Timeline
Monday17th Aug 2026
Roundup The First Reviews Have Arrived For Mortal Shell 2
A significant improvement over the original?
One of the big releases of this week on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S is Mortal Shell 2, and for those who are willing to pay for the more expensive "Devout Edition", they can actually start playing the game right now with early access ahead of the full launch on Thursday, August 20th. That also means...
News Kingdom Hearts IV Joins Xbox Play Anywhere, Along With Multiple Other Surprises
It just keeps getting better!
You may have seen over the weekend that Kingdom Hearts IV was treated to a new trailer and late 2027 release window as part of Disney's D23 Event, and the even better news is that it's confirmed as an Xbox Play Anywhere title! That means you'll be able to play Kingdom Hearts IV on both your Xbox Series X|S console as...
News Xbox Series S Compared To Nintendo Switch 2 In Oblivion Remastered Analysis
An impressive feat, but not without its downsides
Xbox first-party title The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered has finally made its way on the Nintendo Switch 2, and we've been very curious to see how it would fare on the system compared to the Xbox Series S. Good news - the folks over at
News These 10 Games Are Putting Disney In The Spotlight For Xbox Backwards Compatibility Requests
"The data shows just how much demand exists"
We've talked in recent months about the Xbox Game Preservation website and how it does a fantastic job at tracking the most-requested Xbox backwards compatibility titles, and it's now made a point of highlighting Disney in particular. A new report on the website says that, according to the votes it's...
Sunday16th Aug 2026
Random Xbox Trading Cards Shown Off In Official Video, And People Want To Buy Them
Don't get your hopes up though
There's obviously a massive craze going on with trading cards these days, but we've never seen Xbox trying to get in on it - although a new video has certainly got the attention of certain Xbox fans. It's a video that's been shared around Xbox accounts on various social media platforms, and shows someone opening up a...
Feature 20+ Under The Radar Xbox Series X|S Games Still To Come In 2026
Five months of awesome games to keep an eye on!
Every year there are hundreds upon thousands of new games to get stuck into, so when heavy hitters like Gears of War: E-Day and GTA VI are on the horizon, it's easy to overlook some of the really cool smaller titles coming to Xbox in 2026. We've done something similar before, highlighting 30 of the...
Feature 15+ Of The Best Discounted Games From Xbox's Mid-August 2026 Sales
Our top picks from the latest range of reductions
It was just over a week ago that we brought you our top picks from the first batch of early August 2026 sales on the Xbox Store, but we've had a lot of new additions since then, so it's time to round up the mid-August sales as well! Specifically, we've noticed three new promotions going live on Xbox...
Saturday15th Aug 2026
Poll What's Your Verdict On The Gears Of War: E-Day Beta?
Have you been taking part in weekend two?
It's almost time for the Gears of War: E-Day Beta to come to an end! The second weekend of the beta kicked off on Thursday and disappears on August 17th at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST, so we thought we'd use this opportunity to get your final thoughts on what you've been able to play so far. Of course, the...
News Four Games Are Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass In September 2026 So Far
Looking forward at what's to come
We've made a habit of casting our gaze ahead and sharing with you an early look at what's in store for September 2026's Xbox Game Pass lineup. So far, we know of four games scheduled to arrive in a few weeks' time. We've got dates for two pretty beefy additions in Minecraft Dungeons 2 and Dune: Awakening, and it...
Feature These 30+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (August 17-21)
Including two big single-player releases!
Welcome to your Xbox games roundup for August 17-21! We've got two particularly big single-player releases over the next few days in The Sinking City 2 and Mortal Shell 2, while other highlights include Backyard Baseball, an expansion for STALKER 2, and hopefully more Xbox Game Pass titles to be announced...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (August 15-16)
Gears again? Mafia? Or Madden NFL 27?
The weekend is upon us, people! You know the drill, it's time to pick up your favourite Xbox controller and get cracking with your gamin' masterplan. There's a few games out and about this week, such as Madden NFL 27 if you're all about that yardage. Hell Let Loose: Vietnam is in the mix too, alongside indie...
Friday14th Aug 2026
News Here's What The Mafia: Definitive Edition Upgrade Looks Like On Xbox Series X|S
A first look at the long-awaited upgrade
Today's the day for the free Mafia: Definitive Edition upgrade (for digital owners of the game) on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and I've personally been eagerly awaiting its arrival for the past 24 hours. If you haven't managed to locate it yet, you'll want to look for something called "Mafia: Definitive...
Talking Point Amid Rising Console Prices, What Would You Do If Your Xbox Broke Tomorrow?
Buy another one? Wait for Helix? Go back to an older model?
