The biggest Xbox Game Pass game of August 2025 is yet to release. Xbox Game Pass has been a little slow lately after a blistering couple of months that saw subscribers enjoying day one games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Blue Prince, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and most recently, Abiotic Factor. That said, this is fairly typical of Xbox Game Pass. There are typically two slow periods: December and January, and then the first two thirds of summer. In the case of the latter, things usually start to pick up at the end of August, when video game releases start picking back up. To this end, one of the biggest games of August 2025 comes out at the end of the month, and it will be available via on Xbox Game Pass the moment it does.

What is coming to Xbox Game Pass subscribers at the end of the month? Well, on August 26, Sumo Digital, Disbelief, and Xbox Game Studios are set to deliver Gears of War Reloaded, a remaster of the first Gears of War game that will be free for Gears of War: Ultimate Edition owners and free with an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

This is separate from Xbox Game Pass, but what makes this release even more notable is the game is going to introduce the series to PlayStation consoles for the first time. Interestingly, on the same day PlayStation will introduce Helldivers 2 on Xbox for the first time. This is not as consequential because Helldivers is not synonymous with PlayStation like Gears of War is Xbox, but it is an interesting coincidence.

Read Next

Xbox Fans Hyped for New PS5 Game Releasing Soon

Playing it Right Away

What is important to remember with this release is you are going to want to play it right away. The legendary campaign of the first Gears of War can be played at any time, however, the multiplayer is going to fade. There will likely always be a playerbase for it throughout this console generation, but over time this will filter down into a hyper competitive and small pool of hardcore players. The vast majority of players are going to stop playing in a few weeks, or a few months at best, so it will be important to play Gears of War: Reloaded multiplayer the moment it releases to maximize the experience.

Prequel Coming Soon

What also juices the significance of this release and addition to Xbox Game Pass is the fact that a prequel to this game, Gears of War: E-Day is the next Gears of War game and expected to release sometime in 2026. As a prequel, it can technically be enjoyed without experiencing the games that come after it, but having played at the first Gears of War game should go a long way in enhancing the experience of Gears of War: E-Day, one of 2026’s biggest releases.

For more Xbox Game Pass coverage and general Xbox coverage — including all of the latest Xbox Game Pass news, all of the latest Xbox Game Pass rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Xbox Game Pass deals — click here.

The post Xbox Game Pass’  Biggest Game This Month Is Yet to Come appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Xbox fans on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are hyped for a new PS5 game set to come to Xbox consoles later this month. While more and more Xbox exclusive games shed their exclusivity and come to PS5, the reverse is less common. While more and more PS5 exclusive games continue to come to PC, this hasn’t been the case with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Whether this will change in the future, remains to be seen, but if the release later this month is any indicator, then it could be changing.

Over on Reddit, Xbox fans via the Xbox Reddit page, revealed they are “hyped af” for Arrowhead Game Studios’ Helldivers 2 to come to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on August 26. Interestingly, perhaps deliberately, the popular 2024 PlayStation game comes out the same day Xbox releases Gears of War: Reloaded, a remaster of the first Gears of War game. Despite this, there appears to be more interest in the PlayStation game than the Xbox classic from Xbox fans.

“Who else is hyped af for Helldivers 2 on Xbox soon,” reads one of the top posts on the Xbox Reddit page this week. “I can’t really tell why, but damn I’m hyped for this game. Pre-ordered it a few days ago, of course the Super Citizen Edition. Yesterday I watched Starship Troopers for the first time in my life and I consume podcasts and YouTube videos about it like nothing else. Sure I’ll play Battlefield 6 Beta on the weekend, I’m excited for Metal Gear Solid Delta, but nothing beats my hype for Helldivers 2 at the moment.”

Read Next

New Xbox Series X Exclusive Game Officially a Hit With 3 Million Players

Of course, as an isolated post this sentiment is not that revealing or noteworthy, however, not only does the popularity post suggest this is a common feeling, but the comments echo what the post says.

“Already pre-ordered. The Halo tease definitely sold me the game,” reads one of the comments. “Pre-ordering it today and super excited,’ adds a second comment.

A third comment adds: “You should be hyped. I have it on my PS5 and will buy it on my Xbox Series X too, because the devs deserve all the support. One of the best multiplayer games ever.”

Helldivers 2 was not only one of 2024’s best games, and best-selling games as well, but as noted it is a PlayStation game coming to Xbox consoles, which does not happen often The expectation is that while single-player PlayStation games will not be migrating to Xbox, its various live service titles will. That said, PlayStation live service games have not worked out so far, bar Helldivers 2. If there is one game Xbox fans would pick from PlayStation’s catalog — barring the marquee single-player, narrative-driven games — they would probably pick Helldivers 2. So, unsurprisingly, Xbox fans are excited to get their hands on the unforgiving and difficult Starship Troopers-inspired game.

All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think. Will you be picking up Helldivers 2 on Xbox later this month?

The post Xbox Fans Hyped for New PS5 Game Releasing Soon appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A recent, and one of the newest, Xbox Game Pass day one games is currently the 7th highest-rated game of 2025, according to Metacritic. This puts it behind only the likes of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Blue Prince, Split Fiction, Donkey Kong Bananza, Despelote, and Death Stranding 2. There are a trio of unmentioned 2025 games with technically higher Metacritic scores, but these are re-releases rather than brand new games. Meanwhile, it is ahead of some noteworthy games such as Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Monster Hunter Wilds, Mario Kart World, Deltarune, and DOOM: The Dark Ages. However, it hasn’t been getting as much attention as most of the games above.

The Xbox Game Pass in question is Abiotic Factor from developer Deep Field Games and publisher Playstack. For those unfamiliar with Abiotic Factor, it is a survival crafting game that can be played solo or with up to five others. And since its release it has been reminding subscribers of Half-Life.

As an Xbox Game Pass day one game, the game was immediately available with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass PC subscription when it released on July 22, saving subscribers from a $34.99 purchase. While it has flown under the radar of some, it has impressed those who have checked it out. This is not only evident by its 88 on Metacritic, but its glowing user reviews. For example, the Xbox Game Pass game has an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam, thanks to a 96 percent approval rating across 27,513 user reviews.

This is the highest rating a game can earn on Steam. Meanwhile, it has positive reviews on the Xbox Store as well.

“I never leave reviews, but this game was so good it made me write one,” reads one of the aforementioned user reviews for the game. “Took a chance with this and I am glad I did. One of the best games I have ever played, so much so.”

Read Next

New Retro Xbox Game Pass Games Include Classic Sega CD Game

Abiotic Factor‘s developers have been proactive in ensuring the game runs well and addresses player feedback – as evidenced by a massive launch day patch that fixed a lot of problems that were identified in pre-release playtesting.

How long Abiotic Factor is going to be available with Xbox Game Pass, we do not know. That said, three of the top highest-rated games of 2025, according to Metacritic, are now Xbox Game Pass day one games, an impressive return for the Microsoft subscription service.

For more coverage on all things Xbox Game Pass and all things Xbox in general — including all of the latest Xbox Game Pass news, all of the latest Xbox Game Pass rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Xbox Game Pass deals — click here.

The post New Xbox Game Pass Day One Game Is in Top 10 Best Games of 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new Xbox Series X exclusive game seems to be doing well, as evident by it hitting three million players after a couple weeks on the market. It is also worth noting that in the age of Xbox bringing its games to PS5 and sometimes even Nintendo Switch, the Xbox Series X doesn’t have a ton of exclusives at any given time. Right now though, this new Xbox game, is actually an Xbox Series X console exclusive, only available PC and no other platform.

For those that have not connected the dots yet, the Xbox game in question is Grounded 2 from developer Obsidian Entertainment, the studio best known for Fallout: New Vegas and South Park: The Stick of Truth, but also the studio recently behind Avowed and about to release The Outer Worlds 2 later this year.

In the age of Xbox Game Pass inflating player numbers and decreasing the sale numbers of Xbox games, it is hard to know how good of a return 3 million players might actually be, but Xbox seems to be happy with it judging by marketing boss at Xbox, Aaron Greenberg, celebrating the milestone on X. Given his job title, it is hard to look too much into a post from Greenberg essentially running marketing for it, but he doesn’t so this for every Xbox Game Studios game, so this milestone feels notable. Three million players in roughly two weeks on the market is not just a solid return, but considering the game wasn’t very expensive to make, it is probably and even better metric for it. Not to mentioned Grounded 2 has garnered plenty of positive responses from players themselves.

Read Next

Xbox Series X Users Not Surprised After Major Exclusive Is Cancelled

A Ways to Go Before It Catches the First Game

What makes this three million milestone a bit more noteworthy is the fact that Grounded 2 is in early access. It launched into early access on July 29, 2025, which may explain why it is not on PS5 yet. This will presumably change with the final release.

While Grounded 2 is off to a good start, it remains to be seen if it will be able to match what its predecessor did before it. Grounded 2 has already beat the first game’s concurrent players on Steam but Grounded at times did not receive the most attention, but it attracted over 20 million players to date, making it one of the bigger Xbox Game Studios releases this generation and last generation as well.

Fans Say Success Is Well Deserved

“Grounded and Sea of Thieves don’t get the credit they deserve when talking about the games Xbox is putting out,” writes one Xbox fan of this new announcement, over on Reddit. “Obsidian continues to showcase why they are the MVP of the acquisitions over the years. Whatever the sentiments about The Outer Worlds and Avowed – their output is incredible,” adds another fan.

A third fan further drives the point home: “Well, the game is freaking amazing. I’m shocked how big the map is already, it’s only like a fifth of the whole park so far. The ideas behind the different biomes so far is great. They really took Grounded and made everything even better. Crazy.”

In addition to positive fan feedback, the developers have also been pushing some meaningful Grounded 2 updates that are sure to keep the community engaged.

The post New Xbox Series X Exclusive Game Officially a Hit With 3 Million Players appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Xbox Game Pass just surprised users with a classic Sega game that subscribers did not know was being added this week. That said, the game is not from Sega itself, but was a Sega CD game back in 1993. It was also on Amiga, Mac, and MS-DOS, however, the lack of proliferation of these systems means it is commonly known as a Sega CD game, where it was most popular. Now the Sega CD game is on Xbox Game Pass via a new Retro Classics update. And unlike some Xbox Game Pass, these new retro games are available across all tiers: Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Game Pass Standard, Xbox Game Pass PC, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Those that missed it, included in the new Retro Classics update on Xbox Game Pass is The Adventures of Willy Beamish.

You can check out the full list of games included in the collection below:

• The Adventures of Willy Beamish
• Caesar III
• Climber 5
• The Colonel’s Bequest
• Private Eye
• Oystron
• Shootin’ Gallery
• Wing War

As you can see, there are a lot of Atari 2600 games here, plus a couple Amiga and old-school PC games, which makes The Adventures of Willy Beamish stand out all the more as the only Sega CD game featured.

Read Next

Xbox Game Pass Game Has Been at Top of the Charts Since It Was Added

For those unfamiliar with this release, it debuted in 1991, though it did not come to Sega CD until two years later in 1993. It is a graphic adventure game from developer Dynamix and Sierra Entertainment. Now, Retro Classics are limited to Activision games, at the moment, so how did this Sierra Entertainment game come to be in the Retro Classics library? Well, because Sierra Entertainment and its catalog was eventually acquired by Activision.

Check out the trailer below:

A Classic in the Adventure Genre

Due to the fact that The Adventures of Willy Beamish is such an old game, it is not easy to find any type of review data for it. That said, while it wasn’t a pioneer in the adventure game space, it was such at the forefront of the evolving gaming landscape of this, which not only makes it a classic release, but a historic release in some regards.

Here’s the description of the game – for those who never played it:

“Just how much trouble do you think you could get yourself into if you could be nine years old again knowing… what you know now,” reads an official description of the game. “Remember… Your tag-along little sister… Just how hard would you have to push to get her swing to do a loop? Ancient Ms. Glass’ English class… Hey kiddies, can you spell “cardiac arrest?’ Good ‘ol mom and dad… Dump ’em fast, dump ’em now, look cute and blame everything on your sister. Welcome to the terminally cute, seriously warped world of Willy Beamish. You’ll face neurotic yuppie parents, teachers pushed over the edge, a ghostly grandfather back from the grave, the baby-sitter from hell, a pet jumping frog on steroids and a plot to blow the city’s sewer system sky high. It’s chaotic, it’s juvenile, it’s definitely deranged and you’re gonna love every minute of it.”

