Feature 10 Original Xbox Games We're Hoping Will Get Achievements In 2026
Take a look at our top picks!
- Features
- Xbox
- Achievements
- Backward Compatibility
- Xbox Series X
Talking Point Xbox Disc To Digital Has Changed How I Buy Games
I'm buying on Xbox what I'd usually pick up on Steam and other consoles
- Xbox
- Disc to Digital
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Play Anywhere
- Xbox Series S
News Xbox Racks Up Millions Of Views Teasing GTA 6 On Xbox Series X
You're not playing GTA 6 are you?
- Xbox
- GTA 6
- Xbox Series X
It's freakin' bats
- Xbox
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Round Up
- Xbox Game Pass
News Modern Warfare 4 Sparks Widespread Debate About Lack Of Reviews For Some Xbox Games
Nearly all the reviews were on PS5 and PC
- Xbox
- Modern Warfare 4
- Industry
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
News 14 Arcade Archives Games Have Released For Xbox In September & October 2026
Your latest roundup of retro AA classics
- Xbox
- Arcade Archives
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
Latest News
TodayWed, 28th Oct 2026
It's freakin' bats
Welcome back to your daily fix of new games launching on Xbox today! It's a bit of a slow day for new releases, however FPS roguelite SULFUR comes out of Early Access and is heading to console for the first time later today. It's already a hit on Steam, with over 6,000 reviews culminating in a 'Very Positive' rating. Could be one...
- Xbox
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Round Up
- Xbox Game Pass
YesterdayTue, 27th Oct 2026
News Xbox Tells Developers To Avoid Exploiting The Achievement System With Identical Releases
They'll need to link versions together instead
Over the years, we've seen various games that attempt to tap into the "easy achievements" market and serve as a simple way to inflate your gamerscore, and that's a perfectly legitimate tactic in some cases. Xbox does have rules about this kind of thing though, and in their latest clamp down, they've...
- Xbox
- Achievements
- Xbox One
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
Feature 10 Original Xbox Games We're Hoping Will Get Achievements In 2026
Take a look at our top picks!
Xbox achievements are a quintessential Xbox feature and have been since their conception on the Xbox 360. This meant the entire first generation of Xbox titles launched without them, but over the years, some of the OG games were lucky enough to be spruced up for modern hardware. Earlier this year, Xbox's backwards...
- Features
- Xbox
- Achievements
- Backward Compatibility
- Xbox Series X
News Xbox Racks Up Millions Of Views Teasing GTA 6 On Xbox Series X
You're not playing GTA 6 are you?
What are you up to, Xbox? Playing GTA 6 perhaps? Possibly! Xbox posted a picture last night that sent everyone into full detective mode. The picture in question depicts a lovely Halloween setup adorned with a pumpkin, pinecone, and a particularly lovely translucent Xbox Elite controller, BUT the main attraction is...
- Xbox
- GTA 6
- Xbox Series X
Elementary, my dear Ward
It's a brand new day, which brings with it a bunch of brand new games. Hooray! Today we've got a newbie for Xbox Game Pass subscribers: The Séance of Blake Manor. It's a sort of 'whodunit' with a bunch of eccentric mystics. It's apparently quite good, and now available on console for the first time! So, here's what...
- Xbox
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Round Up
- Xbox Game Pass
News Modern Warfare 4 Sparks Widespread Debate About Lack Of Reviews For Some Xbox Games
Nearly all the reviews were on PS5 and PC
In recent years, we've occasionally heard people talking now and again about the general lack of reviews for Xbox releases on websites like Metacritic - it's a common trend that PC and PS5 games get the majority of them. This has been amplified more today by the situation regarding Call of Duty: Modern...
- Xbox
- Modern Warfare 4
- Industry
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
News Xbox CEO Celebrates 'Incredible' Milestones For Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
"One of the most celebrated Call of Duty games in its 24-year history"
Xbox has enjoyed multiple successes when it comes to first-party releases in 2026, and one of those is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 - not just because it's a CoD game, but because it's been getting some great reviews as well. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma actually commented on this in...
- Xbox
- Modern Warfare 4
- Asha Sharma
- Xbox Boss
- Call Of Duty
News 14 Arcade Archives Games Have Released For Xbox In September & October 2026
Your latest roundup of retro AA classics
As you've probably seen, we've started a new format in recent months where we highlight each day's new Xbox releases based on the games we already know about, but in some cases, they end up sneaking past the list. That's especially the case when it comes to Arcade Archives titles, as they're often announced...
