Welcome to week 40, which is also the beginning of October and another week packed full of new game releases. This week's major release is a F2P MMORPG by NCSoft, for those that are into those kinds of things. This is followed by an animal horror game, an open world zombie survival, an arcade inspired isometric action shooter of sorts, some roguelike magic, a remake of a 2015 adventure game and finally a Japanese co-op action RPG. In addition to this, the first DLC for Starfield is out this week.

Throne and Liberty / This week's major release / Tuesday 1 October
Welcome to Throne and Liberty, a free-to-play MMORPG that takes place in the vast open world of Solisium. You can scale expansive mountain ranges for new vantage points, scan open skies, traverse sprawling plains, explore a land full of depth and opportunity. Adapt your fight to survive and thrive through strategic decisions in PvP, PvE or both as you encounter evolving battlefields impacted by weather, time of day, and other players. There is no single path to victory as you seek to defeat Kazar and claim the throne while keeping rival guilds at bay. Steam link

Digital Extremes's free-to-play third-person looter-shooter, Warframe, has changed radically over the years, serving as something of a golden example of how to do live-service games. The developer also shows no sign of slowing that progress, with the game's upcoming Warframe 1999 and Koumei & the Five Fates updates looking to introduce a slew of new content and gameplay updates. While both updates were previously announced, Digital Extremes revealed additional details about the rollout of the updates and their content at the Tokyo Game Show.

For starters, Digital Extremes announced that Warframe 1999—the 90s- and cyberpunk-themed story update—will be getting a playable demo on October 16, with an in-game cosmetic reward for players that try out the demo, to boot. The Koumei & the Five Fates update is slated to land on October 2 and deliver a new playable Warframe, Koumei, and a new Shrine Defense game mode with enemies inspired by Japanese folklore. There are also quality-of-life changes, new weapons, and weapon and Warframe mods coming in the same update, and an old Warframe will get a drastic rework and be available as a free login reward between October 3 and 16.

Xbox is your home for free-to-play action! Dive into the week-long celebration of the amazing free-to-play games on Xbox from March 19 to March 25 in Free-To-Play Frenzy to explore new worlds, embark on epic quests, battle with millions of other players online and enjoy great discounts and special Perks offers. Whether you want to battle royale with your friends, explore distant galaxies, or unleash your creativity, there's a free-to-play game that suits your mood and style on Xbox.

Enhance your gameplay with great discounts and special Perks offers. Xbox's Free-to-Play Frenzy Sale is here with up to 65% off add-ons on some of your favorites such as Brawlhalla - All Legends Pack, Puzzle Quest 3 - Adventurer's Goldenfire Pack, War Thunder - F4EJ Phantom II ADTW Pack. Hurry, discounts end March 25!

Season 2 of The Finals launches on March 14, and strange things are happening in the arena. The game show has been compromised by the rogue hacking collective CNS, and showrunners are scrambling to decipher their cryptic messages—but one thing is clear: the show must go on! Throughout the jam-packed season of this free-to-play game, contestants can experience new weapons for each class, the hacked new map SYS$HORIZON, the all-new 5v5 game mode Power Shift, a new skill-based League System, rewarded weekly career progression, private matches—for now in a feature-limited beta version—and the new Hacker Playstyle, which adds several ways for contestants to alter the arena to their favor.

THE Finals' new Hacker Playstyle lets players step into the shoes of CNS, with a set of new gadgets and a new specialization that can be mixed and matched with players' existing toolset. Remove walls, defy gravity, tunnel across the arena, and transform items—become the glitch in the system, the ultimate cyber tactician, and bring a new dimension to the game.

Today, Ubisoft announced that BattleCore Arena, a free-to-play competitive platform shooter, is under development at Ubisoft Bordeaux and coming to PC via Ubisoft Connect and Steam. Playing as a spherical core, players will enter multi-tiered maps and contend with gravitational forces as they roll, dash, jump, and double-jump to outmaneuver their opponents with physics-based movement. Players will also be able to eject (or be ejected by) their opponents as they wield a multi-faceted arsenal, featuring ranged weapons for close-range impact or mid-distance power, as well as perks to help them evade danger, knock out enemies, or aid their allies.

