Xbox Game Pass Features
Poll Are You Buying The 'Early Access Upgrade' For Starfield?
It'll work nicely with a Game Pass sub!
Things have been a little quiet on the Starfield front since everything that happened in the wake of the Xbox Games Showcase last month, but we still want to know how you'll be tackling the game at launch, especially now that you've had a few weeks to sit on all of June's sweet, sweet information. In and...
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...
Talking Point Are You Looking Forward To The New Forza Motorsport This Year?
Hype around the game feels strangely subdued
Over the last couple of days, our racing game focus has been squarely on Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown with Nacon finally unveiling official gameplay, but don't forget there is another huge Xbox racer in the pipeline! Forza Motorsport makes its grand return on Xbox Series X|S later this year, and we...
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Game In June?
Need for Speed? Amnesia? Bramble? Tell us!
We're kicking off our "Pick One" feature slightly earlier than usual this weekend, and this time around we want to know what your favourite Xbox Game Pass addition was in June 2023! Looking back at the month, it was at somewhat quiet few weeks for the service, but we did receive some great titles such as...
Poll Will You Stay Subscribed To Xbox Game Pass After The Price Hike?
How are you feeling about it?
The biggest story of the week in the world of Xbox has been the announcement of a price increase for both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Game Pass in various countries, beginning with Game Pass on July 6th. Specifically, new subscribers to Xbox Game Pass will see the change on July 6th, whereas existing members will notice...
Feature Six Things We're Hoping For From Bethesda's Starfield Direct Showcase
Taking place this Sunday!
Update (Wed 7th Jun, 2023): With the Starfield Direct taking place this Sunday, we thought we'd give this feature a bump! We'll also throw our guide to the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 below, which the Starfield Direct will be a part of. <related ids="150591,149982"> Original story (Fri 10th Mar, 2023): Afte
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Game In May?
Planet of Lana? FIFA 23? Redfall? Tell us!
It's Saturday, so that means it's time for another round of Pick One! We're well into June now, so we thought it'd be a good time to look back at a fairly hectic month in May for Xbox Game Pass, starting off with the turbulent release of Redfall before finishing with a large slate of highly-rated indie...
Video 10 Xbox Games To Play If You Like The Look Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
No Switch? No problem!
Thanks to Xbox Game Pass we've always got lots of unique experiences to be blasting through on our PCs and Xbox consoles, but every now and then another platform delivers something you just can't seem to resist. Over the last week, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has taken the gaming world by storm, and of course, it's only...
Talking Point Are You Still Playing Forza Horizon 5 In 2023?
The open world racer hits a huge player milestone
It's been doing the rounds lately that Xbox's 2021 open world racer Forza Horizon 5 has hit 30 million players according to the game's leaderboard, so we thought we'd load it up and have a quick check. As you can see up above, the in-game Hall of Fame leaderboard has indeed ticked over to just above...
Talking Point How Satisfied Are You With PC Game Pass Right Now?
If you're a Game Pass Ultimate member, do you use it?
We often put a lot of attention on Xbox Game Pass here at Pure Xbox, and that includes the fantastic library of PC Game Pass titles that are accessible to every Game Pass Ultimate member - some of which are unique to that platform. That said, it feels like the console games get more attention...
Talking Point Have You Tried Ubisoft Plus On Xbox Yet?
If so, what do you think of the service?
It's been almost a month since Ubisoft Plus finally launched on Xbox after what felt like an age of rumours and speculation. The team's service contains lots of huge titles to enjoy on Xbox including loads of games from the Assassin's Creed series, the Far Cry franchise, and much more besides. While the...
Poll Which Of These Is Your Favourite Arkane Title On Xbox Game Pass?
And why is it Dishonored
We can't lie - we are a little disappointed by Redfall in its current state. While we think there's a good game underneath some of its teething problems, we were hoping for a bit more from one of our favourite development teams in Arkane. The game's rocky launch has got us thinking more about the team's back catalogue...
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Game In April?
Ghostwire: Tokyo? Minecraft Legends? Tell us!
It's time for another round of Pick One! With April now behind us, we're looking back at a somewhat busy month for Xbox Game Pass, featuring a couple of first-party additions to the library along with plenty of other day one releases. This was the month in which we were finally were able to experience...
Poll Are You Still Excited For Redfall To Hit Xbox Game Pass Next Week?
Seven days to go!
So far this week, things have been eerily quiet on the Redfall front, at least directly from Xbox or Bethesda. Sure, we've seen a new dynamic background hit Xbox Series consoles, but the game still isn't ready to preload yet, and we've seen no signs of a launch trailer or anything of the sort - at least at the time of writing. We...
