It was no secret that this year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 wasn't heading to Game Pass. It's a large part of the reason Microsoft was able to cut the price of Game Pass earlier this year, scoring Xbox a major win during Asha Sharma's first moves as Xbox CEO.

Now, while Sharma has scored some wins, we're all too aware of the concerns surrounding the next couple of months at Xbox, but I digress. What really caught my eye, however, is that Activision is now reportedly advertising Modern Warfare 4 online with a very specific message.

It states, and I quote, "NOT ON XBOX GAME PASS THIS YEAR," while urging people to pre-order the game, which also provides early access to the game's campaign.

I, myself, am actually fine with Call of Duty not being on Game Pass. As someone who didn't enjoy last year's Black Ops 7, even if I had, the money saved from the Game Pass price cut is enough to buy the game each year anyway, which is what I've typically done for my dad. This year, though, he's insisted on Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, despite my pleas to get 007: First Light instead, since we share games.

That said, Modern Warfare 4 does look pretty okay. It's still hard to say, as it does just look like another Call of Duty, but with promises to stay clear of goofy skins and the like, it's at least more promising than Black Ops 7 to me.

Despite it not necessarily being for me, I do still wish Activision the best. As someone who comes from a time when Call of Duty 4 dominated back in the Xbox 360 days, I hope a more grounded Call of Duty can help the franchise return to its roots, and a more grounded Call of Duty is definitely something I can get behind.

Maybe that's just me, though. Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!

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It's been nearly a year since Xbox and developer Obsidian Entertainment released Grounded 2 — a sequel to the studio's original co-op survival game that shrinks you down to the size of a bug and transforms everyday suburban environments into vast open worlds — in Early Access on Xbox, PC, and Xbox Game Pass.

Since then, Obsidian (with co-development support from Eidos-Montréal) has delivered three major updates for the game, with a fourth — Into the Abyss, a water-themed patch adding the Pond area — scheduled to release on August 11. At the same time, Grounded 2 will also come to PS5, inviting a brand new network of players to join the game's community.

It's worth noting that the first Grounded, by contrast, didn't get a PS5 release until 2024, which came two years after the title left Early Access and launched in full with its 1.0 update in 2022.

Indeed, it's no exaggeration to say that Obsidian has been quite busy building on Grounded 2's foundations to refine it into a bigger, deeper experience, and I found a recent interview with game director Chris Parker in which he discusses its development, journey to PS5, and Into the Abyss to be quite interesting.

"Every time that we think we're done we can take a breath — just one breath, that's all you get, and then we keep going. At the same time, we're constantly processing all the community feedback, and trying with love to figure out how we do as much of it as we can, while recognizing that we can't possibly do all of it," Parker told GamesRadar+. "And now we're on the cusp of releasing the largest content update that we've done. It's bigger than Garden [The Toxic Tangle update], and to be launching on PlayStation 5 effectively makes this our second launch, right? We had the early access launch before, but this is like doing it all over again this summer."

Parker noted that Obsidian and Eidos originally "had some struggles" when first working together on Grounded 2, but would "ultimately figure out what the best solution for the game would be and move on."

"Those things occur less and less often now. What's far more likely to happen is that Eidos comes and pitches something to us, like the story for the pond, and I will just plus-one that with them. Then I'll suggest something and they get excited and plus-one that," he added.

In regards to the game coming to PS5, Parker commented that "there are other people above my pay grade that might have other opinions about what needs to happen with all that," referencing Xbox's new push for and return to exclusives that's begun with Clockwork Revolution and Gears of War: E-Day. "As a game developer, what I want is for the most amount of players to love my game on their platform, whatever that might be."

He added that "we have ideas for the future" of Grounded 2's roadmap, but made it clear that the Into the Abyss update shipping alongside PS5 availability is Obsidian's priority right now. "It's a huge content update with multiple biomes in it, there's a new buggy joining the group, we're bringing back swimming as a gameplay experience, and we're offering some other things that you can do while you're underwater too. We'll be talking about all that later."

Debates about exclusivity aside, I think it's great to see that Grounded 2's game director is excited to welcome a new community of players to the open-world survival game, and that Obsidian and Eidos have coalesced as co-developers to collaborate on the title both passionately and efficiently. That has me all the more interested in checking out Into the Abyss later this summer.

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Call of Duty fans are in for a surprise this week (for better or worse, depending on your perspective) as Microsoft's next batch of Xbox games for Xbox Game Pass will include Call of Duty: Vanguard, which is considered to be one of the most contentious titles in the franchise.

The second of Xbox Game Pass' June 2026 batch also includes a couple of AAA sports titles like EA Sports FC 26 and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, and a few indie titles like RV There Yet and Winds of Arcana: Ruination.

Here is the full list of Xbox Game Pass titles coming and going for the second half of June 2026 (and a little bit of July).

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass (June 30)

• Mecha Break (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Payday 2 (Console)
• Rise of Tomb Raider (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Tomb Raider (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Slay the Spire (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Ultimate Chicken Horse (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Volcano Princess (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Unpacking (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Windows Central's take

Now, why is Call of Duty: Vanguard considered by fans to be one of the worst games in the series? Well, according to 1,500+ negative reviews on Steam, the game was disliked by fans mostly for its mediocre single-player campaign, uninspired multiplayer game modes, and a tidal wave of technical issues that plagued its performance.

My former colleague, Samuel Tolbert, gave Call of Duty: Vanguard a low 3/5-star review, for the reasons I stated above, while saying that "For the absolute hardcore that need a new annual Call of Duty experience, Vanguard will satisfy those needs. For everyone else, you'll want to consider passing."

Yet despite that, this is probably the best time to try the game if you're a hardcore Call of Duty fan, as thanks to Xbox Game Pass, you won't buy it to play it, and most of the prevalent bugs have probably been fixed by now.

Other than that, I'm not personally feeling any excitement for this batch of Xbox Game Pass games.

However, if you need a cool game to play that was recently added to the service outside of the usual Xbox Game Pass batches from Microsoft, I highly recommend checking out Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.

It's a fantastic Soulslike action-RPG where you travel through a dark fantasy interpretation of the Three Kingdoms-Era China and do battle with legendary heroes from that era and horrific giant demons.

Its combat system is fast-paced and in-depth; it offers a mountain of playstyles and gear for your character to experiment with, the enemies are tough but satisfying to fight, and it has one of the most intuitive multiplayer systems I've ever seen in a Soulslike.

With its sequel Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember on the horizon, now's the best time to play Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty so you can catch up on the series' story and enjoy its riveting gameplay for free with Xbox Game Pass.

If you need further convincing to try the game out, check out my buddy Brendan Lowry's review, where he gave Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty 4.5/5 Stars.

🗨️ Over to you

What do you think of June's second batch of Xbox Game Pass titles? Do you dislike Call of Duty: Vanguard, or do you think it's overhated by fans?

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

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In a recent interview with Xbox CEO Asha Sharma at Fortune Conversations, fans got a little insight into what the next 100 days of Xbox might look like. While many comments were broad in nature, there were a few that stood out to me, and more than enough to spark some discussion.

Starting off, Sharma reaffirmed that Game Pass was losing subscribers: “We had raised the prices 50% last year, and we were on the path to seeing a decay in subscribers, and so it had just simply become too unaffordable, and so we adjusted the price for players.”

This is something Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Mathew Ball also recently spoke about, in which he detailed the loss of millions of subscribers. What's particularly interesting, however, is what Sharma says next: “We're starting to see more subscribers, we're starting to see more importantly better retention, and we've got more work to do. So, we'll be doing more this summer in order to create more flexible offerings to meet all the types of players that we have, and we'll continue to iterate on that.”

There have been rumors of a more flexible version of Game Pass, with some even suggesting a tier that includes Netflix. Realistically, though, that quote could mean almost anything. Personally, I'd love to see a pick-and-mix style Game Pass, where players can choose exactly which benefits they want to pay for.

For Xbox console fans, Sharma was also asked: “What are some things you're considering that you would never (have) imagined would be the case five years ago, or that Xbox would have never imagined the case five years ago?”

In response, Sharma gave a surprisingly candid answer:

“Hard to tell, because I wasn't, I wasn't there, but I think that we will, you know, continue to look at new business models. I think, is what is needed for console, rather than just the most premium, high-performance console in the world… I think we've reached a point where it will be hard to imagine that mass audiences can afford 1000s of dollars to spend on a console generation, and so I think we will start to see radically different business models that we never expected start to come into orbit later this year”

As for what those radically different business models might look like, your guess is probably as good as mine. Xbox All Access or Cloud gaming is an obvious possibility, but beyond that, it's difficult to predict exactly what Sharma is referring to. Either way, it will be interesting to see what materializes from these comments over the coming months.

With that, let me know your thoughts on Sharma's comments. Do they excite you about the future of Xbox, or do they leave you with more questions than answers? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:

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In a level of transparency we rarely see, Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball, who only joined the company relatively recently, revealed the impact of Xbox's controversial 50% Game Pass price increase during an interview with The Game Business' Chris Dring.

I'm sure Xbox fans are all familiar with the topic by now. Nevertheless, last year, Game Pass Ultimate jumped to $29.99 per month, with the inclusion of Call of Duty helping to justify the higher price point. As many now know, that approach wasn't sustainable.

One of Asha Sharma's first major moves as Xbox CEO was to reduce the cost of Game Pass Ultimate to $22.99 per month. The lower price did come with a notable compromise, though, as new Call of Duty releases were removed from the service's day-one lineup and instead arrive a year after launch.

While speaking with Dring, Ball revealed that Xbox lost "millions of subscribers" following the Game Pass price hike, which I'm sure was a devastating blow for the company at the time.

Fortunately for Xbox fans, that price point didn't last long. However, the current price is still higher than it was before the increase, even if it now includes additional perks such as Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft+ Classics.

Personally, as someone who doesn't play Fortnite, I find it frustrating to be pushed into a higher-priced tier for benefits I neither use nor care about. I'd still love to see Xbox introduce a more customizable version of Game Pass, allowing subscribers to mix and match the features they actually want, rather than paying for a bundle that may include services they'll never touch.

It is, however, refreshing to see just how open and honest Xbox is right now. With exclusives back on the menu, the future of Xbox feels far more exciting than the complacent version of the company we'd grown used to seeing, at least that's how I feel about it.

With that said, let me know your thoughts on Ball's quote in the comments below, and be sure to take part in our poll!

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After revealing the first gameplay trailer for Persona 4: Revival at the June 2026 Xbox Games Showcase, Atlus decided to drop a bombshell announcement that Persona fans have been waiting for a decade since Persona 5 released on the PlayStation 3 in 2016.

Persona 6 is finally in development, as confirmed by a new teaser trailer released by Atlus during the show that reveals the game will be released on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Game Pass with Xbox Play Anywhere support, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

It's also now available for wishlisting on Xbox platforms.

Windows Central's take

Other than that, we know little about Persona 6 from this teaser other than that it will likely be the darkest entry in the series to date.

It's a mysterious and grim trailer filled with all kinds of nightmarish imagery that suggests this game plans to explore the series' general theme of self-discovery and embodying 'personas' to take on the world to its horrifying extremes.

Either way, I'm so happy to finally see a new mainline Persona game being made after dealing with Persona 5 spin-offs for years.

No offense to Persona 5: Royal, as it's one of my favorite Xbox JRPGs, but it's high time we leave the Phantom Thieves behind and explore a new setting with original characters to scream out "PERSONA" while balancing school life with dungeon crawling and turn-based battles against shadows.

🗨️ Over to you

Are you excited that Persona 6 is finally happening? Will this be your first Persona game as a newcomer or a reason to revisit the series as a long-time veteran?

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

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During the June Xbox Games Showcase 2026, Persona fans finally got their first true look at the long-awaited remake of Persona 4 with a new trailer for Persona 4: Revival.

Persona 4: Revival will follow in the footsteps of Persona 3: Reload by updating the original Persona 4 with next-gen graphics and improved turn-based combat while preserving the spirit of the original game's story and characters.

The game is set to launch on February 18, 2027, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass (Day One), Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam. It's now available for wishlisting, while its Deluxe Edition is available for pre-ordering.

Windows Central's take

For those who are unaware, Persona 4 told the story of a group of high school students looking to solve the mystery of an otherworldly dimension called the Midnight Channel while tracking a serial killer who's terrorizing their hometown of Inaba.

Judging from this trailer, it looks like the story will most likely play out like the original game while incorporating elements of Persona 4: Golden and new scenes where you get to hang with your friends to strengthen your bonds.

One such mechanic is the new "Series Finale" attacks, which will allow characters to perform super moves that will decimate enemies similarly to Persona 5:Royal's Showtime attacks or Persona 3: Reload's Theurgies.

Gameplay-wise, the dungeon-crawling with turn-based combat appears to be faithfully intact in the remake, while adding new mechanics to help players defeat enemies.

Either way, I'm happy to see Persona 4: Revival looking so good because I loved the original Persona 4 back in the late 2000s on the PlayStation 2. Its story and character development were the deepest the series has seen to date; the music was catchy, and the combat was tough but fun.

So seeing Persona 4 given the modern-day upgrades Persona 3 got with Persona 3: Reload makes me giddy with joy, and I can't wait to play it when it comes out on Xbox on February 18, 2027.

🗨️ Over to you

What do you think of Persona 4: Revival's first true gameplay trailer? Does it make you want to revisit Persona 4 as a longtime fan or play it for the first time if you're a newcomer?

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

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Fresh data from Alinea Analytics paints a very positive picture for the acclaimed Forza Horizon 6, with the game reportedly selling 6.4 million copies so far. Perhaps more surprising, however, is how those sales are split between Xbox and Steam.

Given the popularity of Xbox Game Pass, many would likely expect PC sales to outpace Xbox by a significant margin. Instead, the data suggests the split is much closer than some may have anticipated.

The report also provides estimates for how many players have accessed the game through Game Pass, helping paint a broader picture of just how successful the latest entry in the series has been. So, let's dive into the numbers and see what they tell us.

That sales split is somewhat surprising, as I'm constantly told that people on Xbox don't buy games, though perhaps I need to spend less time on X. Interestingly, Alinea Analytics also estimates that, alongside those 6.4 million sales, more than 6 million people have accessed the game through Xbox Game Pass. Combined, that puts Forza Horizon 6 within touching distance of half a billion dollars in revenue.

As Alinea Analytics points out, all of this has been achieved before the PS5 version has even launched. Given the success of Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation, there's every reason to believe the upcoming release could provide another significant boost to the game's already impressive numbers.

I've spent a lot more time with Forza Horizon 6 over the past few days, and after finally getting my hands on the Halo Warthog, I've been having a great time driving around the map. It's honestly no surprise to see the game performing this well, given just how much there is to do.

Right now, I'm mostly focused on exploring the world and tracking down as many collectibles as possible, which has kept me busy for far longer than I expected. There's something oddly satisfying about ticking everything off the map.

But what about you? What do you make of the game's reported sales figures? Are you impressed by how well it's done so far, or were you expecting even bigger numbers? Let me know in the comments, and as always, be sure to take part in our poll!

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Microsoft has recently announced the next batch of Xbox titles coming and leaving its premium Xbox Game Pass during the first half of June 2026.

This week's batch contains an assortment of lesser AA and indie games like the atmospheric adventure game Herdling and the lighthearted sci-fi sandbox game Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions.

However, one game stands out above the rest, and it is none other than one of the most popular Xbox JRPGs ever produced, Persona 5 Royal. This classic turn-based JRPG was once a part of Xbox Game Pass, but was removed on October 31, 2023.

Now, it's coming back, just in time for Persona fans to keep themselves busy as they wait for the upcoming release of Persona 4: Revival.

Here's all the games coming and leaving Xbox Game Pass during the first half of June 2026.

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass (June 15)

• Jurassic World Evolution 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Lost in Random: The Eternal Die (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Warhammer 40K Space Marine: Master Crafted Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Windows Central's take

Now, admittedly, this is a rather short list of new games for Xbox Game Pass, but I have a sneaking suspicion they'll announce more titles for the service at the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase on June 7, 2026, at 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST / 6:00 pm BST.

Also, I can't help but feel that the return of Persona 5 Royal on Xbox Game Pass just a few days before the June 2026 Xbox Games Showcase may not just be a coincidence. This could be a potential hint that Persona 4: Revival, the highly anticipated remake of Persona 4, could be making its first proper gameplay trailer at the event.

But if it turns out to be a big coincidence and Persona 4 Revival doesn't show up, that's okay because we still have Persona 5 Royal back on Xbox Game Pass either way.

For those who don't know, Persona 5 Royal is a turn-based JRPG where you play as the Phantom Thieves, a group of rebellious, misfit teens gifted with mysterious superpowers called Personas.

Together, they travel an otherworldly dimension to steal the hearts of criminals who have escaped justice and force them to confess their sins.

It's one of Atlus' most popular JRPGs to date and one of my personal favorites, as I gave this treasure of a game 4.5/5 Stars, stating that "Persona 5 Royal is an incredible JRPG that is a must-have for any Xbox JRPG enthusiast. It has an addictive gameplay loop, the characters are well-written, and the anime-style presentation is at its peak thanks to the Xbox Series X|S enhancements."

