This weekend at TwitchCon, Xbox is partnering with EA to broadcast hours of action packed Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2 multiplayer gameplay right from the expo floor, and we’ll be joined on stream by some of your favorite Twitch and YouTube personalities. Watch as they squad up against TwitchCon attendees, and keep glued to the screen as you never know when we’ll be giving away Xbox Live Gold, EA Access membership, and Design Lab controller codes live on air.
In addition, make sure to tune in on Saturday at 1pm PDT to get an exclusive look at Battlefield 1’s Single Player gameplay. Eric Holmes, Design Director at DICE, will be on stream to expand on the exciting new content found in the recently released Official Single Player Trailer.
Check out the complete broadcast schedule and anticipated guest list below, and make sure to catch all the action via twitch.tv/xbox.
One last thing. In addition to the live stream prize giveaways, we’re giving you an opportunity to win four Xbox One S consoles. One winner will take home an Xbox One S (2TB), an Xbox One S Battlefield 1 Special Edition Bundle (1TB), a custom Battlefield 1 Xbox One S (500GB), and a custom Titanfall 2 Xbox One S (500GB). To enter, simply follow @Xbox and RT the Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2 #XboxSweepstakes Tweets.
The Xbox One S Battlefield 1 Special Edition Bundle (1TB), features a military green console with matching stand and controller, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, High Dynamic Range, and one month of EA Access. It also Includes a full game download of Battlefield 1 Early Enlister Deluxe Edition, which allows you to start playing on October 18, the Hellfighter Pack, Red Baron Pack, and Lawrence of Arabia Pack, as well as five Battlepacks.
The TwitchCon 2016 Sweepstakes runs from tomorrow, September 30th, and will close on October 9th, 2016. No purchase necessary to participate. Please visit https://rules.xboxpromotions.com/MSTwitchCon16 for full contest details and eligibility requirements.
On Oct. 11, a new saga for one of gaming’s most celebrated franchises will kick off with the worldwide launch of Gears of War 4. To commemorate this special event, we’re inviting fans around the world to join the festivities by tuning into Gears of War 4: Live, a live broadcast that begins at 3 PM PT (10 PM UTC) on Wednesday, Oct. 5.
Ninety digital copies of the Gears of War 4: Ultimate Edition will be given away during the 90-minute broadcast, allowing winners to play four days before the game’s worldwide launch on October 11.
Hosted by Paul Scheer (The League, Children’s Hospital), Jessica Chobot (Nerdist News), Scott Robison (Mr. Sark), Justine Ezarik (iJustine) and me, the broadcast will feature interviews with the game’s creators, including The Coalition Studio Head Rod Fergusson, as well as behind-the-scenes featurettes, exclusive gameplay, a special project by British inventor Colin Furze, and the reveal of hip-hop phenoms Run the Jewels’ in-game multiplayer characters.
The livestream will be broadcast on Xbox One, Xbox 360, Xbox.com, YouTube, Twitch, Facebook and Beam. At the Gears Art exhibition this Saturday, Oct. 1, invites will be distributed to fans to join the studio audience for the Gears of War 4: Live broadcast on Oct. 5.
“Gears of War 4 is the beginning of a brand-new saga for the franchise that is loved by millions, so we wanted to make sure all of our fans around the world could participate in our launch celebration,” said Aaron Greenberg, head of game marketing at Xbox. “We hope you’ll tune into our live broadcast and help celebrate the best Gears game yet and Xbox’s biggest launch of the year.”
Tune in for Exclusive Gameplay, Special Featurettes and Announcements
The Gears of War 4: Live broadcast will connect millions of fans around the world, allowing viewers to watch, comment and virtually participate. The program lineup includes:
Run the Jewels Make Their Gears of War 4 Renowned hip-hop duo Killer-Mike and El-P join The Coalition Studio Head Rod Fergusson to premiere the first look at their in-game multiplayer characters.
Voice Actors’ Round Table. Join the voices behind JD Fenix and Kait Diaz – Liam McIntyre (Spartacus, The Flash) and Laura Bailey (Halo 5: Guardians, Final Fantasy XIII) – as they talk about the story of Gears of War 4 and how they approached the challenge of bringing a new generation of heroes to life for one of gaming’s most iconic franchises.
Recreating a Gears Renowned YouTube creator Colin Furze offers an inside peek at how he created a real-life version of Gears of War’s iconic weapon.
Gears of War: State of the Universe. Since our last installment of Gears, a lot has happened on Sera. This retrospective piece will run fans through the entire story to refresh and whet fans’ appetite for the first chapter of a new Gears
Gears Ink 2.0. Join tattoo artist Steve Soto as he inks a member of the Gears of War team live during the show.