Talking Point Would You Leave Xbox Game Pass If Microsoft Removed Its Exclusives?
Would the service still be worth it?
One Xbox talking point that's gained a lot of attention recently has been the rumour that Hi-Fi RUSH hadn't sold as much as expected, even though the game reviewed extremely well and seemed to create a lot of buzz at launch in January. Since then, Xbox exec Aaron Greenberg has chimed in on the rumour and its...
Poll What Do You Think Of Xbox's Minecraft Legends So Far?
Are you enjoying the new spin-off?
A new Minecraft game is out now on Xbox Game Pass! No, we're not talking 'Minecraft 2' or anything of the sort, but Xbox has just delivered its latest series spin-off following 2020's Minecraft Dungeons. And, we want to know how you're all finding Minecraft Legends so far. We thought the game was pretty good fun...
Pick One Which Of These Ubisoft Xbox Games Is Your Favourite?
Based on the Ubi+ lineup
It's time for another round of Pick One! With Ubisoft Plus now live on Xbox, we thought we'd take the opportunity to look at every single game included in the package and determine a favourite amongst the Pure Xbox community. If you haven't been keeping up with the Ubisoft+ news, you'll find it elsewhere on Pure Xbox:...
Feature Why We're Excited For 'Ghostwire: Tokyo' To Hit Xbox Game Pass This Week
From the team behind Xbox exclusive Hi-Fi RUSH
This one feels like it's been 'on the way' to Xbox forever, doesn't it? Ever since we saw the Xbox Series X|S logo plastered on Bethesda's beautiful Ghostwire: Tokyo office artwork we've been eagerly anticipating the game's arrival on Xbox Game Pass. Well, more than a year after Ghostwire: Tokyo's PS5...
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Game In March?
Wo Long? Ni No Kuni? Valheim? Tell us!
It's time for another round of Pick One! With March now behind us, we're looking back at a pretty quiet month for Xbox Game Pass, but one that still treated us to some excellent additions that we've been having a blast with so far. We kicked things off with a huge day one addition in the form of Wo Long:...
Poll Have You Tried 'Guilty Gear Strive' On Xbox Game Pass?
If so, what score would you give it so far?
We feel as though Ark System Works' Guilty Gear Strive has gone a little under the radar as an Xbox Game Pass launch, arriving as part of the library on March 7th. As a result, we wanted to check in with the Pure Xbox community on who's been trying out this new Game Pass fighter. We haven't had the chance...
Talking Point What Do You Want To See Most From The Xbox Games Showcase 2023?
Summer is coming
With the announcement of a date for Bethesda's upcoming Starfield Direct event, we also got confirmation on when Xbox's big summer conference lands in 2023. Yep, the annual Xbox Games Showcase hits on June 11th this year, and now that it's firmly marked in our calendars, we've begun thinking about what Xbox might show off.
Poll What Do You Think Of 'Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty' On Xbox Game Pass?
Have you beaten the first boss yet?
Team Ninja's latest soulslike Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty has been up on Xbox Game Pass since late last week, meaning you've had the weekend to try it out now - if you're at all inclined! Here at Pure Xbox HQ we've been playing the game a little longer than that, and we very much enjoyed our time with the game for...
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Game In February?
Atomic Heart? Mount & Blade 2? Tell us!
It's time for another round of Pick One! With February now in the books, we're looking back at a quieter but still pretty impressive month for Xbox Game Pass, which included the additions of a few highly popular games. The big day one release of the month was undoubtedly Atomic Heart, which arrived after...
Poll What Score Would You Give 'Atomic Heart' On Xbox Game Pass?
Are you enjoying it?
February has been another solid month for Xbox Game Pass, with Atomic Heart arguably being the biggest launch of the month - and one of the biggest of the year so far. Mundfish's sci-fi shooter has been out for a good few days now, so, how are you finding the game? Here at Pure Xbox, we scored Atomic Heart 7/10 in our review...
Talking Point Do You Buy Less Third-Party Titles Because Of Xbox Game Pass?
Or is it more of a first-party library to you?
The viability of Xbox Game Pass has once again been in the spotlight this week, as Microsoft continues to fight various authorities to pass its Activision Blizzard deal. While the company has seemingly admitted that Game Pass affects individual game sales (a point that seems obvious to us anyway),
Reaction Halo Infinite's New Playlist Feels Key To The Game's Future
We're loving these Forge maps!
