
Samuel Tolbert
Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Bluesky @samueltolbert.bsky.social.
Latest articles by Samuel Tolbert

Oblivion Remastered is getting its second big update, with fixes for this major issue
By Samuel Tolbert published
Xbox The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is getting a second major update via Steam Beta, with fixes for performance and more.

Assassin's Creed Shadows for Xbox has a fantastic Amazon Prime Day discount
By Samuel Tolbert published
Deals Physical copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows for Xbox Series X are on sale thanks to Amazon Prime Day, meaning you can save on Ubisoft's best game in years.

Game subscription spending hits an all-time high in the US
By Samuel Tolbert published
Gaming Video game subscription spending reached an all-time high in the U.S. during May 2025. That's according to Circana executive director and analyst Mat Piscatella.

The gaming headset I use every day is at its lowest price ever thanks to Amazon Prime Day
By Samuel Tolbert published
Deals The HyperX Cloud MIX 2 is the gaming headset I use every day thanks to its stellar battery life, and it's on sale right now for Amazon Prime Day.

This Xbox RPG is just $25 in an anti-Prime Day deal
By Samuel Tolbert published
Deals Physical copies of Starfield for Xbox Series X are available for just $25 right now in a Best Buy sale ahead of Prime Day.

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Xbox gets noteworthy sale for Prime Day
By Samuel Tolbert published
Deals The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is one of the Windows Central team's favorite Xbox headsets, and you can grab it on sale right now.

RIP, Perfect Dark
By Samuel Tolbert published
Opinion Perfect Dark was my most-anticipated game from Xbox Game Studios, and its cancelation is a huge waste of potential.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 is bringing another season of the excellent animated series
By Samuel Tolbert published
Gaming Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 is official, with a new season of the acclaimed animated series in development with Studio Trigger and CD Projekt RED.

Xbox layoffs & game cuts wreak havoc on its future portfolio — Weekend discussion 💬
By Samuel Tolbert published
Community It's unfortunate, but the Microsoft and Xbox layoffs, cuts, and cancellations have dominated the week's news cycle. But we want to hear your opinions.

Xbox's Phil Spencer reportedly couldn't stop playing ZeniMax's new game — now it's canceled
By Samuel Tolbert published
Xbox A report from Bloomberg indicates that Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer enjoyed playing ZeniMax Online Studios' new MMORPG months before it was canceled.

Romero Games' next project loses funding due to Xbox cuts
By Samuel Tolbert published
Xbox Romero Games' next project is now on ice, with most of the studio being laid off after losing funding from Microsoft's cuts to Xbox.

PlayStation hit Helldivers 2 is coming to Xbox — no, seriously
By Samuel Tolbert published
Xbox PlayStation Studios' Helldivers 2 is coming to Xbox Series X|S in August, bringing reinforcements to the fight for liberty.

Microsoft Gaming studios head Matt Booty says Xbox has more than 40 games in production
By Samuel Tolbert published
Xbox Microsoft Gaming's Matt Booty says over 40 games are in development at Xbox, while sources say every game shown at the Showcase is "safe" for now.

Xbox is cancelling Rare's 'Everwild' as part of broader cuts — with 'Perfect Dark' and more possibly impacted as well
By Samuel Tolbert published
Xbox As part of broader cuts to the Xbox division, Rare's Everwild and ZeniMax Online Studios' new MMORPG have been canceled.

Microsoft continues Xbox layoffs with jobs cut at King and ZeniMax Media
By Samuel Tolbert published
Xbox Microsoft is laying off employees in its Xbox division, including cuts to the teams at King and ZeniMax Media.

After playing Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, I still have these concerns
By Samuel Tolbert published
Preview Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a brutal Soulslike action-RPG. After going hands-on at Summer Game Fest 2025, I still have some concerns.

Marvel Rivals Season 3 brings Blade and Phoenix, but I need this issue fixed
By Samuel Tolbert published
Gaming Marvel Rivals Season 3 is bringing Blade and Phoenix, but I still need balance issues resolved for my poor main, Thor.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 is coming to Xbox Game Pass soon
By Samuel Tolbert published
Xbox Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 is coming to Xbox Game Pass soon, while Squanch Games' High on Life is returning to the subscription service in July.

Halo Studios says fans won't want to miss the championship in October
By Samuel Tolbert published
Xbox Halo Studios is teasing updates on multiple projects, sharing that fans won't want to miss the Halo World Championship in October.

The best gaming laptops in 2025 will change the way you play
By Cale Hunt last updated
Laptops With one of the best gaming laptops in your hands, you can forget about needing a bulky desktop rig. From budget options to elite picks, here are our favorites.

Windows Central's Best Xbox Controllers of 2025 and Beyond
By Jennifer Young, Jez Corden, Zachary Boddy last updated
Game On! Get the best Xbox controller and make the most of your gaming time.

With Gears of War: Reloaded on the way, which Xbox 360 game would you like to see get rebuilt next? — Weekend discussion 💬
By Samuel Tolbert published
Community With Gears of War: Reloaded set to launch in a couple of months, what other Xbox 360 games should be rebuilt for modern hardware?

Capcom finally gives Street Fighter 6 players the swimsuits they want
By Samuel Tolbert published
Gaming Street Fighter 6 is getting a wave of swimsuit skins for Cammy, Chun-Li, and other characters when the Outfit 4 pack arrives.
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