- Xbox
- Arcade Archives
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
News Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced Gets New Game+ Mode In Final Major Update
Take a look at the update notes
Ahoy me hearties! Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced final major update is live now, bringing New Game+, a new nightmare difficulty, and a bunch of other stuff to the open-sea RPG. Black Flag Resynced sailed onto Xbox Series consoles on July 9th, and received a jolly rogering from critics. The remastered...
- Xbox
- Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynched
- Ubisoft
- Xbox Series X
- Updates
Monday26th Oct 2026
Talking Point Xbox Disc To Digital Has Changed How I Buy Games
I'm buying on Xbox what I'd usually pick up on Steam and other consoles
Since Xbox announced that physical disc-based games could be converted into digital licenses playable on both console and PC, I've been all-in on physical purchases. I've always been an advocate for physical ownership, long before disc to digital, but the ability to buy a...
- Xbox
- Disc to Digital
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Play Anywhere
- Xbox Series S
News Xbox Partners With T-Mobile For 'First Time' Deal Involving Game Pass
Starting in November
Xbox has announced today that it has joined forces with T-Mobile to provide Xbox Game Pass as part of a new "T-Mix" wireless plan - said to be "the first time that XBOX Game Pass will be available through a wireless plan in the U.S.". Both Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass Premium will be available to choose for...
- Xbox
- T-Mobile
- Xbox Game Pass
It is Xbox Play Anywhere supported
Active Matter has now officially sold more than half a million copies across PC, PS5, and Xbox platforms, according to publisher Gaijin Entertainment. In a recent press release, it was shared that the hardcore supernatural shooter, Active Matter, has surpassed the new 500,000 milestone and credits its "largest...
- Xbox
- Active Matter
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- PC
News Original Xbox Achievements Begin To Show Up Ahead Of Official Rollout
Could this be the beginning of OG cheevos?
Back in July, we reported on Xbox's intent to bring achievements to 'select' original Xbox games sometime this year. Well, it appears an early glimpse of this has been spotted online. Multiple posts from X/Twitter users are claiming that original Xbox titles such as Psychonauts, Destroy All Humans, Star...
- Xbox
- Achievements
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Console
News Xbox's Newly-Announced COO Is Leaving Microsoft After 21 Years
"I’m grateful for her years of service and wish her well"
In a bit of industry news, it's been revealed that Xbox's Chief Operating Officer Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft after 21 years at the company. The details were first shared by The Verge in a report late last week. Chiang worked in various notable roles during her time at Microsoft,...
- Xbox
- Microsoft
- Industry
News Xbox Is Officially Up For 'Game Of The Year' At The Golden Joystick Awards 2026
It'll need to beat 11 other amazing titles though
It's almost time for awards season, folks! Before we get there, the final nominations for Ultimate Game of the Year have been announced for the Golden Joystick Awards 2026, and Xbox is officially up for the Game of the Year trophy. Xbox's inclusion is due to the release of Forza Horizon 6 back in...
- Xbox
- Golden Joysticks
- Game of the Year
News Xbox Knows Its Games Are Getting Recompiled For PC, And It's Impacting Their Future
"We’ve seen games rapidly decompiled and rebuilt"
Over the past few months (and particularly the past few weeks), it's become harder and harder to avoid hearing about "recomp" games from the history of Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo and other major game companies. In a nutshell, this is a technique where games are recompiled to run on hardware they...
- Xbox
- Recomp
- PC
- Xbox 360
- Microsoft
News Microsoft Announces Extended Deadline To Find A Solution For Xbox Studio Arkane
"We have extended the consultation period"
Last week, we brought you the news that Microsoft was running out of time to save Arkane Lyon (otherwise known as Arkane Studios) from being closed down entirely, and it was suggested at the time that November 13th was a potential deadline for when the consultation process would come to an end. However,...
- Xbox
- Arkane Studios
- Microsoft
Sunday25th Oct 2026
News Six Xbox Game Pass Titles Are Confirmed For The Final Few Days Of October
Here's what's on the way before the end of the month
It's almost the end of October! Before we get there though, we've got no less than six Xbox Game Pass titles still to come over the next few days, including multiple "day one" titles and an absolute banger in Final Fantasy 7 Remake! You don't need us to talk about how great FF7 Remake is, but...
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Pass
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- PC
News 40+ Games Are Reduced By 90% In The Xbox Shocktober Sale 2026
Including a whole bunch of surprises!
Looking for some cheap Xbox games during the Xbox Shocktober Sale 2026? We've already highlighted some of our favourite discounts from the Shocktober Sale elsewhere on Pure Xbox, but if you're looking for the games that have been the most heavily reduced, that's where this article comes in! We've spotted some...
