Tag: Microsoft - Page 10
News Xbox's Phil Spencer 'Grateful' For Speedy Court Decision On FTC Activision Blizzard Case
"I’m proud of our efforts to expand player access and choice"
The FTC has just lost its case to block Microsoft's Activision Blizzard purchase, and company executives are already out there on the internet, reacting to the news and providing statements on the matter. One of those execs is Xbox boss Phil Spencer, who has released a multi-post...
News Xbox Wins FTC Court Case As Judge Denies Preliminary Injunction
"The Court DENIES the motion for preliminary injunction"
It's official! Microsoft, Xbox and Activision Blizzard have won their court case against the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, as the judge has denied the FTC's request for a preliminary injunction over Microsoft's attempted takeover of Activision Blizzard. Here's a sample from the 53-page...
News Xbox Parent Company Microsoft Confirms New Round Of Layoffs
The gaming division does not appear to be impacted
Following mass layoffs at Microsoft earlier this year which also hit the Xbox team, it's been confirmed another round of job cuts has taken place. In a report by GeekWire, a new filing shows 276 layoffs — and 210 of these jobs have been at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington. The...
Deals All 15+ Backwards Compatible Games In This Week's Xbox Sales (July 11-18)
Grab a cheap Xbox classic
Xbox's latest set of weekly deals is now live, and even though it's a pretty small selection this week (we're expecting a huge Summer Sale to begin shortly), there's still a good chunk of backwards compatible classics from the original Xbox and Xbox 360 eras that are heavily discounted right now on the Xbox Store. So,...
News Xbox Game Pass $1 Deal Reintroduced For New And Returning Subscribers
Microsoft's welcome offer returns
Only a few months after Microsoft "stopped" its Xbox Game Pass $1 trial offer, the promotion has returned! Yep, just as the company has slightly raised the price of Xbox Game Pass in most regions, it has reintroduced its £1 / $1 offer for both new and lapsed subscribers. We were made aware of the offer returning...
PSA Crackdown 1 & 2 Are Still Free On Xbox As Sequel Turns 13
Officially a teen!
Once upon a time the Crackdown series was a notable staple within the Xbox first-party lineup. While the third game only came out four years ago (can you believe that?!), it's the first two Xbox 360 titles we have fond memories of - and one of them has just turned 13! Yep, Crackdown 2 launched on this very day in the US back in...
News Microsoft Is Expecting Two New PS5 Models In The 'Near Future'
Including one later this year for $399.99
Microsoft's upcoming 1TB version of the Xbox Series S may be followed by a "PS5 Slim" at some point later this year, as well as a "PS5 Pro" in the near future - at least according to recent court documents filed by Microsoft. In these documents (which are from Microsoft's battle with the FTC), it's...
Deals All 15+ Backwards Compatible Games In This Week's Xbox Sales (July 4-11)
Up to 80% off!
Another batch of digital Xbox deals is now live, with more than 300 titles discounted over the next week or so. We've already rounded up some of the best offers from this week's promotion, which we'll drop below, but there's a selection of backwards compatible classics from the original Xbox and Xbox 360 eras on sale this week too...
News Lost Xbox-Related Gameplay Footage From Yesteryear Appears Online
Including never-before-seen clips!
Games media outlet Noclip has begun digitising a bunch of old press conference gameplay footage from years gone by, with the results now appearing on the outlet's YouTube archive channel. There are some super cool videos in here, including a full HD Xbox E3 press conference from the 360 days, and even...
News Xbox Boss Reveals His Thoughts On Showcases Like Bethesda's Starfield Direct
"I really like the format"
2023 saw the debut of Xbox Developer Direct - a new showcase format created to highlight specific games outside of Xbox's big summer showcases. January's multi-game dev direct gave us the surprising Hi-Fi RUSH shadow drop, while Bethesda's June presentation focused on all-things Starfield. And, it looks like we could see...
News Xbox Could Expect FTC Injunction Verdict As Soon As Next Week
Hopefully it won't drag out
It's been a crazy week, with all kinds of stories coming out of the highly publicised FTC hearing, but it's finally over! If you weren't aware, the FTC and Microsoft have been in court regarding the FTC's request for a preliminary injunction, requesting more time to make a decision on whether to approve Microsoft's...
News Elder Scrolls 6 'Projected Release Is 2026', Claims Microsoft Lawyer
Phil Spencer said it was at least "five-plus years away"
The Elder Scrolls has been name-dropped once again during the Microsoft v FTC court battle. On the final day of the hearing, Microsoft's lawyer claimed the next Elder Scrolls game by Bethesda was projected to release much earlier than expected. Before you get too excited, it seems the lawyer...
