Amongst what feels like a deluge of bad news for Xbox right now, from console price rises (again) and threatened studio closures, it seems GTA 6 preorder sales data has become the next battleground for which fans and publications are using to stick the knife in. There’s a particular social media post right now being shared from IGN stating that, based on their affiliate data, PlayStation is outperforming Xbox on GTA 6 preorders by a rate of 8-to-1.

Windows Central can confirm that we’ve received a statement from an Xbox spokesperson on this matter: “This doesn’t represent pre-order data. We’ve had record orders. People should wait for real data and not clicks on affiliate links."

Why affiliate data isn’t reliable on its own

We’re living in an era where social media narratives often outpace verified market reality, and to be clear, IGN does state in the quote that it's based on their own community data. But it’s worth noting that while it is likely true that PlayStation is receiving more orders based on their console share of the market, nobody actually knows the concrete sales data yet, and relying on affiliate linking programs from one website to draw broad conclusions about the state of affairs is a shaky tactic.

But it IS one that’s gathering traction as it’s being amplified by reports such as this one from Vice, and it’s gathering significant engagement. Engagement that will no doubt have reached the general public outside of the gaming sphere, too, as it's being shared around on Instagram, X, and other platforms.

Affiliate programs track user traffic and clicks directed through specific retail links. Such data inherently reflects the specific demographics, regional biases, and shopping habits of a single publication's readership rather than being a mirror for total industry performance. Treating click-through metrics as a proxy for platform health risks spreading misinformation, as can be seen in the current cycle regarding Grand Theft Auto 6 preorders.

(Speaking of which, we have our own list of links for pre-ordering Rockstar’s highly anticipated game, so go check that out. Girl's gotta plug!)

RELATED: Everywhere you can buy GTA 6

An unquestionably rocky time for Xbox

The discourse right now is occurring against the backdrop of an incredibly volatile console market. There’s a perfect storm of economic pressures, including the significant price hikes taking effect on August 1, 2026, on Xbox consoles, driven by the global crisis in memory and storage component supply.

On a personal note, I’ve wondered why Xbox, during the week of GTA 6 preorders, would choose this moment to announce price increases. GTA 6 is the final major catalyst that will push many remaining Xbox One and PS4 users to the current generation, and both Microsoft and Sony should be utilizing this to their full advantage. While Sony will likely announce its own price increases, waiting until after GTA 6 has launched could be a savvy move to maintain goodwill with the general gaming public, letting Xbox take the brunt of the frustration during a critical sales window for both platforms.

However, by announcing these hikes in advance, could Xbox have actually secured a surge of panic orders during Amazon Prime Week? If we were to look at our own affiliate data, we saw significant click-through rates on discounted Xbox Series X units at Walmart and Target. But for the reasons I have already mentioned, to base a market analysis on that would be biased reporting. Our audience, which is already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, is naturally drawn to deals on Xbox hardware; that doesn't necessarily reflect the wider gaming community, does it?

RELATED: Cheapest way to get GTA 6 on both Xbox and PS5

It’s more important than ever right now for the gaming community to distinguish between anecdotal affiliate traffic and concrete commercial data. As our Xbox contact noted, waiting for official comprehensive sales reports is the only way to gauge the true state of the market. Until then, statistics derived from click-based affiliate programs should be viewed for what they are: a measurement of a specific website's outgoing traffic, not a reflection of the global gaming state of affairs.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Before we begin, I think it's only fair to say that I'm heavily invested in the Xbox ecosystem. It's my platform of choice, but I've almost always owned a PlayStation and Nintendo console alongside it. At least, that was the case until this generation, where I still haven't picked up a PS5 or Nintendo Switch 2.

Being an Xbox fan, though, often feels like living through a constant cycle of highs and lows. One week it's good news, the next it's bad news. Rumors, questionable decisions, smart decisions, panic, excitement, and endless debate. Quite frankly, it can be exhausting.

When Asha Sharma arrived to help revive Xbox, the reaction online felt pretty clear. The usual suspects, and even some Xbox fans themselves, were concerned about her background in AI. Many immediately jumped to conclusions, claiming it was the beginning of the end for Xbox, that the platform was being sunset, or that Microsoft was about to replace game development with AI.

In reality, Sharma has been fairly consistent in how she talks about AI. Her position has largely been that AI is a tool. Not something that replaces games or the people making them, but something that can assist in the development process. In fact, she even ended Copilot for console within her first 100 days as CEO, showing where she stands on AI quite firmly.

That's why Sony's recent strategy update caught my attention.

In its latest report, Sony removed references to bringing first-party games to PC as part of its broader strategy discussion and instead placed significant emphasis on AI, positioning it as a key part of PlayStation's future. Yet the reaction online feels noticeably different. If anything, I've seen more people defending it than criticizing it.

That's not to say Sony hasn't received criticism, because it has, but the conversation feels far more measured than the reactions Xbox often receives whenever AI enters the discussion.

Within its strategy update, Sony states:

"As AI lowers barriers to creation and increases the volume and diversity of content... Within the studio business, AI powered tools are automating repetitive workflows and improving productivity... Across the platform business, AI is driving efficiency, personalization, and customer value at scale... Overall, AI is expected to unleash the creativity of Sony Interactive Entertainment's studios."

Sony clearly believes that AI will enhance the PlayStation experience and reading those statements, it's hard not to wonder what the reaction would have been if they had come from Xbox instead. I genuinely struggle to imagine a world where Xbox could publish those exact same comments without triggering a complete online meltdown, accompanied by endless declarations that Xbox was abandoning hardware development and heading for disaster.

Now, I will admit I'm being a little facetious here, but I do think there's at least some truth to it. If this had been an Xbox-led announcement, I suspect the discourse would have been far louder.

To be clear, I'm fully aware that Microsoft is one of the biggest proponents of AI and the broader push that's currently sweeping through the industry. But that doesn't mean other companies should get a free pass when they're making many of the same decisions that consumers are against. If we're going to scrutinize one company for embracing AI, then surely it's only fair we apply the same standard across the board.

eading those statements, it's hard not to wonder what the reaction would have been if they had come from Xbox instead. I genuinely struggle to imagine a world where Xbox could publish those exact same comments without triggering a complete online meltdown, accompanied by endless declarations that Xbox was abandoning hardware development and heading for disaster.

Now, I will admit I'm being a little facetious here, but I do think there's at least some truth to it. If this had been an Xbox-led announcement, I suspect the discourse would have been far louder.

To be clear, I'm fully aware that Microsoft is one of the biggest proponents of AI and the broader push that's currently sweeping through the industry. But that doesn't mean other companies should get a free pass when they're making many of the same decisions that consumers are against. If we're going to scrutinize one company for embracing AI, then surely it's only fair we apply the same standard across the board.

Of course, maybe I'm completely wrong. That's entirely possible, and that's okay too. I'd genuinely love to hear what you think. Do you agree that the reaction would have been different if these statements had come from Xbox, or do you think I'm off the mark?

Let me know in the comments, and be sure to explain why you do or don't agree. And, of course, don't forget to take part in our poll!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Before we begin, there's an important asterisk attached to all of this. Yes, according to Alinea Analytics, PlayStation has generated nearly double the revenue from PC ports than Xbox has from bringing its games to PS5. However, it's worth noting that Sony's PC strategy began in 2020, while Microsoft's push onto PlayStation only really started in 2024.

There's also a difference in scale. Sony has published roughly 20 PlayStation games on PC, compared to around 13 Xbox games currently available on PS5. So, while I fully acknowledge this isn't an apples-to-apples comparison, it's still interesting to dig into the numbers, look at the differences between the two approaches, and perhaps explore why Sony's PC strategy may not have taken off quite as strongly as it initially hoped.

First off, let's look at the numbers. According to Alinea Analytics, Sony had generated around $1.2 billion in revenue from its PC ports as of November 2025. A significant portion of that success came from Helldivers 2, which alone accounted for more than 12 million copies sold on Steam and roughly $400 million in gross revenue.

It's also fair to point out that Sony actually generated $1.5 billion in revenue, but due to Valve's 30% cut, Sony's takeaway was $1.2 billion.

Over in the Xbox camp, the picture isn't entirely dissimilar. Microsoft's PS5 ports have reportedly generated around $667 million in revenue, but much of that has been driven by Forza Horizon 5.

Despite arriving on PlayStation more than three years after its original launch, the racing game has sold 5.8 million copies on PS5 and generated roughly $323 million in revenue on its own, accounting for nearly half of Xbox's total PlayStation earnings. Again, fair to point out, but this data also includes Sony's cut from sales, which is 30%.

When you put it into perspective like that, it's hard not to question whether the potential brand dilution is worth the extra sales for Xbox. Then again, a similar argument could be made about PlayStation's now-defunct PC strategy, albeit to a much lesser extent given that PC isn't a competing console platform.

Perhaps most surprising is just how quickly Xbox has reached half of Sony's. Sony's PC strategy had been running for roughly five years by the time these numbers were recorded, whereas Microsoft's PlayStation strategy was still relatively new.

As for why Sony's PC strategy may not have performed better, there are a few possible explanations. Several PlayStation games launched on PC with technical issues, while the PlayStation account requirement controversy also created significant backlash. PSN is officially available in around 70 countries, compared to Steam's presence in roughly 190, which became a major talking point due to Helldivers 2. Sony was also restricting game sales of certain PC titles in regions where PSN wasn't supported, though they did walk this back after backlash.

It's an interesting time for both companies. Xbox appears to be stepping back from its recent push to bring more games to PlayStation, while Sony seems to be slowing the pace of its PC efforts as it shifts focus toward AI and makes it a much larger part of its overall business strategy.

Regardless of where either company ultimately ends up, one thing is clear: there are still plenty of great games heading to both platforms. Despite all the turbulence in the industry lately, and yes, AI certainly hasn't helped as rising costs continue to plague the industry. Still, I'm sure we can all agree there's still a lot for games to be excited about.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you think Sony's PC strategy has been more successful than Xbox's PlayStation strategy, or is the comparison more complicated than the headline numbers suggest? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!

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Halo: Campaign Evolved isn't too far away now, and it marks Halo's debut on a PlayStation console, launching on PlayStation 5 alongside every other platform.

Last night, Halo Studios published a detailed Q&A on Halo Waypoint covering what fans can expect at launch. I've already covered some of the bigger announcements elsewhere, but one particular detail has left fans online, myself included, absolutely bewildered.

That detail is Halo: Campaign Evolved's split-screen requirements on PlayStation 5, and no, Halo fans aren't just upset because they're Halo fans.

On Xbox, split-screen works as you’d expect, though both players do need a Microsoft account. You can enjoy couch co-op without the need for Xbox Game Pass; however, on the PlayStation side of things, it’s a bit more complicated. According to Halo Studios, to do couch co-op, where two players play on one console in split-screen, both players will need to have a PSN account, both of which need to be linked to a Microsoft account, and both also need to have an active PlayStation+ subscription.

So, to play offline with a friend on the same console, both players need to be actively subscribed to PlayStation Plus. That's absolutely beyond stupid, no?

Surely most people can agree that's not an unreasonable thing to criticize, and I don't think Halo fans are expecting too much here. This is Halo's first-ever debut on PlayStation, and requiring two active subscriptions just to enjoy local split-screen feels completely at odds with what couch co-op is supposed to be.

I'm fully aware that split-screen likely represents a minority of players these days, but that's kind of beside the point. The issue isn't how many people use the feature; it's the principle of locking local multiplayer behind two paid subscriptions.

To me, this just reeks of poor decision-making somewhere along the line, or perhaps even a rushed one. Could this somehow be related to Sony's infrastructure or account requirements? Maybe. It's possible, especially if the game needs to be always online, but I find that highly unlikely.

Look, I'm excited for Halo: Campaign Evolved, and I'll be picking it up on both PC and Xbox. That doesn't change the fact that this situation sucks for PlayStation players, and I genuinely hope Halo Studios or whoever is responsible for this can address it before launch.

With that said, let me know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll above!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The long, arduous wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 is nearing its end, as Rockstar Games has confirmed when fans can finally pre-order the much-anticipated game.

Starting on June 25, 2026, players can pre-order GTA 6 from the digital storefronts of Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, as well as at select retailers. There's no doubt that fans will be eager to put their money down on a copy of Grand Theft Auto VI, aiming to be the most ambitious entry so far.

It'll feature a gigantic open-world map where players can explore the Floridian-inspired state of Leonida, the return of the fan-favorite locale Vice City, some of the most detailed graphics in gaming, and thrilling crime drama filled with tragedy, intrigue, and the usual hilarious satire of American culture, internet trends, and more.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently slated for release on November 19, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. Stay tuned for more info as we keep an eye out for updates on this highly anticipated follow-up to Grand Theft Auto 5, and hopefully a third trailer with gameplay, as we've mostly seen cinematics so far.

🗨️ Over to you

Now that the pre-order dates for Grand Theft Auto 6 have been revealed, will you be pre-ordering the game or will you wait to buy it at launch or later?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know in the comments, on Reddit, or in the poll below.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Halo fans rejoice. Xbox console fans, however, might riot. I'm kidding, of course, but Halo: Campaign Evolved got a new cinematic story trailer today, showcasing what players can expect from the game and giving us our best look yet at the remake.

Honestly, it looks pretty good. I was already impressed by the gameplay trailer shown during Xbox's June showcase yesterday, as were many others, as the game charted on Steam and the Collectors Edition sold out within the first few hours. The game does look great, though, and everything else on display here has only reinforced that feeling. So, let's take a look at what was shown.

Immediately, the trailer opens with text at the bottom of the screen informing fans that the footage was "CAPTURED ON PS5 PRO" and was reportedly meant to be at Sony's State of Play.

Honestly, I thought that would surprise me, but it does make sense to showcase the game on a console that isn't all that much more powerful than an Xbox Series X, even if it comes with a much more ridiculous price tag thanks to current market conditions.

The trailer doesn't waste any time, jumping straight into The Pillar of Autumn at the start of the game, followed by a close-up of Sgt. Avery Johnson, all accompanied by voiceover work from none other than Jen Taylor, the voice of Cortana.

Visually, the game looks great, and I really don't have much to complain about. That said, I do think the Forerunner aesthetics are a little too clean. These are supposed to be ancient structures, yet everything looks almost brand new.

It is nice, however, to see that Halo Studios appears to be keeping The Flood under wraps for now. I'm sure that'll be a great surprise for players who have never experienced the game before, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing their reactions.

With that said, let me know your thoughts on the latest trailer. Are you as excited as I am, or are you still on the fence? Be sure to leave a comment and take part in our poll.

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Say it ain't so. After fresh confirmation from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma during an interview with Bloomberg, which revealed that exclusives do indeed matter. As Sharma put it, "in order to become a platform, you must have exclusive content and services."

However, during Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest, Grounded 2's next major update was unveiled, with the "Into the Abyss" update arriving on August 11, 2026. Coincidentally, that's also the day Grounded 2 launches on PlayStation 5, making it the latest Xbox-published title to lose its console exclusivity.

It's hard to say, really. Xbox's approach to exclusivity appears to be heading toward a case-by-case basis, which I honestly find more confusing than simply being fully exclusive or not.

They're strange times for Xbox fans, and while I could spend the next few paragraphs debating the company's strategy, I'm sure that discussion has already been done to death. Instead, let's take a look at what players can expect from the newly revealed Grounded 2 roadmap.

First up is the Playgrounds Update, which brings Steam Deck Verified support and ROG Ally support, meaning Grounded 2 should run much more smoothly on handheld gaming PCs. The update also introduces Playgrounds Mode, allowing players to create, upload, and share their own custom playgrounds for those feeling a little more creatively inclined.

Other things fans can look forward to include Steam Deck cross-play, updates to swimming, watery bases, new creatures, and support for additional languages.

Honestly, Grounded has become quite a hit for Obsidian, and I genuinely love the concept behind the game. That said, I have to admit I've only played the original Grounded around the time it first launched.

It's not that I don't want to give Grounded 2 a try. There are simply too many games releasing these days, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with everything.

Still, I'd love to hear your thoughts on Grounded 2's PlayStation 5 release. Do you mind seeing another Xbox-published game head to PlayStation, or was this exactly what you expected? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll above.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

New data shared by Christopher Dring of The Game Business has shed fresh light on how Forza Horizon 6 may have helped boost Xbox Series X|S sales in the UK. It also highlights a significant 50% drop in PS5 sales during May, though that decline may well reflect the recent hardware price increase.

What's particularly interesting is just how close the two platforms ended up. According to Dring, Xbox came within just 400 units of PS5 sales in the UK during the month, with Forza Horizon 6 seemingly helping drive interest in Microsoft's consoles.

Here's what Dring had to say on X: “In the UK, PS5 sales fell 50% in May. It only outsold Xbox Series S/X by 400 units (which saw a 12% rise, helped by console exclusive Forza Horizon 6). Switch 2 was easily No.1 (NielsenIQ).”

It feels like you can't go long without exclusivity being brought up when it comes to Xbox, especially with recent talks on competitors' logos being shown within Xbox’s June Showcase. While I believe exclusives are one of the few ways Xbox can remain competitive in the hardware space long term, I also admit it's unlikely the company will ever fully return to exclusives as we once knew them.

Still, it's nice to see Forza Horizon 6 perform well enough to give Xbox hardware sales a boost here in the UK. Growing up, Xbox was everywhere. These days, you're lucky to see it mentioned at all, which is a real shame.

That said, I think Xbox's bigger issue is Microsoft itself, plus its marketing. The company often struggles to put its products in front of consumers in the same way Nintendo and PlayStation do, whether that's through advertising, retail presence, or simply staying part of the wider gaming conversation, and I hate that as an Xbox fan.

With all that said, let me know your thoughts on Xbox's improved hardware sales in the UK and PlayStation's sizable dip in May. Do you think exclusives still sell consoles, or are other factors at play? Leave a comment below and be sure to take part in our poll!

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2026's Summer Game Fest week has begun, with its first major event, the Sony State of Play, already in the books. While it focused mostly on PlayStation 5-exclusive games, with Marvel's Wolverine stealing the show, there were plenty of games shown there that will also be coming out soon for Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Some of these highlights include a new Rayman game, a closer look at Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a new playable demo released for Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and much more.

Here is every Xbox and PC-related announcement at the June 2026 State of Play.

Rayman Legend Retold

First up, we have Rayman Legends Retold, a new entry in the classic Rayman platformer series that promises a high-flying, wacky adventure where Rayman and his friends must save the Glade of Dreams from evil.

You can punch, kick, and slice your way through obstacles and bad guys solo or with your friends in 4-player co-op.

Rayman Legends Retold is scheduled to launch on October 1, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, with pre-orders now open.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis

Next, we have a new trailer for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a new entry in the classic Tomb Raider action-adventure series.

