TECHMASH

Tag: #IDXbox

  • Shred, Upgrade, Uncover — Paper Shredder Tears Through ID@Xbox Showcase, Winter Release Confirmed

    Shred, Upgrade, Uncover — Paper Shredder Tears Through ID@Xbox Showcase, Winter Release Confirmed

    Ever stared at a mountain of paperwork and wondered what would happen if you just… destroyed it? Independent studio Embers turned that satisfying daydream into a game — and today during the latest ID@Xbox Showcase, they confirmed their highly anticipated incremental title Paper Shredder is coming this Winter 2026 to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox for PC, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.

    The Deal — Shred Your Way to a Million

    You’ve accepted an offer too good to refuse: lock yourself away and eliminate every last sheet of confidential company documentation, and you walk away with $1,000,000. Start with nothing but your bare hands and a humble entry-level shredder — one sheet at a time — and watch that small, repetitive action explode into an industrial-scale operation.

    This isn’t mindless busywork, though — every pile hides something. As you chew through towering stacks of files, you’ll unlock new rooms, reveal hidden company machinery, and peel back layers of corporate secrets buried deep beneath the paper.

    Gameplay — From Chore to Catharsis

    Paper Shredder takes the incremental genre and wraps it in a deceptively simple premise that evolves dramatically:

    • Start small — feed individual sheets, sweep scraps, and earn merit points to spend on better gear
    • Upgrade everything — faster shredders, automated feeders, industrial brooms, and processing machinery turn slow drudgery into satisfying, chain-reaction destruction
    • Meet the Happiness Manager — your perpetually cheerful, ever-watchful overseer whose positivity feels increasingly menacing as the hours pile up
    • Dig deeper — what exactly is in these files? Why does the company want them gone? Progress reveals narrative threads, new areas, and darker truths about the operation
    • Scale up — solo effort becomes a facility-spanning production line; satisfaction grows alongside your efficiency

    From Cult Wishlist to Multi-Platform Launch

    Paper Shredder has already caught fire on Steam, climbing to become one of the platform’s most wishlisted upcoming indie releases — a phenomenon that even caught the team by surprise. Now, with the ID@Xbox reveal, Embers is bringing the experience to a far wider audience:

    PlatformRelease Window
    Xbox Series XS
    Xbox for PCWinter 2026
    Steam (PC)Winter 2026
    Epic Games StoreWinter 2026

    Cross-buy and Xbox Play Anywhere support ensures your progress travels between console and PC seamlessly.

    Why It Stands Out

    Incremental games often fall into the same familiar loops — Paper Shredder distinguishes itself by wrapping its systems in atmosphere, mystery, and a sharp undercurrent of satire. The Happiness Manager’s bright encouragement contrasts beautifully with the growing realisation that you’re destroying evidence. It’s satisfying, addictive, and quietly unsettling — a rare combination that sticks with you long after you’ve closed the game.

    Wishlist Now

    The Steam and Epic Games Store pages are live — add Paper Shredder to your wishlist today to catch development updates, countdown to launch, and be first in line when the shredding begins. This Winter, don’t just clear your desk — erase it from existence.

    More Info: Paper Shredder

    #PaperShredder #EmbersDev #IDXbox #IDXboxShowcase #IncrementalGame #IdleGame #IndieDev #PCGaming #XboxSeriesX #Steam #EpicGamesStore #IndieGame #Winter2026 #Techmash

  • Cold War, Cold Blood — Red Kiss Bares Its Fangs at IGN x ID@XBOX, Day One Game Pass Confirmed

    Cold War, Cold Blood — Red Kiss Bares Its Fangs at IGN x ID@XBOX, Day One Game Pass Confirmed

    Berlin. The 1980s. The Wall divides the city. But deeper shadows stir beneath the concrete — a house of undead spies prowls the tunnels, gathering secrets, feeding on the vulnerable, and playing both sides of a conflict older than the Iron Curtain itself. Wispfire and narrative game specialists Fellow Traveller have taken to the IGN x ID@XBOX Showcase to unveil that their striking tactical narrative RPG Red Kiss is heading to Xbox Series X|S — launching Day One on Xbox Game Pass alongside its previously confirmed PC release via Steam.

    A Kiss with Fangs — What Is Red Kiss?

    From the studio behind the acclaimed historical drama Herald and the publisher of beloved story-driven hits Citizen Sleeper and The Pale Beyond comes a supernatural thriller where every choice tastes of iron and consequence. You are the Augur — freshly turned, gifted with terrifying psychic sight, and installed as the dispatcher for a clandestine household of vampire operatives answering only to the charismatic, dangerous figure known as Daddy. Your mission: run the network, manage the blood supply, and send your agents out into a fractured, tense Cold War Berlin to uncover secrets, forge alliances, and further your house’s hidden agenda.

    The game unfolds as a mind-map of 1980s Berlin — each station, district, and alley a node on your growing psychic web. From the U-Bahn tunnels to shadowed meeting rooms, you’ll dispatch your team on Opportunities: investigations, gambits, and liaisons where skills, relationships, and careful resource management mean the difference between influence and exposure.