News SEGA Remains 'Very Close' With Xbox, But Isn't Open To Acquisition Talks Right Now
"Microsoft particularly has a high regard for us"
Back at the start of the week, it was revealed that Microsoft had once seriously been considering the acquisition of SEGA (back in 2021), and now SEGA's co-Chief Operating Officer, Shuji Utsumi, has responded to the news. Speaking to Bloomberg, Utsumi simply told the outlet that the company wasn't...
News Microsoft's CEO Isn't A Fan Of Console Exclusives, Blames Sony
Sony has "defined market competition using exclusives"
Exclusives are arguably one of the main selling points of console gaming, but if Microsoft's boss had any say, he would apparently abolish them. During his testimony in the Microsoft v FTC hearing today, Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella said he would do away with exclusives on Xbox consoles if it...
News Jim Ryan: Publishers 'Unanimously' Do Not Like Xbox Game Pass
It's apparently "value destructive"
There have been a lot of positive success stories emerging from Xbox's Game Pass service such as Tango Gameworks' surprise release Hi-Fi RUSH earlier this year, but according to PlayStation boss Jim Ryan, publishers aren't big fans of the model at all. During his pre-recorded video deposition for the hearing...
News Microsoft Responds To Old Xbox Comment About 'Spending Sony Out Of Business'
"It refers to industry trends we never pursued"
A story that you may have seen doing the rounds on social media over the past few hours relates to an old comment from Xbox Game Studios boss Matt Booty about the idea of "spending Sony out of business". Naturally, this has attracted a lot of attention, and Microsoft has been keen to address it...
News Microsoft Acquired Hellblade Creator Ninja Theory For Just $117 Million
Chump change
Some more information that was never meant to be made public has been revealed in the Microsoft v FTC court battle. In the same email and documents revealing Xbox had a huge list of companies it was considering acquiring, page 10 reveals Ninja Theory was purchased for the sum of $117 million USD. Again, what's interesting about this...
News Microsoft Was Interested In Buying Zynga At One Point, Reveals Xbox Boss
"We have a lot of respect for the people at Zynga"
Prior to Microsoft's attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company was apparently interested in buying the mobile giant Zynga — but the company ended up being acquired by Take-Two Interactive instead for $12.7 billion. This was revealed by Xbox boss Phil Spencer as part of today's FTC...
News Xbox Boss Promises To Keep Call Of Duty On PlayStation (Again)
As long as Sony is up for it
Head of Microsoft's gaming division Phil Spencer has today been asked a lot about the future of Activision Blizzard under the Xbox banner. One question, in particular, that came up was in regards to Call of Duty, and whether or not the company would continue to release the series on PlayStation. As long as Sony is...
News The Elder Scrolls 6 Is At Least 'Five-Plus Years Away', Platforms Still TBD
Even Phil Spencer isn't sure what it's coming to
As part of today's FTC hearing, Elder Scrolls fans got an unexpected update about the status of the long-awaited sixth entry in the series. When questioned about Bethesda's next major project, originally revealed by the company back in 2018, Xbox boss Phil Spencer mentioned how it was still...
News Jim Ryan Wasn't Overly Concerned About Call Of Duty Xbox Exclusivity
"We’ll be OK, we’ll be more than OK"
There's been a narrative for some time now that PlayStation was worried about Microsoft pulling Activision's blockbuster Call of Duty away from its own market. However, in a Microsoft FTC trial update, a private email from PlayStation boss Jim Ryan to former SCEE president Chris Deering, quoted during the...
News Sarah Bond: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's Least Popular Feature Is Cloud Gaming
And it's apparently running at a loss
One of the concerns raised about Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard is in regard to the future of cloud gaming. During a cross-examination at the Microsoft and FTC trial earlier on, Xbox's corporate vice president of gaming Sarah Bond played down suggestions about Xbox's growth of cloud...
News Bethesda's Indiana Jones Game Confirmed As An Xbox Exclusive
Coming to Xbox, PC & Game Pass "day one"
There's been mixed messaging about Bethesda's upcoming project Indiana Jones and whether or not it would be exclusive to Microsoft's platforms, and it seems we've finally got an official answer at today's FTC hearing. During a witness testimony as part of FTC's attempt to block Microsoft's $69 billion...
News Microsoft Is Literally Now Saying That Xbox Has 'Lost The Console Wars'
This is already getting ridiculous
It's going to be a long week, folks. Just ahead of the FTC hearing this week in which various Microsoft and Xbox executives will be attempting to defend the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft has submitted a filing which actually mentions that Xbox has "lost the console wars" and its rivals are...
News Major FTC Hearing Begins This Week With Microsoft & Activision CEOs In Attendance
Along with many Xbox executives
Just a few days ago, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission announced that it was filing a request for a preliminary injunction against Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, and the hearing is officially set to begin this week. Specifically, the dates that have been officially penned in are June 21st, which is when the...