BattleCore Arena is a PvP game with competitive modes including Backup, a 3v3 team deathmatch; Golden Core, in which possession of the eponymous Core is the path to victory; and Free-for-all, a fast-paced way to test your solo skills or warm up before climbing the ladder in ranked matches. Players can customize their core with cosmetic options for armor, lights, banners, elimination explosions, and more so they can show off their style while zipping around the arenas. If you live in Europe, you can register to participate in the BattleCore Arena tech test running from February 1 through February 5. Stay tuned to Ubisoft News for more on BattleCore Arena.

Titan Forge Games and Hi-Rez Studios have made the biggest announcement in SMITE history—SMITE 2! Become a god and wage war in SMITE 2, the Unreal Engine 5-powered sequel to the legendary third-person action MOBA. If you love rewarding teamwork, challenging competition, intense action, ability-driven third-person combat, or godly mythology, you'll see why 40+ million players love SMITE.

SMITE, EVOLVED
More than 40 million players have enjoyed SMITE. Now the next generation of action MOBA begins, with immersive next-gen visuals powered by UE5, more impactful combat, and new creative gameplay options to shape the game in your own way.

At Gamescom 2023 in Cologne we had a booth for fans to play Path of Exile 2 and try out the new Druid class - a spellcaster who channels the fury of nature on the battlefield to become a walking natural disaster. Check out our Gamescom Druid gameplay walkthrough below! Thanks to everyone who has come to play Path of Exile 2 at Gamescom so far! It was great meeting you in person, and the fan meetup beforehand was fantastic. We'll be at PAX West next week. See you there! For more information about Path of Exile 2 and to see the other trailers, visit pathofexile2.com.

Path of Exile 2 is a next generation Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Set years after the original Path of Exile, you will return to the dark world of Wraeclast and seek to end the corruption that is spreading. Path of Exile 2 is a free-to-play online multiplayer game with co-op for up to six players.

Whispers in the Walls: Winter 2023—coming to all platforms this winter, Whispers in the Walls will drop you into a hair-raising conflict rife with shocking revelations that will shake the Origin System to its very core. In this new story-driven cinematic quest, you'll be caught in the middle of a deadly battle between Albrecht Entrati, one of the Origin System's most brilliant minds, and the unknowable Man in the Wall. The board is set and the pieces are moving. Can you put it all together in time, Tenno?

Naturally, you won't be fighting unarmed, either. Hold fast against the dangers littered throughout Albrecht Entrati's secret laboratory with an all-new Secondary weapon class—the otherworldly Grimoire. Whispers in the Walls will also introduce the Murmur, a brand-new faction created by the Man in the Wall, along with a reworked and expanded Necramech enemy faction. No matter how you do battle, the forces arrayed against you have never been more fearsome.

Washed ashore on the northern isle of Midrath, a new adventure begins...the Soulframe team debuted their latest gameplay demo during TennoLive, giving fans a brand-new look at gameplay and systems coming in the upcoming fantasy co-op action game from Digital Extremes. Discover what it means to be Alca's chosen hero, an Envoy, and draw the strength of your Ancestors long past to fight back against the oppressive Ode'n.

It began as song, pitched sweet and solemn…And they that heard, 'came, hollow, fallen…Gather round, Envoys. A new adventure begins. Soulframe is an upcoming game from Digital Extremes and the creative minds behind Warframe, with a heavy focus on themes of nature, restoration, and history in a brand-new world.

As Blizzard evolves as a studio, inside and out, one of the ideas pushing us forward is meeting players around the world where they are and making our games as easy as possible to access and play. We want to give everyone a chance to experience our universes with old friends while making new ones, no matter how they choose to play.

Battle.net is the home of all our PC players, and over the years, we've evolved our platform to support updated technologies, capabilities, and our communities' expectations. But as we've evolved, the industry has evolved too-gaming is no longer just for specific communities as it was when Battle.net launched over two decades ago, gaming is for everyone-and though we remain committed to continually investing in and supporting Battle.net, we want to break down the barriers to make it easier for players everywhere to find and enjoy our games. Which is why we're trying something new...

