Tag: Microsoft - Page 3
Poll Are You Enjoying Season 2 Of The Halo TV Show?
We've reached the halfway mark, Chief
We're now halfway through the second season of Paramount's Halo series with Episode 4 of Season 2 airing yesterday. Leading into this episode, there was a lot of excitement about the Covenant's invasion of Reach finally getting underway. So we're curious to know at this point what everyone here on Pure Xbox...
News Xbox Cloud Gaming Now Accounts For At Least 10% Of Overall Xbox Playtime
"Now accounts for a double-digit percentage"
Phil Spencer recently talked to outlet Game File about a wide range of different topics to do with Microsoft's gaming business, and the Xbox boss slipped in some chatter about Xbox Cloud Gaming and how much it's grown in recent times. Cloud gaming on Microsoft's platform "now accounts for a double-digit...
Poll Will You Be Playing Any Of Xbox's New Multiplatform Games On Other Consoles?
The big green wave is coming
So, it has begun. This week, Microsoft has made announcements for games heading to both Nintendo Switch and PlayStation platforms - with Pentiment and Grounded heading to both ecosystems while Hi-Fi RUSH and Sea Of Thieves have been confirmed for PS5 so far. As Xbox fans, and users of Microsoft's consoles, this isn't...
News Three Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (February 22)
Featuring a massive AAA surprise!
Another Xbox Game Pass update day is upon us, and this one is delivering a lovely surprise! Deep Silver's Dead Island 2 has been shadow dropped into the Game Pass library, having not been announced prior to its arrival. This zombie-slaying adventure lands today alongside two other titles. Here's an introduction to...
News Five More Of Xbox's Rare Classics Are Now Available For Switch Online
But some titles still aren't available on Xbox
Nintendo's latest broadcast revealed both Pentiment and Grounded would be coming to the Switch, but that actually wasn't the only Xbox-related news shared during the Partner Showcase. Five games in Rare's retro library have also made the journey across to the Switch Online service. This includes Snake...
News Microsoft Adds Amazing 'Just For You' Deals To This Week's Xbox Sales
As much as 95% off recent releases!
Xbox's recent sales roundup is quite a slim one - although a new discovery on the Microsoft Store may explain why. Yep, once again the team has unleashed another set of 'Just For You' deals on the Xbox digital store, and if you're lucky (they won't show up for everyone) you'll be treated to some massive discounts...
News Xbox Insists It's Not Ditching Physical Games: 'That's Not A Strategic Thing For Us'
However, right now "a majority" of its players are buying digitally
There have been reports in recent months about Xbox potentially scaling back its physical software departments, so what can be expected going forward? Speaking to Game File recently, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer reiterated how Xbox is still "supportive of physical media" and...
News All 30+ Backwards Compatible Games In This Week's Xbox Sales (February 20-27)
Up to 85% off!
Tuesday rolls around again, which means a fresh set of deals are live on the Xbox Store. It's a fairly slim update this week, but we still have some huge games discounted right now - including highlights from an EA Publisher Sale. <related ids="162413"> As usual, tucked in here is a solid selection of OG Xbox and Xbox 360...
News Two Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (February 20)
Including a huge JRPG!
We have a couple of new additions to Xbox Game Pass today, including a major JRPG from the team over at Bandai Namco. That'll be Tales of Arise, which caused some confusion last week, but it's available in the library right now! Here's some more information on that title, along with today's brand-new release in the form of
Talking Point Would You Be Interested In A New 'Multi-Subscription' Tier On Xbox?
Ubisoft Plus is becoming more appealing each month
A couple of weeks ago we asked you fine folks about EA Play - more specifically about how important it was for you as an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate perk. The majority of Pure Xbox readers made it known that EA's subscription service was rather important, and that EA Play titles are regularly engaged...
News 343 Devs Pitched '20-30 Game Ideas Over 12 Years', Including New ODST Spin-Off
Ah, what could have been
Halo studio 343 Industries has been heavily focused on Infinite in recent years, as Microsoft attempted to breathe new life into the series after the bumpy ride that was Halo 5. While we very much enjoyed the team's 2021 release, it sounds like we could have seen a lot of different Halo styles in recent years if 343 and Xbox...
News Ubisoft Brings Free Skull & Bones Dynamic Background To Xbox Series X|S
Be reminded of the high seas, right at home!
Another Xbox Series X|S dynamic background is now available! This one's for you aspiring pirates out there - Ubisoft has brought a new Skull & Bones option to the roster of animated backgrounds on Xbox consoles. The background is based on some Skull & Bones key art, with the animated aspect...
