A new guide to the virtual world - discover the Rough Guide to Xbox

Above: Paradise Island, Assassin's Creed Odyssey

You’ve raised the anchor, lowered the sails and you’re ready to set sail on your next Sea of Thieves adventure. There’s just enough time to make sure you’ve got all the essentials a tough and scary pirate needs on the high seas – eye patch: check. Pirate hat: check. Parrot: check. Your trusty Rough Guide featuring the best places to visit, incredible sights to see and preferred shopping destinations, check!

Inspired by the rise of in-game photography and exploration, “The Rough Guide to Xbox” was launched at Destinations Travel Show last weekend and aims to show players the most stunning parts of eight Xbox One X Enhanced titles: Forza Horizon 4, Sea of Thieves, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Anthem, Halo 5: Guardians, Metro Exodus and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

Featuring top travel tips and photos shot by a professional in-game photographer, “The Rough Guide to Xbox” is intended, like other Rough Guides books, to be a valuable travel companion, except that every place from cover to cover can only be visited virtually in Xbox games – which have become vast, hugely detailed, and jaw-droppingly beautiful. It’s designed to encourage occasionally wandering off-piste, away from the gameplay action, to explore games for their sights to see. 

Neil McQuillian, Editor of “The Rough Guide to Xbox”, said: “Rough Guides has always been a reflection of the way people travel. In-game travel and photography has become such a phenomenon that they had to make a guide to it.

“People take in-game photographs and videos of scenery so often now, it’s clear that people really do feel like they are visiting these worlds. They aren’t just playing these games for the characters, but also to explore the worlds as if they are travelling in it themselves.

“But this book isn’t just for gamers. We hope other people will pick it up and be given a different perspective on gaming.”

“The Rough Guide to Xbox” will be available to purchase from the Online Microsoft Store from the 5th February 2020 and, at a later date, in an e-book format at www.roughguides.com/visit-xbox/ . All proceeds will go to UK charity SpecialEffect.

For more information and to purchase the book please visit: www.roughguides.com/visit-xbox/

To experience the games in real life, Rough Guides Tailor Made Trips service has created a series of bookable itineraries inspired by the games:

Inspired by Shadow of the Tomb Raider? Discover the itinerary to Mexico.

Dreaming of driving the routes of Forza Horizon 4? Road trip through the U.K.

Explore the landscapes of Assassin's Creed Odyssey on the 10-day tour of Greece.

Above left: The Rough Guide to Xbox   

Above right: The launch stand at Destinations Travel Show