Timeline
Thursday23rd Oct 2025
News Free Play Days: Try These Xbox Games For Free (October 23-26)
Your latest roundup of free titles
Free Play Days is here! This weekend, Xbox has five games playable as part of the program - including the latest EA Sports FC release, ghost-hunting sim Phasmophobia and multiplayer horror title The Outlast Trials; right as the game gets its brand-new 'Invasion' update which we've showcased up above. Here's...
News Two Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (October 23)
Two new additions to the Ultimate library!
Welcome to your latest Xbox Game Pass update! Today, we have two new additions to the library - both being day one releases including the hotly-anticipated PowerWash Simulator 2. Here's some more information on FuturLab's sequel, alongside your other new Game Pass title for October 23rd: Bounty Star...
Wednesday22nd Oct 2025
Random This Custom Xbox Series X Looks Amazing, And Fits Right In For Halloween
Spooky season activated
We've seen our fair share of custom Xbox consoles over the years and most of them never really catch our eye - but a new horror-themed Series X setup from Reddit user deRgiB6319 looks bloody fantastic... literally. Shared onto the Xbox reddit earlier this week and upvoted by almost 2,000 people, an Xbox fan has created this...
Roundup Here's What The Reviews Say About PowerWash Simulator 2 On Xbox Game Pass
Hitting the library tomorrow!
PowerWash Simulator 2 is bringing its squeaky-clean sequel to Xbox Game Pass tomorrow, October 23rd, which means a bunch of early reviews for the title are now starting to hit the web. So, to give you a better idea of how this one is landing with folks so far, we're going to roundup some early reviews
News Battlefield 6 Season 1 Brings Lots Of Free Content To Xbox, Starting This Month
More multiplayer mayhem
EA and Battlefield Studios have lifted the lid on Battlefield 6 Season 1, with plenty of additional content being added to the game over the coming weeks. The team is doing things a little differently with three separate updates making up Season 1 - with the first of those updates arriving on October 28th. Yep, that first...
News Digital Foundry Analyses ROG Xbox Ally X In New Review-In-Progress
Games tested, thoughts shared
We — along with lots of other gaming and tech outlets — delivered our ROG Xbox Ally review last week, and despite us having a great time with the system - opinions on the device(s) are certainly mixed across the board. Now though, the tech experts at Digital Foundry have shared some of their initial thoughts on the...
News Two Games Are Moving Over To Xbox Game Pass Premium Today (October 22)
Just announced by Microsoft!
With Microsoft's recent Xbox Game Pass overhaul, the new 'Premium' tier is a much more affordable option - and despite a lack of day one launches on there, plenty of games are still being added on a regular basis. Today, two major additions to the Premium library have been announced by Xbox, including first-party title
News These 11 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (October 22 - November 4)
Your latest roundup of new additions
Microsoft has today unveiled its latest roundup of new Xbox Game Pass titles, a few weeks on from overhauling the service with an Ultimate price bump and two refreshed tiers in Essential and Premium. Before we get into the full list of titles coming to XGP over the next few weeks, we want to remind folks to be...
News Remedy CEO Steps Down, Not Long After Studio Admitted 'Weak Sales' For FBC: Firebreak
"Tero Virtala will step down from his position..."
Remedy Entertainment, the studio behind the likes of Alan Wake and Control, has today announced a change in CEO - as Tero Virtala steps down from the company. The team announced this via a new press release to investors, where interim CEO Markus Mäki "thanks Tero Virtala for his substantial...
News Microsoft Is Reportedly Increasing The Cost Of Xbox Dev Kits In Latest Price Hike
Said to be a 33% price bump
A new report is being shared by The Verge today (paywalled) that claims Microsoft is making another Xbox-related price increase; this time for its Series X|S console dev kits. This isn't looking like a small bump in price either, according to the report. The Verge says we're looking at a 33% cost jump for these Xbox dev...
News Sarah Bond: Our Next-Gen Console Will Be 'Very Premium' & Informed By ROG Xbox Ally
The Xbox President speaks...
Shortly following the release of ROG Xbox Ally, Microsoft's Sarah Bond has been dropping hints about the team's next-gen plans - and the Xbox President has had some interesting things to say about the next console from Microsoft. In a new interview with Mashable, Bond was quizzed about rumours that the next-gen Xbox...
Tuesday21st Oct 2025
Roundup Here's What The Reviews Are Saying About Jurassic World Evolution 3
Out on Xbox today!
One of this month's big releases that's slipping under the radar a little bit is Jurassic World Evolution 3, which was announced by Frontier Developments back in the summer. Yep, the team's dino-tastic park builder is available on Xbox today, which means we're just starting to see some early reviews trickle out for the Series X|S...
