Xbox News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

With past console generations falling to the wayside as the industry progresses, there's sad news for longtime Xbox supporters coming on July 29, albeit with a silver lining. With the current console generation heading into its fourth year (or, in the case of the Switch, its seventh), support for past consoles, devices, and services is beginning to dwindle as companies shift their focus towards newer releases. Unfortunately, this means that some functions of older consoles are inevitably facing discontinued service, rendering players no longer able to use online services on those consoles.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Switch, and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for Switch are the highlights of this week’s Japanese video game releases.

Game Science has released a new trailer for action RPG Black Myth: Wukong as part of the WeGame Tonight 2024 event in China.

In the age of gaming subscription services, PlayStation Plus continues to become a more enticing offer from Sony. The celebrated success of Xbox Game Pass likely had an influence on PS Plus adopting its Extra and Premium tiers, which provide subscribers access to a rotating, but consistently growing, catalog of games downloadable on demand. All PlayStation Plus subscribers, though – even those on the base Essential tier – will want to keep May 29 marked in their calendars.

Ubisoft unveiled Assassin’s Creed Shadows last week, giving us our first real glimpse at the first Assassin’s Creed game to be set in Japan. Its Feudal Japan setting is something that fans of Assassin’s Creed have craved for a long time, and while it’s awesome that Ubisoft is finally delivering that concept, some other games did beat it to the punch. Many other developers have noticed how fruitful a historical Japan setting can be, from its feudal era all the way until the West started to intervene in the Edo period. As a result, there are quite a few games that I can recommend you check out while you’re waiting for Assassin’s Creed Shadows‘ November 15 launch.

Xbox has its first chance to regain some good faith since its recent studio shutdowns this week as Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 hits the Series X|S and PC on May 21. From the little gamers have gleaned from the closure of Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, it feels like the studios' latest projects not moving the needle in terms of money likely played a big part in Xbox's decision. Potentially daunting for the team behind Hellblade 2 since it will launch on Game Pass day one, but there is a way to make sure the game makes money even if you do plan on playing on Game Pass - via buying its merch.

Hardware manufacturer PDP has just launched the Victrix Gambit Prime, a wired controller that's potentially one to keep an eye on if you primarily play online multiplayer games.

If you want to be really technical, basically every game is a survival game. After all, the point is to avoid dying, right?

Hamster Corporation has announced ACA2 NEOGEO, an evolution of its existing line of ACA NEOGEO classic game re-releases. ACA2 NEOGEO titles will be available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series beginning this summer.

is the next big title in the series, and is hotly anticipated with promises to bring the games forward in a way no other game has done before. will be revisiting Gen 6's Kalos region, which was seen in the announcement trailer, and its futuristic, wire frame aesthetic hints at a high-tech setting for players to explore. Revisiting Gen 6, similar to how revisited Gen 4's Sinnoh region, seems like it will draw eyes with its grand Lumiose City, but its late release window could prove a problem for the the Nintendo Switch 2.

Changes to Xbox Game Pass tiers are inbound due to the rumored inclusion of the new Call Duty on Microsoft's subscription service.

The next generation of consoles might be closer than we thought, at least for Xbox fans. Today, Call of Duty leaker TheGhostofHope relayed a rumor from trusted sources that the next Xbox console might launch in late 2026, way earlier than most analysts and fans predicted, with Call of Duty as a launch day title.

Several insiders have claimed that Microsoft is planning on making some changes to the structure of Xbox Game Pass (which could include a price hike) due to the rumoured addition of Call of Duty 2024.

Redfall is getting one final update after all.

After ages worth of 'will they or won't they' speculation, a new report suggests that Microsoft plans to bring Call of Duty to Xbox Game Pass, with a confirmation coming as part of the Summer Game Fest schedule for 2024.

Xbox Game Pass is about to become a whole lot more appealing for couples as an incredibly well-reviewed co-op game is about to arrive on the subscription service. Microsoft recently unveiled the next batch of games that is set to arrive on Game Pass over the last few weeks of May and while its the usual assortment of AAA heavy-hitters and indie gems, those looking for some multiplayer fun are especially in luck. In an age where couch co-op is so often forgotten, it's certainly refreshing to have such a great option when friends come over to visit.

With Persona 3 Reload officially in the rearview mirror, our next major slice of Persona-branded high school student simulation and turn-based dungeon battles will come via a presumed Persona 6. But when exactly will we see this next Persona game? And what will it be?

Xbox fans, and some of their employees, were blindsided earlier this month when Microsoft announced a number of their studios were being shuttered, including the “gut stab” closure of Arkane Austin, developer of the acclaimed Prey and the more troubled Redfall. Following the announcement Arkane Austin was shutting up shop, it was reported that the team had been working on additional updates for Redfall, including one that would deliver a long-promised offline mode. Unfortunately, at the time, it seemed unlikely any of these promised updates would come to fruition.

