Timeline
Monday6th Apr 2026
News Starfield's Huge Update Arrives On Xbox This Week, And Here Are The Release Times
For both the Free Lanes and Terran Armada content
Ready for more Starfield? The game is getting its first (and probably biggest) major update of 2026 this week with the arrival of the Free Lanes and Terran Armada content, the former of which is free and the latter of which is paid. Back in March, we covered the specifics of this content in more...
Sunday5th Apr 2026
News 80+ Games Are Reduced By 90-95% In The Xbox Spring Sale 2026
HUGE discounts for great games!
Looking for some cheap Xbox games during the Xbox Spring Sale 2026? There are a whopping 2000+ titles discounted as part of this year's sale, and over 80 of them have been reduced by 90% or even as much as 95% for the next two weeks. Due to there being so many individual discounts here, we've tried to curate them a...
Hands On Car Dealer Simulator Has Something For Every Sim Fan On Xbox
A simulator extravaganza
Simulators are becoming much more popular on Xbox these days, and that's leading to floods of them arriving on Series X|S as of late. Some sims are as addictive as all-hell, and while often laden with some of that endearing 'jank', they're typically quite approachable too. Well, this past week or so I've been playing Car...
News Three Xbox Games Are Shutting Down Their Servers In April 2026
All of them unplayable by the end of the month
A new month has begun, and therefore we've got more server shutdown notices to bring your way for Xbox games in April. The good news is that there aren't too many in here, but the bad news is that none of them have offline modes. Firstly, we've got King of Meat which is going offline on April 9th - a...
Saturday4th Apr 2026
As part of patch 1.02.00
The latest update for Crimson Desert has officially been rolling out across Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S today, and when it comes to the Xbox Series X in particular, there's been a notable improvement for the game's performance mode. It's mentioned in the patch notes for Crimson Desert Patch 1.02.00 that the dev has...
Feature With 2025's GOTY Now In The Library, Xbox Game Pass Premium Is Becoming Too Good To Ignore
A serious value for Xbox players
When Xbox Game Pass Premium was first introduced back in October, we didn't know how the service would hold up long-term. Yes, at the time we declared it a great value (largely thanks to Microsoft's new commitment to put its own games in the library within a year), but we still weren't sure how the tier would sit...
News Here's What Might Leave Xbox Game Pass In May 2026
Some early predictions!
What's leaving Xbox Game Pass in May 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...
Feature These 20+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (April 6-10)
Including at least two new Game Pass titles!
Welcome to your Xbox games roundup for April 6-10! We've not got any major reveals coming up, but there are still plenty of intriguing indies on the horizon, along with at least two Xbox Game Pass titles in the form of Final Fantasy IV and Tiny Bookshop! Here's what's coming to Xbox next week: New...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 4-5)
An Easter weekend special!
Welcome to your first weekend in April! With Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 entering Game Pass Premium a few days ago, we suspect there'll be a bunch of Xbox players jumping into 2025's GOTY for the very first time - that's certainly not a bad way to spend an extended Easter weekend! Here's what we'r
Friday3rd Apr 2026
News Xbox's State Of Decay 3 Finally Returns, Signups Now Live For Alpha Playtests
"A mysterious broadcast calls to all survivors of the blood plague"
It's been a long time since Xbox first announced State of Decay 3, but it's finally almost ready to start public playtesting, with a "mysterious broadcast" from Undead Labs announcing plans for multiple Alpha Playtests in the near future. You can watch this broadcast up above,...
News $10 Co-Op Horror Game 'Content Warning' Is Off To An Impressive Start On The Xbox Store
It's only been out for two days!
Two days ago, a game called Content Warning officially released on the Xbox Store for Xbox One, Series X, Series S and PC, and it's already racked up just under 50 reviews on the US version of the store - amounting to a 4.7/5 rating. This is a formerly Steam-only title that has a whopping 30,000+ user ratings on...
News Tiny Bookshop Is Fantastic On Switch, And It's Coming To Xbox Game Pass Next Week
Another day one surprise!
We've got our 11th announcement for Xbox Game Pass in April 2026 after just two days of the month! This one is for Tiny Bookshop, which is an amazing Nintendo Switch and PC game that first released last year. In it, you play as someone who's left their life behind to open a travelling bookshop, with the game serving as a...
Opinion XBLA Was Amazing, But Xbox's Indie Program Is Better Than Ever Right Now
ID@Xbox is serving up great games on a weekly basis
If you were an Xbox fan in the Xbox 360 era, you'll almost certainly remember the Xbox Live Arcade program (and indeed the Xbox Live Indie Games program), which allowed creators of a smaller size to bring their games to the platform digitally, and gave us some of the most popular titles of the...
News Xbox Relists Multiple Backwards Compatible Games, And Then Quickly Delists Them
"What's happening?"