News The Sinking City 2 Suffers Last Minute Delay, Now Aiming For The First Half Of 2026
"We don’t have an exact date set"
Back in March 2024, developer Frogwares announced The Sinking City 2 for Xbox Series X|S, with plans to release its upcoming Lovecraftian adventure in 2025. Until now, the team had been planning to surprise launch the game towards the end of the year, but that's no longer possible - so the studio has decided to...
News Ubisoft Provides Closer Look At Avatar's Third Person Mode Ahead Of Xbox Launch
Coming as a free update this December!
Back in July, Ubisoft announced that it was bringing a third-person mode to Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora to coincide with the upcoming Fire and Ash movie release - and today, the team has provided a closer look at the mode ahead of its 2025 Xbox launch. You can take a peek at that closer look
Rumour Xbox Won't Announce Starfield For PS5 Until 2026, It's Claimed
"Unless plans change..."
Back in August, we heard separate rumours to do with Xbox's Starfield - both relating to the game expanding to more platforms in 2026. First we heard about a PS5 version coming in Spring, before leaker NateTheHate added that a Switch 2 version was also planned for some point next year. Now, that same insider is claiming that...
News Two More First-Party Games Get Dynamic Backgrounds On Xbox Series X|S
The collection grows again!
Microsoft has added two more dynamic backgrounds to its Xbox Series X|S collection, following a batch of recent additions that we covered on PX last week. These two new options are based on The Elder Scrolls Online and The Outer Worlds 2, with the latter
Roundup Here's What The Critics Think Of Ninja Gaiden 4 From Xbox Game Studios
Out now on Game Pass!
In what's fast becoming an incredibly busy month for Team Green, Xbox Game Studios' latest release in Ninja Gaiden 4 is now out in the wild - and we delivered our Pure Xbox verdict just a few hours ago! To give you a broader range of opinions though, we're going to gather up a bunch of reviews down below, alongside providing a...
News Two Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (October 21)
Including a new first-party release!
Welcome to your latest Xbox Game Pass roundup! Today, we have two titles coming to the library, including Microsoft's Ninja Gaiden 4 - which has just launched for Xbox Series X and S. Down below is a quick introduction to NG4, alongside today's other Xbox Game Pass addition; which returns to the library after...
Review Ninja Gaiden 4 (Xbox) - Platinum Propels The Series Forward On Xbox Game Pass
There's a new kid on the block
When it was revealed that PlatinumGames was helping with the fourth major entry in the Ninja Gaiden series, I had two immediate thoughts. How would the Bayonetta studio handle this kind of responsibility, and could another character really lead the next big entry in the modern series, in place of the 'main face' and...
Monday20th Oct 2025
Guide The Outer Worlds 2: Release Date, Release Times & How To Get Early Access On Xbox
Everything you need to know
The Outer Worlds 2 is almost here! Yep, Obsidian's third major release of 2025 is on the horizon, and with the title having a pretty generous early access period starting in just a few days' time - we wanted to bring you up to speed on everything you need to know for launch. Without further ado, here are all the key...
Talking Point Xbox Should Use And Improve This New PlayStation Store Feature
We'd love to see this on Xbox!
The Xbox Store is pretty good for hosting regular digital sales that often provide some huge discounts, but navigating them isn't always the easiest, and they don't always display all the information we'd like to see. Often, when covering these for Pure Xbox we use external sites like
News Helldivers 2 Dev Is Working On A 'New Co-Op Action Game', And It'll Likely Launch On Xbox
New job listing tells all
Helldivers 2 finally came to Xbox a few months ago, and the PlayStation-published shooter seemingly did very well on Xbox around release. We saw huge player number spikes, big sales figures and
News Xbox President Explains Why Microsoft Ditched Its First-Party Handheld
It came down to "speed" and being "innovative"
When rumours of a handheld Xbox console first started doing the rounds a while ago, it became apparent that Microsoft was not only working with Asus on a 'partner' device (now known as ROG Xbox Ally), but also on its own first-party handheld similar to existing home consoles. Once development on the two...
News Two Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Titles Win Big At Australian Game Awards Show
One of them won Game of the Year!
This past weekend, Australian gaming show SXSW Sydney 2025 took place, highlighting a bunch of new and upcoming titles across the industry - and a pair of Xbox Game Pass upcomers won big during the event's awards show. Those two games are upcoming narrative title Mixtape —
News Microsoft Passes The Buck To Asus For ROG Xbox Ally's Price Tag
"It really was Asus, because this is their hardware"
One of the most controversial aspects of Microsoft's new ROG Xbox Ally device is the eyewatering price tag — particularly the X version, which comes in at a thousand bucks — and in a new interview with Variety, Xbox exec Sarah Bond says that it was largely manufacturer Asus that decided on...