It is not 100% clear how long this classic Sega CD game will be available via Xbox Game Pass. If this is clarified, we will update the story accordingly. In the meantime, for more coverage on all things Xbox Game Pass and all things Xbox in general — including all of the latest Xbox Game Pass news, all of the latest Xbox Game Pass rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Xbox Game Pass deals — click here.

The post New Retro Xbox Game Pass Games Include Classic Sega CD Game appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The current console generation has seen some very bold moves from Xbox. Over the last few years, the company has greatly bolstered the number of studios that it owns, thanks to the acquisitions of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard. With such an incredible amount of talent and properties under one roof, this should be the best time ever to be an Xbox fan. However, there couldn’t be anything further from the truth. Between game cancellations, studio closures, and the company’s general mismanagement, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get excited about announcements for future games.

The problem with Xbox doesn’t come down to a lack of talent; the company has released several great games just over the last few years. Games like Forza Horizon 5 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle aren’t just drawing in audiences on Xbox platforms, but they’re also finding a lot of success on PS5. Despite all of this, Xbox has managed to create a situation where the future feels up in the air, and there’s not a lot of incentive to get invested in games that might be several years away.

Will These Games Even Come Out?

Following The Game Awards 2023, it felt like things were really looking up for the Xbox brand. The show saw not one, but two really exciting Xbox-published games announced: Marvel’s Blade and OD. The combination of a new Marvel game from Arkane and a horror title from Hideo Kojima felt like a bold declaration for the future. Unfortunately, Xbox owners have been inundated with negative news in the nearly two years since. Recently, games like Perfect Dark, Everwild, and Contraband have all been cancelled. In the case of Perfect Dark and Everwild, these were two games announced several years ago. By doing so, Xbox is creating a situation where fans don’t know if the company can be trusted to actually put out the games it’s touting.

We’re already seeing the negative impact of these cancellations. Rumors about Marvel’s Blade being cancelled started to circulate immediately after Perfect Dark and Everwild. The game appears to be safe right now, but there’s no telling if that will last. There have also been concerns about the status of OD. The level of negative reaction from the industry would be unfathomable if Xbox were to cancel a horror title from Kojima, especially after the years long controversy Konami has faced after canning Silent Hills. But that doesn’t mean Xbox will resist sticking its foot in that particular bear trap.

Is Management to Blame?

With everything going on, it’s impossible not to see Xbox management as the key problem. Figures like Matt Booty and Phil Spencer can hardly be blamed for the state of Redfall, a game that was in development at Bethesda before the Xbox acquisition, and launched to negative reviews. However, there are plenty of games that can be blamed on the pair. Is Xbox so hands-off that the company doesn’t realize until years into development that games like Everwild aren’t going to make it to market? Rare’s now-cancelled game was apparently in very early development in 2014, was announced in 2019, and cancelled in 2025. That means it took Xbox 11 years to realize it wouldn’t meet the company’s standards. That’s not even addressing the mess of Perfect Dark, which was one of the big showpieces during last summer’s Xbox Games Showcase before being unceremoniously dumped.

The key problem with all of this is that it feels like even the developers behind good games haven’t been safe. Hi-Fi Rush was one of Xbox’s most critically acclaimed games from the last five years. A brand-new IP that got lots of positive attention, and it was developed by a team based in Japan, which is a region where Xbox has historically struggled to find an audience. It seemed like the kind of win the company really needed. Despite all of that, Xbox made the decision to shut down developer Tango Gameworks just over a year later. The studio was saved at the last minute following an acquisition by Krafton, but the entire situation painted a terrible portrait of how things are being decided at Xbox.

Can Xbox Do Anything to Fix This?

Some of Xbox’s problems aren’t just on the company, but on the video game industry as a whole. Events like The Game Awards have become the equivalent of sitting through nothing but the trailers in a movie theater, with the caveat being that the movies are years away and might never come out. Publishers like WB Games will show a snippet of footage revealing a new Wonder Woman game, resulting in tons of positive feedback and excitement. Yet all of that evaporates when the game is cancelled years later.

But just because other publishers do it too, it doesn’t absolve Xbox from the bad situation it’s responsible for. While early announcements can generate a positive news cycle during a drought and build up some hype, cancelling those games years later is decimating Xbox’s reputation. Why get excited for a game that might come out several years in the future from a publisher with a history of cancelling titles? Cancelled games are a reality of the industry, but these cancellations wouldn’t sting so much if Xbox weren’t stringing us all along with the hopes of titles we’ll never actually get to play.

Read Next

The 1 PlayStation Game Sony Has to Port to Xbox Now

With the company’s new multiplatform initiative, it’s not like Xbox fans have nothing to look forward to. There’s no danger of DOOM going away, and Call of Duty’s yearly release schedule seems like it’s here to stay. Franchises like Halo, Gears, and Forza also seem like they’ll have a chance to find plenty of fans through Xbox platforms on top of PC and PS5. But everything else really seems up in the air. It’s getting harder and harder to feel confident about games like Marvel’s Blade and OD making it out, or the Toys for Bob game being published by Xbox (which many suspect is a new Spyro). Xbox has a long way to go when it comes to restoring faith in the company, and we’ll all just have to hope nothing else gets cancelled before those games make it to market.

The post There’s No Reason to Be Excited About New Xbox Game Announcements Anymore appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Developer Game Science has confirmed it will be at Gamescom this year. The studio is known for Black Myth: Wukong, a Chinese Soulslike, that proved to be incredibly popular following its launch last year. The title released exclusively on PC and PlayStation 5, but an Xbox version was later announced and is planned to arrive on August 20th. Many believe this is why Game Science is attending Gamescom and will show off the Xbox version. But there is another theory that is gaining traction among fans. DLC for Black Myth: Wukong was previously confirmed, but there has been little detail about it. Gamescom may be the perfect platform to change this.

After revealing Game Science would be at Gamescom with Black Myth: Wukong, players began expecting news on the upcoming DLC. Many are hopeful to see gameplay footage and get a release date. Announcing and showing off the DLC alongside the Xbox release would be a smart move and generate more hype for the game.

Read Next

Black Myth: Wukong Players Can’t Beat One Very Hard Boss

A possible hint as to what the Black Myth: Wukong DLC will be could be the artwork attached to the announcement. It is hard to make out exactly what this is, but it could be depicting new bosses or possible NPCs to encounter. One fan translated the text in the image, which may share some insight.

“The extraordinary is ordinary in this world; ‘gods and devils’ often wear respectable attire,” says the translation.

Fan-made footage was recently released that many believed was leaked footage of the DLC for Black Myth: Wukong. However, this proved to be untrue, and many were left disappointed. That said, it showed the level of excitement that fans have to continue playing the challenging Soulslike.

Black Myth: Wukong loosely follows the story of Journey to the West, or, more accurately, takes inspiration from it. Fans will see even more influences from the legendary story featured in the DLC, but exactly what remains to be seen.

Black Myth: Wukong was initially released on August 20th, 2024. This upcoming event marks the first anniversary of the game, making it the perfect time to announce the DLC. Even so, there is no telling when the DLC will be released if it is announced. There is only one week left until Gamescom, so there is not much time left to find out.

Do you think Black Myth: Wukong’s DLC will be shown off at Gamescom? What are you hoping to see? We love discussing with our readers, so share your opinion in the comments below.

The post Black Myth: Wukong DLC Seemingly Teased Ahead of Full Reveal appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Season 17 update for Sea of Thieves has just dropped, showering players with new rewards to plunder and a host of various gameplay improvements. This update will be the first taste of Season 17 for players, who can experience Act 2 and Act 3 in September and October. Season 17 has also coincided with developer Rare’s 40th anniversary, allowing Sea of Thieves players to earn free cosmetics as they make their way through the content.

One of the most prominent features in the new update is the addition of the Smuggler’s League, which sells new items and provides an on-demand voyage service for players. Observant Sea of Thieves players must find six new hideouts scattered across the game map to gain access to the Smuggler’s treasure and new gameplay features.

Read Next

Sea of Thieves Has Reportedly Sold Over 1 Million Copies on PS5

Players will also be excited for the return of Reaper’s Bones Rowboats, a detonating version of the standard rowboat that will now be a permanent addition to the game after being absent for several seasons.

This update is massive, and the changes to the game are too numerous to break down completely. See the complete list of modifications, courtesy of Rare, down below.

Sea of Thieves Season 17 Update Patch Notes

The Smugglers’ League

• The Smugglers’ League have sailed in from unknown waters and established six Hideouts across the islands of the Sea of Thieves. Visit these new locations to learn more about The Smugglers’ League and cash in Smugglers’ treasure.

Smugglers’ Route Run

• The Smugglers’ League now provide an on-demand Voyage from the Quest Table, tasking crews with covertly transporting dangerous and fragile high-value goods.
• The Smugglers’ Route Run will always direct players down the same treacherous pathway marked on the ship’s map, where other opportunist crews may lie in wait…

Messages in a Bottle

• For the duration of Season 17, any Message in a Bottle discovered outside The Devil’s Roar will offer a sneaky Smugglers’ Run along a route hidden from the map, providing lucrative rewards.

Black Powder Barrels

• The Black Powder Barrel is a powerful new explosive item that can be sold to The Smugglers’ League at their Hideouts.
• This barrel is held upright, making it an easier target, but is also reinforced for increased durability. The barrel will show visual signs of damage before it explodes, dealing more damage than a Stronghold Keg and with a considerably wider blast radius.
• Each Black Powder Barrel has a long 10-second fuse, allowing for more devious traps to be laid.

Smuggling Skeleton Ships

• Skeleton Ships have recovered valuable Smugglers’ League treasure items and weapons, and are now stockpiling them on board in addition to their usual rewards.
• Skeleton Ships are now guaranteed to have a Black Powder Barrel aboard, and a high chance of rare items like the exotic rum crates favoured by the Smugglers, Skulls of Siren Sorrow and Ashen Winds Skulls.
• All roaming and ambushing Skeleton Ships encountered on the seas contain these new Smugglers’ League treasures, while the Skeleton Fleet world encounter remains unchanged.

Smugglers’ Shipwrecks

• Crews setting sail may now discover these smuggling vessels sunk while transporting their precious cargo. While these wrecks are rarer than traditional shipwrecks, their rewards are worth the detour!
• Smugglers’ Shipwrecks contain an assortment of high-value treasure in addition to their usual rewards, with unique ship journals that can be returned to The Smugglers’ League and an assortment of weapons including devastating Black Powder Barrels.
• Players diving down to a Smugglers’ Shipwreck will find handy air bubbles throughout the ship to help them while exploring.
• For the duration of Season 17, the Reaper’s Chest and Reaper’s Bounty are now exclusively found within sunken Smugglers’ Shipwrecks and no longer found within the Fort of the Damned.

Smugglers’ Caches

• As some of the Smugglers’ vessels have been lost at sea, caches of their goods have now begun washing ashore on islands. Finding them will reward eagle-eyed crews with various Smuggler treasures and resources.

Reaper’s Bones Rowboats

• These returning Rowboats have been refitted with reinforced Gunpowder Barrels and can also be found with a cannon or harpoon attached. They can be rowed, docked and repaired just like standard Rowboats, but detonate after taking enough damage or when the fuse is lit.
• While now a permanent addition to the seas, these Rowboats will appear more frequently for the duration of Season 17.

Smugglers’ Tide Commendations and Rewards

• A range of new Smuggler Commendations have been added this Season to provide an additional challenge to players. Explore these from the newly rebranded Adventure at Sea Commendation tab in the Pirate Log.
• The Smugglers’ League now offer access to themed clothing and ship rewards along with a range of Trinkets and a mischievous Black Powder Barrel Disguise, unlocked through their Commendations. These items will arrive over the course of Season 17 and can be found in Outpost shops once unlocked.

