Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard is set to close any day now and with that, we expect to see many games hitting Xbox Game Pass for the first time. However, in an effort to protect sales of games like Diablo 4 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Activision has …
Read More »Microsoft will reportedly complete Activision Blizzard acquisition next week
It was January 2022 when Microsoft first announced its plan to acquire Activision Blizzard. Now some 20 months later, the deal finally looks set to close next Friday. According to “a source familiar with Microsoft's plans” speaking with The Verge, Microsoft is hoping to complete the transaction on Friday, the …
Read More »Alan Wake II will not have a performance mode on Series S
Last week we reported that the much-anticipated and upcoming survival-horror title Alan Wake II from Remedy Entertainment would be getting a performance mode on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. At the time, no word was given on whether Microsoft’s lower-powered Series S would receive such an option, however …
Read More »Support for Minecraft Dungeons ends as game hits 25 million players
Following the overwhelming success of Minecraft, we have seen the team at Mojang expand the IP outwards into other gaming genres. One such project was Minecraft Dungeons – a dungeon-crawling spin-off which released back in 2020. As the game sees its post-launch support ending, the team are celebrating Minecraft Dungeons’ …
Read More »Ubisoft reckons cloud gaming will see a Netflix-like rise in users over next decade
Ubisoft has been an early proponent of cloud gaming, having worked with Google in the early days of Stadia, before pivoting to services like GeForce Now and Amazon Luna. Game streaming is still niche, but Ubisoft believes it will eventually take over the games industry. Ubisoft is in the process …
Read More »Microsoft’s new CASO tech can deliver notable laptop GPU performance improvements
On hybrid laptop designs, the term "hybrid" refers to laptops that include both integrated and discrete GPUs. These two may collaborate to increase power efficiency by routing graphics jobs to either graphics subsystem, depending on their complexity. However, on many computers, this causes an issue that Microsoft hopes to solve with CASO (Cross Adapter Scan-Out).
Read More »Older Call of Duty games might be coming to Game Pass soon
With the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard seemingly finally set to go through fully, the Xbox console manufacturer appears to be preparing to bring the publisher’s back catalogue of titles to Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service – starting with Call of Duty. As reported by Twitter page ‘Game Pass Tracker’ …
Read More »Capcom says it would ‘gracefully decline’ a buyout offer from Microsoft
Microsoft has worked closely with Capcom many times over the years. From the original Dead Rising games to bringing newer titles like Devil May Cry 5 and Monster Hunter Rise to Xbox Game Pass. With Microsoft being in acquisition mode at the moment, the company has been tied to many …
Read More »The CMA provisionally approves Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition
While the UK's Competition & Markets Authority initially chose to block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, things have changed in recent months. Both parties paused appeal proceedings to evaluate a new version of the merger, in which Activision's cloud gaming rights would be sold off to Ubisoft. Now, the CMA …
Read More »Phil Spencer responds to Xbox leak
Yesterday we reported on a whole bunch of leaked Microsoft and Xbox details thanks to a mistake on the part of the FTC. Alongside an early look at the next version of the Xbox Series X and a dozen unannounced games, internal emails, documents and more were shared online. Now, …
Read More »Microsoft court documents hint at Red Dead Redemption 2 Remaster
As part of a bit of an oopsie by the FTC, many private documents shared by Microsoft to the FTC have now leaked, revealing all sorts of information on new Xbox consoles, unannounced games and a whole lot more. This leak has not only affected Microsoft but also its partners, …
Read More »Gotham Knights, PayDay 3 and more coming to Game Pass
Twice a month Microsoft updates its Game Pass library with a number of new and exciting titles. For the second half of September, the console manufacturer has now detailed the full list of titles dropping onto the service over the next two weeks, including the open-world co-op focused Gotham Knights …
Read More »Leaked documents reveal Microsoft’s long-term plan to acquire Nintendo
In what is now undoubtedly a big news day for Microsoft, the FTC accidentally leaked a ton of internal documents shared by the console manufacturer, revealing plans for upcoming Xbox consoles, unannounced games and a whole lot more. As part of this, an email sent by Xbox’s Phil Spencer shows …
Read More »Dishonored 3, Oblivion Remaster and more confirmed in FTC leak
As part of a giant accidental leak by the FTC, many of Microsoft’s internal plans and timelines have been revealed for all the world to see. Alongside the revelation of a brand new digital-only Series X and a new next-gen controller, we also got a full list of upcoming and …
Read More »Massive leak details all-new Xbox Series X and next-gen controller
In what seems to have been a big oopsie by the FTC, a great deal of documents have leaked pertaining to the hearings regarding Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. From internal emails to unannounced games and more, a whole boatload of confidential details seem to have been accidentally published for all to see – including the fact that Microsoft is planning to launch a cylindrical Xbox Series X refresh...