In this second reimagining of the original Tomb Raider from 1996, you play as the legendary explorer, Lara Croft, as she explores ancient ruins across the world to uncover lost history and ancient relics while fighting off beasts and dinosaurs.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is scheduled to launch on February 12, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, with pre-orders now open.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword

Onimusha: Way of the Sword, the long-awaited comeback entry in Capcom's Onimusha franchise, has a new trailer showcasing more of its swordfighting gameplay and its epic story of the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi fighting to save Japan from the evil Genma.

This trailer also confirms that Onimusha: Way of the Sword's release date is September 25, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, and that pre-orders are now available.

On top of that, Capcom has announced that a playable demo for Onimusha: Way of the Sword is now available on all platforms for players to whet their appetites in the meantime.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve

Bandai Namco took the stage to announce Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, the next entry in its long-running aerial combat series, Ace Combat. In this game, you play as an elite fighter jet pilot tasked with defending your country from invaders by engaging in aerial dogfights.

The game will feature an epic single-player campaign and various co-op and PvP multiplayer modes with cross-play support.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is scheduled to release on October 2, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, and pre-orders are now available.

Dune: Awakening

Dune: Awakening is an open-world survival game based on the dystopian, sci-fi universe of Dune, where players must scavenge for supplies to survive the hostile, sandworm-infested world of Arrakis.

It was originally released for PC on June 10, 2025, but now it's coming to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Game Pass on September 22, 2026, with a new single-player campaign, more storylines, and various gameplay improvements and additions.

Control Resonant

Control: Resonant, the sequel to the cult action-adventure game Control, received a new trailer that showed off more of its reality-bending gameplay and complex story, where you must track the protagonist of the previous game, Jesse Faden, and save the world from supernatural, cosmic threats.

Additionally, the trailer confirms that Control: Resonant will be released on 24, 2026, on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, and pre-orders are now available.

Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered

The Dynasty Warriors series is revisiting one of its most classic entries and giving it a modern-day upgrade with Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered.

Take control of one of 40 warriors from Romance of the Three Kingdoms and charge into the fray to cut down literally thousands of enemies on-screen in a glorious power fantasy only the Dynasty series can provide.

Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered is scheduled to release on October 1, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, with pre-orders now open.

Silent Hill: Townfall

Silent Hill: Townfall, the next entry in Konami's Silent Hill series, received a new trailer confirming that it will release on September 24, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and PC and that pre-orders are now open.

In this game, you play as Simon Ordell, a man who has come to the island of St. Amelia to 'put things right' but runs into a seemingly abandoned town covered in an eerie fog.

What follows is a living nightmare as Simon must use his wits and limited combat prowess to avoid getting murdered by monsters and solve devious puzzles to uncover the truth behind this horrifying town.

Stuntman Hollywood

A pleasant surprise for racing fans showed up in the form of Stuntman: Hollywood, a new entry in Saber Interactive's Stuntman franchise. In this game, you play as a Hollywood stuntman, and your goal is to perform death-defying stunts and tricks that will be filmed for movies and TV shows.

This game will allow you to drive in iconic vehicles used in classic movies and shows like Back to the Future, Knight Rider, Miami Vice, Death Race, and much more.

Stuntman: Hollywood is slated to be released on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC at a later date, and it's now available for wishlisting.

ILL

A new story trailer showed up for a dark, disturbing, first-person survival horror game simply titled ILL. In this game, you are trapped inside a research fortress, and it is infested with all kinds of horrifying monsters that have broken containment.

You will need to scavenge for weapons to defend yourself and medical supplies to keep you alive as you struggle to find a way to escape this rotten fortress and uncover its dark secrets.

ILL will be released for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC at a later date, and it's now available for wishlisting.

What did you think of Sony's June 2026 State of Play event? Were there any games that got you excited to play them?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know through the poll below, the comments section, or our Reddit page.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Summer Game Fest, the largest gaming convention of the year, is set to go live on June 5, 2026, at 2:00 pm PT / 5:00 pm EST / 10:00 pm BST. This gaming showcase promises to show off world premieres of brand new, unannounced games, and show off gameplay footage and info for upcoming games from the world's leading gaming studios and underground indie developers.

In addition to Summer Game Fest, there will be several other gaming showcases happening in the same week as it, including the Xbox Games Showcase, PC Gaming Show, PlayStation State of Play, and much more.

As there are so many events to keep track of, it can be tedious, overwhelming, and time-consuming to stay informed on them. So we at Windows Central are sparing you the hassle by rounding them up with info on how, when, and where to watch in one convenient place.

Here is the full watch time list for Summer Game Fest 2026 and other major gaming showcases happening next week, and how to watch them:

PlayStation State of Play

The first major gaming showcase next week will be the PlayStation State of Play on June 2, 2026, 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET.

This event will cover a variety of PlayStation 5 titles, including an extended look at the upcoming superhero game, Marvel's Wolverine, made by the developers behind the critically acclaimed Marvel's Spider-Man series.

Summer Game Fest

Next up, we have the main event, Summer Game Fest, which is scheduled to go live on June 5, 2026, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET.

This will be a two-hour event where Geoff Keighly and Lucy James will present dozens of world premieres of new games and news updates on highly anticipated upcoming videos across the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC platforms.

Day of the Devs

Two hours after Summer Game Fest concludes, we'll be treated to Day of the Devs on June 5, 2026, at 4:00 PM PT / 7:00 PM ET.

This is a non-profit event, founded by DoubleFine Productions and @iam8bit, and it will showcase a variety of upcoming indie games.

Future Games Show Summer Showcase

On June 6, 2026, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET, GamesRadar+ will host its annual Future Games Show Summer Showcase event.

The livestream will run for two hours and will show off a variety of world premieres, new trailers, playable demo shadowdrops, and an exclusive gameplay reveal for Exodus, an upcoming sci-fi, action-adventure RPG created by developers who worked on the classic Mass Effect franchise.

Xbox Games Showcase

On June 7 at 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET, Microsoft takes the floor to host the Xbox Games Showcase, which will announce a tidal wave of news updates for upcoming Xbox titles and reveal brand new ones.

After the Xbox Games Showcase concludes, it will immediately be followed by Gears of War: E-Day Direct. This livestream event will show off gameplay footage and new information regarding this highly anticipated prequel to the Gears of War franchise.

PC Gaming Show

This string of summer gaming showcases will conclude with the PC Gaming Show on June 7, 2026, at 12:00 AM PT / 3:00 PM ET.

This event, created by PC Gamer, will showcase info on over 50 games coming to PC platforms, along with developer interviews for several of these titles.

🗨️ Over to you

Which gaming event are you tuning into to watch the most? Are there any games you're hoping to see at Summer Game Fest?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know through the poll below, the comments section, or our Reddit community.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The team over at Winhanced is really pumping out updates lately, bringing new features for early access members, as well as additions for everyone. I’ve covered Winhanced quite a bit recently, even giving my full thoughts on why I believe you should use it over the Xbox App on your handheld, alongside the previous update that introduced low-power downloads to Windows handhelds.

First off, I’ll cover what’s being added in the latest public release (version 0.9.6.9). While it’s not really a feature aimed at me personally, it does add to how all-encompassing Winhanced is becoming. The team has now added PlayStation library support directly into Winhanced, meaning once you connect your PSN account, Winhanced can display your PlayStation games within its interface. As explained in the release note:

"PlayStation library support is now exiting early access! This is different from the current PlayStation remote play integration. Just like with your other libraries, you have the ability to sign in with your PSN credentials. Winhanced will then automatically import all of your PlayStation libraries into the PlayStation library menu. While you can’t install and play your PlayStation games locally, it's not just pretty pictures. If a game is installed on your PS5 console, you can open the game details for a game and select Play. This will automatically wake your PS5 over the internet, launch that game for you, and then launch a remote play session via Chiaki."

Basically, if a supported game is already installed on your PS5 console, you can launch it remotely through Winhanced using Chiaki (an open-source remote play app for PC) and stream it directly to your handheld. You can’t install PlayStation games locally through this feature, but if you’re a PlayStation fan, it’s honestly a pretty neat addition.

Improvements have also been made to navigation, which is nice to see and something I’ve personally wanted. The settings pages and Friends hub now have smoother navigation, and you can also scroll settings menus using the right stick.

Now, over to the early access release, which is accessible by supporting the team via Patreon. Winhanced has now added support for over 108 emulators, all of which can appear under a dedicated Emulator Library tab.

While Winhanced won’t directly display your ROMs like a traditional emulator frontend, I actually think this is a pretty good compromise for people who use emulators regularly. Another great addition is the new Apps Library, which now allows users to launch apps directly through Winhanced, including Progressive web apps.

You can download Winhanced from their official website, and to stay up-to-date with the launcher, be sure to join their Discord too.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on these latest updates to Winhanced. Do you think these are welcome additions? Have I convinced you to give it a try yet, or are you still waiting for version 1.0 before jumping in?

Let me know in the comments, and as always, be sure to take part in our poll above.

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Halo: Campaign Evolved is set to release this year for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, and, yes, to the dismay of many Xbox fans, PlayStation 5, despite ongoing drama surrounding Halo Studios

Now, my personal view is that if this helps Halo survive, then as a longtime fan, I’m happy. However, as an Xbox fan too, it feels like Xbox as a brand, especially its hardware division, is on thin ice, at least from my perspective anyway, which may sound extreme.

And yes, I’m aware Project Helix is coming (which I'm excited for), but I digress. Halo appearing on PlayStation still feels weird to me. This is the franchise that helped kickstart Xbox, and now it’s becoming one of several games helping keep PlayStation afloat as Sony continues scrambling after its failed live service push and lack of games.

The exclusives conversation will always continue to swirl around online, and personally, I struggle to think of many reasons to invest in Xbox hardware outside of exclusives, despite Xbox still being my favorite platform compared to PlayStation and Nintendo.

Over on Reddit, one fan, u/Maxkid1995, spotted that GameStop is stocking its shelves with placeholder cases showing Halo: Campaign Evolved coming to PlayStation 5, with them stating: “This is still very insane to see.”

The post received more than 6,000 upvotes, with one commenter saying: “This is pretty much Halo's last chance to salvage any damage done the last decade.” That particular comment alone received more than 3,000 upvotes.

However, as many Halo fans may notice, this now feels like Halo’s third “last chance,” with many fans having said the exact same thing during both Halo 5 and Halo Infinite’s launch periods.

I’ll admit it myself, seeing Halo advertised for PlayStation feels weird, especially seeing it on store shelves. Personally, I do think it’s bad for Xbox as a brand, but at the same time, it also feels far too late for Microsoft to back out of this strategy now.

I also don’t expect Xbox to reverse course on exclusives at all, so I just hope whatever the company does to entice players toward Xbox as a platform is enough moving forward, and that Xbox CEO Asha Sharma can pull it off.

With that said, what are your thoughts on this?

Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll above!

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PlayStation players can rejoice. While Xbox players are out there playing PlayStation’s own Marathon more than PlayStation users themselves. PlayStation fans can indulge themselves, as they get a feature exclusive to their console, omitted from Xbox hardware, in a first-party Xbox game no less.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is finally getting PlayStation VR2 support for both PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro today, April 30, 2026, giving virtual pilots full VR support in the title. That alone is enough for PlayStation fans to laugh and maybe even clap back.

I’m being a bit dramatic and sarcastic on purpose, of course, but it’s great for those that enjoy Microsoft Flight Simulator to finally get this feature on PlayStation. PlayStation VR2 has been out for around three years now, and while originally it was stuck to PlayStation’s closed ecosystem, it has since escaped those crutches.

Back in 2024, PlayStation released a PC adapter for the headset, which helped open things up. I’ve always had mixed feelings about virtual reality. It can be genuinely fun, and even a decent workout, but it feels limited when it’s locked to a single platform, or restricted by a cord that needs plugging in.

At least now, with PC support, the PS VR2 isn’t all that bad of a headset. That said, I still lean toward a cordless experience whenever I use virtual reality.

Hopefully, PlayStation users can make the most of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s VR support. It’s a well-loved feature on PC, and for good reason, as it adds a strong sense of immersion.

What’s always baffled me, though, is Xbox’s reluctance to embrace virtual reality at all. Whether it was making use of Windows Mixed Reality (which has since shut down) or simply opening the door to third-party headsets, it feels like there were missed opportunities for some sort of virtual reality platform on Xbox.

It could have even positioned Xbox as a more affordable entry point into VR, especially when the Xbox Series S was cheaper.

What do you think? Did Xbox miss an opportunity by skipping virtual reality, or was it smart to avoid a niche that still hasn’t fully taken off? Let me know in the comments and be sure to take part in our poll:

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"Just got hit with Xbox One flashbacks."

As new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma aggressively puts the Xbox community first, it seems Sony PlayStation is taking a step backward.

In 2013, Microsoft adopted an aggressive DRM policy for the Xbox One. Microsoft told itself this was a "best of all worlds" scenario, designed to bridge the gap between physical retail and the increasing shift towards digital games. Xbox gamers have always skewed disproportionately digital in the console space, as Microsoft was among the first to offer robust services in support of the shift.

Microsoft set up a convoluted system that attached your Xbox account to the discs you were using. To resell or share them, you'd need to get the disc unlocked and removed from your account via "participating retailers." Games would also be subject to DRM check-ins online, to ensure that you actually had the "rights" to the disc you'd, you know, purchased. In exchange, Microsoft was planning to allow family pooling of digital games into a single huge digital library, similar to what Steam offers today. It buried this lede pretty hard, though.

The confusion over the policies led to a denigration of the Xbox brand that continues to this day in some ways. Microsoft backpedaled hard in 2013, but it put them on the back foot all the way to modern times. In 2026, the vast majority of Xbox games you own no longer need any form of online check-in when used on your "home" Xbox console — save for multiplayer games, which are online anyway.

Oddly, PlayStation now seems to have adopted a mandatory 30-day check-in — which is reminiscent of those fateful Xbox One days.

As examined by Spawnwave in the video above, it does seem that PlayStation now has some form of DRM check-in period for some games, requiring an internet connection and a valid account sign-in.

PlayStation Support seems to have suggested that the check-in period is around 30 days.

"Thank you for your interest on the 30-Day Timer that is being applied to all new purchases," the purported message reads, "Affected content: games purchased digitally after the March 2026 update. If the console does not connect to the internet within 30 days, the license expires and the game may refuse to launch until a connection is restored."

Either way, it's truly nowhere near as aggressive as the Xbox One policy from 2013, which was gunning for a somewhat insane 24-hour check-in. Even in 2026, I've had situations where our fiber optic internet has been down for over 24 hours, and I live in a country that (supposedly) ranks high for internet connectivity.

Thankfully, Microsoft walked back the insanity of this policy, and PlayStation's DRM check-in is far more "generous." But there's a broader issue here.

I'm not really someone who cares a great deal about DRM, speaking personally. Like I said, I generally have good internet connections, and failing that, you'd have a 5G hotspot to do the DRM check in a pinch.

But, for many, the issue boils down to futureproofing. Imagine decades into the future, in a scenario where PlayStation, Microsoft, or anyone else for that matter, decides to no longer continue serving the DRM services for whatever reason: you could end up with a console full of digital games you could no longer play or access.

Microsoft no longer requires any form of DRM on the vast majority of its digital single-player games, meaning you could fill up a big Xbox Series X|S Seagate Storage Card (21% off on Amazon btw!!) with games and, as long as that Xbox was designated as your home console, you could realistically expect to access those games decades into the future, even if Xbox stopped supporting the Xbox Series X.

For PS5, on the other hand, if Sony ever stopped supporting DRM checks on that system, you'd be checkmated in theory after the 30-day expiry period.

It's still a pretty far-fetched scenario to imagine, and not one I personally think is realistic. I can't envision a world where PlayStation, Xbox, or any of the major platform players shut down their account management layers in my lifetime. If they did, it would likely be due to some catastrophic global event, in which case accessing my games would probably be low down on my list of priorities. But for many, it is an issue. Not only mechanically, but it's often also a matter of principle — and that's totally valid.

It's a reminder that we don't truly "own" our digital games we've purchased. It's a far cry from how games used to work in the 80s, 90s, and early 00s, where buying the disc simply meant owning it for all intents and purposes. And it's why Xbox's aggressive posture, ramming this through in 2013, was met with such hostility. I've seen some suggestions that this is PlayStation's attempt to mitigate recent attempts to jailbreak its ecosystem. Whatever the reason, it's probably not going to be as big of a deal for most people in real terms, in an era where we're all perpetually connected online.

Every platform handles its DRM a bit differently. Steam's DRM supports indefinite access offline for games you own, as does Xbox's, after that initial online setup. But it's an interesting reminder of the 2013 Xbox One backlash — bearing hard lessons Microsoft is arguably still reeling from.

In any case, we've reached out to PlayStation for a comment. It could be a bug, or something unintentional. We'll let you know either way.

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The numbers are in, and Microsoft's experimental and... controversial (to say the least) 'Project Latitude' — the initiative to bring first-party Xbox titles to rival platforms — seems to have found its clear success story.

According to a recent update on the website of co-developer Virtuo, the open-world racing game Forza Horizon 5 has surpassed a whopping 5 million copies sold on PlayStation 5.

This milestone, first spotted by industry trackers like HazzadorGamin represents quite an impressive achievement for a title that spent four years as a flagship Xbox exclusive. Since its PS5 debut in April 2025, the game has reportedly generated over $300 million in revenue. Proving that there is an appetite for Xbox games on Sony's hardware.

A mixed bag of success for Xbox

Virtuos say in their success story piece that "Forza Horizon 5 was one of the best-selling titles on PlayStation 5 in 2025, surpassing 5 million copies sold on the platform and earning widespread acclaim with a 92 Metacritic score."

While the Forza numbers are encouraging, the performance of Xbox's wider catalog on PlayStation is still under the microscope, and not all of it has been good news. Forza Horizon 5 leads the pack at 5 million sales, followed closely by Sea of Thieves, which has maintained a strong presence with roughly 1.8 million copies sold on PS5 at last count.

On the other hand, Starfield has had a middling start on the platform, with recent reports estimating just 140,000 copies sold in its first week on PS5. Analysts suggest the delay between the original launch and the port may have quelled the appetite for it, but also, it's clear from the pattern here that multiplayer and/or live service games are the play and make sense to go to as many platforms as possible.

Gears of War: Reloaded and Indiana Jones seem to sit somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. The former hit 1 million players, and Indiana Jones sold much faster on PS5 than on Xbox (but has Xbox Game Pass to thank for that).

Exclusive or everywhere?

Xbox under Asha Sharma's reign has been making a number of positive changes recently; the price drop to Xbox Game Pass, the return of Xbox Fanfest and the shot through the heart to the unpopular 'This is an Xbox' marketing.'

With this new era comes renewed interest in the conversation around exclusives, as fans have been interpreting some of Sharma's recent quotes to indicate a return to this for first-party titles: "The plan is the plan until it's not the plan."

The community has been divided on whether the move to multi-platform will erode the value of Xbox hardware, but the financial reality, at least in the case of Forza Horizon 5, is hard to ignore.