Since Microsoft purchased Blizzard Activision and took ownership of the Call of Duty franchise, there have been questions about whether Microsoft would bring future entries in series to PlayStation and whether future titles might be day-and-date launches on Xbox GamePass. The answer to the former is that for now at least PS4 and PS5 players will indeed continue to enjoy access. On Friday, the answer to the latter question finally emerged as well.

Is Call of Duty coming to Xbox Game Pass? When Microsoft first began pursuing it’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, many assumed using Call of Duty to bolster Game Pass was one of their goals, but things have changed since then. Game Pass growth has slowed, badly missing growth targets, and Xbox boss Phil Spencer has admitted there’s a ceiling to its success. While some Activision Blizzard games like Diablo IV have been added to Game Pass, recent reports suggested that Microsoft was still “evaluating” whether to do the same with the headliner that is Call of Duty.

Despite news that Microsoft was stopping development on Redfalland closing its studio, Arkane Austin, the game will get one final update.

The Xbox Game Pass is known for its head-turning AAA titles, but with Microsoft's acquisition of numerous studios, there are plenty of indie games for subscription holders to explore while getting their money's worth. Games are being added constantly, some of which are part of the catalog on release. is an example of a triple-A launch, but an underground indie title called is set to be released soon, and it promises to invoke vibes with its charming presentation.

Ubisoft's is set to be a major entry in the first-person arena shooter genre, leveraging the publisher's recognizable properties into a fast-paced, competitive crossover. Originally revealed as, the famed branding was later dropped following backlash, with the game hosting factions from and in addition to those pulled from,, and. The free-to-play FPS releases May 21, 2024, at different times in major regions, though every platform seems to be getting the game concurrently.

Arkane Austin is working on a final update for its live service, Redfall. This is ahead of the studio's closure, as part of Xbox's recent wave of layoffs.

The Xbox Series X|S will soon recieve a major feature that should hopefully cut down on the amount of time players spend just hanging around waiting for the games to update. Given the prevalence of live-service experiences and developers offering prolonged post-launch support for even single-player titles, substantial patches have become commonplace in the video game industry. While it's certainly good to get the most out of the games one purchases, some of these updates can be significantly larger than expected, resulting in sitting around and waiting for the necessary files to download.

Puppet Combo has announced PlayStation 2-style fixed camera survival horror game The Glass Staircase for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Switch.

Microsoft intends to put its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard to use by releasing the next Call of Duty game directly on its Game Pass subscription service, the Wall Street Journal reports. The WSJ says the plan will be announced at Xbox’s annual summer showcase on June 9.

Microsoft has reportedly decided that, yes, Call of Duty 2024 will launch day and date into Xbox Game Pass.

Activision Blizzard, which is now owned by Microsoft, is gearing up to announce the next Call of Duty game soon and release it later this year. There’s been one major point of contention ahead of this year’s Call of Duty: Will it be on Xbox Game Pass at launch? A new report from The Wall Street Journal suggests that is the case.

Helldivers 2 was a massive hit right out of the gate for developer Arrowhead Game Studios, and the game’s popularity has only grown since its release in February of this year. Shedding the top-down perspective of the first Helldivers, this cooperative third-person shooter took the world by surprise by being equally hilarious, fun, and challenging. It demands everyone work together to overcome massive hordes of bugs while also dealing with the fact that one player’s slipup could derail the whole mission in the most humorous fashion. It’s a total riot, and it’s not hard to see why.

Recent reports suggested that Microsoft executives had been debating for some time whether to put new Call of Duty games onto Game Pass on day one (i.e. on their release day). That seems like something it should have figured out before spending $68.7 billion on CoD publisher Activision Blizzard, but it seems that Microsoft has finally reached a decision. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company will indeed bring the next Call of Duty title directly to Game Pass when it arrives later this year.

Microsoft has reportedly decided that 2024's Call of Duty (which is widely believed to be a new Black Ops game) will launch on Xbox Game Pass.

Xbox Game Pass subscribers are already set up for a great weekend as Microsoft locks in two games for its weekly Free Play Days program, allowing users to get a taste of some new experiences with paying a cent. Not only do players have an opportunity to experience an explosive co-op shooter that's filled plenty of horrific monsters and buckets of blood, those squeamish fans can avoid the mayhem and revel in the joys of rampant capitalism. Better yet, if either experience is really appealing, they both sport a major discount so the fun doesn't have to end on Monday.

Publisher Thunderful Games and developer Image & Form Games have released a “story deep dive” trailer and screenshots for turn-based RPG sequel SteamWorld Heist II.

Microsoft will add this year’s Call of Duty game to Game Pass at release, it’s claimed.

