Xbox One-exclusive multiplayer esports darling #IDARB will launch in February
As a free Games with Gold offering.
2D esports platformer #IDARB (It Draws a Red Box) will be coming to Xbox One in February as a free offering for Xbox Live Gold subscribers as part of Microsoft's Games with Gold promotion.
#IDARB operates a bit like a 2D version of football or basketball, where players try to steal a ball then launch it into their goal. You can pass the ball between each other or emit an electronic pulse to knock it out of another player's hands.
It supports up to eight-player multiplayer in both local and online forms. In fact, local eight-player multiplayer was a big selling point when Microsoft demoed it earlier this year at GDC, as the PS4 can only support four players locally.
Another cool feature in #IDARB is that the audience can influence the game. "#IDARB is the first video game where fans spectating a session can disrupt the players, in real time, using either Twitch or Twitter. Spectators can turn the ball into a bomb, spawn fireworks, fill the screen with water, and more," developer Other Ocean stated in its announcement.
Furthermore, players can design their own characters, build their own teams and compose fight songs.
Select players will actually be able to play #IDARB a couple of months early. "#IDARB's development team is more than just us in the studio - it's the thousands of fans that made character sprites on IDARB.com, gave us feedback at shows, and contributed just about every game design decision in the game by tweeting their ideas at us," said Other Ocean head of development Mike Mika. "It might sound kind of strange to give the game away for free two months before it officially comes out, but that's in line with how #IDARB was built from day one."
These early codes will be handed out via the #IDARB Twitter account, official site and the IDARBGame Twitch channel.
See how #IDARB looks in action in its amazing release date trailer below.