If you haven't played this game and love urban-fantasy JRPGs that balance turn-based combat, dungeon crawling, and life-sim elements, then now's the perfect time to jump into the elusive world of the Phantom Thieves in Persona 5 Royal.

🗨️ Over to you

What do you think of June's first batch of Xbox Game Pass titles? Do you think Persona 5 Royal coming back just days before the June 2026 Xbox Games Showcase means we could potentially see Persona 4 Revival there?

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

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As spring slowly ticks into summer, the undeniable lull of camping calls to many of us. Some of us like to rough it under the stars with nothing more than a sleeping bag to get you through the night, while others are fans of the full glamping experience, complete with air conditioning.

No matter how hardcore you go on camping in real life, there are some downsides you’ll inevitably have to deal with. Namely, the insect population, but other elements of Mother Nature are always ready to ruin your camping trip.

If you want to go out on the wide open road with nothing more than a roof over your head, but you’re also opposed to encountering creepy crawlies or bears, there’s a brand-new solution for you.

Developed and published by Square Glade Games, Outbound is an open-world exploratory adventure that lets you experience all the best parts of camping without any of the downsides (unless you count your thumbs being tired because you played Outbound for too long!)

Outbound starts simple, giving players the chance to customize their original character within the world. Players can choose from a variety of hairstyles, a few different outfits, and color variations until they are satisfied with their characters’ in-game appearance. After customizing the playable character, players can then turn their attention to decorating the camper van. A couple of different styles are available to choose from, as are different color options for vehicle paint.

After settling on customization, it’s time to hit the open road of Outbound. The primary focus is to collect resources, craft equipment, and survive, although that last bit is not particularly as stressful as it may sound initially. Small pieces of wood are scattered around Outbound’s starter map, waiting to be plucked up by a player looking to light a campfire and set up at a cozy spot with a view before moving on. Other materials like stone, berries, and fiber can be found fairly quickly, as well, giving the player ample opportunity to craft provided they have the blueprints to do so.

Blueprints are a little trickier to come by, as the player can only download them from dedicated radio towers that are in specific locations throughout the map. Each tower has three blueprints to choose from and requires a download voucher to access. Download vouchers are crafted by feeding litter and trash found at campsites into a recycler in your van.

Blueprint options include cooking, gardening, and decorations that can be built for your camper van. Only one blueprint can be selected from each tower, and a tower becomes deactivated after its initial use. However, previously visited towers may reactivate with a new signal after a few days, though these reactivated locations happen at random. It does provide a chance to pick up blueprints that may have passed over on previous visits.

In order to access all the locations on the map, Outbound occasionally presents players with puzzles and crafting challenges. Bridges may require wood planks, which prompt the player to craft a small portable sawmill and attach it to their van in order to proceed to a new area. Other roadblocks may require electronics to fix a power circuit or locating passwords in a specific area to activate locked terminals.

Outbound features four different map for players to caravan across, each affected by dynamic weather that can impact your camping adventure. The first map will have players feeding berries to bunnies and only occasionally experiencing dramatic weather like thunderstorms that prevent lighting a campfire, while other maps like the canyons can be impacted by dust storms and excessive heat that requires cooling the engine lest you are left stranded in the sunshine.

While Outbound is ultimately a peaceful, combat-free camping experience that players can embark on with up to three friends, it is not always smooth sailing. The van’s batteries can run low, leaving you to take off on foot in search of fuel, food, medicine, and crafting supplies.

For all of the challenges of sustainable camping in a van, there are moments of respite when you relax with a campfire and your coop buddies on the beach, join together to build a ridiculously large house on the roof of your van, or participate in a mountaintop rave festival.

Outbound is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming with support for Xbox Play Anywhere. Grab your pals and hit the road as part of your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscription.

Square Glade Games has committed to continued updates for Outbound throughout 2026, with a roadmap that shares plans for new features to come.

Later this summer, Square Glade plans to introduce fishing mechanics, while fall plans include more wildlife, and a proposed winter update is expected to add NPCs with their own tasks, dialog, and lore.

Late last year, Fallout steward Bethesda announced that a next-gen update was coming to its 2018 MMO-lite multiplayer title Fallout 76, promising players on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 systems an elevated version of the game with better visual fidelity.

We haven't heard anything about this update for a while, but in the patch notes for the new Infestations update and the launch of Season 25, we finally got some news about the upcoming patch. Not only have we learned that the next-gen update is coming out this summer and will have public testing in June, but we've also gotten full details about the improvements it's making.

On Xbox Series X|S and PS5 consoles, Bethesda is improving draw distances and shadow quality, with support for 4K resolution on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 Pro and 1440p on PS5. On top of that, all Xbox Series X|S and PS5 versions will also support variable refresh rate (VRR) with compatible displays to prevent screen tearing. The studio is targeting 60 FPS performance for all next-gen (current gen, really) systems.

Certain last-gen consoles will benefit slightly from the update, too. Specifically, Xbox One X will get support for 4K — something that even the PS5 doesn't have — with PS4 Pro getting a bump up to 1440p from 1080p. Notably, Bethesda also left out mention of the Xbox Series S here beyond stating that its targeting 60 FPS performance on the system, which likely means that it's remaining at 1080p.

While PS5 still enjoys a higher framerate — 60 FPS instead of 30 — it is interesting that 2017's Xbox One X is getting support for 4K and Sony's baseline next-gen console isn't, and it shows just how frontloaded the former system's specs are with GPU power. Also, the lack of 1440p support for Xbox Series S is a bit disappointing; evidently Bethesda has chosen to prioritize framerate over fidelity for the more affordable console.

It's unclear when exactly the next-gen update is releasing this summer, or when public testing for it will begin this month. Bethesda says it will announce details as they come on its social channels, though, so keep an eye on those. Note that when they do come, the testing versions of next-gen Fallout 76 will be freely available to all owners of the game on the Xbox and PlayStation marketplaces.

As for the Infestations and Season 25 (dubbed "Appalachia Under Siege") update itself, the patch is live now across Xbox, PC, and PlayStation, and adds combat-focused Infestations activities where you have to "clear out Infestations of challenging enemies for 4-Star Rewards." These rewards include powerful gear, with Season 25's reward path also giving you various outfits, C.A.M.P. items, and other goodies (see those above).

All in all, Infestations and Season 25 seems like a pretty solid update for Fallout 76, though choosing to focus on marketing all the new C.A.M.P. decorations more than its actual gameplay content was certainly a choice. Regardless, it's always nice to see that Bethesda's experimental multiplayer Fallout title is still going strong. You can check out its full patch notes here.

What's your opinion of Fallout 76? Do you plan on checking out the Infestations update? Let me know below.

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Xbox's Free Play Days lineup for this weekend has been revealed, and there are some pretty good games to check out if you have an active Xbox Game Pass subscription and even some if you don’t. Free Play Days runs from May 28 through May 31, 2026.

For those unfamiliar with how Free Play Days works, simply head to the Subscriptions tab in the Xbox Store, where you'll find the available games included in the promotion. With that out of the way, let's take a look at what's playable this weekend.

First up, I'll start with Formula Legends, maybe a game worth checking out if you can't muster up the funds for Forza Horizon 6. I'm joking, of course. Formula Legends looks like a fun arcade racer, and I'm sure you could have a good time with it if you give it a chance.

If that's not your style, however, there's also the popular first-person zombie survival game Dying Light: Definitive Edition. It's a bit of an older title these days, but it's still widely regarded as one of the best zombie games around thanks to its parkour and tense gameplay.

For everyone else, there are also a couple of games available through Free Play Days for all. That means you don't need an Xbox Game Pass subscription to jump in.

The biggest name here is undoubtedly Gears of War: Reloaded, the not-so-long-ago released remaster of the original Gears of War. If you've been curious about the updated visuals or just want to revisit Marcus Fenix's first adventure, Gears of War: Reloaded is a great way to do so.

Finally, there's High on Life 2, which is available as a five-hour timed trial for all Xbox players. If you enjoyed the first game's weird humor with talking weapons, and it's probably worth setting aside a few hours this weekend to see what the sequels like.

It’s a pretty nice lineup of games, if I do say so myself, but what do you think? Will you give any of them a go, or are you too busy with other games? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:

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Subnautica 2 has been nothing short of a huge success. However, its development has also been marred by a rather messy and tedious legal battle between developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment and publisher Krafton.

Krafton was accused of attempting to avoid paying the studio a promised $250 million bonus by removing key studio leaders, including co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, alongside CEO Ted Gill.

I’m sure many are already familiar with the story, but the developers eventually took Krafton to court, claiming the publisher had intentionally delayed the game to avoid triggering the payout. The case made headlines after a judge partially sided with the developers, with reports also revealing that Krafton's CEO had reportedly used ChatGPT to assist them with the case.

Now, Subnautica 2 has released, it has been a success, and it’s on Xbox Game Pass, and thanks to an update spotted by IGN in a report by Korean Economic Daily, it is stated that Krafton has now agreed to pay the promised $250 million earnout, with it being reported that the company will have to pay “$3.12 for every $1, or up to $250 million, to Unknown Worlds’ former shareholders every time the studio’s revenue topped $69.8 million a month since the Korean game developer acquired the US firm in 2021.”

It also appears that Subnautica 2’s huge sales success is what ultimately triggered the payout itself. With the game reportedly generating massive revenue in a very short amount of time, it seems the earnout targets tied to the original acquisition deal were finally met.

Honestly, it’s a happy ending to a rather bizarre story. While I personally can’t enjoy Subnautica 2 because of my everlasting childhood fear of the ocean, it’s still great to see a game I know is good finally get the outcome its developers deserved.

I’m also sure the now AI-first company Krafton won’t try anything shady again, and yes, that is sarcasm. Still, with the game selling well over 1 million copies already, it seems like it has a very healthy future ahead of it, and hopefully, this marks the end of any legal drama the developers have had to deal with.

What are your thoughts, though? Have you followed this case closely, or are you only just learning about it now? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll.

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In an internal memo obtained via The Verge, Asha Sharma, Xbox’s CEO, believes reducing the price of Xbox Game Pass was the right move, stating:

“Growth slowed down and subscriber loss accelerated after the pricing and SKU changes last year… Since our price reduction we have seen acquisitions grow and retention improve, which is a good first step.”

Interestingly, I believe this is the first time we’ve received confirmation that the Game Pass price hike did cause a slowdown in growth and a loss of subscribers, or at least the first time I’ve personally seen someone at Xbox directly acknowledge it.

However, Sharma is quick to point out that this small win is far from a complete turnaround, stressing that there is still more work to be done. She went on to say:

“We will not solve this in one moment or one launch, We will have to outwork the problem in front of us in our path to restore durable growth.”

Sharma also noted that the team still needs to “build” and “learn quickly.”

Within the memo, Sharma also discusses the rebrand from Xbox to XBOX. Despite my reluctance to capitalize XBOX every time I type it, Sharma says:

“We are building a stronger XBOX. That means making hard choices about what we build, where we invest, and what kind of company we need to be going forward, that is part of what you are starting to see in the shift from Xbox to XBOX. It reflects a decision to be deliberate in how we show up for the players who care most about this brand.”

As a fan, it’ll be interesting to see how all of this unfolds. I’m also quite curious about what “hard choices” Sharma believes XBOX needs to make, whether that means more exclusives heading to other platforms, bigger changes to Game Pass, or something else entirely.

That’s where I’d love to hear from you. What do you think of Sharma’s comments, and what hard choices do you think XBOX will have to make going forward? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!

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Finally. We have confirmation that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is the official title for Infinity Ward's next release in the ongoing annual Call of Duty franchise. Infinity Ward has confirmed that Modern Warfare 4, which is expected to launch this fall, has been designed around a "ripped from the headlines" philosophy, with gritty and authentic characters that are intended to feel real and not superhero-like.

Here's a quick breakdown of everything revealed for MW4 so far.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 campaign details

The last Call of Duty players saw of Captain Price, the popular character, had just shot US General Shepherd in his office during a post-credit scene for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023).

At the start of Modern Warfare 4, players will experience the ramifications of that action, as Price is now on the run and running short on allies. But Price and Task Force 141 are not the only squadron we'll see in Modern Warfare 4.

The story will also center on a second team of 18-25-year-old soldiers in a squadron that consists of both Korean soldiers and US Marines. These soldiers will have fully realized stories and names.

The second team allows Infinity Ward to recenter the Modern Warfare story on a team of grunts, as opposed to the spec ops soldiers that have been the central focus of the story in recent entries.

"For us, we wanted to refresh Modern Warfare, and to do that, we needed to go to a new setting," says Infinity Ward co-studio head Jack O'Hara. O'Hara says that choosing South Korea as the setting for MW4 was exciting for the team, as it offered the opportunity to introduce new architecture and cultural influences to the series.

Modern Warfare 4's campaign will feature 13 missions across three acts, taking players to memorable locations like New York City and Paris, as well as new destinations like Mumbai.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer details

Gritty, boots-on-the-ground gameplay is the theme for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. Infinity Ward's studio multiplayer creative directors Joe Cecot and Geoff Smith shared a mantra for Modern Warfare 4's multiplayer experience, describing it as "Slick and sophisticated" with "cinematic firefights" that perfectly balance realism and dynamic worlds for fluid, fun gameplay.

One such way that the studio has pulled off this mantra is by introducing a new shockwave mechanic and adding more interactive items throughout multiplayer levels. If a player shoots at a fire hydrant, for example, enemy players in the blast radius can be impacted by the explosion.

If the explosion is non-lethal to the enemy player, it will still cause them to be knocked back. This shockwave feature expands to grenades, as well.

Infinity Ward has also further expanded on Modern Warfare 4's animations and movement systems. Some movement tech originally introduced with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's omnimovement has transitioned into Modern Warfare. Features like supine prone have been tweaked to be even more dynamic.

Players will be able to transition smoothly from a slide to descending down a ladder in Modern Warfare 4, making for faster escapes from sketchy situations.

Mantling has also gotten yet another boost, with MW4 allowing players to transition instantly from a mantle into a slide. This mechanic works best when clambering over an object like a vehicle, and then instantly hitting a slide after disembarking.

Dynamic leaning and ledge shimmies round out the new movement tech coming to MW4. One thing that will be missing from Infinity Ward's take on advanced movement is the ability to wall jump. Introduced with Treyarch's Black Ops 7 launch in 2025, the ability to wall jump will be left behind in favor of a more grounded approach to combat.

Create-a-class gets a much-needed makeover for the better in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. Previous Call of Duty titles only allowed players to edit their base loadout using create-a-class, but now deeper customization gives the player the freedom to create classes tied to specific operator skins. Choose an operator in a ghillie suit for your sniper class, build out your weapon, pick 3 perks, and then choose your preferred killstreaks.

Want to run and gun, instead? Create your second class with your favorite Operator and go for an SMG loadout heavy on perks like Ghost, Ninja, and Cold-Blooded. Pair it with some high-value killstreaks that don't require you to leave your body alone on the battlefield, and watch your Elimination to Death Ratio skyrocket.

In an effort to find and secure its own identity for Modern Warfare, Infinity Ward has eschewed Treyarch's previous weapon prestige system. Instead, the development team has introduced Apex attachments, an unlockable reward for each weapon that only becomes available after hitting that weapon's max level.

Apex attachments can be added to your weapon without taking away any of the five standard-issue slots available for attachments, and have significant advantages that can change your experience on the battlefield. An underbarrel attachment that launches a trio of throwing knives, a heartbeat monitor built into your weapon's sight, and more can be equipped to your weapons — that is, if you can earn them.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will launch with 24 weapons, hundreds of attachment combinations, 11 lethals, 9 tacticals, 17 killstreaks, and 11 field upgrade options for your loadout. If you're feeling overwhelmed about how to choose your next weapon, the Gunny feature can be found in the Gunsmith. Gunny will generate a viable weapon build from the player's list of available attachments and weapons at the press of a button.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will launch with 12 game modes for multiplayer, including fan favorites like Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Hardpoint. New modes like Inflation and Counterattack will also be available at launch. Gun Game and Drop Zone will return as party offerings, with more modes planned for after launch.

Launch maps include:

• Silkworm
• Reactor J92
• Rooftop
• Mumbai
• Caschette
• Nautical
• Lotus
• Sentry
• Coal
• Transit 23
• Korean Nuclear Reactor (KNR)

All the maps for Modern Warfare 4 are brand new, so fans of Shipment and Shoothouse may initially feel left out. Fear not, Infinity Ward isn't leaving us small map junkies out of the rotation — the brand new dynamic map, Kill Block, will provide a Shoothouse-sized playground that changes dynamically throughout the match.

Inspired by sports stadiums with retractable flooring systems that allow them to rotate between football fields, basketball stadiums, and hockey rinks all in one, Kill Block is a live fire training facility with three slabs that shift throughout the rounds of the match. There are over 500 combinations for Kill Block, ensuring plenty of small map variety, and some map slabs may even be reminiscent of locations seen in Modern Warfare's past.