The success of Forza suggests that at least for the right title, the PlayStation audience is willing to pay and Microsoft won't want to leave that money on the table. Even if it means continuing to weather the storm of a frustrated fan base who want to see some reciprocation from PlayStation (Helldivers 2 alone isn't going to cut it!)

Forza Horizon 6 arrives on Xbox May 19. 2026 as confirmed in the January Xbox Developer Direct, but PlayStation fans will have to wait a little longer for a port later in the year. Will they show up in their millions again?

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Starfield’s reported PS5 sales have surfaced via Alinea Analytics, a firm that often reports on game sales. While its estimates cannot be verified, the figures raise some obvious questions.

According to Alinea, Starfield has sold around 140,000 copies on Sony’s PlayStation 5. If accurate, that is a relatively weak showing for what is supposed to be Bethesda Game Studios' premier RPG and its first real new IP, whatever that actually means.

It also brings the exclusivity debate back into focus, which remains a constant talking point among Xbox fans and haters alike.

If accurate, 140,000 sales would put Starfield behind the likes of even The Outer Worlds 2 on PlayStation 5, which Alinea estimates has sold 160,000 copies. It would also fall further behind titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and Ninja Gaiden 4, both of which are said to have surpassed 240K copies on PlayStation 5.

With that said though, this is still early days for Starfield's PS5 release, and according to Alinea, the game is currently selling faster than those titles.

I’m not sure whether Alinea’s estimates are accurate or not, and realistically we’ll never know for certain unless Todd Howard descends from the heavens and confirms it himself. If the figures are correct, though, it does, at least to me, raise a bigger question about whether Xbox’s multiplatform strategy has actually been worth it.

It’s great that more players can access these games, and some Xbox titles have performed well, such as Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 5. At the same time, it does raise a valid concern about why someone would even invest in Xbox hardware if those same games are available elsewhere.

I’m not trying to say which approach is right or wrong here. I’ve largely moved to PC myself, but I still enjoy my Series X, especially for its extensive backward compatibility library going all the way back to the original Xbox.

For now though, it feels like Xbox fans are in a bit of a standoff, unsure what direction Xbox might take next. I’m genuinely more excited about the brand than I’ve been in a long time, and whether it commits to exclusives, leans on timed exclusivity, or does something totally different, I’ll be watching closely until we find out.

If you haven’t already, weigh in on the exclusivity debate yourself, and if you have, there’s no harm in doing it again for what is probably the millionth time if you’re anything like me.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below!

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A little over five days ago, Crimson Desert received a patch on PlayStation 5 that introduced a new 4K output mode. Since then, many Xbox players have been left wondering why a similar update has not arrived for Xbox Series X, despite it being the more powerful console.

We reached out to Pearl Abyss, the developer behind Crimson Desert, but they declined to comment on the absence of a 4K update for Xbox Series X. So, here is a closer look at what Xbox players were missing out on from the latest patch for the widely popular game.

What Xbox Series X was missing from this update

Xbox Series X has now received a 4K upscaling option in Performance Mode, bringing it closer in line with what PlayStation 5 offers.

Previously, Xbox Series X had to rely on dynamic resolution regardless of display output. On PlayStation 5, users had been given the option to enable a fixed 4K output, improving visual quality and providing a sharper image through FSR.

That was the only difference, but as Xbox fans had been quick to point out, it had been over six days since this patch arrived. PlayStation 5 users were already benefiting from improved output resolution, which raised the question of where the same option was for Xbox Series X.

As of today, however, the update has now arrived for Xbox Series X users, making the game now feature parity with PS5.

Pearly Abyss did not provide any details as to why the update took longer on Xbox, but it's good that it's here nevertheless.

We initially reached out to Pearl Abyss, the developer of Crimson Desert, regarding the lack of a 4K output option on Xbox Series X. In their reply, they declined to comment.

It is good to see Xbox Series X now receiving improvements in this area, especially as the update on PlayStation 5 appeared to make a noticeable difference to visual quality on PlayStation 5. I have been playing at 1440p on PC, but as someone with a soft spot for Xbox, this is at least a welcome change.

Are you happy to see 4K upscaling arrive on Xbox Series X, or do you still want full parity with PlayStation 5? Let us know in the comments, and share your thoughts.

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Xbox has rightfully been lambasted online for poor decisions and inexcusable prices, with last September’s price increases pushing things to frankly gross levels, albeit ones many argued were unavoidable due to broader market conditions (thanks, AI).

Whilst Xbox was mocked at the time, many presumed a similar price hike was coming for Sony, and while it held off for a while, they have now finally caved, citing “continued pressures in the global economic landscape,” so with that said, let’s break down the price differences between Sony and Microsoft and see which one might be better value (spoiler alert, it’s not Sony).

How Sony’s price hike compares to Xbox

Now, I am poking the bear a bit here because, of course, whatever platform you prefer will suit you best. That said, there’s quite a lot to break down when it comes to the price differences across regions.

As far as I’m aware, Sony is increasing prices across four regions, including the U.S., U.K., Europe, and Japan. These changes affect the PS5, PS5 Digital Edition, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal.

I have put together a handy table to compare retail prices, so here it is:

As you can see, across several regions Xbox hardware does come in cheaper, or at the very least matches Sony on price.

It’s a bit of a shame that the days of consoles getting cheaper as a generation goes on seem to be behind us. In a perfect world, you’d expect something like a Series S at $199.99 and a Series X at $349.99, especially with newer revisions that cut costs, similar to what we saw with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era.

Instead, here we are, newer revisions never happened, hardware didn't get cheaper, and instead, we're watching prices go up across the industry. I suppose the best we can do now is waste a bit of water and ask our favourite AI chatbot to comfort us in these trying times.

It is also worth mentioning that this does make Xbox the cheapest place to play Grand Theft Auto VI whether it's the Series X or Series S and that is something that Xbox should definitely capitalise on.

What do you think of the price hikes from Sony?

Did you already bite the bullet and pick up a PS5 while it was more affordable, or did you hold out and now find the price increase a step too far?

For me, the PlayStation 5 is the first PlayStation generation I’ve actively missed out on. There just haven’t been enough games that appeal to me personally, so this price hike doesn’t affect me too much, but it’s still a shame to see the industry in its current state.

With all that said, let me know your thoughts in the comments, and make sure you take part in our poll below:

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Marathon is Bungie and Sony’s upcoming FPS. Similar in some ways to ARC Raiders, it is an extraction shooter that tasks players with gathering loot, gear, and weapons while fighting off other players and NPCs.

Sony typically secures exclusivity deals to strengthen its own ecosystem, especially as it doesn’t have the wide portfolio to do so itself. That has often meant games skipping Xbox and, previously, PC too. PC eventually became part of these arrangements, as excluding it proved unsustainable for many publishers, leaving Xbox as the platform most frequently left out.

Now, while Marathon is releasing on Xbox, many, myself included, expected it to at least offer exclusive in-game benefits only to PlayStation users. The assumption was that Xbox and PC players would miss out on certain perks.

That does not appear to be the case, so let’s take a look at what was actually said.

Xbox and Steam players won’t be left out

Marathon, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), responded to a user, @iSeekRest, who commented on exclusive PlayStation content. The original post detailed weapon charms for PlayStation Plus members featuring Helldivers 2, Death Stranding 2, and Ghost of Yotei.

Marathon was quick to clarify that weapon charms are also coming to Steam and Xbox players, however, whether they’re exclusive or not is unknown. This does immediately raise the question of what those platforms might receive.

As a long-time Halo fan, my first thought was simple: a Halo-themed weapon charm. It is not outside the realm of possibility, especially considering Bungie’s history and the fact Helldivers 2 has already featured a Halo crossover.

For Steam, it is less obvious. Most PlayStation titles are already available on PC, so it will be interesting to see whether it leans into Valve games or simply expands on existing PlayStation-themed cosmetics, given most PlayStation games are playable on PC.

Despite ongoing negativity around Marathon, with some comparing it to Concord 2.0, or even 3.0 following Highguard, which recently laid off most of its development team. However, sentiment has started to shift. Bungie appears to have gone back to the drawing board and listened to feedback, and the game is generally looking much better lately.

Marathon’s Server Slam begins February 26, 2026, and runs until March 2, 2026. The full release follows on March 5, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Over to you

Will platform specific charms influence where you play Marathon, or does it not matter to you? Let us know in the comments and make sure to take part in our poll below:

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Sony's PlayStation State of Play showcases may be all about games coming to the firm's PS5 consoles, but that doesn't mean they're not worth keeping an eye on if you use other platforms like Xbox and PC. In fact, several of the games shown during PlayStation presentations come to these systems too.

February has brought us Sony's first 2026 State of Play event, and we covered it live as all the news dropped so Xbox and PC players have an idea of what they can look forward to in the coming months. Without further ado, here's every Xbox and PC game that was shown during the presentation.

Where to watch Sony's PlayStation State of Play

Sony's February 2026 PlayStation State of Play was streamed live on February 12 at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET on the PlayStation YouTube channel, and on PlayStation's Twitch channel. If you missed the show, you can rewatch it with the embedded VOD above.

All PC and Xbox games shown during PlayStation State of Play February 2026

Kena: Scars of Kosmora

A sequel to the popular 2021 action-adventure title Kena: Bridge of Spirits dubbed Kena: Scars of Kosmora is headed to PC as well as PS5. The game opened the PlayStation State of Play, and is said to have deeper combat compared to the original game. No release date info yet, though!

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is coming to PC

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is coming to Steam and PC on March 19, just a few weeks from now! It got a snazzy new trailer alongside the announcement that shows off some of its PC-specific features. With this release, it will join the original game on the platform, which launched on Steam in 2022.

4:LOOP gets a new gameplay deep dive

4:LOOP, an interesting new sci-fi co-op shooter in which you and your friends square off against an alien invasion, got a new gameplay showcase during the State of Play. It's coming to both PS5 and PC, with playtest sign-ups available on the game's website.

The next Resident Evil Requiem trailer is here

A brand new trailer for Resident Evil Requiem — coming to Xbox Series X|S, Steam PC, and PS5 on February 27 — was shown at the State of Play show, which you can watch above.

Control Resonant showed a new gameplay overview

Control Resonant, Remedy Entertainment's upcoming sequel to the popular 2019 action-adventure sci-fi horror game Control, got a fresh gameplay overview that showed protagonist Dylan Faden getting into some supernatural scraps. It's coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5 later in 2026.

Surprise! Beast of Reincarnation got its release date announced

Game Freak's new Beast of Reincarnation already got a showcase during the Xbox Developer Direct 2026, but it made an appearance at the PlayStation State of Play as well, where its specific release date was confirmed. It's coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PS5, and Xbox Game Pass on August 4, 2026.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer flies in with new trailer

Now this is podracing! First announced in December, Star Wars: Galactic Racer — a new action-heavy Star Wars racing game coming to Xbox Series X|S, Steam PC, and PS5 later in 2026 — got a new gameplay trailer at the State of Play showcase, with a nice little The Phantom Menace reference at the end.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2

The second volume of the Metal Gear Solid remaster collection is on the way, and includes both Metal Gear Solid 4 and Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker — games originally exclusive to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable, respectively. Presumably, it will come to Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch alongside PS5 since the first volume did, though this isn't confirmed yet. Keep that in mind!

Bungie's Marathon gets new trailer, announces Server Slam beta

Bungie's upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter Marathon got a slick new trailer at the State of Play showcase, along with the announcement of a Server Slam beta test for the game that's scheduled to run from February 26 to March 2. The game is fully launching on March 5 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5.

A new 007 First Light story trailer dropped

007 First Light is a reimagined version of James Bond's origin story, and it appeared at the PlayStation State of Play presentation with a new story trailer. It's coming in 2026 to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls has its release date

We got our first full look at the Unbreakable X-Men in a new Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls trailer, the upcoming fighting game headed to Steam PC and PS5. Notably, the game also got a confirmed August 6, 2026 release date.

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance and Defiance Remastered

Fans of the classic dark fantasy action-adventure series Legacy of Kain are eating well this year, with two new games — Legacy of Kain: Ascendance and Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered — announced. The former is a prequel coming March 31 to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PS5, Switch, and Switch 2, while the latter is a remaster of the beloved 2003 title on the same platforms coming a few weeks earlier on March 3.

A new, untitled John Wick game

From Saber Interactive comes something every action fan has dreamed of for years: a John Wick game. We know absolutely nothing about it other than that it stars Keanue Reeves, is set before the events of the films, and that it's coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5, but we did get to see some awesome clips of gameplay in its reveal trailer.

Yakoh Shinobi Ops

Yakoh Shinobi Ops is an upcoming ninja stealth game with 4-player co-op, and is one to watch if you and your friends like the sound of working together to live out the ultimate shinobi clan fantasy. We know it's headed to both PS5 and PC in 2027.

Crimson Moon

Indie developer ProbablyMonsters is making Crimson Moon, a gothic action RPG with roguelike elements that sees you taking control of a Nephilim — "a violent half-human, half-angel hybrid forged to defend humanity from hell using supernatural powers, weapons, and melee combat abilities." It's coming to PS5 and PC via Steam, with Xbox availability unclear.

Neva is getting a "Prologue" DLC

The beautiful 2024 adventure platformer Neva is getting a special DLC expansion titled "Prologue," and it's not far off. In fact, it's just one week away, as it's releasing on February 19 and will tell the story of how Alba first met her pet wolf Neva years before the events of the main game. Like the vanilla game, the expansion will come to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Windows PC, PS5, PS4, Switch 2, and Switch.

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse

In collaboration with The Prince of Persia's Evil Empire and Dead Cells' Motion Twin, Konami is making Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, a sequel to Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse that puts players in the shoes of Trevor Belmont 23 years after that game. It's coming out in 2026 on both PS5 and PC; whether it's coming to Xbox or not is unknown.

What did you think of Sony's February 2026 PlayStation State of Play showcase? Which games are you the most excited to get your hands on as an Xbox and/or PC player? Hit me with your thoughts in the comments.

Unless you’ve been stuck in a Fallout bunker for the last few years, you might have noticed both Microsoft and Sony putting their first-party games on platforms other than their own.

While Microsoft is definitely the leader when it comes to putting its own content on places other than Xbox, Sony has been doing quite a lot of work, too.

To make the point, Derek Strickland with TweakTown posted on X, “Sony has made at least $2.37 billion from selling first-party games & content on PC and Xbox."

From his article, ”A bit ago, Sony reclassified how it records earnings for its PlayStation division, adding in another segment called Other Software. As per Sony, the Other Software segment is defined as ‘revenue from sales of first-party titles, including add-on content, on platforms other than PlayStation consoles.’"

His source comes from Sony’s FY025 Q3 earnings report. In it, they report that their earnings from those other segments have reached a staggering $2.37 billion. That’s right, Sony has made billions bringing games to Steam and Xbox alike.

That’s a lot of moolah, money that will make Sony think twice before not releasing their games on other platforms. Take, for example, the recent announcement of Horizon Hunters Gathering, which is coming to both PlayStation 5 and Windows PC. Sony is looking at this as a perfect opportunity to gather some easy cash for the coffers.

While this won’t be the first time Sony has simultaneously released a game on multiple platforms, I’m willing to bet we’ll begin to see more games coming to multiple platforms.

Heck, look at the number of players MLB The Show had when the game was simultaneously released on Game Pass. With a massive influx of players, microtransactions were going hot off the racks. Although this is anecdotal, one of my best friends was spending hundreds every year on the game and its packs.

More to come?

I’ve written in the past that Sony is crazy for not launching their games on PC day and date and that they’ll be looking to generate more income from PC releases, if not more on Xbox. Why wouldn’t they? At this point, they can pick and choose which games to bring to Xbox and PC while maintaining a veneer of exclusivity, since Xbox has given up entirely on the idea.

The only hitch in these plans has been Sony's recent cancellations of GAS games. Following the failure of Concord, Sony pulled the plug on multiple games in development before they met similar fates. It’s these service games that Sony is most likely to allow on other platforms.

With that, what will Sony have to release on other platforms? They don’t have any major multiplayer-focused games in the pipeline; their only titles are Intergalactic, Wolverine, and Saros.

Saros seems to be an easier pick as a likely title coming to Windows PC; it’s Wolverine and Intergalactic that would have to break the mold. The Last of Us and Spider-Man games have all come to PC, but only much later. Would either of those games be released simultaneously?

That all comes down to whether Sony thinks a simultaneous release of these games would generate more than it would lose or somehow damage their brand. In light of Xbox releasing all its games everywhere, I think Sony could get away with releasing on PC.

The next Xbox is a PC, and for good reason.

Per the latest GDC "State of the Game Industry" survey (via TheGameBusiness), game developers from across the world detailed their hopes and dreams for the future of the business.

It's no secret that the game industry is stressed. Overall user growth is relatively flat. Revenue has climbed solely by price gouging existing users and finding additional revenue streams. Console manufacturers saw a historically weak holiday period, with Xbox itself seeing near free-fall hardware declines quarter over quarter.

Everything has been blamed, from evolving user behavior, TikTok and addictive algorithms soaking up free time, and consumer confidence enhancing cheaper experiences, such as free-to-play games. Games like Roblox and Fortnite have continued to utterly dominate playtime hours, vacuuming up growth opportunities for traditional platforms.

The survey offered some insights into where developers are prioritizing their efforts to that end, and it seems Windows, namely Steam, is winning out.

Year-over-year, Xbox saw the steepest declines in interest, with only 20% seeking to build games for the Xbox platform, down from 34% last year. PlayStation held steady at 39%, and PC maintained its 80% surge from last year.

The survey is a bit odd, in a way, given that the Xbox Ally was its own category at 7%, despite the fact that it is literally a PC and doesn't necessarily require any specific targeting beyond gamepad support. In any case, Xbox Cloud Gaming managed to nab 5% of developer interest, but the big winner was the Steam Deck, in at 40%.

The survey records opinions of over 2,000 game industry professionals from around the world, and doesn't necessarily reflect the on-ground reality of per platform support. But what it does infer, for me, is just how much easier building games for Steam is than it is for console.

The Xbox figures aside, the idea that 60% of game devs apparently aren't interested in PlayStation 5 — the biggest platform on Earth — doesn't make a ton of sense to me. What it illustrates more is the platform barriers potentially developers face when building for the big three, over Steam.

In a recent interview we conducted with New Blood Interactive, they remarked on how easy it is to publish and set up sales events on Steam over Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo. The fact that developers are just as interested in the Steam Deck as they are in the PS5, despite the PS5's absolutely mammoth install base, certainly reflects that sentiment to me.

But this is exactly why Xbox's next-gen strategy is critical. The next Xbox is a PC, and the publishing platform will become more PC like along with it.

With core gamers migrating to Steam at a steady cadence, Microsoft too wants to bring more of its experiences to Windows and Steam alike. I've heard some heavy-hitting Xbox first-party experiences, presently not on Steam, will show up there in the coming months.