Season Overview Menu

• A new Season Menu has been introduced, showcasing the new content set to arrive this Season and helping players track their progress and earned rewards.
• The Overview tab breaks the Season into three Acts, highlighting the content coming throughout these three months of updates. Players can view the content, progress and available rewards.
• The Deeds & Rewards tab introduces challenges to complete during each Act. Completing these will earn players a boost to their Season progression along with a few time-limited rewards. 
• With this new approach to Seasons, the old Weekly, Monthly and Seasonal Trials and Daily Deeds have now been retired.

Season 17 Rewards and Plunder Pass

• Progressing through the 100 levels of Renown in Season 17 will reward players with Master of the High Seas clothing items and unique Season 17 rewards, alongside time-limited Fabled Fins collectibles. Head to the Seasons profile page to browse the new rewards and check your pirate’s progress!
• Pick up a Plunder Pass to gain access to a plethora of additional unlockable cosmetics from the Rare Regalia collection, including a ship set and selection of themed clothing, all individually earned by raising your Renown. Purchase a Pass in-game through the Pirate Log or Pirate Emporium, or via the Pirate Emporium webpage, Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store, Steam Item Store and now Battle.net Shop!

Season 17 Emissary Ledger Rewards

• This Season, the Guild Emissary Ledgers offer the ‘Moonrise Mariners’ Painting, ‘The Unseen Deal’ Ornament and the Guild of Crafty Contrabandists Title to Guilds who represent them well and perform proudly in the Ledgers.
• The Hunter’s Call Emissary Ledger now offers the Call of the Seas Wheel and Cannons along with the Assailant of Treacherous Targets Title. These new rewards are earnable by Hunters representing the Company as Emissaries.

Chest of Fortune

• The Chest of Fortune remains within the Fort of Fortune and crews can now earn the next Grade of the Fortune’s Favour Commendation, unlocking access to the Regal Fortune Lantern, Spyglass, Compass and Bucket.

Reaper’s Chests

• Crews chasing down the tell-tale beacon of the Reaper’s Chest or Reaper’s Bounty can earn the next Grade of the Reaper’s Riches Commendation, and start unlocking access to the Regal Fortune Banjo and Drum.

Pirate Emporium

• Show off your personal style with purchases from the Pirate Emporium! Pick up exclusive cosmetics such as ship liveries, costumes, weapons, pets and emotes using your Ancient Coins, purchasable with real money. Head to the Pirate Emporium page to browse and buy the latest additions!

New Items – Now in Stock!

• Riptide Rodeo Ship Collection and Ship’s Crest
• Riptide Rodeo Weapon Bundle
• Riptide Rodeo Hat, Jacket, Boots and Mask
• Riptide Rodeo Pocket Watch
• Ghostly Curse Alsatian (requires Pirate Legend status)
• Fan the Hammer Emote (free!)

Pirate Profiles

• Players can now purchase additional Pirate Profiles, unlocking access to multiple pirate slots from the Pirate tab in the front-end menu. Each pirate will have their own journey with separate progression, rewards and visual customisation.
• Players can open up these extra profiles by purchasing a Pirate Deed, either from the Pirate Menu or the Pirate Emporium, where bundles of three Deeds can also be purchased at a discount. Once a Deed has been purchased, players can create and customise a new pirate.
• Pirate Appearance Potions can now be used on individual pirates through the Pirate Menu.

Rare 40th Anniversary

• Sea of Thieves studio Rare is celebrating 40 years of making games, and the festivities include a range of Ruby-themed cosmetics rolled out for pirate players to pick up in various ways!

Login Bonus

• Players will receive the Rare Ruby Eyepatch for free when arriving on the seas at any time between Season 17 launch day and September 1st.

Outpost Stock

• Appropriately colourful new items are now on offer in the Outpost shops: the Ruby Celebrations Eyeshadow, Lipstick and Makeup along with Red Buckled Boots, Red Sailor Bandana and Red Stitched Shirt.

Pirate Emporium

• Available to buy until the September update, the Ruby Reaper’s Mark Sails put a special anniversary spin on this classic time-limited design.

Microsoft Rewards

• Players can acquire the Rare Ruby Hat as a redeemable item through Microsoft Rewards.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks

• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can get access to the Rare Ruby Emote through the XGPU Perks programme.

Season Ten Legacy Cosmetics

• Cosmetics previously available during Season Ten have arrived in the Outpost shops and can now be purchased with Doubloons!

• Players can purchase the Intrepid Explorer clothing set, plus the Intrepid Explorer Bobbed Hair, Braided Hair and Beard. The Compass of Nuanced Navigation, Spyglass of Skilful Steering and Bucket of Eternal Cooking are also available.
• Pirate Legends can purchase the Larinna Tribute Tattoo.
• The time-limited Gilded Sovereign items, however, remain exclusive to players who participated in Season Ten.

Gameplay Improvements

• Improved Controller Keybinds
  • Players on controller now have the ability to use separate keybinds for a range of actions. These actions can now be customised independently or share a button: Secondary Interact and Swap Weapons, Secondary Interact and Reload, and Primary Interact and Reload.
  • These keybinds can be customised in the Controller Settings Menu, with the default remaining as Y on Xbox controller and Triangle on DualSense wireless controller, and can be reset to default if changed at any time.
• Cross-Region Matchmaking Improvements
  • Following the release of Cross-Region Matchmaking in 3.4.1, players now have the choice to opt out of this feature and return to only matchmaking within their home region.
  • Players are free to change this setting either in the front-end settings or in-game during a session, and this will take effect when next attempting to matchmake into an experience such as Faction Battles, Voyages, entering the Tunnels of the Damned for Tall Tales or scuttling a ship.
  • When playing in a crew, if any player has chosen to opt out of Cross-Region Matchmaking, that will prevent the crew from migrating across regions during their session.
  • Support for additional regions has been added in France, South Africa and India, providing lower-latency servers for players in those regions and additional Cross-Region Matchmaking routes for nearby locations.

Performance Improvements

• Following the prior rebuild of the Sloop, Brigantine and Galleon, this update now allows the game client to utilise the system to smooth out how other ships are loaded when approaching them at a distance, stabilising framerates while sailing.

Hit Registration Improvements on Animals

• Players attacking various animals like chickens and pigs with melee attacks will now experience improved hit registration, dealing more consistent damage to targets.

Search for Ancient Secrets Voyage Notifications

• Players who have their Skull of the Banished stolen by a rival crew will no longer be notified with a pop-up notification. This ensures consistency with how stolen items are handled across the wider experience.

The Devil’s Roar Balancing

• Further improvements have been made to volcanoes, ensuring that players caught on an island about to erupt can more predictably plan their escape. After a volcano starts to smoke, the time before it erupts has now been reduced slightly as a result.

Events

• Season 17 Community Weekend (August 30th – September 1st)
  • Your favourite 48-hour event is back for Season 17! Enjoy free gifts, pose at Picture Walls, solve puzzles as you seek Pop-Up Plunder, and make use of reward boosts thanks to the Community Emissary Grade raised by watching Sea of Thieves streamers on Twitch.
• As a bonus goal to tie in with Rare’s 40th anniversary celebrations, reaching a cumulative community total of World Events completed during Community Weekend will unlock the Ruby Legend Figurehead for everyone.
• Find out more in August’s This Month in Sea of Thieves article, and stay tuned for a full rundown closer to the date!

Fixed Issues

• Gameplay
  • Players taking damage soon after healing to full health will no longer find their health bar becomes hidden even though they are not at full health.
  • Voyage notes pinned to the ship’s mast now require players to be much closer and facing the note before being able to interact with it, preventing accidental use.
  • Skeletons killed by a thrown knife will no longer leave behind an invisible surface that prevents players from attacking enemies behind it.
  • Improvements have been made to boarding audio effects to prevent players muffling certain effects when repeatedly attempting to give an item while grabbing the ladder.
  • Ships that are beached in shallow waters around islands can now be consistently sunk by rival crews. Once sufficient damage has been dealt to a ship, even if the ship is unable to fill with water, it will be considered sunk and destroyed.
  • During a Faction Battle, a ship that is sunk due to heading into the Devil’s Shroud now consistently causes the match to end and loses the encounter.
  • Bone piles belonging to the Order of Bone and Blade should no longer appear on lava where they cannot be dug up.
  • Ashen Lords in combat will now continue to actively attack players using a nearby cannon.
• Followers of the Flame Voyage
  • If players are moved to another server during the Followers of the Flame Voyage, the Order of Bone and Blade Skeletons will now continue to behave as expected.
  • Order of Bone and Blade Skeletons revived near the dig site will no longer seem to disappear.
• Reaper’s Chests Unsealed
  • Unsealed Reaper’s Chests and Chests of Bones that have been depleted will no longer show bones inside the chest.
  • Order of Bone and Blade Skeletons should no longer start following allied players if the unsealed Reaper’s Chest is not nearby.
• Cannon of Rage
  • Players approaching a deployed Cannon of Rage will now find the interactions have been repositioned to make the weapon easier to load, fire and retract.
  • Retracting a Cannon of Rage no longer causes it to briefly disappear.
  • Players joining a session in progress should now see deployed Cannons of Rage in their correct state.
• Environment
  • Improvements have been made to the environment beneath Skeleton Camps to prevent players from using a Grapple Gun to leave the designated area.
  • A range of island improvements have been made to prevent players becoming stuck within the environment.
  • Mysterious journals found on Crescent Isle should now all be readable.
• Visual and Audio
  • Order of Bone and Blade Skeletons now move smoothly when following players or walking while holding weapons.
  • When Order of Bone and Blade Skeletons appear, the visual effects now show consistently.
  • Dropping a Chest of Bones or Reaper’s Chest no longer causes the audio effect to be heard at extended distances.
  • Players will now consistently hear their pirate gasp for breath when resurfacing if they had begun to drown.
  • Crews with the Regal Fortune Wheel equipped will now find it appears visually correct after being fully repaired.
  • When performing the Grog Shaker Emote, the audio effects can now be heard fully.
  • Ancient Phantoms encountered during the Search for Ancient Secrets Voyage should now consistently have audible voiceover when subtitles are shown.
  • The image on the Crate of Immaculate Diamonds now appears at the correct orientation when placed on the ground.
  • Players wearing the Oyster’s Prize Eyepatch will now find the eyepatch is hidden when performing a disguise.
  • Players’ hands will now appear correctly when performing the Target Hide Emote.
• Text and Localisation
  • ‘The Lair of LeChuck’ – Players using non-English languages will now find interactions on the Headless Monkey are translated.
  • ‘Captains of the Damned’ – Captain Jack Sparrow’s subtitles will now be shown fully when speaking.
  • ‘Lords of the Sea’ – The voiceover and subtitles shown during this Tall Tale now match correctly.
  • Players using replaced gamertags will now see Half-Stew Jean’s name spelled correctly.
  • Players using Russian language settings should now find the Dire Dark Warsmith set name has been changed to better differentiate it from the original Dark Warsmith set.
• Performance and Stability
  • Further improvements have been made to game stability to reduce scenarios where players unexpectedly exit the game or become disconnected from their session.

The post Sea of Thieves Season 17 Goes Live With Huge New Update appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Has there ever been a first-person shooter with such an up-and-down reputation as Halo Infinite? The game was insanely hyped but suffered from some major development problems along the way. This led to arguably a botched launch that, combined with factors ranging from bad Battle Passes to worse communication with players, seriously damaged the game’s reputation.

That reputational damage led to major consequences: specifically, the game’s player base dwindled to a fraction of what it once was. However, I’m one of the faithful still playing Halo Infinite, and I’ve got news that may surprise you: the game is better than ever and (ahem) infinitely worth returning to. Don’t believe it? Here are a few of the best reasons you should currently be playing Halo Infinite!

1) Free Is Good

Okay, so don’t throw any plasma grenades at me for stating the obvious, but the first reason it’s worth returning to Halo Infinite is that the multiplayer remains completely free. “Worth” is relative, of course, but if you’re a cash-strapped gamer (it’s not just me, right?), it’s great to know that there’s a very polished and very robust first-person shooter you can download without paying a thing. And while the game will still try to get you to buy a Battle Pass, there’s a surprisingly large amount of stuff you can unlock just by regularly playing.

Now, I know what you’re about to say: there are plenty of other free shooters out there, including Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2. Those are both great games, and if you’ve got the time and hard drive space, they are both worth playing. However, they are both hero shooters designed around the idea of game-winning ultimate abilities and weird character synergies. If you want a free game built around classic PvP mechanics rather than flashy abilities, it doesn’t get better than Halo Infinite.

