challenging 2D Metroidvania Action-RPG Skautfold: Usurper, the second part in the 5-game Skautfold saga developed by Pugware and ported to consoles by Red Art Studios, will be available for Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch on June 23.
Skautfold: Usurper is a Metroidvania Action-RPG with a battle system built around its "Guard" system. It allows the player to charge through attacks and take risks, rewarding accurate timing and risk assessment. Instead of immediately losing health when the player is hit, they will loose "Guard points" (which function like a regeneration shield). When these run out, the player will take damage normally. However, if the player accurately dodges incoming attacks, they will turn a large portion of that attack damage into "Guard points", which allows you to turn the tide of the fight, and gain the upper hand. This is a system that will allow anyone to get into the game, yet still provide a high skill ceiling for those players looking for a challenge.
With eight different stats to spec into (along with stat reallocation), countless varieties of character builds are possible. Skautfold: Usurper also features over 90 different weapons and spells: from swords, spears, axes, great swords, scythes, whips, katanas, rapiers, daggers, bows, guns, rifles, canons, spells and summons.
For those looking for even more content, there also are innumerable secrets, additional areas, and optional bosses to discover. Players looking for an even more challenging experience can set their own difficulty by activating special conditions such as a no-guard mode, 1 HP mode, perma-death, or a built-in speedrunning mode. However players choose to play, The Citadel is a massive and versatile interconnected world. There are countless shortcuts to uncover, and a variety of diverse areas: from human towns to alien landscapes, grand libraries to ethereal gardens, and from an Eldritch engine to a crashed spaceship.
Pre-orders for the PEGI-rated physical editions of all three titles will open at 5PM CEST on Friday, May 5th on the official Red Art Games online store. Players who pre-order Skautfold: Usurper’s physical version directly from Red Art Games will receive its exclusive Deluxe Edition which features a sleeve and a double-sided poster as well as an exclusive keychain featuring the game’s main character as a pre-order bonus. People who pre-order the Skautfold: Bloody Pack from RAG’s online store will also receive its exclusive Deluxe Edition which features a sleeve and a double-sided poster and get two keychains featuring both Skautfold’s protagonists as pre-order bonuses.
In North America, ESRB-rated boxed copies of Skautfold: Usurper, the Skautfold: Bloody Pack, and Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity will retail for $24.99, $39.99, and $19.99 respectively. Those ESRB-rated physical copies of the game will be distributed by Video Games Plus (VGP), Red Art Games’ North American partner. North American consumers will be able to pre-order the ESRB-rated version on VGP’s site from 5 PM CEST on Friday, May 5th.
Skautfold: Usurper releases digitally on Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch on June 23, 2023, for $14.99 / €14,99. Physical PS5 & PS4 editions, priced at $24.99, will come out in September. The Skautold: Bloody Pack, which includes both Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity and Skautfold: Usurper on a single cart will also release on Switch on September 1st for €39.99. As for the previously announced PS5 version of Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity, its physical edition will come out next June and cost €19.99.
tinyBuild Games confirmed that 80’s-inspired cyberpunk-themed game Punch Club 2: Fast Foward, the sequel to the successful fighting management simulator from Lazy Bear Games, is launching on Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam, Epic, GOG) this year.
It’s been 20 long years since a nameless cool guy punched the big bad and everyone was really happy or something. Welcome to the future: it’s corrupt, sea shells have replaced toilet rolls, and everything's cyberpunk now. Walk the same, but now neon, streets Roy did as you're thrown into an adventure filled with hilarity, 80’s nostalgia, and punching. Even more punching than before. The mean streets of the under-city are a disease, but you could be the cure. Fighting is the only way to blow off steam and earn valuable good person points, which you’re going to need, kid.
Life in the rat race is fast-paced, time-consuming, and requires effective management to survive, and Punch Club 2: Fast Forward is the same! It’s literally a simulation game! Manage your time and funds, whilst climbing to the top of the fighting leagues, solving crimes, working for the police, mob, mafia, and about anyone else you cross paths with. Whilst nothing beats good old-fashioned blood, sweat, and tears, neuro training and illegal software sure sound tempting. Even if there is a slight risk you’ll be exposed as a fraud and your last brain cell will pack up and leave.
Completing quests will give you access to new fighting schools, moves, dollars, good person points, and even the Lion Queen on VHS! Multiple branching storylines are impacted by your moral choices, so do the right thing! Or don’t. We’re not your boss.
Punch Club 2: Fast Forward Features:
Become a Champion Fighter - Punch, kick and cheat your way through if you want. Becoming the best
damn fighter ain’t easy; it takes time, dedication, dollars, and training! Increase your stats and techniques, plan your match, and
create your own incredibly awesome school of fighting!
Manage… Everything - Oversee everything from precious hours in the day to finances, whilst climbing to the top of the fighting leagues, solving crimes, working
for the police, mob, mafia, and about anyone else you cross paths with. Perfect your strategy to become the best damn fighter this city has ever seen.
Story-Rich Narrative - Fully developed NPCs with interesting personalities and stories accompany a variety of branching story paths to explore. The stakes of moral choices impact story outcomes!
80’s Nostalgia - This fighting management sim provides a gritty throwback into an 80 ’s-inspired future. Enjoy the pure adrenaline-fuelled awesomeness of the ’80s with humour, quotes, and good old bone-crunching action!
Cyberpunk Aesthetic - The alluring pixel art style with a vibrant neon futuristic color palette and captivating visuals showcase a unique perspective of a cyberpunk future.
Check out the brand-new announcement trailer below for a look at what you can expect in Punch Club 2: Fast Forward.