News New Zealand Regulator Shares Concerns Over Xbox's Activision Blizzard Takeover
"We have agreed an extension of time"
We've got another development in the Activision Blizzard saga! The New Zealand Commerce Commission has officially asked for an extension before making a decision on the takeover, with the date now set as July 17th, 2023. The Commission's concerns are centred mainly around cloud gaming, with a statement...
News Another Six Games Will Leave Xbox Game Pass Soon (June 30)
The final batch of the month
Microsoft has announced another six games leaving Xbox Game Pass in the latter part of June 2023, with this latest batch including the likes of Road 96, Empire of Sin and Matchpoint: Tennis Championships. <related ids="130628"> Here's what's leaving Xbox Game Pass in late June 2023:
Talking Point What Else Do You Expect To See From Xbox Before The End Of 2023?
A Gamescom showcase? Dates for Avowed & Hellblade 2?
The biggest event in the calendar for Xbox is usually always the Xbox Games Showcase, and now that it's come and gone, we already have a much better idea of what the Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda roadmap is looking like. However, the year is certainly not over for Team Xbox! We've obviously got...
News Xbox Boss Addresses His '11/10' Starfield Comment, Admits He 'Didn't Like' Part Of It
"Making the best Starfield is absolutely our goal"
Not so long ago, Xbox boss Phil Spencer appeared on a Kinda Funny podcast right after the launch of Redfall, and it's safe to say the chat made waves within the Xbox community. One of Phil's more, shall we say controversial comments back then, was a tidbit on Starfield and what the game could...
News Xbox-Certified 4K Projector Unveiled, But It'll Cost You Serious Money
Say hi to the ViewSonic X2-4K
Projector manufacturer ViewSonic has announced the release date and pricing details for its recently-unveiled Xbox 'X2-4K' projector - if you fancy splashing out on a really big screen to display your favourite Xbox titles. The ViewSonic X2-4K Xbox Certified Gaming Projector launches this July in the US for $1600, and...
News Here's The Latest Xbox Game Studios & Bethesda Roadmap (June 2023 Version)
Exciting times ahead!
Now that the madness of the summer showcase season is over, we've got an even better picture of what Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda are working on — and it's looking like a bright future for first-party releases! The popular Xbox fan Klobrille has put together one of their famous Xbox Game Studios & Bethesda roadmaps on...
News Microsoft Reveals All Six Porsche-Themed Xbox Series X Consoles
Which of these is your favourite design?
One of the more left-field announcements during Xbox's summer showcase this year was Microsoft's collaboration with Porsche on a bunch of custom Xbox Series X consoles. As is to be expected at this point, these are only available via a sweepstakes competition and you can't buy them, but Microsoft has now at...
News Xbox Reportedly Enters New Agreement To Develop AAA Title With People Can Fly
The team behind Gears Judgment and Outriders
Well, this is a big development! According to Polish site interia, Microsoft has entered an agreement to develop a new AAA Xbox title with People Can Fly; the team behind Outriders, Gears of War: Judgment and other multiplatform titles. According to the report, 'Project Maverick' has been allocated a...
News Xbox Boss Shares Heartfelt Message Following Summer Showcases
"We need that moment here where we come together to celebrate"
Xbox boss Phil Spencer is always open about how much he enjoys being a part of the gaming industry, and in the wake of Microsoft's big summer blowout, the man has a message for all who enjoy these sorts of gaming get-togethers. In a tweet posted yesterday, Phil thanked the gaming...
News Judge Grants FTC's Temporary Restraining Order Against Xbox & Activision Blizzard
Preliminary injunction to be decided later this month
Earlier this week, the FTC filed a request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injuction against Microsoft's attempted takeover of Activision Blizzard, and a U.S. Judge has now granted the request for that restraining order. The next step is for the Court to decide about whether to...
News Redfall Dev Had 'Tunnel Vision' During Development, Says Xbox Game Studios Boss
"They just had a little bit of tunnel vision"
It's no secret that development on Redfall didn't exactly go to plan - as evidenced by the state of the game when it finally released in May 2023. Since launch, Phil Spencer has come out and said that he's "disappointed" with how he handled the release, and now a fellow Xbox exec has made some...
News Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Seems Extremely Excited About id Software's Next Game
He knows they're cookin'
Lots of Xbox first-party developers were present at Sunday's big showcase, but unfortunately, DOOM developer id Software wasn't one of them. However, the team is being inserted into the conversation anyway, with Xbox boss Phil Spencer seemingly doing his best to mention the studio. In a sit-down chat with GiantBomb, Xbox's...