2) More Content Than You Can Shake a Sticky At

One of the reasons you may have previously walked away from Halo Infinite was the relative lack of content. Honestly, that may have been a fair reason to walk: early on, there were few levels, mediocre Battle Pass offerings, and no Forge mode. It became downright difficult for even veteran franchise fans to stick with Infinite, especially when they could relive the glory days with the Master Chief Collection.

Fortunately, there’s no more content than you can shake a sticky at. And the longer you’ve been away, the more there is for you to discover. There are now plenty of levels, a killer Forge mode, improved unlockables, and some great new multiplayer modes (more on this later). This has ushered in what I consider to be a real Halo Infinite renaissance, and now’s your chance to get back into the action and see what you’ve been missing.

3) The Core Gameplay Loop Is Flawless

Different Halo games have added different bells and whistles over the years, including armor abilities and permanent sprinting. However, what each game has in common is that it builds upon the original title’s core gameplay loop. Simply put, Halo is all about what some players call the holy trinity: guns, grenades, and melee. It’s this combination that gives this franchise the fun and frenzied combat that separates it from more grounded shooters like Battlefield.

Why is this so important? Halo Infinite is arguably the most polished version of this franchise’s beloved gameplay loop. Running around and lobbing grenades while shooting and punching through fellow Spartans in Infinite feels satisfying every single time. That may not sound like a big deal to those who aren’t major fans of the franchise. To old-school Halo heads, though, it’s worth returning to Infinite to experience the kind of gameplay you just can’t get anywhere else.

4) Solid New Map Design

Earlier, I mentioned that one of the major criticisms of Halo Infinite in the beginning was that it didn’t have enough maps. Fortunately, the devs have steadily added new maps over the years. Some of them build off old maps in new and exciting ways, and some feature new designs altogether. Almost all of them have one thing in common, though: they offer a good mixture of aesthetic appeal and balanced gameplay without feeling completely symmetrical.

Read Next

Every Mainline Halo Game Ranked From Worst to Best

That may not be important to every gamer, but it means a lot to me. I have trouble vibing with maps where each side is a perfect mirror image because even though it’s perfectly balanced, it breaks the immersion. Infinite scratches the itch I have to fight in areas that look more “realistic” in their design while still ensuring that Slayer, Skirmish, and everything in between doesn’t feel lopsided. And that makes Master Chief’s universe feel like a real place, which is very rewarding for those who have been playing from the beginning.

5) A Diverse Array of Gameplay Modes

For many veteran players, the real lifeblood of the Halo franchise has been different gameplay modes. From the very beginning, modes such as Capture the Flag and Rumble Pit have added variety for players who wanted alternatives to Slayer. Later titles added various modes, including some that I adore (like Fiesta) and those I merely tolerate (like Shotty Snipers). Now, I’m happy to report that Halo Infinite offers enough different modes to keep every kind of gamer happy.

If you love fighting (or being) a zombie, you’ll love the Infection, and Attrition is great for hardcore players wanting to prove their mettle. Extraction adds some land-grabbing variety to otherwise stale Big Team combat, and Juggernaut adds a real secret sauce to Rumble. Those are just a few of my favorite modes, but special mention goes to Firefight Classic, which is arguably the single best way to just kick back and unwind with your friends after a long day at work. 

6) The Cosmetics Are Genuinely Fun

They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That’s especially true when it comes to optional video game cosmetics. That new skin that you covet may very well be the one that gets your bestie to say, “Wait, you paid money for that?” Speaking of cash, some players (myself included) hate paying extra for cosmetics in principle. Why, I ask myself, would you want to spend money on a free game?

This is where Halo Infinite comes in. Admittedly, many of the game’s cosmetics require you to buy a Battle Pass, but a surprisingly large amount of them are available completely for free. And I’m not talking about junk: with a good eye and a bit of creativity, you can put together some killer looks for your Spartan, all without paying a thing. Your mileage may vary, but this is definitely my speed: a bunch of free cosmetics I can earn simply by playing and completing some of the most basic challenges and special events!

7) Ignore the Haters: The Campaign Is Fun

So far, I have understandably been focusing on the multiplayer mode of Halo Infinite. After all, it’s completely free, and it’s where most players spend their time. But if you have Game Pass, you can play the campaign without spending anything extra. Admittedly, the campaign has been criticized by different gamers and influential streamers over the years. But I’m here to tell you to ignore the haters because the campaign is insanely fun.

First, the open-world design is exactly what this franchise needed, and it’s something many of us have been longing for ever since Halo 2 came out. Clearing out enemy Forward Operating Bases is fulfilling and gives you additional options (like new weapons and vehicles to unleash on the enemy). Fighting miniature boss battles across the Zeta Halo ring is similarly rewarding, but nothing is quite as cool in the campaign as the grappling hook.

It’s Master Chief, but he moves around like Batman. Let’s be real, how cool is that?

8) A Wonderfully Competitive Player Base

I saved this last reason to return to Halo Infinite for last because it’s one that may be divisive. As you know, the game’s player base has dwindled despite all of the improvements the developers have made. That has led to a smaller group of dedicated players who spend most of their time rocking out on Infinite. And that means one thing: for the most part, the players who have remained are very, very good.

In other words, this is not a title where a casual player can pick it up and enjoy immediate success. Instead, it’s one where you will have to put in the work, building up your skills to (as the kids might say) “get good.” That can be intimidating for new players, which is why I aimed this article at returning players instead. If you’re someone who has enjoyed this franchise for a while, you will likely enjoy the competitive rush of hopping into games where (to be frank) you’ll get your Spartan’s metal butt kicked in if you don’t have the skills.

That’s because nothing is sweeter than a hard-fought victory. In Halo Infinite, every fight is a hard fight, and that’s exactly what makes them worth fighting!

The post Finish the Fight: 8 Reasons It’s Worth Returning To Halo Infinite appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Every video game enjoyer knows the disappointment of a game they’re anticipating getting cancelled, to the point where some announcements are taken with a grain of salt. Particularly when games are announced with few details other than the name and maybe some key art or a brief cinematic trailer, audiences find it hard to get excited when they’re not even sure if the game will actually be released or not. Xbox is the most recent perpetrator of this problem with Contraband‘s cancellation, but it’s by far from the only company guilty of announcing a game, going radio silent on it for some months or even years, and then cancelling it completely.

The Problem With Video Game Announcements

Anticipation is a great marketing tactic, but it can go too far when the wait between a game’s announcement and its actual release is long enough for fans to forget the game’s existence entirely. Contraband is another perfect example—it was announced in 2021 with a title card and a basic premise, and then it was radio silence until Avalanche Studios announced that development on Contraband had ceased in early August 2025.

Read Next

Xbox Series X Users Not Surprised After Major Exclusive Is Cancelled

The most egregious and topical example of a game being announced too early is Hollow Knight: Silksong. It was announced by Team Cherry in 2019, and it still hasn’t come out six years later. The game and news regarding its release are considered a joke in most online communities, with many people believing the game would never actually come out despite the lack of a cancellation announcement. Even with the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct proclaiming its release later in 2025, it’s still hard to believe that the game will be real thanks to years of broken or false promises that it was coming soon.

Another troubling trend in games marketing is the tendency of studios to prepare cinematics before the game is even in a playable state, sometimes even before production has really begun. This leaves potential players stuck in a sort of limbo, summarized concisely by u/FutureEditor on Reddit:

Years ago, the main worry after a game’s announcement was that it might not be the same as announced; now, it’s that the game might not come out at all. PlayStation announced The Last of Us in 2011 and it was released in 2013. Though it spent two years in development, there wasn’t really much worry that it would be canned. Now, it’s so common for games to get cancelled in production that players are unwilling to get their hopes up until a game has a release date, and even then, it’s not guaranteed. Bungie has indefinitely postponed Marathon after its recent alpha, and they’re not the only studio guilty of moving the goalpost for announced releases. However, industry reaction to studios doing this has been enough for some publishers to reevaluate their practices in recent years.

How Some Video Game Publishers Have Changed

In direct opposition to those studios who announce a game years before release, Electronic Arts (EA) didn’t announce Battlefield 6 until July 22, 2025, a week before its first reveal trailer. An open beta soon followed with an official release date of October 10, 2025. Unlike other studios, cadences of announcing games early in order to build hype and push huge marketing campaigns, EA has waited until it could ensure that a product would actually be delivered before drumming up hype. Not only did this give their audience something to actually be excited about, it also allowed them to reinforce players’ trust that EA is a company that follows through. Both audience and publisher benefit when publishers deliver what’s promised, and in a timely manner.

Microsoft seems to be following the same pattern with its 2025 releases and announcements as well—with over 30 games announced at June’s Xbox Games Showcase, and the majority of them with firm 2025 release dates, Microsoft is looking to reestablish some of the trust lost with Contraband‘s cancellation. After years of games being announced long before they’re beta-able, players are wary of getting too invested in something they’re not sure is even real. Now, it’s up to publishers and studios to work together to regain the trust they’ve lost.

What The Video Game Industry Should Do Going Forward

As is evidenced by EA and Microsoft’s shifts in focus, the best way to move forward and regain consumer trust is by focusing on the games that are actually coming out this year. Instead of announcing and teasing games that won’t see the light of day for years, studios and publishers should ensure the projects they currently have in development actually make it to players’ hands. Once they establish that they’re capable of follow-through, players will be more tolerant of long-term marketing campaigns.

One other piece of this whole issue to note is that many of the cancelled projects are due to a lack of funding, leading to a lack of manpower, an issue that’s plagued many industries and has led to huge layoffs in more sectors than just gaming. However, gaming has been hit particularly hard in the past three years or so, with major studios laying off thousands of developers who make their games possible, leading to cancelled projects. Maybe what’s needed is a general scaling-back of ambitions and a shift to producing high-quality games rather than massive, cutting-edge life-changers. Not every game needs to be the game of the year—most players would just be happy it came out at all.

The post Xbox’s Latest Cancellation Highlights the Problem With Video Game Announcements appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new white paper analyzing spending trends for games, DLC, microtransactions, and subscriptions has revealed how gamers will spend this year and identified an interesting outsized influence among North American and European players. Despite these two groups representing only 20% of the total global player base, they account for almost half of global game spending. In total, North Americans spend $52.7 billion, and European players spend $33.1 billion annually.

The report, published by gaming monetization platform Tebex and video game industry market intelligence firm Newzoo, totaled the expenditures of PC, console, and mobile players worldwide to provide insights into the rise of gaming spending.

Based on the data collected from consumer spending on physical and digital gaming titles, the report projects that the global games market will reach $188.9 billion in revenue by the end of 2025, with North America and Europe accounting for 46% percent of that total. 

Read Next

Game Pass Is Saving Xbox, According to Microsoft Data

This projection for 2025 indicates a 3.4% year-over-year increase in total global gaming spending, with North America expected to see a 4.2% increase and a 3.6% increase in Europe.

Newzoo notes that this revenue data has specific exclusions, like advertising dollars, taxes, and transactions in second-hand markets. The data also excludes certain B2B services and the betting and online gambling side of the games industry.

According to the report, North America is the leading region in the world for video game purchases, with the average gamer spending approximately $325 per year. These insights line up with other data points reported this year. In July, Mat Piscatella, senior director at market research firm Circana, reported that U.S. video game subscription spending reached an all-time high in May, following three consecutive months of growth.

Just what explains current game spending trends? One insight Piscatella mentions, also present in the Newzoo x Tebex report, is that value-driven in-game purchases are boosting revenue across different gaming platforms. 

PC Players in North America do 50% of their spending in-game, along with 48% of console players. Mobile game players spend 99% of their gaming dollars on in-game purchase items like battle pass subscriptions, cosmetics, and other micro-transactions. It seems that players are also increasingly spending more on content or services separate from access to a full game copy.

In Europe, the share of in-game transactions is even higher for PC and console players, with rates similar to those for mobile games among those of North American players. However, European gamers spend almost three times less on average than their North American counterparts.