Iconic sports car brand Porsche and hero shooter Overwatch 2 have teamed up for an electric collaboration that includes special in-game cosmetics and Legendary character skins, and you can take part for a chance to win a limited collab design Xbox Series X!

With the PlayStation 5 entering the second half of its life, figures from Sony indicate around half of all current PlayStation gamers are yet to upgrade to current gen.

One of the most underrated features of PlayStation Plus Premium is the game trials that it offers. Although Sony does not put its AAA games on the service the day they release, it and several other third-party publishers offer up free demos that essentially give players full access to the game for a limited period of time. It’s a great way to test a new game before you buy and it also gives you an excuse to try out a variety of different games this weekend without making the time commitment to beat them all. I looked through the full list of game trials that PlayStation Plus Premium offers and pinpointed three of the demos that are most worth your time.

As the weekend approaches, you’re probably happy that you’ll soon have more time to check out some video games. And if you’re an Xbox Game Pass subscriber and aren’t sure what to play, you have a lot to choose from. That’s where I come in. I’ve looked through the Xbox Game Pass lineup and found three games that I think all kinds of players can have a good time with this weekend.

GTA 6 sales likely won't be affected by the game's launch window, according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick.

PlayStation has revealed that it has managed to shift just over 59 million PS5s over the course of the system's first four years, but the platform's active user base of 118 million people implies that there are quite a lot of people still playing on PS4.

Xbox Game Pass already has a stacked May but the month is about to become even stronger thanks to the addition of one of the most underrated shooters released in 2023. While many subscribers are no doubt looking forward to the highly-anticipated release of, the latest game from Ninja Theory and Xbox Game Studios, those wanting some more explosive action may want to look elsewhere. Fortunately, one fantasy-themed shooter that's loaded with style, polish, and action should be exactly what's needed to balance out such an emotional experience.

Microsoft is continuing to make positive steps in the realm of accessibility, revealing a brand-new all-in-one modular controller kit designed to meet the needs of disabled gamers.

Assassin's Creed Shadows will feature changing seasons that will impact gameplay.

GameSir has officially revealed the X4 Aileron Bluetooth, its latest mobile controller geared towards Xbox mobile gaming.

Ubisoft has confirmed that Assassin's Creed Shadows won't require an online connection at all times.

Following Sony's decision last week to delist Helldivers 2 in 170 regions worldwide on Steam, it seems this will be the firm's PC stance moving forward, and it has since done the same for the imminent PC release of Ghost of Tsushima. More regions have been added to the list, taking the total number of territories affected to 180, which is now consistent across both titles.

The PS5 is doing fantastically overall, although the console's results for the final quarter of Sony's fiscal year 2023 means it's fallen slightly behind the company's already-lowered forecast. The machine managed to ship 4.5 million units in the three-month period ending 31st March, 2024, bringing its total for FY23 to 20.8 million. This means it's a smidge behind its forecast of 21 million sales.

It's been a torturous week for Microsoft, but we aren't quite at the weekend yet. New reporting suggests that longtime employees and even some of the brand's founders agree that things have shifted so dramatically at Xbox since the bad old days that, effectively: «It's no longer Xbox, but Microsoft Gaming.»

In a development you don't see every day, following the closure of Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, swarms of fans have expressed their outrage by positively review bombing the game on Steam. This reverse review bombing campaign has resulted in several thousand Positive new reviews rising to the top since the news of Bethesda's Microsoft-mandated restructure broke last week.

Take-Two has announced in its financial earnings for the end of Fiscal Year 2023 that Grand Theft Auto 6 will release for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S during the Fall of calendar year 2025. Therefore, the open worlder from Rockstar Games could release anywhere between September and November of next year.

Square Enix has confirmed in a new medium-term business plan that it intends to «aggressively» pursue a multiplatform strategy across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and PC platforms. Instead of allowing select AAA games from its biggest series to be locked onto one system, the company will look to «build an environment where more customers can enjoy our titles».

A final update for Hi-Fi Rush released this week: a gift from developer Tango Gameworks before it closes its doors for good. The update fixes a selection of minor bugs on PS5, and will be the final title update, as Xbox has decided to shut down the decorated Japanese developer. The studio, founded by industry icon Shinji Mikami, released several acclaimed titles under parent company Bethesda’s banner, including The Evil Within and Ghostwire Tokyo.

Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks has confirmed the upcoming physical version for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S will still be released via Limited Run Games despite Microsoft's plans to close the studio. In addition, one last update for the game will be available later today «to address some minor issues».

As the industry digests the latest deluge of earnings reports, attempting to parse the information and present a clearer picture, one piece of news is likely to fuel more than a few pointless arguments on social media: despite marginally missing its own revised target, Sony shipped 4.5 million PS5s last quarter, estimated to be almost five times as many as Microsoft managed with its Xbox Series X|S consoles combined.

