Xbox

Latest news

• Latest news Xbox tests ad-supported game streaming for select players

  Microsoft announced a test that lets select Xbox players stream certain games after watching ads. The limited rollout offers temporary streaming access modeled on ad-supported video services.

• Latest news Microsoft begins public test of ad-supported Xbox cloud gaming

  Microsoft is testing a free, ad-supported cloud gaming option with select Xbox Insider members. Ads play before sessions and do not interrupt gameplay; sessions are limited to one hour and require games you already own. The trial is optional, limited-time, and aims to lower the cost of access to newer games via cloud streaming.

• Latest news Bethesda Montréal told to expect minimum legal severance after Xbox layoffs

  After Xbox’s mass layoffs earlier this month, employees at Bethesda’s Montréal studio were reportedly informed they will receive the smallest severance pay legally required. The Bethesda union has said it will contest the payout. Studio staff have described the payments as a “bare minimum” and are reacting to the sudden cuts.

• Latest news Stalker 2 dev denies founder's claim Xbox paid more than dev cost

  Studio founder Sergiy Grygorovych told a YouTuber Microsoft paid more than the game's development cost to secure timed Xbox exclusivity for Stalker 2. Developers at GSC Game World have publicly refuted that claim. The conflicting statements were reported by Eurogamer and the alleged payment has not been independently verified.

• Latest news Xbox launches Backward Compatibility on PC; Blinx and Conker lead first wave

  Xbox has announced a Backward Compatibility on PC program, with Blinx and Conker among the first titles. The announcement comes after Microsoft cut about 3,200 jobs and closed four studios. The program will bring older Xbox games to PC as part of a broader Xbox strategy update.

• Latest news Xbox engineering VP Jared Palmer departs after two months for AI firm

  Jared Palmer left his role as Xbox vice president of engineering and technical advisor to CEO Asha Sharma two months after his appointment. He updated LinkedIn saying he has joined AI company Cognition as its vice president of engineering. Cognition develops "Devin," an autonomous software engineer; Microsoft and Sharma have not publicly commented.

• Latest news MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ CG3EM: top performance handheld with near-$2,000 price

  The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ CG3EM delivers class-leading gaming performance and strong battery life thanks to an Intel Arc G3 Extreme (Panther Lake) APU. Launch pricing is close to $2,000, driven by current memory and hardware cost pressures. That high price limits its appeal as a complementary, portable gaming device despite its capabilities.

• Latest news Ubisoft to reveal Ghost Recon news on Aug. 6; Splinter Cell remake not expected

  Ubisoft will mark Ghost Recon's 25th anniversary on August 6 with new information about the franchise. The company had previously said a new Ghost Recon is planned but likely not imminent. There is no indication the event will include news on a Splinter Cell remake. Recent Splinter Cell activity has focused on a Netflix animated series and anniversary posts.

• Latest news Unofficial PC port of Gears of War 2 released from leaked 2008 build

  Modder xHeliosx has released an unofficial PC port of Gears of War 2 compiled from a leaked 2008 Windows build. The port includes the Road to Ruin DLC and saves progress at the end of each chapter; multiplayer is untested and may not work. The launcher is hosted on ModDB, while other required files were previously shared via the modder's Discord and are currently harder to obtain. Microsoft has separately confirmed that the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day will come to PC.

• Latest news Bethesda reveals new Fallout games; Xbox hasn't confirmed console exclusivity

  Bethesda announced several new Fallout projects on July 17 but did not say whether they will be exclusive to Xbox consoles. Xbox has not provided clarification. Recent statements republished by GamesRadar have added confusion rather than resolving the issue.

• Latest news Sony cancels multiple live-service projects and shutters Bluepoint Studio

  Sony has canceled a large portion of its planned live-service titles and closed Bluepoint Studios after assigning it to a live-service God of War spinoff. Concord, another high-profile live-service effort, was shelved after costing hundreds of millions. Despite these setbacks, Sony leadership has signaled continued interest in live-service games.