News Xbox Scoops Up Two D.I.C.E. Awards
Congratulations, Xbox
The 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards took place this week and there were multiple Xbox games nominated for all sorts of awards. As previously mentioned, Starfield and Hi-Fi RUSH were nominated across multiple categories, but in the end, went home empty-handed. Fortunately, for Xbox, it still picked up a few awards on the night. The...
Poll When Do You Think Xbox Will Release Its Next-Generation Console?
Give us your best guess!
Microsoft has begun teasing its plans for a next-generation Xbox console - described as the 'largest technical leap ever' in a generation. We're yet to see exactly what the team means by this statement, but it has got us questioning when it might arrive. Xbox Series X|S launched in November 2020; seven years after Xbox One...
Reaction Xbox's Commitment To Console Gaming Is Pleasing, But Big Questions Linger
Will we see a gradual change from Team Green?
The dust is beginning to settle on Xbox's big business event from yesterday, and in general we're feeling quite relieved that the initial drama is over. Xbox is clearly sticking around, especially when it comes to creating consoles and building towards another healthy generation in gaming. However, major...
News Phil Spencer: Xbox's New Plan Is 'Not A Change To Our Fundamental Exclusive Strategy'
"We're making these decisions for some specific reasons"
You may have heard about a little event that happened last night regarding the future of Xbox - an event where Phil Spencer & co. confirmed that four Xbox titles are making their way over to other console platforms. Despite this new plan from Team Green, the Xbox boss is keen to stress...
News Game Pass Hits 34 Million Subs, Service Will Remain Exclusive To Xbox
It's "kind of at a scale" where it's sustainable & profitable
Xbox's business update has concluded and in amongst the key information, the leaders of Microsoft's gaming division have also delivered some other interesting details. One update, in particular, was regarding the subscription count for Xbox Game Pass, with the service now at 34 million...
News Microsoft Has New Xbox Hardware To Announce For Holiday 2024
"There's some exciting stuff coming out in hardware"
Today's Xbox roundtable brought us news on the next generation of Xbox, but what about hardware plans for the here and now? While the standard Xbox Series X and S consoles are still Microsoft's 'new' gaming machines, the team appears to have plans for some sort of Xbox hardware refresh later this...
News Xbox's Next Console Will Feature The 'Largest Technical Leap Ever' In A Generation
Bold claim!
Today's Xbox business update delivered lots of interesting tidbits on what's coming for the platform - and news on some of the team's next-generation plans is getting us all giddy already. Speaking on the Official Xbox Podcast, Microsoft's Sarah Bond briefly talked about the team's future hardware plans and what we can all expect from
News Activision Blizzard's First Game Pass Release Has Been Confirmed By Xbox
Arriving next month!!
Update [Fri 16th Feb, 2024 04:30 GMT]: The Verge's senior editor has reached out to Microsoft and confirmed Diablo 4 "won't" be available to Xbox Game Pass Core subscribers. "Diablo IV is coming to Xbox Game Pass on March 28th, with the exception of the Xbox Game Pass Core catalog,” says Kari Perez, head of communications...
News Tales Of Arise Announced As Xbox Game Pass Title For Next Week
The game's official Twitter account has spoken!
Okay, so, last week Tales of Arise seemed to be included in this month's Xbox Game Pass lineup - only for it to be removed shortly after Microsoft posted its latest roundup. At the time, the team described Tales of Arise as an "incorrect title" for Game Pass, however, it's now been announced once ag
News Xbox President's Reported Message To Employees: 'Every Screen Is An Xbox'
Striving to be the top "cross-platform gaming company"
During the same supposed Xbox town hall meeting last week, Xbox's new president Sarah Bond reportedly shared the message that "every screen is an Xbox". Inverse journalist Shannon Liao claims to have confirmed this with "multiple Microsoft employees" who attended the virtual town hall on...
News Minecraft Celebrates Valentine's Day With A Brand-New Skeleton Mob
It's ready to take your hearts away
If you're still playing Minecraft regularly, you might want to check out the new hostile mob "The Bogged". It's come to testing as part of the 1.21 update and is a new skeleton variant that fires poison-tipped arrows. You can sometimes find the bogged in the trial chambers (coming with the 1.21 Update), as well...
Pick One Which 2024 First-Party Game Are You Most Looking Forward To From Xbox?
Let's talk games before tomorrow's 'business update'
We have a super serious day ahead of us tomorrow when Xbox delivers its 'business update' on what's next for the platform, but for today, let's talk about some video games. Putting all of the multiplatform drama aside for a minute here, Xbox has a really good games lineup planned for 2024. As was...
Talking Point Are There Any OG Xbox Remasters You're Dying To See On Series X|S?
Tomb Raider has us feeling all nostalgic
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered is officially out today, marking the arrival of three PS1 classics on Xbox consoles. We're very happy to see these old school third-person adventures finally land on Xbox - if you'd like to read our full review on the collection, check out the link below! <related...
