Xbox Live Gold is Microsoft’s long running subscription service which allows for console owners to access multiplayer functions within games, while also giving away a number of titles for ‘free’ on a monthly basis. From October onwards however, Microsoft will no longer include Xbox 360 games as part of ‘Games …
Read More »343i is “internally exploring” adding microtransactions to Halo: MCC
Ever since Bungie parted ways with Microsoft to work on Destiny, 343 Industries have been in charge of the Halo franchise – to varying levels of success. The latest controversy comes from the team’s most recent community update, where they announced that the team is “internally exploring” the notion of …
Read More »Microsoft bringing major latency improvements, mouse & keyboard support to xCloud
Xbox Cloud Gaming is now available across a pretty huge range of devices, from iOS and Android, to PCs, Xbox consoles and even Samsung TVs. As the service continues to gain momentum, Microsoft is looking to make new upgrades. At this point, xCloud servers have already been upgraded with Xbox …
Read More »Xbox app update adds Game Performance Indicator in major UI upgrade
Microsoft has made a number of key improvements to the Xbox app on PC recently. Not only has the app been upgraded to give users more freedom over their game installs and files, but soon the app will also let you know if your PC is up to the task …
Read More »Riot is bringing all of its games to Xbox Game Pass
Today during the Xbox and Bethesda showcase, Microsoft announced a new partnership with Riot Games. Moving forward, all of Riot's titles will be available on Xbox Game Pass, giving subscribers premium access to games like League of Legends, Valorant and more. On PC, League of Legends will be available on …
Read More »Xbox plans to release at least five exclusives over the next year
During a press pre-briefing ahead of the Xbox and Bethesda showcase this weekend, the Xbox team made some interesting comments. While vaguely discussing the outlook for Xbox Game Studios over the next year, Microsoft plans to release at least five exclusives. As reported by Windows Central, during the briefing, a …
Read More »The Call of Duty franchise has made over $30 Billion
The Call of Duty franchise is without a doubt one of the biggest in gaming. Ever since the explosive success of 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the first-person shooter franchise has become the game to beat each year when it comes to sales – with very few other …
Read More »Microsoft might require an SSD for Windows 11 starting in 2023
Currently, the only storage requirement to install Windows 11 is 64GB of free space. There's no mention regarding the type of storage device, allowing users to install on an HDD or an SSD. However, according to a new report, Microsoft may soon limit Windows 11 installations to SSDs. According to …
Read More »Microsoft to follow PlayStation with limited-time game demos
For many, Xbox Game Pass is seen as being one of the best deals in gaming, offering hundreds of games for a relatively low monthly price. That being said, one area where PlayStation has managed to outdo Microsoft is with their recent offering of limited-time game trials to PS Plus …
Read More »Microsoft launches surprisingly affordable Surface Laptop Go 2
The Microsoft Go series of laptops have been well received so far. They might not reach pinnacle levels of performance in their respective form factors, but they usually offer a good experience for the price. With the Surface Laptop Go 2, Microsoft will look to continue that trend. With the …
Read More »Xbox is giving away a free game for Pride month
Each year across the world, millions of people celebrate Pride month. Xbox has outwardly been a supporter of the cause in the past, and this year is no different, with the console manufacturer giving away a free game on Steam while also donating to charities. Making the announcement on their …
Read More »AC Origins, For Honor and more coming to Game Pass in June
Microsoft refuses to let up with its consistent addition of new games to its Game Pass subscription service. Though not the biggest month ever, the console manufacturer has now announced what games will be joining the service during the first half of June. Making the announcement on the Xbox Blog, …
Read More »Sony’s marketing deal with Call of Duty may last until 2026
Microsoft’s surprise purchase of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 Billion shook the video games industry in many ways, leading to a number of secondary and knock-on effects. One of these pertains to PlayStation’s existing relationship with Call of Duty. With Microsoft promising to honour all previously inked contracts, it seems as …
Read More »Electronics company claims new Xbox Series and PS5 Pro consoles coming by 2024
Due to on-going stock shortages and pandemic-related game delays, it still feels like the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S console generation has barely begun. Early adopters haven't had many next-gen only releases yet, but it looks like Sony and Microsoft may be planning to introduce more powerful hardware already. Last …
Read More »Xbox turned down Marvel prior to Sony’s Spider-Man exclusive deal
Marvel began looking to revamp its efforts in the video gaming space back in 2014, long before the reveals of Spider-Man, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and Ultimate Alliance 3. So far, only Nintendo and Sony have secured Marvel exclusives, and it turns out that Microsoft passed up on the …
Read More »Microsoft President says Activision Blizzard acquisition is ‘moving fast’