The next Xbox will simply be an OEM PC akin to a Razer laptop or the Lenovo Legion Go. It'll be full Windows, albeit with backward compatibility for the Xbox console ecosystem. Any content gap that exists on Xbox today or in the future, as a result of surveys like the above, won't matter long term. Xbox next-gen owners will get everything, alongside a full choice of storefront.

What does worry me about the survey is the inference of developer perception of the Xbox ecosystem. Developers are human, and Microsoft is an incredibly unpopular company right now — and that sentiment is likely being reflected in these results. Money can only go so far.

UPDATE: On that point, browsing the full survey itself, you are greeted by this chart, which shows how developers are actually engaging with platforms in the real world. Xbox is near neck-and-neck with PlayStation in reality. At the very least, if you're building a game for PlayStation, porting it to Xbox isn't exactly a huge leap — given the spec similarities. Xbox players remain heavily engaged and spendy, despite the negative sentiment in the media and beyond. Sony itself brought Helldivers 2 to Xbox, shedding its PlayStation exclusivity. It's also bringing Marathon to Xbox, which showcases Xbox's on-going relevancy.

Microsoft likely has a lot of work to do to rebuild faith in the Xbox ecosystem, and promote a healthier relationship with developers across both Xbox and Windows, games or not. Xbox's pivot to PC strategy will only work if developers actually like using the platform — and that isn't simply about money and discoverability.

With Game Pass, Microsoft has potentially curated a user base on its Xbox PC platform that doesn't seek out retail purchases. The Xbox PC app today is very, very bad for discoverability, particularly for retail games. It front-loads Xbox Game Pass and its benefits, and buries new releases away in multiple sections. Microsoft needs to do a ton of work in this area, and boost the visibility of games that aren't on Game Pass, while also improving its tagging system and database cataloguing to surface games one might be interested in. I have no idea why the Xbox PC app is telling me to buy games I already own — show me something new and shiny instead.

This only touches on the challenges Xbox is facing with its current and future-facing strategy. I don't really think Xbox has a content problem today by any means, but it is facing a big image and sentiment problem. And that alone might not be sustainable.

Ever since Microsoft's legendary sci-fi FPS series Halo first debuted on the original Xbox console nearly 25 years ago, the shooter has never been released on any platform other than Xbox and PC. In 2026, though, that's changing with the launch of Halo: Campaign Evolved — an Unreal Engine 5 remake of that original game — on PS5 as well as the aforementioned systems.

It's no exaggeration to say this will be a landmark release for Microsoft and Xbox, given that Halo has been its flagship console exclusive for nearly all of the latter's history. For the team at Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries), though, it's viewed as an opportunity to grow Halo as a franchise, and a chance to connect and reconnect both new and veteran players.

"We hope to bring along the series veterans who have been with us for the past 25 years and have them play with an entirely new generation," executive producer Damon Conn told GamesRadar+. "There are people who have never been exposed to Halo. Maybe they've always been on Sony products, switched consoles at a certain point, or just missed it at the time. We want to bring players back together."

"We see this as a way to grow, expand, and reconnect the Halo community. We want to honor the Halo legacy on PlayStation, and we're paving the way to expand our Halo universe — that's how we see it," he added, before acknowledging that "it's not a small thing. We don't and we won't take it lightly. We definitely feel the weight of it."

Indeed, bringing Halo to PS5 in any form is a bold, controversial move that some argue devalues Xbox as a brand. But creative director Max Szlagor asserts that "Halo is best played when we have a large, healthy community," and the decision makes sense when viewed as part of Microsoft's broader initiative to make Xbox games multiplatform when it makes sense. The multiplayer titles Forza Horizon 5 and Sea of Thieves have both been incredibly successful on PS5, and Grounded has been, too.

Notably, Conn confirmed that Halo: Campaign Evolved will feature full crossplay 4-player co-op between platforms to take full advantage of the title's multiplatform availability. On top of that, it'll also have some noteworthy gameplay changes and additions compared to the original 2001 game, such as usable Energy Swords, Fuel Rod Guns, Sentinel Beams, and Covenant Wraith tanks, along with new weapons and the (toggleable) ability to sprint.

Conn says these "just kind of make sense," though Halo Studios is also taking a far bigger step by adding three new levels focused on Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson. These will act as a prologue of sorts, taking place before the events of Combat Evolved and even Halo: Reach, with "new environments, enemies, characters, and weapons."

Despite the additions, though, the devs promise Campaign Evolved will ultimately be a "faithful and modernized remake," and "a celebration of Combat Evolved." Szlagor explains that the team "has been careful to craft the game in such a way that it stays true to the original's tone, atmosphere, feel, and emotional impact." That's reassuring, though some remain skeptical after 2011's Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary remaster controversially altered many aspects of the game's art direction.

For Halo Studios, the remake is "an opportunity to pave the way for the future of Halo," as all future games will be built on Unreal Engine 5 as well. "We're building a game in Unreal Engine 5, on a platform that we've never supported, while offering more ways for players to play with each other than ever before. We're excited to reignite the spark that started it all," Conn explained.

That suggests we could see future Halo experiences come to PlayStation, too, which wouldn't surprise me if Campaign Evolved performs well on PS5; the chances of it doing so are high, given the franchise's pedigree and the fact it's never been on Sony's consoles before. Whenever it comes out later this year, though, playing it through Xbox Game Pass will only be possible on Xbox and PC.

Are you looking forward to playing Halo: Campaign Evolved later this year? Are you happy to see Halo come to PlayStation, or do you think Microsoft and Xbox are making a huge mistake by bringing it there? Let me know in the comments.

Another Xbox exclusive is making the jump to PlayStation, with Avowed officially heading to PS5 and pre-orders going live today. While a specific release date has not been confirmed, Obsidian has announced a major update arriving at some point in 2026.

February 18, 2026, marks the game’s one-year anniversary, making it a plausible window for the update PS5 launch to ensure the strongest possible experience at release.

There is more to unpack for both existing and new players. During the New Game Plus Showcase January 2026 event, Obsidian outlined several updates and additions coming to Avowed, offering a clearer look at how the game continues to evolve following its original launch.

What’s included in Avowed’s PS5 release and new update

Fans can expect new playable species, including Aumaua and Dwarves, expanding the game’s sandbox and roleplay options. Each race has distinct physical traits that affect how characters feel in combat, traversal, and exploration.

The update also introduces New Game Plus, giving players a new way to replay the campaign. It allows players to restart the game while keeping their abilities and equipped gear, with progression resetting back to level one to avoid an overpowered start.

Enemy modifiers are being added as part of the New Game Plus experience to increase challenge. These include elemental resistances and reduced susceptibility to stun locking, helping encounters feel more varied across multiple playthroughs.

A dedicated photo mode is being added following community feedback. It makes it easier to capture player characters during exploration and dialogue scenes without relying on awkward camera positioning.

Obsidian reiterated that Avowed’s post-launch support is driven heavily by player feedback. It works closely with its community team to prioritise updates based on the most common and recurring player requests.

Are you excited for Avowed to release on PS5 or are you just excited for the new update? Let us know by commenting and taking part in our poll below:

The Xbox story reaches its 25th anniversary this year, and it has been a long, strange road to get here.

During the Xbox 360 generation, Microsoft made a serious dent in PlayStation's global dominance in the console space. Sony's misfired PlayStation 3 allowed Microsoft to gain a serious foothold in the then-growing market, and it has remained a staple ever since.

Things are a bit different in 2026. Headlines about Microsoft's commitment to console gaming refuse to abate, buoyed by Xbox's own reported hardware sales figures, which have been in freefall decline since the Xbox Series X|S launch window. Microsoft is still selling the hardware, but it isn't keeping store shelves stocked, leading to questions about whether or not Microsoft even plans to continue selling hardware.

Microsoft, of course, does still plan to sell Xbox hardware. I reported last year that the next Xbox will effectively be a Windows PC, complete with a living room-friendly interface and Xbox console backward compatibility. Microsoft said as much when it revealed a multi-year mega-partnership with AMD for next-gen Xbox first-party consoles, touting backward compatibility therein.

The next Xbox is going to be full Windows, fully open, with support for Steam, GOG, Epic Games, Battle.net, and even things like Office and Adobe Suite. It will also run your existing Xbox games too, but it likely won't be cheap ... the DRAM price glut, tariffs, and its nature as a "PC" notwithstanding.

In any case, Xbox has found itself on the bottom rung in the console sales race for many years now, losing out to PlayStation and Nintendo month in, month out. Xbox's future seems to revolve around blending with its growing Xbox PC operation, and it'll be interesting to see how all of that plays out.

But you might be wondering, if Xbox is doing so badly right now, why do developers and publishers still even launch games on Xbox?

Data shared by Alinea Analytics paints a picture of an Xbox platform that punches above its weight, with heavily engaged users willing to turn up in droves for games that interest them. I initially became curious about this when PlayStation itself decided to launch Helldivers 2 on Xbox. If Xbox is doing so badly, as netizens often like to claim, why would Sony itself want to publish a game on Xbox?

It seems that the old "shooter box" stereotype may be real for Xbox.

Microsoft doesn't share granular data about how games perform on its platform, nor does it reveal detailed figures about how many active users is actually has per platform, per device. But, popular estimates suggest PlayStation has anywhere up to 3 or 4 times Xbox's console user base. If true, game sales data doesn't always correlate directly to that purported market share disparity.

PlayStation likely decided to launch Helldivers 2 on Xbox in part due to the data above. Xbox players just seem to love shooters, and it was likely habits forged in the fires of Xbox 360's Call of Duty marketing, and its Halo and Gears of War-heavy games line-up. Some of 2025's biggest shooters, including Borderlands 4, ARC Raiders, and even on-going shooters like Apex Legends come up close to neck-and-neck for downloads between Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 hardware.

You'd expect the downloads disparity to be far bigger if it directly correlated to each platform's overall install base.

The habits of Xbox gamers are also reflected in single-player and RPG titles as well, where PlayStation 5 enjoys a much bigger sales gap.

Data on games like Elden Ring, Hogwarts Legacy, and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 show up far more in-line with the install base gap. Elden Ring's player base is twice as big on PlayStation for example, and Hogwarts Legacy's sales base is even bigger.

I think this reflects the fact that PlayStation's focus on action games, RPGs, and also younger audiences has helped it maintain a broader ownership of genres. Microsoft has been working incredibly hard to win back RPG franchises to the Xbox platform, with games like Persona and Final Fantasy launching on Xbox more prominently than ever. It's a chicken and egg scenario though, probably. Sales of Final Fantasy 16 were reportedly incredibly low on Xbox, as you might expect given that the game launched on practically every other platform before it. Building up an audience for genres dominated by PlayStation, such as RPGs, fighting games, and others, is likely going to continue being an uphill battle for Microsoft.

However, it has certainly over-indexed on the shooter market, and likely racing games too thanks to Forza Horizon. Halo Campaign Evolved and Forza Horizon 6 of course are going to PlayStation this year, but it seems that Sony itself can't ignore Xbox user's penchant for shooters. Helldivers 2 is still charting on Xbox as of writing, and Sony will also publish Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon on Xbox in the future as well.

Platforms seem to have unique user habits

It would require more research and there are other angles to consider here, but it does seem on the face of it that each platform has genres that simply perform better. Steam has cornered the indie games market without a doubt, but also potentially "variety" gamers who play lots of different titles.As PlayStation and Xbox doubled down on cash cows like Fortnite and Call of Duty, Steam quietly curated an audience of players willing to buy dozens of games per year of all shapes and sizes, and now reaps the benefit. I suspect PlayStation has also cornered a younger-skewing audience, which likely precludes a lot of their users from many of the "Mature" rated shooters.

Variety is key to any platform I would argue, though. Xbox has been working hard to ensure Xbox Game Pass launches, for example, are incredibly varied by genre and scope. But therein lies another issue — if Microsoft is curating an audience of players who wait for subscription inclusions, it might decrease the amount of users willing to actually buy games outright. You could also argue that Steam has created a similar issue, training users to wait for its legendary sales events, as opposed to buying things new.

Either way, it does seem like there's still a ton of money to be made on Xbox when the right games come along for the platform. The irony here perhaps is that Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is one of Xbox's biggest growth opportunities, is arguably not the best way to play online multiplayer shooters. Perhaps it's through this vector that Microsoft can find its audience for RPGs? Microsoft's big RPG Fable is being revealed in full at the January Xbox Developer_Direct, and I suspect Xbox Cloud Gaming will be a very popular way to access the game.

Time will tell. The data is fun, nonetheless. What do you reckon? Let us know in the comments!

It's always a good feeling when seeing the credits rolling on a game almost immediately makes me feel hungry for more.

I had a blast playing through all eight episodes of Dispatch, the debut game from developer AdHoc Studio. For the unfamiliar, Dispatch is an original story focused on the less-glamorous side of superhero work.

Protagonist Robert Robertson III is forced to take a step back from the field and sit behind a desk managing the Z-Team, a group of supervillains that are being given a shot at redemption by SDN (Superhero Dispatch Network).

It's that core theme that's carried throughout Dispatch, and one of the many reasons I found the game so compelling.

(The following contains some light spoilers).

Like a phoenix from the ashes

Superhero media is an interesting place overall, with the swing of popular brooding, dark antiheroes facing challenge, and a more recent rise of earnest hopefulness and kindness.

I'm not going to try and break all of that down here, but as someone that has enjoyed works across the whole spectrum — The Boys and Invincible TV shows are great, and I really liked both Marvel's Thunderbolts and the latest Superman movie earlier this year — I'm genuinely impressed with how well Dispatch threads the needle, providing something that feels genuinely "adult" without being steeped in immaturity or tastelessness.

From the start, I found all the characters fun or intriguing. Actor Aaron Paul deserves special mention for his performance as Robert, with a near-depressed, sarcastic tone that feels warmly relatable without blending into a beige everyman.

Erin Yvette and Laura Bailey give life to Blonde Blazer and Invisigal, respectively, with both characters providing fun romance options that feel natural to the story being told, albeit in vastly different ways. Both are tied into the nature of Robert's work as a dispatcher, with Invisigal taking a more central role as the messy trainee, while Blonde Blazer is far more stable on the surface.

No matter which of the two Robert ends up (optionally) romantically entangled with, it feels authentic to his character arc, struggling to refine and reform a group of villains in the aptly-named Phoenix Program. Earning their respect, figuring out who to send where, it all can feel like a challenge (and without a fair bit of luck, there's plenty of possible failures), yet all of that feeds into making the overall experience feel better, not worse.

That also comes into play with the writing, which treads a very fine line between leaning into the humor of a situation while also acknowledging the severity of possible actions.

When to make decisions matter

Dispatch carries forward a lot of legacy from Telltale Games, with some staff at the studio having worked on games like The Wolf Among Us and Tales from the Borderlands.

Telltale's games are often criticized for the idea that choices don't really matter, with someone potentially choosing which of two characters to spare in one episode, only for the other to die entirely sans-player input two episodes later.

That design is clearly present in Dispatch, but with a few subtle refinements that seem to pay off, at least for now. Asking the player to pick between recruiting two heroes and then having whoever wasn't picked end up drafted later works perfectly fine, and doesn't feel like it's actively undermining the decision-making process.

It's still a coloring-book type experience, where everyone has the same outline but chooses to fill in certain details, but not at the expense of going out of character for Robert.

So, what could be next?

Dispatch has been a rousing success so far — the game reached over two million players as of November 19 — and the developers have indicated another season could happen, though there's technically no official confirmation just yet. There's also the possibility that the team could have some other work to look forward to.

AdHoc Studio contributed the script for Telltale Games' The Wolf Among Us 2 before shipping Dispatch. Still, I say "possibility" because who knows if that game will ever see the light of day, but if it does, the tight dialogue and decision-making in Dispatch make me even more excited for what could be next for Bigby Wolf and Snow White.

Going back to superheroes, in the overwhelmingly likely event that Dispatch does continue, I'll be curious to see what the core conflict will be and just how the developers will go about carrying over player decisions. Obviously, some major things will have to come through, such as the exact nature Rof obert's chosen relationship, if any.

Personally, I'd love to see the actual dynamic of Robert working as a Dispatcher examined even further. How does he balance that with being out in the field as Mecha Man? Is it better to be a hero or a mentor? Can he do both?

I'm looking forward to finding out the answers.

In the meantime, I'd love to see AdHoc launch an Xbox version of Dispatch in the future, which would provide me the perfect excuse for a replay.

Dispatch is currently available on Windows PC and PlayStation 5, and is slated to launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on Jan. 28, 2026.

Did you play Dispatch? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments and vote in the poll!

One of the big games on the way in 2026 is Halo Studios' Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake that expands the classic experience with new visuals, enemy behaviour, three new missions, and many other additions.

When I visited Halo Studios in October, the team confirmed there would be nine weapons available that weren't previously, and they even confirmed several of these, with the Energy Sword, Fuel Rod Cannon, and Sentinel Beam all present like in Combat Evolved, but now able to be picked up and used by players.

Also joining the roster are the Battle Rifle and Needle Rifle, the former hailing from Halo 2 (and becoming a staple ever since), while the latter has only been used in Halo: Reach. Altogether, that's five known weapons, with four more left to be revealed.

To that end, with the year coming to a close, I've decided to go through and take a look at what other weapons make varying degrees of sense.

Now, to start, there are a few obvious categories we can cut wholesale. We won't be seeing any Promethean weapons, nor will there be any guns introduced by the Banished, since both of these factions are absent not just from Halo: Combat Evolved but from the entire original trilogy.

Finally, I also won't be pulling in any "variant" weapons from Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite, since there are simply so many of those as to make any list unwieldy. Given that Halo: Campaign Evolved doesn't feature player-versus-player multiplayer, it's also just extremely unlikely any of those weapons will be included in any capacity.

Brute Weapons

• Odds: Low

I'm cheating a bit to lump a bunch of different weapons together here. Any pre-Banished Brute weapons — such as the Brute Plasma Rifle, Brute Shot, Gravity Hammer, Spiker, and Mauler — all have the same chance of being in, which is to say, fairly low.

There aren't any Brutes present in the campaign, and with no multiplayer PvP, the odds seem extremely low for any of these spiky tools to be added.

The only thing that makes it technically possible is the fact that there are three new prequel missions in Campaign Evolved. It seems unlikely to me that these missions would have Brutes and Brute Weapons (that's a lot of work for just three levels), but it's not impossible.

Covenant Carbine

• Odds: Low

This semi-automatic Covenant precision weapon was introduced in Halo 2 as a counterpart to the Battle Rifle. This would make a fair bit of sense for some Elites to be a long-range threat in certain levels, but with the Needle Rifle already confirmed, there'd be a large degree of overlap, and a different long-range weapon we'll go over below makes more sense.

DMR

• Odds: Low

A fan-favorite introduced in Halo: Reach, the Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) is quite similar to the Battle Rifle, eschewing a three-round burst for a single precise shot. It would be great for players to have the choice, but with the Battle Rifle and Needle Rifle already confirmed, it falls into a similar problem as the Covenant Carbine.

