Tag: Microsoft - Page 9
News PC Game Pass Begins Rolling Out On Nvidia GeForce Now This Week
The first Xbox Cloud titles arrived back in May
Microsoft and Nvidia have announced that PC Game Pass titles via the Microsoft Store will soon start rolling out to the GeForce Now streaming service. The rollout begins with Deathloop, Grounded, No Man's Sky and Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord on Thursday, August 24th - with the full library to be...
News Microsoft Announces Plan To Sell Activision Cloud Gaming Rights To Ubisoft
A major shakeup
Microsoft has announced today that in a bid to convince the UK Competition and Markets Authority to approve the attempted takeover of Activision Blizzard, a major new cloud streaming deal has been struck with Ubisoft. Basically, Microsoft is transferring the cloud streaming rights for all current and future Activision Blizzard...
News Microsoft Unveils Custom Armored Core 6 Xbox Series X Console
The latest sweepstakes system
Ahead of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon landing on Xbox consoles next week, Microsoft has teamed up with the folks behind the game to create a sleek-looking custom Xbox Series X. We're loving the subtle look with this one; it reminds us of the Halo Infinite console in some ways! Unfortunately, unlike 2021's Halo...
Talking Point What's Your Favourite Xbox Live Memory?
First signing up? Playing some Halo 3 with the homies? Come tell us!
Well, we're now officially less than a month away from Xbox Live Gold going away for good. That's right, come September 14th the service is being folded into a new tier of Xbox Game Pass, meaning we'll all be saying goodbye to Xbox Live next month. Of course, the main function of...
News Starfield Is Already Discounted On PC Ahead Of September Launch
Bethesda fanatics satisfied
UK game code retailer Fanatical is already offering up a healthy discount on the PC version of Starfield - weeks before the game's launch. Right now you can get 17% off both the Standard and Premium versions of the game, amounting to a discount of over £10 on both editions here in the UK. These PC copies are for the...
News Microsoft Makes Welcome QOL Change To Store Wishlists On Xbox
"MS just fixed one of the most annoying problems"
Xbox Store wishlisting has been a thing for a while - the feature allows users to compile a list of titles they want to keep track of to potentially purchase in the future. It's a neat feature, especially with how many games fill modern storefronts these days, but it's long suffered from an...
Talking Point Should Xbox Make A Revised Controller With Haptic Feedback?
Are you jealous of the PS5's features?
Around the launch of the current console generation, there was lots of talk about how Xbox Series X|S and PS5 stacked up against each other - as you'd probably expect. This time around though, one of the main points of differentiation was the controller, especially because Sony was deploying a pretty radical...
News Starfield Marketing Spools Up As Samsung Advertises Xbox Title For Its TV Gaming Hub
"Stand by for the anticipated launch of Starfield"
The Starfield ads will soon be hitting us thick and fast! As we speedily approach the game's launch, Samsung has begun advertising the RPG for its TV Gaming Hub already - where you'll use Xbox Cloud Gaming to play the game without the need for a console. It's kind of wild that in 2023 you'll be...
Deals All 30+ Backwards Compatible Games Added To This Week's Xbox Sales (August 8-15)
Up to 80% off!
As part of the latest set of Xbox deals, we have a fresh batch of classics on offer! Thanks to an extensive THQ Nordic sale, there's quite a substantial list of backwards compatible discounts this week, so a roundup is in order. <related ids="153701,153394"> In the table below, you can check out all the backwards compatible OG...
News EA Is Closing The Servers For Three More Xbox 360 Titles This Year
We have confirmed dates for more closures
Back in March, we learned of another selection of EA Xbox 360-era titles that were set to close their online doors in 2023, and now a few more games have been added to the virtual chopping block. Thanks to the company's 'Online Services Shutdown' list, we now know of three more titles set to shut down in...
News Microsoft's Activision Blizzard Deal Approved In Another Country
New Zealand gives it the thumbs up
While we wait for Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard to get approved in the UK, today it's been announced the deal has been given the green light in New Zealand. This was officially passed by the Commerce Commission of New Zealand - meaning Team Xbox has now been granted clearance to acquire "100% of...
News Xbox Unveils New Feature That Allows Entirely Remote Controller Pairing
Never leave the sofa!
Xbox Insiders are getting some pretty welcome features in testing right now, and as part of Microsoft's latest update for Alpha members, another neat addition is being worked on - and it could mean more time spent on the sofa. The team has added a new feature for 'Alpha and Alpha Skip-Ahead' Xbox
News Xbox Wants Feedback About Its New Keyboard Mapping For Controllers
"Coming to everyone soon"
Towards the end of July, Xbox announced a new feature allowing keyboard buttons to be mapped to Xbox controllers. Ahead of its rollout to "everyone soon", Xbox is calling on Insiders to share their own feedback about this feature. Here's a bit about this feature which is compatible with the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller...
