As promised earlier, Archetype Entertainment, an Austin-based video game studio comprised of veteran AAA developers, including the legendary RPG creator James Ohlen, has released the new gameplay trailer for its new EXODUS game, called "EXODUS: The Traveler's Creed." Running at two minutes flat, the trailer shows what appears to be a Mass Effect-like third-person action RPG game, with some interesting twist to the gameplay.

In case you missed it, Archetype Entertainment was established back in 2019 as a division game developer and publisher Wizards of the Coast, and, in addition to James Ohlen, an ex-BioWare veteran, the studio also includes other RPG developers from Naughty Dog, 343 Industries, Electronic Arts, Blizzard, and other studios. In EXODUS, their new game, "humanity has fled a dying Earth, finding a new home in a hostile galaxy - here, we are the underdogs fighting for survival," putting the user in the role of "The Traveler", humanity's last hope. Set in an original sci-fi universe, the game is built around the impact of Time Dilation, where days in the different galaxy are decades back home, which will somehow impact the choices you make in the game and more, so it will be interesting to see how it is used in the game.

From heart-pounding action games to remastered classics, there's something for everyone this GFN Thursday. Six new titles join the cloud this week, starting with The Thing: Remastered. Face the horrors of the Antarctic as the game oozes onto GeForce NOW. Nightdive Studios' revival of the cult-classic 2002 survival-horror game came to the cloud as a surprise at the PC Gaming Show last week. Since then, GeForce NOW members have been able to experience all the bone-chilling action in the sequel to the title based on Universal Pictures' genre-defining 1982 film. And don't miss out on the limited-time GeForce NOW holiday sale, which offers 50% off the first month of a new Ultimate or Performance membership. The 25% off Day Pass sale ends today - take advantage of the offer to experience 24 hours of cloud gaming with all the benefits of Ultimate or Performance membership.

It's Alive!
The Thing: Remastered brings the 2002 third-person shooter into the modern era with stunning visual upgrades, including improved character models, textures and animations, all meticulously crafted to enhance the game's already-tense atmosphere. Playing as Captain J.F. Blake, leader of a U.S. governmental rescue team, navigate the blood-curdling aftermath of the events depicted in the original film. Trust is a precious commodity as members command their squad through 11 terrifying levels, never knowing who might harbor the alien within. The remaster introduces enhanced lighting and atmospheric effects that make the desolate research facility more immersive and frightening than ever.

It's time to kick off the end-of-year shopping season with dragon-sized discounts and deals on some of your favorite games on Battle.net.

Now through December 2nd, we're serving up savings so you can dive into your next epic adventure. Maybe something on your Wish List has gone on sale, maybe there's a specific in-game goodie you've been meaning to grab, or maybe you're simply in the mood to embark on a brand-new journey into the unknown with your gaming friends. Whatever quest you're on, the Black Friday Sale is here to get you underway.

Blizzard Entertainment and the massively multiplayer online role-playing game, World of Warcraft, are teaming up with CureDuchenne, a global nonprofit dedicated to funding and finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, to launch an in-game promotion that will raise funds for the nonprofit and accelerate a cure for the rare neuromuscular disease.

The charity partnership is inspired by the incredible story of Mats Steen, which was captured in the newly released award-winning Netflix documentary, The Remarkable Life of Ibelin. Mats, a Norwegian World of Warcraft player known in game as Ibelin, suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In the wake of his death at age 25, his family discovered what they thought was a life lived in total isolation was in fact filled with joy, laughter, friendship and love through Mats' adventures in World of Warcraft. The game opened a world of community and connection his family never knew existed and gave him a rich set of friends and experiences that would not have been possible outside of the game environment. Mats was a supportive friend and trusted advisor who made a tremendous impact on the lives of all he encountered in the game.

Prepare for a devilishly good time this GFN Thursday as the critically acclaimed Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred downloadable content (DLC) joins the cloud, one of six new games available this week. GeForce NOW also extends its game-library sync feature to Battle.net accounts, so members can seamlessly bring their favorite Blizzard games into their cloud-streaming libraries.