If there's one core issue that's plagued Halo Infinite pretty much since launch, it's been the severe lack of meaningful post-launch content. The team hasn't delivered any new weapons at all so far, and additional maps for us to play around with have been pretty hard to come by as well. Late last year though, Forge's...
Poll What Do You Think Of Hot Wheels Unleashed On Xbox Game Pass?
Enjoying it so far?
It feels like we were waiting ages for Hot Wheels Unleashed to arrive on Xbox Game Pass - mainly because it was supposed to join the service back in December - but now it's finally here, available in its huge Game of the Year format for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC and Xbox Cloud Gaming. The question is, what do...
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Game In January?
Hi-Fi Rush? GoldenEye? Monster Hunter? Tell us!
It's time for another round of Pick One! With January in the books, we're looking back at a slightly bizarre month for Xbox Game Pass, but one that ultimately ended up turning into some of the best few weeks we've seen in quite a while. The service only treated us to two games between January 1st and...
Feature Microsoft's Acquisition Of Bethesda Is Starting To Add Amazing Value To Xbox Game Pass
With a stacked year to come
2023 really is going to be the year of Bethesda on Xbox Game Pass isn't it? Hi-Fi RUSH has started the year off with a bang, delivering a huge Tango-flavoured surprise for Xbox fans, and the year of Bethesda & Xbox clicking into gear is only just getting started. Xbox's Developer Direct showcase also pla
Hands On Our First Impressions Of GoldenEye 007 On Xbox Game Pass
Rolling back the years
Can you believe it's finally here? For the first time ever since its Nintendo 64 release back in 1997, GoldenEye 007 has officially arrived on Xbox consoles, and we're still pinching ourselves that it's the real deal. The question is, though, what's this version like? In a nutshell, we're looking at a slightly spruced up...
Feature Hi-Fi RUSH Feels Like A Rhythm Game Version Of God Hand, And We're Absolutely Loving It
The Music Within
Wow. Stuff just happens doesn't it. You spend your whole week waiting and expecting a big game remake to drop that's gonna be the main topic of conversation for January 2023 (although the Dead Space Remake does look excellent) and then
Talking Point What Do You Think Of Monster Hunter Rise So Far?
Enjoying the latest Game Pass addition?
Although it's been a quiet start to the year for Xbox Game Pass, last week saw the addition of three fantastic titles in Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 Golden and the former Nintendo Switch console exclusive, Monster Hunter Rise
Soapbox January's Developer Direct Could Be The Start Of Something Big For Xbox
Comms on lock
Since Xbox basically ghosted The Game Awards in late 2022, I've talked at length about the form of future Xbox events; asking the question of whether Xbox should go down the 'Nintendo Direct' route for upcoming showcases. Well, that future is almost upon us, as the
Soapbox Forza Horizon 5 Expansion 2 Should Take Notes From 'Fortune Island'
The FH4 add-on remains a series highlight
Forza Horizon 5 has been an enjoyable ride so far, with Playground Games delivering a thrilling rendition of open world Mexican racing followed by a major DLC pack in the form of Hot Wheels 2.0. While our reviewer very much enjoyed their time with the series' second Hot Wheels outing, the community is now...
Pick One What's Your Most Anticipated January Game Pass Addition?
Of the titles announced so far
As Xbox is being rather coy on Game Pass announcements this month so far, we've found ourselves looking ahead at the January slate as it is right now. While the first half of the month is rather barren (although random drops do keep appearing), the back half of January is already looking pretty fantastic. We've got...
Video Six Essential Games For New Xbox Series X|S Players
From our new video producer Craig!
As we move into 2023 and the console stock situation continues to improve globally, current generation machines are now pretty easy to pick up (finally). We're now expecting most of you fine folk to own either an Xbox Series X or an Xbox Series S, which means you've got plenty of games to be playing right now! If...
Feature Looking Ahead To A Brighter 2023 For Xbox Game Studios
On track
A lot has been said about Xbox Game Studios this year, with Microsoft's first-party output dropping quite significantly from last year - especially when talking big AAA titles. While that's true and has indeed been disappointing, we want to look ahead to 2023 as we all hope for a much stronger output from Team Xbox. The first offerings...
Soapbox Elden Ring Is My GOTY, But It Was Incredible Indie Games That Kept Me Playing In 2022
AAA in the streets, indie between the sheets
Without a shadow of a doubt, FromSoftware's majestic Elden Ring has quite comfortably earned my own personal GOTY spot for 2023 (with Obsidian's amazing Pentiment in second place) and, really, it's been an easier choice to make than in any other year in recent memory. Nothing else really came all that...