Report Resident Evil 0 Remake In Development For Release After Requiem
Back to the beginning
This summer, Capcom finally revealed Resident Evil Requiem as its next mainline RE title, and now a fresh report details what we can expect from the series after RE9 drops on Xbox next February - and we'll be firmly back in Resident Evil remake territory by the looks of it. According to outlet
Saturday18th Oct 2025
News Three Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass In Late October 2025
All of them are well worth a play
Microsoft has just revealed the next batch of three games set to leave Xbox Game Pass in late October, with all of them showing on the official Xbox mobile app as of this morning. All of these are well worth a play, with Metal Slug Tactics being an RTS title, Return To Monkey Island being a point-and-click title,...
Poll Are You More Interested In The ROG Xbox Ally Now That Reviews Are Out?
The device is available to the public right now
Microsoft's big handheld launch day has come and gone — the ROG Xbox Ally is now available to the public, and plenty of impressions are already out there — so our poll today revolves around whether the device's launch reviews have tempted you into picking one up, or at least have you considering...
News 20+ Games Are Reduced By 90-95% In This Year's Xbox Shocktober Sale
HUGE discounts for great games!
Looking for some cheap Xbox games during the Xbox Shocktober Sale 2025? Well, there are around 20 games that are reduced by 90-95% in this specific sale alone, with highlights including Control Ultimate Edition, Killing Floor 2, Mad Max, Middle-earth: The Shadow Bundle
Feature These 50+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (October 20-24)
Including five new Game Pass additions!
Welcome to your Xbox games roundup for October 20-24! We've got a very busy few days ahead of us for new releases, including the likes of Ninja Gaiden 4, Jurassic World Evolution 3, early access for The Outer Worlds 2 and so much more, while five games are arriving into the
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 18-19)
Time for a lighthouse tour?
Welcome to another weekend! It's a big one in the world of Xbox with first-party title Keeper and the ROG Xbox Ally now available to the public; it's safe to say we've been putting time into both of these experiences recently and will continue to do so in the coming days. Here's everything we're playing this weekend:...
Friday17th Oct 2025
8BitDo's first wireless Xbox pad is worth every jiggy
8BitDo has certainly come a long way since the days of creating clones of NES and SNES controllers – it is now one of the most respected accessory makers in the world and has even produced officially licensed sticks and pads for the Xbox family of consoles. The company's latest offering –...
News Control's New 120FPS Mode Tested In Latest Digital Foundry Analysis
"The advantages speak for themselves"
Earlier this month, Remedy unveiled its new patch for Control Ultimate Edition - adding in a bunch of current-gen features that had been present in the PC version for a number of months prior. Since then,
Roundup Here's What The Critics Think Of Keeper On Xbox Game Pass
Out now on GPU!
Another Xbox first-party title is in the books! Yep, Double Fine's Keeper is now available to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass players, so we're here to round up a bunch of early reviews to get an idea of what folks are thinking so far. Of course, our Pure Xbox review has
Review Keeper (Xbox) - A Memorable Puzzle Adventure From Xbox Studio Double Fine
Reviewed across both Xbox Series X and ROG Xbox Ally!
I totally understand why Xbox hasn't been marketing Keeper very well ahead of launch. Microsoft has suffered some criticism for not putting the spotlight on Double Fine's new Xbox first-party game, but after playing it, I think there are a couple of key reasons behind the decision - the first...
Guide ARC Raiders Server Slam: How To Download The Open Beta & What To Expect On Xbox
Play for free all-weekend long!
ARC Raiders is an upcoming extraction FPS that's been hotly anticipated for some time now, and ahead of its imminent launch at the end of October, developer Embark Studios has just released a 'Server Slam' open beta on all platforms - including Xbox. Prior to this one going live, we were seeing lots of questions...
Roundup Here's What The Reviews Are Saying About Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
It's finally coming out!
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 was first announced before the current generation of consoles even started, and now after multiple delays, reboots and developer handovers, this vampiric action-RPG is about to grace Xbox Series X and S. So, what's it actually like after all these years? Well, the reviews look a bit...
News Microsoft Debuts ROG Xbox Ally At Gamescom Asia With Impressive Hands-On Booth
"Make sure you stop by and say hello"
The ROG Xbox Ally is out now of course, and neatly coinciding with the device's launch, Gamescom is currently hosting its Asia x Thailand edition of the convention - and Microsoft SEA is there in full force with the new handheld Xbox! We're starting to see Gamescom Asia Xbox booth pics crop up on our social...
