Timeline
Monday24th Aug 2026
Poll If You've Played It, What Do You Think Of The Modern Warfare 4 Beta So Far?
Everyone gets access this weekend
So, we're just about to finish the first weekend of the Modern Warfare 4 Open Beta, and as we've mentioned already, this one has only been available to those who have pre-ordered the game (or obtained a code via other means). As we look ahead to everyone getting access on August 28th, we thought we'd request some...
News Massive PC Hit 'Mewgenics' Is Coming To Xbox, And Much Sooner Than Expected
One of the highest-rated games of 2026
If you've been keeping up with the PC scene over the past few months, you may have come across a game called Mewgenics that proved extremely popular back in February, and now it's coming to Xbox Series X and S as well. This isn't just a rumour - there's literally an Xbox Store page for Mewgenics that you can...
News The Blood Of Dawnwalker Adds Much-Requested 60FPS Performance Mode For Xbox Series X
"It was clear how much this mattered..."
Last week, upcoming action RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker received quite a lot of negative attention when it was revealed at the game only had 30FPS and 40FPS modes to choose from on Xbox Series X and PS5, but the developer has also now confirmed that a third Performance Mode will be available with 60FPS...
News Xbox To Announce Ori 3 At Gamescom? Moon Studios CEO Reckons It's 'Nonsense'
Update: Seemingly no announcement planned at the event
Last week, you may remember that we covered a potential "surprise" Xbox-published title that could show up at Gamescom 2026 in an announcement, and there's now been a suggestion that game is the third entry in the Ori series. One of the two people who mentioned the surprise was someone known as...
Sunday23rd Aug 2026
News Xbox Now Has 88 Profile Badges, And Here's What They Mean
Including some extremely rare ones!
The folks over at Team Xbox have been making a quite a big deal of Profile Badges recently, adding new ways to view them in the latest Xbox Insider builds and even incorporating a new one for those who bought the Xbox One in 2013. And to be honest, I've never personally paid that much attention to them until now,...
Feature Seven Big Showcases That Need To Be On Your Radar At Gamescom 2026
A bunch of exciting events over the coming week
Here we go! We're just about to enter Gamescom week, during which a whole bunch of showcases will treat us to new trailers, reveals, announcements, deep dives and various other things for a massive range of upcoming Xbox games. These kinds of weeks can get very busy and hard to track, so that's where...
News Two 'Day One' Releases Are Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass Over The Next Few Days
Potentially the last two of the month
We're all set to head into an extremely busy few days of showcases as part of Gamescom 2026, so we thought we'd use this quiet Sunday to give you the heads up on two "day one" releases coming to Xbox Game Pass along the way. The first of these is Blood Dungeon, which is a 2D platforming autoshooter from the...
Saturday22nd Aug 2026
News Here's What Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Looks Like On Xbox Series X|S
Here's how the Xbox versions stack up
Yesterday, the beta gates flung open for Xbox players to have their first crack at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, and from what we can tell, it seems to have made quite the first impression over the past 24 hours. We've managed to play quite a few multiplayer matches and try out the campaign mission, and...
Feature Gamescom Opening Night Live: Date, Start Times & What To Expect
We're getting close now!
Welcome to our Pure Xbox guide for Gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live! As we're now closing in on Geoff Keighley's big August event, we're going to go over the exact date, length and start times for the upcoming livestream - alongside some of what we can expect to see during Gamescom's ONL showcase. We also have some official...
News 50+ Xbox Games Are Reduced By 90-95% In August's Latest Xbox Sales
Tons of great stuff to choose from
Looking for some cheap Xbox games to pick up in the latest Xbox sales? We've already highlighted over the past few days that some amazing games have dropped to their lowest prices ever in the new SEGA and Keep on Gaming sales, so you should start by checking out our roundups for those! Beyond that though, there
Feature These 30+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (August 24-28)
Including three Xbox Game Pass titles!
Welcome to your Xbox games roundup for August 24-28! We've got loads of big releases on the way over the next few days including Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, Metal Gear Solid 4, Star Wars Zero Company and Once Human, while Xbox Game Pass is tr
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (August 22-23)
Gearing up for the MW4 Beta?
It's the penultimate weekend before everything goes gaga for Gamescom 2026! Of course, I'm sure plenty of you will be playing a certain Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta, but don't forget about the Free Play Days offering and the vast amount of heavily discounted game
Friday21st Aug 2026
News Xbox CTO Issues Brief Statement On GTA 6 Leaks
"We are working closely with Take-Two and Rockstar Games"
The GTA 6 leak saga continues! As someone known as "Cyberleek" continues to share footage from an old build of GTA 6 online, it seems Take-Two is desperately working to track the person down and put a stop to the spoilers. Both Kotaku and Windows Central are reporting today that Take-T
News Here's What The New Stalker 2.0 Update Looks Like On Xbox Series X|S
First impressions of the new Unreal Engine version
Earlier this week, we highlighted the brand-new Stalker 2: Cost of Hope DLC and how it was getting extremely positive reviews, but we didn't talk that much about the other major addition in the form of the free 2.0 update. This is a seriously massive update for Stalker 2 that's described by the...