Flamethrower

• Odds: High

The Flamethrower was almost included in Halo: Combat Evolved, where it would've been used to burn through Flood gunk at a pivotal moment in the campaign. The flamethrower also appeared in Halo 3, again as a weapon to be used against the Flood. With the opportunity to revisit the original game, having this added in seems like a no-brainer.

Grenade Launcher

• Odds: High

Another Halo: Reach weapon, the Grenade Launcher is notable for its dual modes, where holding the trigger allows it to function as an EMP device. With Halo: Campaign Evolved also adding EMP functionality for the Plasma Pistol, this seems like an extremely reasonable addition.

Particle Beam Rifle

• Odds: High

Also introduced in Halo 2 (where it immediately became the bane of every player's existence in the hands of Jackal Snipers), the Particle Beam Rifle is a Covenant Sniper Rifle, with extremely high damage only offset by how easy it is to overheat. Having Jackals and a handful of Elites use these in the sniper-focused third mission, Truth and Reconciliation, could shake things up in a wild way that I'd love to see.

Spartan Laser

• Odds: Medium

Introduced in Halo 3, the Spartan Laser is a unique human-made weapon that's used to atomize anything it shoots, but the low battery means each shot has to count. While the Rocket Launcher and Fuel Rod Cannon mean there's already plenty of explosives, having the Spartan Laser available in select missions seems possible.

Submachine Gun

• Odds: Medium

This "bullet hose" was first introduced in Halo 2 as a replacement for the Assault Rifle. With the Assault Rifle in subsequent games (including Campaign Evolved) being reworked as a more mid-range weapon, the Submachine Gun could fill the niche that the original version of the gun served in Combat Evolved.

Do you agree or disagree with my assessment? Which new weapons do you want to see in Halo: Campaign Evolved? Let me know in the comments!

Just a few days ago, a PS5 version of Larian Studios' Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition leaked, prompting speculation about just when it would arrive. As things turn out, the answer is right now, with Larian Studios launching a free upgrade for its iconic role-playing game (RPG) on Monday.

This upgrade allows players who already own Divinity: Original Sin 2 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or Nintendo Switch to upgrade to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, or Nintendo Switch 2 for free, respectively.

The turn-based RPG first launched for Windows PC in 2017, before being ported to consoles later on. Set in the world of Rivellon like other Divinity games, the story opens as the gods are gone, with new threats emerging. Players can go with a pre-built origin with one of six party members, or customize a unique character.

The biggest improvement this upgrade brings is 60 FPS gameplay, which makes the action and exploration far smoother on the latest consoles. I also noticed that the Xbox Series X version is significantly smaller than the backward-compatible Xbox One X version that was previously present, so you'll save a bit of space on your SSD with this upgrade, too.

This official announcement comes just days after Larian Studios revealed its next project at the Game Awards 2025, Divinity. This will be a new game in the Divinity setting, and while a lot isn't clear right now, the teaser trailer is extremely gruesome, with human sacrifices, an accompanying orgy, and pigs eating slop...and that's before things go wrong.

We don't have a release date or even a vague window to look forward to, but until then, it's a great time to play some of the older games in the series for players who came to know Larian Studios thanks to Baldur's Gate 3.

Larian Studios has noted you don't have to play Divinity: Original Sin 2 before the next Divinity game, but it will help, and the players who are familiar with the setting may notice more connections and hints than anyone who hops in fresh.

Divinity Original Sin 2 is currently on sale for $18 via Xbox, for $45 at GOG on Windows PC, for $60 at PlayStation, and for $25 on Nintendo Switch.

Microsoft-owned Compulsion Games shared that its 2025 southern gothic adventure, South of Midnight, is making the jump to both PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch 2 in the Spring of 2026.

The move makes South of Midnight the first Xbox Game Studios title to launch on the recently released Switch 2 console.

South of Midnight is an action-adventure game that presents players with a fictionalized version of the American Deep South and follows Hazel, a young woman who finds herself with an ancient power known as 'weaving'. Hazel must defeat the haints and cleanse the stigma that has taken over her home while encountering classic southern gothic folktale figures like Two-Toed Tom.

The game is the third title from Compulsion Games, who previously released We Happy Few and Contrast. It is the first from the studio following its acquisition from Microsoft in 2018. The game initially leaked under the title Project Midnight.

The announcements came unceremoniously via social media tweets from Compulsion Games just before the start of The Game Awards. It is likely that it was intended to be withheld until the annual game show's broadcast. Farah Brixi and Diane Gullemont of Compulsion Games shared the announcement during their speech following South of Midnight's victory in the Games for Impact category.

"From the start, we listened to stories passed down porch to porch, kitchen to kitchen to build a world that would feel as warm and as rich as the south. A world that would be filled with compassion, kindness, and courage. So we're incredibly excited to launch this spring South of Midnight on PlayStation 5 and Switch 2," said Guillemont.

South of Midnight received critical acclaim at launch, and Windows Central's own Samuel Tolbert adorned the title with a coveted Must Play badge. "I've enjoyed this yarn of a young Weaver aspiring to save her mother, and I truly hope we get to see more of Hazel in the future. South of Midnight is a love letter to Southern Gothic and the South, and it's one I hope people can come away from filled with more meaning," wrote Tolbert in Windows Central's South of Midnight review.

Xbox Game Pass subscribers can play South of Midnight now on Xbox or Xbox PC as part of the subscription service.

Black Friday has just wrapped up, and we now have a look at the top three best-selling console SKUs in the US, thanks to Circana. There is a bit of a surprise here, and it manages to beat out both PlayStation and Xbox Series hardware. The NEX Playground.

The Nex Playground is a motion-controlled, family-oriented device that works in a similar way to the Xbox’s Kinect. It is not something I had ever heard of, but it is kind of cool to see an unknown system land in the top three. In case anyone was wondering, the Nintendo Switch 2 took the top spot for Black Friday sales (per individual SKUs).

EDIT: For clarity, the above information referred to individual SKUs rather than per brand. However, in another post, Mat Piscatella of Circana clarified that PlayStation 5 accounted for 47% of total sales over Black Friday, with Nintendo Switch 2 hitting 24%, and Nex Playground hitting 14%. The remaining 15%, we assume, went to Xbox Series X|S, but it's hardly a strong showing.

In the US, PlayStation 5 accounted for 47% of total Black Friday week hardware unit sales, leading the market.Nintendo Switch 2 ranked 2nd (24%), with the NEX Playground 3rd (14%).Source: Circana Retail Tracking Service

— @matpiscatella.bsky.social (@matpiscatella.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-12-07T17:41:05.658Z

In the UK, the situation wasn't much better for Xbox, with Microsoft's console out in third place. PS5 hit 62%, with Switch 2 at 23%, and Xbox a distant last in 10%. The Nex Playground isn't available in the UK as of writing.

Microsoft did zero sales for the Xbox Series X|S console over Black Friday, although some retailers did throw in gift cards and things like that in an attempt to shift some stock.

It paints an increasingly bleak picture for Microsoft's hardware aspirations, who have been forced to repeatedly insist that there will be another Xbox console, despite anaemic stock levels and near total abandonment of its current gen systems.

A missed chance for Xbox?

It is no secret that Microsoft, and therefore Xbox, often seems to miss out. From the closure of Windows Phone, Skype, Kinect, Cortana, and many others, the list is long. Looking at just those examples, it is easy to see how some, or even all of them, could be relevant today given current market conditions. Microsoft has diverted all attention away from its own hardware by pointing gamers towards other platforms to buy its games, while jacking up the price of Xbox Game Pass at the same time.

Another oversight could be the decision to kill Kinect. It was a device that was technically impressive and could have been reworked for a younger audience. It would have required foresight from Microsoft, but hindsight is 20/20, and it feels like yet another missed opportunity to add to the list.

Despite not making the US top sales in consoles for Black Friday, however, Microsoft is still putting stock in its hardware, and a recent report points to them seeking to expand Xbox manufacturing by 4.8 million devices per year, away from China. The figure includes all types of Xbox hardware, including consoles, potentially to prepare for the arrival of GTA 6 late 2026.

With rising prices across the board driven by AI, next-generation hardware is expected to be more expensive than ever, and Xbox's own Sarah Bond confirms this.

Storage and RAM costs continue to climb, and the closure of Crucial, one of the biggest consumer RAM and Storage manufacturers, only adds to the pressure.

It creates a turbulent moment for a hobby that once felt affordable, but is now becoming increasingly expensive thanks to tariffs and the growing demand for AI-focused components.

When you think of the storied game developer Rare these days, you probably think of its acclaimed live-service Xbox title Sea of Thieves, or perhaps its infamously canceled action-adventure game Everwild. But many years ago, the studio also created the beloved 3D platformer Banjo-Kazooie, a series that follows the wacky adventures of brown bear Banjo and his backpack-riding avian companion named — you guessed it — Kazooie.

Like Super Mario 64 before it, the original 1998 Banjo-Kazooie is widely considered to be a genre-defining classic, and its sequels Banjo-Tooie and Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge are acclaimed as well. 2008's experimental Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts controversially shifted the gameplay focus to vehicle construction, however, and was met with a more mixed reception.

Tragically, Rare hasn't made a new Banjo-Kazooie game since, and with the developer still focusing on making Sea of Thieves content, it's unclear if we'll ever see it build one under Xbox Game Studios. But as it turns out, there's actually a new Banjo-Kazooie game you can play right now! ... Sort of.

That game is Banjo-Kazooie: Mumbomania, a fan-made title created by a tiny team using the 2020 PlayStation game-making tool Dreams. It's available to play now through Dreams for free, as all user-created content on it is, though Dreams itself is $20 (it's also on PlayStation Plus). You can watch the trailer for it here or below.

Sadly, Dreams never got a port to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Windows PC, so you won't be able to check Mumbomania out if you don't have a PS5 or PS4. Still, the game looks terrific, and you should absolutely check it out if you own one of Sony's consoles.

Banjo-Kazooie: Mumbomania features one massive singular tropical island level with 30 "jiggy" (think Super Mario 64 stars) puzzle pieces to collect; the original game had 100, to provide a comparison. In addition to Banjo and Kazooie, it also introduces Mumbo, a colorful disembodied skull that floats around and helps "collect, fight, and transform into a variety of strange beings."

As you'd expect, you can jump, roll, and punch with Banjo, and fly or shoot eggs with Kazooie. Mumbo, meanwhile, is able to fetch certain items in the environment for you, and can transform Banjo into animated versions of objects like giant boulders or cannons that give you access to unique abilities.

A full playthrough will take you about an hour or so, and completionists aiming to find every collectible and solve every puzzle can expect a playtime double that.

I wouldn't even question it if you told me this was an official release from Rare and not a Dreams fan game; clearly, a ton of work went into making Mumbomania feel as authentically Banjo-Kazooie as possible. In fact, director William "Eupholace" Butkevicius noted that it took "About 14 months" and "800+ hours of work" to finish, and all of that invested time and effort shows.

Contributing alongside him was PieceofCraft who handled the game's animations and scripting logic, as well as The Game Brass who created Mumbomania's upbeat, high-energy soundtrack.

Where is Xbox's answer to Dreams?

The release of Banjo-Kazooie: Mumbomania is a remarkable achievement for the passionate, talented fans of the franchise that made it. With that said, I can't help but feel rather bittersweet about its arrival, as it's a painful reminder that Microsoft, Xbox, and Rare (update: Rare has tipped its hat to Mumbomania) have sat on this franchise for upwards of 20 years without developing a new entry in it.

Astro Bot winning Game of the Year in 2024 was a strong reminder that the market for platformers is as strong as ever, and that Xbox really needs to invest in creating some. Perhaps Crash Bandicoot and Spyro developer Toys for Bob will make a new Banjo-Kazooie; after all, the studio said it would love to in the wake of its departure from Xbox to independence, as it was notably exploring a partnership opportunity despite exiting Xbox Game Studios.

Regardless, Mumbomania's exclusive availability on PS5 and PS4 due to Dreams' PlayStation exclusivity also highlights the fact there's really nothing like Dreams on Xbox, or even on PC for that matter.

Games like Battlefield 6 and Halo Infinite have powerful creation tools like Portal and Forge, sure, but even those are quite limited in comparison. Mumbomania is nigh-indistinguishable from an official Banjo-Kazooie game, and that's not something I could make in Battlefield or Halo.

Ultimately, it's a cruel irony that Xbox owns Banjo-Kazooie, yet the best (and only) Banjo-Kazooie experience we've gotten since 2008 is only playable if you're on PlayStation. And because there's not a Dreams-like game on Microsoft's console, Xbox fans can't even make one of their own.

FAQ

While GSC Game World's survival-shooter STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl recently left Xbox Game Pass, the developers have marked the occasion with a message of thanks to the team at Xbox.

"This one started with a single email and grew into one of the most glowing partnerships we've ever had. A match happened that ultimately made millions of players happy," the STALKER 2 team shared on X (formerly Twitter).

"We've said this many times, but we are genuinely grateful to the @Xbox team for all the collaboration, incredible showcases, heartfelt care, and amazing professionalism. Your hand of support could always be felt, even in the darkest moments. Together, we gave players an unforgettable experience. We are sincerely proud of what we've achieved together. This road without you would have been, at the very least, completely different."

While STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl was announced to be coming to Xbox Series X|S consoles alongside PC all the way back in 2021, the game's development was delayed by numerous factors, with the studio heavily impacted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Many members of the studio have fought in defense of their homes, and GSC Game World even partnered with Xbox to share accounts of the war during a 2022 showcase, taking a look at exactly how it had shaken up their lives.

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl eventually launched in November 2024, and the team has continued to provide numerous updates since, fixing innumerable bugs and adjusting the game's systems in response to player feedback.

STALKER 2 is continuing to get even better

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is slated to launch on PlayStation 5 on November 20, with the developers keeping to the feature and update roadmap that was shared earlier in the year.

The game just recently received one of its biggest updates yet, with huge improvements in particular for the A-Life system. The A-Life is responsible for NPC (non-player character) behavior, and is a huge reason for the popularity of the games, as it can drive completely unexpected reactions and interactions that throw even experienced players for a loop.

While I played a fair bit of STALKER 2 at launch, I did put the game down in order to wait for more patches, and it's clearly a vastly improved experience now. I quite naively hoped I'd have time to play more in September, but that didn't work out. I'm hoping to find some time to dive into it again over the holidays, with a bit more optimism around that timing.

Looking ahead, there's still more to come to the Zone, with two planned expansions for STALKER 2 that are slated to arrive at some point in the future. The developers also previously indicated that a free multiplayer mode was in the works, though there aren't many details on what to expect.

FAQ

Hot off the press, the original Red Dead Redemption is getting a remastered rerelease on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and mobile devices. Yes, that's right, you'll get to play the award-winning John Marshton tale from the comfort of your bus ride to work!

In a newswire post on Rockstar's website, the developer announced the release was created in collaboration with Double Eleven and Cast Iron Games. For current generation consoles, you can expect some new bells and whistles:

• Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5
  • 60 frames per second
  • HDR support
  • Enhanced image quality
  • Up to 4K resolution
• Switch 2
  • DLSS
  • HDR
  • Mouse controls
  • 60 frames per second at a high resolution (not listed)

Directly from Rockstar's release:

On December 2, the epic Western adventures Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare will be available for the latest mobile devices and on current generation consoles — with free upgrades, the ability to carry over game progress, and a number of enhancements.

Step into the events immediately following the blockbuster Red Dead Redemption 2, in the critically acclaimed tale of John Marston's journey to bury his blood-stained past. In its zombie-horror companion Undead Nightmare, fight to find a cure for the zombie plague that has overrun the frontier. All these new versions feature the complete single-player experiences of both games, and also include bonus content from the Game of the Year Edition.

Even better, current owners of the game on PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One backwards compatibility version will get the upgrade for free. That's right, Rockstar is releasing this update for no extra charge on top of the game you already own — something we don't usually see from the developer, so kudos to them.

Mobile and subscription ports

What makes this news even more impressive is the addition of mobile ports. I remember playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and thinking to myself, "This has to be the limit, right?" Never in my dreams did I imagine I'd be playing something as complex as Red Dead Redemption.

I know, I know, we've been getting some fascinating mobile ports like Assassin's Creed Mirage, but come on, Red Dead Redemption on phones before GTA VI? Nobody saw that one coming.

If you're a Netflix subscriber, you also have access to their mobile store. Your subscription will grant access to the mobile version of Red Dead Redemption at no extra charge. So, if you're like me and wary that your 3-year-old device can't run it, there's no strings attached.

Gamers who are subscribed to GTA+ will also have access to the game once it launches. As will PlayStation 5 players who have PlayStation Plus. Why does every subscription end with a plus these days?

Where's the Red Dead Redemption 2 60 frames per second update?

Something I find extraordinary is the lack of any updates for Red Dead Redemption 2. Since it originally launched on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, I've been eagerly waiting since 2020 for Rockstar to do anything with it. Like, do something already.

The fact that you can still only play the game at 30 frames per second on current-generation consoles is staggeringly confusing to me. It seems like an easy slam dunk for Rockstar, especially with the long delay into November of 2026 for Grand Theft Auto VI. Why not capitalize now with a decent update for one of your other most highly rated titles of all time?

I can't be the only one begging for it.

Are you excited to take another run at Red Dead Redemption on whatever device you have? Are you just as disappointed as I am in the lack of a Red Dead Redemption 2 update? Let us know below in the comment section or somewhere on one of our many social media pages. I can't be the only one, right?

FAQ

In Sony’s latest financial report, the PlayStation 5 has now shipped more than 84.2 million units, putting it just ahead of the Xbox 360 by roughly 200,000 units. It also places the PS5 close behind the PlayStation 3, marking it as one of Sony’s fastest-selling consoles despite a more challenging market.

What makes that figure even more impressive is that Sony increased hardware prices this generation and introduced cost-saving revisions, such as smaller internal storage. Yet, the PS5 continues to build momentum. Xbox, meanwhile, has also raised prices but struggled to maintain the same traction with its Series X | S hardware.

Looking across PlayStation’s full history tells an even clearer story. The PS1 sold 102.4 million, the PS2 reached 160 million, the PS3 hit 87.4 million, and the PS4 finished at 117 million.

Combined, that’s around 551 million PlayStation consoles shipped worldwide versus 196 million units across all generations for Xbox.

Of course, that number doesn’t represent half a billion unique players. Much of it comes from fans upgrading within the ecosystem each generation — a reality that Xbox seems to acknowledge. Microsoft’s “Xbox everywhere” strategy reflects its belief that the console market has plateaued and that real growth now lies in expanding the broader Xbox ecosystem beyond traditional hardware.