PlayStation has been porting its titles to PC for years now. The landscape has changed quite dramatically in the last decade or so, and companies like Sony have seen a need to expand their reach, even if it means sacrificing the more traditional concept of exclusive games. Even now, we're witnessing a significant shift in the longstanding dynamic, as Xbox allows titles like Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves to cross the border — and it feels like this is only the beginning.

A new report suggests that Microsoft's big boss, Satya Nadella, wants to bring more Xbox games to PlayStation as soon as possible. With the instant success Sea of Thieves found on Sony's platform, considered a «key test,» it seems like the writing is on the wall at this point; Microsoft leadership reportedly wants there to be no «red line,» nothing at all stopping the company's most valuable IP, like Halo and Gears of Wars, from coming to competing platforms.

When it launches on PC later this week, the online co-op Legends mode in Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut will carry a beta tag when you wish to play with PS5, PS4 friends via crossplay. Rather than the final version of what port specialist Nixxes Software intends to ship, the developer is soliciting feedback so it can make tweaks to the feature «in the weeks following launch».

Following a devastating week of Bethesda studio closures, which coincides with the Fallout franchise's recent bump in popularity (thanks to Amazon's excellent adaptation), it was only natural for the pressure to erupt somewhere. In a legitimately hilarious turn, vengeful Fallout 76 players have been venting their spleens on Phil Spencer's in-game encampment, repeatedly detonating nukes on top of it, reducing the surrounding landscape into an (even more) uninhabitable wasteland.

Developer Player First Games has published a video that walks players through the new MultiVersus PvE Rift Mode ahead of its relaunch in a few weeks.

Phoenix Labs is seeing its third round of layoffs in just over a year. According to reports, over 100 people were affected this time around and projects have been canceled.

When MultiVersus relaunches with a makeover later this month after a nearly yearlong hiatus, it will come equipped with a new PvE mode called Rifts that will let players take on tutorials, challenges, and story-based missions. In a new video breaking down Rifts, we see what kind if minigames and giant boss fights — and some other oddities — players can expect.

Grand Theft Auto VI will launch for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series in fall 2025, Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two Interactive Software announced. Previously, the game was only confirmed for a general 2025 release.

Six days from launch, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 has a new promotional video out that breaks down the story from the first game.

It's been a long time coming but we finally know when College Football 25, EA Sports' revival of the long-dormant football sim series, will hit consoles. The game will land on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on July 19, living up to EA's promise that it would arrive sometime this summer.

The initial partner line-up for Summer Game Fest 2024 has been announced.

Activision has established a new internal development studio called Elsewhere Entertainment.

EA Sports College Football 25 will launch for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series on July 19 for $69.99, Electronic Arts announced. Pre-orders are availbale now.

Boxing simulation game Undisputed will leave Early Access and launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam on October 11 for $59.99, publisher PLAION and developer Steel City Interactive announced.

Activision has announced the formation of Elsewhere Entertainment, a new studio it says will focus on developing a "narrative-based and genre-defining AAA franchise."

Publisher Nacon and developer Spiders Studio have released the “Doneigada” trailer for GreedFall II: The Dying World, as well as a new key visual and the Early Access roadmap.

Cozy magical farm life RPG Garden Witch Life will be available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Switch alongside its previously announced PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) version when it launches in 2024, publisher SOEDESCO and developer FreetimeStudio announced.

Microsoft had announced in February that it would bring four of its exclusive Xbox titles to rival platforms from Sony and Nintendo. It seems the company is not stopping with its four first-party games coming to PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. A new report claims that the Xbox parent intends to make a multi-platform push for more of its games. Under the plan, internally codenamed “Latitude,” more upcoming first-party Xbox titles are said to be in development for the PS5.

Famitsu has published its estimated physical game software data for Japan for the week of May 6, 2024 to May 12, 2024.

Cozy mining adventure game Core Keeper will leave Early Access and launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam on August 27, publisher Fireshine Games and developer Pugstorm announced.

Epic Games Publishing and developer AQUIRIS will release Horizon Chase 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on May 30, the companies announced.

It’s safe to say that Starfield didn’t quite nail the landing, but Bethesda has been chipping away on improvements, and the latest May update has revamped a much-maligned aspect of navigation to seriously improve how the game plays.

The Lies of P DLC expansion is going to be released before the end of the year, developer NEOWIZ confirmed.

The 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM the Nintendo Switch 2 is rumored to feature could deliver better texture quality than the Xbox Series S, and address many of the visual quality issues of the current Nintendo consoles.

More former Xbox exclusives could be coming to PS5 during this holiday season, according to a well-known insider.