News Xbox Game Pass Members Are Being Treated To A Surprise New Release Today (July 8)
"Buckshot Roulette" has been a massive hit on Steam
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Pass
- Buckshot Roulette
Roundup The First Reviews Have Arrived For AC Black Flag Resynced
"Yo-ho, yo-ho, great review scores for me"
- Xbox
- Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
- Xbox Series S
- Xbox Series X
- Review Roundup
News Xbox Fan Claims To Know The Start Date & 'Initial' Games For Summer Sale 2026
But will we get a teaser event as well?
- Xbox
- Xbox Summer Sale
- Xbox Ultimate Game Sale
News These 11 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (July 9-21)
July is going to be a blast!
- Xbox
- Microsoft
- Xbox Game Pass
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
News Xbox Game Pass Reportedly Drops To 30M Subscribers, But Has 'Started To Grow Again'
It was confirmed the service lost millions of subscribers last year
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Pass
News Xbox CEO Sets Ambitious Goal Of Reaching 'More Than A Billion People Each Day'
She says she knows it's achieveable
- Xbox
- Industry
- Asha Sharma
- Xbox Boss
Latest News
TodayWed, 8th Jul 2026
News 300+ Xbox Games Have Injected 300,000G Worth Of Easy Achievements
It's that time of year again!
One of life's greatest gifts is listening to the popping sound an achievement makes when you're on the hunt for gamerscore. Now that we've entered into the second half of 2026, Microsoft's semi-annual cap on developers adding new achievements to their games has reset, resulting in so, so many easy opportunities to...
- Xbox
- Achievements
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- Microsoft
News Xbox Game Pass Members Are Being Treated To A Surprise New Release Today (July 8)
"Buckshot Roulette" has been a massive hit on Steam
How's this for a surprise Xbox Game Pass addition?! Despite not being mentioned at all in yesterday's roundup of upcoming Game Pass titles, Buckshot Roulette has launched straight into the service for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC and cloud across the Ultimate, Premium and PC tiers...
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Pass
- Buckshot Roulette
News Here's What DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations DLC Looks Like On Xbox Series X|S
Solid 60FPS on Xbox Series S
It has been a tumultuous few days for the developers at id Software, currently dealing with the loss of half the studio as part of Microsoft's untimely Xbox Reset. Amid the layoffs, the team released Revelations, its first major DLC for DOOM: The Dark Ages yesterday onto Xbox Series X|S. We thought we'd take a gander at...
- Xbox
- DOOM The Dark Ages
- DLC
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
News Xbox Game Pass Reportedly Drops To 30M Subscribers, But Has 'Started To Grow Again'
It was confirmed the service lost millions of subscribers last year
It's been almost 10 years now since Xbox changed the gaming industry with the introduction of Xbox Game Pass, and it's played a key role in shaping the brand and how people engage with it ever since. There's a lot of discussion about Game Pass on social media at the moment due to a...
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Pass
Roundup The First Reviews Have Arrived For AC Black Flag Resynced
"Yo-ho, yo-ho, great review scores for me"
Listen up you scallywags, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced reviews have dropped and they are glowing! I've personally played several hours of the Black Flag remaster myself and thought it a jolly roger of a time. If you're interested in knowing how the game performs across both Xbox Series X and S...
- Xbox
- Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
- Xbox Series S
- Xbox Series X
- Review Roundup
News Xbox Fan Claims To Know The Start Date & 'Initial' Games For Summer Sale 2026
But will we get a teaser event as well?
Back at the end of June, we highlighted the upcoming Xbox Summer Sale 2026 and predicted that it would either start on July 16th or July 23rd, and it looks like we were mostly on the money - but perhaps off by a single day. An Xbox fan known as "Bloomy" has taken to the CheapAssGamer and TrueAchievements...
- Xbox
- Xbox Summer Sale
- Xbox Ultimate Game Sale
YesterdayTue, 7th Jul 2026
News AC Black Flag Resynced Comparison Shows Difference Between Xbox Series X And Series S
How the Xbox versions stack up
In the midst of everything happening in regards to the Xbox layoffs yesterday, the embargo lifted for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced content, and therefore we've officially got some footage of the Xbox Series X and S versions. There are a few sources for this, including over at the YouTube channel Game Friend -...
- Xbox
- Assassins Creed
- Black Flag Resynced
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
News These 11 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (July 9-21)
July is going to be a blast!
Today Microsoft has announced the next official batch of Xbox Game Pass titles for July 2026, with 11 games joining the service from July 9-21. Xbox is already poised to have a big month with Halo: Campaign Evolved coming in late July, but an extra Tony Hawk's game, and the overwhelmingly popular Planet Crafter bulk up...