Hell's Bells and Whistles
Get ready to rage. New DLC for the hit title Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred is available to stream at launch this week, with thrilling content and gameplay for GeForce NOW members to experience. Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred DLC is the highly anticipated expansion of the latest installment in Blizzard's iconic action role-playing game series. It introduces players to the lush and dangerous jungles of Nahantu. Teeming with both beauty and dangers, this new environment offers a fresh backdrop for action-packed battles against the demonic forces of Hell. A new playable class, the Spiritborn, offers unique gameplay mechanics tied to four guardian spirits: the eagle, gorilla, jaguar and centipede.

MSI proudly announces its collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment for Diablo IV's first expansion, Vessel of Hatred. With *eligible MSI product purchases, users can redeem Blizzard's Diablo IV base game and the Vessel of Hatred Expansion from Nov. 1, 2024 - Dec. 31. 2024. Embark on an exhilarating journey into the next chapter of Diablo IV and enjoy numerous new features from the expansion with the latest MSI gaming products. Gamers can now explore the new region of Nahantu with an exciting new class - the Spiritborn - and discover and recruit new mercenaries to join your journey to search for Neryelle and uncover Mephisto's malicious agenda. Experience Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred with MSI gaming laptops and handhelds.

During Nov. 1, 2024 - Dec. 31. 2024, get a Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred base game and expansion with the purchase of a qualifying MSI gaming handheld or MSI gaming laptop with Intel Core Ultra processors or Intel Core processors HX-series (14th gen) or AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series Processors with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, RTX 4070 Laptop GPU.

Diablo IV received some severe backlash over microtransactions when it launched back in 2023, with some bundles even costing more than the $69.99 base game. It appears, however, that its microtransaction-laden monetization strategy has paid off, according to an accidental leak on LinkedIn from senior product manager, Harrison Froeschke.

According to the now-deleted LinkedIn profile update, Diablo IV has managed to generate a total of $1 billion in total revenue since it launched, with $150 million of that coming from microtransactions and in-game purchases. Perhaps more interestingly, though, is the fact that this is unusually low for an Activision-Blizzard game.

MSI and Blizzard Entertainment are proud to announce a special collaboration to celebrate the 20th anniversary of World of Warcraft and the release of The War Within expansion with a new and limited edition graphics card. The GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER 12G GAMING SLIM World of Warcraft EDITION is designed to deliver an outstanding gaming experience powered by the Nvidia 4070 SUPER GPU. This graphics card supports advanced technologies such as DLSS and ray tracing, to deliver superior graphics quality and smooth gameplay.

The limited edition design features the iconic Mystic Blue and Glorious Gold colors of World of Warcraft and additionally, comes included with a set of exquisite magnetic puzzle backplates inspired by the 10 expansions from World of Warcraft's 20-year history. Users can mix and match these backplates to their preferences and style. This collaboration between MSI and Blizzard is a heartfelt tribute to World of Warcraft, realized by combining technology and artistic aesthetics into a graphics card that will please fans of the monumental game.

World of Warcraft comes to the cloud this week, part of the 17 games joining the GeForce NOW library, with seven available to stream this week. Plus, it's time to get rewarded. Get a free in-game mount in Elder Scrolls Online starting today by opting into GeForce NOW's Rewards program.

Heroes Rise to the Cloud
Dive into the immersive realms of World of Warcraft, including the latest expansion Dragonflight, the nostalgic journey of World of Warcraft Classic and the recently launched World of Warcraft Cataclysm Classic. These popular, massively multiplayer, online role-playing experiences from Blizzard Entertainment immerse players in legendary battles.

After careful consideration over the last year, we at Blizzard have made the decision not to hold BlizzCon in 2024. This decision was not made lightly as BlizzCon remains a very special event for all of us, and we know many of you look forward to it. While we're approaching this year differently and as we have explored different event formats in the past, rest assured that we are just as excited as ever to bring BlizzCon back in future years.