The industry is in a bit of a mess at the moment when it comes to console prices. We've already heard a lot about about the component crisis that's causing console price tags to continually rise across the board, and it was back in June that Xbox specifically announced a significant...
News Four New Indie Games Are Proving Highly Popular On Xbox Right Now
They're all amongst the top 50 paid games on the Microsoft Store
It looks like Xbox has been updating the "Top Paid" section of the Microsoft Store over the past few hours, and it highlights that four unlikely indie games in particular have all made their way into the top 50 list for "paid" downloads. The one that's doing extremely well is...
News Cancelled First-Party Xbox Title Shows Up In A Random Fishing Game
Talk about hidden Contraband
It's been just over a year since Microsoft scrapped its Xbox exclusive Contraband, teased as an open-world co-op smuggling experience from Avalanche Studios. Until now, all we'd seen was its teaser trailer and a handful of leaked screenshots showing early UI. Now, in one of the most random leaks we've come across, it...
News 1986 Amiga Classic Gets Rebuilt With Two New Game Modes For Xbox Series X|S
It's called Defender of the Crown: The Legend Returns
We've had a whole bunch of really interesting indie releases on Xbox this week including Wild Blue Skies and Duskfade, and another one is a remake of a 1986 Amiga classic that's just launched on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. The game we're referring to here
News Hell Let Loose: Vietnam Comparison Shows Difference Between Xbox Series X And Series S
Take a look at how the Xbox versions measure up
Hardcore FPS Hell Let Loose: Vietnam launched yesterday to some generally favourable review scores, and so we thought to share footage from both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S versions of the game. As has become fairly custom for these comparison features, we've turned to Fuzion Xbox Testing on...
News Xbox Adds Gorgeous New Dynamic Background Ahead Of August 20th Release
It gets prettier the more you look at it
Microsoft's library of dynamic backgrounds on Xbox Series X|S continues to grow this week, with this gorgeous new addition from GSC Game World. The reason is likely to get folks pumped for the upcoming release of Stalker 2's first major DLC expansion, Cost of Hope, launching on Xbox on August 20, 2026. Have...
Thursday13th Aug 2026
News Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater Receives Permanent Price Drop On The Xbox Store
It's been slashed by 35.73% here in the UK
It's not very often that we see permanent price drops for major AAA games on the Xbox Store, especially when they've only been out for a year, but that's exactly what's happened with Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater. For whatever reason, Konami has decided to slash the price of Snake Eater from £69.99 /...
News Here's What The Reviews Are Saying About Star Fox 64 Successor 'Wild Blue Skies'
A real mixed bag
We've been keeping a close eye on the Star Fox 64 spiritual successor Wild Blue Skies for quite some time now, and the game has literally just released for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S at a price of £13.99 / $14.99. So, is it worth it? That's very hard to say at the moment, as the reviews have been all over the place. Some...
News Mafia: Definitive Edition Is Getting A Free 60FPS Xbox Upgrade This Friday
Update: Now official, but physical upgrades don't count on Xbox
When it comes to games that we always wish had received a 60FPS upgrade for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, Mafia: Definitive Edition is towards the top of the list, and now it finally might be getting one in the near future. Various fans have spotted today that the ESRB has rated the...
News Free Play Days: Try These Xbox Games For Free (August 13-17)
Your latest batch of FPD weekend freebies!
Well, whaddaya' know, it's Thursday again! That means it's time for your next batch of Xbox Free Play Days titles, and this week's offering is sadly a little underwhelming. The headliner here is of course, the Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer Beta which is set to go live in just a few hours' time. We've...
News This Kingdom Hearts-Inspired Platformer Is Out Now On Xbox, And Reviews Are Looking Great
"A love letter to the action platformers of the '90s and early '00s"
In a recent indie game feature, we highlighted a bunch of August titles we fully expected to fly under your radar, one of which was called Duskfade. It's an action platformer that harkens back to the early 2000s, drawing comparisons to PS2-era classics like Kingdom Hearts and Jak...
Roundup All The Xbox Reveals From The Kinetic Publishing Showcase 2026
Including the follow-up to Her Story and Immortality
Last night treated us to the first ever Kinetic Publishing Showcase, and all five games in the broadcast were actually confirmed for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S as part of it, along with Xbox Play Anywhere support for all of them. The highlight here was PRECOGNITION, which is the follow-up to...
News Gears Of War: E-Day Dev Announces 10 Improvements For Beta Weekend 2
Lancer buff, Versus Aim Assist, stability fixes, and more
Gears of War: E-Day's Multiplayer Beta is entering its second weekend today, following a massive turnout during the first Beta, despite access being limited to those who pre-ordered the game or subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The Coalition recently posted on the official
News Three Games Are Available Today Across Various Tiers Of Xbox Game Pass (August 13)
"Have you seen the dog bowl?" "I didn't think he could!" 🥁
We're back with another Xbox Game Pass update for you all, this time to spotlight the three new additions available today across various tiers of the service. First up to the crease is Cricket 26, bringing its swinging-wicket-cricket gameplay to every tier bar Essential. Howsat? Want...