There's been a lot of talk about Xbox backwards compatibility in 2026 already, especially since Xbox teased some kind of revival for the program at GDC a few weeks ago, but at the moment, we have no idea what we'll be getting. Will it be brand-new additions for console? The arrival of Xbox backwards compatibility for PC? Could it...
News The First Three Xbox Game Pass Additions Of April Have Begun Rolling Out
With NBA 2K26 arriving later today!
With April now in full swing, and with NBA 2K26 having been randomly announced for Game Pass earlier this week, we wanted to issue a reminder that the first three Xbox Game Pass additions of the month have now begun rolling out! The first two technically arrived yesterday (April 2nd) in the form of Barbie Horse...
News Xbox Drops 300+ Games To Their 'Lowest Price Ever' In Spring Sale 2026
Here's a look at some of the most notable ones
It's always difficult to know what to buy in Xbox's massive sales, and that's especially the case with the Xbox Spring Sale 2026, which features over 2000 games in all - one of the biggest sales we've ever seen on the Xbox Store. With that in mind, we thought we'd pick out a bunch of games in the...
Thursday2nd Apr 2026
News 'We're Just Getting Started' - Xbox Employee Hypes Up 'Momentum' Of 2026 So Far
It's been a busy start to the year
What a crazy few months we've had in the world of Xbox, eh? It's normally pretty quiet around this time of the year, but Asha Sharma has taken the role of Xbox boss, we've had multiple showcases, the next Xbox console has
News Xbox Series X Is Even Better Than PS5 Pro For Assassin's Creed Unity, Suggests Report
A surprising advantage for the lesser-powered system
It's not very often that we expect the Xbox Series X to beat the PS5 Pro in terms of visuals or performance, but apparently that's the case with the new upgrade for Assassin's Creed Unity, which has a graphical advantage on Xbox. This is according to the fine folks at Digital Foundry, who advise...
News Xbox Announces Eight 'FanFest Tour' Events Taking Place Across The World In 2026
A massive celebration for Xbox's 25th anniversary
Woah! Following the announcement of Xbox FanFest in LA for the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 earlier this week, it's now also been revealed that the Xbox FanFest Tour will be stopping at no less than eight destinations this year! Specifically, the following countries will all be getting Xbox FanFest...
News Is It Us, Or Did Xbox Just Get A Major Makeover On The Microsoft Store For Windows?
This looks better than the Xbox app itself
Truth be told, we pretty much never engage with the actual Microsoft Store app for Windows. If we're going to play PC games, it's either through the dedicated Xbox PC app, or another storefront like Steam and the Epic Games Store. However, we came across a post today from MondoXbox that suggested
Deals All 140+ Backwards Compatible Games In The Xbox Spring Sale 2026
Original Xbox and Xbox 360 classics
The Xbox Spring Sale 2026 has now officially begun, and as usual for a big sale like this, we've got almost 100 games from the original Xbox and Xbox 360 eras that have been discounted! There's actually a lot of stuff in here that very rarely gets discounted as well, including the likes of the Dead or Alive...
News Multiple Assassin's Creed Games Are Free To Play On Xbox This Week (April 2-6)
As part of Xbox Free Play Days
The latest edition of Xbox Free Play Days officially begins today, and it's all geared around Assassin's Creed this week, with six games from Ubisoft's franchise available to play from April 2nd to April 6th. As far as we know, these titles become available from 8am PT / 11am ET / 4pm BST, and they don't require Xbox...
News 'Xbox Buys Steam' Racks Up Tons Of Searches In Response To April Fools' TikTok Video
The power of a simple joke!
Yesterday, we highlighted an April Fools' joke about something called "Xbox Game Pass Flex" and how we thought it might convince a few people, but there's another joke that had many people questioning whether it was true or not! Going through the daily Google Trends is something that's part of our job here at Pure Xbox...
News Five Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass In Early April 2026
Everything that's leaving soon
Microsoft has revealed the next six games leaving Xbox Game Pass in early April 2026, with all of these being highlighted as "leaving soon" on the official Xbox mobile app. The most notable departure here is Grand Theft Auto V, which is disappearing across all platforms including Xbox Series X|S and PC. We've also got...
Wednesday1st Apr 2026
News Xbox Spring Sale 2026 Now Live In Full, 2000+ Games Discounted
Everyone gets the deals!
It's time for the Xbox Spring Sale 2026! This year's selection has begun with a list of over 2000 discounted games, plenty of which are major AAA titles (even including some 2026 releases), so there's some great stuff to choose from. This is a bigger selection than the Xbox Spring Sale "Preview" that went live for Xbox Game...
News Out Of Nowhere, Xbox Just Announced NBA 2K26 For Game Pass
And it's arriving this week!