Over the next few months, we'll be sharing more details about our launches coming later this year, including World of Warcraft: The War Within and Diablo IV's first expansion, Vessel of Hatred. To celebrate these upcoming releases and to bring our communities together in new and special ways, we will soon share some exciting plans for other industry trade shows and conventions like Gamescom. We can't wait to tell you more about those plans soon. We're also looking forward to the Overwatch Champions Series' stops at both Dreamhack Dallas and Dreamhack Stockholm. And we're thrilled to be planning multiple, global, in-person events to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Warcraft, which will be held in addition to the in-game celebrations across our Warcraft games throughout 2024. While these events are distinct from BlizzCon, we're harnessing all of our creativity and imagination to ensure that they carry the same spirit of celebration and togetherness.

Support for Battle.net on GeForce NOW expands this GFN Thursday, as titles from the iconic StarCraft and Diablo series come to the cloud. StarCraft Remastered, StarCraft II, Diablo II: Resurrected and Diablo III are part of 16 new games joining the GeForce NOW library of more than 1,900 titles. Plus, a new update rolling out for members this week brings AV1 streaming to Mac M3 computers. This feature will improve game-streaming quality for members on M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max devices

Plenty of Space in Hell
Dive into the original Blizzard games that set the stage for real-time strategy and action role-playing games (RPGs). StarCraft Remastered, StarCraft II, Diablo II: Resurrected and Diablo III bring galactic warfare, epic quests and legendary battles to the cloud. In StarCraft Remastered, command one of three races - Terran, Zerg or Protoss - as they desperately struggle for survival. Build bases, gather resources and engage in intense battles using unique units and strategies. Continue the saga with StarCraft II, with enhanced graphics and extended storytelling. Save the galaxy from emergent threats in full-length Terran, Zerg and Protoss campaigns. Take charge of all multiplayer units solo in Versus Mode, team up with a friend for Co-Op Missions or explore community-created game modes in the Arcade.

Today (on March 26), wanderers can conquer the horrors of Hell with a suite of new graphical enhancements available to them with patch 1.3.5. Arriving alongside our next content update, Sanctuary will be further imbued with the luscious shadows and enhanced reflections of ray tracing, plus other visual enhancements.

BASK IN THE GLOW OF NVIDIA GeForce
Players using GeForce RTX 40 Series can max out their ray tracing settings and frame rates with NVIDIA DLSS 3 Frame Generation, while other GeForce RTX users can accelerate performance with DLSS 2's Super Resolution technology. With a GeForce RTX 40 Series GPU, you can multiply performance by up to 3X thanks to DLSS 3. NVIDIA Reflex is a game-changer, reducing system latency on GeForce graphics cards and laptops. Pinpoint accuracy and timing are key to overcoming Diablo IV's most difficult fights; NVIDIA Reflex reduces system latency, making gameplay smooth and more responsive, delivering the reaction time needed in critical moments. The newest GeForce Game Ready Driver delivers the optimum experience with ray tracing, available now for download.

Get swept away in the Plunderstorm—a fun, new, limited-time, pirate-themed event of prodigious proportions lasting the next several weeks. Scour the map and try to be the last pirate standing while dashing across the Arathi Highlands to find abilities, upgrades, and loot to plunder just to survive! Plunge into a challenging battle that earns excellent rewards for World of Warcraft Modern and Classic progression realms. All you have to do is survive…and plunder. Can't seem to stay in the realm of the living? No problem. Plunderers still gain progression that helps unlock new rewards.

Set Sail for the Plunderstorm
Each match is 10-15 minutes long and has 60 players per match, with the winner being the last one standing. Level up and acquire new abilities and spells by killing creatures and enemies, looting chests, and avoiding the encroaching storm.