- Xbox
- Microsoft
- Xbox Game Pass
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
News Compulsion Games, Double Fine & Undead Labs Issue Xbox Departure Statements
EX Game Studios
As a new dawn breaks on news that Xbox is cutting 3,200 jobs and releasing four development teams from its Xbox Game Studios umbrella, three of those studios have issued statements about their departure from Xbox. In case you missed it, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed Compulsion games and Double Fine will return to independent...
- Xbox
- Compulsion Games
- Double Fine
- Undead Labs
- Xbox Game Studios
News 'They Will Report Directly To Me' - Mojang And King Singled Out By Xbox Boss
For having the largest monthly active players
In the midst of layoffs across the majority of Xbox, Microsoft has announced Mojang and King will play a more centralised role in its future plans. Within a lengthy "resetting XBOX" post on Xbox Wire, CEO Asha Sharma addressed the strategy to reduce 3,200 Xbox jobs through FY27, devest several studios,...
- Xbox
- Asha Sharma
- Mojang
- King
News Xbox Layoffs Cut id Software In Half As DOOM: The Dark Ages DLC Launches
"Xbox decided half the team was deemed useless"
DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations, the first major DLC for the bombastic shooter, launches today onto Xbox Series consoles (along with PC and PS5). It should have been a day of celebration for the team at id Software, a chance to revel in reviews and give themselves a proper good pat on the back...
- Xbox
- DOOM
- DLC
- Layoffs
- Id Software
News 'It's A Franchise We Love' - Toys For Bob Keen To Work With Xbox On Banjo-Kazooie Game
Make it happen, Asha
The folks over at Toys for Bob are busy working on Spyro: A Realm Reborn for Xbox right now, which we absolutely can't wait for, but they've also indicated their interest in bringing back one of the most classic Rare IPs of all time. Yes, the Crash Bandicoot 4 and Spyro Reignited Trilogy studio is keen to work on a new...
- Xbox
- Banjo-Kazooie
- Toys For Bob
News Xbox CEO Sets Ambitious Goal Of Reaching 'More Than A Billion People Each Day'
She says she knows it's achieveable
New Xbox boss Asha Sharma certainly had a lot to say in her statement regarding the Xbox layoffs and studio departures yesterday, and one particular line from the conclusion has been generating a lot of discussion ever since. While insisting that the changes being made at Xbox are "about a bigger future, not a...
- Xbox
- Industry
- Asha Sharma
- Xbox Boss
News Microsoft Rewards Adds New 'Feedback Portal' Feature Inspired By Xbox Player Voice
Share your suggestions
We've got a cool new feature being implemented for Microsoft Rewards! If you've ever had any suggestions about how to improve the program, Microsoft is now officially asking for your input as part of a new Feedback Portal. This works exactly the same way as the Xbox Player Voice feature that was introduced back in May,...
- Xbox
- Microsoft Rewards
- Xbox Player Voice
Monday6th Jul 2026
News Xbox Announces 3,200 Job Cuts And Four Studio Departures
The news we were dreading
We've been waiting ages for Xbox to announce what's happening with the layoff situation, and it's now been confirmed that 3,200 roles are being eliminated throughout fiscal year 27, with 1,600 of those taking place today. In addition, Compulsion Games (We Happy Few, South of Midnight) and Double Fine Productions...
- Xbox
- Industry
- Layoffs
- Xbox Game Studios
News Three Aims Detailed By Asha Sharma For The 'Most Significant Restructure In Xbox History'
Following a massive wave of layoffs
You've probably seen the news already today - Xbox is laying off 3,200 employees over the next 12 months (with half of them leaving immediately), and at least four studios will be departing the brand as part of it. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has issued an extremely long statement over on Xbox Wire to explain the...
- Xbox
- Asha Sharma
- Xbox Boss
- Layoffs
- Restructure
Report Bethesda Faces 'Significant Overhaul' At Xbox, Will Focus On Key Franchises
As part of the major Xbox reset
In her statement regarding the restructure at Xbox and the job layoffs / studio departures earlier today, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma mentioned that investment was shifting to "higher priority projects" in some cases at certain studios.
- Xbox
- Bethesda
- ZeniMax
- Reports
Rumour Xbox Still Evaluating Whether Project Helix Will Support Physical Discs
It reportedly hasn't been "fully finalised" yet
There's obviously been a lot of talk over the past few days about Sony's decision to cease physical discs for PlayStation consoles as of 2028, and some people have been urging Xbox to not make the same "mistake" in the process. It's been a belief for a while now that Xbox's next console (known as...