These are insights that big players in the video game industry seem to have already taken notice of. Microsoft continues to double down on its profitable Game Pass subscription service, a product whose efficacy has been doubted by some over the years. In July, The Verge reported that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed on a Q4 earnings call that Xbox Game Pass Revenue set a new record, nearly reaching $5 billion for the first time in 2024.

It seems like the gaming landscape will continue to shift toward in-game purchases and micro-transaction monetization strategies, which have led to an increase in spending as players resist $70 and $80 price tags for full-priced gaming experiences.

How much do you spend per year on video games? Do you come close to the projected North American average of $325 per year?

The post How Much Money Gamers Spend Annually Revealed by New Report appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While Microsoft has ported numerous exclusive titles to PlayStation 5, such as Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 5, one major series is still missing: Halo. Despite the success of these titles on PS5, fans are still holding out hope that Halo will come to Sony’s console in some form. There have been numerous leaks and rumors pointing toward an eventual PS5 appearance for Master Chief, but Microsoft and Xbox have been silent about this. However, a new announcement may see the Halo series make the jump to PlayStation 5 in an unexpected way, and it may be happening sooner than you think.

Fans have long speculated that Microsoft would port either Halo: The Master Chief Collection or Halo Infinite to PlayStation 5. Both have good arguments. The first four mainline Halo games are bundled together in The Master Chief Collection along with Halo: Reach and Halo 3: ODST, offering PS5 players the iconic story that made the series what it is today. On the other hand, Halo Infinite is the latest title in the series, featuring the best work of (formerly) 343 Industries and the actively supported Halo game.

However, neither of these will be the Halo series’ first appearance on PS5. Helldivers 2 first surprised players by announcing it would release on Xbox Series X/S on August 26th. While this is great news, the latest trailer from Arrowhead Game Studios has generated even more hype. Helldivers 2 is teasing the first appearance of Halo on PlayStation 5 and it may be very soon.

Halo in Helldivers 2 Shows PlayStation and Xbox Can Work Together

At the end of Helldivers 2’s “Bring the Boom” trailer, Arrowhead Game Studios teases content from Halo 3: ODST. The theme for the game can be heard as a drop pod comes in from orbit. With the timing of this lining up with Helldivers 2’s upcoming Xbox debut, it seems very likely Halo will be added to the game. This marks the first time Halo will appear on PS5 in a major way. As unlikely as it was for Helldivers 2 to come to Xbox, it bringing Halo to PS5 was even less expected.

This does not mean that Xbox won’t release another Halo game on PlayStation 5. In fact, leaks from grunt.api indicates that two Halo games will come to PlayStation 5. From these leaks, it seems it will be two new games and not a port of a mainline or spin-off Halo game. However, this does not necessarily mean this is true, as there have been numerous leaks on this subject.

Regardless of how Halo comes to PlayStation 5, this marks the beginning of a new generation for gaming. Sony announced recently that it would be focusing less on hardware, and porting its cooperative multiplayer shooter appears to be the first step in this. While Sony has already released its exclusives on PC, it is now following in Microsoft’s footsteps by releasing first-party games on Xbox. This collab likely would not be possible if Sony hadn’t decided to bring Helldivers 2 to Xbox.

This opens the door for even more ports. Sony is known for its highly praised first-party titles throughout the years. God of War, The Last of Us, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Ghost of Tsushima are critically acclaimed games that may now be released on Xbox. The depth of how Sony supports Xbox remains to be seen, but fans are hopeful more games will arrive.

Does PS5 Even Need Halo?

Truthfully? No, PlayStation 5 does not need Halo, and it has proven this over the years. While it has not had a direct competitor to Halo, other games have filled this role. The Killzone series satisfied a similar experience, and Helldivers 2 has become one of the premier shooters for Sony on PS5. Marathon is also on the horizon, featuring the original creator of Halo, Bungie. Even outside of exclusives, the PS5 has had plenty of options for multi-platform shooters to fill this void.

Even Microsoft seems to agree. Rather than port over Halo: Combat Evolved or another game in the series, it decided to port Gears of War: Reloaded. There is nothing wrong with the Gears of War series, but Halo is easily one of the most important IPs under Xbox’s umbrella. Choosing not to release this series on PlayStation 5 and opting for another instead speaks volumes.

Read Next

Every Mainline Halo Game Ranked From Worst to Best

One could argue that Xbox is testing the waters with Gears of War: Reloaded. But even if this were the case, Halo has proven to be more popular and to have more widespread appeal than Gears of War. It also doesn’t make sense, considering one is an FPS while the other is a TPS. Halo would almost be guaranteed to perform well on PS5 and bring it to a wider audience.

If Microsoft were to bring Halo to PS5, it would have to be an already existing title like Halo Infinite or Halo: The Master Chief Collection. These games have enough appeal and validity to get people to purchase them on PS5, especially if crossplay is included. Releasing a brand new Halo game would be uncharted waters and a risk for Xbox and PlayStation.

Only time will tell how Xbox moves forward with Halo. Helldivers 2 releasing on Xbox is a major milestone in itself, but bringing Halo to PlayStation 5 is an incredible feat. PS5 players are hopeful that Master Chief makes the journey, but there is no official announcement as of yet.

The post Halo’s First Appearance on PS5 Won’t Be What Anyone Expected appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Gamescom is soon approaching, and fans are eagerly anticipating the numerous games that will be shown off on August 20th. Gamescom is taking place in Cologne, Germany, this year, and will feature some of the hottest and most anticipated games of 2025 and beyond. There will be several of the biggest names in gaming present, including Microsoft and Xbox. The studio has teased what players can expect. New games, old games, and even playable demos for some of the most anticipated games of the year. That said, three things in particular have dominated the discussion about Xbox’s appearance at Gamescom.

Xbox is hosting several livestreams throughout Gamescom to show off its upcoming games. Fans can likely expect the biggest news on the mainstream but also more in-depth walkthroughs, interviews, and more on side streams and platforms. Here is what to expect from Xbox at Gamescom 2025.

1) Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Shows off Its Campaign & Multiplayer

The biggest expectation from Xbox is the worldwide reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Fans are hopeful for a look at its campaign and its multiplayer, though the expectation is that the focus will be on the single-player campaign. While this has always been a part of the Call of Duty experience, with one exception, recent games have seen their campaigns heavily criticized.

Fans are hopeful this will be different for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The game is planned to be a direct sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and will feature familiar characters like Harper and David Mason. However, some leaks indicated that Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will deviate from previous Black Ops games by having the protagonist be a customizable nameless soldier rather than one with personality, like previous games.

Read Next

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Release Date Leaked

From Xbox’s marketing, Gamescom seems to plan to focus on the single-player experience. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’s multiplayer, and the primary reason the series has seen success, will likely be showcased at a later date. Fans may get a tease or glimpse of this, but should temper their expectations.

2) Hollow Knight: Silksong Finally Reveals Its Release Date

When the announcement that a playable demo for Hollow Knight: Silksong would be at Gamescom was revealed, fans immediately began applying their clown makeup. The new conspiracy theory is that Team Cherry will finally reveal the highly anticipated release date for its sequel to Hollow Knight. While this isn’t the first time fans have wound themselves up over a possible release date, this time it actually feels real.

Team Cherry previously revealed Hollow Knight: Silksong would release before the holiday season of 2025. With the Metroidvania being marketed heavily by Xbox, even appearing in the ROG Xbox Ally video, fans are convinced that Xbox’s booth at Gamescom will share when the game is launching. Adding more fuel to this fire is a second showing of Silksong at the Melbourne Museum, further hinting at an approaching release date announcement. With its absence from the Nintendo Indie World, fans are eager for another chance.

3) Microsoft Announces the Rog Xbox Ally’s Release Date and Pricing

The other big event expected at Xbox’s Gamescom coverage is the Xbox ROG Ally. Leaks have been circling the internet for several months, but nothing official has been revealed about the console’s pricing and release date. Many believe Gamescom will change, officially announcing when the handheld console will launch and how much all its versions will cost.

Fans also expect pre-orders to go up shortly after its reveal. The Nintendo Switch was massively successful thanks to its handheld capacity, and the Steam Deck proved the market could be tapped. Xbox is no doubt looking to get into it as well, and the Xbox ROG Ally is its way in. Pre-orders are a good indication of how successful a product will be and the perfect time to open them is after a big reveal at Gamescom.

What Else to Expect at Gamescom 2025?

While these are likely the biggest announcements Xbox could make at Gamescom, there is plenty more to see from the industry giant. Bethesda will be present, and fans are hoping to see gameplay for the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle DLC and learn more about it. It is expected to launch on all platforms on September 4th, right after Gamescom.

Blizzard fans can expect to see the opening cinematic for World of Warcraft’s next expansion, Midnight. This is the second of the Worldsoul Trilogy after The War Within, and players are excited for the future of the MMO. Gamescom will likely give players the first look at the expansion with an in-depth look at the forces of the Void. Blizzard may even reveal an official release date as well.

Finally, there is some hope that a new Halo game will be announced. While there is a lot of buzz about a potential Halo game on PlayStation 5, there have been rumors of an upcoming remake of Halo: Combat Evolved. It remains to be seen if this is true, but Gamescom would be the perfect platform to reveal this project.

Gamescom is only a week away, and excitement is in the air. This is just some of what is in store for Xbox, and they are only one studio that will be present. What has you most excited about Gamescom from Xbox? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 3 Biggest Xbox Announcements to Expect From Gamescom 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It is a good day to be a gamer when Hell’s forces are trembling in their boots and your wallet gets a little breathing room. The DOOM: The Dark Ages Limited Edition Xbox Wireless Controller is 32% off at Walmart, saving you $26. Meanwhile, the DOOM: The Dark Ages game itself is 29% off at Walmart, putting $20 back in your pocket. These deals are packed with enough style and adrenaline to make you feel like the Slayer himself is watching over your shoulder. Whether you are looking to upgrade your controller game or jump into the blood-soaked prequel that rewrites DOOM history, now is the time to strike.

The DOOM Slayer’s Grip in Real Life with the Xbox Wireless Controller

Xbox Wireless Controller – DOOM: The Dark Ages Limited Edition

• Compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PCs, and Cloud-Enabled Devices
• Grab 32% Off

Get deal on walmart

The Limited Edition Xbox Wireless Controller is not your average accessory. The matte green armor shell mirrors the Slayer’s own battle suit, while the 3D silver helmet spikes make it look like it could double as medieval weaponry. The plated top case feels sturdy and ready for the toughest multiplayer matches. The grips have a leather-like texture, giving you better hold when your palms start sweating mid-battle. One stick is a deep, sinister red to match the Slayer’s chest port, while the orange left trigger is your Shield Saw’s spiritual home. 

The ABXY buttons are etched with the Sentinel alphabet, adding that extra touch of lore for fans who live and breathe this universe. A blood-splatter detail on the left stick finishes the look in true DOOM fashion. The bonus DOOM Slayer Executioner Skin DLC means your in-game warrior can match the same menacing style you are holding in your hands.

DOOM: The Dark Ages Game Where It All Began

Doom: The Dark Ages – Xbox Series X

• Score 29% discount

Get Deal on Walmart

If the controller is the Slayer’s armor, the game is the saga that makes wearing it worthwhile. DOOM: The Dark Ages is a prequel to the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, taking you back to the very origin of the Slayer’s rage. This time, you are not in neon-lit labs or high-tech space stations. You are in the middle of a dark medieval war against Hell itself. Think ruined castles dripping with atmosphere, scorched battlefields littered with the remains of demons, and haunted forests where every shadow could hide something ready to rip you apart. 

Developed by id Software, it runs on the latest idTech engine, delivering visuals so sharp you might start checking your walls for Hell portals. You can still enjoy favorites like the Super Shotgun, but the Shield Saw steals the show with its brutal melee and ranged versatility. The adjustable difficulty system ensures you can find the right balance between challenging yourself and not hurling your controller through the wall. With new DOOM games releasing soon, it’s a nice time to complete the collection.

Why You Should Grab Both While They Last

The controller is a collector’s item that oozes character and turns every button press into a small roleplay moment. It is functional art, whether you are using it for DOOM or firing up other heavy hitters like Halo Infinite, Gears 5, or even something chill like Minecraft if you need a break from demon hunting. The game itself is a blood-pumping, lore-rich chapter in the DOOM saga that can hook both long-time veterans and new players curious about the Slayer’s past. Saving $26 on the controller and $20 on the game means you could even use the leftover cash to grab a month of Game Pass Ultimate and expand your library further.