• Latest news Ascend to Zero — a roguelike built around a 30‑second run

  Ascend to Zero frames each run around a 30‑second "save the world" timer. The game applies inventive twists to familiar roguelike mechanics. Early impressions say it’s engaging enough to keep players past the initial pitch.

• Latest news Todd Howard reiterates respect for Obsidian as Fallout partnership confirmed

  Todd Howard repeatedly says he does not hold a grudge against Obsidian and emphasizes mutual respect between Bethesda and Obsidian. He told Windows Central Bethesda is open to working together when it makes sense. Bethesda's recent roadmap confirms an Obsidian-led Fallout project, remasters of Fallout 3 and New Vegas, and Fallout 5 in pre-production. The announcement came amid wider Xbox layoffs but highlights continued Fallout plans.

• Latest news Todd Howard: Bethesda and Obsidian respect each other; Obsidian on a new Fallout

  Todd Howard said online rumours of a feud between Bethesda Game Studios and Obsidian don’t reflect reality, noting mutual respect and a desire to collaborate. Obsidian, developer of Fallout: New Vegas, is now working on a new Fallout title. Howard reiterated past praise for New Vegas as Bethesda confirms other Fallout projects are in the pipeline.

• Latest news Todd Howard: Elder Scrolls 6 Progressing, Fallout 5 in Pre‑Production

  Todd Howard said The Elder Scrolls VI is Bethesda’s primary focus and development is progressing well. Fallout 5 is in pre‑production. Full remakes of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas were confirmed. Obsidian is working on a Fallout spin‑off, and Starfield will receive a Starborn DLC and expanded Creation Club tools; no release dates or exclusivity were announced.

• Latest news Bethesda: The Elder Scrolls 6 'on the way' amid Xbox cuts

  Bethesda Game Studios has reassured players that The Elder Scrolls 6 remains in development after recent Xbox cuts. The studio said the project is "on the way", "where we planned to be", and that developers are "loving how it looks" and "playing it every day." No release date or additional development details were provided.

• Latest news Zenimax Online leadership among 200+ Xbox layoffs at Elder Scrolls Online studio

  Multiple senior leaders at Zenimax Online Studios were cut as part of broad Xbox layoffs. The reductions total over 200 redundancies at the Elder Scrolls Online developer. The staffing changes have prompted questions about ESO's future and the studio's long-term capacity.

• Latest news Former Ubisoft director: Assassin's Creed Unity is 'one of the most underestimated' games

  Jean Guesdon, a former Assassin’s Creed brand director, says Unity is an overlooked entry in the series. He credits the game’s ambition — 1:1 Paris, interiors, large crowds, new parkour and integrated multiplayer — while acknowledging its problematic launch. Critics argue Unity offered a distinct creative direction before later Assassin’s Creed titles moved toward RPG design.

• Latest news Users use Xbox Player Voice to call for an end to layoffs

  Xbox's Player Voice portal, launched in May, has become a focal point for players responding to recent staff cuts. Following CEO Asha Sharma's promise of a 'return of Xbox', the company announced 3,200 layoffs and four studio departures. Users are posting concerns and calls to stop the cycle of layoffs on the platform.

• Latest news Compulsion Games seeks new work days after regaining independence from Xbox

  Compulsion Games has begun looking for new work opportunities just days after buying back its independence from Microsoft amid Xbox's mass layoffs. The studio says it's confronting the realities of operating independently and is exploring projects and partnerships to sustain operations.

• Latest news How game developers came to embrace ladders

  Eurogamer outlines a change in level‑design thinking about ladders in games. It notes that Arkane Austin once displayed a blunt anti‑ladder design principle before the studio was closed by Xbox. The piece describes how developers have since reconsidered ladders as useful traversal and design elements when implemented well.