Wednesday12th Aug 2026
News Xbox Adds Six New Features In August 12th Update, Now Available To Download
Grab it manually or wait for the automatic install
The latest public update for Xbox consoles has officially begun rolling out this evening (August 12th), with the update now available to download manually via the Settings menu - it'll also be installed automatically in the very near future. As per the update notes on the Xbox website, there are...
News No More Room In Hell 2 Is Out Now, Bringing Its 'Intense' Co-Op Survival FPS To Xbox
Zombies + Friends + Proximity Voice Chat = Fun
One of the games featured in our weekly "coming to Xbox" article was No More Room In Hell 2, an "intense 8-player zombie shooter" that recently left Early Access and launched on Xbox Series X|S consoles with its version 1.0 release. The FPS will have you and your squad deploy across several mission...
Roundup The First Reviews Have Arrived For Hell Let Loose: Vietnam
Scoring good's good enough
Saddle up, new meat! R-E-V-I-E-W-S are in for Hell Let Loose: Vietnam and it's looking fairly positive! If this is your first time hearing about the game, let me get you up to speed. Vietnam is the second Hell Let Loose title, a series known for its brutal and unforgiving FPS combat. If you're yet to try the 50v50...
News Bethesda Hints At Plans To Improve Xbox Version Of Oblivion Remastered
That will hopefully bring Switch 2 optimisations to Xbox
An optimised version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered launched on Nintendo Switch 2 this week, and despite suffering performance issues for over a year now, Xbox users were disappointed by the lack of an Xbox Series X|S update. Just a few months back, Digital Foundry highlighted...
News Xbox Unveils Two New Official Controllers For Gears Of War E-Day
"Inspired by the horror and brutality unleashed on Emergence Day"
Xbox has announced today that we're getting two limited edition Xbox Wireless Controllers based on the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day, with both being designs for the standard controller and one being exclusive to Xbox Design Lab. Pre-orders will start today for the main Gears of War:...
News Here's What Lord Of The Rings: War In The North Looks Like On Xbox Series X|S
The new Legacy Edition of the 2011 Xbox 360 original
Last night, we were treated to the surprise shadow drop of Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Legacy Edition on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S (along with other modern platforms) courtesy of Aspyr, and we've now also got some first footage of how it's running on both of these consoles. Aspyr...
News Giant Rat Leads Protests Against Xbox Layoffs Outside Bethesda HQ
The Elder Scrolls VI looks "incredible", but what about that rat?
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma visited Bethesda's Rockville, Maryland HQ on Tuesday to check out a 'live playthrough' of The Elder Scrolls 6, but what really caught everyone's attention was 'Scabby', a giant inflatable rat. Last month, Microsoft cut 1,600 jobs across its Xbox division, with a...
News Xbox Fan Somehow Manages To Buy A Prototype Of The Elite Series 3 Controller
After it first leaked earlier this year
We were shocked back in May when the Xbox Elite Series 3 Controller appeared to have leaked out of nowhere via a Brazilian regulator, and the same thing has happened once again this week - although this time via an Xbox fan. This comes from a since-deleted Reddit post, although the evidence has been floating...
News Two Games Are Available Today Across Various Tiers Of Xbox Game Pass (August 12)
Including a surprise drop!
It's a brand new day, the sun is shining (please don't look directly into it), and we've got another Xbox Game Pass update for you! We were only supposed to get one new addition today, but there's actually two thanks to a surprise drop! Premium members will have access to both of games on offer today, now that Ball x Pit...
News Xbox Boss Reveals Brief Thoughts On Elder Scrolls 6 After Seeing A 'Live Playthrough'
And racks up millions of views in the process
Xbox boss Asha Sharma has been racking up a ton of attention on social media this evening after sharing that she was recently able to get a behind-closed-doors look at The Elder Scrolls 6. Sharma took to the X (aka Twitter) platform a few hours ago to enthuse that "the scale and grandeur are incredible"...
Tuesday11th Aug 2026
News Digital Foundry Shares 'Highly Impressive' Analysis From Gears Of War: E-Day's Beta On Xbox
"A standout example of what Unreal Engine 5 can achieve on consoles"
Last weekend, The Coalition hosted the first of two Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer Betas on Xbox Series X|S and through the Xbox PC app. The turnout was massive, with players sharing videos of their favourite moments from the Early Access Beta, which climbed to seventh spot...