- Xbox
- Deals
- Discounts
- Xbox Shocktober Sale
Feature Don't Sleep On 'End Of Abyss', You'll Regret It
Overshadowed by October's biggest releases
October has been a pretty spectacular month for videogame bangers. It started with the likes of Ace Combat 8, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, Silver Pines, and my personal GOTY, Gears of War: E-Day launching within the space of nine days.
- Features
- End of Abyss
- Xbox
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
Retro Recap All The Classic Gaming News From The Past Week (October 25th 2026)
Time Extension Atari VCS! Zelda! Mario 64! Croc!
Welcome to Retro Recap, a regular feature we run each and every weekend which rounds up all of the best retro gaming news and content of the past week in one place. This New ROM Hack Lets You View N64 Zelda: Ocarina of Time's Hyrule from a Whole New Perspective: It's been three months since Reonu publicly...
- Features
- Retro Recap
Saturday24th Oct 2026
News These 40+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (October 26-31)
The final week of the month
Welcome to your Xbox games roundup for October 26-31! We've actually got a lot of releases over the next few days including Croc 2, The Wolf Among Us Remastered and a pair of free next-gen upgrades for the Metro Redux series, while Xbox Game Pass is treating us to no less than six games before the month is out! Here's...
- Xbox
- Microsoft
- Xbox Game Pass
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
Review 8BitDo Ultimate 3E Controller For Xbox - Understated, Premium, And Well Worth Picking Up
Whenever I sit down to play Xbox, I now reach for the Ultimate 3E controller
8BitDo is one of those brands that has built a name for itself by shipping solid and reliable third-party peripherals for PC and console. In fact, I'm typing this review on its clickity-clackity SNES-themed Retro Keyboard, so it’s fair to say I'm already a fan. But when...
- Xbox
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- 8BitDo
- Reviews
Poll If You're Playing Modern Warfare 4, What Do You Think So Far?
Are you a fan? And if not, what's stopping you?
So, I think it's fair to say Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has had a pretty faffy launch. First came Campaign Early Access, followed four days later by DMZ Early Access, and then another three days later by its full release. Two too many launch days if you ask me, but still, I can't help but feel a...
- Xbox
- Features
- Polls
- Call of Duty
- Modern Warfare 4
News 'Backlash Is the Only Way' - The Finals Is Being Ruined by GenAI Laziness
Steam Hype Voice lines, stickers... what's next?
The Finals has been my all-time favourite online multiplayer game ever since the open beta back in 2023 and has continued to deliver time and time again, giving me countless hours of joy that I can say with full confidence I wouldn't have gotten anywhere else – but I can only praise this game so much until the...
- Opinion
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 24-25)
Starting anything new?
It's the penultimate weekend before things get royally spooky. Makes me wonder if any of you are planning on playing something scary... It's been a relatively quiet week for new releases if we consider what a crazy month October has been, but big names like We Were Here Tomorrow and Final Fantasy Resonance launched just a few...
- Xbox
- Features
- Talking Point
- What Are You Playing
Friday23rd Oct 2026
News These Are The Top 10 Xbox Backwards Compatibility Requests After 900,000 Votes
Even including PC requests now!
At various times throughout this year, we've had a look at the top 10 Xbox backwards compatibility requests (after 350,000 and 750,000 votes) based on the unofficial Xbox Game Preservation website, which is a source that we know the Xbox team have paid attention to in the past.
- Xbox
- Backwards Compatibility
- Xbox Game Preservation
Report Microsoft Is Running Out Of Time To Save Xbox Studio Arkane
Update: Bloomberg reporter says "multiple paths" are being explored
Back in July, Xbox announced that it was cutting 3,200 jobs and parting ways with four studios in Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, Double Fine and Undead Labs. However, it was also mentioned at the time that Arkane Studios was reviewing "potential strategic options" ahead of...
- Xbox
- Arkane Studios
- Microsoft
- Reports
Guide Modern Warfare 4 Is Hijacking Xbox Dashboards, Here's How To Turn The Background Off
HE IS LEAVING!
Were you or someone you love a victim of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 dynamic background swap? If you’ve been forcibly shown images of Captain Price’s face slug, we here at Pure Xbox can help you banish Bravo One from your Xbox dashboard for good. Xbox users have taken to Reddit this morning to voice frustrations over the...
- Xbox
- Call of Duty
- Modern Warfare 4
- Dynamic Backgrounds
- Xbox Series X
News One Of Xbox's Biggest Successes Of 2026 Didn't Actually Release On Series X|S
A consumer-friendly move, or a silly one?
