Dark Lands is a popular fantasy game for Windows Phone. It combines elements of an endless runner game with a dash of a role-playing combat game. As the game approaches the 800K download mark, the developers are looking to expand.
To help fund the cost of development the developer is set to start a Kickstarter campaign on January 28th. Additionally, while we have seen special free offers for Dark Lands in the past, the developer is planning to permanently set the game price at free.
The game expansion will include campaign and multi-player modes. You will also have a survival mode, which is basically how the game plays now. While keeping Windows Phone as the mother platform, the developers also want to port the game to iOS, Android, Windows 8, Steam and Wii U platforms.
Kickstarter contributions begin at $3 Canadian and will earn you a thank you email from the developer and max out at $5,000 Canadian that will earn you a trip to Prague to visit the developers, signed artwork from the game, a t-shirt, your face silhouette on enemies in the game, and more.
Again, the Kickstarter campaign will not launch until January 28th but you can read all the fine print and register for notifications now at the Dark Lands’ Kickstarter Page (no longer active, see update). Look for the pricing change to take effect on the 28th as well.
If you cannot wait until January 28th to give Dark Lands a try, there is currently a free trial version available. Dark Lands is currently running $.99 and is available for Windows Phone 8 and 7.x devices. You can find Dark Lands here in the Windows Phone Store.
Update: The Kickstarter campaign launched earlier this morning and the official Dark Lands Kickstarter page can be found here. Additionally, the pricing change also took effect earlier today making the Windows Phone game free.

ID@Azure is a new program for indie cloud development, based on ID@Xbox
Microsoft is spinning up a new program aimed at introducing independent devs and teams to Azure cloud-based services and infrastructure, according to this new job listing.

Microsoft is testing 1080p xCloud streams for Xbox Game Pass gaming
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is currently limited to 720p for streaming to mobile devices, but we've seen evidence that it's about to get bumped up to 1080p. Here's what you need to know.

Here are 10 Xbox games that need 'FPS Boost'
FPS Boost is another impressive feature currently available in the Xbox backwards compatibility utility belt. Here are 10 games we want to see take advantage of enhanced framerates.

Go sim racing in style with any one of these great cockpits
Sim racing has experienced a boom in 2021 and that's led to some serious interest in getting a good cockpit. Whether you're new to the scene or more experienced and looking to up your game, one of these cockpits will give you comfort and support while you race all day and night.