Twin-stick shooter Zaxoid just hit Xbox and PlayStation

M80 Games has released its twin-stick roguelite Zaxoid on Xbox and PlayStation consoles. The launch brings the arcade-inspired shooter to a wider audience after its initial PC debut earlier this spring.

It turns out Zaxoid isn't actually on Game Pass. It is a standard ID@Xbox store release that hit Xbox and PS5 yesterday, after a Steam launch back in April 2026. M80 Games is an indie studio founded by Steve George, who is the lead developer and previously released the VR space shooter Galactigun.

Writing for Xbox Wire, George outlined his goal of recreating the atmosphere of classic arcade cabinets. The visual style leans heavily into neon particle effects against dark backgrounds. It is a look that immediately telegraphs its arcade inspirations. The game borrows heavily from the vector graphics era. George cites Asteroids and Star Castle as direct influences. It also pulls from the frantic civilian rescue mechanics of Defender and the modern twin-stick flow of Geometry Wars.

Dogfights and tank warfare

The twin-stick shooter genre has a long history on Xbox consoles. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved essentially legitimized Xbox Live Arcade back in 2005. It proved that players still wanted pure score-chasing arcade games. Zaxoid attempts to build on that foundation by adding modern roguelite progression and base defense mechanics.

The core gameplay loop takes place on a spherical battlefield. Players pilot a strike ship to defend a planet from alien invaders, but the combat is not limited to orbit. The ship can transform into a tank for ground-based warfare. This dual-mode approach forces players to constantly shift their attention between high-speed dogfights and heavy surface combat.

Between waves, players have to manage city defenses. You can build turrets, cloning facilities, and space programs to protect the civilian population. If too many citizens die, the run ends. The spherical arena means there are no edges or safe zones to hide in. Enemies swarm from every angle along the curvature of the planet.

The difficulty curve is reportedly steep. The game demands constant movement and resource management across both the orbital and ground layers.

Drones instead of pods

George noted that the upgrade system pays homage to classic shoot-'em-ups like the Gradius and Thunder Force series. Instead of the traditional Option pods from those older games, Zaxoid uses a flexible drone system. Players start with limited drone capacity and have to upgrade their ship's CPU core to support more automated helpers.

The game includes four different pilot classes to choose from. Razer uses a multi-directional cannon array, Titan operates as a heavy short-range brawler with shockwave tech, Reaper relies on bouncing rounds, and Prowler focuses on precision beam blasters. The planetary surfaces also react dynamically to the combat. This triggers environmental hazards like meteor storms and volcanic activity.

The console ports retain the exact same content as the PC version. Zaxoid is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Steam. The game skips microtransactions entirely. Progression relies purely on unlockable upgrades earned through gameplay.