When going through the data from Circana yesterday for September 2026 sales in the US (specifically for the story about Xbox and Nintendo console sales suffering YoY decreases), I happened to notice the list of "projected" best-selling video games of 2026 up to that point, and there are two games from...
- Xbox
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Black Ops 2
- PS4
News Xbox Responds To Report Claiming Netflix Offered $500 Million For TV & Film Adaptations
“We have received record-breaking interest in our I.P"
We already know that Xbox has a lot of interest in expanding in the TV and film space in the years ahead, and according to a new report, Netflix was recently interested in spending a whopping $500 million on exclusivity in this space. This is according to the folks at Puck, who say that...
- Xbox
- Netflix
- Industry
- Reports
News Xbox RPG 'Exodus' Alters The Appearance Of Its Lead Character Due To Bad Feedback
"We've been listening, and we take that feedback seriously"
We've talked about Exodus a couple of times over the past few years here at Pure Xbox - an upcoming sci-fi RPG that bares more than a few resemblences to Mass Effect, and we absolutely can't wait to check it out in April 2027. In the game, you'll be able to play as either a male or female...
- Xbox
- Exodus
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- RPGs
News The Internet Urges Xbox To Save Mass Effect
"Buy the Mass Effect IP, Hire the Best of BioWare and reform it"
EA's closure of BioWare has sent shockwaves of grief throughout the gaming industry as we mourn the loss of yet another iconic development studio. Best known for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series, BioWare has been developing some of the best...
- Xbox
- Mass Effect
- BioWare
- EA
- Microsoft
News 10+ Xbox Games Are Out Today, Including Modern Warfare 4's Full Release (October 23)
THAT'LL DO!
Friday has rolled around once more, and with it comes a bunch of new Xbox games. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is the headliner today as its proper release is finally upon us. No more Early Access shenanigans, it's full game time, baby! MW4 is probably the first COD which has given me solid FOMO feels - likely due to the game reviewing...
- Xbox
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Round Up
Thursday22nd Oct 2026
Feature 25+ Of The Best Discounted Games From Xbox's Shocktober Sale
Sale pun to make you laugh
We've rummaged, we've sifted and scrolled, and we've picked out another fine selection of massively discounted games for you to consider this week. Xbox is currently running a Shocktober Sale featuring a whole mish-mash of spooky games, such as Resident Evil Requiem, Alan Wake 2, Phasmophobia, and Cronos: The New Dawn...
- Xbox
- Features
- Deals
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
News Gears Of War: E-Day Gets Its Third Update On Xbox & PC, Full Patch Notes Revealed
"We’ve deployed a hotfix today"
Ready for a new Gears of War: E-Day update? The third one has arrived today (October 22) in the form of a hotfix for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC, focused on addressing "crashes and targeted issues". It's mentioned here that there have been improvements to stability, performance and crash reduction across...
- Xbox
- Gears of War: E-Day
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- PC
News 'Mass Effect Universe' Trailer Suddenly Appears Online Following BioWare Closure
Is it the real deal? It seems so...
Yesterday, we brought you the news that Mass Effect 5 was being cancelled and BioWare was being shut down by Electronic Arts, and now a trailer for something called "Mass Effect Universe" has suddenly been posted online. The trailer is spreading like wildfire on social media, but it can be tracked back to a...
- Xbox
- Mass Effect 5
- BioWare
News Telltale Announces Generous Discounts For The Wolf Among Us Remastered On Xbox
Particularly for those who own it already
I absolutely loved The Wolf Among Us back in the day - it released shortly after the success of The Walking Dead, and delivered yet another classic Telltale Games story that definitely still stands up here in 2026. The game is getting a remastered version next week on October 29th, adding enhanced visuals...
- Xbox
- The Wolf Among Us Remastered
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Xbox One
News 10+ Xbox Games Are Out Today, Including A New Pixel-Art JRPG Banger (October 22)
Who 'Final Fancies' a new adventure?
It's time for your daily fix of new games launching on Xbox today! We've got 11 games coming out over the course of the day, including the stellar Final Fantasy Resonance and bangin' Galeco Sports Collection. Also, ICYMI, Cyberpunk 2077's version 2.5 update is available to download too.
- Xbox
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Round Up
- Xbox Game Pass
News Free Play Days: Try These Xbox Games For Free (October 22-25)
Presenting your latest batch of weekend freebies!
Thursday is back again, so it's time for a new batch of Xbox Free Play Days titles! There's a total of six games in the lineup today, with the parkour zombie-slaying Dying Light 2 taking the spotlight. Capcom's first two Monster Hunter Stories titles look set to join the FPD offering too. This might...
