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Xbox

Microsoft’s Xbox has been around since 2001, and over that time the gaming brand has given us huge hits like Halo, Gears of War, Forza, and more. Today, the Xbox brand covers consoles like the Xbox One, PC gaming, and has even expanded to other platforms. You can play Minecraft on everything from a computer to an iPhone to a Nintendo Switch. Along the way, Microsoft has pioneered modern services like Xbox Live and Game Pass, introducing new ways to play games. And with Project Scarlett on the horizon, the Xbox looks to have a bright future.

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The final season of Rooster Teeth’s Red vs. Blue is being released as a movie.

The 19th and final season of Red vs. Blue, the sci-fi comedy show set in the world of Halo, will be released as a feature length film on all major PVOD platforms. Red vs. Blue: Restoration will be available for purchase on May 7th and as a digital rental on May 21st.

Earlier this month Warner Bros. Discovery shut down Rooster Teeth, the production company behind Red vs. Blue.


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Microsoft’s gaming chief hints that Xbox could get PC stores one day.

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has dropped some hints that PC stores like Epic Games Store and Itch.io could one day arrive on Xbox consoles. In an interview with Polygon, Spencer says the console market isn’t growing and that there are barriers that exist today. “How can we be part of opening up that model?” asks Spencer, hinting at a potentially radical rethinking of Microsoft’s Xbox console ecosystem.


Capcom plans updates for Dragon’s Dogma 2 that will let you start a new game.

At launch, there was no easy way to delete a save or start a new game once a save file existed — something PC modders quickly added. Today, Capcom shared that it will make starting a new game a native feature of Dragon’s Dogma 2.

Besides, that, the developer is targeting some quality-of-life and technical fixes.


An image showing planned updates for Dragon’s Dogma 2.
Capcom also plans to let PS5 and Xbox players turn off motion blur and ray tracing.
Image: Capcom
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Aspyr issues a patch for Battlefront Classic Collection.

Like KOTOR before it, Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection launched in a less-than-stellar state. For PC at least, Aspyr’s patch this week addresses a long list of issues with the game.

You’ll have to wait on the certification process to get the fix on the PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch though, according to Eurogamer.


“The bundles, they are like children to me.”

Larry Hryb, aka “Major Nelson,” did a little reminiscing on Threads this week, posting videos from his time with Microsoft’s Xbox division, which he departed from back in December.

One video is him running down features of the original incarnation of Xbox Live, but I’m more interested in this parody of defunct electronics store Crazy Eddie’s commercials — something the company did regularly.


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If you play Minecraft through the Xbox app on PC, don’t update the game.

Mojang has just posted a warning that says you could lose all your worlds if you download the latest Minecraft update through the Xbox app.

To get around the issue, Microsoft says to run the Gaming Services Repair Tool for PC and then install the update. You can find more information about how to do this here.


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Palworld’s creator is exploring bringing the game to more platforms.

Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe says the studio is in talks to bring the game to more platforms beyond PC and Xbox.

The obvious question is whether the game, which has been nicknamed “Pokémon with guns” and has faced accusations of plagiarizing characters from Nintendo’s hit franchise, will ever come to the Nintendo Switch.


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You can already make your character for Dragon’s Dogma 2.

Capcom has released the game's incredibly customizable character creator on Steam, PS5, and Xbox series S/X ahead of the full Dragon’s Dogma 2 release on March 22nd.

You can create up to five companions and main characters respectively, which can then be transferred to the base game at launch — allowing you to jump right into the monster clobbering action.


Xbox PC games arrive on Boosteroid.

The first batch of Xbox PC games are arriving on Boosteroid today, a cloud gaming service. Microsoft signed a deal with Boosteroid as part of its efforts to appease regulators for its Activision Blizzard acquisition. You’ll be able to play titles like DeathloopDishonoredDishonored 2Dishonored: Death of The Outsider, Gears 5, Gears TacticsGhostwire: Tokyo, and Pentiment. You can either purchase from the Microsoft Store or use a PC Game Pass subscription to stream these games through Boosteroid.


Image: Microsoft
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March (moogle) Madness.

During its Partner Preview showcase, Xbox announced that Final FantasyNo, not that one. Not that one either. Yeah, that one —will fully launch on the console March 21st.

Currently, the critically acclaimed MMORPG is in open beta and when the game goes live, it will require not only a paid subscription to the game itself, but also a subscription to Xbox Game Pass.


The original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games are coming to Xbox.

A new S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Trilogy is launching on Xbox One and Xbox Series X /X today, bringing the trio of classic PC games to Microsoft’s Xbox consoles. That includes Shadow of ChernobylClear Sky, and Call of Pripyat. The bundle is available for $39.99 on the Microsoft Store.


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Watch Microsoft’s Xbox Partner Preview event here.