Prestige will return in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, but with a significant change. Infinity Ward has offered two new tracks for Prestige. Classic Prestige allows players to give up their unlocks for XP boosts and additional rewards, while the second option for prestige allows players to keep their unlocks while continuing to progress through the level track — albeit without receiving prestige-only unlocks.

Hands-on impressions of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer

Activision and Infinity Ward gave content creators and press a brief preview window during which we had the opportunity to play through a few matches of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's multiplayer modes.

After two years with the Call of Duty: Black Ops series, Modern Warfare 4's movement system is decidedly slower. Even with improved mechanics for sliding and mantling, the boots-on-the-ground experience Infinity Ward was aiming for is very present. There were still plenty of players attempting to wall jump, and there were some rogue instances of players trying to revive the long-lost art of bunny hopping around corners, but weapon balance and dynamic lean mechanics managed to bridge the gap.

Bunny hopping in multiplayer has long been a pet peeve of mine, and I'm not surprised to see that become the go-to strat for players who are looking for advanced movement in a more grounded environment, but I'm still going to hope that Infinity Ward adds in some deterrents for it somewhere down the line. Loss of aim accuracy, slower recovery from the jump to sprinting, or some other limitation on the player coming out of the hop can help a lot.

I do feel as though Infinity Ward's grounded movement has led to better map design, as well. Black Ops 7's maps feel almost comically large at times, especially as they're designed to allow for wall jumps and extreme slides. Modern Warfare 4's corridors feel more imposing, as you can run up on an enemy with a close-range weapon and truly find yourself without an out. It adds more tension to encounters and movement, and makes successful gunfights feel rewarding.

I was surprised and genuinely impressed by the design of Kill Block, the dynamic Shoothouse-sized map. It's easy to get lost in the details of a map's design when it does something as unusual as shift layouts every round. From the description alone, I was expecting a mode that was a little more gimmicky, but instead I found myself thoroughly enjoying the chaos and challenge of an ever-evolving battleground.

There's still so much we have yet to see from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, and I have no doubt that the shock of going from BO7 to MW4 movement is going to throw the community into a bit of a tailspin. But for those of us craving a little bit of nostalgia and more thoughtful, tactical gameplay engagements, Modern Warfare 4 certainly looks promising.

For more on my time at Infinity Ward's studio, check out my interview with the Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer team.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 third mode: DMZ is back!

As part of today's reveal for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Infinity Ward has confirmed that the DMZ will return as MW4's third mode this fall. Infinity Ward has declared DMZ the 'definitive Call of Duty extraction experience", taking place within a living combat sandbox that is always shifting, with changing weather, dynamic military objectives, and hostile forces.

Every run is a risk as you loot, fight, negotiate, and betray in order to extract whatever you can carry. Infinity Ward was light on any additional details pertaining to the DMZ, so we'll likely have to wait for either a Call of Duty Direct sometime in the future or for this year's Call of Duty Next event to learn more.

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Forza Horizon 6 has been out for around 10 days now, and in that time, players have certainly been busy. Although, I imagine most players are trying their best to avoid bowie Knife99, who has been plaguing games while also spawning memes from seemingly every brand account on the internet.

Well now, the team over at Forza has revealed some player stats on X (formerly Twitter), and they are certainly impressive. With over 29 million hours listened to on the top radio station, Bass Arena, alongside more than 141 million hours played in-game, Forza Horizon 6 is off to an impressive start, at least by the numbers.

Perhaps the biggest stat here, though, is the more than 35 trillion credits earned by players, alongside over 20 billion miles driven. That’s more than the collective people of Wales drive on average each year, and that’s in just 10 days

Instead of going over every single stat, I’ll instead break it down in a list to make things as straight forward as possible, so here it goes:

• 29,277,728 hours listened to the top radio station, Bass Arena
• 141 million hours played
• 35+ trillion credits earned
• 6,955,288 garages built
• 184 million photos taken
• 63,483,678 liveries created
• 19 million deliveries completed
• Over 20 billion miles driven
• 18,403,897 wristbands obtained
• 379,097,880 mascots smashed

It’s fair to say Forza Horizon 6 is doing fantastic so far. Peaking at over 300,000 concurrent players on Steam and reaching more than 6 million players overall, it’s shaping up to be a pretty incredible launch for Playground Games.

I just hope Playground Games can maintain that momentum over the coming months, because I’ve been having a great time with the game myself whenever I get the chance to jump in.

Let me know your thoughts on all of these stats, whether you’ve contributed much to them or not at all or maybe you don’t even care about these numbers like I do; regardless, let me know in the comments and be sure to take part in our poll.

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For those unaware, Escape the Backrooms is based on the hugely viral “Backrooms” creepypasta, centered around a seemingly never-ending maze of empty rooms and unsettling spaces. Over the years, the concept evolved into a full internet horror phenomenon, which eventually inspired the Escape the Backrooms game itself.

The game is a four-player co-op horror experience with proximity chat and a strong focus on psychological horror. Players need to work together to navigate creepy environments, solve puzzles, and avoid the various monsters throughout the Backrooms.

Believe it or not, the Backrooms concept has become so popular that it even spawned its own movie, which released to fairly solid reviews. Now, I personally do not deal well with horror games or horror in general, so I don’t think I’ll be risking my sanity with this one, but it’s still great to see a random shadow drop hit the Game Pass PC, Ultimate, and Premium tiers. It’s also an Xbox Play Anywhere title.

Other recent additions to Game Pass include Kabuto Park, a rather cute bug-collecting game, alongside Crashout Crew. There was also Echo Generation 2, a sci-fi deck-building RPG. That one is much more up my alley, especially since I’ve been sinking my teeth into Slay the Spire 2 whenever I get the chance.

Since its recent price decrease following changes introduced by new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, Game Pass has suddenly become a lot more appealing to me again. It went from being a service I was almost certain I’d cut from my growing list of subscriptions to one I’m actually quite happy to keep around.

While horror games definitely aren’t for me, I still think it’s exciting that more titles could end up being shadow dropped into the service like this, as it adds more value. That’s just how I feel, though, so let me know your thoughts in the comments, whether you’ll be checking out Escape the Backrooms or not, and as always, be sure to take part in our poll!

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It's been 16 years since Obsidian Entertainment released Fallout: New Vegas, and while it was often criticized at launch for its major technical issues, it eventually grew to become what is arguably the most popular and famous RPG in the entire Fallout series, with many regarding it as the best game in the franchise. We asked our readers in a poll, and 50% of you agreed with that sentiment.

What was accomplished with New Vegas would be impressive if the game had a normal development cycle, but what makes it a particularly remarkable achievement is the fact that Obsidian had just 18 months to pull it together. The studio agreed to a year-and-a-half period to make the RPG given by Bethesda, as the latter wanted a new 2010 game to fill the gap between 2008's Fallout 3 and 2011's The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.

In a new YouTube video, New Vegas' director and lead designer Josh Sawyer has reflected on the title's extremely tight development timeframe, explaining that since Obsidian was building the game on a time crunch, it adapted as much of Fallout 3's engine tech and assets as possible so it could focus on narrative, quest design, and open-world reactivity.

"For Fallout: New Vegas ... my goal was — well, we were constrained by the 18 months from the beginning," Sawyer began. "So, I said, 'let's modestly restructure some of the systemic things that Bethesda did. Try to do as much as we can to emulate their style of open world exploration, and let's try to just tell the best stories we can with the best quest reactivity that we know how to do.' Because there was very little else that we could do in that window of time."

Indeed, Obsidian ended up drawing on so much of Fallout 3 that some of its devs "initially felt a little touchy" about the eventual success of New Vegas, but in the end, it paid off. New Vegas went on to become a hit and a masterpiece in the eyes of many, with most citing its rich and nuanced writing as its best quality — but even before then, Sawyer was confident that the developers made the right call, even though it meant reining in the scope of the RPG.

"I believed in that team. We had fantastic designers and writers, and I believed that they could make really great quests and content," he explained. "So, I just said, 'Look, we can't set our sights on anything crazier than this. So, let's just make the best quest content and story content that we can.'"

"And that was the goal. And get it done within 18 months, which meant that a lot of other ideas about things that we could do had to just fall by the wayside," Sawyer continued. "So the 18 months wasn't a goal, it was a constraint, but we had to work within it and so that's why it became so focused and I think the team did a fantastic job."

I'd have loved to see what New Vegas would have looked like if Obsidian had more time to execute on all the ideas it had. With that said, it's still a terrific game, and I believe the studio went about making it the smartest way it could have given the narrow development timeframe.

Is Fallout: New Vegas your favorite Fallout game? If it's not, which one is? Are you excited for the Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts in the comments.

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The Outer Worlds fans can rejoice. Despite the game and its DLCs being delisted from most storefronts, including Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, GoG, Epic, and Steam, but not Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PS4 versions. Obsidian has released a Q&A detailing some commonly asked questions surrounding save files, upgrades, and more.

It’s worth quickly explaining what exactly is happening with The Outer Worlds before we dive in, so bear with me as I do my best to catch you up. Essentially, The Outer Worlds and its DLCs are being delisted from most modern storefronts and replaced by The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition going forward.

With that out of the way, fear not, because I’ve gathered together the most important questions and answers right here. Without further ado, let’s jump in.

First off, and perhaps most importantly, Obsidian answered whether saves from the original version of The Outer Worlds will work with Spacer’s Choice Edition. Thankfully, the answer is yes, with Obsidian stating:

“Yes they will. We have done the work to ensure that all saves from the base edition will be able to move forward to the Spacer’s Choice Edition. Though do note that due to new features like grenades, going back to the base edition from the Spacer’s Choice Edition will not work.”

Next up, when discussing whether Game Pass users will still have access to the game, Obsidian said:

“Yes. The Xbox Series X|S Game Pass version has now been updated to Spacer’s Choice Edition.”

For those who may still be somewhat confused about whether existing owners get a free upgrade to Spacer’s Choice Edition, Obsidian also clarified:

“It depends on the platform. PC storefront owners, including Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, Xbox App, and Windows Store users, will receive the upgrade at no additional cost if the game is already in their digital library.”

I’d say those are the main questions answered. It’s admittedly kind of weird that Obsidian is doing this in the first place, but at least the studio is being considerate of people’s save files, which, unfortunately, is something that doesn’t always happen in this industry. If you wish to read the full Q&A, I’ll have that linked right here, too.

Still, I’d love to hear your thoughts on all of this, and whether you plan on continuing your existing save or perhaps finally jumping into the game now that this new edition is heading to Game Pass. Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to take part in our poll.

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The next and potentially biggest Xbox Games Showcase of the year is drawing near as it's set to go live on June 7, 2026, at 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST / 6:00 pm BST.

This event promises to showcase a ton of new gameplay and information on many Xbox titles from the AAA and indie scenes, with the main attraction being Gears of War: E-Day, a highly anticipated prequel to the Gears of War series.

If you need a refresher on exactly when, where, and how to watch this event live, here are the full watch times for the Xbox Games Showcase.

How, where, and when can I watch Xbox Games Showcase?

The Xbox Games Showcase will commence at the following times and dates per time zone:

• PDT: June 7, 10:00 am
• EDT: June 7, 1:00 pm
• BST: June 7, 6:00 pm
• CEST: June 7, 7:00 pm
• JST: June 8, 2:00 am
• AEST: June 8, 3:00 am

It will be livestreamed on several platforms, including YouTube.com/Xbox, Twitch.tv/Xbox, Twitch.tv/XboxASL, and Facebook.com/Xbox. You can also just use the embed at the top of this post.

The livestream will be available in over 40 languages, with American Sign Language, British Sign Language, and English Audio Descriptions.

What can we expect at Xbox Games Showcase?

The Xbox Games Showcase will focus on showing a variety of news updates on upcoming first-party and third-party Xbox games, as well as potentially some world premieres of new titles.

Some first-party titles that are most likely to show up there will be Fable, Halo: Campaign Evolved, Clockwork Revolution, and a new Call of Duty game. As for third-party titles, we'll probably see new info for games like Persona 4: Revival.

After the Xbox Games Showcase concludes, it will be followed by a Direct Stream dedicated purely to Gears of War: E-Day. Microsoft has confirmed via Xbox Wire that this stream will show off gameplay and insights into its characters and story.

On a sidenote, Xbox FanFest will be returning for the Xbox Games Showcase, allowing Xbox fans attending the event live access to exclusive gameplay footage, converse with the developers, play Xbox-themed party games, and more.

Windows Central's take

This year's Xbox Games Showcase is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated yet, mostly because it's celebrating the Xbox's 25th anniversary, so there's no doubt it's going to pull out all the stops for old school and new Xbox fans.

Of course, the biggest game everyone's eager to see is no doubt Gears of War: E-Day. This game will reunite Gears fans with younger versions of iconic characters like Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago, and have them experience the beginning of Emergence Day, the cataclysmic event that would shape the Gears of War universe into what we know it is today.

Personally speaking, my most anticipated games for the Xbox Games Showcase are Gears of War: E-Day, as I have nostalgic memories of playing the classic trilogy with my co-op, and Persona 4 Revival.

I'm a longtime fan of Atlus' Persona series, and the original Persona 4 from 2008 remains, without a doubt, one of the best titles in the series, even after nearly 20 years, for its intriguing murder mystery, complex character development, and refined turn-based combat.

I'm hoping Persona 4 Revival will show up at the Xbox Games Showcase and see if it will retain the insanely gorgeous graphical presentation and improved combat mechanics of Persona 3: Reload, so this classic JRPG can be elevated further and enjoyed by veteran and newcomer Persona fans alike.

🗨️ Over to you

Are you ready for the Xbox Games Showcase on June 7, 2026? What titles are you most excited to see at the event?

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

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It’s really not long now until Xbox’s next showcase, with just under two weeks to go. Anticipation for what Xbox might reveal is quite high, alongside deeper looks at games we already know are on the horizon, like Fable.

One eagle-eyed fan online also noticed that ahead of Xbox’s upcoming showcase, Xbox has added a few games to the “Coming to Game Pass” tab. To save beating around the bush, I’ll list the standout games here:

• Clockwork Revolution
• Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy
• Tropico 7
• Armatus
• Witchbrook
• Fable
• There Are No Ghosts at the Grand

There’s the obvious one here, Fable, which is hotly anticipated and currently set to release this year. Playground Games recently reaffirmed that, with the game set to launch on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5 this year.

Perhaps most interestingly, Clockwork Revolution is now listed as coming soon. The game currently has no official release date, though it has been heavily speculated to launch this year.

Clockwork Revolution is being developed by inXile Entertainment, a highly regarded studio known for its RPG pedigree. The game itself is set within a steampunk Victorian-inspired world, which to me sounds pretty exciting and interesting.

Also surprisingly, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is listed as coming soon too, especially considering the game still has no official release date despite being scheduled for this year.

All of this does beg the question as to whether we’ll finally get official release dates for some of these games during Xbox’s showcase. Perhaps their launches are sooner than many of us expected, or at least that’s what I’m hoping for anyway.

Out of the list personally, I’m probably most excited for Fable, as I'm sure many others are too. I’ve got quite fond memories of playing the older games when I was younger and having to share an Xbox with my brother.

Enough about me, though; let me know which of these games you’re most looking forward to in the comments, and make sure you take part in our poll!

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In a perfect world, all the various races you can get into across Forza Horizon 6 and its open-world rendition of Japan would be clean and smooth, bereft of hostile collisions and catastrophic wipeouts. We don't live in a perfect world, though — and one Forza opponent in particular seems hellbent on making sure you can't enjoy a race without having to worry about chaos.

That racer is none other than bowie knife99, one of the AI "drivatars" you can compete against in lieu of real players in Forza Horizon 6's various contests. Just one week after the open-world racer's launch, bowie knife99 already has a reputation in the game's community for being a notoriously violent driver, and routinely rams and crashes into players in an effort to ensure it comes out on top.

I mean, just look:

bowie knife99 just sent me back to Mexico from r/ForzaHorizon

You can find clips like this one all over social media, with most exasperated at the lengths this particular AI will go to in order to be a thorn in your side. "WHO IS HE AND WHY IS HE ALWAYS BULLYING ME," writes KnightLewis25. "Nah this is diabolical. Bro needs to be stopped," says another player.

"I had a 70,000 x 5.0 skill combo going when I got rammed by some AI driver. Who was it? BowieKnife99 of course," grumbles Different-Scarcity80.

Unsurprisingly, memes about bowie knife99 are all over the Forza Horizon subreddit and other community gathering sites right now, with players coming together to laugh at each other's run-ins with the drivatar while simultaneously cursing its murderous tendencies.

Some, though, have comically decided to make it their mission to get revenge on bowie knife99, sharing clips of themselves running it off the road, forcing it to smash into obstacles, and ramming into it with the pedal to the metal. It's a noble pursuit of justice for bowie's victims, to be sure...though, be aware that it might fight back if you find yourself getting aggressive.

Justice for all the Bowieknife victims from r/ForzaHorizon6

All in all, I find this whole ordeal hilarious, though it's also driven a lot of discussion about the difficulty of Forza Horizon 6's drivatars. Many players report that many races feel impossible to win at higher difficulty settings, even when bowie knife99 isn't there trying to spin them out.