The Art of War. Exclusive behind-the-scenes look at a special exhibition at the Nucleus Gallery in Los Angeles, featuring never-before-seen images from the Gears of War universe including concept art from Gears of War 4 and original artwork inspired by the series.
Gears An inside look at how some of the most dedicated and passionate Gears fans in the world created some of the most stunningly intricate and authentic costumes you’ve ever seen.
An exploration of the deeper side of Gears of War’s lore, highlighting the history of the planet Sera and the genocide of the Locust.
PAX “First to 50” Competition Highlights. Relive all the best moments from the “First to 50” competition at PAX Prime as guests from Xbox and two superstar squads – captained by GoldGlove and FemSteph, and comprised of players including Actabunnifoofoo, SoVindictive, GuyBlaze, VernNotice, Falloutt, ImCoty, LucyMaeGames and Crream – compete to survive 50 brutal waves of the all-new Horde 3.0 mode.
Following the Gears of War 4: Live broadcast, fans can check out a special 90-minute “post-show” livestream on all the channels that carried the broadcast, including Twitch. The post-show program will feature creator commentary, live gameplay, and an eSports exhibition.
Gears of War eSports Live Showcase – OpTic Gaming vs Infinity. In a battle of Gears eSports titans, the current top ranked team and a famed legacy top ranked team face off in a live competition to see who will dominate in Gears of War 4’s new heart-pounding competitive mode, Escalation.
For more information on Gears of War 4, visit Xbox.com or follow @GearsofWar.
It’s time to experience the dawn of all-out war! The Battlefield 1 Open Beta begins today. There will be horse charges, battles with Armored Trains, and war on an absolutely epic scale.
You’ll be playing the Sinai Desert map, a scorching hot battlefield located just East of El-Jifar. Experience infantry skirmishes in the narrow streets to dogfights above the majestic cliffs. If your team needs a boost, reinforcements will arrive in the shape of a deadly Armored Train charging through the desert sands.
There will be two modes to try out, too. Conquest is a large-scale game mode with up to 64 players fighting for the control of key objectives. With large armies on foot or behind the wheel and the addition of fearsome Behemoths, Conquest brings together all the elements of the signature Battlefield All-Out War. The second mode is Rush, a 24-player mode where the Attacking force must find and destroy the Defending force’s Telegraph Posts, which can be used to call in artillery strikes. The Defenders can deny the Attackers their mission by disarming explosives they plant on the telegraph positions. Should the Telegraph Posts be destroyed, the Defenders must fall back to the next sector and protect the Telegraph Posts there.
As an added bonus, starting today, August 31, Xbox Live Rewards members in the US, UK, France, Germany and Mexico can take part in Battlefield 1 Rewards. In addition to earning an onslaught of Rewards Credits worthy of a game this epic, members can also complete missions like downloading and playing the Open Beta to earn extra entries in the Battlefield 1 Sweepstakes, where you could win an all-expenses paid trip to tour the EA DICE Studios in Stockholm, Sweden. Other prizes include cool Logitech G633 headsets, digital versions of Battlefield 1 Early Enlister Deluxe Edition and Battlefield 1 Standard Edition, Xbox Live Gold Subscriptions, and Xbox Gift Cards. To get all the details, please visit here.
Finally, anyone that plays the Battlefield 1 Open Beta on Xbox One in the United States and Canada and streams their gameplay via the Twitch App will be automatically entered to win a trip for two to TwitchCon 2016 in San Diego. The winner will receive two general admission tickets to TwitchCon, roundtrip airfare to San Diego, four nights’ hotel accommodation, and $1,000 in cash. For more info, please visit here.
Today, in partnership with Twitch, we’re pleased to announce capture card support for Twitch Xbox One broadcasters on Xbox Live. Previously, only Xbox One players broadcasting their gameplay via the Xbox Twitch app could take advantage of the several different ways to amplify their content and channel on Xbox Live to share updates and grow their audience. Now, any Twitch user who has linked their Xbox Live and Twitch accounts together and is broadcasting an Xbox One game using a capture card will automatically have their content amplified in the following places:
• The Activity Feed on Xbox One and the Xbox app on Windows 10, iOS and Android
• Notifications to their followers on Xbox One and the Xbox app on Windows 10, iOS and Android
• Game Product Details Page in the Xbox Store
To make sure your Twitch broadcasts are amplified across Xbox Live, all you need to do is link your Xbox Live and Twitch accounts within the Twitch app. From there, use your favorite capture card and broadcasting software on PC, broadcast to Twitch like you normally do, and ensure you’re correctly identifying the game you’re playing. And that’s it! This new feature is starting to roll out today and I look forward to seeing all of your Twitch broadcasts on Xbox Live!