The Xbox problem

If you’re like me and have fond memories of the Xbox 360, you’ll know just how much of a cultural impact that console had. Xbox Live shaped an entire generation of online play, setting the standard for friends lists, voice chat, and multiplayer matchmaking. With games like Halo, Gears of War, Fable, Call of Duty, and GTA IV defining its era, it’s no wonder the Xbox 360 was the closest Xbox that ever came to the sun, selling around 84 million units during its lifecycle.

That success, however, was short-lived. Under Don Mattrick, the Xbox One launched with a heavy focus on non-gaming features like TV, entertainment apps, and DRM policies—paired with a higher price tag than the PlayStation 4. It was a fumble that handed momentum straight to Sony, and Xbox has never fully recovered from that misstep.

Mattrick’s tenure had its share of controversy. He allegedly axed the in-development Halo MMO, Titan, to protect a personal bonus — a move that could have cost Xbox a billion-dollar opportunity, and one I’m still bitter about.

Even so, the Xbox One still sold a respectable 58 million consoles, but it was a far cry from the 360’s peak. Thanks to Phil Spencer and others within Xbox, the brand slowly regained trust through initiatives like backward compatibility, the Xbox One X, and a renewed focus on player choice. Those efforts laid the groundwork for the Xbox Series X and S, which carried that philosophy into the current generation.

The Xbox Series X and S are, for all intents and purposes, fantastic hardware. Some might even argue that Xbox is the only company this generation that truly innovated. Features like Quick Resume, extensive backward compatibility, and Game Pass show how Microsoft built a genuinely player-friendly ecosystem (or at least they did before price hikes).

But even with all those strengths, it hasn’t been enough. Xbox Series sales sit at around 30 million units, a far cry from Sony’s momentum. With Microsoft’s third-party publishing push and exclusivity fading across the industry, it’s become harder than ever to convince players to join the ecosystem.

I maintain that the Series X and S are fantastic consoles, but Xbox’s biggest hurdle is marketing—or rather, its lack of it. Anyone in Europe will notice the difference immediately. PlayStation and Nintendo dominate billboards, buses, and phone booths, while Xbox is barely visible despite a strong release slate with Avowed, The Outer Worlds 2, and Ninja Gaiden 4. To the average consumer, many of these games barely exist or are even connected to the Xbox as a brand, and that’s a shame for hardware this good.

I could point to Xbox’s Activision acquisition, which has arguably created as many problems as it solved, accelerating its shift toward third-party publishing — but at this stage, that feels like beating a battered corpse. Instead, it’s worth looking at how Xbox seems almost allergic to putting its branding on its biggest IPs, from Minecraft to Call of Duty. The Minecraft movie nearly grossed a billion dollars at the box office, yet there wasn’t a single hint of Xbox branding anywhere. For a company trying to sell an ecosystem, that feels like the most obvious opportunity in the world to miss.

Xbox’s Next Chapter Depends on Reinvention

If leaks and rumors are to be believed, Xbox is betting big on the next generation, aiming to reshape what people consider a “console.” In some ways, it’s already begun doing that with devices like the Xbox Ally, its first handheld built in collaboration with ASUS.

Creating a true console–PC hybrid could be a significant step forward, but it might not be enough if Xbox can’t effectively market its hardware and convince players that this is the best value for their money. The next generation will demand not just innovation, but visibility — and that’s where Xbox still needs to prove itself now more than ever.

FAQ

I remember a few years ago, when Embark Studios first hit the mainstream. Two projects were in the works: a First-person competitive shooter called The Finals and another that would eventually become ARC Raiders.

At the time, the definition of what ARC Raiders was to become wasn't set in stone. In fact, ARC Raiders was their first project, initially intended for release in 2022. At the time, they decided to put more resources into a new PvP gamemode they were testing before release.

2023 hit, and still no release of ARC Raiders. Rather than a PvE-focused game, Embark pushed full-swing into the extraction shooter genre. A decision that's landed it on the top-seller Steam list, and at the top of my personal game of the year contenders list.

ARC Raiders: What is it?

When you think of an extraction shooter, most people will name Escape from Tarkov. A full-on, lifelike experience that questions both the player's mastery and time allotment. No one merely plays something like Tarkov; you live it.

Participants dedicate thousands upon thousands of hours to that game, honing their craft to perfection in an attempt to shave microseconds off their time-to-kill.

Which barrel goes with the Molot Arms Simonov OP-SKS 7.62x39 Carbine? Which of the 25 (actual number) of pistol grips is best for the Kalashnikov AK-74M 5.45x39 Assault Rifle?

ARC Raiders asks the question, what if we took the most fun aspects of the extraction shooter genre and blended them into something both casual and competitive gamers can appreciate?

Not to say that ARC Raiders is just a casual Tarkov, as that's a disservice to the game to say so.

What it is is almost incomparable to Tarkov. A faster, mechanic-questioning experience that challenges the player in similar ways to Tarkov, but also contests morality. Do you kill or fight together to complete your objectives?

ARC Raiders launched on October 20, 2025, and is available for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5.

ARC Raiders: PvPvE Gameplay perfected

Embark Studios has created a masterful blend of PvE and PvP combat that shifts with each match, with entirely different subplots driven by the superficial difference between solo and trio play. In a group, each and every person feels stronger through the connection to another. Together, you're never alone.

While solo, the fear of death permeates the atmosphere to a greater degree. On the surface, during a raid, there's no one around to pick you up if you go down, that is, unless you've allied with another player.

You see, the main driver of ARC Raiders is not human-on-human combat, but humanity against robots. The people of Earth face extinction under the threat of the ARC that has populated the surface. The player acts as a Raider, who rises to the surface of the planet to scan and scavenge for parts, weapons, and other trinkets to return to the base below, dubbed Speranza.

Interactions between players have become their own mechanic thanks to this immediate, deafening threat of ARC robots. When faced with a player in front of you who has yet to spot you, do you down them and loot their corpse, or reach out in hopes you both can work together to take down one of the many terrifying creations that walk the area?

In many instances, I found myself barreling ahead, deciding I would trust just about every single person I came across. "Friendly, friendly," or "Don't shoot!" became the de facto response whenever I saw a player. For the most part, this culminated in a mutual relationship between one another, sometimes, upwards of 7 different players working together.

The complexity of this has led to some of the greatest moments I've ever had in gaming. Triumphantly dominating my first Leaper using free loadouts, or figuring out one of the many location-based puzzles to enter some of the better loot areas.

As I leveled my Raider and jumped in with better gear, this need for companionship to level the playing field began to subside. A well-placed Wolfpack nade would nearly one-shot any major enemy other than the Queen. I didn't need the help of others to do this.

That, in turn, led to more gear fear as I'd pack myself with these grenades to harvest the parts. Other players would witness these takedowns and see an easy opportunity to rat me out for the parts I'd won in combat. Not that they'd succeed, but damn, did they try.

ARC Raiders: A masterfully crafted gameplay loop

Another remarkable aspect has been the leveling and workshop systems. From acquiring gear in raids to creating your own, there's an untold number of things to keep player engagement at an all-time peak.

Completing quests gives easy rewards like money, items, and weapons. So if raiding the loot off of enemies isn't your thing, or you just ain't good enough, quests have your back. They vary between ARC hunting, looting, and getting inside some location to gather information for one of the quest givers.

While these quests aren't anything that will win a Pulitzer prize, they're still enough to keep players busy working toward goals both together and individually. These quests, at least at launch, have largely pushed players in solo play to a more cooperative experience.

Even better are the nutty levels of things players can do on each map. Take Blue Ridge, for example —the current prettiest map in the game. There are multiple areas on the map to call in supply drops, complete loot room puzzles, unlockable doors, and other open-ended loot areas.

There's something for every type of player to enjoy. So much so that I constantly find myself altering my plans entirely based on spawn locations. Each player in your squad can bring in keys and hit whatever spot you spawn by, but maybe there's another team taking on a Rocketeer, and you just so happen to have their flanks.

Whatever the case, I can guarantee that most people who are fans of shooters will find multiple things they love about this game. There's a reason it keeps breaking its own player count record on Steam.

I'd also like to mention that ARC Raiders has no dedicated PvE mode. For some, that's a total turn-off. For me, well, I really love that it's a dedicated PvPvE game, and I hope they keep it as such for years to come.

ARC Raiders: A gorgeous game that runs beyond expectations

Unreal Engine 5 has gotten a lot of hate as of late. Be it from the recently released Outer Worlds 2, or the too-powerful-to-run Borderlands 4. While it's been incredibly easy to blame these shortfalls on Unreal Engine 5, ARC Raiders (and quite a few other games) are proof against that idea.

While ARC Raiders technically runs on an Unreal Engine 5 branch named NvRTX, this is a testament to what Unreal Engine 5 can do when used correctly. Often, it would seem that many developers use shortcuts and abuse Lumen, Nanite, level streaming, and shader compilation. ARC Raiders said, "forget that" and decided to target performance first, while creating one of the most beautiful, captivating shooters I've seen in years.

Running on Epic settings, with global illumination and everything else set to max at 1440p, I'm reaching heights of 200 FPS on my 5080 GPU and 9800X3D. My 4060 hits above 144Hz at 1080p without the use of any DLSS. The game is insanely optimized!

As for the audio? Chef's kiss. I can hear everything around me at all times, from footsteps to shots in the distance. The audio in ARC Raiders is some of the best I've ever come across for any online multiplayer game. I've seen zero complaints from anyone, anywhere, asking for audio to be tuned.

ARC Raiders: What's not so great?

No game is perfect. There's always one or two things, at the very least, that developers could tweak or work on to make the product better. ARC Raiders isn't any different, but at least the current problems I have with the game aren't anything terrifying or unfixable.

First of all, ARC Raiders is in desperate need of a duo playlist. When paired with a single friend, you'll often find yourself up against full three-person squads rather than other players.

While that doesn't mean you can't win, it definitely gives the upper hand to any competent team that doesn't have individual players getting cut off from the rest of their team. If you find yourself in a building, outplaying a trio of equal skill comes down to luck rather than balance.

Another issue I have is competitive settings. Most competitive gamers will lower settings to hit higher frames, but when players like me are already hitting 200, why not let the beauty shine through? Well, because that puts you at a disadvantage.

You see, lowering your foliage setting gives a performance boost, yes, but it also reduces the visual clutter of trees and bushes in areas, making players who might be hiding look like sitting ducks in the middle of an empty parking lot. In a competitive game environment, no player should ever see structure differently, at least not to the point where one player can basically see through a wall while the other can't.

Embark, I beg you, if you can't force every player to a higher setting, then find some sort of middle ground that gives all players the same look. Don't disadvantage gamers who just want to play your game at its best settings.

ARC Raiders: My final thoughts

✅You should buy this if...

• You love extraction shooters

ARC Raiders is how an extraction shooter is done. If I dare say so, it's the current bar for others in the genre to reach for. That is, unless you're looking for the stark realism of Escape from Tarkov.

• You enjoy mental warfare

ARC Raiders will keep players on their toes in both solo and trio settings. Coming across an enemy player as a solo is a different experience each and every time. Say one too many things, like "Yeah, I found some great loot," and that guy you're teamed with just found his next dinner.

❌You should not buy this if...

• You don't like third-person shooters

I've heard a number of folks who refuse to play just because it's third-person, which is an absolute shame. I can't tell them they're wrong, but if someone absolutely does not like it when players can look around a corner before you see them, then you'll want to sit it out.

• You want a pure PvE game mode.

ARC Raiders doesn't have a pure PvE game mode, as a result, I've seen some players refusing to buy it or outright uninstalling it. The game is advertised as PvPvE, with the PvP first and foremost. If you're not willing to go through the hardships and emotional rollercoaster of losing and regaining loot, then this game isn't for you.

ARC Raiders turned out exactly like I always pictured it in my head. After grinding through all those alphas, betas, and server slams over the years, I built up this perfect vision of the game, figuring Embark could never pull it off.

You get me, don't you? That one title you hear about, the ultimate dream game you have been craving forever. Then it drops, and it's close, but not quite. ARC Raiders is that for me. Except this time, after years of letdowns, it straight up delivered on every bit of the hype.

Sure, it won't snag Game of the Year. Multiplayer shooters just don't. Still, ARC Raiders is the best PvP multiplayer game to launch in years. And yeah, that's right after putting what I'd call "gamer hours" into my BAE, Battlefield 6.

This game nailed taking an already solid genre and tweaking it just ever so slightly to create something truly unique in the space. I can't help but feel positive about the current and future state of ARC Raiders in the hands of Embark Studios. Cheers!

Publisher Electronic Arts' (EA) latest first-person shooter Battlefield 6 launched back on October 10, and since it arrived, it's been putting up some pretty impressive numbers, with the game selling over 7 million copies in its first three days.

Since then, Circana executive director Mat Piscatella has shared updates on the most-played games in the U.S on a weekly basis. For the week ending October 25, Battlefield 6 continued to hold strong as the most-played game on Steam, ranking at the #6 and #7 spots on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles, respectively.

It's a strong hold, but notably, despite the fervor around Activision's Call of Duty and Battlefield going head-to-head this year, Call of Duty HQ retained its place as the #2 game on Xbox and PlayStation, with no decrease to the existing playerbase that can be seen.

Now, there are some important details to keep in mind. Call of Duty HQ includes last year's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 as well as the free-to-play Battle Royale, Call of Duty: Warzone.

This unified launcher used to include even more games, but Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3 were both de-coupled from it back in July.

Another large caveat here is that this doesn't include the launch of REDSEC, the free-to-play Battle Royale mode for Battlefield 6 that launched on October 28. REDSEC has seen mixed reactions from players so far, but it also drove Battlefield 6 to some high concurrent numbers on Steam, with over 500,000 players online at once.

Finally, Call of Duty is still available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 (even if performance and image quality aren't great) while Battlefield 6 is locked to the latest generation of console hardware.

With all of that in mind, it'll be fascinating to see where Battlefield 6 ranks once REDSEC is included. It'll also be interesting to see just what happens with the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, with the Treyarch and Raven-led game set to launch on Nov. 14, 2025.

Black Ops 6 managed to become the best-selling game of 2024 in the U.S. despite also being included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Will Black Ops 7 become the best-selling game of 2025 in the U.S? We'll have to wait and see.

Personally, I'm happy to see some real competition between the two, and players are better off with both series thriving and the developers reacting quickly to feedback.

FAQ

Obsidian Entertainment's third game launch this year is available now. Ahead of the launch, I recently had the chance to chat with Brandon Adler and Matthew Singh, game directors on The Outer Worlds 2.

One of the more interesting tidbits that came out of our conversation was the reveal that the Rifts players can find scattered across planets and space stations weren't originally something that could be interacted with.

This came as a surprise to me, since much of the game's plot revolves around finding a way to keep the larger Rifts from completely destroying the solar system. After acquiring a special device partway through the game, players gain the ability to temporarily reset Rifts, exposing new pathways and uncovering interesting secrets.

"We didn't know we actually wanted to do interactible Rifts at the beginning. It wasn't until maybe a year or two in that we were talking about 'Hey, this is a pretty important story point for the player, and we don't really have much interaction with that,'" Alder says.

"And so we were like, 'Hey, let's just do it. Let's come up with a way for players to interact with these in some way, use these as puzzles and we can do some fun stuff."

From here, Alder explains he tasked Singh's team with finding the right places to include Rifts and use them as part of the game's design, something that came as a process and required a decent bit of iteration in order to figure out. That in turn led to other quality-of-life additions, such as making sure a rift was marked on the player's map once it was found.

"I wish we had come up with it even earlier, because I think it would have been even more deeply integrated into what we were doing," Adler says. "But I think that luckily we did do it early enough where we could actually still make those fairly impactful and just fun."

"They were a good space for us to say, 'Hey, let's integrate this threat that is looming over the colony.' We want to show it early and we want to show bits of it, but we can use this as a fun re-traversal tool for the player. That's totally optional, but there's actually a lot of really cool and good stuff you can get out of those things, even going back to the very first area," Singh says, adding that the team tried to "seed" examples of the Rifts to garner players' attention early on, even though most of the Rifts are completely optional to interact with.

The Outer Worlds 2's exploration was shaped by other games and Disneyland

Even outside of the Rifts, one aspect that I found The Outer Worlds 2 to handle much better than its predecessor was general exploration, with larger areas that were more rewarding to traipse through.

While the team ended up pivoting away from this (somewhat) in order to make sure there were plenty of towns to explore and interact with, the studio still looked to open-world RPGs.

Alder explained that the team studied lots of larger games in order to get a better idea of how they could handle expanding the playable space, even if it wasn't truly open world.

"We looked at things like Breath of the Wild. Matt in particular brought that up as something that he thought was really important because they use amazing shape language to draw the player from location to location, even something as simple as the geometry of the terrain," Adler says, adding that another source of inspiration came from a real-world location: Disneyland.

"We actually looked at Disneyland. So they have these things called Weenies, which are like points of visual points of interest around the park and understanding how they actually have people flow from area to area and ride to ride [was important]," Adler says.

"So Tim Kaine, he actually did a presentation. He was one of the game directors on the first game. He gave a big presentation to the team where he broke down the weenies in Disneyland and like how they actually use that to draw people around."

Personally, I've quite enjoyed my first playthrough of this improved sequel, and if you haven't yet, be sure to read my review of The Outer Worlds 2. I'm already looking forward to a vastly different replay where I invest in different skills and take a different Trait or two.

FAQs

Capcom has just unveiled the latest trailer for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. While it doesn't give us more gameplay, it does cover more of the game's story and characters, and provides details on the game's Deluxe Edition and pre-order bonus.

It also reveals the return of an old-school monster I've wished were in Monster Hunter Wilds, but decided to make a comeback here instead. Here's everything you need to know about the next entry in the Monster Hunter Stories series from this new trailer.

The trailer largely shows more of the game's lush locales, which are under threat of being destroyed by the mysterious Encroachment phenomenon, turning everything into crystal.

It also gives us brief glimpses of the game's characters, whom our protagonist will meet on his journey, from the antagonistic forces of the Vermeil Empire to other Monster Riders who may join him as party members.

The biggest surprise, however, is that at the end of the trailer, it reveals that Yama Tsukami, a giant monster that hasn't been seen in a western-released Monster Hunter game since 2008's Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, will at long last return to the franchise as an epic boss fight.

The trailer then closes out with confirmation that pre-orders for the game have gone live, along with information regarding its pre-order bonus and Deluxe Editions.

Pre-ordering the game will net you access to the Skyscale Queen Layered Armor Set for Eleanor.

There will also be amiibos to purchase for the Nintendo Switch 2 version that will unlock Skyscale Rathalos Layered armor sets for the main character and an outfit for Rudy.

On top of that, if you happen to have save data from Monster Hunter Stories 1, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, and Monster Hunter Rise, you gain automatic access to Layered Armor sets from those games.

At long last, I can finally fight Yama Tsukami in Monster Hunter Stories

I was dead-set on getting Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection after seeing its extended gameplay deep dive, but the addition of Yama Tsukami being a boss has now sealed the deal.