For more video game news, release dates, previews, and DLC updates for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam, GOG & Epic Store, follow @XONEHQ on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, subscribe on YouTube, and install the free Xbox News app for Android.
Chris Wanstrath, founder of the software development platform GitHub, announced the formation of Null Games. Wanstrath co-created GitHub in 2007 and served as the company’s CEO for eight years culminating in its acquisition by Microsoft in 2018. Wanstrath is utilizing his background to create a healthier, more sustainable game development environment through Null Games.
“Null is part of a new wave of indie game publishers that put developers first.
So many of us grew up exploring amazing digital worlds. But as we got older, we learned that the games industry isn't always fun. The creative people directly responsible for making great games are often treated the worst. In the world of indie games, the publishers have all the power and they know it. Contracts are often one-sided, as is the risk.
We think there's a better way.
When I co-founded GitHub in 2007, the story wasn't so different. App and web developers were treated as disposable. The tools they used weren't always built for them. But companies like GitHub and Heroku changed that by focusing exclusively on the developer experience. Today, app and web developers have fantastic tools and much better working conditions than they did a decade ago.
Null is just one publisher. We can't change the industry, but we're part of a growing movement that can. By partnering with developers and offering great terms, we believe they’ll make better games in a more sustainable way. At the end of the day, this is really all about the games. We've seen what the developer-unfriendly, crunch culture produces. It's time
to see what happens when you treat developers and gamers with respect.” - Chris Wanstrath
Null’s first title, Tape To Tape, comes from Canadian developer Excellent Rectangle. The game tasks players with taking charge of a ragtag hockey team in a roguelite journey to the major leagues. Combining modern precision with fast-paced 90s-inspired action, Tape to Tape features a unique battle system in the form of a balanced simcade hockey experience. Hire superstars in the making, wield and upgrade puck-crushing equipment, and set out on the frigid path to victory. Players eager to take a slapshot at the championship will get their chance when Tape to Tape launches in 2023.
GitHub co-founder Chris Wanstrath has officially formed Null Games, a developer-forward indie game publisher.
Wanstrath co-founded GitHub in 2007, and served as the company’s CEO for a number of years leading up to the acquisition by Microsoft in 2018. With the formation of Null Games, Wanstrath is utilizing his background to create a healthier, more sustainable game development environment.
“Null is part of a new wave of indie game publishers that put developers first.
So many of us grew up exploring amazing digital worlds. But as we got older, we learned that the games industry isn't always fun. The creative people directly responsible for making a great game are often treated the worst. In the world of indie games, the publishers have all the power and they know it. Contracts are often one sided, as is the risk.
We think there's a better way.
When I co-founded GitHub in 2007, the story wasn't so different. App and web developers were treated as disposable. The tools they used weren't always built for them. But GitHub and companies like Heroku changed that by focusing exclusively on the developer experience. Today, app and web developers have fantastic tools and much better working conditions than they did even a decade ago.
Null is just one publisher. We can't change the industry. But we're part of a growing movement that can. By partnering with developers and giving them great terms, we want to help them make better games in a more sustainable manner. Because at the end of the day, this is really all about the games. We've seen what the developer-unfriendly, crunch culture produces. It's time to see what happens when you treat developers and gamers with respect.” - Chris Wanstrath
Null Games' first published title comes from Canadian developer Excellent Rectangle. Tape To Tape tasks players with taking charge of a ragtag group of hockey players in a roguelite journey to the major leagues. Combining modern precision with fast-paced 90s-inspired action, Tape to Tape features a unique battle system in the form of a balanced simcade hockey experience. Hire future superstars, wield and upgrade puck-crushing equipment courtesy of the mighty Blademaster, and set out on the frigid path to victory. Players will be able to get out on the ice and give’r when Tape to Tape launches in 2023.
The latest to join the group of unlikely heroes are Ryan, who’s very much used to bringing the heat as a sexy firefighter, but in HELL-A dancing won’t get you far when slaying the infected; and Dani, an Irish rockabilly brawler with a knack for fecking up zombies!
Learn about each character below and follow the links to the official site for the full reveal and cosplay guides.
Jacob
An antihero with rockstar flair, Jacob’s offbeat charm is paired with a reckless disregard for self-preservation. When his beloved mum passed, this successful London stockbroker left everything behind to follow his dream of being a Hollywood stuntman. Now his quips and Shakespearean quotes fall on undead ears as he revels in being a slayer in HELL-A. Lovely!
Amy is a quick-witted Paralympian who has found something even better than her runner’s high: zombie-slaying! The risks keep her wired, the success keeps her pumped, and every battle is almost a puzzle to solve on the fly – like an obstacle course to keep her mind sharp. Laid-back, focused, and calm, very little can dent her California chill.
There’s much more to this exotic dancer than rippling pecs. Ryan has a stubborn streak a mile wide, pessimistic sarcasm as dry as the Sahara, and an indomitable heart. He’s on a mission to get back to his little brother, left behind in Fresno before the outbreak, and nothing – alive or dead – is going to stop him getting home.
Hailing from the mosh pits of County Cork in Ireland, Dani is a headstrong rockabilly brawler with a foul mouth and a twisted sense of humor. She plows through zombies the way she plowed through opposing roller derby teams, pre-zompocalypse: with a grin and a yelled promise to feck you up!
Dead Island 2 will launch on April 28th, 2023 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Epic Games Store. The game is available to preorder right now on the Xbox Store.
For more video game news, release dates, exclusive gameplay and other information for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam, GOG & Epic Store, follow @XONEHQ on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, subscribe on YouTube, and install the free Xbox News app for Android.
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