- Xbox
- Project Helix
- Next-Gen
- Discs
- Physical
News Here's The New Lineup Of Xbox Game Studios For July 2026 Onwards
Let's get an idea of how things are shaping up
So, you've probably seen the news today that Xbox is eliminating 3,200 job roles and getting rid of four studios in the process, with all of those development teams falling under the "Xbox Game Studios" banner at Microsoft. There are four studios that are definitely affected, while a fifth is in...
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Studios
- Layoffs
- Industry
News 'Winds Of Arcana: Ruination' Is Out Now On Xbox Game Pass, And Here's What The Reviews Say
The latest day one addition to XGP
Ready for some new additions to Xbox Game Pass? Well, July is already looking stacked, but we're expecting Microsoft to update the list imminently (probably on Tuesday), and before then we've got a new day one title for July 6th! This game is called Winds of Arcana: Ruination, and it's making its debut on Xbox...
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Pass
- Winds of Arcana: Ruination
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
News Obsidian, id Software & Others Confirmed To Be Affected By Xbox Layoffs
As hinted by Asha Sharma earlier today
As you've probably seen, Xbox has announced 3,200 job cuts as part of a major restructuring plan, with 1,600 of those cuts taking place today - including at popular Xbox studios and publishers such as Obsidian, Activision and Bethesda. Xbox boss Asha Sharma effectively confirmed this herself earlier today,...
- Xbox
- Layoffs
- Industry
News 'I Want Them To Sponsor Me' - World Cup Star Erling Haaland Reveals His Love Of Xbox
The competition's joint top-scorer as things stand
The World Cup has been absolutely fantastic for anyone who loves the game of football / soccer over the past few weeks, and one of the standout talents has been Norway and Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland. As things stand, the superstar striker is joint top-scorer alongside Kylian Mbappe and...
- Xbox
- Erling Haaland
- Random
- World Cup
Sunday5th Jul 2026
Guide Xbox Adds More Perks For Game Pass Members (July 2026)
The latest freebies for XGP subscribers
The Xbox Game Pass Perks program is continuing to add a bunch of freebies for Game Pass members throughout July 2026, including for the likes of EA Sports FC 26, Where Winds Meet, Rainbow Six Siege and others. As we've mentioned before, it seems most Xbox Game Pass Perks are now accessible to Essential,...
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Pass
- Perks
- Guides
- Xbox Series X
News 30+ Xbox Games Are Reduced By 90-95% To Kick Off The New Month
Including the likes of Funko Fusion, Zombie Army Trilogy & more!
Looking for some cheap Xbox games as we head into July 2026? The first couple of sales of the month have already gone live on the Xbox Store, and we highlighted over 20 of the best discounted games from them a few days ago. What we haven't highlighted yet, however, are the 90-95%...
- Xbox
- Deals
- Discounts
- Xbox One
- Xbox Series X
Retro Recap All The Classic Gaming News From The Past Week (July 5th 2026)
Time Extension Truxton Extreme! Game Boy mods! 3DO!
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. Did You Spot This Insanely Deep Star Fox Reference In The New Switch 2 Game?: Nintendo has just revisited Star Fox 64 (again) on Switch 2 and...
- Retro Recap
- Features
News Two Xbox Games Are Potentially Getting Delisted In July 2026
Not confirmed, but we thought we'd give you the heads up
At the start of every month, we usually bring you a roundup of games that are getting delisted over the next few weeks, but there's nothing confirmed for July as things stand - although we've noticed two games that are likely candidates. Again, we should make it clear that there's no...
- Xbox
- Delisted Games
- Star Trek Legends
- Funko Fusion
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Addition In June 2026?
COD: Vanguard? RV There Yet? Persona 5 Royal?
We're still waiting for Xbox Game Pass to really take off in July, so before we get there, we thought we'd take a look back at what ended up being a pretty busy month in June, with multiple major titles added to the service along the way. Some of the big hitters last month included Call of Duty:...
- Xbox
- Features
- Polls
- Pick One
- Xbox Game Pass
Saturday4th Jul 2026
Feature These 20+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (July 6-10)
Including at least two more Game Pass additions
Welcome to your Xbox games roundup for July 6-10! We've got some very notable releases over the next few days including Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, DOOM: The Dark Ages - Revelations and Wuthering Waves, while Xbox Game Pass is treating us to
- Xbox
- Features
- Weekly Roundup
- Xbox One
- Xbox Series X
News Here's What Might Leave Xbox Game Pass In August 2026
Some early predictions!
What's leaving Xbox Game Pass in August 2026? Well, Microsoft hasn't confirmed anything just yet, but based on some games that were added to the service this time last year, we can at least make a few predictions ahead of time. We know that a lot of Xbox users want more advance notice of games leaving Xbox Game Pass, but...