Soapbox This Game Pass Gem Is My Xbox Game Of The Year For 2022
On the road
I've played a lot of great games this year, with Xbox Game Pass helping me discover some proper gems thanks to its consistent work in adding high-quality titles. A Plague Tale: Requiem was an absolute delight back in October (well, aside from the rat waves of course), as was the Xbox-exclusive As Dusk Falls which really surprised me this...
Poll What Were The Best Xbox Game Pass Additions In 2022?
There's so much to choose from!
It's been another busy year for Xbox Game Pass in 2022! Sure, Xbox Game Studios might not have had much to offer us over the past 12 months, but Game Pass has kept our backlogs very busy with a wide variety of third-party releases. To be honest, we think this poll might be even harder than the
Talking Point Are You Enjoying 'High On Life' On Xbox Game Pass?
Love it? Hate it? Come tell us!
High on Life has been in players' hands for a few days now, with the game marking one of 2022's final major Xbox releases. Luckily for us, that release has included a day one Xbox Game Pass arrival, allowing millions of Xbox fans to go hands-on this week. There's quite a lot to High on Life — including the ability...
Poll What Is Your Xbox Game Of The Year For 2022?
Get your votes in!
It's that time of year again! We're looking to crown a Pure Xbox Game of the Year for 2022, and in order to do that, we're going to need you to vote for the best Xbox games of the past 12 months — only the top ten will make the final cut! Last year's winner ended up being the much-anticipated Halo Infinite, closely followed by...
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Game In November?
Pentiment? Battlefield 2042? Vampire Survivors? Tell us!
It's time for another round of Pick One! With November now finally behind us, we're once again going back and looking at the complete batch of Xbox Game Pass games from last month, with the goal of picking an overall favourite. It was another strong month for Xbox Game Pass (as always), with...
Hands On Soccer Story - Xbox Game Pass's Answer To Golf Story On Nintendo Switch
A charming physics-driven adventure RPG
If you own a Nintendo Switch, then there's a good chance you've heard of Golf Story - it's a popular sports/adventure game with RPG elements, and it's getting a highly anticipated sequel called Sports Story in a few weeks' time. Unfortunately, it's a Switch exclusive series, but
Feature 2023 Could End Up Being The Biggest Year In Xbox Game Pass History
We've hopefully got an amazing year ahead
As we fast approach the end of the year, it's already time to look ahead to what Xbox has in store for us in 2023. It's no secret that 2022 hasn't delivered quite as many AAA experiences as we would have liked, with many of them delayed out of the year for various reasons, but that means next year is already...
Feature 2023 Could End Up Being The Biggest Year In Xbox Game Pass History
We've hopefully got an amazing year ahead
As we fast approach the end of the year, it's already time to look ahead to what Xbox has in store for us in 2023. It's no secret that 2022 hasn't delivered quite as many AAA experiences as we would have liked, with many of them delayed out of the year for various reasons, but that means next year is already...
Soapbox Despite Its Rough Launch, I'm Incredibly Excited For Battlefield 2042 To Hit Xbox Game Pass
Progression
The time has almost arrived for Battlefield 2042 to hit Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, with DICE's shooter set to come to the EA Play library during the game's third season. Usually, this sort of EA Play addition wouldn't affect me, as I typically buy and play every Battlefield title at launch. However, 2042's bumpy arrival — and its rough...
Feature Insurgency: Sandstorm Is An Amazing FPS, And It's Heading To Xbox Game Pass
Absolutely worth a go!
Xbox has just dropped its latest Xbox Game Pass roundup for November 2022, and by far the biggest news is that New World Interactive's authentic first-person shooter Insurgency: Sandstorm is coming to the library later this month. In just a few short hours since the announcement, this reveal has been getting a fair bit of...
Interview 'High On Life' Dev Talks Xbox, Game Length And Living Up To The Hype
Launching day one on Xbox Game Pass this December!
Squanch Games' High on Life is one of the most highly anticipated Xbox Game Pass launches we've seen in 2022, and for good reason! The game, which is the brainchild of Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland, attracted massive hype over the summer in response to it
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Game In October?
A Plague Tale? Persona? It's a tough one!
It's time for another round of Pick One! With October now almost behind us, it's time to go back and look at the complete batch of Xbox Game Pass games from this month and pick a favourite! There were some definite highlights in October 2022's Xbox Game Pass lineup, including the likes of A Plague Tale:...