Back in January, Microsoft announced plans to acquire Activision Blizzard as part of the largest merger in video games history. It has been a while since we last had an update on the process, but according to Microsoft's President and Vice Chair, things are moving relatively quickly. Currently, Microsoft plans …
Read More »Sniper Elite 5, Farming Simulator and more coming to Game Pass
Xbox’s Game Pass subscription service offers a robust and ever-evolving library of games for a relatively small monthly fee. The next set of titles coming to the service has now been announced, and it includes a number of exciting day-one releases. Making the announcement on the Xbox Blog, Megan Spurr, …
Read More »Microsoft Flight Simulator’s 9th major update is live
Microsoft Flight Simulator released in 2020 to a positive reception with many praising the game’s rendering of the entire Earth – even if there were a few mistakes. Asobo Studio has since been updating its world country-by-country with accurate and bespoke mapping – the 9th World Update of which is …
Read More »Microsoft launches new range of accessibility-focused PC peripherals
For a few years now, Microsoft has been pouring resources into peripheral design, with a keen focus on improving accessibility for those who may struggle to use a traditional controller, keyboard or mouse. Microsoft saw success in this area with the Xbox Adaptive Controller and now, the company is launching …
Read More »Microsoft and CCP Games partner up for EVE Online and Excel integration
Hardcore EVE Online players have long used spreadsheets to calculate profits and battle damage. Up to now, they have had to fill these manually. However, thanks to an unexpected partnership between Microsoft and the game's developer, players will soon be able to export their game data directly into Excel spreadsheets. …
Read More »Microsoft to make big push for ‘Xbox Everywhere’ this year with xCloud at the centre
Microsoft is making headlines this week after bringing Fortnite to Xbox Cloud Gaming, allowing Fortnite to be played on an iPhone or iPad once again, complete with controller and touch-control support. As it turns out, this is part of a bigger play from Microsoft, as the company kicks off its …
Read More »Microsoft and Epic Games team up to sneak Fortnite back onto iOS
Fortnite has officially been unavailable on iPhones and iPads since the 2020 lawsuit between Epic Games and Apple. Epic has been fighting to get the game back onto iOS, but has been unsuccessful in persuading Apple to change its mind. Fortunately, there are other methods of getting Fortnite running on …
Read More »NYC lawsuit claims Kotick was ‘unfit’ to negotiate Activision Blizzard sale to Microsoft
Activision Blizzard CEO, Bobby Kotick, has come under fire over the last year, with thousands of employees campaigning to oust him from the company. Instead of stepping down, Kotick decided to negotiate a lifeline deal from Microsoft, something that New York City politicians aren't too happy about. In a new …
Read More »Upcoming Xbox showcase will feature nearly every internal studio
Microsoft has spent the past few years greatly expanding its roster of first party studios through the acquisition of other well-established developers. It seems soon we will see the fruits of this labour as according to one industry insider, the upcoming Xbox games showcase will feature almost every single first-party …
Read More »Danganronpa 2 and Loot River headline latest Xbox Game Pass update
It's the first week of the month, which means we're getting a new wave of Xbox Game Pass titles announced today. Previous months were headlined by the likes of MLB: The Show 22, Weird West, Life is Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy. For May, we're getting a boost in …
Read More »Activision Blizzard shareholders vote in favour of the sale to Microsoft
While Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have agreed to a merger, there are a number of hurdles still left to clear before the acquisition can happen. Aside from regulators, the deal also needs to be approved by Activision Blizzard shareholders. Due to the company's current stock price sitting far below Microsoft's …
Read More »Xbox Series X/S outsold the PS5 again this quarter
Microsoft held its quarterly earnings report earlier this week and it seems that the Xbox team has been doing extremely well. For the second quarter in a row, the Xbox Series X/S consoles have managed to outsell the PS5. Speaking during the call, Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, reported that the …
Read More »Microsoft wants to include ads in their free-to-play games
As much as video games are considered to be an art form, they also serve as a revenue stream for video game publishers. As such, in the pursuit of more influence, Microsoft is reportedly preparing to include ads in their free-to-play games. As reported by Business Insider, Microsoft is currently …
Read More »Halo composer settles lawsuit against Microsoft
Marty O’Donnell, best known for his work as a composer at Bungie in the days of Halo, and eventually, the early days of Destiny, filed a lawsuit against Microsoft two years ago. O’Donnell and fellow composer, Mike Salvatori, claimed that Microsoft owes the pair royalties dating back 20 years. Now, …
Read More »Microsoft’s Acquisition of Blizzard was decades in the making
We have recently seen all manner of video game publishers partaking in what appears to be an acquisition spree. One of the most active participants is Microsoft, Acquiring Activision Blizzard for $68 Billion last year. Despite the surprise announcement, talks between the two actually stretch as far back as the …
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