Microsoft’s Xbox has been around since 2001, and over that time the gaming brand has given us huge hits like Halo, Gears of War, Forza, and more. Today, the Xbox brand covers consoles like the Xbox One, PC gaming, and has even expanded to other platforms. You can play Minecraft on everything from a computer to an iPhone to a Nintendo Switch. Along the way, Microsoft has pioneered modern services like Xbox Live and Game Pass, introducing new ways to play games. And with Project Scarlett on the horizon, the Xbox looks to have a bright future.
It’s “Wrapped” season, so it’s fitting that Microsoft shared the top third-party game for Game Pass. It was none other than Sandfall Interactive’s well-paced and overall fantastic Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which had more unique users after 30 days post-launch than others. Y’all have good taste. This is my GOTY.
As the increasingly pricey future of Xbox depends less on an actual box, Microsoft announced the recent launch of Xbox Cloud Gaming in India (just as Nvidia delayed its GeForce Now launch), and some new stats:
Players are streaming their games more than ever — cloud gaming hours from Game Pass subscribers has increased 45% compared to this time last year. And, console players are embracing flexibility, spending 45% more time cloud streaming on console and 24% more on other devices.
Over one year after its release on PS5 and PC, the Silent Hill 2 remake has finally made its way to Xbox Series X | S consoles. To celebrate its release, Konami is making Silent Hill 2 available on Xbox and PS5 for $34.99 instead of $69.99 for a limited time, with a similar discount coming to PC next week.
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[Konami Digital Entertainment]
0This year’s Xbox Partner Preview will include 007 First Light, Tides of Annihilation, Reanimal, and other games from Microsoft’s partners. All games featured at Xbox Partner Preview will be Xbox Play Anywhere titles, meaning you can buy a single copy that works across Xbox console and PC. Microsoft’s event starts on November 20th at 10AM PT / 1PM ET / 6PM UK.
Following the Xbox-branded Backbone One controller that launched earlier this year, the Backbone Pro is getting a similar translucent green facelift. The $179.99 Backbone Pro Xbox Edition is available today with the same functionality as the standard Pro including Bluetooth connectivity, but adds Xbox-specific buttons and shortcuts.
Before the original Xbox’s design was finalized, Microsoft created a massive X-shaped prototype back in 2000 made from machined aluminum that cost $18,000 to manufacture. Tito Perez from YouTube’s Macho Nacho Productions and a few other modders built a functional replica with the guts of an original Xbox and a few upgrades.
The team at Obsidian talks about returning to the RPG series after becoming part of a giant corporation.
When you’re actively using Gaming Copilot in Game Bar, it can use screenshots of your gameplay to get a better understanding of what’s happening in your game and provide you with more helpful responses. These screenshots are not used to train AI models, and Gaming Copilot is an optional feature that only has access to gameplay when you’re playing a game and actively using it.
The words “will never” do not appear in Microsoft’s statement.
Halo Studios has rebuilt Combat Evolved for a new generation of players.
That was fast! I slapped down my $29 the day we wrote about Hallmark’s new ornament and it’s already here. Watch when I press the power button — and see how it compares to my Sega Genesis one Hallmark released in 2022! There’s an NES, SNES and OG Xbox too.
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The company was one of the first to release Hall effect joysticks for the original Switch, but now it’s partnered with ROG for a new kit that upgrades the Xbox Ally with anti-drift TMR sticks. It will launch in December, while a version for the Xbox Ally X is still being tested.
Vampire Survivors developer Poncle is drip-feeding new features coming in the game’s 1.14 update, and online co-op is the first of five teased announcements.
Local co-op came to Vampire Survivors back in 2023, but I’m excited I’ll be able to bother someone other than my wife to play with me.