As part of our effort to make Battle.net more welcoming to more players, we routinely review which currencies we support and what new ones we should add. This can make submitting payments less difficult and may help reduce or eliminate fees you pay to your card issuer for foreign currency transactions. Subscriptions for Argentinian players will be canceled and not automatically renewed to avoid enrolling players into subscriptions that may see a price increase in Argentina after this currency update.

The new currencies we're rolling out include: United Arab Emirates dirham (AED), Colombian peso (COP), Costa Rican colon (CRC), Indonesian rupiah (IDR), Israeli new shekel (ILS), Malaysian ringgit (MYR), Peruvian sol (PEN), Qatari riyal (QAR), Serbian dinar (RSD), Saudi riyal (SAR), Singapore dollar (SGD), Thai baht (THB), and Uruguayan peso (UYU). We've put together a brief FAQ to provide you with more information on the coming changes.

We're thrilled to announce that Toys for Bob is spinning off as an independent game development studio! Over the years, we've inspired love, joy, and laughter for the inner child in all gamers. We pioneered new IP and hardware technologies in Skylanders. We raised the bar for best-in-class remasters in Spyro Reignited Trilogy. We've taken Crash Bandicoot to innovative, critically acclaimed new heights.

With the same enthusiasm and passion, we believe that now is the time to take the studio and our future games to the next level. This opportunity allows us to return to our roots of being a small and nimble studio. To make this news even more exciting, we're exploring a possible partnership between our new studio and Microsoft. And while we're in the early days of developing our next new game and a ways away from making any announcements, our team is excited to develop new stories, new characters, and new gameplay experiences.

GFN Thursday celebrates this leap day with the addition of a popular game store to the cloud. Stream the first titles from Blizzard Entertainment's Battle.net, including Diablo IV, Overwatch 2, Call of Duty HQ and Hearthstone, now playable across more devices than ever. They're all part of the 30 new games coming to GeForce NOW in March, with eight available this week. Plus, Day Passes, announced at CES, are coming to the cloud next week, enabling gamers to experience the benefits of GeForce NOW Ultimate and Priority memberships for 24 hours at a time.

Welcome to the Cloud
Battle.net is Blizzard's digital storefront, a gateway to adventures in the Blizzard universe and home to a vibrant gaming community. Members who own Diablo IV, Overwatch 2, Call of Duty HQ and Hearthstone on Battle.net can now stream these triple-A titles from NVIDIA GeForce RTX-powered servers in the cloud without worrying about hardware specs or long download times. Battle the forces of evil in the dark, treacherous world of Diablo IV's Sanctuary at up to 4K resolution and 120 frames per second with an Ultimate membership, even on under-powered devices. Assemble a deck to cast legendary spells in Hearthstone, and engage in epic firefights in Overwatch 2 and Call of Duty HQ at ultra-low latency thanks to the power of NVIDIA Reflex technology. Read this article and search for Hearthstone for more details on supported devices for this title.

As GDC, the world's largest game developer conference, returns to San Francisco, Microsoft and Xbox will be there to engage and empower developers, publishers, and technology partners across the industry. We are committed to supporting game developers on any platform, anywhere in the world, at every stage of development. Our message is simple: Microsoft and Xbox are here to help power your games and empower your teams. From March 18 - 22, the Xbox Lobby Lounge in the Moscone Center South can't be missed—an easy meeting point, and a first step toward learning more about the ID@Xbox publishing program, the Developer Acceleration Program (DAP) for underrepresented creators, Azure cloud gaming services, and anything else developers might need.

GDC features dozens of speakers from across Xbox, Activision, Blizzard, King and ZeniMax who will demonstrate groundbreaking in-game innovations and share community-building strategies. Microsoft technology teams, with support from partners, will also host talks that spotlight new tools, software and services that help increase developer velocity, grow player engagement and help creators grow. See below for the Conference programming details.