News Xbox Adds New Dynamic Background To Celebrate 5th Anniversary Of Apex Legends
A Legendary addition
Popular battle royale shooter Apex Legends has been out for five years now, and the team has added a new Xbox Series X|S dynamic background to celebrate the game's milestone anniversary. Now available on current-gen Xbox consoles, the new Apex Legends dynamic background is based around the game's latest official artwork -...
News Rumours About Microsoft Surface Team Taking Over Xbox Hardware Development 'Not True'
Surface team has been helping since Xbox One S
The Xbox rumours have been popping up repeatedly over the past few months and the latest one doing the rounds claims the Microsoft Surface team could be in charge of creating the next Xbox. It turns out it's "not true" - with Windows Central's Jez Corden noting how the team behind a whole host of...
News Halo TV Show Master Chief Actor Reveals Why Cortana Looks Different In Season 2
The new showrunner played a part
Paramount's second season of the Halo The Series is now streaming, and if you've been wondering why Cortana looks different this time around, Master Chief's actor Pablo Schreiber has shed some light on this change. While Cortana's original live-action model didn't go down so well with some fans in the first season,...
News First Two Xbox Exclusives Coming To 'Rival Consoles' Reportedly Revealed
Hi-Fi RUSH and Pentiment could begin a new era for Xbox
Following the latest update from Xbox about its upcoming podcast, The Verge's senior editor Tom Warren has now chimed in (again), with details about what can supposedly be expected. Warren has been informed by a "source" that the first two Xbox titles releasing on "rival consoles"...
News Microsoft Announces Official Date & Time For 'Updates On The Xbox Business'
"Please join us"
Rumours about the future of Xbox and its first-party games have been swirling for a good week-or-so now, and we're finally about to get some answers straight from the team. As head of Xbox Phil Spencer alluded to recently, Microsoft is holding a 'business update event' this week, and the company has now announced when it'll share...
Rumour Microsoft Surface Team May Be In Charge Of Building The Next Xbox
Update: Apparently not...
Update [Tue 13th Feb, 2024 06:30 GMT]: Windows Central's Jez Corden has chimed in on this latest rumour, claiming it's not true. You can learn more in our latest story: <related ids="162074"> Original article [Mon 12th Feb, 2024 11:00 GMT]: We're all caught up in a mad swirl of Xbox rumours at the moment,...
News Xbox Reportedly Has 'No Plans' To Stop Making Consoles
It's claimed Phil Spencer has already reassured employees
Rumours this week have led to claims Xbox could completely exit the hardware side of the video game business, and naturally, it's raised concerns amongst fans. It was believed employees of Microsoft's gaming division might have also been left in the dark at one point, but it seems not based...
News Xbox Insider Program Celebrates 10th Anniversary, Teases What's Next
Update: Anniversary hub now live
Update [Sat 10th Feb, 2024 08:00 GMT]: As part of these celebrations, the Xbox Insider Program has now released an anniversary hub, where fans can check out interviews, historical retellings, and much more over February and March. If there are any other surprises, we'll let you know. Original story [Wed 7th Feb,...
News Xbox Supposedly 'Very Surprised' At The Extent Of The Latest Rumours
Apparently not much is "set in stone"
Rumours about Xbox's future have been circulating online recently, with the company to directly address this in a "business update event" early next week. There have been some pretty wild claims so far, but apparently, nothing is "set in stone" according to Insider Gaming's owner Tom Henderson. He has been...
News The FTC Is Concerned About Xbox's Recent Batch Of Employee Layoffs
Accuses Microsoft of being contradictory
Update: Microsoft has since responded to this, stating that "Activision was already planning on eliminating a significant number of jobs while still operating as an independent company." Here's an excerpt from the latest court filing: "Consistent with broader trends in the gaming industry, Activision was...
News 343 Hires New Art Director To Lead 'A Very Exciting New Era' For Halo
"I am incredibly proud to join 343 Industries"
Halo developer 343 Industries appears to making moves for its next major release. Following on from hints last month at an 'unannounced' project being in the works, the team has hired a brand-new art director to lead the series "into a very exciting new era". The news comes from LinkedIn, where former...
Talking Point What Do You Expect To See From Microsoft's Update On The Future Of Xbox?
Speculation is rampant
So, the next thing doing the rounds in this whole 'future of Xbox' saga is a vague comment from The Verge's Tom Warren - a comment that is eliciting some knee-jerk reactions to say the least. Basically, Tom believes that much of Team Xbox doesn't really know what's going to happen at Micro
News Tales Of Arise Mysteriously Disappears From February's Xbox Game Pass Lineup
Wonder what happened there?