- Xbox
- Free Play Days
- Xbox Game Pass
- Microsoft
- Xbox Series X
News New Rumour Says Xbox Spent $500 Million On Gears Of War: E-Day, But Not Everyone Agrees
Update: More sources weigh in
Ever wondered how much money went into Gears of War: E-Day's release this year? Well, we don't have any official figures on this, but a "source" for Kotaku has claimed that Xbox put over $500 million into it. Their report claims that it's a "source familiar with Xbox’s business", and that the $500 million figure...
- Xbox
- Gears Of War: E-Day
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Rumours
News Xbox Mandates Four-Day Office Work For Certain Employees, Said To Affect 'Thousands'
"Taking advantage of that proximity..."
Last year, Microsoft announced to its employees that it expected them to start working at least three days in the office per-week, and now that requirement is going up to four days for certain Xbox employees as of February 2027. This is according to a report from The Verge, which quotes Xbox's chief people...
- Xbox
- Industry
News Xbox & Nintendo Console Sales Suffer YoY Decreases In New September 2026 US Report
Xbox Series sales down 27% YoY
It's no big secret that console sales are struggling across the board right now amidst rising prices and an ongoing component crisis, so we're not exactly shocked that Xbox Series sales were down YoY for September in the US. This is coming from Mat Piscatella at analysis firm Circana, who says Xbox Series X and S...
- Xbox
- Console Sales
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
Wednesday21st Oct 2026
News Xbox Exec Shows Off New Version Of The Blades Dashboard They've Been 'Cooking Up'
"Do we like this experiment?"
For years and years and years at this point, people have been clamouring for the return of the iconic "Blades" dashboard from the early days of the Xbox 360 era, and Xbox boss Asha Sharma actually teased it earlier this year. Now, Xbox CTO Scott Van Vliet has taken to social media to reveal that he's been "cooking up"...
- Xbox
- Blades Dashboard
- Xbox 360
- Xbox Labs
Report Xbox Planning Major Overhaul Of Game Pass With 'À La Carte' Options
Details revealed via a new report
We've heard rumours in recent months about how Xbox might be planning some kind of overhaul to Game Pass in the near future, and now the folks at Fortune have also reported that something big is coming to the service. The outlet says that "according to people familiar with the strategy", Xbox Game Pass will soon...
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Pass
- Microsoft
- Reports
News Mass Effect 5 Cancelled As Legendary Developer BioWare Closes Down
"There is nothing easy about writing these words."
In some absolutely shock news today, it's been announced that legendary development studio BioWare is closing down after 30 years, and the next entry in the Mass Effect series has been cancelled as a result. BioWare shared a statement on social media confirming this, also shouting out games like...
- Xbox
- BioWare
- Mass Effect
- Industry
News Xbox CTO Issues Statement On How Project Helix OS Is Being 'Built On Windows'
Which perhaps confusingly means it'll likely follow the Series X and S
Yesterday, when Fortune published their big piece about Xbox, mentioning there had been internal clashes between the Xbox and Windows teams about the operating system for the next generation of Xbox hardware, people started to question what kind of OS we might actually be looking...
- Xbox
- Project Helix
- Windows
- Operating System
- Console
News Three Xbox Games Are Out Today, Including A Spooky Post-Apocalyptic FPS (October 21)
Oh, hail yeah!
Welcome back to your daily fix of new Xbox releases! Today, admittedly, is a bit of a slow day for new stuff. Sandustry (PC) is now available for Xbox Game Pass Premium members, having enjoyed a stint on Ultimate and PC Game Pass. As for general releases, Hail to the Rainbow looks quite interesting. A somewhat spooky FPS with a...
- Xbox
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Round Up
- Xbox Game Pass
News Multiple Big Features Slated For Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.5 On Xbox This Thursday
Including cross-platform mod support!
Today, we've already mentioned how Cyberpunk 2077 has suddenly become part of the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, and it's also getting a big update across Xbox Series X and S (and other platforms) this Thursday. The update will be update 2.5, which is also known as the "Edgerunners 2 Update". It includes all...
- Xbox
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Updates
News Three Price Tiers Revealed As Xbox Rolls Out 'Cloud Playtime' To Insiders
A new way to access Xbox Cloud Gaming
We've heard for a while now that Xbox has been interested in offering a new way to pay for Xbox Cloud Gaming without requiring access to Xbox Game Pass, and it's being trialled with Xbox Insiders from today. They're calling this service "Cloud Playtime", and at least initially, it's being offered in three...
- Xbox
- Cloud Playtime
- Xbox Cloud Gaming