The Xbox Partner Preview event kicks off at 10AM PT / 1PM ET / 6PM UK today. Microsoft is promising its 30-minute broadcast will include “more than a dozen new trailers,” including games from publishers like Capcom, Nexon, and EA. The event will be broadcast on Twitch and YouTube, and you can watch along below.


A controller fit for a Vault Dweller.

With the Fallout TV show coming soon, Wasteland fever (not to be confused with radiation sickness) is in full swing. For example, here’s a pretty sweet looking Xbox controller that’s just covered in Vault Boys. You can get one of your own through the Xbox Design Lab.


A photo of a Fallout-themed Xbox controller.
Image: Microsoft
Microsoft announces a new Xbox Partner Preview event.

Microsoft is holding an Xbox Partner Preview event on Wednesday. The 30-minute broadcast will include “more than a dozen new trailers,” for new and upcoming games from publishers like Capcom, Nexon, EA, and others. Tales of Kenzera: Zau, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, and The First Berserker: Khazan will all be part of the preview. The event will be broadcast on Twitch and YouTube on March 6th at 10AM PT / 1PM ET / 6PM UK.


Image: Microsoft
This Xbox lives in a pineapple under the sea.

Microsoft is selling a limited edition SpongeBob SquarePants Xbox Series X console later this week. The “limited supply” console will be available at Best Buy on March 7th, priced at $699. It comes with a digital download of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 and a custom Xbox controller featuring SpongeBob, Squidward, Gary, and Mr. Krabs. Microsoft usually creates custom consoles for giveaways, so this is a rare opportunity to actually buy a custom Xbox Series X for the inflated price of $699.


The limited edition SpongeBob Xbox is $699.
The limited edition SpongeBob Xbox is $699.
Image: Microsoft
What’s this “Unknown App” for Starfield on Steam about?

Reddit users spotted a new “Unknown App” on SteamDB. They largely supposed it’s the Creations update that brings stuff like mod tools.

That seems likelier than the mystery app being the Shattered Space DLC, given the developer’s December blog post saying Creations is coming “early next year,” while only giving Shattered a broader “next year” timeframe.


A screenshot of downloadable content for Starfield from SteamDB.
Unknown App is unknown.
Screenshot: Wes Davis / The Verge

Subscription services are changing our relationship to gaming

In countries like Argentina, where physical games are exorbitantly expensive, services like Game Pass present a more affordable — but flawed — alternative.

The ultimate Xbox book.

Celebrating 20 years of Xbox is a full and detailed history of the original Xbox. The Kickstarter project already had a first limited run and now it’s back for second print run. There are more than 360 pages detailing the timeline of every game released on the original Xbox, and contributions from “Founding Father of Xbox” Ed Fries, Xbox community members, and even a section on Xbox Live from yours truly. You can back the Kickstarter project right here.


An Xbook.
An Xbook.
Image: Kickstarter
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Microsoft’s PS5 version of Pentiment runs better than the Xbox version due to a bug.

Pentiment, previously an Xbox-exclusive game from Microsoft-owned Obsidian Entertainment, launched on PS5 last week running at 120fps. The Xbox version of the game is locked to 60fps, leading to a weird situation where a PS5 version of an Xbox game actually runs better than the Xbox version — even though it’s a 2D game. Thankfully it’s just a bug, so a 120fps mode is coming to Pentiment on Xbox “in the next patch.”


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Krossplay is coming to Mortal Kombat 1.

That’s right, cross-platform kombat is coming to the NetherRealm Studios reboot of the classic fighting game.

Players can expect the feature in next week’s patch, and it will include support for PS5, Xbox, and PC, as announced by the game’s official account on X.


Microsoft confirms the four Xbox-exclusive games coming to PS5 and Switch.

Microsoft is bringing Sea of Thieves to the PS5 on April 30th. It’s the second previous Xbox-exclusive that’s coming to PS5, with Hi-Fi Rush available on the PS5 on March 19th. These are part of four Xbox games coming to PS5 and Nintendo Switch:

Pentiment - PS4, PS5, and Switch on February 22nd
Hi-Fi Rush - PS5 on March 19th
Grounded - PS4, PS5, and Switch on April 16th
Sea of Thieves - PS5 on April 30th


Xbox exclusive games are coming to PS5 and Switch.
Xbox exclusive games are coming to PS5 and Switch.
Image: Microsoft
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Xbox isn’t ready to give up physical discs yet.

Last year, Microsoft mistakenly leaked plans for a disc-less Xbox Series X, but it appears physical media is still on the table. In an interview with Stephen Totilo’s Game File, Xbox boss Phil Spencer says the company’s “strategy does not hinge on people moving all-digital.” He adds that “getting rid of physical” is “not a strategic thing,” either:

We ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing. And I think our job in running Xbox is to deliver on the things that a majority of the customers want. And right now, a majority of our customers are buying games digitally.