News Discord Is Getting A Huge New Feature On Xbox Consoles
The rollout begins today!
Just over a year on from when Discord itself started to rollout to Xbox Insiders, members of Microsoft's preview program are beginning to test out a brand-new feature. Starting today, Xbox Insiders can stream gameplay directly to their friends on Discord, and it all looks nicely integrated into the Xbox guide. Once you're...
News Xbox Insiders Can Test Out The New 'Game Pass Core' Subscription This Week
As long as you're a Gold member
Xbox Game Pass Core is still more than a month away from launching, but Microsoft is beginning a testing phase well in advance. Starting this week, Xbox Insiders who are part of the 'Alpha and Alpha Skip-Ahead' ring will be able to preview Game Pass Core ahead of its full rollout. At the beginning, only a selection...
News Xbox Is Hosting Its 'Largest Gamescom Booth Ever' In 2023, And You Can Watch At Home
"We will bring gamescom 2023 to you"
Xbox has officially unveiled its plans for gamescom 2023, and it sounds like the team is going all-out at the European gaming convention this year. Microsoft is claiming that this will be Xbox's "largest booth ever" at gamescom - featuring "over 30 titles" playable across the four-day event. There's set to be...
News Activision May Have Access To 'Lost' Transformers Titles After All
The IP owner has apologised for previous comments
Earlier this week, our retro-flavoured sister site Time Extension brought news that some of Activision's classic Transformers games may have been lost in transition - with IP owner Hasbro making some forthright comments about Activision's handling of the series. Now though, Hasbro has walked back on...
Deals All 30+ Backwards Compatible Games In This Week's Xbox Sales (August 1-8)
Some Xbox classics are on offer this week!
As part of this week's Xbox sales & promotions we have another selection of classics discounted! There are some great Original Xbox and Xbox 360 titles on offer this week, so we'll drop all of those games down below. Be sure to check out our other deals posts too - there's a substantial add-on sale...
News Xbox's New 'Stormcloud Vapor' Controller Contains Unique Xbox Series X|S Background
Okay, this thing looks pretty darn cool
Microsoft has announced its latest limited edition Xbox controller - this one dubbed the 'Stormcloud Vapor' Special Edition. The naming on this gamepad gets right to the point, and we think it looks pretty darn good and certainly a unique option for Xbox users. In fact, one of these could be even more unique...
Deals 300+ Games Included In This Week's Xbox Sales (August 1-8)
Alongside an Ultimate Add-On Sale!
Xbox's latest set of digital discounts is now live including your usual array of Deals with Gold and Spotlight sales, alongside a few limited-time promos and of course, the ongoing Ultimate Add-On Sale. <related ids="153394"> In fact, this week's sales are quite DLC-focused across the board, with add-ons...
News Microsoft Now Selling Xbox Controller Replacement Parts
Fix-it-yourself
If you've ever wanted to replace a thumb stick, faulty trigger, buttons or make a more major repair to one of your Xbox controllers, and happen to be located in North America, the good news is Microsoft is now selling controller parts on its official store. This allows Xbox users to "extend the lifespan of out-of-warranty Xbox...
News Kojima Productions Seems Busy Hosting Team Xbox This Week
What are they getting up to?
We still know very little about Hideo Kojima's upcoming Xbox project, but the team is certainly still working on it, as is evidenced by Microsoft's frequent trips to the Japanese developer. As it turns out, another chunk of Team Xbox has been over there this week. Posting on Twitter, Kojima himself welcomed Microsoft's...
News Microsoft Submits Changes To UK CMA Over Its 'Anticipated Acquisition' Of Activision Blizzard
The final level
Microsoft has submitted what is expected to be its final report to the CMA concerning its Xbox Activision Blizzard deal. Microsoft's submission was made on July 25th and goes over the CMA's concerns in detail, as stated by the authority in a notice posted today. The UK authority also mentions that such a move is "not a usual part of...
News Phil Spencer Says Xbox Is 'Focused' On Improving Handheld PC Gaming Experience
"We are focused on making the Xbox and GP experience great on devices like the Ally"
Ever since the launch of the ASUS ROG Ally, Xbox has shown its support for the device as a way to experience Game Pass titles natively on-the-go. Even so, the handheld PC (and other devices outside of Valve's Steam Deck) runs on Wind
Talking Point Do You Feel Like You're Still Waiting For 'Next-Gen' To Arrive?
We've had Xbox Series X|S for almost three years
It's getting close to three years since Xbox Series X|S first landed back in 2020, and we've been pretty happy with how the consoles have performed so far. Seeing so many games support 60 & 120FPS has been fantastic, and generally speaking, the whole experience of using an Xbox is a lot snappier...