News The Blood Of Dawnwalker Has Three Performance Modes On Xbox Series X
Update: Make that three!
We've timestamped the gameplay trailer to start at the beginning of the Xbox Series X performance mode specifications. Rebel Wolves has posted Xbox Series X gameplay for its upcoming RPG, The Blood of Dawnwalker, revealing the two graphical modes you can expect when it launches on Xbox and other platforms on September 3rd...
News Silent Hill: Townfall Confirmed As Timed Exclusive, Will Likely Hit Xbox
Could launch as soon as March 2027
Konami has dropped 19 minutes of gameplay for Silent Hill: Townfall, the next mainline entry into the iconic horror series. The game is set to launch September 24, 2026 as a console exclusive on PS5 for at least six months. At the end of the gameplay video, the fine print reads that whilst Townfall is available on...
Feature 25+ Of The Best Discounts From Xbox's Keep On Gaming Sale
A deal? A succulent Xbox deal?!
The best game, is a discounted game! So, we've been a busy bunch, trawling through Xbox's 'Keep On Gaming' sale to find you a deal worth nabbing. We've plucked a handful of titles reduced to their lowest price ever, such as MLB The Show 26 and Battlefield 6, with the latter currently offering a free trial period...
News Xbox Has Reportedly Pulled Out Of Sharing Digital Sales Data With Circana
EA said to have done the same thing
When it comes to sales reports across the games industry, some of them only provide estimated figures because analysis firms don't have all the definitive details, but Circana actually receives digital sales data from various publishers including Sony, SEGA, Konami, Capcom and others - and until very recently,...
News Xbox Series X25 Price & Release Date Details Are Starting To Leak Out
We've got the European price and a seemingly confirmed date
Here we go! We know many people have been eager to learn more about the Xbox Series X25 console's release date and price, and it looks like we've finally got some details on both of those things via a new leak. The well-known and usually very accurate website Dealabs is reporting that the...
News Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 Is Getting Great Reviews Ahead Of Release
MGS4 makes its Xbox debut as part of it
Next week marks the arrival of Metal Gear Solid 4 on Xbox for the very first time as part of the new Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.2, and that collection is unsurprisingly getting some great review scores ahead of release. The collection also includes Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (the HD...
Guide Call Of Duty: MW4 Open Beta Dates, Start Times & How To Download
Starting TODAY in early access!
It's almost time for the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (MW4) Open Beta! With the full game set to release this October, the beta will provide your first chance to check out not only the multiplayer, but even a sample of the campaign as well. So, here's a look at everything you need to know about the Modern Warfare 4...
Thursday20th Aug 2026
News Gallipoli Is Out Today On Xbox, And Here's The First Reviews And Series X|S Gameplay
"Fight intense 50-player objective-based battles on the Ottoman Fronts"
We've got quite a highly-anticipated new FPS releasing on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S today (along with other platforms) in the form of Gallipoli, and the first reviews and Series X|S footage have already begun rolling out for it. This game is based during the WW1 era and...
News Xbox Reportedly Makes Up Less Than 5% Of US Physical Sales In 2026
Are we looking at a disc-less future?
Well, this makes for grim reading! Mat Piscatella of the analysis group Circana has shared some new details today about the gaming industry's performance in both July and the year as a whole, including about physical sales in 2026. As reported by Kotaku, Circana noted that 63% of all physical gaming sales in...
News Gears Of War: E-Day 1:1 'Prototype Lancer' Replica Goes Up For Pre-Order Today
Update: Second batch of stock now available
Gears of War: E-Day is coming exclusively to Xbox this October, and it's already an absolute blast to play, especially the new Horde Siege mode. That said, if you're into prized possessions and collectibles, there's a 1:1 replica of E-Day's 'Prototype Lancer' on the way, and it looks sick! Details are few...
News Free Play Days: Try These Xbox Games For Free (August 20-23)
Presenting your latest batch of weekend freebies!
It's crazy how quick Thursday creeps up, but we're back with your next batch of Xbox Free Play Days titles, and this week's offering is rather juicy. This week we've got three games for you to sink your teeth into. The highlight for us has got to be ICARUS: Console Edition, but in addition to the...
Roundup The First Reviews Have Arrived For Stalker 2 - Cost Of Hope
DLC is available now, alongside a free Unreal Engine 5 2.0 update!