Yesterday, during a special edition of the Official Xbox Podcast, we shared an update on plans to continue to bring more games to more people around the world, with the exciting news that the first Activision Blizzard game on Xbox Game Pass will be Diablo IV, beginning March 28. Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond, and Matt Booty also shared the vision on game exclusivity, the future of Xbox hardware, and the overall Xbox promise. There's a lot to talk about, so we encourage you to watch the full episode (see below).

With the combined creativity across Team Xbox, players can expect an incredible 2024 with the likes of Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avowed, Ara: History Untold, Towerborne and more coming your way, alongside continued updates for our blockbuster franchises Call of Duty, Minecraft, Forza, The Elder Scrolls Online and Microsoft Flight Simulator.

As many of you know, two weeks ago, there were a series of changes made to the Overwatch team, as well as other teams across Blizzard. Writing a public blog is difficult in the wake of these events. I want to express gratitude for the absolutely amazing people who worked on our game that are no longer on our team. I want the community to feel informed, and I want to convey our excitement about what is to come in Season 9. To be honest, it's a lot to balance—but one of the things we've been most proud of is how we've kept lines of communication open between the team and our community, and we intend to continue that.

In that spirit, yesterday, we shared the exciting changes you are going to experience with Competitive starting in Season 9. I'd like to give a bit more insight into why we are making these changes. In our previous Director's Take, we talked about improving the game's core PvP experience. There are different ways that we look at improving the game, but one of the biggest is listening to your feedback. Season 9 starts in less than a week, and the two biggest and best changes coming to the season and a lot of it is driven by feedback from you - our players along with our team's vision to make the game more fun and challenging for everyone.

GeForce NOW is celebrating its fourth anniversary all month—plus an extra day for leap year—during February's GFN Thursdays, with 2 new games joining the cloud. Keep an eye out for more new games and other announcements for members to come. Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 heat up the cloud this GFN Thursday to kick off the anniversary celebrations. They're the next Activision and Blizzard games to join GeForce NOW as part of the NVIDIA and Microsoft partnership, following Call of Duty.

The titles join the RAGE franchise as part of five new games joining the ever-expanding GeForce NOW library this week. Follow the #4YearsofGFN celebration and get the latest cloud gaming news on the newly launched GeForce NOW Instagram and Threads channels. Use #GFNShare and tag these accounts for a chance to be featured.

The kingdom of Stormwind lies in ruins. The greatest strategists of the Alliance and the Horde race towards a terrifying clash as war continues to rage across Azeroth. It's up to you to defend this world and its people…or crush these pitiful weaklings and claim their realm for the Horde! You can now add 1995's Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness and its expansion, Beyond the Dark Portal, to your catalog of games right from the Battle.net Shop. This game took the series' real-time strategy to new heights and added greater tactical depth, expanding your armies with flying and even seafaring units. With bigger maps and more diverse armies, Warcraft II will challenge your strategic and tactical skills. Think fast and act decisively; the fate of your people depends on it!

This release includes:
28 missions across two epic campaigns: Follow the Horde and Alliance campaigns and decide the fate of Azeroth. Visit key historic locations such as Dalaran or Stratholme, and see how they were first introduced.
Even more adventure awaits Beyond the Dark Portal: Once you've beaten the Tides of Darkness campaign, embark on the final chapter of Warcraft II with the Beyond the Dark Portal expansion. Conquer the shattered realm of Outland, and end the orcish threat once and for all!
More maps, more players, more mayhem: Fight against up to seven computer-controlled opponents or other players across an even bigger selection of online multiplayer battlefields. Take to the field as a team or try to seize victory on your own, and prove your worth as a master tactician.
Get creative with the Warcraft II map editor: Use the mapmaking tool to create your own multiplayer maps, then challenge your friends to epic battles on your turf!

Beneath the cathedral of Tristram, past the catacombs and deep caves, a Prime Evil grows in strength. Terror grips the townsfolk. They pray for someone to descend into the darkness, avenge their fallen friends, save Tristram, and destroy their demonic malefactor. Will you answer the call? Return to 1997's Diablo, the title that launched one of gaming's most enduring action-RPG franchises. Warriors, Rogues, and Sorcerers can now grab the game from the Battle.net Shop and stand against darkness once again in this genre classic.