News FTC Requests Temporary Restraining Order Against Microsoft & Activision Blizzard
Along with a preliminary injunction
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has announced that it's filed a request for a temporary restraining order along with a preliminary injunction against Microsoft and Activision Blizzard. The FTC, which issued a lawsuit against the ActiBlizz takeover back in December, told IGN today that the restraining order is...
Reaction Microsoft's 2023 Showcase Confirmed There's Something For Everyone At Xbox
Variety is the spice of life
We've spent the last few hours just trying to gather our thoughts on the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 livestream, and it's been no easy feat let us tell you! The teams at Xbox showcased a little bit of everything during the event (and a whole lot of Starfield) - reassuring fans that this is a first party lineup not to be...
Poll Are You Interested In Buying The Black Xbox Series S?
Storage upgrade
We got a surprise hardware announcement during the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase in the form of the black Xbox Series S. Microsoft is introducing another version its all-digital console later this year - this time with a 'Carbon Black' finish and 1TB of internal SSD storage. We think this is a no-brainer for Xbox to be honest; a $50...
News Microsoft Is Still 'Very Committed' To The Activision Blizzard Acquisition
Xbox boss remains "confident" team will find solutions
At an Xbox panel earlier on titled 'What's Next for Gaming', Xbox boss Phil Spencer provided another update about the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, reiterating how Microsoft is "very committed" to seeing the deal through. The team is out there working with regulators to "find solutions"...
News Starfield's Xbox File Size Is 125GB, According To Microsoft Store Page
And you can pre-install now!
We've already found out a lot more about Starfield thanks to the special 'Direct' presentation - and Todd Howard followed this up by officially revealing the frame rates and resolutions of the upcoming space RPG on Xbox. Now, it seems the file size has been revealed. While we can't break down what each system will...
News Phil Spencer's Xbox Games Showcase Shirt Has Hexen Fans Excited
Update: The Xbox boss reveals all
Update: During a chat with Polygon, Phil Spencer mentioned how the Hexen shirt apparently wasn't intended as a teaser for an upcoming announcement, but rather to "recognise the importance of some of the games in our portfolio". That said, he suggested it might be worth bringing the IP back at some point...
News Starfield 'Premium' & 'Constellation' Editions Offer 5 Days Early Access
There's also an upgrade for Game Pass players!
In and amongst all of the Starfield madness today, the teams at Xbox and Bethesda opened up the game's pre-orders and have revealed some extra editions of the upcoming RPG. Oh, and some of those editions grant players with five days of early access! Yep, you'll be able to go hands on with Starfield a...
Reaction Xbox Is Set Up For A Winning Showcase After Summer Game Fest 2023
The stage is set
The Summer Game Fest 2023 showcase has come and gone in another stretched out summer of gaming events - and it's all starting to look pretty good for Team Xbox. Late last month PlayStation delivered a show that lacked the heavy hitting announcements that its fanbase was hoping and waiting for, and now Summer Game Fest has left 2023...
News Phil Spencer Sends Summer Game Fest Some Love Ahead Of Xbox Games Showcase
"So much work goes into putting together a show like Summer Game Fest"
Xbox boss Phil Spencer always seems appreciative of the hard work that folks put into making the games industry tick, and this year's Summer Game Fest is no exception. Ahead of Microsoft's huge Xbox Games Showcase this weekend, Phil has taken a moment to send Summer Game Fest and...
News New Porsche-Themed Console Designs Feature White Xbox Series X Hardware
With plenty of colour splashed on top!
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Porsche (the car manufacturer), Xbox has revealed that it's teaming up with the famous brand to create six custom themed consoles. These systems aren't available to buy — instead being released via a competition — but they do hint at what a white Xbox Series X console...
News Xbox Issues Lengthy Statement Following $20 Million Fine For Privacy Violation
"Regrettably, we did not meet customer expectations..."
Xbox has suffered a blow this week, as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has announced that Microsoft has been forced to pay $20 million for a privacy breach involving children's personal information. In the
Talking Point Is There An Xbox Classic You Wish Was Backwards Compatible?
Come tell us which!
Xbox wrapped up its backwards compatibility program a while ago now - during the big 20th anniversary event in November 2021. At the time, some great titles were added in one final wave — like the FEAR series among others — and we've felt pretty satisfied with the overall lineup since, especially when it comes to Xb
News Xbox Games Showcase 2023 Will Be Livestreamed At 4K / 60FPS
And you can watch it here at Pure Xbox!
Microsoft has sent out another reminder of the big Xbox Games Showcase set for this coming Sunday, and its latest blog post reveals a nice little bonus for those of us watching it live. Through both Xbox and Bethesda's official channels, this year's event will be livestreamed at full 4K / 60FPS playback - as...