These Activision Blizzard games need to come to Xbox Game Pass this year

Mobile game controller maker Backbone is releasing a limited-edition version of its Backbone One controller themed around Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding. If you pick one up, you’ll get a free code for the iOS version of Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, will launch alongside the controller next week.

Fortnite is set to come back to iOS in Europe sometime in 2024. This will mark the first time a natively running version of Fortnite will be available on iOS since Apple removed the game from the App Store in 2020.

As part of major changes to Apple’s App Store policies to comply with EU regulations, the company has also announced that game streaming apps are now to be accepted on the App Store for the first time. This opens the door for Xbox Game Pass, GeForce Now, PlayStation Plus, Amazon Luna and other game streaming subscriptions to have dedicated apps on iPhone and iPad – they were previously only accessible via built-in web browsers.

Hi-Fi Rush, one of Xbox Game Pass' biggest hits during 2023, received a new update on Thursday, January 25. Hi-Fi Rush's recent update gives users new cosmetics, fixes various bugs, and improves controller support for PC players.

Apple is easing up on its App Store guidelines so that it’s now possible to “provide access to mini apps and games” within other apps.

Microsoft is laying off around 8% of its Gaming Workforce, affecting game developers across Xbox, ZeniMax Media, and the newly acquired Activision Blizzard.

Xbox Game Pass might not be losing a lot of games at the end of January, but the most significant loss is a big one. On January 31, the subscription service is losing Hitman: World of Assassination, which is one of the best stealth gaming experiences out there. Technically, it is a collection of three games’ worth of content, plus an excellent roguelike mode.

We’re in the middle of a Nintendo DS renaissance on Nintendo Switch, which is fitting as that classic handheld turns 20 in 2014. Coming off the excellentGhost Trick: Phantom Detective re-release from last year, more DS classics are coming to Nintendo Switch this month. First, Another Code Recollection contains a full-on remake of the cult classic Another Code: Two Memories, and it’s out now. In a few days, on January 25, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney will remastered as part of a trilogy collection that also bears its namesake.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a fantastic Metroidvania reimagining of the historic series, but it is far from the first reinvention the franchise has seen under Ubisoft. The most iconic one was 2003’s The Sands of Time, which Ubisoft is currently remaking. That’s not the one I decided to play after beating and adoring The Lost Crown, though. That honor goes to 2008’s Prince of Persia.

Steam’s latest viral hit is Pocketpair’s Palworld, a game that the internet has deemed Pokémon with guns.

Xbox has long struggled with consistency and maintaining a steady stream of exclusives. Some years would be chock-full of exciting new games, while others were barren wastelands outside of a couple of smaller releases. After a turnaround in 2023, Xbox’s 2024 first-party game lineup is looking to be its most compelling in years. That’s thanks to a successful Developer_Direct showcase that set Xbox on the right track this week.

Circana’s Mat Piscatella has released video game market highlights for 2023, and WB Games’ Hogwarts Legacy ended up being the bestselling game of 2023, beating out the likes of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.