• Latest news Game Pass Free Play Days: MLB The Show 26, The Alters and Stuffed free through July 12

  Xbox Game Pass is offering three Free Play Days titles through July 12: MLB The Show 26, The Alters and Stuffed. A Game Pass membership (Ultimate, Premium or Essential) is required to play. After the weekend MLB The Show 26 is discounted to $35 and The Alters to $17.50; Stuffed remains at $12.50. Gears of War: Reloaded and Tamashika were added to various Game Pass tiers on July 9.

• Latest news Obsidian reportedly shifted to new Fallout project after Xbox cuts

  Eurogamer reports Obsidian Entertainment was reassigned to a new Fallout game for Xbox. The change follows Microsoft's wider Xbox cuts — about 3,200 roles — and reportedly saw around a quarter of Obsidian's staff leave. Development of a sequel to Avowed was reportedly deprioritised. Microsoft and Obsidian have not publicly confirmed these reports.

• Latest news Report: Josh Sawyer may lead new Obsidian Fallout RPG amid Xbox cuts

  Bloomberg reports Microsoft has tapped Obsidian director Josh Sawyer to lead a new Fallout RPG as part of an Xbox restructuring. The shakeup reportedly included about 3,200 job cuts across Xbox and layoffs at Obsidian. Obsidian has also reportedly canceled an Avowed sequel and other projects to make room for the Fallout effort. Bloomberg says the situation is still in flux and could change.

• Latest news Xbox Cancels Obsidian's Avowed Sequel, Lays Off About 25% of Staff

  Bloomberg and Game File report that Xbox and Obsidian have cancelled the sequel to 2025 RPG Avowed and laid off roughly 52 employees, about a quarter of Obsidian's staff. Sources say multiple projects were cut so the studio can focus on the Fallout franchise under Xbox's strategy. Reports also indicate the Avowed sequel was progressing and a small group may continue work in case it is reconsidered. The original Avowed earned generally positive reviews but failed to meet Microsoft's sales expectations.

• Latest news Fallout Season 2 Earns 10 Emmy Nominations; No Acting Nods

  Amazon's Fallout Season 2 received 10 Emmy nominations, largely in production, design, makeup, sound and stunt categories. Season 1 had 16 nominations and won two Emmys in 2024. No acting nominations were received, prompting discussion around Walton Goggins' praised performance. Season 3 is now in production and a new Fallout game from Obsidian has been reported.

• Latest news Longtime Bethesda artist behind Skyrim's khajiit and argonians laid off

  Christiane Meister, a senior character artist who worked at Bethesda for 27 years, was included in Xbox's first round of layoffs. Meister contributed to every Elder Scrolls title from Morrowind through Skyrim and led design work on the khajiit and argonians. She confirmed her job search on LinkedIn after the layoff; her duties included creating character art, handing off concepts, and overseeing outsourced assets.

• Latest news Microsoft reportedly leans on Bethesda to deliver Elder Scrolls 6

  Reports say Xbox is facing trouble and Microsoft plans to double down on its biggest franchises. That shift increases pressure on Bethesda to deliver The Elder Scrolls 6, which was announced eight years ago. It’s unclear how an “all hands” focus will affect the game’s development timeline.

• Latest news Minecraft adds craftable cushions for sitting after 17 years

  A forthcoming Minecraft update introduces a craftable cushion that allows players to sit, the first straightforward sitting method in the game's 17-year history. Cushions are made from new wool slabs and come in 16 colors. The announcement comes as Mojang faces layoffs and organizational changes at Xbox, including a direct reporting line to CEO Asha Shamra and Helen Chiang’s promotion to Xbox COO.

• Latest news Palworld 1.0 expected to exit early access July 9–10, 2026

  Palworld 1.0 is expected to launch at about 12:30 pm JST on July 10, 2026, ending more than two years in early access. Pocketpair says the launch time is not final. Players in North and South America will gain access on July 9, while most of Europe, Asia and Oceania receive the update on July 10. The rollout includes platform availability, pricing, Xbox Game Pass details and guidance on save files.