Read More »Next-gen Xbox to launch in 2028 according to court documents
The ramifications of the Microsoft FTC hearings have been going on for ages now, with a bunch of interesting and new details being shared by all parties. One of the court documents shared suggests that Microsoft is planning its next generation of Xbox consoles to release sometime in 2028. While …
Read More »The Elder Scrolls VI will (unsurprisingly) not come to PlayStation
The Microsoft FTC hearings have been a huge source of news for the video games industry, with many internal memos and plans being exposed for all to see. One new tidbit of information seems to suggest that The Elder Scrolls VI will be coming only to Xbox and PC upon …
Read More »Microsoft is introducing a background removal tool to Paint
Microsoft is working on adding the ability to remove backgrounds from images with a single click to its venerable Paint software. The latest Windows Insider builds already have the updated version of Paint, giving users a chance to try the feature before its official release. The new “Remove Background” option …
Read More »KitGuru Games: Starfield’s poor presentation is its prime problem
We have a rare difference of opinion at KitGuru this week. While Matt has loved Starfield from start to finish, Mustafa is less impressed. In today's KitGuru Games, Mustafa offers his critique of Starfield and its space-exploration offering.
Read More »Minecraft is not getting a current-gen upgrade according to Microsoft
Over the past few weeks, we have reported on a number of listings made by various game rating boards across the world, suggesting that Mojang are gearing up to release a current-gen upgrade for the ever-popular Minecraft. Despite the evidence, Microsoft has now claimed otherwise, stating that there will not …
Read More »It’ll “take time” to bring Activision titles to Game Pass says Phil Spencer
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard to the tune of $68.7 Billion has not been a simple process. While it seems as though the deal will eventually go through fully, head of Xbox Phil Spencer has now spoken on the matter, claiming that even upon the deal’s completion, fans will be …
Read More »Citizen Sleeper 2 will launch day-one on Xbox Game Pass
Since the launch of Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft has done well to cultivate a number of 3rd party partnerships, bringing many titles – both big and small – to the subscription service day-and-date with their global release. One such title was 2022’s Citizen Sleeper: “a Tabletop-inspired narrative RPG set on …
Read More »Baldur’s Gate 3 finally coming to Xbox; no co-op on Series S
Baldur's Gate 3 quickly became one of the biggest games of the year following its release earlier this month. Unfortunately, due to issues surrounding Xbox’s parity requirements regarding the Series S, owners of Microsoft’s consoles have been missing out on all the fun. Fortunately, it seems as though an agreement …
Read More »Phil Spencer addresses lack of Final Fantasy on Xbox
A couple weeks ago many Xbox fans got excited by what they believed to be a tease by the console manufacturer for an Xbox release of the much-loved Final Fantasy VII Remake. This ultimately turned out to be a mistake on the part of Microsoft. That said, it has reignited …
Read More »Microsoft investigating BSOD issue with Windows 11 update and MSI motherboards
Following a recent Windows 11 update, MSI motherboard users began reporting BSOD errors. If you've encountered this, then you'll be relieved to learn that Microsoft is already aware of the issue and is working on a fix. The update began rolling out earlier this week. As The Verge shows, the …
Read More »Microsoft announces Xbox Series X console wraps
The design of the PlayStation 5 and its easily removable faceplates led many to correctly assume that Sony would offer a number of hot swappable faceplate variants. Early in 2022 Sony announced their official console plates. Microsoft has now taken their own approach to such customisation, offering what they are …
Read More »Hi-Fi Rush hits new milestone
In a crowded year full of excellent video games, Tango Gameworks’ Hi-Fi Rush might be one of 2023’s biggest surprises, 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. Since its release …
Read More »Starfield has finally gone Gold
It’s been almost 5 years since Bethesda Game Studios released their last major project (Fallout 76), and even longer since their most recent single player experience (2015’s Fallout 4). Finally, we are set to get a brand new RPG from Todd Howard and the team in the form of their …
Read More »Bethesda answers over a dozen Starfield questions
Last week, the team at Bethesda Game Studios announced that they would be hosting a Q&A session on Discord for the much-anticipated RPG Starfield, ahead of the game’s 6th of September launch. The fan Q&A has since concluded, with more than a dozen questions being addressed. Those who signed up …
Read More »Xbox announces new “Enforcement Strike System”
Online gaming has in the past suffered from a less-than-stellar reputation, particularly when it comes to toxicity and safeguarding users. While this has improved significantly over the years, Microsoft has now announced a new initiative to further ensure user safety, revealing their “Enforcement Strike System.” Making the announcement on the …
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