Perhaps we'll see developer Playground Games adjust them in future patches; I think that's probably the right call to make with all the feedback players are giving right now, though I do hope the studio leaves bowie knife99's behavior just the way it is. It's been fun seeing the community band together against a common enemy, and makes me wish AI opponents had this kind of personality more often in racing games.

Forza Horizon 6 itself is enjoying a tremendous launch period right now. It had the biggest Early Access release of any entry in the series followed by a stellar launch day performance, and went on to rapidly bring in over 6 million players across Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass. Currently, it has more players on Xbox than Call of Duty does, which is quite a feat.

Have you had any run-ins with bowie knife99? How did they go? Are you enjoying Forza Horizon 6 in general? Let me know down below.

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To say that Forza Horizon 6 has been a success for Microsoft and Xbox thus far would honestly be an understatement; it enjoyed a massive Early Access launch ahead of its full release, and once the game did come out for all across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass, it blew up on Steam within minutes and quickly accrued over 6 million players across all platforms.

A week later, it's lost a touch of its launch momentum on Steam, where its concurrent player count has dropped a bit (but only by a small amount, mind you). Across Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC, however, the open-world arcade racer has actually accelerated some, and has surpassed even Call of Duty in terms of current popularity.

This can be observed on the official Xbox most-played games list right now, where Forza Horizon 6 has pulled ahead of Activision's juggernaut FPS series. That makes it the fourth most-played Xbox game at the moment, only behind Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft. It's also the second most-played game on Xbox that costs money, as Fortnite and Roblox are free-to-play.

Some other titles Forza Horizon 6 is outperforming include the sports game NBA 2K26, the tactical shooter Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, and the newly released Subnautica 2 that's also doing incredibly well at launch. It's also ahead of prominent live-service free-to-play games such as Rocket League, Apex Legends, and Marvel Rivals.

While all of this is undeniably impressive, I still think the fact Forza has overtaken Call of Duty is the biggest feat of all. The shooter is one of the world's largest video game IPs, and routinely enjoys success that dwarfs most competition in the genre. Even when games like Battlefield 6 outsell it in the short term, Call of Duty almost always takes back the lead over time.

In terms of profit and long-term revenue, Call of Duty will stay ahead of Forza as well. But even so, Forza Horizon 6 surpassing the FPS' current player count on Xbox is a huge accomplishment, and one that I'm sure makes developer Playground Games very, very happy.

It's particularly notable because the Call of Duty HQ client on Xbox encompasses multiple recent entries in the franchise, including Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3, Black Ops 6, last year's Black Ops 7, and the live-service free-to-play battle royale Warzone. That's five combined Call of Duty player counts that Forza Horizon 6 is beating.

As for how long that lead will last, it's impossible to say — but I doubt Forza will fall out of popularity any time soon, especially since Playground Games has kicked off its first of many Festival Playlist updates that expands the game's car list with new and unique vehicles to take for a spin out in Japan. Indeed, if the stellar performance of Forza Horizon 5 is any indication, its sequel will remain a frequently played fan favorite for many months and years to come.

Are you enjoying Forza Horizon 6 now that it's out? Let me know what you think of the game below, and make sure you vote in our poll as well.

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Alongside major titles like Playground Games' newly released Forza Horizon 6, its upcoming Fall 2026 RPG Fable, and The Coalition's Gears of War: E-Day, one of Microsoft and Xbox's biggest new games this year will be Halo: Campaign Evolved. Officially, its development is being led by Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) — but a new report suggests much of its creation has been in the hands of external developers.

That information comes from well-known Halo insider Rebs Gaming, who recently published a new video report going over new information about the Unreal Engine 5 remake of 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved he's heard from his sources. I've linked it in this paragraph, but you can watch it below as well.

According to Mr. Rebs, a source familiar with Campaign Evolved's development said that "A lot of outsourcing was used to create Campaign Evolved, even for core programming and design, so much so that it's not really an in-studio project."

That suggests the majority of the game's development has been handled by contractors and/or other studios instead of Halo Studios itself, with the latter taking more of a managerial overseer role. It's worth noting that in recent years, Halo's developers have frequently made use of contractors, though many former workers decried that policy in the wake of Halo Studios' infamous 2023 layoffs.

It's been previously reported that Abstraction — a subsidiary of the game development support studio Virtuos, which recently contributed to Oblivion Remastered and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater — has helped with both level and technical design for Campaign Evolved.

Additionally, Mr. Rebs also reported that he's heard The Library — an infamous Halo: Combat Evolved level that I and many others hate for its frustratingly repetitive level design — will get some major changes to address this issue, with other monotonous sections across other levels getting adjustments as well. These represent the tweaks Halo Studios confirmed when the remake was announced last year.

Halo: Campaign Evolved will reportedly have a "Campaign Remix" feature as well, which aims to make the game highly replayable through the inclusion of "dozens of gameplay modifiers." These will be toggleable as Skulls, which have been a part of the Halo series since 2004's Halo 2. One example of a Skull we'll likely see is one that allows you to play in third-person.

Another will be the option to have Brutes appear alongside other Covenant units in the main story campaign; a previous report from Mr. Rebs suggested that Brutes would be a part of the three new prequel missions being added to the campaign in the new remake.

It was then touched on that Campaign Evolved will have armor skins for Master Chief (though some of these may have been scrapped) before Mr. Rebs revealed he's heard about three of the nine new weapons that will be in the remake that weren't in the original Combat Evolved: the SMG, the Spiker, and the Brute Plasma Rifle. These join the Energy Sword, Fuel Rod Cannon, Sentinel Beam, Battle Rifle, and Needle Rifle; the ninth weapon is still unknown.

Assuming it's true, the news that Halo: Campaign Evolved is so reliant on outsourcing will no doubt worry some that would prefer if it was made by the series' mainline developers. Ultimately, though, Halo Studios is probably focused on the next big game after Halo Infinite, and I think it will be interesting to see how the game turns out. It's coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox Game Pass, and PS5 this year, and may have a July 28 release date if a recent leak is accurate.

Are you excited for Halo: Campaign Evolved? Let me know below.

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Microsoft and Xbox have a handful of different first-party titles coming out of their Xbox Game Studios publishing label in 2026, ranging from Halo Studios' Halo: Campaign Evolved remake to The Coalition's Gears of War: E-Day that's set to get its own Direct presentation during the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase.

One developer that's slated to have a particularly big year, though, is Playground Games — the team behind the newly released and critically acclaimed arcade racer Forza Horizon 6, and also the studio working on the humorous and deeply reactive Fable reboot that's scheduled to come to Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox Game Pass, and PS5 later this fall.

Forza Horizon 6 has been a colossal success for Xbox and Playground Games thus far, with the title getting rave reviews from critics and fans alike, achieving its biggest ever Early Access launch, and hitting massive milestones just days after release. Its developers have also committed to supporting it over time with seasonal Festival Playlist updates, the first of which is now live.

With the spotlight shining brightly on Forza and Playground planning regular content additions for the game, many have understandably had some concerns that we might see Fable get delayed past its previously confirmed Fall 2026 launch window, potentially even to 2027. According to a new post from the studio, though, the RPG is still on track for its release this year.

"After the incredible launch of Forza Horizon 6 this week, the excitement across the studio is sky-high," began the developers in a LinkedIn post about job openings. "But we’re not done yet. With Fable coming later this year, we’re continuing to recruit across multiple disciplines to bring more exceptional talent into the team."

While there was never any definitive reason to believe we wouldn't end up getting the Fable reboot this year, it's reassuring to see Playground Games reaffirm its release window all the same. Notably, we still don't have a specific release date yet, but I'm sure one will come on June 7 during the Xbox Games Showcase.

We last saw Fable in January during Xbox Developer Direct 2026, with Playground providing fans with a lengthy 11-minute long deep dive into the RPG's immersive and reactive gameplay systems, along with a look at some of its low-key slice-of-life roleplaying opportunities and its unashamedly British humor that's deeply woven into the experience.

Pretty much everyone here at Team Windows Central, myself included, thought what Fable's developers had to show was great, and believe Xbox games have a bright future if they're all as high-quality as Fable seems to be. Of course, we won't know if the fantasy adventure is actually good until it's in our hands, but I certainly have high hopes.

The creator of the franchise, Peter Molyneux, evidently does as well; he said he was "tearing up" as he watched the RPG's gameplay reveal and overview, and felt it was "really smart" to opt for a reboot instead of a sequel to the series that was put on hiatus long ago. "F*** me. This thing that we created, it's going to live, it’s going to carry on," he said.

Are you looking forward to playing Fable later this year? Let me know in the comments, and in our poll as well.

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Microsoft and Xbox's new open-world arcade racer from Playground Games, Forza Horizon 6, was widely expected to be one of 2026's biggest and most successful games in the leadup to its May 19 launch — and since then, it's more than lived up to those expectations.

Indeed, Forza is putting pedal to the metal right now, with the game enjoying a huge Early Access launch last week that led into an even larger full release that saw over 270,000 players hit the road on Steam alone. To say that its performance thus far is impressive would be an understatement — and as it turns out, it's not slowing down, either.

If anything, Forza Horizon 6 has shifted into a new gear, with the game achieving a new peak concurrent player count of 284,139 on Steam on Thursday morning (as SteamDB data shows). Given that it's putting up those numbers on a weekday morning, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if it accelerates up to and past 300,000 this weekend.

At the same time, Playground Games also announced on social media that Forza Horizon 6 has hit over 6 million players in just one week after its May 15 Early Access release, and a mere two days after its full launch. That number encompasses players on all platforms and services, including Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Game Pass, and Steam.

"Forza Horizon 6? More like Forza Horizon 6-Million!" wrote the developers in a celebratory post. "Thank you all for joining us at Horizon Japan."

It's been awesome to see the game take over the internet and everyone enjoying driving around Japan these past few days, even if I'm not really surprised by the success given how popular its predecessor, Forza Horizon 5, was. I haven't gotten the chance to play it myself yet, but I look forward to doing so soon.

It's worth noting that, according to Xbox's new CEO Asha Sharma, Forza Horizon 6 had the biggest Early Access launch in the franchise's history, which is also not surprising considering it was nearly hitting 200,000 concurrent players on Steam during those first few days.

The open-world racer is also the highest rated game of 2026 so far, beating other acclaimed hits like Resident Evil Requiem, Mixtape, and Pokémon Pokopia with an extremely high Metacritic score of 91/100. It's gotten rave reviews across the board, with my Windows Central colleague Michael Hoglund awarding it a 4.5/5 star score himself in our review.

"From the neon pulse of Tokyo to mist-shrouded mountside grounds, Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t rewrite history, but layers perfection on top of perfection to make the latest entry the most polished experience to date," he wrote.

Forza Horizon 6 is available for its $69.99 MSRP on Xbox and PC, but you can actually get it for just $53.99 at Loaded thanks to an awesome deal. The pricier Deluxe and Premium Editions are on sale for $84.29 at Loaded and $89.99 at Loaded, respectively; you can also play with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass, if you have an active subscription.

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Original article: To the surprise of precisely nobody, Xbox and Playground Games' new highly anticipated open-world arcade racer Forza Horizon 6 has been a huge hit so far, with the game enjoying rave reviews from critics, a massive Early Access debut, and an even bigger full launch that's seen nearly 300,000 players get behind the wheel concurrently on Steam alone.

The game's even got a healthy modding scene already, with graphics and audio tweaks, ReShade presets, and more live on the Forza Horizon 6 section of Nexus Mods. One project in particular, though, stands above the rest as particularly cool in my eyes: Spotify Radio, a mod that allows you to play your Spotify music through an in-game radio station.

I first caught wind of it when its author BigJohn0 posted about it on the r/ForzaModding Reddit, and was impressed by its functionality. It takes advantage of Spotify Connect — a feature of the music app that streams music through another device over Wi-Fi — to hook into Forza Horizon 6's Streamer Mode/R10 radio channel and replace it with "FH6 Radio."

While connected to that channel with Spotify Connect on your phone or computer as well as in your car in-game, any music that you play on Spotify will come through in Forza Horizon 6.

That alone is awesome, but what's even cooler is that since the audio is routed through the game's radio system, it's mixed like tunes from its radio stations, and doesn't just sound like flat background music. The in-game radio HUD even correctly lists the artist and track name.

Pretty sick, right? Sadly, though, you can't actually download and use the mod right now, as it was quickly "quarantined" by Nexus Mods' algorithms after they flagged it as potentially dangerous. BigJohn0 says this is because Spotify Radio uses a .dll file, which is sometimes used by bad faith actors to run malware.

Some have asked them to upload the mod on GitHub instead, but BigJohn0 has chosen not to since linking to it on Nexus would go against the site's terms and also because they don't want to publish the source code.

In the end, that means Spotify Radio won't likely be obtainable until Nexus Mods moderators manually review the mod files and verify that they're safe to use, which will hopefully happen sooner rather than later. Keep an eye on it; I'll update this article once it's cleared.

Once the mod is no longer locked down and becomes downloadable again, however, installation will be a very simple process. As the mod page's description states, all you have to do is unzip the mod's files into your Forza Horizon 6 game directory, turn Radio DJ off and Streamer Mode on in-game, and connect Spotify to FH6 Radio in the Connect menu on the app (the button for it looks like a speaker).

Some more good news: the mod works on both the Steam and Xbox on PC versions of the game, and should be completely safe to play with since it's entirely client-side and doesn't upload any data to Forza's servers. The only drawback of Spotify Radio is that it requires having a Spotify Premium membership, as you can't make use of Spotify Connect without one. If you're like me and have one already, though, that's hardly a problem at all.

Will you use the Spotify Radio mod once you can actually download it? Let me know down below.

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Xbox Game Pass has announced its second batch of new Xbox games coming to and leaving Microsoft's subscription service during the latter half of May 2026 and a little bit of June 2026.

The biggest highlight is Forza Horizon 6, which is finally available for public consumption on Xbox consoles and Xbox Game Pass after releasing in early access on May 15, 2026.

Other major games joining Microsoft's flagship racing title among this line-up include the cult Soulslike third-person shooter Remnant 2, the popular Jurassic Park simulator Jurassic World Evolution 3, and an upcoming indie RPG that's recently piqued my interest called Echo Generation 2.

Here is the rest of the games announced for Xbox Game Pass' second May 2026 batch:

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass (May 31)

• Against the Storm (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Crypt Custodian (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Metaphor: ReFantazio (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Persona 4 Golden (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Spray Paint Simulator (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Windows Central's take

Among this line-up, Forza Horizon 6 is, without a doubt, the star of the show that everyone's been hyped to play, as it quickly gathered over 170,000 Steam users alone in just a day during early access, which skyrocketed to over 270,000 Steam users when it launched for the general public.

A few of my colleagues are also itching to play it. Our Managing Editor, Richard Devine, enjoyed Forza Horizon 6's preview build, and one of our gaming contributors, Michael Hoglund, reviewed the full game and gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Michael proclaims that "Forza Horizon 6 is the series at its most confident, most refined, and most fun," while praising its refined racing gameplay, gorgeous racing tracks set across Japan, a large variety of over 550 playable cars, meaningful progression systems, and more.

If you're a longtime fan of Forza Horizon or racing games in general, then Forza Horizon 6 is a no-brainer, as it's now widely regarded by critics as the series' best entry yet.

However, the Xbox Game Pass title I'm looking forward to playing the most from this line-up is Echo Generation 2, a lesser-known indie RPG where you travel across the galaxy to find a way back to Earth while fighting cosmic horrors.

I enjoyed the original Echo Generation a few years back, and the sequel is already looking like a massive improvement with crazier alien monsters to fight, refined voxel graphics, a larger cast of intriguing party members, and an upgraded turn-based combat system with deckbuilder elements.

If you're a fan of indie RPGs inspired by classic 16-bit RPGs like Final Fantasy and Earthbound, you may want to keep Echo Generation 2 on your radar, as this game is shaping up to be a wild sleeper hit.

🗨️ Over to you

What do you think of May's second batch of Xbox Game Pass titles, and which ones are you most excited to play?

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

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Xbox is expanding its Stream Your Own Game library with nearly 70 more games this month, bringing quite an extensive list of additions. For those who don’t know, Xbox’s Stream Your Own Game program allows you to use Xbox Cloud Gaming to stream your owned Xbox games across devices.

Before we continue, though, allow me a small tangent here. Do we type XBOX now, or do we type Xbox? For my own sanity, I’ll stick with Xbox, but do let me know which you prefer amid Xbox’s big bold refresh.

Anyway, back to the games. Shoutout to TrueAchievements for compiling the list, as I’ve nabbed it from them, so here’s the full lineup:

It’s quite the list. Of course, we have titles like Forza Horizon 6, which has just been released today and, as expected, is shaping up rather well among critics and fans. Something even I myself have jumped into after skipping the series for quite a while.

The Stream Your Own Games list is always growing, and I’d love to hear what games you’d like to see make their way to the service next. Personally, I can’t really think of many myself, but then again, I don’t do much cloud gaming these days as I’m still not particularly fond of it yet. That’s not to say I don’t think the technology is impressive, because it absolutely is, but latency still remains a big issue for me.

