
Adam Hales
Adam is a Psychology Master’s graduate passionate about gaming, community building, and digital engagement. A lifelong Xbox fan since 2001, he started with Halo: Combat Evolved and remains an avid achievement hunter. Over the years, he has engaged with several Discord communities, helping them get established and grow. Gaming has always been more than a hobby for Adam—it’s where he’s met many friends, taken on new challenges, and connected with communities that share his passion.
Latest articles by Adam Hales

New Xbox achievement visuals spotted in Cloud Gaming
By Adam Hales published
Xbox Microsoft has refreshed Xbox achievement visuals in the new Cloud Gaming UI preview, offering a cleaner look while sources say no full achievement system overhaul is planned.

Xbox Ally owners hit by new Windows AI issue
By Adam Hales published
News Windows Smart App Control in Windows 11 is blocking Armory Crate on Xbox Ally and ROG Ally devices, preventing users from accessing essential settings and updates.

Hytale modders recreate Call of Duty in the Minecraft-style sandbox
By Adam Hales published
PC Gaming Hytale modders are already recreating Call of Duty-style multiplayer and Zombies experiences, showcasing just how powerful and flexible the game’s modding tools are in early access.

Corsair's Void V2 Max Wireless headset is comfortable but flawed
By Adam Hales published
Review Corsair's Void V2 Max Wireless is one of the most comfortable gaming headsets available, but some issues make it difficult to recommend unless discounted.

Xbox tests a major overhaul of its cloud gaming web UI, now in preview
By Adam Hales published
News Xbox has launched a public preview of its redesigned Cloud Gaming web experience, introducing a cleaner, more console-like interface and updated navigation while it gathers user feedback.

Highguard’s launch goes sideways as Steam reviews tank within hours
By Adam Hales published
News Highguard’s long‑awaited debut has been met with a wave of negative Steam reviews, with players citing bugs, balance issues, and a lack of meaningful content — a rough start for a game that needed a strong first impression.

Sarah Bond highlights XPA engagement, avoids 30% margin talk
By Adam Hales published
News Xbox Play Anywhere is driving higher engagement, according to Sarah Bond, though questions around Microsoft’s reported 30% margin targets remain unanswered.

Steve Downes reflects on the challenges of Halo 5's campaign
By Adam Hales published
News Steve Downes talks about why Halo 5’s marketing set misleading expectations, how trailers conflicted with the final campaign, and why voicing Master Chief became more challenging during promotion.

Spam Gamerscore games made up 40% of Xbox releases in 2025
By Adam Hales published
News New data from TrueAchievements shows spam easy Gamerscore games made up nearly 40% of Xbox releases in 2025, raising questions about store quality and achievement inflation.

Banjo-Kazooie is BACK ... sort of, at least on PC
By Adam Hales published
News Banjo-Kazooie has been recompiled into a native PC release using a fan led project called Banjo Recompiled. The N64 classic now runs on Windows, Linux, and Steam Deck with modern features.

Hytale confirms Steam Deck support, but the timeline isn’t what fans wanted
By Adam Hales published
News Hytale already runs well on Steam Deck, but official support is still on the way. Hypixel Studios confirms handheld PC support is planned, with controller accessibility and optimizations.

January’s Xbox Game Pass lineup is loaded: Death Stranding Director’s Cut, Space Marine II, and more
By Adam Hales published
News Xbox Wire has revealed the next wave of Game Pass additions, bringing a mix of action, strategy, and puzzle games to end January on a high.

Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod removed as CDPR issues takedown
By Adam Hales published
PC Gaming CD Projekt Red has stepped in to remove a Patreon-locked Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod.

Hytale mods already link Minecraft in shared worlds
By Adam Hales published
Minecraft A community-built mod is already making Minecraft and Hytale playable together, highlighting Hytale’s rapidly growing modding scene just days after its early access release.

Marathon trailer leaks, Bungie confirms release date [UPDATED]
By Adam Hales last updated
Xbox Marathon's release date is now officially locked in for March 2026.

Opera GX coming to Linux as platform momentum builds
By Adam Hales published
News Opera GX is set to arrive on Linux in Q1 2026, adding momentum to the platform’s steady growth as gamers and power users look for alternatives to an increasingly AI-driven Windows.

No injuries after reported explosion at Rockstar North
By Adam Hales published
News A reported explosion at Rockstar North has prompted an emergency response in Edinburgh, though no injuries were reported and GTA 6’s development impact remains unclear.

The easiest way to dual boot Windows and SteamOS
By Adam Hales published
Handhelds This guide explains the easiest and safest way to dual boot Windows and SteamOS on Steam Deck, covering partitioning, drivers, boot fixes, and common pitfalls to avoid data loss.

Blood West proves Steam loyalty: 200% sales boost despite Epic giveaway
By Adam Hales published
News Blood West’s free Epic Games Store release did not hurt sales, instead coinciding with a sharp rise in Steam purchases during the same holiday period.

Epic’s user numbers look huge, but spending is flat. Free games trained users to never purchase
By Adam Hales published
PC Gaming Free games helped Epic reach millions of players, but it also changed how they spend. Is Xbox doomed to make the same mistake on PC?

RuneScape’s 25th anniversary proves the MMO refuses to die
By Adam Hales published
PC Gaming RuneScape is turning 25, and Jagex is using the milestone to roll out a full year of announcements, roadmaps, and community events across Old School RuneScape, RuneScape 3, and DragonWilds.

GOG's new owner calls Windows poor quality as Linux interest grows
By Adam Hales published
PC Gaming GOG’s new owner, Michał Kiciński, has criticised Windows as poor-quality software, as the DRM-free PC game store begins exploring stronger Linux support for the future.

Unity layoffs hit Larry (Major Nelson) Hryb after 18 months
By Adam Hales published
News Larry Major Nelson Hryb has been laid off by Unity after an 18 month stint as Director of Community and Advocacy, as the company continues to face layoffs and reputational challenges.

Alphabet surges past $4T — Google’s AI deal with Apple pays off
By Adam Hales published
News Alphabet has reached a $4 trillion valuation after Apple selected Google’s Gemini to power parts of Siri, alongside strong cloud growth and continued strength in advertising revenue.

Windows users are flocking to Zorin OS — Linux momentum is real
By Adam Hales published
News Zorin OS 18 has passed 2 million downloads in under three months, with around 75% coming from Windows users as Windows 10 reaches end of life and hardware limits push more people toward Linux.
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