If you have ever wanted to stand on a burning battlefield, Shield Saw in hand, knowing that no demon in the nine circles can stop you, this is your shot. One gives you the Slayer’s gear. The other lets you live his legend. Both are discounted, both are epic, and both will make your setup feel like it belongs on the cover of a metal album.

Keep checking ComicBook for guides, top picks, and real-world setup ideas to help you decide what fits your space. We bring you top discounts on the best tech gear ahead of the crowd, so keep looking.

The post DOOM: The Dark Ages Limited Edition Controller Price Gets Slashed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Halo is one of the biggest franchises in gaming and one of the flagship IPs for Xbox. Many have been wondering if Microsoft would eventually port any of the games to PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch 2 following its decision to release many of its other exclusives to these platforms. Gears of War: Reloaded showed the studio is willing to bring its iconic games to PlayStation, but despite leaks Halo coming to PS5, it has been nowhere in sight for non-Xbox platforms. However, a new leak has shed some light and further hints that Halo will finally make the crossover to other platforms.

A well-known Halo community dataminer, grunt.api, teased the release of a Halo game coming soon to PlayStation 5. No indication of what game this will be has been revealed, leaving fans with nothing but speculation. Grunt also shared that there did not seem to be any version for a Nintendo Switch 2 release, but will continue digging.

Read Next

Helldivers 2 Teases Halo Crossover for Xbox Release

This information comes from API files accessed by Grunt. The upcoming Halo project appears to have PlayStation compatibility, and Grunt speculates it is Certain Affinity’s Project Ekur, a rumored Halo multiplayer game. The API also revealed the title was linked to PlayFab, which enables cross-platform progression, crossplay matchmaking, and unified online services.

Some fans believe it will be Halo: The Master Chief Collection, but Grunt claimed this would not be the case. This led many to theorize that it is the heavily rumored remake of Halo: Combat Evolved. This lines up with Microsoft releasing Gears of War: Reloaded to PS5 rather than the entire trilogy. It is also possible that the Halo game could be Halo Infinite, as this is the most recent title to be released and has ongoing multiplayer support, though focus at Halo Studios has primarily shifted to developing new titles in the series.

What leads Grunt and many others to believe it is a new Halo game is that a beta is listed alongside it. This could be happenstance and not directly related to an upcoming Halo game, but it could reveal a beta for a new Halo project on Xbox and PlayStation. Even more interesting is a supposed second Halo title listed in the API. Grunt believes the first Halo game will be Project Ekur and have a beta, while the second will be the full Halo game with a campaign.

It remains to be seen if this proves to be true. PlayStation fans have hoped Halo would release on PlayStation 5 despite Microsoft’s silence. But with all rumors and leaks, remaining skeptical is the best course until proven otherwise by an official announcement, perhaps as early as Gamescom 2025, but that come as surprising news indeed.

The post New Halo Game on PS5 Reportedly Leaked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It would appear that the next iteration of console gaming is already nearly upon us, with the newest generation of PlayStation and Xbox consoles expected by many to make an appearance as soon as 2027. The upcoming PlayStation 6 (internally referred to as “Orion”) and the latest Xbox console (internally named “Magnus”) were always expected to deliver improvements over the current generation of consoles, however recent alleged leaks and rumors about the console’s specs give us an idea of just how advanced they’ll be compared to their predecessors. The alleged leaks also beg the question: which console is more powerful?

The collected information comes from various sources, including reputable leakers such as YouTuber “Moore’s Law Is Dead” and other documents found online. Other information, such as the amount of RAM available on each console, has been publicly speculated by industry experts, or leaked from an AMD presentation. Keep in mind that the legitimacy of these rumors varies, and that some (if not all) of these stats have a chance of being different when the PS6 and next Xbox are actually revealed.

PS6 & Next-Gen Xbox Rumored Specs Explained

The following are the rumored specs for the upcoming PS6 and Xbox “Magnus” consoles, with the reported CPU, GPU, GPU clock speed, RAM, and Power systems listed alongside rumored Performance Targets and “focus points” as stated by various tech outlets. If you don’t know what these stats mean, don’t worry. There will be a brief explanation just below the lists on what each means and how it affects console performance.

PlayStation 6 (Orion) Rumored Specs:

• CPU: 8-Core AMD Zen 6
• GPU: 40–48 RDNA 5 compute units
• GPU Clock Speed: 3+ GHz 
• RAM: GDDR7 SDRAM with a 160-bit or 192-bit bus, 24 GB of RAM is speculated 
• Power: Around 160W Thermal Design Power (TDP) (Lower than the PS5)

Performance Targets:

• 3x Faster Rasterization than the PS5
• Up to 10x faster ray racing than the PS5

Rumored Focus Points:

• Power efficiency, cost constraints, and improved ray tracing

Xbox “Magnus” Rumored Specs:

• CPU: 11-Core AMD Zen 6
• GPU: 68 RDNA 5 compute units
• GPU Clock Speed: Not Specified
• RAM: GDDR7 SDRAM with a 192-bit bus, 24 GB of RAM is speculated 
• Power: Not Specified

Performance Targets:

• Native 4k at 120 FPS
• Up to double the performance of a PS5 Pro

Rumored Focus Points:

• Modular design for a “family of devices”

So just what do all of these specs mean? If you’ve ever built a PC or looked at the system requirements section on a game’s store page, you might recognize some of the component names in the specifications lists.

• A CPU, or “Central Processing Unit”, or just “Processor,” is essentially the brain of your device. It determines how quickly your console can “think,” performing complex actions, executing instructions, performing calculations, and managing the overall operation of your system. The more “Cores” your CPU has, the better.
• A GPU is very similar, but it’s designed specifically for rendering visuals. Think of it as a brain designed to take the workload off of your CPU by strictly handling the processing of images. It renders your graphics and does it much better than a CPU and allows the CPU to handle other tasks, such as calculating AI behavior and other non-visual gaming logic.
• A GPU’s clock speed is a measure of how many instructions the GPU can execute per second, which is usually measured in gigahertz (GHz). The faster your clock speed, the better.
• RAM, or “random access memory,” is like a short-term memory storage for your system’s CPU that stores information needed to complete tasks. To simplify, typically, the more RAM a system has, the faster it loads things. Large, open-world games generally require a lot of RAM to play.
• The Thermal Design Power (TDP) of a system is a measure of how much power the system can generate and is generally used to determine the range a consumer might use in power when using the console. A lower TDP is better.

Will The PS6 Or Xbox “Magnus” Be More Powerful?

RELATED: 15 Best Games to Play on Xbox Game Pass Right Now

Based on what we know, we can determine that the rumored specs of the PS6 and Xbox “Magnus” point to one console being clearly superior: the Xbox “Magnus”.

While certain specifications, specifically the GPU clock speed and power supply of the Xbox were withheld from leaks and speculation, two GPU and CPU of the “Magnus” clearly point to the system being superior.

While both systems are said by an AMD report to be using AMD’s CPU and GPU architecture, the Xbox system appears to simply be packing more powerful versions of each device. The Xbox’s CPU will allegedly feature 11 Cores to the PlayStation’s eight, allowing for stronger computational power. The 68 RDNA 5 compute units also blows away the PS6’s rumored 40-48, giving the console a clear edge in graphical power too.

All of this information remains rumored and speculated upon for the time being. While these specifications come from credible leaks, it’s still possible that anything in here could change as we get closer to the actual release date of the PS6 and new Xbox.

Regardless, until we get any updates or changes to this information, we can assume that the next-generation Xbox console will be superior to the PlayStation 6, at least in terms of performance.

The post Comparing Next-Gen PS6 & Xbox Rumored Specs: Which Is More Powerful? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A forgotten PS2 and original Xbox game is coming to the Nintendo Switch this week on August 14. In other words, it is only three days away from hitting the Nintendo eShop. Right now though, there is no word of it coming to Nintendo Switch 2, nor any reason to expect it come to Nintendo Switch. And if it does, it will not be in time for this August 14 release. However, it will be playable on Nintendo Switch 2 via backward compatibility for all those who are willing to fork over $20 for the game.

The Nintendo Switch game in question is a remake of Ghost Master, a puzzle strategy game from 2003 and from UK studio Sick Puppies. When first released, Ghost Master was only on PC and Mac, but in 2004 it came to PS2 and Xbox. And it is these versions it is best known for as these versions proved more popular than the PC and Mac versions. Also because the PC version was not available on Steam when it launched, with a Steam version not coming until 2006.

The remake is not called Ghost Master, but Ghost Master: Resurrection, and while it is set to debut on Nintendo Switch this week, it actually came to PC back in November of last year. The original version of the game notably earned an 81 on Metacritic, and this new remake is earning similar remarks. To this end, it has an 84% approval rating on Steam. As for what is new in the remake, well it is described as a “faithful remake,” so not much has been changed, but there are new graphics, refined mechanics, and a new engine running it all.

Read Next

Nintendo Switch Game Normally $50 on Sale for $2

“The classic Ghost Master returns from the depths of the underworld, resurrected in a glorious rebirth of terror and intrigue,” reads an official pitch of the remake, for those curious in knowing more. “This faithful remake of the beloved original brings back the essence of the classic, now infused with stunning new graphics, a powerful new engine, and refined mechanics that will leave you screaming for more.”

It is worth noting that a Nintendo Switch price point for the Nintendo eShop has not been revealed, but the Steam version costs $19.99, so this is presumably how much the game will cost on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch OLED as well.

H/T, Nintendo Everything.

The post Remake of Forgotten PS2 and Xbox Game Coming to Nintendo Switch This Week appeared first on ComicBook.com.

An Xbox Game Pass game has been at the top of the charts virtually since it was added. Most Xbox Game Pass games peak when they are added, and then interest quickly declines. This is because a majority of the games added to Xbox Game Pass any given year are single-player games that do not lend themselves to replayability. In contrast, when multiplayer games are added to Xbox Game Pass, they may not experience as large of an initial pop in terms of interest, but they retain interest longer.

When looking at the Xbox Game Pass Core charts, specifically, there are a few great examples of this. To this end, there is one Xbox Game Pass Core game that was added all the way back in October of 2022. Almost three years later, it is still in the top-five most played Xbox Game Pass Core games, and this has been the case since it was added. How many Xbox Game Pass subscribers specifically are actively playing, we do not know, but it is clear Chivalry 2 has found an audience with the Microsoft subscription service.

One of the Best Multiplayer Games on Xbox Game Pass

How has the multiplayer, hack and slash action game maintained these levels? Well, simply put it is one of the best multiplayer gams on Xbox Game Pass right now. And this was true in 2024, 2023, and in 2022 when it was added. Chivalry 2 never really blew up. To this end, its peak concurrent player count on Steam, ever, was 16,959 players, which it achieved at launch. However, it has maintained almost 25 percent of this player base, with roughly 3,100 active Steam players last month, which may not seem like a lot, but for a three-year-old multiplayer game this is impressive and a testament to its quality. Especially once you consider the fact it is not has heavily supported as many of its competitors. Of course, support aids in retention, so to have a 25 percent retention rate without tremendous post-launch support is a testament to the base level of the game and its quality. To this end, it is one of my favorite multiplayer games of the last few years

Read Next

Xbox Game Pass Subscribers Excited for New Free Ubisoft Game

The nice thing about Chivalry 2 is that it is available across all tiers of Xbox Game Pass, from the cheapest to the most expensive, regardless of platform. And this is not true of the vast majority of Xbox Game Pass games.

For more coverage on all things Xbox Game Pass and Xbox coverage in general — including all of the latest Xbox Game Pass news, all of the latest Xbox Game Pass rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Xbox Game Pass deals — click here.

The post Xbox Game Pass Game Has Been at Top of the Charts Since It Was Added appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A major upcoming Xbox Series X exclusive game was recently cancelled. What’s surprising though is that the reaction from Xbox fans has been anything but surprised. Typically, when a major upcoming release is cancelled, it surprises everyone. This time though, Xbox fans seemingly saw it coming, and when you examine the context more, it makes sense why they thought this.