News Microsoft CEO: Xbox Remains 'Confident' About Activision Blizzard Acquisition
The deal is almost across the line
Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard is nearing the finish line according to previous statements made by company heads. If you are in need of some reassurance though, CEO Satya Nadella has now provided an incredibly brief update during the latest earnings report. According to the Microsoft boss, the tech...
News Xbox Gaming Revenue Up 1% YoY In Latest Earnings Report
But hardware revenue was down (again)
Microsoft has released its earning results for FY23 Q4 and Xbox's gaming revenue is up by 1% year-over-year. Following similar trends of FY23 Q3, Xbox's content and revenue services in this latest quarter grew by 5% - once again driven by the growth of the Xbox Game Pass service and third-party content. Xbox...
News Xbox Has Officially Created 'The World’s First Ever Pizza-Scented Controller'
"Shaped like a slice of delicious New York ‘za"
What in the world is going on here?! Xbox never seems to run out of ideas when it comes to making cool new controller designs, but, its latest batch of Limited Edition pads go above and beyond anything we ever expected to see... and indeed smell. To coincide with the upcoming 'Teenage Mutant Ninja...
News Microsoft Seems To Have Improved More Xbox 360 Matchmaking, This Time With Gears Of War
COD saw big improvements earlier this month
Recently, Microsoft made some backend changes to how Xbox 360 era Call of Duty matchmaking worked, and the successful tweak brought thousands of players back in their droves. However, the move doesn't appear to have been exclusive to the Call of Duty series, as players are beginning to see improvements...
Talking Point Would You Be Interested In Buying A New Xbox Series X Model?
The black Series S is almost here, but what about a new X?
With a little more than a month to go until Microsoft's new Carbon Black Xbox Series S console arrives, we're left wondering when the next Xbox Series X model could land. We've already heard from Phil & Co. that an 'upgraded' console of any kind is unlikely right now, but, what about...
News Xbox Exec 'Gets Chills' From The Moment Phil Spencer Revealed Backwards Compatibility
Do you remember this E3 mic drop?
Current Xbox boss Phil Spencer took over at the top of the Xbox tree way back in 2014, and one of his most memorable — and arguably important — moments came the following year during a Microsoft E3 showcase. Eight years later, he isn't the only Xbox exec to remember it. During E3 2015 Phil dropped the mic with...
News Blizzard Games Announced For Steam Ahead Of Xbox Acquisition
Overwatch 2 will be the first title added to Valve's service
Xbox head Phil Spencer has already mentioned how Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard would make select games available to more players around the globe, and now in an industry update, Blizzard has announced it will be bringing its own games to Valve's Steam service for the first...
News Arkane Austin Seemingly Returning To Single-Player Project Following Release Of Redfall
New job listings hint at what's to come
At this point we all know what happened with Redfall earlier this year - Arkane Austin's 2023 shooter just didn't hit the mark, leading fans to question why the longtime single-player developer pivoted to a multiplayer project. Well, regardless of the team's motive for the move, it doesn't appear to have been...
News Xbox Boss: We Could Close ActiBlizz Deal In US, But We're Waiting On UK
"We move even closer to the finish line"
Following today's announcement that Microsoft's takeover of Activision Blizzard has been given a new deadline of October 18th, an email sent by Xbox's Phil Spencer to employees has been revealed by The Verge. In the email, Spencer acknowled
News Xbox Extends Activision Blizzard Takeover Deadline To October
"We're optimistic about getting this done"
It's been announced today by Xbox boss Phil Spencer that Microsoft's attempted takeover of Activision Blizzard now has a deadline of October 18th, as the company continues to try and win over the approval of the UK CMA. Spencer revealed the new deadline on Twitter, reiterating Microsoft's desire to get the...
Deals All 10+ Backwards Compatible Games Added To This Week's Xbox Sales (July 18-25)
A few more Xbox 360 classics!
While the ongoing Ultimate Game Sale is the promotional focus for Xbox over the next few weeks, that isn't stopping the usual Deals with Gold and Spotlight sale selections from being added to the list. A new set of these deals has just gone live, adding another batch of backwards compatible classics to the discount...
Reaction Game Pass Core Marks The End Of Xbox's Most Influential Product
Live no more
Today is a pretty big day in the history of Xbox, folks. While the announcement of Xbox Game Pass Core in itself doesn't seem like a monumental move, the realisation that Xbox Live Gold will basically be gone in two months is starting hit us like a well-placed plasma grenade in a packed matchup of Halo 2. That's right, when the...
News Xbox Explains How Games With Gold Titles Carry Over To Game Pass Core
It's good news, folks
In the wake of today's huge news that Xbox Live Gold is being replaced with Xbox Game Pass Core in September, Microsoft has provided a breakdown on how already-redeemed Games with Gold titles will carry over when the monthly perk program shuts down (on September 1st). <related ids="152764"> Existing Xbox One Games with...