In this hilarious, action-packed shooter, zombie leader Dr. Zomboss has strengthened his horde and rebuilt suburbia as a zombie utopia. But hope remains, because for the first time the plants are taking the offensive in an all-out attack to reclaim their turf.
I will be teaming up with Laura (@lauralollipop) – regular co-host of the Major Nelson Radio podcast – and streaming the game. I have a few codes to give away, so watch for a chance to win Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 + 30-day EA Access code so you can play the game before its released.
Unravel (@unravel_game) is coming to Xbox One on 09 February, but if you have EA Access you will be able to play the game starting tomorrow (04 February) – five days before its official release.
Unravel introduces Yarny, a new, lovable and endearing character made from a single thread of yarn, that slowly unravels as you move. Inspired by the unique and breath-taking environments of Northern Scandinavia, Unravel is a visually stunning, physics-based puzzle platformer.
I will be teaming up with Laura (@lauralollipop) – regular co-host of the Major Nelson Radio podcast – and streaming the game. I have a few codes to give away, so watch for a chance to win Unravel + 30-day EA Access code so you can play the game before its released. One lucky winner will receive this Yarny, courtesy of EA.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is now available for Xbox One and Xbox 360 – and when it launched, we announced Crystal Dynamics, Twitch and Xbox added two new interactive features enabled when the game is streamed via the Twitch application on Xbox One. If you want to see how the feature works first hand, I’ll be streaming the game on Twitch and showing off the feature.
Watch the stream for a chance to win a code for Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Here are the features we’ll be showing off.
Rise of the Tomb Raider – Twitch Interactive Features
* Gamers who stream Rise of the Tomb Raider in Expedition Mode via the Twitch application on Xbox One will have the option to let viewers impact gameplay at various points by choosing between two Expedition Cards. Once viewers make their choices and totals are tallied, whichever card receives the most votes is activated for a period of five minutes, thereby mixing up the experience and making things either more challenging, easier, or just unpredictably fun.
* Gamers who tune in to watch Rise of the Tomb Raider being played via the Twitch application on Xbox One will be rewarded with gifts for viewing someone complete a special event in the single-player game. Viewer gifts of in-game credits are handed out when the player completes a side mission, challenge tomb, crypt, and other specific achievements.
Purchase Rise of the Tomb Raider for Xbox One and Xbox 360 from the Xbox Game Store.
The collector’s edition is packed with valuable memorabilia, including a 12 inch tall statue of Lara Croft that depicts her search for answers on her first tomb raiding expedition, a model of the jade necklace that was Lara’s first archaeological discovery, and a collectible steel book case.
How do you enter for a chance to win?
Simple. All you have to do is leave a comment below to this post answering the following question (do not post it on Twitter that will not count):
In Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lara Croft visits some of the “most beautifully hostile environments on earth”. Where do you think that would be?
Leave a comment to this post with your answer. Do not @ reply me on Twitter. That won’t count!
Deadline to enter is Monday, 23 November at 3p ET / 12p PT. One entry per person. Contest is open to everyone but prize availability might not be available in all regions – check the availability of Rise of the Tomb Raider in your Xbox LIVE region. Winners will be notified via the e-mail account associated with their Disqus account or Twitter (when applicable) on or about 23 November (if you’re watching the Twitch stream, I’ll mention the winner there too). We use the Disqus commenting system – read this if you have questions about Disqus. If you use ad blocking or script blocking software, you may need disable it in order to leave a comment.
Have fun and good luck!
Note: If you do not have an e-mail address or Twitter name associated with your Disqus login, you must include this information in your comment to be eligible. Any winner who does not respond to my email notification within 72 hours will forfeit the prize. For faster notification, follow me on Twitter where I can DM you if you win. Only comments received at www.majornelson.com will be considered.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is now available for Xbox One and Xbox 360 – and Crystal Dynamics, Twitch and Xbox have teamed up to add two new interactive features to Rise of the Tomb Raider on Xbox One.
According to the press release, “gamers who tune in to watch Rise of the Tomb Raider being played via the Twitch application on Xbox One will be rewarded with gifts for viewing someone complete a special event in the single-player game. Viewer gifts of in-game credits are handed out when the player completes a side mission, challenge tomb, crypt, and other specific achievements. These rewards are redeemed using the in-game marketplace. Credits are used to purchase Expedition Card Packs, which give access to different modifiers, weapons, and outfits for use in the Expedition Modes – the all new way to play the game outside of the story campaign that includes Score Attack, Remnant Resistance and Chapter Replay.