Back in July of 2025, Xbox cancelled three upcoming games: Perfect Dark, Everwild, and an unannounced MMORPG from ZeniMax Online Studios, the team behind The Elder Scrolls Online. All of this came as part of substantial layoffs at both Xbox and its parent company, Microsoft. When this news first broke, Xbox fans panicked wondering what was next, but then things went quiet, suggesting the cancellations were done and all of the other games were safe. This was a reasonable assumption, but, alas, an incorrect one.

Read Next

Xbox Series X Exclusive Game Remains 2025’s Biggest Flop

For whatever reason, Xbox did not get the cancellations out of its system in July, and decided to finish summer with one more. After reports previously suggested the project was safe, this week Xbox cancelled another upcoming Xbox Game Studios’ release: Contraband, which was being made by Avalanche Studios, the team best known for the Just Cause series.

Of course, this surprised some given all of the aforementioned context; the fact it seemingly survived the July cancellations and the reports that said it was safe. However, the reason Xbox fans were worried it was going to be cancelled in the first place was because it was pretty clear development was not going overly well.

The co-op smuggler game was announced all the way back in 2021 for PC and Xbox Series X. Then it was silent the rest of the year. And then it was silent in 2022, 2023, and 2024 as well. Finally we got an update on the game more than halfway through 2025, over four years later, but it was word that it was being canned. To this end, Xbox fans suspected this may happen.

“It was weird that we saw basically a title for this game and then nothing else for years,” writes one Xbox fan of the cancellation. Another comment adds: “Not surprised to be honest.”

A third comment further drives home the point: “I guessed as much we didn’t a peep about the game. What a waste of four years.”

Over on the Xbox Reddit page, the majority of the reactions to this news echo the sentiments above. Xbox fans who weren’t paying attention may have been surprised to see another upcoming game canned, but those who have been paying attention and following Xbox Game Studios certainly suspected this was coming.

All of that said, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you think. Did this cancellation from Xbox surprise you? Meanwhile, for more coverage on all things Xbox — including all of the latest with Xbox Series X, all of the latest with Xbox One, and all of the latest with Xbox Game Pass — click here.

The post Xbox Series X Users Not Surprised After Major Exclusive Is Cancelled appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With multiple tiers and hundreds of titles ready to play at your fingertips, decision fatigue seems inevitable as you peruse the Xbox Game Pass catalogue. It may have a great selection, but which game do you settle for when there are just way too many options? You might have played them when they first released or accidentally skipped their greatness, but don’t worry, we’ve got you.

The games we recommend aren’t available on Game Pass Core, but they are options for PC and Xbox users who don’t need to subscribe to Ultimate to play them. Here are our top recommendations. Get ready to call in sick for work or bunk off school, for there are hours of fun to be had with these diamonds.

1) Blue Prince

Inheriting a mysterious estate with an ever-changing layout, Blue Prince is a puzzle adventure like no other. The goal on paper is simple: find Room 46 and unearth your family’s secrets. But discovering this secret room isn’t so easy when there are many obstacles in the way and no guarantee that the RPG gods are on your side. With the ultimate replayability at hand and over 100 rooms to discover, your trek to Room 46 deserves your undying attention, for any misclick may set your progress back. Do you have the resilience to keep going?

2) Grand Theft Auto V

RELATED: Every Major Grand Theft Auto Game, Ranked

Sticking to the immersive story-driven world of GTA 5 is one thing, but hundreds of hours are easily sinkable into a game as there’s endless fun at your fingertips. The ultimate escape to a world full of crime and getting away with whatever you want, GTA 5 has an open world of opportunity—and it’s all yours for the taking. A game that is still enjoyed by many to this day when anticipation for GTA 6 is at an all-time high, the fifth title is one that’ll gladly take hours from your life and leave you feeling pure bliss. It’s a trip you never fully walk away from.

3) The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Life as a prisoner takes a drastic turn (for better or worse) as freedom comes at the steep cost of preventing power from getting into the wrong hands. Wrong place, wrong time, that’s the basic premise of Oblivion, but at least you’re free to explore Cyrodiil to your heart’s content. An ARG with incredible worldbuilding, a brand new world awaits you, and it’s one you can easily get lost in for hundreds of hours. Endless fun is ready to be had, whether you stick to the story or embark on your own. The choice is completely yours.

4) Terraria

The 2D adventure that’s written in your own rules, Terraria provides the ultimate freedom to do whatever you want with your experience. Starting with nothing in this sandbox RPG, your survival is on the line if you decide to bravely summon a boss to your front door. Otherwise, enjoy building whatever you want, inviting and building rapport with your neighbors, and exploring the land one layer at a time. Nothing is off-limits and no one’s asking you to defeat deities anytime soon. The choice is yours on how you want to play. Offering an intense single-player experience or an entertaining co-op adventure, Terraria is a no-brainer pick for Minecraft fans.

5) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Awestruck off the jump after witnessing one of the greatest prologues in video game history, Clair Obscur has a truly gripping narrative and a unique twist on its RPG combat. Immersion is guaranteed with the story and mix of quick-time events with turn-based strategy. A beautiful cinematic adventure about the strength to keep going, Clair Obscur will stay with you for its emotional impact and the challenges you must overcome to save humanity before The Paintress’s annual brushstroke displays that dreaded “0.”

6) DOOM

A reboot of an iconic franchise, DOOM brings realistic gunfights and fluid gameplay to the forefront. From flat models to creatures with depth, DOOM feels better than ever now that you can slaughter hordes of demons like the absolute badass you are. There’s no better game to play if you want a proper challenge. There’s nothing slow-paced about this franchise, for mobility and shooting go hand-in-hand. Juggle evasion and precise aiming to topple the enemy and come out the other side victorious as you navigate through Mars’ version of Dante’s Inferno.

7) Gears of War

RELATED: Every Gears of War Game, Ranked

Who wants to play a hyper-realistic military shooter when you can participate in a war against sentient insect-like enemies? Effortlessly cool and hard to put down, Gears of War is an action-packed third-person shooter that’s challenging, satisfying, and highly entertaining. The goal is simple: wipe out the Locust Horde to save humanity from extinction. Every action feels heavy as you move closer to your goal, trudging along an impossible mission as the last defenders of Earth. Gears of War can sometimes feel like a battle only you’re facing, but you will feel like an unstoppable one-man army by the end of it.

8) Hi-Fi RUSH

The vibrant comic-like universe of Hi-Fi Rush will pull you in with its simplicity and extreme polish in a world full of buggy new releases. Don’t let its basic plot put you off, for the reason to play is in its unique art direction that pulls you in and persists for its rhythm-based combat and open-world exploration. From its quirky characters and high skill ceiling, down to its secret ending that may surprise you, there’s high entertainment value that continuously stays at its peak. Ride the rhythm wave and combo enemies like a musical Devil May Cry.

9) Little Nightmares II

Where strange monsters roam across this grayscale landscape, why go through this surreal, dreamlike world alone? Find yourself a buddy and give her that iconic yellow raincoat, for a creepy adventure awaits. You don’t know if you’ll make it out of there alive, if the world was always like this, or if something went wrong along the way. What you do know is that this place doesn’t feel as scary when someone’s there to hold your hand. A prequel, Little Nightmares II greatly improves on its predecessor with more scares and a stronger atmosphere. A platformer that’s mildly cute on the surface, discover an immersive dystopia that’s full of mystery, where everything inside it wants you dead.

10) Resident Evil 2

Two characters, two different playthroughs; survive the first night of a global epidemic in the heart of Raccoon City. The best survival horror there is, indulge yourself in item management, scarce resources, tense atmosphere, and engaging puzzles. Perfect level design that encourages backtracking; Resident Evil 2 Remake is a third-person horror that lets you fight back against the monsters. Excellent characters and an engaging plot with cheesy cutscenes, there’s so much to love about this Resident Evil title.

11) Sifu

Fluid, flawless, and ridiculously satisfying kung fu puts Jackie Chan Stuntmaster to shame. A unique take on the boss rush genre sees you fight opponent after opponent, but trying again comes at a tall price. Every death brings resurrection, but you’ve aged with every life given. A challenging fighting game that can leave you in awe or throwing your controller against the wall, Sifu‘s greatness lies in its art design and combat. Mastering your craft takes time, but is it worth all that pain and sacrifice to achieve that end goal?

12) Telltale Games: The Walking Dead (Seasons One and Two)

No one should be alone in a zombie apocalypse, especially children. If you want to stand a chance at surviving, you have to stick together. Group up, share your rations, and make the hard decisions. In this interactive adventure where choices (kinda) matter, there are many characters to invest in, and the strong chance that they won’t make it to the end of the story. Showcasing the resilience of humans, where teamwork makes the dream work, are zombies the only thing you need to worry about?

13) Banjo-Kazooie

The platforming adventure of Banjo-Kazooie has a plot not too far off the likes of Mario, Crash Bandicoot, and Spyro. Levels invite a ton of exploration, alongside an addictive gameplay loop. There’s variety when it comes to the playable duo, who provide unique mechanics to help navigate around the vibrant world. Yes, the graphics have aged, but this title still holds strong as one of the best platformers out there today. It’s an absolute classic that promises continuous fun without the risk of burnout.

14) Celeste

The climb to the peak of Celeste Mountains is both a mental and physical battle. A platformer with a lot of beauty and a tough challenge that demands your devotion, immersion is provided through its difficulty. You’re put into Madeline’s shoes for having the will to keep going regardless of what’s in front of you is something both you and the character can relate to. Dying is inevitable in this game, yet you cannot feel defeated; instead, you have the urge to keep going and to see what’s at the top of Celeste Mountain. It’s an internal journey told through fantastic level design and a beautiful soundtrack.

15) Crash Bandicoot N.Sane / Spyro Reignited

Go down the ultimate nostalgic trip with some of the best platformers around. The remakes of Spyro and Crash Bandicoot are readily available on Game Pass. For those wanting a more chill time then you can embody a cute lil dragon or test your patience and resilience as an eccentric bandicoot. Fantastic level design, iconic soundtracks, and endless entertainment on offer across three games packed into a single title. Sure, nothing beats the nostalgia and flawless design of the originals, but Toys for Bob’s remakes are a must-play for platforming stans.

The post 15 Best Games to Play on Xbox Game Pass Right Now appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The PS5 is getting another Xbox console exclusive game next month. The Xbox console exclusive — currently not available on any console beyond Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X — has been an Xbox console exclusive for three years, so some assumed it may stay an Xbox exclusive perpetually. That said, the game is not even an Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, or Activision release, so it was unclear why it was exclusive to Xbox consoles in the first place. This was presumably the result of some type of deal struck between the publisher of the game and Xbox, but this has never confirmed. Whatever the case, the game is now coming to both PS4 and PS5 on September 2. Ahead of this, the game has been added to the PlayStation Store be Wishlisted, but right now there is no price. It will presumably cost what it comes on other platforms though, which is $18.99.

The port follows a string of ports of Xbox games to PS5. And it will come on the back of Xbox releasing one of its biggest games of 2025, Gears of War: Reloaded, on the PS5 the moment it launches on August 26. PS4, PS5, and PS5 Pro users should not get too excited though because the Xbox console exclusive coming to the PlayStation Store on September 2 is not as noteworthy.

The game in question is Lapin from developer Studio Doodal and publisher Flux Games. This, for those for that do not know, is a 2D, side-scrolling platformer that released in 2023, but this was a year after it debuted in 2022 in early access form. On Steam, the game has been a hit with users, as evident by a 93 percent approval rating. On Xbox though, gamers have been less impressed, as evident by its 3/5 stars on the Microsoft Store.

Read Next

Sony Reportedly Releasing New PS5 Controller With a Huge Upgrade

“Lapin is a 2D precision platformer game featuring a group of brave rabbit explorers,” reads an official description of the PlayStation-bound game. “Break through life-threatening obstacles with precise controls, and embark on an adventure filled with new encounters and stunning landscapes! The rabbits who lived underneath a park have to leave for a new home, as the humans started a renovation. Liebe, a cute white rabbit, leads an epic adventure with Captain, Bianca, Jose, and Montblanc. What will happen to these five rabbits on their tale? Join them on this unique adventure full of new friends, rabbit-threatening dangers, and beautiful scenery!”