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Pass
- Leaving Soon
- August 2026
- Microsoft
Poll Which Xbox Console Have You Collected The Most Physical Games For?
It's the Xbox 360 for us
One of the big talking points this week has been Sony's decision to cease disc-based releases for PlayStation consoles as of January 2028, and we're still waiting to hear whether Xbox will do the same thing for Project Helix (although apparently a
- Xbox
- Polls
- Features
- Physical Releases
- Discs
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (July 4-5)
Anything specific in mind?
Welcome to the weekend! As usual, there's plenty to check out on Xbox over the next couple of days, including some Free Play Days additions along with a handful of Xbox Game Pass extras to start the month. Here's what we're playing on Xbox this weekend: Fraser Gilbert, Editor: I'm on a mission to get as many
- Xbox
- Features
- Talking Point
- What Are You Playing
Friday3rd Jul 2026
News Five More Games Have Quietly Been Added To Xbox Game Pass Essential
The newest additions to the tier since May
We haven't had much to say about the lowest-priced Xbox Game Pass "Essential" tier since back in May when nine games were added to it in a surprise update, but now another five have also quietly joined in recent days. Four of the new additions started appearing as part of Xbox Game Pass Essential on July...
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Pass Essential
News Halo Studios Makes A Point Of Highlighting 'Physical Discs' For Campaign Evolved
But the box suggests it requires a content download as well
The big topic this week has centred around PlayStation dropping support for physical discs as of 2028, and Halo Studios has made a point of highlighting that Halo: Campaign Evolved will get a disc when it releases this month. This was referenced as part of a new Q&A on the Halo Waypoint...
- Xbox
- Halo: Campaign Evolved
- Physical Releases
- Halo Studios
News Xbox Rolls Out New 'Change' To Help Avoid Data Loss In Forza Horizon 6
Another new system update is reportedly available as well
As you may be aware, some Forza Horizon 6 players have been struggling with corrupted or lost save data over the past month-and-a-bit, and to Xbox's credit, they've been working extremely hard to try and rectify the issue permanently. It was back on June 12th that Xbox announc
- Xbox
- Forza Horizon 6
- Lost Saves
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
Random Xbox Helps Release New Version Of Banjo-Kazooie With Unique Features
As part of the Evercade / Blaze Entertainment platforms
We've been waiting a very long time for Xbox to give us something new in regards to the Banjo-Kazooie IP, and while that wait unfortunately continues, Microsoft did quietly sign off on a special new version of the original game recently. The folks over at Evercade have just released a new...
- Xbox
- Random
- Banjo-Kazooie
- Evercade
- Blaze
News This New Xbox Controller Looks Absolutely Insane, And It's Releasing This Year
"Bringing professional grade flight controls to the Xbox for the very first time"
Have you been playing much Microsoft Flight Simulator lately? If you have, we've got the perfect new Xbox controller for you - it's called the Echo Aviation Controller XPC, and it's releasing later this year. This controller looks extremely unique as you can see up...
- Xbox
- Controllers
- Echo Aviation Controller XPC
- Honeycomb Aeronautical
Time Extension Extreme, close up
It's fair to say that Truxton Extreme has held my attention ever since it was first revealed. The latest instalment in a series which started life in arcades all the way back in 1989, the game – which is helmed by Masahiro Yuge, former Toaplan staffer and the driving force (and composer) behind the entire series – stays true...
- Hands On
- Features
- Truxton
- Nintendo Switch
- PS5
Talking Point Xbox Fans, How Are You Getting On With Microsoft Rewards In 2026?
How many points have you got right now?
It was around this time last year that we asked Pure Xbox readers how you were getting on with Microsoft Rewards in 2025, so it's time to bring out the annual Talking Point once again, with the service having changed considerably for some of us over the past 12 months! As you may have read elsewhere on Pure...
- Xbox
- Microsoft Rewards
- Talking Point
- Features
Feature 10 New Xbox Indie Games That Should Be On Your Radar In July 2026
Including plenty of Game Pass titles!
With July now in full swing, and with Xbox layoffs seemingly set to dominate the headlines next week, we thought we'd use this quiet opportunity to highlight 10 games that we think should be on your radar throughout the month! A lot of these are already confirmed for Xbox Game Pass, and we'll be sure to...
- Xbox
- Indie Games
- Features
- July 2026
- Xbox One
Thursday2nd Jul 2026
News 10 Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass In Early July 2026
Update: Microsoft updates the list
Microsoft has revealed the next eleven games leaving Xbox Game Pass in early July 2026, with all of these being highlighted as "leaving soon" on the official Xbox mobile app. Co-op takes a hit on this occasion, with notable departures for PowerWash Simulator and Golf With Your Friends - putting an end to an...