Let me know your thoughts and what games you’d like to see added and as always be sure to take part in our poll below:

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If you bought Valve's new $99 Steam Controller as I did, you might have noticed that it doesn't function as expected outside the Steam app. It isn't completely useless, as the controller falls back into a "lizard mode" that lets you navigate your Windows desktop with basic controls.

Still, games launched from the Xbox app on PC or other third-party launchers won't detect any compatible controller and assume you're still using a mouse and keyboard.

A few workarounds are circulating in the PC gaming community via third-party software, and as you might expect, none of them are officially approved by Valve or Microsoft. SISR (Steam Input System Redirector) and SteamlessController are both fan-made, open-source projects hosted on GitHub, and the latter works without needing Steam open in the background.

In turn, each of these apps depends on code from other GitHub-hosted software, like VIIPER (Virtual Input over IP EmulatoR) for SISR and ViGEmBus for SteamlessController.

If you aren't a particularly confident Windows user, potentially picking up Valve's new Steam Controller to simplify PC gaming into something more akin to a homemade Steam Machine "console", then this may already seem like too much hard work — or risky, if any of these apps are "vibe-coded" with the help of AI, noting that SteamlessController lists Anthropic's Claude as a contributor.

What about SDL support for the Steam Controller?

Thankfully, there has been some movement towards supporting the Steam Controller outside of the Steam app, as the SDL (Simple DirectMedia Layer) library now supports the controller's "touchpads, capacitive touch for sticks, and grip sense handling" (via Phoronix).

In theory, that means certain games will begin to recognize the Steam Controller as a fully-functional joypad when you play them on PC. You might not see SDL support across every AAA title, but it's a major step towards controller functionality on Windows when importing non-Steam games.

Testing the current functionality myself by adding the popular Subnautica 2 as a non-Steam game (or rather the GameLaunchHelper.exe file) confirms my suspicion: Steam Input doesn't activate, and the Steam Controller is still detected as a mouse and keyboard. While I can bind its detected mouse clicks and other inputs in the game, it won't support the controller's full feature set.

So, is the Steam Controller worth buying?

I spent my own money on Valve's revised Steam Controller, but my experience is far from unique. This issue with the Xbox PC app and Game Pass games has been known since the embargo lifted on sample units, but it's always better to go hands-on with a retail model and see what the experience is like for paying customers. I'm testing some of these trending concerns with my own unit, and will publish my take on its value soon enough.

For now, I'm not willing to download a third-party input translation layer just to play games from my Game Pass Ultimate subscription.

Whether the blame lies with Microsoft and its UWP app approach to games on the Xbox app or with Valve and its lack of Xinput support on the Steam Controller is a debate for another time, but I don't want another app in my system tray to solve the issue. I'll keep you updated if the situation changes, and if I have any luck with the Steam desktop app and its default setup.

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Xbox and developer Playground Games' Forza Horizon 6 is officially out and available now to everyone who's purchased the Premium Edition and has Early Access, and players around the world are racing to enjoy everything its vast and vibrant depiction of Japan has to offer — driven, no doubt, by its wide array of sights to see, multiplayer activities to engage with, challenges to complete, and cars to unlock.

What's available at launch is only the beginning, however. On May 21 — two days after Forza Horizon 6's full release date and launch times on May 19 — Playground Games is introducing the arcade racer's first Festival Playlist, Series 1, dubbed "Welcome to Japan." Series 1 will include 10 new cars that you'll be able to earn, along with four of the 30 exclusive vehicles from the Car Pass ($30, included in Deluxe and Premium Editions) that slowly unlock with each passing week.

The Festival Playlist works by giving you various different events like races, stunts, and challenges to complete, which in turn award you points that unlock new cars for you (as long as they're available at the time), as well as other items like avatar cosmetics and car customization options. To engage with these, you'll need to get your first Wristband from the Horizon Festival, which you'll do after a few hours of gameplay.

Here's a list of all 10 of the new cars Series 1 will bring, including when they'll be available and the number of points you'll need to earn for them (according to a new blog post):

• 2008 Mazda Furai: May 21 – June 18, 80 points
• 2010 Nissan 370Z: May 21 – June 18, 120 points
• 1999 Toyota Altezza RS200 Z EDITION: May 21 – May 28, 20 points
• 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR: May 21 – May 28, 40 points
• 1997 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec: May 28 – June 4, 20 points
• 1991 Honda CR-X SiR: May 28 – June 4, 40 points
• 2019 Subaru STI S209: June 4 – June 11, 20 points
• 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser Arctic Trucks AT37: June 4 – June 11, 40 points
• 1996 Toyota Starlet Glanza V: June 11 – June 18, 20 points
• 1974 Toyota Corolla SR5: June 11 – June 18, 40 points

With the exception of the 2008 Mazda Furai and the 2010 Nissan 370Z, all of the cars in Series 1 only require 20 or 40 points. Therefore, they shouldn't be too difficult to unlock, though the aforementioned pair of vehicles will require considerably more effort.

During the "Welcome to Japan" Festival Playlist, the following four cars will also be unlocked on the following dates for Car Pass owners:

• 1990 Nissan #12 Skyline GT-R (BNR32 Gr. A) JTC: May 19
• 2024 Koenigsegg Gemera: May 28
• 1972 Datsun #269 Attacking the Clock Racing 240Z ‘All Carbon Hill Climb Beast’: June 4
• 2008 Honda Civic Type R (FD2): June 11

All in all, there are plenty of new cars to look forward to in the coming weeks, with the additions expanding Forza Horizon 6's already huge car list and giving players further reasons to roam and adventure around Japan.

Want to jump in now ahead of the game's full launch? The Forza Horizon 6 Premium Edition is discounted from $119.99 to $92.99 at Loaded right now, so take advantage of that deal while it's around. The $99.99 Deluxe Edition is $74.79 at Loaded also, and the $69.99 Standard Edition of the game is $54.39 at Loaded.

Are you planning to jump into Forza Horizon 6 the moment its out, or are you already playing with Early Access? Let me know in the comments, and in our below poll:

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While I knew that the Early Access release of the long-awaited Subnautica 2 was going to be big, I wasn't expecting it to be one of the largest game launches we've seen in quite some time — though perhaps I should have, given that its preorder sales were neck and neck with those of Forza Horizon 6.

Yet, as it turns out, that's precisely what it's been thus far. Despite releasing on Xbox, Xbox on PC, and Steam just a few short hours ago, the alien underwater exploration and survival game sequel has 424,940 concurrent players on the latter platform as I'm writing this. A bit earlier in the day, it peaked at 467,582 — just under half a million folks diving into its majestic otherworldly oceans.

Notably, that makes Subnautica 2 the second most popular new game at launch this year, at least on Steam; it's second only to Slay the Spire 2, which had an even larger peak player count of 574,638 at release. It's surpassed other games that've performed incredibly well at release, such as Resident Evil Requiem.

Accompanying that news is confirmation from developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment and co-publisher Krafton that Subnautica 2 has already sold over 1 million copies, with countless additional sales no doubt racking up throughout the last several hours.

Undoubtedly, the game's performance so far has greatly pleased Unknown Worlds and Krafton, especially since these player count and sales numbers only include folks on Steam and those who purchased a full copy, respectively. Subnautica 2 is also on Xbox and Xbox on PC with full access available through Xbox Game Pass (and Xbox Play Anywhere support) too, meaning that its overall player count is surely far higher.

It's also nice to see after all the tumultuous legal drama that's preceded the game's arrival throughout the last several months, all of which began last year when Krafton controversially delayed Subnautica 2 indefinitely after it was scheduled to release in 2025. It also fired the game's founders and replaced Unknown Worlds' CEO.

Unknown Worlds' leadership filed a lawsuit claiming that Krafton wrongfully removed them from the project and did so to avoid paying a $250 million bonus that hinged on the game performing well in 2025, while Krafton argued the dev's leaders were being negligent and that Subnautica 2 needed the delay. A judge eventually sided with the series' founders, reinstated Unknown Worlds' CEO Ted Gill, and gave him control over the game's release — finally leading to its highly anticipated arrival.

Krafton is legally required to keep that $250 million bonus offer alive for most of 2026 as a result of the case, and if Subnautica 2 continues to perform as well as it has thus far on launch day, I imagine it won't be long before it satisfies the performance goals for the payout. That's great news for Unknown Worlds' development team.

All in all, I'm just glad that Subnautica 2 is out, and I look forward to seeing how it grows as development of the game continues in Early Access. I'm busy playing some other games right now, but I do look forward to jumping into this one at some point, especially since it has co-op. I'm always looking for things to play with friends, so sooner or later, I'm picking it up.

Are you looking forward to diving into Subnautica 2 now that it's out? I'm interested in hearing from you, so leave a comment and vote in our poll.

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One of 2026's biggest games (and possibly its biggest Xbox game), Forza Horizon 6, is now under a week away from its planned release date, with fans of the beloved arcade racer franchise eagerly awaiting the new installment all over the world. It will soon be playable across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Steam, with day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass and full Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Aside from its release date, Xbox and developer Playground Games have kept more specific information like Forza Horizon 6's launch times under wraps — that is, until now. On Wednesday morning, the game's complete release schedule was unveiled, revealing precisely when you'll be able to play Forza Horizon 6 in your time zone.

You'll find all of that info in the graphic and tables below, including the title's release dates and launch times for both Early Access (available to Premium Edition buyers) and the full release across every platform and time zone around the world.

Forza Horizon 6 Early Access launch times

Forza Horizon 6 full launch times

The launch schedule for Forza Horizon 6 is quite simple compared to many other AAA game releases. In the US, the game is slated to go live on Xbox on May 14 (Early Access) or May 18 (launch) at 9:01 p.m. PT / 11:01 p.m. CST. However, in every other region and on Steam, it will release on May 15 (Early Access) or May 19 (launch) at 12:01 a.m. in your local time zone.

If you'd like to play the game early, preordering the Premium Edition for Early Access gets you on the road four days ahead of everyone else. It's pricey at $119.99, though there's an awesome deal for it that knocks the price down to just $92.99 at Loaded. There's also a sweet discount that lowers the cost of the Standard Edition to $54.39 at Loaded (from $69.99).

Notably, whether you have Early Access or not, you can also play earlier by employing the "New Zealand trick" if you're on Xbox. By changing your console's location to New Zealand in its system settings, you can jump in when it's midnight in New Zealand — 12-16 hours earlier than you'd be able to with your location set in the US.

Ultimately, Forza Horizon 6 is now just a few short days away, and based on how it's already a Steam Top Seller, I have no doubts it's going to be a colossal hit with players worldwide.

Are you excited to play Forza Horizon 6 soon? I'd love to hear from you, so let me know in the comments and in our poll below.

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New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has already hinted at a big China expansion for Microsoft's gaming operations, and we might be on deck with the first details.

Sources familiar shared two new Xbox code names with us recently, now verified inside the latest Xbox Insider builds.

The first is "Project Saluki," which seems to be a brand new Xbox Game Pass tier set specifically designed for the Chinese market. Saluki seems to represent not one, but several Xbox Game Pass tiers and rewards, specifically tailored for China's unique regulatory environment and gamer preferences. Details beyond that are scant at this time.

RELATED: Xbox Game Pass teams up with Discord Nitro

Indeed, China is an incredibly important and increasingly lucrative market for big gaming companies. China is, however, incredibly difficult for Western companies to break into. Microsoft already has significant operations in China via Activision-Blizzard, in partnerships with the likes of NetEase and other Chinese staples. The specifically-tailored Xbox Game Pass offering will likely revolve around titles that have been verified by Chinese regulatory rules, and perhaps focus more heavily on in-game currencies and the like.

Traditionally, China was a mobile-skewing market, but recent games like Black Myth Wukong have seen China break into AAA core gaming in a big way. Some analysts project China could surpass the United States as the world's biggest gaming market in 2026, with growth already outpacing traditional western markets. For those of us already in the Xbox ecosystem, this next bit of news might be more interesting to you.

Codename "Positron," from what we can tell, could be some form of disc-to-digital entitlement program.

The details here are incredibly scant right now and investigations are on-going. It might not be exactly as it seems right now from the details we've received, so take this with a huge pinch of salt and a healthy dose of speculation for now.

But, it would make sense. I thoroughly expect the next-gen Xbox "Helix" console-PC hybrid to be without a disc drive. Hints I've received about the nature of the box increasingly point to the idea that it will be a fully digital system, similar to today's gaming PCs, laptops, and most modern devices. Indeed, the industry for discs is on its last legs, with Blu-ray sales resigned mostly to core console gaming. PlayStation itself is now reporting an 85% digital ratio, and Microsoft's is likely even higher still.

I would be incredibly surprised if the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Helix console have disc drives by default, as the rise of Steam and mobile gaming have made the format increasingly outmoded.

PlayStation's solution has been external disc drives up until now. It's also a beneficiary of the Blu-Ray consortium, Microsoft conversely has to license the tech, increasing its costs.

If this program is what it appears to be, it could be a method that existing disc-based gamers can bridge into the Xbox Helix ecosystem without having to give up on their content.

Microsoft planned for a system like this with the Xbox One back in 2012, where users received both a physical and digital license for games on disc. However, lending games and reselling games became a problem in that universe, and there was a healthy backlash against the program. Now that the vast vast majority of gamers opting for digital-first licenses, more ways to use digital licenses would probably be a welcome addition. Disc-based owners can't access their games on the cloud or via Xbox Play Anywhere, for example, so they're often missing out.

Exactly how this will work wholly remains to be seen. I presume Microsoft would need to somehow render the license on the disc defunct remotely after conversion. If they didn't, you would in theory be able to take the disc and share the license out to dozens of people for free entitlements, and I can't imagine publishers would be happy with that. So, clearly there will be some limitations, if indeed it's real.

Perhaps it'll only work with the next-gen Xbox Helix. It could also be a feature that reads the disc from an external USB-based Blu-Ray drive, and while it's in, grants you a digital entitlements temporarily for use on systems without a native dive, like the Xbox Series S and assumedly, Xbox Helix. We'll try and find out more, starting with if it's actually even real.

Steam is arguably the best platform right now for handling digital games DRM, at least this side of GOG's DRM-free model. The fact you can share your Steam library with several family members is exactly what Microsoft was proposing with the Xbox One platform back in 2013, and I for one, would like to see it come back. Perhaps this is the first step towards that kind of universe, but it's also possible we're reading way too much into what "Positron" is right now. So like I said, take it as speculation for now.

What do you think? Would you convert your discs to digital for Project Helix? Let us know.

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The arrival of one of 2026's biggest new games — and what many expect to be the most successful Xbox game of the year — is now just days away. The title in question? Forza Horizon 6, Playground Games long-awaited and highly anticipated arcade racer sequel to 2021's Forza Horizon 5.

Set in the vibrant and varied landscapes of Japan with advanced driving simulation systems, cutting-edge visuals and audio, tons of cars to drive, and special new multiplayer features and gameplay activities, Forza Horizon 6 looks to be the most impressive game in the series yet, both from a technical and content perspective. Naturally, that's garnered plenty of excitement for it — and that's been reflected in its pre-launch sales.

Indeed, according to SteamDB data, Forza Horizon 6 was the best-selling paid game on Steam for the week of May 5 to May 12 (the day I'm writing this). It was ahead of other current top sellers like Subnautica 2 (releasing in Early Access this week) and Diablo 4 with its new Lord of Hatred expansion, well in advance of its own May 19 release date (with May 14 Early Access for Premium Edition buyers).

Notably, it even outperformed the "sales" of many free-to-play games, including Apex Legends, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, and Warframe, among others. The only one to beat it was Counter-Strike 2. Overall, it's done incredibly well Valve's PC gaming platform thus far, and it's not even out yet.

Interestingly, as I've been putting this article together, I noticed that Subnautica 2 has just now climbed back over Forza for the top spot on the Steam Top Sellers list. That's not terribly surprising given the fact it's coming out on May 14, and also because the wait for it has been agonizingly long and beset by legal issues; originally, it was supposed to come out last year. Still, it's noteworthy.

Something else that's notable is that both titles will be playable on day one through Xbox Game Pass, and either PC Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate specifically. If both games interest you, I'd say it's not a bad idea to get a membership for a month or two to experience them affordably, though do keep in mind you'll lose access unless you pay for additional months.

Ultimately, it seems clear that Forza Horizon 6 is going to have a very strong launch, even despite the recent leak fiasco that saw the game's final build leak online and get cracked by pirates almost immediately. Microsoft and Xbox are threatening to hardware ban anyone found with an illegal copy of the racer, taking a fierce stand against piracy ahead of the game's launch next week.

It's got an MSRP of $69.99, but it's just $54.39 at Loaded. The $119.99 Premium Edition with Early Access included is also $92.99 at Loaded. Note that if you decide to preorder Forza Horizon 6 or have already, preloading is live now across Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and Xbox on PC; for the unaware, that feature allows you to download and install the game before it releases so you can start playing right away.

Are you looking forward to playing Forza Horizon 6? Share your thoughts below.