News Lord Of The Rings Xbox 360 Game Gets Surprise Shadow Drop For Modern Platforms
"Step into a darker, grittier Middle-earth."
Nobody saw this one coming! It's been announced today that Lord of the Rings: War in the North — which first released back on the Xbox 360 in 2011 — has received a Legacy Edition for modern platforms including Xbox Series X and S. The game is an action-RPG that received quite lukewarm reviews back in...
Roundup Here's What The Previews Are Saying About Star Wars Zero Company
"Something every Star Wars and turn-based afficionado should put on their wishlist"
The early word for Star Wars Zero Company is in, with several outlets saying pretty much the same thing: that it's brilliant. Previews are coming in thick and fast for the upcoming turn-based tactics game with a Star Wars twist, and, as expected, there are plenty of...
News Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Publisher Reveals Runtime Ahead of Xbox Game Pass Launch
And how big the download sizes are on PC and console
As we creep closer to the release of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, we're beginning to learn more about the game, including how long it'll take to beat. First thing's first, publisher Focus Interactive has updated Resonance's FAQ page to confirm that the game can be completed in 20 hours, give...
News Eight Xbox Games Are Getting Delisted In August & September 2026 So Far
Here's what's on the chopping block
It's been a while since we last highlighted a list of delisted games on Xbox, and that's obviously a good thing - it means there haven't been many notable ones in recent weeks, although that's kind of about to change in the near future. August is actually very quiet for upcoming delisted games on Xbox right now,...
News More 'Avid Consumers' Are Pre-Ordering $100 GTA 6 Edition Over The Cheaper Version
"Pre-orders have gone much better than expected"
Looks like the majority of people are willing to splash $100 on a game, at least when it comes to GTA 6, arguably the biggest game release in modern history. In an interview with CNBS, Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive discussed GTA 6 pre-orders, saying they "have...
News Xbox Suddenly Tells Loads Of People They Don't Need To Verify Their Age Anymore
"No further action is required"
It was this time last year that Xbox began rolling out age verification in the UK (followed by some other countries) and warning players they'd be forced to verify their age in order to access certain Xbox features in the future. That still remains the case in some places such as Australia, but in others, Xbox has...
News Three Games Are Available Today Across Various Tiers Of Xbox Game Pass (August 11)
Here's a look at what's joining Game Pass today!
We've got another Xbox Game Pass update for you, with three games joining the service today across various tiers. August is looking rather Premium heavy, with all three of today's games releasing in, or shuffling into the mid-tier option. If you think August is coming up a smidge short, I suppose...
Monday10th Aug 2026
News No Man's Sky Creator Shares Statement With Xbox Fans To Celebrate 10th Anniversary
"It has been a wild ride"
Can you believe it's been 10 whole years since No Man's Sky first released?! We all know what happened when the sci-fi epic first launched back on August 9th of 2016 - it received a ton of negative reviews and fell victim to its own hype - but incredibly, the game has continued to add (free) new content over the past...
News Xbox Releasing Major Bug Fix This Week To Address Recent Server Outage Issues
Xbox CTO is as transparent as the 25th Anniversary Xbox, and we love to see it
Xbox Chief Technology Officer Scott Van Vliet, who was praised for his transparency following the major Xbox outage that left some users unable to play games - discs or digital - is back with another update. On July 28th, Van Vliet st
News Blizzard Is Now 'Top Performing' Xbox Studio, Mostly Due To Overwatch and Diablo IV Success
Good to know Blizzard is still cooking!
Blizzard joined forces with Xbox through the Activision acquisition a few years back, and whilst it's been a rough year for Microsoft's Xbox division, it seems the Overwatch maker is kicking butt. As reported by Windows Central, leaked intern
News A New Mario Party Clone Just Arrived On Xbox, And It's Surprisingly Not Bad
It's actually quite good fun!
I've always been a big fan of the Mario Party games, and Super Mario Party Jamboree is quite easily my most played title on Nintendo Switch, but I've never really been able to find a suitable alternative to enjoy as much on Xbox. There are definitely a few options out there though, such as the pretty impressive LEGO...
News Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Has Solid Start On Xbox, Despite Launching Two Years Later
No surprise the GOTY runner-up sold well on Xbox
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth made quite the splash when it first launched as a PS5 exclusive back in 2024, and according to Square Enix's latest financial results, it looks like the RPG is still making waves on Xbox two years later. The Japanese publisher shared some interesting sales figures for Q1 of...
Roundup All The Xbox Games From The THQ Nordic Showcase 2026
Everything we saw
Back at the end of last week, THQ Nordic held the latest edition of their yearly showcase, and although this one wasn't stacked with new announcements, there were definitely some interesting Xbox-related reveals and trailers in the mix. With that in mind, we thought we'd round up everything from the event that we know is coming to...