Yesterday, Microsoft delivered our latest Xbox Game Pass roundup - and a weird error occurred as the team announced what was coming in the first half of February. While the lineup is looking nice through February 20th, it could have been even better as Tales of Arise was initially listed as well before being removed!...
News Halo TV Showrunner Describes Season 2 As 'Grittier, More Grounded, More Visceral Ride'
Kiki Wolfkill: "It's our job to step up and do the best we can"
We've already heard one of the Halo TV Show's new actors talk up Season 2 - calling it the Halo he "wanted to see", but if you still aren't convinced, some higher-ups working on Paramount's hit series have also chimed in. Speaking to GamesRadar+ again, the show's executive producer and...
News Halo TV Show Actor Says Season 2 Is A Great Time To 'Jump In'
It "takes it more in a direction like the games"
Season 2 of Halo on Paramount Plus kicks off this week and so far the critic reception has gone down pretty well. If you are wondering whether now is the time to jump in or not, one of the newcomers to the show's cast thinks it's the perfect time. When asked by GamesRadar+ if fans should hop straight...
News Phil Spencer Addresses Xbox Speculation Ahead Of 'Business Update Event'
"We look forward to sharing more details"
Well, it looks like we're about to get some answers on the direction of Xbox moving forward. Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft's gaming division, has taken to social media to address the rampant speculation that's gone on over the last day or so in regards to Xbox exclusives launching on PS5. In response to...
Roundup Halo TV Show Season 2 Impressions Are Starting To Go Live Ahead Of Launch
Here's what the critics are saying so far
Halo The Series returns this week on Paramount Plus, as the TV network's Halo adaptation moves into its second season. Ahead of the release of Season 2, some early reviews have gone live from various outlets - giving us a glimpse at how this second season of Halo the Series is shaping up. Now, it should be...
Reaction We're Conflicted About Xbox Exclusives Potentially Going To PS5
It's... complicated
Update: In case you haven't seen, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has now addressed some of the rumours and speculation floating around online, promising to reveal more about the "future of Xbox" at an event next week. <related ids="161730"> Original story: The closing stages of this past weekend have been awash with
News Xbox Might Be Looking Into A Handheld Console As PlayStation Rumours Circulate
"They are."
Thanks to a new 'PlayStation Vita 2' leak via YouTuber Moore's Law Is Dead, rumours that an Xbox handheld console could be in the works have now started to appear. Outlet Insider Gaming reported on that initial 'Vita 2' leak, and Windows Central's Jez Corden has responded with an Xbox rumour of his own. Basically, Insider Gaming's Tom...
Pick One Which Is Your Favourite Obsidian Game On Xbox?
They've been prolific over the years!
Back in 2018, Xbox made a fairly high-profile purchase when it acquired Obsidian Entertainment, the team behind Fallout: New Vegas, The Outer Worlds and others. Truth be told though, this development studio has been active on Xbox for many years before Microsoft's recent acquisition. The team began its Xbox...
News Xbox Games Are Reportedly No Longer Being Stocked At Some European Retailers
"Several retailers have started not listing Xbox anymore"
Xbox's move towards a more digital-focused future is coming under increased scrutiny these days - especially when more reports on the matter keep cropping up. Last month we heard that US retailer Walmart may have planned to pull Starfield discs from store shelves, and now a new industry...
News Xbox 'Providing Support To Enable Dedicated Servers' In Palworld
It's now "the biggest 3rd party Game Pass launch ever"
Palworld has become an overnight sensation and Xbox has now confirmed it's performing just as well on Game Pass. It's officially the subscription service's "biggest" third-party launch ever, with more than 7 million Xbox players experiencing the game since its 'Game Preview' debut last month...
News Microsoft Adds 'Vapor Collection' To Xbox Design Lab & Unveils New Special Edition Controller
"Introducing the newest collection"
Microsoft is back with even more Xbox controller options today, as the team expands its Design Lab program into 'Vapor' territory. Remember last year's 'Stormcloud Vapor' pad? Well, you can now apply the very same effect to Xbox Design Lab controllers across a variety of different colours. They're calling this...
News Xbox Predicts 'Hardware Decline' Despite Huge Revenue Boost From ActiBlizz
Services are on the up
Microsoft's latest earnings report has been an eye-opening one, with its gaming division posting huge revenue boosts - propelling the sector to Microsoft's third largest business within the company. While much of that is attributed to the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, one area that doesn't seem to be growing so fast is...
News Gaming Becomes Microsoft's 'Third Largest Business' In Latest Quarter
It has surpassed Windows with the help of ActiBlizz
It's been a bit of a wild start to the year for Xbox with a Developer Direct, mass layoffs, some record-breaking milestones, and now the