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Xbox Game Pass officially joins Discord Nitro as part of Xbox’s new tier, dubbed Starter Edition, which had previously leaked not too long ago. With this new tier, Discord Nitro subscribers will gain access to Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition, which includes access to more than 50 PC and console games, including titles like DayZ, Fallout 4, Grounded, Stardew Valley, and more.

In addition to this, Nitro members also get 10 hours of Xbox cloud gaming each month.

It’s great to see Xbox and Discord partnering up in this way, and alongside the partnership, Discord also revealed that members can get up to 30% off at Logitech G and 15% off at SteelSeries. Honestly, those are pretty decent discounts.

Back to what this means for us Xbox folks, Xbox also revealed that users can expect Discord Nitro benefits for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, something currently labeled as “coming soon.” There’s no concrete release date just yet, but it’s expected to arrive sometime this month, and Game Pass members can expect the following benefits:

• 250 Discord Orbs each month
• 1.2x extra Orbs when completing Discord Quests
• Automatically applied Discord Shop discounts

I must admit, though, this does feel a little underwhelming. Personally, I’d much rather see Xbox Game Pass subscribers get full Discord Nitro, including server boosts.

Alongside this, Discord has also rolled out new updates designed to make discovering and jumping into Game Pass titles much easier. Honestly, all of this just makes me think about what could have been if Microsoft’s now-closed streaming service, Mixer, were still around, and how well it could have worked alongside Game Pass as a discovery engine for new games.

Still, I digress, and I’d probably be here far longer than anyone would be comfortable with if I kept going on about Microsoft’s missed opportunities over the years.

With that said, let me know your thoughts on this partnership and whether you think it’s enough, or if you’d like to see even more from Xbox and Discord.

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

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Xbox Game Pass is always a hot topic. You either love it, hate it, or maybe you’re even jealous of it(?) I quite like it, although perhaps I’ve been brainwashed by services like Spotify and Netflix into not owning my content anymore. I joke. Kind of.

Anyway, Game Pass is good, and I still buy games if I enjoy them enough. As someone who is technically Gen Z (by a fraction of a hair), I suppose I have at least a little authority to talk about this newly conducted study claiming “62% of whom no longer purchase full price games,” and frankly, I’m not surprised.

For those unaware (as was I), Gen Z was born between 1997 and 2012. But, before I dive into why I’m not surprised by the stats, let me first break down the study published by IGN and Dentsu: “Generations in Play: 2026 Audience Insights Report.”

While the report surveyed multiple generations, it did focus on younger audiences and how Gen Z in particular engages with entertainment, subscriptions, and gaming habits. One of the biggest findings claims that 62% of respondents no longer purchase full-price games, with audiences increasingly shifting away from ownership and instead rotating through whatever they’re currently playing.

Alongside this, the report describes subscription services as more of a “discovery engine,” with younger audiences, particularly Gen Z, appearing far more comfortable with the idea of subscription-based entertainment compared to older generations such as Gen X.

The report repeatedly frames Gen Z as a generation built around algorithms, feeds, instant discovery, and rotating through content rather than permanently owning it, something I'm guilty of myself.

And when I think more about it, it’s no wonder Gen Z is gravitating more toward subscription services. Everything is getting more expensive, and sometimes it genuinely feels like a deliberate attempt to bleed our wallets dry and keep us living paycheck to paycheck.

Still, services like Game Pass fit neatly into what younger audiences already know from platforms like Spotify and Netflix, both of which are built around streaming content rather than actually owning it. Whether people like it or not, that’s clearly become a practice that younger generations, and even older ones too, are getting increasingly comfortable with.

Back to gaming, though, and I'm constantly hearing fears that games will jump to $80 with Grand Theft Auto 6 potentially setting a dangerous standard. Even now, $70 already feels excessive for certain titles, especially when there’s no guarantee you’ll actually enjoy what you bought.

Fortunately, indie games are often the exception here. They’re usually cheaper, easier to take a chance on, and regularly explode in popularity thanks to content creators, livestreams, and short-form content across platforms like TikTok and YouTube.

Now, with all of this said, it does beg the question: Is Xbox Game Pass actually the answer? We know the service exists in this strange space alongside other subscription platforms, yet it has struggled to fully catch on and meet the expectations Microsoft originally had for it.

People often say it’s too late for Xbox, but honestly, I don’t think it is. Xbox has an uphill battle for sure, but recent leadership changes, and Asha Sharma taking over as CEO, have certainly shifted perception around the brand online; however, her uphill battle with Microsoft will be the real test.

The report itself even states that “Subscriptions are no longer expressions of loyalty,” highlighting how audiences frequently subscribe and unsubscribe from services like Netflix purely for a single show. Realistically, it’s not much of a stretch to imagine people eventually treating Game Pass the exact same way, as I imagine some already do.

If Xbox can consistently provide enough value, whether through major first-party launches, indie discovery, or benefits of some kind, then maybe Microsoft was early to an industry shift that the rest is only now beginning to fully understand.

I may or may not sound like I’m waffling a little here, but it’s all to drive one point home: Xbox has spent years building Game Pass around a shift in consumer behavior that is only now becoming increasingly more obvious.

So, is Game Pass the answer? Honestly, I think it is for many people. Is it the answer for everyone? No, of course not. Nothing ever is.

But if audiences are becoming more comfortable with subscriptions, rotating through content instead of owning it, and avoiding increasingly expensive upfront purchases, then maybe Microsoft wasn’t completely wrong after all. Maybe Xbox really was just early.

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Microsoft and Xbox have several high-profile first-party releases coming in 2026, ranging from Halo: Campaign Evolved and Gears of War: E-Day to the long-awaited Fable reboot. A title that has the potential to be the most successful out of all of them, though, is Forza Horizon 6 — the next big open-world racer from Playground Games that's now just days away.

Set in the diverse and beautiful lands of Japan with more refined driving mechanics, customization options, gameplay activities, and multiplayer features than any entry before it, I've gotta say: the game looks to be a terrific sequel to Forza Horizon 5, and a must-play for racing game fans. It's slated to release on May 19 — a week and a half from the time of writing — across Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam, Xbox on PC), and Xbox Game Pass, complete with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Exactly one week ahead of the game's scheduled Early Access release date of May 15 exclusive to those who purchase the Premium Edition, Xbox and Playground Games have shared Forza Horizon 6's official launch trailer that you can watch here or below. Though short, it gives fans closer looks at several of the cars they'll be able to drive in action, as well as at the title's in-game environments and unique Japanese flair.

Notably, it also contains a clear nod to the late rally racer Ken Block who sadly passed away in 2023, famous for his gymkhana stunt racing videos. At 0:48, a driver carefully drifts close to the edge of a seaside road, just as Block did in his Gymkhana Nine video posted in 2016. Block collaborated with Forza several times since Forza Horizon 3, making the tribute all the more touching.

It's not the only reference in the trailer, however. Another comes right after at 0:58, when a Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 and a Mazda RX-7 FD3S are neck and neck; these are the primary cars driven by the characters Takumi Fujiwara and Keisuke Takahashi in one of the first big races in the popular racing manga Initial D.

All in all, the trailer is just a good time from start to finish, with the short-and-sweet video showing off the vibrant natural landscapes and neon-soaked cities of Forza Horizon 6's rendition of Japan, along with plenty of different cars, stunts, and tense racing moments. I'm a huge fan of the vibe.

Given how popular Forza Horizon 5 was, I have no doubt that its successor will become a massive hit as well, and will likely end up being one of 2026's biggest and most popular games. It also wouldn't surprise me if it sold extremely well on PS5 when it comes to that system later this year (as confirmed by Forza itself), as Forza Horizon 5 sold incredibly well on Sony's console.

Ahead of its release date, you can preorder Forza Horizon 6 for $69.99, though you can get the Xbox and Xbox on PC version for just $54.39 at Loaded. The $119.99 Premium Edition that includes the Car Pass, Car Packs, future DLC, and four days of Early Access is also selling for only $92.99 at Loaded. Of course, the game is also coming to Xbox Game Pass.

Do you plan on jumping into Forza Horizon 6 when it launches in the coming days? What did you think of the launch trailer? Let me know in the comments, and vote in our poll.

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It's a strange time to be an Xbox fan.

After two or more years of self-defeating decisions, Xbox is at a cross roads. Phil Spencer's tenure has ended, with new CEO Asha Sharma taking the reins.

Sharma is someone who has never known defeat throughout her career. She grew Instacart and Facebook Messenger into massive platforms, and helped polish Microsoft's CoreAI tools into viable products. Now, she takes on her biggest challenge yet: growing Xbox at a time where there's more threats to the brand than ever before.

Whether it's Steam or PlayStation, tariffs and component shortages, social media algorithms taking away from gaming as a hobby, or the simple fact traditional gaming has become "uncool" for younger audiences — Asha Sharma's opportunities to deliver Microsoft's the "infinite" growth it seeks seem thin.

As an analyst, there's a lot to be concerned about with regards to Xbox's future. But as a customer ... I don't necessarily need to care about all of that. What about the state of Xbox as of right now?

Honestly, the state of Xbox in 2026 is actually pretty damn great.

On paper, Xbox's gaming ecosystem is more vibrant and interesting than ever.

There's a lot of fun things on the horizon right now. Things like the fact Xbox has a new logo, she's brought back regular Xbox Series X|S console updates, and announced a project name for its upcoming Xbox "Helix" next-gen console. Microsoft has also been teasing a fresh batch of backward compatible Xbox games too. It's all exciting stuff, but today I just want to talk about being a regular old Xbox gamer, and not necessarily someone who is plugged into predicting Xbox's future.

Xbox has more IP than ever, marrying Blizzard titles, Call of Duty, DOOM, Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and many more within its ecosystem. And while the roll out has certainly been bumpy in many ways, gradually Xbox ecosystem users are starting to see some real fruits of that labor.

Fallout 4 picked up Xbox Play Anywhere support late last year, and Elder Scrolls Online picked it up this week too. It makes both games ideal for the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X handhelds, which launched last year. The Xbox Ally has totally transformed how I play and engage with Xbox content, and undoubtedly extended my playtime across tons of games. I can't tell you how much I love the Xbox Ally X, and while it is pricy, if you end up using it as much as I have I definitely think it's more than worth it.

Many of this year's upcoming Xbox games also sport Xbox Play Anywhere. The uptake from third-parties has been incredibly encouraging. The recently announced Stranger Than Heaven, 007: First Light is slated for Xbox Play Anywhere too, as well as the next Metro game. I was disappointed Microsoft couldn't land Resident Evil 9 and Pragmata, despite Capcom's sporadic support of Xbox Play Anywhere, but we are getting it with Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth from Square Enix, among others.

The fact Microsoft has been retroactively updating some games like Fallout 4 and Elder Scrolls Online has been great too, and for those that aren't available, Xbox Cloud Gaming has been surprisingly capable too. I don't have great internet where I am, but any single player game feels great to play on Xbox Cloud Gaming now, and all Microsoft first-party titles are supported. Now that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate got a price revision, the 1440p streaming quality is also more accessible than it was previously.

Then there's the games. I often see this common negative sentiment about Xbox's ability to deliver games, but it's ridiculous in 2026 in my view. This year, Microsoft will release Fable, Gears: E-Day, Halo Campaign Evolved, and Forza Horizon 6 — all of which are likely to be pretty great.

Beyond that, we've had Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred, which has been truly amazing. I don't care if this is an unpopular opinion too: Overwatch is better than ever. I've sank hundreds of hours into World of Warcraft: Midnight already, despite some rough edges. Fallout 76, Elder Scrolls Online, and other Microsoft games are getting big updates this year. We have Blizzcon to look forward to in September, as well as the Xbox Showcase in June. Even smaller games like Kiln and Keeper have been fun to play with.

Most of these games are available day one in Xbox Game Pass, too, which thanks to the price drop you can once again say represents the "best deal in gaming," Call of Duty or not.

Indeed, this is all first party too. I mentioned third-party bangers like Resident Evil 9, Crimson Desert, and Pragmata, but there's so much to play on Xbox right now. Despite claims that "Xbox is dead" big publishers are still showing up on the platform with the same regularity as they always did. ID@Xbox has had some amazing games show up too, including Replaced, Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacriledge, Super Meat Boy 3D, Reanimal, Dread Delusion, Absolum, Vampire Crawlers, and tons more. I frankly can't keep up.

The Xbox OS is more polished than ever, we have more games to play than ever, in more ways to access your content than ever.

It's Schrödinger's Xbox: If Xbox can fix doubts about its long term viability, there would be little to complain about right now.

When you look around mainstream gaming forums, YouTube channels, and comments sections, negative sentiment around Xbox as a brand seems as strong as it ever was. People actively hate Xbox, but perhaps it's more accurate to say they actively hate Microsoft.

Microsoft is a big proponent of artificial intelligence, which has the potential to literally destroy humanity — if it's indeed going to end up as "smart" as the techbros claim. If it isn't going to be as smart and capable as claimed, then Microsoft could end up being partially responsible for creating the biggest financial bubble in history, and will own the following economic crisis.

Negative sentiment towards Microsoft is at least partially earned. Whether it's the privacy-shy features in Windows 11, the on-going degredation of quality across its entire product line while also posting record profits, or price gouging customers with last year's Xbox Game Pass price hike and attempted $80 game price rout ... I'd say Microsoft has a lot to prove here.

But at the same time, social media has produced an era of digitized, binary thinking. Everything is either good or bad, virtuous or evil, alive or dead. The truth is more likely somewhere in the middle, whether it's AI, gaming, or otherwise. We'd all do well to remind ourselves of that sometimes, myself included.

Xbox has made some terrible decisions over the past few years, owing at least in part to Microsoft's greed. But it has been dealing with some historic challenges, along with the rest of the gaming industry on top.

RELATED: To save Xbox, Asha will have to defeat Microsoft itself

When you zoom out, there's a ton at Xbox that needs to be addressed. But when you zoom in ... The day to day experience on Xbox still represents a world-class consumer ecosystem. Too many of us are eager to take Xbox for granted, myself included.

Long may Xbox live.

Have your say. How do you rate your day to day Xbox experience? Drop your rating here, then hit the comments!

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The conflict between leadership at Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds and the game's publisher Krafton has proven to be one of the most interesting developments in gaming in the last year, and recent events have made many believe the two companies are severing ties. As it turns out, though, that's not the case.

For the unaware, I'll give an overview of what's going on: in 2025, Krafton delayed Subnautica 2's Early Access release into 2026 while also ousting its founders and Unknown Worlds' CEO Ted Gill. This sparked major controversy, as the founders said the game was ready for release on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass, and fans believed the publisher was trying to dodge having to pay a $250 million bonus dependent on the underwater survival game launching last year.

A lawsuit was then filed, with Krafton defending itself in court by claiming the Subnautica founders were negligent in their development of the sequel and that a delay was necessary. In the end, a judge sided with Unknown Worlds, ordering the publisher to reinstate Ted Gill, give him full control over the game's release date, and keep the offer of the $250 million bonus open through 2026.

A short while after that decision came, Krafton's name was removed from the Xbox and Steam listings of Subnautica 2. That brings us to where we are today, with many assuming it's no longer publishing the game and that partnership between the two may be ending. According to Unknown Worlds' lead designer Anthony Gallegos and creative media producer Scott MacDonald, however, the dev and publisher are still cooperating.

"I'm not sure I have that good an insight into the Steam page, but what I can say is we're co-publishing the game [with Krafton], so they're not not the publisher anymore," Gallegos told Eurogamer in a recent interview.

"As you can tell with Krafton people in this call, we're working with them for all promotional material, it's a co-publishing thing. It's just one of those things on Steam I think that just happened," added MacDonald. "It may have blown up a little bigger than it was meant to, but you know, Krafton are still very much helping us with the launch of the game."

Reportedly, a representative from Krafton was present during the interview, and agreed with what Gallegos and MacDonald stated.

This does clear things up somewhat, though something I couldn't help but notice is that these comments don't actually explain why Krafton's name was taken off of Subnautica 2 listings in the first place. It doesn't make any sense that it "just happened," especially while Unknown Worlds and Krafton were in the midst of closing out a lawsuit when it did.

If I had to guess, I'd say Unknown Worlds leadership didn't want to display Krafton's name on the game after everything that happened, though that's ultimately just speculation. I'm hoping concrete answers come at some point, but it's entirely possible they never will.

The good news for fans, though, is that Subnautica 2 is finally launching into Early Access across Xbox, PC, and Game Pass on May 14 — just over a week from now. It will be $29.99, though the full version that comes out at a later date may be pricier.

Do you believe Unknown Worlds' leadership or Krafton was in the right regarding Subnautica 2? Are you excited to finally play the game? Share your thoughts below.

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May 2026 is looking to be a big month for Xbox Game Pass, as some of the Xbox titles dropping in the first half of the month alone are big names that players have been looking forward to for ages.

These headlines include the likes of Forza Horizon 6, the latest and biggest entry yet in Microsoft's flagship racing franchise. Subnautica 2, the long-awaited sequel to 2018's critically-acclaimed underwater survival adventure game, Subnautica, and Doom: The Dark Ages, the latest entry in the bloody, first-person shooter series, DOOM.