Conversely, any fans who stream Rise of the Tomb Raider in Expedition Mode via the Twitch application on Xbox One will have the option to let their viewers impact gameplay at various points by choosing between two Expedition Cards. Once viewers make their choices and totals are tallied, whichever card receives the most votes is activated for a period of five minutes, thereby mixing up the player’s experience and making things either more challenging, easier, or just unpredictably fun.”
“Our fans are a committed die-hard community and we are always pushing innovative ways to help them share their experiences and be part of each other’s adventures,” said Scot Amos, Executive Producer on Rise of the Tomb Raider. “By partnering with Twitch we’ve created a unique interaction loop that rewards viewers who influence a streamer’s game real-time, and have simultaneously given streamers a new game play experience thanks to viewer-driven decisions!”
“The Twitch community created and has since embraced the ‘Twitch Plays’ gaming phenomenon,” said Matthew DiPietro, SVP Marketing, Twitch. “By incorporating interactive functionality into a storied franchise like Tomb Raider for Rise of the Tomb Raider, it illustrates the appeal of social video.”
We’re sure you’re going to have some questions about these new features, so we’ve addressed a few of them here:
Rise of the Tomb Raider Twitch Feature – Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the Rise of the Tomb Raider Twitch rewards feature?
A. The “Rise of the Tomb Raider” Twitch rewards feature allows Xbox One Twitch viewers to receive rewards for witnessing specific events while watching a streamer plays “Rise of the Tomb Raider.”
Q. How can viewers interact with the streamer via Twitch?
A. The “Rise of the Tomb Raider” Twitch features allow fans watching streams of Expedition Modes the ability to vote between two (2) Expedition Cards which will modify the streamer’s (player’s) experience. These Expedition Cards will make the streamer’s experience temporarily more challenging, easier, or entertaining.
Once voting is triggered, a 60-second timer will start and voting is conducted via text entry of “#1” or “#2” in the chat. The Expedition Card with the most votes gets activated when the timer expires. Viewers can vote from any Twitch chat client interface.
Q. How long will these modifier cards be active for?
A. The effects of these Expedition Cards will last up to five (5) minutes or until the player dies and/or a checkpoint is reloaded.
Q. How many modifier cards will be available at launch to vote between?
A. At launch, a curated set of 64 cards have been arranged into 186 pairs for viewers to vote on. These Expedition Cards include modifiers that challenge the player by making the enemies stronger, give the player an advantage, or humorous effects to make the experience more entertaining such as “Big Head Mode.”
More Expedition Cards will be made available post-launch as modifiers. Stay tuned for more details.
Q. Do I need to have earned the Expedition Card or have it in my inventory before it is available for Twitch votes?
A. No, a curated set of 64 cards have been arranged into pairs to be voted on by viewers that will make the streamed experience equal parts entertaining and challenging. This means that even if a player hasn’t earned a certain Expedition Card they still have the opportunity to experience it via the Stream.
Q. How are votes triggered?
A. Votes are triggered periodically while playing any of the Expedition Modes. These modes are: Score Attack, Chapter Replay, Chapter Replay Elite, and Remnant Resistance.
Q. As a streamer, how do I take advantage of the Twitch voting feature?
A. The Twitch vote feature requires the use of the Xbox One Twitch app to broadcast “Rise of the Tomb Raider” as well as having the “Broadcast Interactions” options set to “on” in the options menu. Voting will not occur more than once every six (6) minutes.
Q. How are rewards earned via Twitch?
A. “Rise of the Tomb Raider” rewards viewers when the streamer completes the following activities during the single player campaign.
• Side Missions
• Challenges
• Challenge Tombs
• Crypts
• Specific achievements
Please note, rewards are for Xbox One Twitch viewers recognized by the system only. Additionally, the broadcaster must be broadcasting via the Twitch App on Xbox One for the rewards feature to be active.
Q. What kind of gifts will be rewarded to viewers?
A. Gifts awarded to viewers consist of 500 in-game credits that may be used to purchase Expedition Card Packs, which give access to different modifiers, weapons, and outfits for use in the Expedition Modes.
Please note: Twitch gifts will expire after 30 days of being awarded. They must be redeemed in the in-game marketplace within that time period.
Q. Is there a limit to how many gifts may be awarded to a viewer during a single stream?
A. There is no limit to how many rewards a viewer may receive during a single stream. However, rewards are for Xbox One Twitch viewers recognized by the system only. The longer a viewer watches a streamer play “Rise of the Tomb Raider” the more rewards they can earn!
Q. Are there any other Xbox titles coming with this rewards experience?
A. We don’t have anything to announce at this time. If you’re a fan of the feature, let us know at Xbox Feedback.
[ 💬 Larry Hryb ] 