    Your Agents — Family, Fangs, and Fractured Pasts

    At the heart of Red Kiss lies your team — each vampire brought vividly to life with hand-painted art, Live2D animation, and full voice acting:

    • Linh — a thrill-seeking Vietnamese immigrant whose fierce appetite masks deep trauma
    • Sasha — quick-witted, flirty, and slippery; Daddy’s favourite and a master of back-street manoeuvring
    • Zita — weary of the ages, clinging to the fading glitz of a world that has long since moved on
    • Fritz — newly resurrected and introduced in the showcase reveal, whose return raises questions about Daddy’s true plans

    Deepen your bonds through personal story missions, and their loyalty becomes your greatest strength — or their resentment your undoing. Every relationship shapes their growth, their skills, and the destinies you help them claim.

    Strategy with Bite — Gameplay

    Red Kiss blends tactical decision-making, narrative weight, and resource management into something uniquely stylish:

    • The Wheel of Fate — a skill-check system tied to six distinct abilities; pick the right agent for every mission
    • Manage the essentials — blood, energy, and funds must be balanced carefully; scarcity is as much a threat as discovery
    • Win the city’s trust — build standing with Berlin’s factions to unlock boons, buffs, and deeper access
    • Choose your path — stand by Daddy’s grand design… or betray him to carve out a future your own way. No choice is without cost

    Showcase News — Xbox, Game Pass & Beyond

    The spotlight appearance confirmed:

    • Xbox Series X|S release alongside PC via Steam
    • Day One availability on Xbox Game Pass — console and PC
    • Xbox Play Anywhere support — buy once, play across console and Windows
    • Release window: 2027

    For Fellow Traveller — a publisher synonymous with thoughtful, distinctive storytelling — this marks yet another bold step forward. For Wispfire, a small three-person studio rooted in interactive theatre, it’s a chance to bring their signature blend of history, humanity, and daring themes to the widest audience yet.

    Wishlist & Watch This Space

    Red Kiss has no firm date beyond “coming 2027”, but you can already add it to your Steam wishlist to catch every development update as it lands. Between the vivid hand-painted aesthetic, morally grey narrative, and that unbeatable Day One Game Pass entry, this is one vampire story you won’t want to sleep on.

    More Info: Red Kiss

    #RedKiss #Wispfire #FellowTraveller #IDXbox #IGNxIDXbox #XboxGamePass #GamePassDayOne #TacticalRPG #Techmash #NarrativeGame #VampireRPG #ColdWar #IndieDev #PCGaming #XboxSeriesX #Steam

  • Pinball Prince — Croak Leaps to Xbox & PC March 2027, Day One on Game Pass

    Pinball Prince — Croak Leaps to Xbox & PC March 2027, Day One on Game Pass

    Get ready to stick the landing. WoodRunner Games unveiled Croak during the ID@Xbox Showcase, confirming this gorgeously hand-drawn 2D precision platformer will hop onto Xbox Series X|S and PC in March 2027 — and it arrives day one with Xbox Game Pass, including Xbox Play Anywhere support across console and PC.

    A Prince, Turned Amphibian — With a Very Useful Tongue

    Once a prince, now a round and lovably chubby frog, our hero has one extraordinary tool: his stretchy, springy tongue. This isn’t just for catching flies — it’s your grappling hook, your bungee cord, and your flipper all in one. Launch yourself, latch onto surfaces, bounce off walls, and ricochet through hundreds of hand-crafted rooms like a living pinball. Master the SuperBonk ability and you’ll chain tongue-grabs into high-speed, hair-raising flows where momentum is everything.

    Hand-Drawn Magic From Industry Talents

    Every frame of Croak is a labour of love, brought to life by animators whose previous credits include Cuphead and Rick & Morty. The result is a vibrant, storybook world brimming with personality — fluid, expressive, and packed with charm that feels alive in every hop and bounce.

    Biomes, Bosses, and BMX Beavers

    Your journey takes you across distinct, whimsical realms — each with its own visual style, traversal quirks, and standout encounters:

    • Meet unusual bosses — including a beaver showing off BMX tricks
    • Collect coins, uncover secrets, and hunt for hidden paths tucked away in every corner
    • Ultra-hard challenge stages await those who conquer the main route — perfect for speedrunners and perfectionists
    • Global speedrunning leaderboards — race your friends and the world to claim the fastest frog crown

    Game Pass Day One — Platforms & Perks

    Croak launches March 2027 across:

    • Xbox Series X|S — included in Game Pass
    • PC via Steam & Microsoft Store — also Game Pass on day one
    • Xbox Play Anywhere — buy once, play on console and PC at no extra cost

    Wishlist it now on Steam to be notified the moment it leaps into view.

    A Fractured Fairy Tale With Heart

    Croak isn’t just about reflexes — it’s a warm, whimsical adventure through a kingdom cursed and rewritten. The cast is quirky, the story is full of surprises, and beneath every bouncy, breathless moment lies a tale about finding your way home.

    Stick, bounce, and leap — the Frog Prince is coming.

    More Info: Croak

    #Croak #WoodRunnerGames #IDXbox #GamePass #IndieDev #Platformer #HandDrawn #Xbox #PCGaming #Speedrunning #Techmash