XDefiant will launch later this summer, but players won't have to wait that long to play a few more rounds of the free-to-play PVP shooter. Announced at Ubisoft Forward, XDefiant will be running an Open Session for all players on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S from June 21-23; sign up by going to PlayXDefiant.com. Anyone who participated in the Closed Beta in April can log in a day early to participate in a special Early Access phase of the Open Session starting on June 20. Over one million players played in the Closed Beta, which was integral in helping the team test myriad aspects of the game and gather feedback.

"We received a lot of great feedback from our players after the end of our Closed Beta," says creative director Safy Saada, "and for the Open Session, we'll likely see some new faction balancing (particularly for Libertad) based on player feedback, as well as weapon balancing based on data we've collected from the Closed Beta."

If you were watching the Summer Game Fest today, you may have seen our short Ngamakanui teaser for Path of Exile 2! If you missed it, you can check it out below. At ExileCon, we (Grinding Gears Games) will reveal everything there is to know about Path of Exile 2 - including its beta launch date! We'll also be showcasing Path of Exile: Mobile and the 3.22 expansion for Path of Exile 1 at this event.

ExileCon takes place on Jul 28, 2023, or the 28th and 29th of July PDT. You can watch online or attend in person. In the meantime, find out more at pathofexile2.com, where you can also sign up for reminders to get all the latest updates.

Welcome, adventurer. On June 2, the fiery pits of Hell will rejoice - Diablo Immortal turns one! This milestone could not have been achieved without your continuous support, and to honor you, we have a bloody wave of new additions hitting the shores of Sanctuary over the next two months. It's time to gaze into the flames and provide a bird's-eye view of the upcoming Diablo IV Launch Celebration x Diablo Immortal event and Lilith-themed Cosmetics, new Zone, and new Class.

DIABLO IV LAUNCH CELEBRATION X DIABLO IMMORTAL
The creation of Sanctuary by Inarius and Lilith is a storied tale; its impact can still be felt today. The Merciless Monstrosity event, Children of Lilith Battle Pass, and Hatred's Heritage Phantom Market will be experienceable expressions of Sanctuary's matriarch. Your opportunity to let sin flow freely will arrive in early June.

Hello Bloodhunt Community! Bloodhunt is a game that we developed as a standout title in the popular Battle Royale genre, where we focused on creating an immersive and unique experience for players that enjoy games that are easy to learn but difficult to master. Ever since launch, we have been on a journey to excite and delight our players, however, while we have an amazing and very engaged community, we haven't been able to reach the critical mass needed to sustain development. This has led us to the decision to stop further development of Bloodhunt.

With that said, Bloodhunt servers will stay up and the game will remain available to play. Our aim is to keep the servers going for as long as we have an active player base and community. For those who enjoy the game and want to continue playing, we have worked on some solutions to ensure that the game continues to be interesting. An in-game player voting system will be deployed to regularly unlock new things and keep Bloodhunt fresh. We will share more granular details about how this system works when we get closer to releasing our next update, which will be the last planned patch for Bloodhunt. Beyond that update, patches will only be related to maintenance.

Experience an all-new beginning for all players, whether it's your first step into Warframe or have been a 10 year veteran! The Duviri Paradox is a departure from the Warframe gameplay you've come to expect, figuratively and literally. A mind-bending unreality unlike anything you've ever seen awaits in Duviri - no matter where you are in your Warframe journey. Available to all players regardless of experience, Tenno can choose to begin at the ending and play The Duviri Paradox immediately upon launch. Experience it for yourself on all platforms and play through a brand new Cinematic Quest, a divergent and ever-changing open world, as well as a unique Endless game mode in The Circuit.

Take control of The Drifter and step into an endless cycle of life, death and rebirth as you battle to restore an astonishing new landscape from the oppressive clutches of the Child King, Dominus Thrax. Each Spiral in Duviri features its own story, unique new threats, and a constantly-shifting environment that will test your mettle. Discover familiar warriors within The Undercroft, customize each playthrough with the Decree system, and upgrade your Drifter with a new suite of Intrinsics. Duviri's frenetic, melee-focused combat rewards both skill and patience, as do new activities including Maw Fishing, Komi and more. Climb aboard your new Kaithe mount and experience The Duviri Paradox for yourself!

