Though Xbox Game Pass has very much become the flagship subscription service for Microsoft’s Xbox, the console manufacturer still gifts its Xbox Live Gold subscribers with a number of free games each month. Though not as exciting perhaps as neither Game Pass nor PlayStation Plus’ offerings, subscribers in November can …
Read More »Xbox Game Pass is “sustainable” and will not increase in price, claims Phil Spencer
During the final years of the Xbox One and the start of the upcoming Series X and S, Microsoft appears to be betting big on its game subscription service ‘Xbox Game Pass’. For £7.99 a month, Xbox owners can get their hands on a number of titles, including day-and-date releases …
Read More »PUBG, Celeste and more come to Xbox Game Pass
In an effort to keep pushing its Game Pass service, Microsoft continually adds new titles to its game subscription service. For the remainder of October, and the first half of November, Microsoft has announced that over a dozen games are set to join the service, including PUBG and Five Nights …
Read More »Xbox head hints at xCloud streaming stick for TVs
The idea of a cheap, streaming-only Xbox device has been flaunted around for a while now but it could come to fruition very soon. Recently during an interview, Xbox head, Phil Spencer, hinted at the existence of a new xCloud device for TVs. Speaking with Stratechery, Spencer said: “I think …
Read More »Gears 5 cuts its latency in half on the Series X
While the discussion surrounding framerates is very much an active topic among those that play video games, one other important factor which often falls under the radar (particularly in console gaming) is the notion of latency. It appears as though Microsoft is well aware of the importance of latency (or …
Read More »Microsoft announces Xbox event taking place days before Series X launch
As we inch closer and closer to the launch of the next generation of video game consoles, it seemed as though Microsoft and Sony had both shown their hands for the launch of their respective consoles. It appears that Microsoft may have one more thing up its sleeve however, as …
Read More »Halo: The Master Chief Collection gets 4K and 120FPS support on Xbox Series X/S
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is getting upgraded to take advantage of the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. While many expected this to happen, Microsoft had not told us what to expect, until today. The next-gen Master Chief Collection patch is coming on November 17th, one week after …
Read More »The PlayStation 5 is only 5% larger than the Series X by volume
When both Sony and Microsoft revealed their respective consoles, many fans expressed surprise at just how much larger the PlayStation 5 appeared to be. As COVID-19 has prevented many people from getting the opportunity to see either console prior to launch, there have been no real world side-by-side comparisons of …
Read More »Halo Infinite multiplayer and campaign modes releasing separately is a possibility
While Halo Infinite was due to be an Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S launch title, the game was delayed a couple of months back, pushing its release into 2021. It would seem that a lot of discussion is now going on behind the scenes about the title, including …
Read More »Xbox Elite Controllers get warranty extended to a year
With every console, no matter the platform, one of the elements which are prone to breaking the most are the controllers. Every interaction with a console requires a press of a button or flick of a stick. As such, these peripherals often wear down after a certain amount of use, …
Read More »Microsoft announces new ‘frame-doubling’ technique for backward compatible Xbox games
Microsoft has long been a supporter of backwards compatibility. With the Xbox One generation, the console manufacturer brought back many of its previous Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, allowing players to re-experience these classic titles in even higher resolutions. With the Xbox Series S and X, Microsoft appears to …
Read More »Tales of Vesperia and Katana Zero come to Xbox Game Pass
On a bi-monthly basis, Microsoft updates its Xbox Game Pass library, adding new titles, and sometimes taking some away. For the second half of October, the console manufacturer is bringing a wide variety of games, ensuring that there is a little something for everyone – including JRPGs such as Tales …
Read More »Yakuza: Like a Dragon is as low as 900p on the Xbox Series S
The Xbox Series S is currently in an interesting position. While just yesterday we reported that some games will run at resolutions far greater than the advertised 1440p, it appears as though the lower-powered Xbox console will equally run at resolutions far lower. Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which is being …
Read More »The Xbox Series S can go beyond 1440p
When Microsoft first announced the Xbox Series S, the company positioned the lower priced console as a 1080p/1440p machine, when compared to the Series X’s 4K output. This limitation appears to not be restricted by hardware or software, but is merely an estimate, as it has been confirmed that some …
Read More »Microsoft faces lawsuit over Xbox One controller ‘stick drift’
There have been well documented complaints against Nintendo for Joy-Con drift issues but Microsoft is also facing similar legal complaints. An ongoing class-action lawsuit this week has been updated to include complaints of ‘stick drift' on the Xbox Elite and Elite Series 2 controllers. The lawsuit was filed in April …