Surprise! Xbox has randomly announced today that NBA 2K26 is coming to Game Pass this week, arriving for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass members on Friday, April 3rd. The bizarre timing of the reveal has even led people to question whether it's an April Fools' joke, but we don't believe that to be the...
Talking Point How Many Random Peripherals For Xbox Games Do You Still Own?
Any toys-to-life stuff? How about Rock Band or Guitar Hero?
You know what? I've been really tempted to play some Disney Infinity 3.0 lately. I own the Xbox One version — not the Xbox 360 version shown in the image above — and it's still great fun to play as a huge Star Wars fan. At the same time, I can't help but glance over to Steam and see...
News 'There Is No Shop' - Halo Dev Eases Concerns Over Xbox Fanta Skin For Campaign Evolved
What other skins might we see?
We're getting closer and closer to the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved later in 2026 (exact date TBD), and we've also got a peek at a new in-game skin — you can see it up above, and it's quite evidently inspired by Fanta! That's because it's part of a new Xbox promotion in which free content is being given away...
News Ubisoft Teams With Xbox To Bring 'Heroes Of Might And Magic: Olden Era' To PC Game Pass
The new game releases in early access on April 30th
We've got another Game Pass confirmation for April! It's been announced that Ubisoft and Hooded Horse have teamed up with Xbox to bring Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era to both the Xbox PC app and PC Game Pass on April 30th, which happens to be its early access release date. This is the...
News Some Unlikely Games Have Entered The 'Top Paid' Xbox Charts In Recent Weeks
Including titles you might not even be aware of!
There was a time when we used to scan the "Top Paid" Xbox charts all the time for an idea of how certain games were selling on the platform, but unfortunately they're not as good as they used to be - they only seem to get updated on rare occasions now, and there aren't specific charts for each region...
News 'Xbox Game Pass Flex' Is An April Fools' Joke, But Could It Actually Happen One Day?
It actually sounds plausible
You have to be careful what you're reading on days like this! If you hadn't clocked it yet, today is April Fools' Day, and therefore we're seeing loads and loads of fake stories doing the rounds on the likes of social media. One that's been getting a lot of attention actually relates to Xbox. The folks over at Insider...
News The Elder Scrolls Online Is Coming To PC Game Pass With Xbox Play Anywhere Support
New Seasons content also unveiled for 2026
We've had a new announcement for PC Game Pass overnight, as it's been revealed that Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls Online is finally coming to the Xbox PC app on June 2nd, 2026 - and it'll also include Xbox Play Anywhere support. This means that if you already own The Elder Scrolls Online for your Xbox...
Tuesday31st Mar 2026
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Addition In March 2026?
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2? Cyberpunk 2077? Absolum? Tell us!
It's been a really busy month for Xbox Game Pass, and as that month comes to an end, we thought we'd take a look back at what Microsoft has served up for us over the past few weeks - including some major AAA additions! Of course, we're talking about the likes of Kingdom Come: Deliverance...
News Darksiders Warmastered Edition Is Getting Re-Released For Xbox Series X|S
On the same day as the Forza Horizon 6 launch!
Fancy a new version of Darksiders Warmastered Edition?! That's exactly what we're getting, as THQ Nordic has announced today that the game will be re-released for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PS5 on May 19th, 2026. At the time of writing though, very few details are being shared in terms of what to...
News Here's What Asha Sharma Has Been Playing On Her Xbox Gamertag Over The Past Month
A peek at the new Xbox boss's account activity
It feels like a lifetime ago now, but all the way back in late February, new Xbox boss Asha Sharma shared her Xbox gamertag with the community before being criticised for "faking" it with an artificially inflated gamerscore, to which she clarified that her whole family was sharing the account and that...
News '$1000 Consoles Will Be The Norm' - Analysts Discuss Cost Of PS6 & Next-Gen Xbox
Recent price hikes spell out an expensive future
With the recent price hikes happening in PlayStation land, we're pushing towards a world where four-figure console costs are almost the norm; PS5 Pro will become $900 from next week. While the upgraded PS5 model is an enthusiast bit of kit, it sounds as though we may have to get used to these sorts of...
Feature 10 New Xbox Indie Games That Should Be On Your Radar In April 2026
Including many coming to Game Pass!
A new month is about to kick off, and looking at the list of games coming to Xbox in April 2026, it's actually quite ridiculous how many great-looking indies are on the way over the next few weeks! Many of them are on Xbox Game Pass, too. The likes of Hades 2, Replaced, Vampire Crawle
News ROG Xbox Ally's Late March Update Adds New Quality-Of-Life Features
Improvements to the Xbox full screen experience
We've got an interesting new update for the Xbox app on the ROG Xbox Ally today! Multiple new features have been added to the Xbox full screen experience, and they'll make things a little more convenient for Xbox handheld users. The first of these is a new "Display" tab that's accessible when pressing...