- Xbox
- Microsoft
- Xbox Game Pass
- July 2026
- Leaving Soon
News Two Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass, But Only In Limited Form (July 2)
One's crossed over to a new tier, the other is a free trial
Today marks the first day of Xbox Game Pass additions in July, although it's not your typical lineup - one's just crossing over from Ultimate to Premium, and the other is a free trial that only lasts for 10 hours. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is the title joining Xbox Game Pass Premium,
- Xbox
- Xbox Game Pass
- Tony Hawk
- EA Sports
- EA Play
Feature 20+ Of The Best Discounted Games From Xbox's Two New Early July 2026 Sales
Handpicked for your discounted pleasure
There's a deal or two lurking within the new Xbox sales! We've seen two new promotions appearing on the Xbox Store today in the shape of an ID@Xbox Multiplayer Madness sale, and a Publisher Spotlight Series sale discounting titles from Atari, Crystal Dynamics, Deep Silver, and more. Of course, you're free to...
- Xbox
- Features
- Deals
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
News Journalist Claims Xbox Is 'Keeping' Obsidian Following Rumours Of Potential Closure
Update: Not as bad as first feared
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news again, but a new report from The Game Business says that Obsidian is amongst the studios that are in negotiations with Microsoft to avoid being closed at Xbox Game Studios. This seems to have come out of nowhere, with the Avowed and Outer Worlds developer having not been...
- Xbox
- Obsidian
- Layoffs
Rumour Halo Being 'Heavily Evaluated' At Xbox, But Remains Key Part Of Future Plans
Resources may be allocated towards the franchise
There's obviously a lot of talk about potential layoffs and studio closures at Xbox right now, but one franchise that definitely won't be going anywhere is Halo - or at least, that's what the belief appears to be at the moment. Windows Central's Jez Corden was asked about this on social media today,...
- Xbox
- Rumours
- Halo
Does it make sense business-wise though?
There's definitely some disgruntlement going on in the world of PlayStation right now. As mentioned by our friends at Push Square, "many" online petitions have been created in response to Sony's decision to ditch physical disc-based games as of 2028, and it's also spurred on an interesting reaction from Xbox...
- Xbox
- Physical Releases
- Discs
- Industry
News Free Play Days: Try These Xbox Games For Free (July 2-5)
Your latest set of FPD freebies for the weekend
It's Thursday, so we're back to highlight the latest batch of Xbox Free Play Days titles! We've got a lot of games this time around - five of them are official FPD additions, and one of them has a free trial but isn't technically included as part of the program. That game is Battlefield 6, the free...
- Xbox
- Free Play Days
- Xbox Game Pass
- Microsoft
- Xbox Series X
News Onimusha: Way Of The Sword Release Date Pulled Forward By Three Weeks
Avoiding the late-September crowd
Capcom has announced that Onimusha: Way of the Sword, an upcoming action-adventure title set for Xbox Series X|S, will now launch September 4th, a whole three weeks earlier than its original September 25th release date. Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the first game in over two decades, a revival for Capcom's 2001...
- Xbox
- Onimusha
- Capcom
- Release Dates
Wednesday1st Jul 2026
Feature 30 Xbox Series X|S Games To Look Forward To In July-December 2026
Six months of fantastic new games are ahead of us!
Update: As mentioned, we're updating this feature on a monthly basis, and it's now been adjusted for July. We've taken a few games away, added a few in, and changed a handful of dates around for games that are coming up. With 2026 now starting to kick into gear, it's time to look ahead at what...
- Xbox
- Features
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- 2026
News Another Call Of Duty Game Is Gearing Up For Xbox Game Pass
Grab your coat, it could get chilly
Two full weeks have come to pass since Vanguard joined the subscription service, and it looks like Microsoft has begun preparations for another Call of Duty title to make its way onto Xbox Game Pass some time in the future. Similar to our earlier report for Vanguard, it's once again been spotted that
- Xbox
- Call Of Duty
- Xbox Game Pass
- Microsoft
- Activision
Report Xbox Disc-To-Digital Feature Will Allow You To Digitise Your Physical Collection
But only for Xbox One and Xbox Series X titles
Back in May, we highlighted a rumour from Windows Central about a potential disc-to-digital feature being implemented by Xbox in which you'd be able to receive digital entitlements for your physical games. The outlet said at the time that it was very unsure on t
- Xbox
- Physical Releases
- Project Helix
- Reports