Here's all the games coming to and leaving Xbox Game Pass for the first half of May 2026.

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass (May 15)

• Galacticare (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Go Mecha Ball (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Planet of Lana (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Windows Central's take

I believe it goes without saying that Forza Horizon 6 is the most anticipated game from this line-up. I know my colleague and long-time Forza fan, Richard Devine, is beyond ecstatic for this game after playing an exclusive preview build of Forza Horizon 6 that left him astonished.

Its race tracks set in Japan are gigantic, with plenty of crazy twists and turns. It's packed with over 550 playable cars, various other gameplay features like drag racing, smashable Regional Mascots that yield credits, smashable Bonus Boards that yield XP, and more.

If you're into racing games that strive for realism, you'll want to keep Forza Horizon 6 on your radar, as this could be the pinnacle of the franchise.

After a long, controversial legal battle between its developer and publisher, Subnautica 2 is looking to make its Xbox Game Pass debut on May 14, 2026, unimpeded.

This game aims to take everything that players loved about the original Subnautica and expand upon it with a new alien world to explore either solo or in 4-player co-op. There will also be new tools and base types to craft, new mysteries to solve, and horrifying sea monsters lurking at the bottom of the ocean waiting to prey upon helpless, unprepared explorers.

However, my personal favorite title from this batch that I can't wait to play again on Xbox Game Pass, is DOOM: The Dark Ages.

While I wasn't totally sold on the slower, parry-focused direction this game took compared to the lightning-fast, gloriously chaotic bulletstorm that was DOOM: Eternal, that didn't stop me from having a blast with DOOM: The Dark Ages.

The gameplay was brutal and challenging as ever, the weapons were gloriously over-the-top and fun to use, and the sweet catharsis you get after ripping and tearing demons in half was so satisfying.

If you want to know more about this game to see if its violent gameplay is for you before playing it on Xbox Game Pass, check out our review of DOOM: The Dark Ages, where we cover all its gameplay mechanics, story, and more.

🗨️ Over to you

What do you think of May's first batch of Xbox Game Pass titles? What games are you most excited to play from this lineup?

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

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Developer Halo Studios has fully moved on from Halo Infinite and is now focused on Halo: Campaign Evolved — a full Unreal Engine 5-based remake of the original 2001 game Halo: Combat Evolved. The reimagining of the beloved classic is set to be one of the biggest Xbox releases this year, and according to a recent leak, it's very possible it's got a release date of July 28 across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Xbox Game Pass, and PS5.

A previous report suggested that one of the studio's next big projects after Campaign Evolved might be Project Eker, some sort of potentially standalone Halo multiplayer experience that could be an extraction shooter. Now, another has come to light that claims that on the campaign side of things, we're getting two additional remakes.

That news comes from Rebs Gaming, a well-known Halo insider widely considered to be reputable. In a new report from Mr. Rebs, he says that two sources have confirmed to him that Xbox and Halo Studios are working on remakes for Halo 2 and Halo 3, corroborating an earlier claim from a developer he spoke to that said they were being developed.

Notably, Mr. Rebs says that one source sent him definitive proof that these remakes for the rest of the original Halo trilogy are coming, and that "Active development is underway" — though ultimately, they're still in "early development."

Stop reading here if you'd like to avoid potential spoilers for Campaign Evolved's new missions! If you don't mind, keep scrolling down.

He also noted that his other source is the same one that previously leaked some interesting details about Halo: Campaign Evolved's new prequel missions that precede the events of the main single player story. Notably, they said that one of them is centered around the tense rivalry between the UNSC's Spartan supersoldiers and its elite — but unaugmented — Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs).

It was also stated that another might give a nod of some sort to Halo: Combat Evolved's prequel, Halo: Reach, we'll see Brutes in the levels (these enemies weren't introduced until Halo 2, originally), and that there will be a new Covenant faction that's even more religious than the main empire.

Apparently, things from Halo 2 and 3 like Brutes will be present in Campaign Evolved because of the upcoming work-in-progress remakes for those games. This suggests the future titles will be built with Unreal Engine 5 as well, lining up with Halo Studios' stated plan to use Unreal moving forward when it rebranded from 343 Industries in 2024.

While Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 got "Anniversary" remasters in 2011 and 2014 respectively, Halo 3 didn't end up getting one in 2017, which is something that greatly frustrated fans of what was arguably the Halo game with the franchise's biggest cultural impact.

Thus, it's great news for many that a full-fledged Halo 3 remake is reportedly on the horizon, though only time will tell if the 2007 shooter is remade faithfully. Campaign Evolved has caught some flak for reusing Halo Infinite assets and for some controversial changes like the inclusion of sprinting and major artistic redesigns, after all.

I'm glad to see some positive Halo news after all the negative things we've heard about lately. Assuming Mr. Rebs' report is accurate, are you excited to play remakes of Halo 2 and 3? Let me know in the comments, and in our poll.

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One of the biggest pieces of Xbox news we've gotten since Phil Spencer's retirement and Asha Sharma stepping up as the brand's new CEO in February was her decision to slash the price of Xbox Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in particular. Last week, she reduced the monthly cost of an Ultimate subscription from $29.99 to $22.99, which is a major price cut.

The price drop was nearly a full reversion of the price hike we got in October last year that saw Game Pass Ultimate's cost rise from $19.99 to $29.99, and has been received very positively by fans — even though it came with the drawback of losing day-one Xbox Game Pass access to new Call of Duty games.

Alongside an Achievements overhaul, other new features, the end of "Microsoft Gaming," and a huge manifesto about Xbox's future, it's been seen as a sign that Sharma will listen to and act on community feedback well moving forward.

Notably, industry analysts have reacted to the Game Pass price change as well, with Circana's senior director and video game advisor Mat Piscatella and Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis both speaking with GamesIndustry.biz to share their thoughts. Both agree that Call of Duty did little to bolster Xbox Game Pass subscriber numbers as Microsoft wanted it to.

"It was clear from very early on in the Call of Duty on Game Pass experiment that it did not lead to a significant increase in Xbox console sales or even subscriptions. So, this change is not surprising at all," Piscatella commented. "A little overdue, perhaps. But not surprising."

Harding-Rolls added that "the commercial reasoning for pursuing a subscription-first strategy for new releases the size of CoD has not been realized," and while "Its inclusion in Game Pass was hoped to turbo-charge the service ... these short-term intense boosts of subscribers taking advantage of cheaper access to one of the most popular premium games available have not been able to be sustained for the long term."

Interestingly, the two have differing opinions about how Game Pass availability has affected Call of Duty sales, with Harding-Rolls commenting that "Microsoft was leaving a substantial amount of revenue on the table through a loss in premium sales." Previously, it's been reported that Microsoft lost $300 million in Call of Duty sales due to Game Pass.

Piscatella, however, argues that "The data has never suggested to me that Call of Duty's shift into Game Pass had as big an impact on sales of the game," and that he's "certainly not convinced at all that the inclusion of Call of Duty on Game Pass on day one had any significant impact on sales of the game on, say, PlayStation platforms."

"If future versions of Call of Duty deliver the experience its players want, then sales will thrive regardless of its inclusion or exclusion from Game Pass," he added.

The two coalesce once more with their views on the price drop's expected effect on Game Pass subscriber counts, with both analysts predicting that the lower cost will drive growth to Microsoft's service in 2026. "I think the price reduction should help subscriber numbers grow," Piscatella said. "Although, I am doubtful it will lead to higher Game Pass spending short-term given the discount. But we'll see."

Harding-Rolls believes we "will see Game Pass ARPU [Average Revenue Per User] rise once again in 2026, with a reduced chance of subscriber churn compared to the significant price hikes implemented in October 2025." He also notes that while Call of Duty's move away from day-one access doesn't mean day-one access for Game Pass titles in general is at risk, it does indicate Microsoft may be willing to take a similar "windowing" approach with other large IPs.

Do you agree with the analyses of Piscatella and Harding-Rolls? How do you feel about the Xbox Game Pass price cut and what it means for the wider Xbox business overall? Share your thoughts below.

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Valve has finally officially revealed its new Steam Controller, putting an end to the past week of leaks. But while the announcement confirms much of what we already knew, not everyone is sold, especially when it comes to the $99 price (be sure to vote in the poll below and let me know where you land on it).

In the meantime, for many of my colleagues and me, the controller has a much bigger problem.

Price isn't the issue, but compatibility is.

At first glance, the price doesn't seem unreasonable, given the haptic feedback and mousepad abilities. Additionally, you should get some longevity out of this, with Valve confirming that parts will be available through iFixit (via PC Gamer). However, once you start comparing it to other controllers, the concerns become a little easier to understand, at least if you play PC games outside of Steam's platform.

For PC Game Pass users, you’re out of luck. Valve’s Steam Controller reportedly only officially works with devices running Steam. That limitation is already proving to be a dealbreaker for some. As my colleague Richard Devine puts it, “this definitely kills it for me.”

Currently, Valve’s Steam Controller, like its predecessor, lacks standard drivers for Windows, Linux, and Mac, meaning you have to rely on Steam itself to actually use the controller. This isn't something you have to consider when purchasing other third-party (and cheaper) controllers.

With the original Steam Controller at least, the community stepped in and worked around this, creating tools that let it function properly across your entire PC rather than being locked to Steam.

For a controller that costs $99, though, you’d expect that level of flexibility out of the box.

It’s also worth noting that, in testing from PCMag, they do say this is more of a Microsoft-side issue than Valve’s, and users have pointed out that tools like SISR could help resolve it.

Being a big fan of PC Game Pass and someone who was genuinely interested in Valve's second go at a controller, this creates an immediate problem, despite the aforementioned community-created tools that fix it. Do I want to rely on workarounds for a $99 device?

For me, my Xbox Elite Series Controller is quite literally disintegrating more and more after every use, and after nearly a decade of play, I'm not surprised. Due to this, I am actively looking for a replacement, and that replacement could be a $99 Steam Controller, or it very well could not.

Why is Valve releasing the controller without the Steam Machine?

The compatibility issue wouldn't be as big a deal if this were releasing alongside the Steam Machine, you know, the device marketed to work with this controller.

However, due to the massive global shortage of high-end memory and storage modules — gobbled up by the insatiable demand for AI data centers, Valve has been forced to push the Steam Machine and the Steam Frame VR headset back into late 2026.

As Valve's hardware engineer pointed out during an interview, “this doesn’t have RAM in it, and it’s not as complicated to start getting out the door for us.”

Since the controller doesn't rely on those scarce components, Valve is moving ahead with a standalone release, leaving the rest of its hardware ecosystem in production limbo for now. Valve is still aiming for a 2026 release, but no date has been announced yet... and we wait with bated breath on what the price will be, given the RAM pressures.

An alternative, and cheaper controller for PC Game Pass players

If you’ll indulge me for a second, I'd like to turn to another controller on the market, the GameSir G7 Pro 8K.

It offers a useful point of comparison. It doesn’t have trackpads like the Steam Controller, which, unfortunately, is Valve's killer feature, but it does have an 8,000Hz polling rate. This is significantly higher than the Steam Controller’s rated 250Hz and is worth taking into consideration. If you shop at Best Buy, the Gamesir G7 Pro 8K is actually cheaper than the release price of the Steam Controller.

Now, I know higher polling rates don’t always translate directly into smoother gameplay, and they can sometimes be more marketing than meaningful improvement. Still, when you look at early impressions of the Steam Controller, there’s a consistent theme that for FPS games, it’s just okay at best, and for some players, that might not be enough, and I think for who this controller targets, that’s okay.

Over on our r/WindowsCentral subreddit, people had a lot to say about the Steam Controller. One user suggested people just “connect your current PC to your TV with an HDMI cable and use an Xbox controller via Bluetooth for half the price,” which is a fair point given the $99 cost.

That said, not everyone agrees; value is in the eye of the beholder, of course, and what's worth spending $99 on from one gamer to the next will differ wildly. Polling rates and other technical specs aside, everyone wants value for their money. If you play primarily on Steam anyway, this controller will probably be a day-one purchase. I just wish those of us on other launchers could join in!

For me at least, it comes down to compatibility. The Steam Controller is built for PC primarily, and most PC gamers do use Steam. While it does support Bluetooth, that doesn’t help if you want to use it on an Xbox either. Though that part isn't Valve's problem to fix.

As Xbox continues its effort to integrate into PC gaming with Project Helix, I’d love to see more openness around controller support on consoles, but realistically, we could be waiting a long time for these developments. Recently, Asha Sharma, Xbox CEO, has expressed her own concerns around RAM shortages impacting the rollout of the next-generation console. A console we are hoping breaks down the PC/Console boundaries.

The Steam Controller doesn’t have to be everything to everyone; it just needs to be enough for most of us at that $99 price point. On paper, it’s almost there. But after looking into the reviews, I just can’t justify it for my purposes. Especially knowing the potential headache with my Game Pass library. It’s a pass from me (pun intended) for now, and I suspect a lot of other Game Pass players will feel the same.

What about you? Am I being too harsh here, or is the lack of native Windows support a total non-starter? Hit the comments and don’t forget to weigh in on the poll!

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

Every once in a while, Microsoft is kind enough to reward Xbox Game Pass subscribers with a collection of Xbox games available to play for free for a limited time through the subscription service's Xbox Free Play Days program.

On April 23, 2026, Microsoft announced the latest batch of games for this program for Ultimate, Premium, and Essential Xbox Game Pass users to enjoy for a limited time from April 23 to April 26, 2026, and they are:

MLB The Show 26

MLB The Show 26 is the latest entry in MLB's long-running baseball simulator series.

This installment expands the series' tried and true gameplay with new mechanics like the Automated Ball-Strike System, its largest single-player career mode yet, a Diamond Dynasty mode with a revised card progression system with interface changes, and much more.

Age of Mythology: Retold

Age of Mythology: Retold is a remake of the classic real-time strategy game, Age of Mythology.

Take command of armies consisting of ancient heroes, monsters, and gods and wage war against mighty enemy factions in epic single-player campaigns, competitive multiplayer modes, and the new Arena of the Gods skirmish modes.

Anno 117: Pax Romana

Anno 117: Pax Romana is a city-builder where you play as a governor tasked with expanding the Roman Empire by any means you deem necessary.

Will you be a peaceful government official who prioritizes trading with allies, or will you be a warmonger who seeks to crush any potential threat to the empire with mighty armies and naval fleets?

The Survivalists

The Survivalists is a sandbox survival game where you are stranded on an island filled with aggressive animals, ancient temples, and mysterious mystical enemies.

To survive, you will need to work together with other players or tame the local monkeys to help you forage for food, build safe havens, and craft gear that will help you fend off enemies.

🗨️ Over to you

Are you looking forward to playing any of these games for free this upcoming weekend? Is it even a good selection, or are there any other games you would like to see available for Xbox Free Play Days?

Let us know through the poll below, the comments section, or our Reddit page.

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While Microsoft typically shows off many of the bigger games or first-party titles that are coming to the Xbox ecosystem during its gaming presentations, it makes sure to spotlight smaller indie projects being developed by independent creators and studios as well.

Through ID@Xbox — a program designed to support and assist indie developers as they build games coming to Xbox consoles and PC systems — Microsoft has partnered with our friends at IGN to showcase new indie game projects and updates in the past, and now it's done so again with the ID@Xbox and IGN April 2026 Showcase.

First announced at the start of this week, the presentation has now come and gone, and gave Xbox and PC users their first looks at newly announced indie games, and deeper looks at ones we've known are on the way (many of which are coming to Xbox Game Pass and will support Xbox Play Anywhere). Weren't able to catch the show live? No worries — we've got you covered with a complete and comprehensive recap of everything shown below.

Everything announced at the ID@Xbox Showcase

Beastro

Dungeon Meshi fans will love this one! Beastro is a roguelike RPG set in a colorful fantasy universe, though the twist is that you're not the brave adventuring hero — you're the dutiful chef giving those legendary warriors the meals they need to save the world. It's coming to Xbox Series X|S on May 21, and will also be available on PC. Notably, you'll be able to play it through Xbox Game Pass.

Deep Dish Dungeon

Okay, Dungeon Meshi fans will also love this game, too. Deep Dish Dungeon, a survival exploration game in which you carefully journey, craft, and cook your way through a dark and "puzzly" dungeon in solo or co-op play, got a sweet new trailer during the presentation. It's coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Cloud, and PC in Fall 2026, and will be on Xbox Game Pass. It also supports Xbox Play Anywhere.