News Three Very Intriguing Racing Games Are Coming To Xbox This November
Hopefully a good month for racing fans!
This week has marked the announcement of yet another new racing game for Xbox in November, which means we've now got three (that we know of) that are well worth keeping on your radar - and that's without even mentioning Wreckreation that's coming in late October - don't overlook that one either! <related...
News The Crew 2 Will Now Be Playable 'For Years To Come' As Ubisoft Adds Offline Mode
"This marks a major milestone..."
After months of promises and post-launch work from the Ivory Tower development team, an offline mode has finally been added to The Crew 2, ensuring that the game will be playable "for years to come" on Xbox consoles. We first heard about this effort over a year ago following
News 61 Games Discounted To Less Than $1 In New Xbox Play Anywhere Sale
"Play anywhere, save everywhere"
We all like cheap games, right? Well, you'll find plenty of them in the Xbox Shocktober Sale (we'll be highlighting a bunch over the weekend), but there's also a new Xbox Play Anywhere sale that's specifically dedicated to low-priced titles. It's called the "Xbox Play Anywhere Sale" here in the UK, but known as the...
News Double Fine's Keeper Is Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (October 17)
A new Xbox first-party release!
Welcome to your latest Xbox Game Pass update! Today brings just the one game - although it's quite a big addition as Double Fine's Keeper makes its XGP debut. This is an Xbox first-party release from the folks that made the well-received Psychonauts 2 back in 2021, so it shou
Thursday16th Oct 2025
News Absolum Studio Clarifies Xbox Situation, Tells Fans To 'Stay Tuned For Upcoming Announcements'
Update: Company issues statement
There's been a bit of buzz about a new game called Absolum recently - we've been seeing quite a lot of people trying to find details about an Xbox version, and so we've dug into the game's Discord server to find out why it's skipping Microsoft's console platform at launch. Absolum, if you don't know, is a roguelite...
News Four New Retro Classics Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (October 16)
More classics to play on Game Pass!
Microsoft has added four new titles to its Retro Classics library this week, shortly after adding the same amount of games to the collection back in September. Although this is another slightly smaller list than what we've become used to since Xbox Retro Classics launched in May, any new addition
News Ninja Gaiden & Dead Or Alive Director Tomonobu Itagaki Has Passed Away
"So, it goes."
Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive have both played major roles in the history of Xbox over the past 24 years, and we're saddened to hear that a key figure on both those franchises has passed away. It's been announced that Tomonobu Itagaki, who created the Dead or Alive series and revived the Ninja Gaiden series back in 2004, died...
News Free Play Days: Try These Xbox Games For Free (October 16-19)
Your latest batch of free trials
Xbox Free Play Days has landed! We've got a big batch of games playable on the service this week, with five games available as part of Microsoft's main list - and a bonus sixth game thanks to Focus Interactive and a new Space Marine 2 trial. Here's your main FPD list this weekend: Everspace F1 25 Hell Let Loose
News Xbox Fan Thinks They've Discovered More 'Play Anywhere' Titles Being Added Soon
Maybe a glitch, maybe the real deal
With the ROG Xbox Ally now out in the wild, there's been hope that Microsoft might accelerate its Xbox Play Anywhere program even further and add some big games to the list, and one fan thinks they've discovered a few on the way. This person took to Reddit on Wednesday to explain that when they ticked the "Xbox...
News Xbox Says It 'Defines Success' By How Much Time Players Spend On The Platform
All about the engagement
With the ROG Xbox Ally now spreading its wings around the globe, the Xbox Wire team has shared a blog post about the device's day one launch and what updates are coming in future - and they've used some interesting language here as Microsoft enters new territory with its first handheld system. <related ids="192638">
News Microsoft Teases New Features Coming To ROG Xbox Ally In Late 2025 & Early 2026
"We’re committed to pushing handheld gaming further"
The ROG Xbox Ally is only just starting to be delivered across the world today, and Microsoft is already talking about plans for new features! Specifically, they've highlighted a few things arriving in the coming weeks and months. It sounds like the first major post-launch addition will be...
News Waterpark Simulator Has Become A Viral Hit On PC, And The Devs Might Bring It To Xbox
"We plan to expand to other platforms"
In recent weeks, we've seen CayPlay's viral hit Waterpark Simulator popping up all over our YouTube and social media feeds - and to be honest, it's making us a bit jealous that we can't hop in and play on Xbox. Despite this being a Steam-only release for now though, the developer has hinted that other platforms...