The PARADOX UNFOLDS BEFORE YOU. A Mad King, a mysterious Drifter, and a color-shifting unreality as sublime as it is deadly combine in the latest addition to Warframe's ever-expanding universe, The Duviri Paradox! A landscape out of time and space - whether you are just starting with Warframe or have been playing for years, The Duviri Paradox will be available to all players. From the very beginning of your journey, all Tenno can choose to begin at the ending and play The Duviri Paradox. Experience it for yourself this April on all platforms and play through a brand new Cinematic Quest, a whole new space in the Origin System and Endless Mission varieties, as well as loads of new Customizations to personalize your Operator, Drifter and Warframes!

Depending on the mood of its ruler, Dominus Thrax, the color-shifting world of Duviri will appear differently - painting the swirling skies a poisonous green shade for Envy, or unleashing a wrathful red firestorm in Anger. As The Drifter, you are suspended in a never-ending cycle of life, death and rebirth for Thrax's entertainment. Each Spiral will present you with its own set of unique challenges, and lead you across some of the most varied and beautiful landscapes ever seen in Warframe.

Sometimes Dota gameplay patches are small. Sometimes they can get pretty big. This one... is huge. It's got all the things you were probably expecting - balance changes, new items, hero reworks, UI improvements. But we also included a few changes you probably weren't expecting, like a new hero attribute type and - brace yourself - the map is now 40% bigger.

But all these new gameplay features won't matter if the match you get into isn't a good one. So we're also shipping some much-needed matchmaking improvements. Excited? Confused? Head on over to the New Frontiers update page for all the details. But don't head over just yet, read this sentence first: The Berlin major is on April 26th, and Fantasy/Player Cards are now available. Okay, now go. Here's the link again.

The Duviri Paradox is an entirely new way to play Warframe - no matter where you are in your journey. Whether you're a seasoned Tenno or entering the Origin System for the very first time, an astonishing new experience awaits you April 26 on all platforms. The most astonishing chapter in Warframe's sprawling cinematic narrative now has an official release date. Open to all players - regardless of where they're at in their journey - The Duviri Paradox is more than just an open world, it's a brand new way to experience Warframe

Assume the role of The Drifter and explore the vast, color-shifting Planes of Duviri through a gritty new Cinematic Quest. But be careful, Tenno. Your attempts to wrest control of this new open world will not go unnoticed by the despotic Dominus Thrax, whose emotions transform the fabric of Duviri itself. Fly high atop your loyal Kaithe solo, or Squad up with fellow Tenno to take on spectacular new threats like the fearsome Orowyrm. Will you restore Duviri before the next Spiral?

Overwatch 2 Season 4 launches April 11! Blossom onto the battlefield with our newest Support Hero Lifeweaver, progress through the Battle Pass to earn rewards including Mythic Galactic Emperor Sigma, and fight for your faction when The Watchers and The Infinite Empire clash in the Starwatch event! Explore Talantis, the first-ever map made in collaboration with the community. Enjoy major quality-of-life updates with a revamped Competitive experience.

Watch the trailer to see what to expect with this upcoming season, which brings the new Support Hero Lifeweaver, a new Battle Pass, the community-made map called Talantis, and more. Progress through the Battle Pass to earn rewards including Mythic Galactic Emperor Sigma, and fight for your faction when The Watchers and The Infinite Empire clash in the Starwatch event.

In Path of Exile: Crucible, you'll learn about the ancient titans who once shaped the primordial surface of Wraeclast. If you're powerful enough, you will earn the ability to forge their power onto your weapons. Our April expansion introduces the Crucible challenge league, nine new Vaal Skills, Atlas Gateways, over ten new Unique Items and improvements to Breach, Abyss, Passive Tree Masteries, the Saboteur, the Pathfinder, Ruthless and much more!

In Path of Exile: Crucible, you'll learn about an ancient race of titans who once shaped the primordial surface of Wraeclast. In this league, you will earn the ability to forge their power onto your weapons.