Albion Online

The news that the PvP-centric MMO Albion Online was coming to Xbox consoles came last month, and a few days after its release this week, developer Sandbox Interactive is getting the word out with a comedic new live action trailer. The game is free, with perks for Xbox Game Pass members and Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Lofsong

One of the more striking game reveals from the showcase was Lofsong, an adventure game that challenges you to "traverse a haunting brutalist world guided by sound, resonance, and a mysterious origami companion" across time itself. Notably, audio-based mechanics will be core to the gameplay experience. Lofsong doesn't have a release date yet, but we know it's coming to both Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School

This puzzle adventure game is all about getting out of dangerous escape rooms and solving an enigmatic mystery in the midst of a day at school, which makes it quite a unique setting for this type of experience. It's coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and PC in 2026, with Xbox Game Pass availability and Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Kalanoro

This upcoming action-adventure title sees you form a band of lemurs in order to save the colorful island you call home from an evil witch, with music seemingly playing a core role in the gameplay. Kalanoro is headed to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC this summer, complete with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Vapor World: Over the Mind

Vapor World, a new story-driven Soulslike sidescrolling platformer, got a new trailer during the showcase that featured gameplay prominently. It's headed to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass (with Xbox Play Anywhere support), with a release on PC, Nintendo Switch, and PS5 planned as well. Notably, a demo will be made available in June.

inKONBINI

If the sound of something more lowkey and relaxing sounds good to you, check out inKONBINI. This slice-of-life management sim puts you in the shoes of a small convenience store owner, and is directly inspired by the vibes of early 1990s Japan. It's releasing on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch on April 30, 2026. It will also be on Xbox Game Pass, and supports Xbox Play Anywhere.

The vibrant sci-fi deckbuilder RPG Echo Generation 2 got a new trailer during the ID@Xbox show that showed off gameplay and also revealed that the game is coming out on May 27 next month. It's headed to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and PC, with full Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere availability.

Starseeker

The beloved sci-fi sandbox game Astroneer is getting a spinoff with Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions, an adventure-focused take on the universe that centers around co-op expeditions with friends. There's no release date right now, but we know it's coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5, and Switch 2, and will be on Xbox Game Pass. It will also support Xbox Play Anywhere for Xbox on PC play.

Tears of Metal

Tears of Metal, a co-op roguelike hack-and-slash action title with a gorgeous art style, is headed to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC (with Xbox Play Anywhere), Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass. Little else is known about it beyond the fact you'll be in command of a "formidable Scottish battalion," but it's one to watch if you're like me and love medieval games.

Crashout Crew

This cartoonish co-op title looks a lot like Overcooked, but if it was about forklifts instead of cooking. With up to three other players, it's up to you to "fulfill orders of increasingly chaotic, physics-based boxes." The game is coming out on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Steam on May 28, and will be on Xbox Game Pass too. It also supports Xbox Play Anywhere.

RV There Yet?

One of last year's most popular new indie games on PC is coming to Xbox. RV There Yet? is a comedic co-op adventure in which you and your friends have to try and drive your RV back home despite the world seemingly doing everything it can to throw a wrench into that plan. It didn't get a specific release date, but the devs say it's coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass in May, complete with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive

The popular action game Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive — a title based on the anime of the same name — is getting a Jeju Island Story Update soon, and got a trailer for it at the show. Notably, the game is coming to Xbox Series X|S consoles in Q3 2026, and is out now on both Xbox on PC and Steam.

There Are No Ghosts at the Grand

There Are No Ghosts at the Grand, an exciting new musical-themed hotel decor and ghost hunting title (yes, the game actually combines those two things), got a nice new trailer during the ID@Xbox showcase that gave fans a look at more of its gameplay and overall structure. It's coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and other PC platforms, as well as Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere.

Golf With Your Friends 2

The popular party golfing game Golf With Your Friends 2 is getting a sequel, and it's coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch later this fall. It got a very short trailer at the ID@Xbox presentation.

Mistfall Hunter

The upcoming fantasy "extraction RPG" Mistfall Hunter was revealed in full during the showcase. The game is coming out in July this year on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and other PC platforms, along with Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere. In it, you can team up with three other players, venture into the "Gyldenmist," and battle both PvE monsters and other teams in PvP before fighting your way to extraction.

Totopia

Need a party game to play? Totopia is a free-to-play one coming to Xbox, and the fact it will support Xbox Play Anywhere means it's coming to Xbox on PC too. It looks to be very Fall Guys-esque with plenty of different minigames to play.

SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed

The competitive racing platformer SpeedRunners is getting a "high-octane sequel" that will support up to eight competing Racers trying to zip their way through hazard-filled levels the fastest, with all the action taking place on a single screen (anyone who falls behind will be at the mercy of a flaming wall). It's coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch in July, and will also be on Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere.

Vampire Crawlers

Vampire Crawlers, the deckbuilding spinoff of the beloved 2022 action roguelike Vampire Survivors, came out this week, and it got a trailer at the ID@Xbox show. It's the first of many new creative projects for developer Poncle, and is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Game Pass, PC (Steam), PS5, and Nintendo Switch. It also has Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Screenbound

Finally, we got a new look at Screenbound, a unique action-adventure title in which you control a character in the 3D "real world" at the same time you're also playing as one in a 2D game on your handheld gaming system. Screenbound is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Steam, along with Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere.

FAQ

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Two months after the new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma stepped up as Phil Spencer retired, she's taken some time to reflect on the current state of Microsoft's gaming brand alongside Xbox EVP and chief content officer Matt Booty while also detailing plans for the future. The memo they penned was first sent to Xbox staff globally, and has now been published publicly on Xbox Wire.

One huge piece of news from the letter is that Microsoft is dropping "Microsoft Gaming" completely, and is fully embracing the Xbox branding. Sharma and Booty say the old title "describes our structure but it does not describe our ambition," so "we are going back to where we started."

Alongside that change in team name, though, comes a plan to ensure that "Xbox will be where the world plays." Sharma says that "We will build a global platform that connects players and creators everywhere," and that "Console is at the foundation, delivering a premium experience, and cloud [Xbox Cloud Gaming] brings that experience to any device."

"Xbox will be built to be affordable, personal, and open. We will offer flexible pricing so it’s easy to get started and keep playing. The experience will adapt to you, letting you customize how you play, helping you find what you’ll love, and connecting you with the right people," she continued. "And we will be open to all creators, from individuals to the largest studios, giving anyone the tools to reach a global audience and keep their games growing over time."

Xbox's new guiding "north star" will be daily active players and the goal of growing that number, and it plans to do so through focusing on four priorities: hardware, content, experience, and services.

For hardware, Microsoft wants the upcoming console-PC hybrid system Project Helix, the next big Xbox device, to deliver leading performance. It also aims to lead in the accessories market, and "Build a strong ecosystem that expands choice and reach."

In terms of content, the goal is to "Grow and extend an enduring portfolio of franchises players love," expand into China and other emerging markets, grow strong live-service games, and "Elevate creator-centric platforms like Minecraft, The Elder Scrolls, and Sea of Thieves."

Microsoft also plans to elevate the Xbox experience with new enhancements and a renewed focus on customization and social features, and for its services, it wants to "Fortify Game Pass with clear differentiation and sustainable economics," promote "durable growth," and "Make cloud play feel native, fast, and reliable across TVs and low-cost devices."

Notably, there's one bullet point in particular that shot my eyebrows up: "Use M&A deliberately to accelerate growth where organic paths are too slow." This reveals Microsoft is once again interested in potential mergers and acquisitions for Xbox, which we haven't seen since it acquired Activision Blizzard for $69 billion in 2023 after a lengthy saga of legal disputes with the FTC.

Ultimately, it's a strong vision for Xbox moving forward, and one I have high hopes Microsoft can achieve with Sharma and Booty's leadership — especially since we've already seen an overhaul to Achievements, other major improvements, and a big Game Pass price cut come soon after she assumed her position. Here's hoping the future is bright.

How do you feel about Asha Sharma and Matt Booty's plan for the future of Xbox? Share your thoughts in the comments, and vote in our poll as well.

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Original article:

More information is emerging about Xbox Game Pass' mysterious new tiers, and now we seem to have a name.

A short while ago, third-party Xbox Cloud Gaming developer @redphx revealed a new Xbox Game Pass tier while reverse engineering the service's codebase. Redphx was also the first point of call for new information about Xbox Game Pass' big restructure from last year.

Xbox Game Pass has been in the news a fair bit recently. Xbox's new CEO Asha Sharma reversed the 50% price hike Xbox Game Pass Ultimate received last year owing to Call of Duty's inclusion — pledging to make it more affordable. It seems Sharma wants to make it even more affordable.

Detailed on X, @redphx revealed more information about the new Xbox Game Pass tier, codenamed Triton/Duet. Microsoft seems to be gearing up to call it the "Starter Edition."

Previous information about Triton/Duet suggests that it will sport a fairly solid offering of Xbox first party titles. So far, this seems to include: DOOM Eternal, DOOM 64, Dishonored 2, Fable Anniversary, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Gears 5, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Wars 2, Hellblade, Ori and the Blind Forest, Psychonauts, State of Decay 2, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Retro Classics. Additionally, it seems Xbox Game Pass "Starter Edition" will include Xbox Cloud Gaming, albeit with monthly time limits.

It very much seems like Xbox Game Pass' new Starter Edition will be cheaper still than even the Xbox Game Pass Essentials tier, which currently runs at $9.99 per month.

I would assume that this tier is firmly aimed at potential cloud gaming customers on TV sets. With this tier, you would presumably be able to access some of the free cloud games on the service, including Fortnite, in addition to the buy-to-own cloud games, of which there are now several hundred.

Microsoft has long identified peoples' lack of free time and competition for attention from social media and the like as major barriers to finding new Xbox users. At a time where most subscription services are ballooning in price, rather than getting more affordable, an option like this could be a great way to get people to give Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Cloud Gaming a try.

A more modular, nimble Xbox Game Pass

It's not confirmed that the "Starter Edition" will ever go public beyond testing, but it is true that Microsoft is exploring ways to make Xbox Game Pass more appealing.

I revealed in reporting recently that Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is looking to make Xbox Game Pass more modular and customizable. Imagine if you don't want to pay for Xbox Cloud Gaming, but you want all the other benefits — maybe you can remove cloud gaming and add some other benefit instead, like Call of Duty or World of Warcraft's subscription on top. It's very early days in this exploration, though.

I revealed last year that Microsoft is also working on ad-based tiers for Xbox Cloud Gaming, potentially making it even cheaper than this Starter Edition tier. Other streaming services have ad-supported tiers already, and given Bing's growing ad business (yes, it's growing!), it could be an easy tie-in for Microsoft. It's unclear whether or not the ad-based tiers will still emerge though, given that they were planned under the previous Xbox leadership regime.

There's no information yet about how Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition would be priced, what do you think would feel right for this potential service? Bundled by default with Samsung and LG TVs, I think Microsoft could have a pretty smart offering here to get newcomers into the service.

Couple it with the planned Wi-Fi capable Xbox controllers, and Xbox Cloud Gaming is increasingly becoming viable as a default way to game these days.

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

Let me start by saying I play a lot of Call of Duty. I've been here since the beginning, and since the release of Black Ops 6 (according to the Xbox app), I've spent over 54 days of my life on it.

I also like Black Ops 7, even if I'm taking a little burnout-induced break right now. But following the news that future Call of Duty games won't be added to Xbox Game Pass, I feel like a lingering opinion of mine is being solidified.

Microsoft doesn't know what to do with Call of Duty. I'm not sure that taking it out of Game Pass in a year when we're still expecting to see GTA 6 is the smart play, either.

Xbox Game Pass helped Black Ops 6 to the biggest launch in Call of Duty history

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was the first new game in the franchise to launch day one in Xbox Game Pass following Microsoft's acquisition.

It was an immediate success. Well, that doesn't really describe it properly. Black Ops 6 was the most successful launch in Call of Duty history. Number one for total players, hours played, and total matches.

Game Pass, of course, wasn't the only reason for all of this. After a couple of frustrating years of Modern Warfare releases, going back to Black Ops definitely helped get players more interested again.

Black Ops 7 didn't fare so well but hardly terrible in the grand scheme of things. It also launched day one, before the round of Game Pass changes that both increased the price and restricted Call of Duty to the most expensive tiers.

Microsoft obviously wants to make a ton of money from Call of Duty, and putting up the price to play on Game Pass was obviously a step to try and recoup that not made from people paying full price for the game. It was reported that the company 'lost' $300 million in revenue.

Yes, it's a business. But Microsoft seems to be hell-bent on continuing to extract the most revenue without actually doing anything about the game. Surely attracting more players should be the priority?

Call of Duty should be a DRAW to Xbox Game Pass

There's still much negativity overall around Call of Duty. Warzone is still pretty painful (Black Ops Royale aside), the constant battle with cheaters never truly goes away, players are fatigued, and above all, I don't think it's a franchise set up for player enjoyment as the primary goal.

Call of Duty feels like it's built to extract every last dollar from its players. The Game Pass experiment has failed in that regard, and so we're back to paying full price.

But for players, we've now lost the easy way to even try the new Call of Duty. Let's face it, with all the negativity out there online, there's got to be a sizeable chunk of players who won't want to part with $80 in the hope that it's fun to play. Call of Duty should be a flagship for Game Pass, something to draw people in.

The Game Pass price cut is a win, sure, but it's also a cut to the quality of the service. People who don't play Call of Duty win, hands down; those of us who do, well, we win a little less.

Now, we'll only get Call of Duty when nobody cares about it. When a new game drops, nobody's going to invest in the old one, are they? And that includes the developers, because new content stops when a new game drops.

Is Modern Warfare 4 going to be good enough to drop out of Game Pass and take on GTA 6?

Here's another thing that looks concerning to me: the timing. This year has a Godzilla-sized monster looming large: GTA 6.

Without Game Pass, Microsoft is now willing to take on Rockstar's goliath head-on in pursuit of both your money and your attention with (the rumored) Modern Warfare 4.

Yeah. Doesn't sound great when you say it. They're different types of game, but GTA 6 isn't just any old game. Rockstar's track record for dropping epics speaks for itself.

By contrast, is Modern Warfare 4 even going to be a good Call of Duty? The trouble is that the franchise looks like remaining on the same path under Microsoft ownership. It's treated like a free-to-play game (yes, Warzone is free-to-play.)

Different players will have different opinions on how they think it should be improved, and I've written in the past about how I think Call of Duty needs to stop being a yearly release.

While I've enjoyed Black Ops 7 myself, I'm a realist, and I appreciate the frustrations of the community. The live service model requires your constant attention, but in many cases, those games aren't $80 plus the additional purchases.

Playing Call of Duty is expensive, and unless something happens in the future, I don't think Game Pass is going to be why revenue continues to drop. Microsoft really does need to figure out what it wants to do with one of gaming's biggest hitters.

Ultimately the Game Pass price cut isn't really a price cut, because Microsoft has made the service worse in the process. There's a bigger discussion to be had about it, like do players really want Fortnite Crew, or other add-ons, in place of big-name day-one releases?

But specifically to Call of Duty, what exactly does the future look like? I don't think Microsoft knows, and I'm not sure the leadership is taking enough of an active role in its development to actually figure it out.

What we need is some clear direction. Messaging from the top that's going to get players excited again and engagement with the people that will truly help get it back to its glory days.

My biggest worry is that it's going to keep going down the road of "how do we make more money" rather than "how do we make it a better game." Microsoft needs to figure it out and make that call.

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This week, Microsoft introduced a massive change to its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service that lowered its price from $29.99/month to $22.99/month effective immediately, making the premium tier of Xbox Game Pass $7 more affordable than it was after the firm infamously hiked its price up 50% last year. The move has been widely praised by Xbox and PC gamers all over — though it didn't come without cost.

The price drop was accompanied by the news that new Call of Duty games will no longer be available on Game Pass at launch, and will instead come to the program a year after they release. The idea here is to make Game Pass more affordable while simultaneously trying to stop it from cannibalizing Call of Duty sales as it has with recent releases, which most fans seem perfectly okay with.

Something many have criticized, however, is the fact that only a handful of the colossal franchise's games are on Game Pass, with many classics and even entries as recent as 2021's Call of Duty: Vanguard currently unavailable on the service. That's a massive bummer, especially since many old Call of Duty titles are still surprisingly expensive to buy permanently.

Thankfully, though, that's reportedly set to change later this year, as a source at Microsoft and Activision has confirmed to our friends at PC Gamer that Xbox plans to bring more Call of Duty games to Game Pass at some point in 2026.

It's unclear which games will come to Xbox Game Pass or how many of them are on the way right now, though there's a large list of potential candidates; at present, 15 Call of Duty entries are absent from the service, including the following:

• Call of Duty (2003)
• Call of Duty 2 (2005)
• Call of Duty 2: Big Red One (2005)
• Call of Duty 3 (2006)
• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
• Call of Duty: World at War (2008)
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012)
• Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)
• Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)
• Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020)
• Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)

Of these, it would be great to at the very least see some of the most popular games in Call of Duty history — Modern Warfare, World at War, Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops, Black Ops 2, and Ghosts — make their way onto Game Pass. In an ideal world, though, we'd see the entire franchise in the program's catalog.

Notably, this news comes after the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare reboot came to Game Pass last week, joining its sequels Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3. The Modern Warfare reboot is also surging right now thanks to a Steam sale; that shows how cheaper access to older games can give them a serious boost, and why putting classic Call of Duty titles on Game Pass is a good idea.

Which older Call of Duty games would you like to see made available on Xbox Game Pass? What's your favorite title in the series? Voice your opinion in the comments, and vote in our poll about the decision to remove Call of Duty from day-one Game Pass access, too.

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