News Xbox's Phil Spencer Seems Happy To Show Off About Playing Starfield Early
We can all see it, P3...
It feels like we've been waiting forever for Starfield to hit Xbox Game Pass, and even though the wait is almost over, it isn't stopping us from getting incredibly jealous of today's news that some of the folks working on the game are already well into their Starfield playthroughs. As spotted by Idle Sloth on Twitter,...
News Xbox 360 Call Of Duty Titles See Huge Player Spikes Following Server Update
The classics are still poppin'
Last week, we caught wind that the folks over at Activision and their various Call of Duty studios had made some positive changes to how the old Xbox 360 games were running online, so naturally, we went back and had a look to see how things were going. As it turned out, online matchmaking did seem to have improved (we...
News Xbox 'Game Pass Core' Reportedly Replacing Xbox Live Gold This September
Update: It's official!
Update: Microsoft has now officially confirmed that Xbox Live Gold will be replaced by Xbox Game Pass Core on September 14th, 2023. We've covered this story in more detail elsewhere on Pure Xbox: <related ids="152764"> Original story: There's been a surprising Xbox leak - seemingly revealing Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold...
News Microsoft & Sony Sign Binding Agreement To Keep Call Of Duty On PlayStation
Phil Spencer confirms
Update: It's now been confirmed Microsoft has committed to a 10-year deal for Call of Duty on PlayStation. Sony has also confirmed this with Axios. "While Microsoft’s initial announcement doesn’t mention 10 years for Call of Duty on PlayStation, Kari Perez, head of global communications at Xbox, confirmed the 10-year
News Microsoft Activision Blizzard Acquisition Given Greenlight In US After FTC Loses (Again)
"This brings us another step closer to the finish line"
Following FTC's appeal of the previous court ruling permitting Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the US regulator has now lost again. The Federal Trade Commission was also seeking injunctive relief to prevent Microsoft from closing the deal but has been denied by the US Ninth...
News Xbox Game Pass 'Friends & Family' Preview Closes Next Month
The program will be taking a break
Almost a year ago now, Microsoft began public testing for an Xbox Game Pass 'Friends & Family' plan in a few select countries, before rolling the preview program out to more regions earlier this year. Well, rather abruptly, the team has announced that the preview is closing down for now as Xbox "investigates"...
News All 80+ Backwards Compatible Games In The Xbox Ultimate Game Sale 2023
Original Xbox and Xbox 360 classics
The Xbox Ultimate Game Sale 2023 is officially underway, featuring discounts for over 700 games including a whole bunch of major AAA releases. You can even get some fantastic games for up to 90% off! <related ids="152665,152692"> As you'd expect, the Ultimate Game Sale also includes lots of backwards...
News Xbox Activision Blizzard Deal Officially Approved In Turkey Amidst Ongoing FTC Battle
Another win for Xbox
Although Microsoft seems to be getting closer to the final stage of acquiring Activision Blizzard in the US, it's still trying to pass the deal in other regions around the world, and is seeing success in most countries. The company is currently in the process of sorting out some issues relating to the deal with the UK's CMA,...
News FTC Appeals Court's Ruling Permitting Microsoft's Acquisition Of Activision Blizzard
The regulator refuses to back down
Update [Thu 13th Jul, 2023 03:00 BST]: Microsoft's vice chair and president Brad Smith has now issued a statement, mentioning how the tech giant is "disappointed" by the FTC's appeal. Here's what he had to say: Brad Smith: “The District Court’s ruling makes crystal clear that this acquisition is good for...
News Xbox's ActiBlizz Deal Seems Closer, But Some Game Pass Arrivals Could Be Delayed
A recent CMA report mentions COD on Game Pass
Following yesterday's blockbuster news that the FTC's attempted injunction against Microsoft has been denied, the Activision Blizzard deal going through feels closer than ever. Even so, the acquisition is still not confirmed by any means, and a remaining authority that still needs winning over has also...
News Xbox's New Summer Accessory Collection Includes Colourful Xbox 360 Controller Replicas
Room for another?
Xbox has unveiled its next 'collection' of gaming accessories from third-party manufacturers — this time for summer 2023 — and this one includes some neat-looking shiny versions of the recently released 'Hyperkin Xenon' controller. Yep, we reckon the two Xbox 360 controller replicas stand out the most here - especially because...
News Microsoft And UK CMA Agree To Pause Legal Battle Over Activision Blizzard Deal
Update: CMA warns of a potential "new merger investigation"
Update: The CMA has warned that its latest discussions with Microsoft and Activision Blizzard are at an "early stage", and a restructured deal could ultimately lead to a "new merger investigation". Here's a statement courtesy of The Verge: "Whilst merging parties don’t have the...
