Tag Archives: microsoft

With each passing year we have seen physical media decrease in popularity, with both Sony and Microsoft leaning into it by creating discless versions of their current-gen systems. That said, there is still very much a market for physical game discs – though on Xbox in particular this has been …

Live service games are all the rage nowadays, with many studios vying to have a hit which could last for a decade or more. One game which is well on its way to this milestone is Sea of Thieves. First released 5 years ago back in 2018, the team at …

Last year, the EU announced law changes that will force Google and Apple to allow third-party stores on iOS and Android devices. Now, it looks like Microsoft is preparing to capitalise on this opportunity with its own mobile Xbox store.  In an interview with the Financial Times this week, Xbox …

While we've known for a while now that Sony has been in talks with the CMA to express concerns about Microsoft's planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard, we haven't heard much about studios speaking out in defence of the acquisition. That changed today, with the CMA's filings being updated with responses …

Just recently, we heard that Sony is developing a PS5 Pro console, indicating that the PlayStation 6 should arrive sometime between 2027 and 2028. Now, regulatory filings have confirmed that Microsoft is also working on its next generation of Xbox hardware and services.  The FTC is currently suing Microsoft to …

In recent weeks, Microsoft has signed legal agreements to bring Activision Blizzard titles to additional platforms, including Nintendo consoles and Nvidia's rival cloud gaming service, GeForce Now. Microsoft is looking to pile on here with additional deals with competing companies. While Sony isn't playing ball with Microsoft's 10-year agreement, other …

Diablo IV is the next big game set to come from Activision Blizzard, and while the acquisition by Microsoft has yet to go through, fans were beginning to wonder whether the upcoming ARPG would find its way on Xbox’s Game Pass service. Unfortunately – though unsurprisingly – this will not …

The Gears of War series is well known for its third-person gameplay. Prior to selling the IP off to Microsoft, Epic Games had its own ideas for Gears of War 4, including a dramatic shift to first-person gameplay.  Before Microsoft acquired the IP and put together The Coalition studio, Gears …

While Microsoft has signed a legal agreement with Nintendo to bring Call of Duty games to Nintendo consoles if the Activision Blizzard acquisition goes through, there has been doubt as to whether or not we'd see Call of Duty on the Switch. As it turns out, Microsoft is pretty confident that it could get a native version of the game working, even on the Switch's ageing hardware.

Neon White was one of the most exciting breakout indie hits of 2022, with the fast first-person action game seeing you “exterminating demons in Heaven” using a combination of weapons, platforming and a lot of resets. Currently available on PC, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, Neon White looks set to be …

In recent years we have seen a greater effort by both studios and publishers to document the development process for a wide variety of games. Following the recent release of the 23-hour long documentary chronicling the development of Psychonauts 2, Microsoft has now announced that a Sea of Thieves documentary …

After Google introduced Video Super Resolution support to Chrome, it's time for Microsoft to do the same on the Edge browser. The Chromium-based browser can now increase image quality by removing artefacts and enhancing text sharpness on low-res videos, but only if you're using select AMD and Nvidia GPUs. If …

Microsoft has started off the year well with the surprise release of the rhythm-action game HI-FI Rush, with other major Xbox heavy hitters such as Redfall and Starfield planned to be coming out over the months. That said, there are still many other Xbox titles deep in development – with …

Microsoft had a bit of a viral moment leading up to the Xbox Series X launch when it unveiled a full-sized fridge designed to look like the console. Eventually, Microsoft released a limited run of Xbox Series X mini-fridges and now, it looks like Xbox Series S-like toasters are up …

The competition and market regulators are still evaluating Microsoft's planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard. While it seemed like things were trending towards the acquisition being blocked, sources this week have claimed that the EU is actually now planning to approve the deal. 

Ever since Microsoft chose to focus on growing its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, the quality of games being offered as part of the console manufacturer’s Games with Gold program has seen quite a decline. March’s free games have now been announced, continuing the downward trend of the service. Making …

HI-Fi Rush might be the biggest surprise of 2023 so far, with the Xbox console exclusive game getting announced and released on the same day to great fanfare thanks to its unique gameplay mechanics and punchy art style. A little over 1 month after its release the game has reached …

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard that the FTC is suing to block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. As part of the preparation for trial, Microsoft issued a subpoena to Sony, requesting a number of business-related documents. As expected, Sony fought back on this, but a …

Out of nowhere, Paradox Interactive has announced its next game showcase and interestingly, the publisher is teaming up with Xbox for the occasion. This likely indicates a bigger partnership at play, likely to bring more Paradox titles to Xbox Game Pass.  In the event, Colossal Order (Cities: Skylines), Harebrained Schemes …

Ever since Microsoft Flight Simulator first launched back in 2020, the game has seen a string of continuous updates with the team at Asobo Studio going over the game with multiple coats of gloss. After updating regions such as the UK, Europe, Australia and more, Microsoft Flight Simulator has now …

This week has already been pretty big for GeForce Now, with Nvidia and Microsoft entering an agreement to bring all Xbox PC games over to the service. It'll be a while before the Xbox library migrates over, but for now, there are six new games joining the service, including the …

Microsoft sat down with the European Commission once again this week to further argue its case for the Activision Blizzard acquisition. In a press briefing after the meeting, Microsoft laid out its case, revealing Sony's dominant position in the European console market.  At the briefing, Microsoft President, Brad Smith, produced …

Yesterday, Microsoft had a meeting with the European Commission to further discuss the Activision Blizzard acquisition. Shortly after, Microsoft held its own press briefing to answer a few questions about the deal and the ongoing process. During this, Microsoft President, Brad Smith, was asked if the company would be open …

While Call of Duty has been a big part of the discussion around Microsoft's planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard, regulators have also expressed concern regarding the cloud market. To help with that, Microsoft has now entered an agreement with Nvidia to bring all of its Xbox PC games to GeForce Now.

While many Minecraft players continue to rely on the original Java release thanks to its abundance of community support, Microsoft have continued to support the Bedrock version, including multiple unique and interesting crossovers. Following the likes of Mario and Sonic, Minecraft x Mega Man X has now been announced. Available …

Valheim launched in Early Access on the 2nd of February 2021 to almost immediate success, selling 2 million copies in under two weeks and going on to surpass 10 million copies by July of last year. Following its success on PC, the sandbox survival game is soon set to come …

The current generation of gaming has seen Microsoft shift its strategy to focusing on Xbox Game Pass – the console manufacturer’s game subscription service. The service itself has had its diehard supporters, while others have criticised its effects on the industry. In the wake of this small controversy, one publisher …

In late 2022, Microsoft began working on a new power saving mode for Xbox consoles, allowing for “carbon aware” game downloads and updates. The new power saving mode has been tested in the Xbox Insider program for a while and today, it is rolling out to all users. This month's …

Last year, Microsoft announced that its infamous browser, Internet Explorer, had officially reached end-of-life status, marking the end of software updates and support. At this point, Internet Explorer has been largely replaced by Edge on Windows PCs, but IE is still available on Windows 10 systems. That will change soon, …

When Xbox Game Pass was first introduced, many interested parties showed concern for the health of the video games industry, fearing that offering such a subscription service would cannibalise sales. At the time, the company claimed the opposite – though we now know that titles coming to Game Pass statistically …