Read More »Xbox FanFest returns in digital form
The lack of E3 this year also meant that there was no Xbox FanFest. Microsoft traditionally holds this event in June but due to COVID-19, physical events needed to take a step back. Later this year, Xbox FanFest will be returning, this time in digital form. “While our in-person events …
Read More »Microsoft planning browser-based Game Pass streaming for iOS
With Xbox Game Pass streaming now up and running on Android, Microsoft has been turning its attention to iOS. So far, game streaming services have had issues getting onto Apple's platform, but a solution may have been found. According to sources speaking with both The Verge and Business Insider, Microsoft …
Read More »ZeniMax Online announces pre-production for AAA game
Microsoft’s recent purchase of ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion served as a major boon for the console manufacturer’s first party output. These recently acquired studios have now begun to share details on their future projects. One such studio is ZeniMax Online. Known best for the Elder Scrolls Online MMO, the …
Read More »Cross-platform multiplayer coming to Minecraft Dungeons
Minecraft was one of the first games to push cross-platform multiplayer between consoles, PC and even mobile. Minecraft Dungeons launched without cross-play multiplayer, but that will be changing soon, with a new update bringing together all console versions and PC. Today during Minecraft Live, Mojang announced that Cross-Play is coming …
Read More »Microsoft launches cheaper Surface Laptop Go starting at $549
Microsoft is lowering the entry bar for the Surface ecosystem this week with a new Surface Laptop Go. This is a 12.5-inch notebook, providing a middle ground between the Surface Go 2 tablet and the Surface Laptop 3, set to compete with the Chromebook market. The base edition of the …
Read More »Microsoft bringing x64 emulation to Windows on ARM
Microsoft has been working on ARM support for Windows 10 for some time now and while 32-bit x86 apps are supported via emulation, the vast majority of apps are now x64/64-bit and don't work on devices like the Surface Pro X. That will change soon, as Microsoft is set to …
Read More »Xbox Games with Gold for October announced
Since the introduction of Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft’s other subscription service, Xbox Live Gold and its Games with Gold program, appears to have fallen to the wayside a little bit. Still, for the month of October, Microsoft is offering those with Xbox Live Gold memberships a number of games suitable …
Read More »Forza Motorsport 7 and Brutal Legend announced for Game Pass
On a regular basis, Microsoft updates its Xbox Game Pass library, both adding new games to the service, and taking some away. For the first half of OCtober, subscribers can look forward to getting their hands on DOOM Eternal, Forza Motorsport 7, and Brutal Legend, to name a few. The …
Read More »InXile Entertainment is already working on multiple new RPGs
While InXile isn't the biggest headline grabber in Microsoft's arsenal of developers, the studio is generating plenty of excitement this year. Not only has Wasteland 3 released to great critical acclaim, but the studio also has two more RPGs in the works. InXile Entertainment has expanded since being acquired to …
Read More »Microsoft will release new Xbox hardware beyond Series S/X
As each console generation ends and the next begins, conversations surrounding whether ‘this’ upcoming console generation will be the last always manages to surface. Be it due to the launch of smartphones or some other reason, the discussion is in many ways as old as consoles itself. Still, with cloud …
Read More »Xbox Series X can cache 12 games through ‘Quick Resume’
While the current generation of consoles introduced ‘Standby Modes’ which allowed for players to pause a game and switch off the console only to later pick up exactly where they left off with no loading, Xbox appears to be taking this idea to the next level with the Series X. …
Read More »Xbox Series X/S storage expansion card is a costly upgrade
There has been plenty of back and forth around the price of Microsoft's upcoming Storage Expansion Card for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Some places have suggested $220 in the US and £159 here in the UK. We no longer have to guess, however, as Microsoft has …
Read More »Bethesda underwent a ‘major engine rewrite’ for Starfield
Following on from the big news that Microsoft is acquiring Zenimax Media and Bethesda, Larry Hryb, otherwise known as Major Nelson, gathered Todd Howard, Pete Hines and Phil Spencer together to discuss the news on his podcast. Interestingly, the subject of Starfield did come up, giving us some news on …
Read More »Microsoft will consider buying even more studios
Microsoft recently made waves when it purchased ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion, bringing over half a dozen studios into its first party line-up of developers including Bethesda, id Software, and Arkane Studios. Despite this most recent purchase, it appears that Microsoft may not be done with its acquisition spree.
Read More »Bethesda was apparently in talks with Sony for Starfield timed-exclusivity
Prior to Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda, the publisher seemed to be getting pretty close to Sony, having signed two deals for timed PS5 console exclusives. As it turns out, Bethesda Game Studios next big game, Starfield, was also reportedly due to be a timed PS5 exclusive. Bethesda typically hasn't done …
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