Well, reviews are in for Stalker 2's first major expansion, 'Cost of Hope', and it's off to a flying start! GSC Game World released its premium DLC today, alongside a massive Unreal Engine 5 update that's free to everyone who owns the base game. Stalker 2 has grown on us since we...
News Fallout 76 Gets Free Xbox Series X|S Upgrade In September
"Appalachian Adventurers are in for a Fall full of FRIGHT"
Bethesda has announced Fallout 76 is getting a free current-gen upgrade for Xbox Series X|S on September 15th. Plans to upgrade the seven-year-old Fallout game were revealed as part of "The Slasher" update, described as "a frightening experience that unravels over the weeks spanning our...
News 'Nightmare Scenario' - GTA 6 Fans Fear The Worst As Leaks Become Far More Serious
Leaker appears to have a playable build
We mentioned earlier this week how new clips of GTA 6 gameplay had begun making their onto the internet and circulating around social media, and unfortunately it seems like the situation has now become much more serious. Simply put, the leaks haven't stopped rolling in over the past few days, and there are...
News Mattel Brick Shop Unveils Lifesize Original Xbox With 3,509 Pieces & Five Key Features
"An immersive building experience and a striking display piece"
We've seen all sorts of products being created to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Xbox this year, but this latest one is surely one of the coolest - a lifesized replica of the original Xbox that includes lights, sounds and hidden game scenes! This is being brought to us by the folks...
Wednesday19th Aug 2026
News 'We Can Fix This Quickly' - New Xbox Game Pass Title To Replace Every AI Cutscene This Week
"Keep telling us what you think. We read everything."
Earlier today, we highlighted three games that had just joined Xbox Game Pass as part of the August 19th lineup, including a brand-new release in the form of a 2D souls-like platformer with the name of "Vapor World: Over The Mind". We also mentioned at the time that the game had received...
News Five New Console Features Begin Rolling Out Today For Xbox Insiders (August 19)
A new dashboard view, manage local storage, view your badges & more!
Anyone fancy another FIVE new Xbox features?! These five features begin rolling out to select members of the Alpha and Alpha-Skip-Ahead rings in the Xbox Insider program today (August 19th), and they'll eventually become available for everyone in the weeks and/or months ahead...
News Jagex's New RuneScape Game Is Now Officially A 'Day One' Release For Xbox Game Pass
The 1.0 launch is heading to the service this September
The beloved world of RuneScape has never made an appearance in any form on Xbox before, but when RuneScape: DragonWilds officially releases on September 15th, we now know that it'll be a "day one" launch on Xbox Game Pass. Jagex has confirmed the news in a press release today, and even though...
News Xbox 25th Anniversary Controller: Release Date, Price & Other Details Seemingly Revealed
Expect an official announcement next week
It was back in June that Xbox announced we'd be getting both a controller and a console based around the 25th anniversary of the brand, and some details have leaked out today about the "XBOX Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition" specifically. According to the outlet Dealabs, which is usually always right...
News Xbox Reveals Huge List Of Games For Its Two Gamescom 2026 Broadcasts
"Gameplay reveals, interviews, special guests, new trailers, and more!"
Next week is going to be absolutely chaotic for reveals, deep dives, new trailers and whatever else as part of Gamescom 2026, and it's already been confirmed that Xbox will have two broadcasts across two days on August 26th and 27th. Today, we've been treated to a big list of...
News Three Methods Could Keep Xbox Project Helix Under $1,000, Suggests Analysis
Asha Sharma has already indicated plans to "innovate" in this area
We've already heard a lot about the ongoing component crisis and how it's affecting the price of current-gen consoles, and therefore there's a lot of concern about Xbox Project Helix and the PS6 and how expensive they'll ultimately be. The folks over at Ampere Analysis (
News Control Resonant Goes Gold, But Delays Physical Version By A Few Weeks
Digital copies will still release September 24th
Remedy has announced its highly anticipated sequel, Control Resonant, has officially gone gold ahead of its September 24th release on Xbox Series X|S. However, it's not all good news, as in the same breath the studio revealed the physical release has been delayed by three weeks. Digital versions of...
News Want To Go To England's Xbox Event This September? The Sweepstakes Are Now Live
"This event is like no other that Xbox UK has ever done…"
We've been eagerly awaiting details on the Xbox FanFest event happening here in England this September, and we can now confirm that the sweepstakes are officially live for it! This means that unfortunately, only a certain number of people will be able to go - there are apparently 225...