I've never fought this monster personally since it was locked behind Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, and I don't have a PSP on hand anymore.

So, the idea that I'll finally get to fight this hot-air balloon Cthulhu in Monster Hunter Stories, let alone a modern Monster Hunter title, has got me more excited than when Capcom announced Omega for Monster Hunter Wilds.

I can't wait to ride on with my Monsties and finally have my dream match with Yama Tsukami when Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections launches on March 13, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

FAQ

Capcom has prepared a very special treat for Resident Evil fans this Halloween. During a recently released trailer recapping Resident Evil's history, Capcom has announced that pre-orders are live for Resident Evil: Requiem for home consoles and PC.

On top of that, Capcom has announced details regarding the game's special editions, pre-order bonuses, and much more.

Here's everything you need to know from Resident Evil: Requiem's pre-order announcement.

First and foremost, you can now pre-order the game at your favorite online and local retailers for the following platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.

Additionally, there will be two special editions of the game and a pre-order bonus to purchase alongside the Standard Edition.

Pre-ordering the game will grant you access to a special DLC costume called 'Apocalypse', which is no doubt a reference to the Resident Evil: Apocalypse movie.

Next up, Capcom has a list of announcements regarding the game's Nintendo Switch 2 port.

Capcom has collaborated with Nintendo to release a Resident Evil amiibo of Grace Ashcraft in 2026 and a Resident Evil: Requiem themed Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller for February 27, 2026.

Additionally, the Nintendo Switch 2 will receive the Resident Evil Generation Pack in 2026, which bundles together Resident Evil 7: biohazard Gold Edition, Resident Evil Village Gold Edition, and Resident Evil: Requiem.

Capcom then rounds its announcements up by stating that Resident Evil: Requiem will have a collaboration with Fortnite to celebrate Resident Evil's debut on the Epic Games Store.

By ordering the game on the Epic Games Store, you will receive a Grace Ashcroft costume to use in Fortnite after the game releases.

Are you ready to return to Racoon City for its requiem?

If my colleague, Jez Corden's preview of Resident Evil: Requiem is anything to go by, this game is shaping up to be Resident's darkest entry yet, both figuratively and literally.

It has a somber yet horrifying setting as we're returning to Raccoon City decades after it was blown to ruins at the end of Resident Evil 3, and the nightmarish monsters you will encounter will require the use of lights to drive them away, as bullets will not save you this time.

I enjoyed my fair share of Resident Evil games over the years (my favorite being the Resident Evil HD Remaster), so I can't wait to see new horrors await us when Resident Evil: Requiem launches on February 27, 2026.

FAQ

Update, Oct. 30, 2025 — The Azure outage has passed, so you should no longer have any difficulty accessing The Outer Worlds on Xbox.

Original story:

Today marks the general launch of The Outer Worlds 2, a science-fiction role-playing game (RPG) from developer Obsidian Entertainment and publisher Xbox Game Studios.

It's the team's third game this year, following the fantasy RPG Avowed in February and the early access launch of survival title Grounded 2 in July. While it's been available for a few days for anyone that coughed up extra for the Premium Edition, the standard version of The Outer Worlds 2 is live now for everyone...at least in theory.

Unfortunately, if you aren't able to access The Outer Worlds 2 right now, you're not alone. An Azure outage has taken numerous services offline, including the ability for many people to buy games on Xbox.

Obsidian Entertainment directly confirmed on Bluesky that the outage is affecting the team's games, as well as other titles.

Due to an ongoing Azure service outage, The Outer Worlds 2 may be temporarily unavailable to purchase or install on Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app on PC, and with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass.

— @obsidian.net (@obsidian.net.bsky.social) 2025-10-30T18:26:04.320Z

Your experience may differ slightly based on your location and the what part of Xbox online services you are attempting to use.

In addition to Xbox online connectivity and other Microsoft services like Office, Amazon Web Services is having some intermittent connection issues.

When you can jump in, The Outer Worlds 2 is worth playing

When services are back online, The Outer Worlds 2 is definitely a game worth playing, no matter if you enjoyed the first game or not.

Obsidian Entertainment cleverly combines crunchy role-playing elements with vastly-improved combat, leading to a best-of-both-worlds setup that already has me eager for a replay.

Because it takes place in a new solar system, you don't have to have played the first game in order to understand what's going on.

If you haven't yet, be sure to read my review of The Outer Worlds 2, where I wrote that "If you're a returning fan, diving into The Outer Worlds 2 is a no-brainer. If you were put off by the combat, then I'd still encourage you to give it a try, as the team has vastly improved the moment-to-moment gameplay without sacrificing anything else along the way."

The Outer Worlds 2 is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Battle.net, Steam, and Xbox on PC), and PlayStation 5. Like all Xbox first-party games, it's available in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

Like a sudden sandstorm, a new game supported by Sony's China Hero Project has recently made its extravagant debut, known only as Loulan: The Cursed Sand, coming soon to PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.

This game is an action-RPG where you play as a skeletal warrior dubbed "The Cursed Sand" on a quest to find his beloved princess lost amidst the fallen kingdom of Loulan in a story inspired by the ancient Silk Road from Chinese history.

It's being developed and published by ChillyRoom, a team comprised of veteran developers who previously worked with Santa Monica Studio, FromSoftware, and PlatinumGames.

Their pedigree definitely shows in Loulan: The Cursed Sand's debut trailer as the gameplay looks absolutely insane.

It's like what would happen if you took Hades and combined it with the visceral brutality of the original, PlayStation 2-era God of War, and the sand-manipulation mechanics of the Prince of Persia series.

In this game, you will battle dozens of intimidating foes and giant beasts in melee combat. During battle, you will frequently shift between The Cursed Sand's skeletal and sand forms, each possessing unique fighting styles.

The skeletal form is an aggressive swordsman, charging into the fray with sword in hand, chopping enemies left and right.

The sand form trades power for mobility and magic. In this form, you will conjure deadly sand construct projectiles to blast enemies at range, teleport to avoid attacks or close the gap to deliver vicious spinning chokeslams, and become a literal sandstorm that will blow your enemies off the map.

Across your journey in Loulan, you will need to traverse diverse locales plagued with puzzles and traps that will require careful use of your abilities to overcome.

Then, at certain points, you will engage one-on-one with mighty sub-bosses and gigantic bosses that will push your combat skills to the limit.

In short, I am instantly sold on this game because it looks incredible.

The idea of having a skeletal protagonist is pretty fresh, as it's not often done in video games (the most famous being Sir Daniel Fortesque from the classic PS1 game, MediEvil), and the combat looks so cool and fast-paced.

Not to mention, I love that the developers (as stated in the PlayStation Blog) are mainly inspired by the original God of War when making Loulan: The Cursed Sand.

The PS2-era God of War games were unapologetically brutal and violent, with a greater emphasis on combat compared to the modern, cinematic-heavy God of War games, so I'm happy to know Loulan: The Cursed Sand will be following suit.

The only disappointment is that this game isn't launching on Xbox, as Loulan: The Cursed Sand would make a great addition to Xbox Game Pass.

Thankfully, the newly released Xbox Ally can run Steam games, so I will still be able to play Loulan: The Cursed Sand on the go even without Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Although the developers have stated (via @JaberAltarrah on X) that they are planning to release Loulan: The Cursed Sand on other hardware. Hopefully this means that we'll see it on Xbox in the future, like the other China Hero Project title, AWAKEN - Astral Blade, eventually did.

Either way, I can't wait to get my hands on Loulan: The Cursed Sand when it launches in the far distant future for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. It is currently available to wishlist on its Steam page.

FAQ

While developer Halo Studios is remaking the original game's campaign with Halo: Campaign Evolved, the team is also including three new missions, expanding the available story for players to go through in single-player or in co-op.

In a group interview with Halo Studios, the team was asked about the nature of these missions and if they'd be retreading any ground players have already seen in other mediums. Creative director Max Szlagor noted that they would not, and that these missions are "all new," telling a story that hasn't been seen in Halo before.

"It's about Chief and Johnson. It's a prequel to the original Halo Combat Evolved story. It was really key for us to maintain the original story as it is, to not insert sort of new story in there," Szlagor says.

"It actually takes place in a fairly short timeline in the way that the lore works. And so finding a good place in the lore to tell this story with Chief and Johnson, it's going to have, you know, new story, new gameplay, weapons, enemies, environments. So a lot of cool stuff there."

Game director Greg Hermann added that while it is a new story, it will cover "settings you may be familiar with, if you know the franchise."

Let the speculation commence

Master Chief and Sergeant Major Avery Johnson were friends for a long time before the events of the original Halo trilogy, so I'm truly fascinated to see where these missions end up taking place.

While I've seen some comments around seeing part of the fall of Reach — and I'll admit that getting Master Chief's perspective on that in a game would be awesome — the fact is that it would be pretty hard (if not impossible) to do if this is truly an entirely new story.

Personally, I'd be most interested if this were further back in the timeline than many might be expecting. We could see a slightly less confident Master Chief, perhaps even wearing the Mark IV armor that's become iconic thanks to Red Team in the Halo Wars games.

It's my favorite Spartan armor outside of Master Chief's look in Halo Infinite, so I'd love to see this happen.

The comment around new enemies is also interesting. I'm not sure what would fit there, but it could be a good place to have vehicles like Phantoms and Scarabs show up that aren't present in the original Halo.

No matter what, I'm just happy we'll be hearing some new lines from Sergeant Johnson.

Until we learn more, be sure to check out my hands-on preview of Halo: Campaign Evolved. While I went in fairly skeptical, I'm happy with the way it plays and feels, something that was absolutely critical for the team to get right due to changing up the engine. I'm also keeping a running tab of all confirmed changes in this remake, big or small.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is slated to launch at some point in 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Steam and Xbox on PC), and PlayStation 5. Like all Xbox first-party games, it’ll also be available in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch.

FAQ

While Halo Studios is rebuilding and expanding the story of Master Chief on Installation 04, as the name suggests, Halo: Campaign Evolved does not feature any player-vs-player multiplayer.

In a group interview at Halo Studios, I asked the developers why the team decided to only focus on the campaign for this remake. They responded by explaining the studio wants something that stands next to the original game, expanding the co-op functionality and making this one thing as good as it can be.

"We're not trying to replace what is a masterpiece in the original. We're trying to basically make something that stands kind of shoulder to shoulder with it, using new tools, new energy, to get a little bit of a fresh take on some things, but honoring the legacy," says executive producer Damon Conn, who notes that having four-player online campaign co-op with cross-play and cross-progression all for the first time was extremely important to get right.

"So, yes, it's a campaign experience, but it's not only a single-player experience. And Halo has been always about reconnecting, a strong sense of community, and then also telling those stories and sharing those experiences together. And we believe that is where, you know, we're really going to be able to bring people together with this new release," Conn added.

An understandable, if disappointing decision

While I know many players will be disappointed at the lack of multiplayer, I do somewhat get it. The team likely wants to have a new audience hooked on the feel of Halo, making them more eager to jump into the next mainline game.

That means the team can get up to speed using Unreal Engine 5 without having to worry about supporting a multiplayer title at the same time just yet.

This does raise an interesting question about future titles outside of whatever "Halo 7" ends up being. If Halo: Campaign Evolved is a success, then surely Halo 2 and Halo 3 warrant revisiting?

After all, Halo 2 may have gotten the Anniversary treatment that Combat Evolved received, but Halo 3 has never never been remastered. If the team goes that route, then to me, dropping the multiplayer won't be as easy.

Halo: Combat Evolved LAN tournaments were formative for the memories of many players, but the launch of Xbox Live and the multiplayer suits for Halo 2 and Halo 3 were on a completely different level. Perhaps some kind of combined multiplayer for both games being remade in one package?

I'm speculating here, but it doesn't seem impossible. In any case, all of that would be years away, if indeed it pans out at all.

One way or another, I just hope we aren't waiting too long for more Halo multiplayer. Post-launch support was fumbled for a long time, but Halo Infinite played amazingly well, and the game has received some truly fantastic updates over the last year and half.

I would love to see an era of Halo multiplayer captivating the world again, something that seems just a hair more possible since whatever comes next will be available across all platforms.

In the meantime, if you haven't read my hands-on preview of Halo: Campaign Evolved, be sure to check it out. I was skeptical, but this remake seems to be addressing my concerns well.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is slated to launch at some point in 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Steam and Xbox on PC), and PlayStation 5. Like all Xbox first-party games, it’ll also be available in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch.

The next chapter for Halo is a return to its beginning, with Halo Studio unveiling Halo: Campaign Evolved during Halo World Championship 2025.

Utilizing Unreal Engine 5 for new visuals, this is a full remake, and as such there are a large number of changes compared to the original game and the 2011 remaster that's bundled into The Master Chief Collection.

To make things simple, I've compiled a full list of everything new in Halo: Campaign Evolved that we know of so far, and I'll be updating it as more information comes to light.

Aiming

Players can now aim with all ranged weapons, not just the handful that have scopes. This is a change introduced to the series back with Halo 5: Guardians and carried into Halo Infinite.

Cinematics

In addition to the new visuals, the game's cinematics have all been redone, with new camera angles and re-recorded voice lines for the main cast.

Co-op

Halo: Campaign Evolved supports four-player online co-op, while both prior versions only supported two-player co-op.

This has required a few small knock-on changes, such as giving the Warthog a tiny fourth seat and tweaking some enemy encounters.

Additionally, the game has full cross-play and cross-progression support, so players can team up with their friends on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation, all with no restrictions.

Enemies

Many enemies have updated behaviors, acting in ways they were capable of in later Halo titles, while removing bugs or weaknesses from the first game.

Hunters can no longer be killed with a single pistol shot directly in the back, making them far more challenging to fight.

The Flood are getting reinforcements, with the Pure Forms from Halo 3 joining the infected swarm on Installation 04.

Hijacking

The ability to hijack enemy vehicles (and have Elites try to hijack you) was a huge addition to the Halo series with Halo 2. It's been added into Campaign Evolved, shaking up the flow of certain levels.

By extent, the Covenant Wraith tanks can also be piloted, which was another feature added in Halo 2.

Missions

The original campaign is being faithfully rebuilt, with some small tweaks for pacing, such as in The Library.

There are also three entirely-new missions. This mini-campaign focuses on Master Chief and Johnson, and is set prior to the events of the main story.

Sprint

Sprinting (first introduced in Halo: Reach as an armor ability before becoming a standard feature in later games) is introduced to the first game with Campaign Evolved. It can be disabled via a toggle if players prefer a slower pace.

Weapons

Halo: Campaign Evolved massively expands player arsenals, bringing in nine new weapons that weren't in the first game or the 2011 remaster. Some of these, like the Energy Sword, were technically present but couldn't be picked up by players until Halo 2.

Other weapons, like the Needle Rifle, were introduced in other games entirely. Here are the new weapons we know about so far:

• Battle Rifle
• Energy Sword
• Fuel Rod Cannon
• Needle Rifle
• Sentinel Beam

An ambitious retelling for new and existing players

While I had a lot of concerns before playing, I'm quite excited for Halo: Campaign Evolved, and after going hands-on and talking to the developers, I believe all these changes are going to add up in a big way.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is slated to launch at some point in 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Steam and Xbox on PC), and PlayStation 5. Like all Xbox first-party games, it’ll also be available in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch.

2026 brings a huge moment for Xbox’s iconic Halo series, as the franchise is turning 25 years old.

To celebrate, Halo Studios is revisiting Master Chief’s roots with its next game. Titled Halo: Campaign Evolved, it’s a full remake of Halo: Combat Evolved’s campaign. Eschewing multiplayer, the team is focused on rebuilding and expanding the story, adding new weapons, enemy behaviors, and much more.

It's also huge for another reason, as this will be the first Halo game ever that’s also launching on PlayStation 5. With Forza and Gears of War also leaping across platforms earlier this year, the so-called “Big Three” of Xbox will all be available on PlayStation in some form or capacity.

I recently had the chance to visit Halo Studios and play a slice of Halo: Campaign Evolved while talking to the developers working on the project.

Remaking a classic ...but, why?

While speaking with Halo Studios, I was curious why the team is doing a remake. After all, to be cynical for a moment, if it's just about expanding Halo to a new audience, then why not port The Master Chief Collection?

Executive producer Damon Conn explained it's about the importance of the 25th anniversary for the series, while taking the opportunities a remake provides to lay groundwork for the future.

"So we just found that that's a natural place to start off in the 25th anniversary, and it's a paved way forward for what the future will be for the franchise, which is really exciting," Conn says.

"You get an opportunity to bring the most fans and players to the game that started it all. And some of them [it's] the first time that they get a chance, so they're going to get to follow along with the story from the very beginning. We feel like that's worth taking a moment and celebrating and building."

Conn also noted that the team has been careful to "preserve the heart of Halo," adding that "...there's an opportunity to modernize where it makes sense, but we're not modernizing for modernization's sake. Everything that we do, we think about the impact on Halo and make sure that it fits."

So, what's new?

Halo: Campaign Evolved is being developed using Unreal Engine 5 for the new visuals and other aspects, while a chunk of the older BLAM engine's code has been ported over to maintain certain aspects like physics and enemy behavior.

The remake introduces four-player online campaign co-op, while preserving the original two-player console splitscreen. Naturally, there's online cross-play and cross-progression, so players can go through the entire original journey together...as well as checking out three all-new missions, which are a prequel arc focused on Master Chief and fan-favorite Sergeant Johnson.

Accommodating four players means some tweaks to enemy layouts, as well as adding an amusingly-tiny fourth seat to the back of the Warthog.

Other additions include new weapons — Energy Swords, Fuel Rod Cannons, and Sentinel Beams can all be picked up, while the Battle Rifle and Needle Rifle are being ported over — as well as the ability to aim down sights with all guns and hijack enemy vehicles. Remember those Wraiths in Assault on the Control Room? Now you can turn them against the Covenant.

And yes, sprinting is in, though I'm told that players can disable it if they prefer a slower pace.

Halo: Campaign Evolved also touts the most game-changing Skulls ever for the series, and while the team isn't ready to talk about a lot of them, they do confirm that Grunt Birthday Party (which causes an explosion of confetti when a Grunt is killed with a headshot) will be making the cut.

All of this comes alongside completely new cinematics, which include re-recorded audio from the main cast, as well as a few additional lines, with Halo Studios explicitly confirming that 343 Guilty Spark will have more to say throughout the Library in order to help keep players from getting lost.

Finally, the horrors of the Flood are being enhanced, and the Pure Forms that were originally introduced in Halo 3 will also be present in the fight across Installation 04.

Asking where the team draws the line, I was told it involves a great amount of discussion to ensure a change feels right.

"A lot of these things are things that the user would have expected to do in those games, and they were just kind of not there or not available at that time," explains game director Greg Hermann.

Creative director Max Szlagor added that for the new cinematics, the team has gone back to the original storyboards, using them to ensure that anything new matches the original intent and mood.