News Fable, Grounded 2 Co-Developer Loses Studio Head Following Mass Layoffs
The team has supported multiple Xbox studios
In another bit of disappointing industry news this week, Eidos-Montréal has announced that 124 employees have been let go — alongside the departure of the team's studio head, David Anfossi — as "a result of changing project needs and impacts across production and support teams". The studio took to
News Xbox Has Already Given Forza Horizon 6 Access To A Few Lucky People
Look out for previews next week
We're getting closer and closer to the first major Xbox first-party release of 2026! Forza Horizon 6 is just around the corner, releasing on May 15th for early access and May 19th for the full release, and some people are playing it already. Last night, various content creators started taking to social media to...
Monday30th Mar 2026
Feature Five Things We Want To See From Xbox's Gears Of War: E-Day Direct
Taking place this June!
Well, well, well! With today's announcement of the 2026 Xbox Games Showcase ft. Gears of War E-Day Direct, we're finally set for another look at Microsoft's upcoming Gears of War title this summer. It's been almost two years since E-Day was first revealed, and developer The Coalition has been very quiet on the game since...
News 'Part Of The Return Of Xbox' - Asha Sharma Explains Why FanFest Is Returning To LA This Summer
There wasn't an official one for XGS 2025
You've heard of Xbox FanFest, right? This is the name for an official Xbox community program that aims to bring Xbox fans together in various ways, and it's usually highlighted by a special in-person celebration in Los Angeles for the annual Xbox Games Showcase that takes place each June. Last year though,...
News Super Meat Boy 3D Reviews Go Live Ahead Of Xbox Game Pass Launch
"I screamed, I shouted, I cursed the developers’ mothers"
As we mentioned earlier today in our "final Xbox Game Pass additions for March 2026" roundup, Super Meat Boy 3D is launching day one for the service on Tuesday (March 31st), and the reviews have therefore gone live already. It's generally good news as well! Plenty of the critics are...
News 'Race To The Bottom Pricing' Isn't Advisable For Xbox Game Pass, Suggests BG3 Director
They argue that such tactics can hurt the industry
Just under a week ago, a report started getting a ton of attention when it suggested that new Xbox boss Asha Sharma might be considering a price revamp of sorts for Xbox Game Pass, potentially in the form of a new tier that could offer cheaper access to the service. From a consumer standpoint, we're...
News Xbox Games Showcase Announced For June 2026, Featuring Gears Of War: E-Day Direct
"It’s time for another look at the future of gaming"
Here we go, folks! The Xbox Games Showcase for 2026 will officially take place in just a few months' time, and the special "Direct" taking place after its conclusion will be for none other than Gears of War: E-Day. As always, we can expect a mountain of reveals for Xbox during the main show...
Feature All New Games Coming To Xbox In April 2026
Release dates for every April Xbox launch
Welcome to our roundup of all new Xbox games coming out in April 2026! Below, we've listed every Xbox game with an April 2026 release date, including all confirmed Xbox Game Pass titles for April 2026 so far. Without further ado, here are all the new games coming to Xbox in April 2026: The Biggest New...
News 'Found It For £5' - GTA IV Xbox 360 Dev Kit Discovered In Edinburgh With Unseen Beta Content
The most unlikely of finds at a car boot sale
You don't hear something like this every day! The GTA 4 community has been buzzing this weekend with the discovery of an unseen beta for the game, and it originates from the most unlikely of places - a car boot sale in Edinburgh. Yes, someone took to the GTA Forums the other day to reveal how they'd...
News Three Final Xbox Game Pass Additions For March 2026 Are Available Early This Week
Including a new day one title!
Welcome to your latest Xbox Game Pass update, and our final one for March 2026! Indeed, we've got three games coming to the library across the last two days of this month - including the pictured Resident Evil 7 and a brand-new day one drop. Here's the lowdown on your final Xbox Game Pass additions of the month (March...
Sunday29th Mar 2026
News Remember 2004's 'Ghostmaster' On The OG Xbox? It's Just Received A Remake For Series X|S
Available now on the Xbox Store
All the way back in 2004, a little-known game called "Ghost Master: The Gravenville Chronicles" made its debut on Xbox following its PC release a year earlier, and that game has just received a new remake for Xbox Series X and S! The new version is Ghost Master: Resurrection, described as " back the essence of the...
Feature Xbox, Now's The Perfect Time To Put This Brilliant Last-Gen COD On Game Pass
It's exploded in popularity!
So far, Microsoft has been rather sporadic when it comes to putting Call of Duty titles on Xbox Game Pass. They've committed to dropping brand-new entries into the library with the likes of Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 arriving day one, but the back catalogue hasn't been as predictable thus far. While we've talked plenty...