Experience the legendary action-RPG that defined a genre
1997's Diablo set the stage for a new type of game that combined fast-paced action, deep character customization, intense multiplayer combat, and dark gothic fantasy in one bone-chilling package. Choose your destiny—storm Diablo's halls as either a Warrior, a Sorcerer or a Rogue, each with unique skills and abilities. Unite to destroy Diablo—join forces with up to 3 other players, delve into the hellbound depths beneath Tristram, and face the Prime Evil together.

As fearsome invaders from another world threaten the peace, Azeroth calls for a hero to lead its human defenders in battle…or conquer this realm in the name of the orcish Horde! The very first game in the Warcraft franchise, 1994's Warcraft: Orcs and Humans is now available in the Battle.net Shop. If you've ever wondered what it was like to fight the real-time strategy battles at the dawn of the Warcraft saga, this is your chance to see for yourself how it all began.

This release includes:

• Two dozen missions across two separate campaigns: Help the humans defend their home world against the orcish invaders, or lead the Horde in their relentless conquest.
• Custom games to hone your skills: Select from 21 bonus maps and play against a computer-controlled opponent to learn how to lead your forces more effectively.
• Two-player versus mode: Go head-to-head with another human and prove who is the master strategist in highly customizable multiplayer matches.

Command the battlefield, outflank your enemies, and gain victory, or suffer crushing defeat and be forgotten forever.

Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson has managed to glean information from a recent Sledgehammer Games "Town Hall" meeting—his source(s) allege that the Activision subsidiary is set for some major restructuring. Last week, Microsoft announced widespread cuts across its Xbox and Activision Blizzard departments—according to Henderson's investigations: "30% of Sledgehammer Games staff have lost their jobs." An earlier version of his report outlines a return to a "Work From Home" model for the rest of 2024, given that the studio is allegedly vacating their current space (located in Foster City, California). He suggested that this is a temporary measure: "until a new office is found near its current location. It's expected that employees will be working from home until the end of 2024."

Insider Gaming claims that it sources have leaked Activision's future plans for their highly prized Call of Duty franchise—despite layoffs and adjusted work conditions, the company's top brass are sticking with a regular release schedule: It's a move that comes at an interesting time for Sledgehammer Games, as it it was also announced during the Town Hall that the studio would be the main developer for Activision's 2027 Call of Duty title. Infinity Ward will be heading Call of Duty 2026, understood to be in the Modern Warfare universe. Call of Duty 2025 is currently planned to be a semi-futuristic Black Ops 2 sequel under the codename Saturn."

Today, the following email was delivered to all Blizzard employees by Johanna Faries, the new President of Blizzard Entertainment: "Dear Blizzard, though my official first day with you all is February 5, I want to let you know immediately that it is an honor to join you next week in this new capacity. I do so humbly and in awe of all that Blizzard has stood for and delivered to the world for over thirty years. Today also brings some mixed emotions. The loss of talented teammates in recent days is hard to hold side-by-side with the immense excitement I feel about joining Blizzard - and building on the momentum you've created for Blizzard's next chapter.

I want to thank Matt (Booty) for the introduction, bring some further clarity to today's announcement, and share more about how I see our future together at Blizzard. I understand this is a lot to take in. The news of my appointment may no doubt bring up a range of reactions, questions, even concerns. Activision, Blizzard, and King are decidedly different companies with distinct games, cultures, and communities. It is important to note that Call of Duty's way of waking up in the morning to deliver for players can often differ from the stunning games in Blizzard's realm: each with different gameplay experiences, communities that surround them, and requisite models of success. I've discussed this with the Blizzard leadership team and I'm walking into this role with sensitivity to those dynamics, and deep respect for Blizzard, as we begin to explore taking our universes to even higher heights."