News Three Games Are Available Today Across Various Tiers Of Xbox Game Pass (August 19)
Two for Premium, and one for Ultimate & PC
It's been a quiet few days for Xbox Game Pass, but we're back with another update for you! We've got three new additions today across various tiers of the service. The most notable inclusion here is Vapor World: Over The Mind as it's a newbie for Ultimate tier subscribers. It's worth mentioning, however,...
Tuesday18th Aug 2026
News Multiple GTA 6 Gameplay Videos Appear To Have Leaked, But There's A Catch Or Two
Ahead of the official reveal next week
It was all the way back in 2022 that GTA 6 suffered a major leak of in-progress gameplay footage, and it looks like something similar has happened today, with a bunch of new gameplay circulating across social media in particular. We're not going to share the footage here for obvious reasons, but the initial...
Talking Point Would You Buy A New Version Of The Simpsons: Hit & Run For Xbox Series X|S?
It sounds like it could be happening
For years and years at this point, it's felt like The Simpsons: Hit & Run has been primed for a remake or remaster on modern consoles, but whatever reason it's never happened - although it finally seems more likely than ever. As you may have seen, Simpsons creator Matt Groening hit the headlines over the weekend...
News Mortal Shell 2 Comparison Shows Difference Between Xbox Series X And Series S
Here's a look at how the Xbox versions hold up
Action-RPG Mortal Shell 2 is available now on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S for those who nabbed the Devout Edition, with its proper launch coming August 20th. Early reviews and impressions paint this dark adventure as a pretty darned great one, boasting an 84 on Metacritic. But how does it perform...
News 10+ Huge SEGA Games Are Cheaper Than Ever In New Xbox Publisher Sale
A particularly fantastic new set of offers!
A new Tuesday brings a new set of Xbox offers on the Microsoft Store, and we're particularly intrigued by this latest SEGA Publisher Sale as it reduces quite a significant number of games down to their lowest prices ever in digital form. We're talking some really big titles here - Sonic X Shadow...
News Battlefield 6 Is Free To Play On Xbox This Week, Starting Today
Wouldn't possibly have anything to do with the Modern Warfare 4 beta...
The team at BF Studios has announced Battlefield 6 is free to try on all platforms, starting today and running through until August 25th. The free trial period just so happens to coincide with a particular Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta, and It's not the first time...
News These 10 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (August 18 - September 1)
Microsoft reveals the latest batch
Microsoft has revealed the second official roundup of Xbox Game Pass titles for August 2026, with 10 games joining the service from August 18 - September 1, including the massive day one addition of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy. Here's the full list of games coming to Xbox Game Pass from August 18 - September...
Roundup Here's What The Critics Are Saying About The Sinking City 2
Does it sink or swim?
The strongest kind of fear may be the fear of the unknown, but no longer, because reviews are flooding in for The Sinking City 2, and they're mostly quite good! Frogwares' latest survival horror is a tentacle-wrapped sequel to its 2019 debut, which had all the hallmarks of a great horror but couldn't quite stick the landing...
Rumour Xbox Could Have A 'Pretty Big Surprise' Lined Up For Gamescom 2026
"Something that has my interest & curiosity piqued"
While Gamescom is always an interesting event that's filled with third-party reveals for Xbox consoles, it's not usually a place that any Xbox Game Studios projects are announced, although that might be about to change this year. A rumour started gaining traction yesterday from apparent insider...
News Five Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass In Late August 2026
Here's what's leaving soon
Microsoft has revealed the next five games leaving Xbox Game Pass in late August 2026, with all of these being highlighted as "leaving soon" on the official Xbox mobile app. There's a couple of really good ones departing this month, such as Another Crab's Treasure and the phenomenal Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. If you've not...
Monday17th Aug 2026
News Halo Studios Reveals Five Main Highlights In Campaign Evolved's Latest Update
Update: Out now on Xbox!
We've got a new update coming to Halo: Campaign Evolved at some point over the next few days, and the folks over at Halo Studios have already revealed the five main highlights that will be featured as part of it. This has been detailed on social media, including the ability to turn off both Chromatic Aberration and Film...
News Xbox Has 'Explored' Using Activision For Future Halo Games, Suggests Rumour
Halo Contractors Involved
It's been a few weeks since Halo: Campaign Evolved launched to a generally positive, but somewhat mixed reception - mostly attributed to its troubled development and lack of multiplayer. Now, the rumour mill has spun up claims that Microsoft is exploring plans to outsource parts of Halo's future development to Activision...
News Future Knight Is Out Now On Xbox, And It's Inspired By 'Classic Electronic Handheld Games'
"Frenetic action and LCD aesthetic!"
One of the new releases that we overlooked for our indie highlights in August 2026 feature earlier this month is something called Future Knight, which has recently released on Xbox and boasts a really cool LCD visual aesthetic! The game is a 2D shoot 'em up in which you play as a robot attempting to save...