Playing in the sandbox

Sitting down to play the demo on an Xbox Series X, I was honestly concerned, not around the concept of a remake in general but at how it would feel.

Halo Infinite feels utterly fantastic to play, and I was worried about how well the feeling would translate into Unreal Engine 5. Fortunately, my concerns have been assuaged, and I’m happy to say that Halo: Campaign Evolved feels far better to control than its prior iterations.

Aiming, reloading, shooting, and meleeing is something of a cross between Halo Infinite and Combat Evolved, and it feels good.

Playing on Heroic for the opening segment of The Silent Cartographer mission, I breezed through much of the level, but was promptly smacked down when I encountered the iconic pair of Hunters guarding one of the central island platforms. You can say goodbye to strafing the hulking creatures and disposing of them with a single pistol shot to the back.

My second death came when I realized that, of course, the Warthog isn't indestructible anymore, and my attempt to use the vehicle to ram the Hunters down ended in a fiery explosion. The Warthog was thus held back and saved for trying to cram it down hallways it wasn't meant for.

All throughout, I found myself pausing to admire the scenery and the way everything appears.

When the 2011 remaster, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, arrived, it was something of a mixed bag, with a fair few levels that skew away from Bungie’s intended art direction and mood.

From what I’ve played, Campaign Evolved is an infinitely more natural progression, keeping the atmosphere while elevating the visuals. Watching glowing Grunt blood spatter on the walls in the dark, it truly looked and felt like a faithful update to the original game.

I still have some questions — the team notably declined to discuss the game's price — but I’ve gone from wondering why this remake exists to looking forward to playing more. Most of all, I’m looking forward to another co-op campaign run with all my friends on Xbox and PlayStation.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is slated to launch at some point in 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Steam and Xbox on PC), and PlayStation 5. Like all Xbox first-party games, it’ll also be available in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch.

It'll soon be time to explore the Wasteland yet again. During Fallout Day 2025, Bethesda Game Studios shared the news that Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition is on the way, and is slated to launch across Xbox, PC, and PlayStation on Nov. 10, 2025, a decade after the game's original release.

This new version of the game naturally includes all the DLC and expansions that were released years ago, but also over 150 pieces of Creation Club content and, for the first time, a Creations menu like in Bethesda's Starfield and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. This is meant to make it easier for players to find and install new community-crafted content.

While 2025 brings this re-release package to existing platforms, it's also headed to an entirely-new console.

Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch 2, meaning players with Nintendo's latest console will be able to take their adventures on the go. There is no exact release date at this time, but Bethesda says this version will launch at some point in 2026.

This marks the second Bethesda Softworks-published game to be slated for arrival on Nintendo Switch 2, with MachineGames' Indiana Jones and the Great Circle also planned for a 2026 launch on Nintendo's platform.

I'm curious if we'll see any others in the future. Another obvious choice would be id Software's DOOM: The Dark Ages, but we'll have to wait and see.

The developers recently optimized the game so that it runs better on gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck and Xbox Ally, so I have faith the team could get it working in decent shape on Nintendo Switch 2 as well.

Fallout is capping off 2025 in a big way

Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition may be launching next month, but it's hardly the only big Fallout news of the year.

The Fallout TV series is set to return with a December 17 premiere on Prime Video, and new episodes launching weekly. Season 2 has Lucy and The Ghoul drawn into the city of New Vegas, while clips from the teaser trailer indicate we'll see Caesar's Legion, Mr. House, and of course, a Deathclaw.

The first season was a smash hit, so much so that it rapidly became one of Amazon's biggest-ever series and was renewed for a third season well in advance of the second season's premiere.

For anyone that wants more to play, The Ghoul isn't bound to the TV series and will be arriving in Fallout 76 with the upcoming Burning Springs expansion in December. Actor Walton Goggins is reprising his role, so you can look forward to hearing the same seasoned tones when the expansion arrives.

This expansion has The Ghoul handing out bounty targets, with players able to complete contracts and turn them in for some hard-earned Caps.

FAQ

If you play on PC, you're always spoiled for choice when it comes to accessories. Controllers are no different, since you have the benefit of using hardware not only built for PC, but from the Xbox and PlayStation ecosystems.

What I've been lucky enough to play with falls into the latter of those. The Razer Raiju V3 Pro launches today and is Razer's latest and greatest controller, not just for PS5, but for PC, too.

Sony's conditions of license mean that there's only one Raiju, and as such, Razer has thrown absolutely everything it has at it. Perhaps more shockingly, I think I even prefer it to the controller I've been using since it came out, the Wolverine V3 Pro, which is Razer's best on Xbox (that obviously also works well on PC). Even with the PlayStation stick layout.

This review was made possible thanks to a pre-release review sample supplied by Razer. The company did not see or have any input into its contents.

A word on PlayStation features

This review is, naturally, focused on PC use. But for anyone who's interested in PlayStation 5, there are a couple of differences. For one, the polling rate is limited to a maximum of 250Hz on PS5.

This isn't a choice on Razer's part to deliberately limit it compared to PC, it's the maximum possible. So you're still getting the absolute best you can get on the console.

Razer also doesn't have an app for PS5 to make adjustments to the controller. Folks who have used Razer controllers on Xbox know we've had a dedicated app to tweak settings and save profiles, but this can't be done on PS5. The choices are to use the smartphone app, or hook it up to a PC or Mac and use Razer Synapse.

Also, down to decisions in Sony's licensing for controllers, you don't have the full DualSense feature set, such as the haptic triggers. In fact, it doesn't rumble at all, it just doesn't have any motors inside.

Given the target audience is traditionally gamers that would disable it anyway, it's not a huge miss. But it's probably not the controller to get if you play a lot of racing games.

The best of the best

If it's possible on a controller right now, it's on the Razer Raiju V3 Pro. Top of the list are TMR thumbsticks, the latest upgrade over Hall Effect sticks. The Wolverine 8K from Razer (the PC only controller) predates the Raiju V3 Pro in using them, but compared to the Wolverine V3 Pro I've been using, it's an upgrade.

The assumption is newer tech is better, and I've been trying to figure out whether I'm telling myself they feel better or whether they actually are. I am leaning towards the latter, albeit having taken a little while to adjust and to dial in some comfortable settings. Comparing to my Wolverine V3 Pro, the sticks do feel a hair better, but it's hard to quantify.

As with Hall Effect, though, one big advantage is eliminating the dreaded prospect of stick drift. Razer also includes a taller concave stick, and a convex stick you can swap out if you'd prefer.

One other feature I love, compared to some past Razer controllers I've used, is that the rear paddles are removable. They're still the same sort of design as on the Wolverines, but included is a screwdriver and some rubber caps to replace them with. I use all four, but some folks don't, especially with the additional buttons next to the bumpers.

It's all part of allowing you to customize it however you want, and if you'd prefer to just have grip rather than buttons you don't want to use, you can. However, it's a little fiddly unscrewing these things, and if you're clumsy — as I certainly am — those tiny screws will be easy to lose.

The face buttons are "mecha tactile" and as with every recent Razer controller, they're deliciously clicky. Razer has started utilizing its mouse technology in controllers, and so when you press the buttons and think it sounds like a mouse click, it does.

This technology is also integrated in the triggers. When you use the trigger stops, you get instant response and that same mouse click, versus a regular analog response when they're disabled. Again, all geared towards providing the best possible performance for competitive gamers.

In software, you also have the ability to enable "digital triggers," which removes the analog response entirely, but you'll probably not want that enabled for any games where you need a more sensitive trigger curve.

From someone who uses a Wolverine V3 Pro, the differences are subtle, but if you're coming from an older controller, what you get here will blow you away. Besides all the tech you can shake a stick at (and we know gamers love them some tech), one key aspect not to be overlooked is the weight.

Because it doesn't have any haptics or rumble motors at all, the Raiju V3 Pro is light. It's noticeably lighter than my Wolverine, and let me tell you, when you get to my age, especially, your wrists will appreciate it.

Customization is as easy as any other Razer controller on PC. You have the option of using the mobile app, if you like, otherwise it's a case of firing up Synapse 4, making your changes, saving them to the controller, then closing the app. Profiles are stored on the controller, so you can move between devices — and platforms — seamlessly without losing your settings.

Even with the PlayStation stick layout, I can't put the Raiju V3 Pro down

I'm no stranger to PlayStation, even if I no longer actually own a PS5. I've had every single one of them, so the stick layout is something I've had to persevere with (mostly). There were times I got away from it, such as with a previous Raiju controller, but I'm familiar, even if I don't love it.

My overall preference has always been the offset layout you get on an Xbox controller, but honestly, I cannot put the Raiju V3 Pro down. I've mostly been testing it in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and in this environment, I'm almost at the point of preferring it this way.

I think it comes down to how the controller is being held. When I'm playing Call of Duty, despite being the furthest from a pro-level player, I'm automatically in a competitive mood. I'm using all the paddles on the rear, and I didn't notice until recently, but I adjust my grip slightly compared to other games.

Whatever's going on, my centering has never been better since using the Raiju V3 Pro, and I've only been using it a week.

There are also a number of ways folks like to hold their controllers playing competitive games, and in each case, I think the stick placement here makes sense. I wouldn't use it to play a more relaxing game, but when I'm locking in for a six-hour sweatfest, I think this is going to be the controller I reach for.

One of the absolute best PC controllers around

The fact Razer had to make this an epic controller for PS5 is equally beneficial to those of us on PC. The polling rate, sticks, switches, all are about the best you'll find on any controller by any manufacturer right now.

It's a little more limited on PS5 in places due to Sony's restrictions, but on the whole, you're going to love it whichever platform you're on.

It exists, in part, because there is a demand from the top-level of competitive players, for a controller of this nature with the PlayStation stick layout. There's nothing stopping future Xbox controllers like this, either. If that's a thing you want, speak up. Don't be afraid — I know it's the forbidden fruit, but clearly there are plenty who prefer it.

Razer's closest match on PC is the Wolverine V3 8K, which I'm still waiting to test. It has a faster polling rate, but, like the Raiju, TMR thumbsticks and all the lovely mouse tech inside. There's never been a better choice across all manufacturers of pro-grade controllers.

If you're a PS5 and PC cross-player, this is an absolute no-brainer. It's light, it's comfortable, and I've used Razer controllers exclusively as my personal choice for many years now. In that time, I've never once had an issue with reliability or durability. These things are built to last, assuming you don't toss them at a wall or anything in a fit of rage.

If you're PC only, the choices are a little wider, but if you want something with the PlayStation stick layout, definitely consider this one. It is pricey, though, but the best of the best always is.

The Razer Raiju V3 Pro is available from today in selected markets for £199.99. It currently isn't available to U.S. customers as it hasn't yet received regulatory clearance, but when it does, it'll be priced at $219.99.

Finnish developer Remedy Entertainment released an update on Monday for its 2019 game, Control, bringing new features to the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 versions after launching a similar patch on PC earlier in the year.

This update finally introduces proper HDR (high dynamic range) support, meaning far better colors that actually take advantage of modern displays.

120hz support also means that Control can run far faster framerates (in theory, depending on what's happening on-screen), joining the list of games that technically run at 120 FPS on Xbox Series X|S.

Finally, last but certainly not least, there are now three outfits and an extra side mission available for everyone. The outfits were previously preorder bonuses, while the side mission (which stars Hideo Kojima, of Kojima Productions) was locked to the deluxe edition of Control on PlayStation 4.

Below, you can find the full patch notes from Remedy Entertainment:

Outfits

• The following outfits are now available to all players. The outfits can be accessed and equipped from the Control Point in the Central Executive Sector area.
  • Astral Dive Suit (formerly a pre-order exclusive)
  • Tactical Response Gear (formerly a pre-order exclusive)
  • Urban Response Gear (formerly a pre-order exclusive)

Missions

• All players will receive the mission Dr. Yoshimi Tokui’s Guided Imagery Experience, featuring voiceover by Hideo Kojima.
  • The mission is playable when you pick up the Dr Tokui Tapes collectible in the Extrasensory Lab of the Research Sector. (This mission was previously exclusive to the PlayStation 4 Digital Deluxe version of Control.)

Graphics (Xbox Series X|S)

• Added a new setting “Unlock Frame Rate”, enjoy!
• Added VRR and 120Hz display output support for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and unlocked the frame rate limitations for Quality and Performance Mode settings
• [Xbox Series X] Unlocked the frame rate limitations for Quality and Performance Mode
• [Xbox Series S] Unlocked the frame rate limitations for Performance Mode settings
• Improved Temporal Anti Aliasing (TAA) quality
• Added HDR support
• Updated SDR to 10bit (from 8bit), which reduces visible color banding

Graphics (PlayStation 5)

• Added a new setting “Unlock Frame Rate”, enjoy!
• Added VRR and 120Hz display output support for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, and unlocked the frame rate limitations for Quality and Performance Mode setting
• Improved Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA) quality
• Added HDR support
• Updated SDR to 10bit (from 8bit), which reduces visible color banding
• [PlayStation 5 Pro] Added PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) support. Using PSSR results in smoother edges, improved hair, and vegetation visual quality. Using PSSR can slightly impact performance, so if you would rather have the original “look” of Control, you can disable PSSR in the settings.
• [PlayStation 5 Pro] Improved Screen Space Reflections in Performance Mode
• [PlayStation 5 Pro] Updated Texture and Shadow resolution filtering (anisotropic)

General (Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5)

• Fixed grenade projectiles indicators only updating at 30 fps. Now they update properly everywhere they should.
• Improved the sorting of character and weapon mods

Control is worth revisiting as work on the sequel continues

I'm glad to see Remedy Entertainment sticking with its games and providing an update this far out from release. Yes, it would've been nice to have these features a while ago (especially HDR) but better late than never.

I'm tempted to give Control a replay now, especially since it's going to be a bit before we learn more about Control 2. The developers have confirmed that the sequel will be a full action-RPG, which could be an interesting shake-up compared to Remedy's prior titles.

For more in that world, you can also check out FBC: Firebreak, Remedy's co-op shooter that launched back in June. The game is receiving plenty of updates, with more slated to come in the future.

Control: Ultimate Edition is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), and PlayStation 5. It's also available in Xbox Game Pass at the Essential, Premium, and Ultimate tiers.

Following Microsoft's decision to raise the price of Xbox consoles in some markets, Sony has made changes of its own to the PlayStation 5. It's not a straight-up price increase, in fact, the price has remained the same.

But, as reported by Eurogamer, the PS5 digital in Europe has undergone some changes that, while not more expensive, still represents worse value for the consumer.

Instead, Sony has reduced the onboard storage, so gamers get less for the same price. It doesn't generate the "Sony has increased the price of the PS5" headlines, but in a roundabout way, it kind of has.

YouTuber, Austin Evans, got hold of one of the revised units and took it apart to see what's what. Besides less storage, which is now a measly 667.2GB usable to actually install games on, it also uses a lighter fan and a redesigned, slimmer motherboard.

The overall weight of the console is a little lower, which benefits nobody but those paying to ship these things. The changes must also reduce costs for Sony, without passing any of those savings onto the consumer.

Gotta protect those profit margins, right?!

Why am I bothered at all? We cover Xbox here, right? And I'm already mad enough at Xbox after another round of price increases.

The simple truth is that consoles are now worse value than they've ever been. The Xbox Series X|S are both significantly more expensive than they were at launch almost 5 years ago. In the U.S., Sony hiked the price of the PS5, and now in Europe, there's a new digital version with less storage and the same price.

This far into a generation, consoles should be going down in price, not up. Sure, there are significant global financial challenges. But it still feels extremely hostile. It's at the point where it's almost impossible to recommend anyone buys a current gen console.

A console was always an easy thing to tell people to buy if they just wanted to play games affordably, without getting into the minefield of PCs. But even the Nintendo Switch 2 at its price falls into this same trap. These things are expensive as hell for what they're actually offering.

The waters are much muddier than they've ever been. Gaming PCs can be ridiculously expensive, but they can also not be. Is it fun to have high resolution and high detail graphics? Absolutely. But I think we've become too obsessed with this in recent years over what actually matters.

Look how popular the Steam Deck is. I play on mine more these days than my Xbox console, that's for sure. Graphics and resolution do not, on their own, make a good game.

The Nintendo Switch already proved that the concept of a handheld works. With the range of handheld gaming PCs already out there today, I truly think they're a better investment right now than an Xbox or PS5 console. You can take them anywhere, and in the case of Xbox especially, you have Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere behind you.

It's certainly where I'd be putting my money right now.

One of the year's biggest games is finally getting a physical edition, with Bethesda and Xbox's Oblivion Remastered coming to discs.

The official Bethesda Game Studios Bluesky account shared the news on Monday, announcing the physical edition of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered through a fun mock-up, showing it as an item in a player's in-game inventory.

When you've cleared two goblin caves, an underwater shipwreck, and the entire town of Hackdirt, and you still can't remember where you picked this item up. 🤔

— @elderscrolls.bethesdastudios.com (@elderscrolls.bethesdastudios.com.bsky.social) 2025-09-30T09:45:32.826Z

The physical deluxe edition of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is set to launch on Oct. 13, 2025. Preorder listings are now available on Amazon, and you can buy it for Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5. Bear in mind that you'll obviously need a console with a disc drive.

Developed by Virtuos with oversight from Bethesda Game Studios, Oblivion Remastered brings back Bethesda's 2006 role-playing game, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, with new visuals rendered in Unreal Engine 5, sitting on top of the original game. The game launched digitally back in April across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5.

The remaster also includes a number of other improvements, with better-feeling combat, accessibility options, and more. It's been extremely popular, reaching over 9 million players and becoming the second best-selling game of the year in the U.S, as of July 2025, per analytics firm Circana.

In my review of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, I wrote that "I appreciate this game's authenticity to what Oblivion is at its core, keeping everything that mattered (including a fair number of shenanigans) while updating it to be more palatable and accessible on modern hardware."

I hope this physical version includes the game on the disc

While it's great to see this game getting a dedicated physical release for those players who still prefer to buy physical games, I do hope this is a proper release, with the game actually on the disc.

An increasing number of physical game launches in recent years don't actually have much of the game data on the disc, effectively making it a decorative coaster used for a license check to download and play the rest of the game.

This is more understandable in some cases than others, but it's particularly irksome and inexcusable with single-player titles. I'm crossing my fingers that Oblivion Remastered is actually going to include the full game on the disc, especially since it's coming months after the game's digital launch.

I'm not personally much of a physical collector, and I'm sympathetic to developers when it comes to how games change over time. Patches, updates, downloadable content; if these come after a game's initial physical launch, they can't possibly be included on the disc.

It's why I've argued for some time that in most cases, a physical edition coming after the digital release makes more sense. Players who do still want a physical game deserve to get a proper version with everything possible included.

As an aside, if you haven't bought Oblivion Remastered yet, this is a great deal, as it's $20 less than the price of the Deluxe Edition when it first launched back in April.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5. As an Xbox first-party title, it's also available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.