Those on PS4, PS4 Pro, PS5, and PS5 Pro interested in checking Lapin out when it hits the PlayStation Store next month should expect a game that ranges from 6 hours long to 14 hours long, depending on completion rate. In other words, it can be beaten in six hours, but you will need more than double this to 100 percent the game.

The post PS5 Is Getting Another Xbox Console Exclusive Game After Three Year Wait appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the best Xbox 360 games of all time is only $1 for a limited time. The deal is not actually available to Xbox users though because it does not come the way of the Microsoft Store. Rather, it is limited to PC gamers because the deal comes the way of Steam, where the nostalgic video game has been discounted by 90 percent until August 17 and where it is Steam Deck Verified. Given that the game in question is 15 years old though means many Steam users may already own it.

The game in question was released in 2010 on the Xbox 360 and the Xbox 360 only. It eventually came to more platforms in the following years, but at first, and for a while, it was an Xbox 360 exclusive and one of the marquee Xbox Live Arcade games. Considering it was in Game of the Year conversations with the likes of Red Dead Redemption, Mass Effect 2, Super Mario Galaxy 2, God of War III, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, Xenoblade Chronicles, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and Halo Reach is a testament to its quality. All of these games were big-money productions, with big marketing campaigns, and a ton of anticipation. And hanging right there with them was Limbo. For those that don’t know, Limbo is the predecessor to 2016’s Inside, one of the best games of all time. It was the debut release from Danish studio Playdead, and a great debut at that. Upon release, it earned a 90 on Metacritic, sold very well for an indie title at this time, and come the end of the year won many awards at awards season. And for those that have never experienced it, they can now right this wrong for just $1.

Read Next

Xbox 360 Game Just Got DLC 17 Years Later

An All-Time Classic That Still Holds Up

Limbo may be 15 years old, but you would not really know that by looking at it due to the nature of the game and its humble ambitions. Unlike many games from this era, if Limbo was released today it wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb. More than this, it is almost certainly never going to be cheaper than this. To this end, it has never been cheaper than this price point.

Now, Limbo is not the longest or most content-packed game, only offering up to six hours of game. However, 6 hours of high-quality content for $1 is great value, especially for one of the games that defined the Xbox Live Arcade era.

Its Sequel Is Also on Sale

As noted above, Limbo got a sequel in 2016, which like its predecessor, was one of the best games of its year. In fact, in many ways Inside is simply an upgraded version of Limbo, as they are both very similar. And right now, it is only $1.99 on Steam. This deal is also available until August 17, and it is unlikely the game will ever be cheaper than this as Playdead has never discounted a game by more than 90%.

The post One of the Best Xbox 360 Games Only $1 for a Limited Time appeared first on ComicBook.com.

An Xbox Series X console exclusive game from earlier this year remains the biggest flop of 2025, more than halfway through the year. To understand why, it is important to define what a flop is. In order for a video game to be a flop, there has to be level of anticipation achieved before the game’s release. In this regard, a flop is not automatically the worst game of the year. If a terrible looking game comes out and it is as terrible as everyone thought that is not really a flop, it is just a terrible game. Likewise, if a game has major red flags going into release, can you call it a flop when it releases and it’s not good? For example, there was some anticipation for MindsEye, but going into that release the red flags were clear and abundant, and thus nobody was exactly surprised it was a disaster at release. To call this a flop doesn’t seem an accurate description. For a game to be a flop, it typically has to have some level of anticipation behind it, whether because it looks good or it is being made by a high-profile developer/publisher in the industry.

Of course, when defining what is and isn’t a flop, you also need to consider the data: its critical performance, its consumer reception, and its commercial performance. These are the three great indicators of success, and consequently, the indicators of what is and isn’t a flop.

All of that said, there is a case to be made that South of Midnight is 2025’s biggest flop so far. Is it comparable to last year’s biggest flop, Concord? Not at all, but there actually haven’t been many flops this year. There have been some bad games, like Mindseye. There was also FBC: Firebreak from Remedy Entertainment, but that never really generated a ton of interest given that it was not a classic Remedy game but something new and experimental, and frankly something that never looked good. South of Midnight had ample anticipation though, partially because it is an Xbox game, yet it came out and next to nobody cared.

Read Next

Xbox Is Bringing Back Rare Controllers That Have Been Sold Out All Year

Xbox Game Pass Performance

When South of Midnight released on April 8, 2025, it was immediately available via Xbox Game Pass. As an Xbox Game Studios release, and considering the marketing behind it, you would expect it shot to the top of the Xbox Game Pass charts, but it did not. At release, it was the 7th most-played game on there, behind releases like Asphalt Legends and Commandos Origins, which aren’t exactly the biggest competition. So, if you were going to suggest its poor commercial performance was simply the result of mass adoption on Xbox Game Pass, you would be wrong.

Dead on Steam

On Steam, it was really bad for South of Midnight. Its peak concurrent player count on Steam is 1,438 players. For those that don’t follow Steam concurrent player trends, this is atrocious. Let’s put this number into context with some comparisons though. The game many point to as the biggest flop of 2025 so far, MindsEye, managed to nearly double this with 3,302 players. 3,302 is still terrible yet almost double. Speaking of double, this is only about double of what Concord posted with its 697 player peak. To only have about 700 more players than one of the biggest video game flops of all time is obviously not good.

Perhaps the best comparison is fellow Xbox game Redfall, because it was both a mega flop and also available on Xbox Game Pass the moment it released. It flopped so hard it closed a studio, yet it managed 6,124 players. Again, 6,124 players is not good. In fact, it is terrible; yet it is substantially better than 1,438 players.

Metacritic Score

The best thing going for South of Midnight is its 77 on Metacritic. When that is what you have to hang your hat on though, something obviously went wrong. 77 is a fine score, but it’s not a great score. It’s debatable if it is even a good score, especially for a game with the resources of Xbox Game Studios behind it. This part of the context really matters because some developers and publishers would be over the moon with a 77, but nobody at Xbox Game Studios was jumping up or down when that score was revealed. And it can be argued this score is also inflated, because the Xbox game has a few perfect scores that don’t just inflate the score but juxtapose the majority of the game’s reviews.

Is South of Midnight a bad game? Not at all. It’s a solid release, and the best from Compulsion Games yet. But when you consider its consumer engagement, across Xbox Game Pass, Steam, and more, this isn’t very relevant. South of Midnight is a flop because nobody played it or cared about it, despite extensive marketing and despite the resources of Xbox. South of Midnight came out and it wasn’t a bad game, it was just quickly irrelevant, which is worse.

The post Xbox Series X Exclusive Game Remains 2025’s Biggest Flop appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Xbox is bringing back rare controllers later this year for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S users, though a specific date has not been provided yet. In the Xbox Series X and PS5 generation, there is no denying that Xbox has done a better job on the controller front, at least when it comes to customization and options. Many would argue the PS5 DualSense is a superior controller compared to the Xbox Series X|S controller, but the latter has far many more unique releases, not to mention customization options. To this end, Xbox this week brought back the Xbox Design Lab. And, in addition to this, it is bringing back two popular limited-edition Xbox Series X controllers it stopped selling.

The first of these controllers is the special Xbox controller CD Projekt Red and Microsoft released for The Witcher 3. Naturally, it sports a special Witcher-inspired design. The controller was specifically released for the 10th anniversary of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt earlier this year in two forms: a $79.99 standard controller and a $169.99 Elite Series 2 Core controller. Both sold out very quickly, and both have never returned.

In addition to this, the special edition DOOM: The Dark Ages Xbox controller is also returning. Like the controller made for The Witcher 3, this was available both as a $79.99 standard controller and as a $169.99 Elite Series 2 Core controller. Or at least it was, because like The Witcher 3 controller, it sold out quickly and has not been back since.

Read Next

Xbox Game Pass Subscribers Excited for New Free Ubisoft Game

This is all changing later this year when the controllers will be brought back. There is no date right now though, and it is unclear if both versions of each controller will return. The lack of details on the latter suggests it will be both though.

What has also not been specified is whether or not these will once again be limited edition releases or a permanent fixture in the Xbox controller catalog. It is probably the former, but we do not have much precedent to follow because it is not often Xbox brings backed limited edition controllers like this. In fact, this is the first time this generation it has done this.

Of course, as more information is provided, we will update the story accordingly. That said, for now, it appears this is all Microsoft is going to be saying about the matter. In the meantime, for more coverage on all things Xbox — including all of the latest Xbox Series X news, all of the latest Xbox One news, and all of the latest Xbox Game Pass news — click here.

The post Xbox Is Bringing Back Rare Controllers That Have Been Sold Out All Year appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Xbox Game Pass subscribers are excited for a new free Ubisoft game available via the subscription service. Unfortunately, the new addition is limited to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass PC, which means those on Xbox Game Pass Core or Xbox Game Pass Standard do not have a new Ubisoft game to enjoy. The good news is that in addition to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, the Ubisoft game is also on Xbox One, so Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers on the last-gen Xbox can enjoy this new addition.

The Ubisoft game in question is a 2023 release, but unfortunately, was not a standout release two years ago. It was received warmly, as evident by its 77 on Metacritic, but this is obviously not light-the-world-on-fire great. It is not even normal great, but it is a solid return. More than this, it’s an Assassin’s Creed game, which immediately elevates its profile. For those that have not connected the dots yet, Assassin’s Creed Mirage has been added to Xbox Game Pass, and subscribers are excited to check it out.

Read Next

Xbox Game Pass Users Hail New Day One Games as Some of the Best Survival Games Ever

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is not the latest Assassin’s Creed game, but the second latest. The latest is obviously, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which released earlier this year, and which is not available via Xbox Game Pass. Assassin’s Creed Mirage was made by Ubisoft Bordeaux, and originally supposed to be an Assassin’s Creed Valhalla expansion before it was spun off into its own game. It is consequently smaller than AC Valhalla and AC Shadows. It is also more linear and stealth focused like older games in the series. While not the biggest game in the series, it is one of the bigger additions to Xbox Game Pass this month.

To this end, over on the Xbox Game Pass Reddit page there is a post dedicated to it, and it features subscribers excited to check out the overlooked Assassin’s Creed game.

“Thanks for telling me this. I really wanted to play this but I didn’t want to spend money on it so appreciate it,” reads one of the comments. Another adds: “One of the games of all time.”

How long Assassin’s Creed Mirage will be available via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass PC, we do not know. As long as it available though, subscribers can purchase it outright for 20% off thanks to an exclusive discount.

For more coverage on Xbox Game Pass and all things Xbox in general — including all of the latest Xbox Series X news, all of the latest Xbox One news, and all of the latest Xbox Game Pass news — click here.

The post Xbox Game Pass Subscribers Excited for New Free Ubisoft Game appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Forza Motorsport, or Forza Motorsport 8, as some call it, was effectively a reboot for the series. Players were mixed on this, but it ultimately proved to be a hit with fans. However, these same fans are growing impatient and believe that Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios are not properly respecting them. This comes from a lack of communication, leaving fans uncertain of the series’ future.

Fans have grown upset due to the lack of communication since the last update, which was in May, and saw the addition of Fujimi Kaido. Many have considered this the best update the game has seen, and with it occurring before the layoffs in July, some even fear that the series as a whole is being canceled. Microsoft’s decision to port Forza Horizon 5 to PlayStation 5 only further fueled this fear.

Read Next

New Forza Horizon 5 Freebie Celebrates “More Gamers Driving Together” on PS5 and Xbox

That said, Turn 10 Studios did issue a statement looking at what is to come for Forza Motorsport. This includes Track Toy Tour, Ringer Tour, Challenge Hub, and Featured Rivals. These are broken down into different series that will offer new experiences in this content. New rewards will also be available upon completing these.

The new content is releasing for Forza Motorsport starting this week and will continue to be added throughout August and September. Challenges will accompany this and give players more to enjoy in Career and other modes.

Despite this reassurance of new content coming to Forza Motorsport and the promise to continue supporting Forza Horizon 5 on Xbox and PlayStation, some fans are still concerned about the series’ future. While Turn 10 Studios addressed the question of whether more updates would come to the rebooted Forza Motorsport, it did not share details about more games in the series.

“This shows that they have no respect for the fans of Forza Motorsport at all,” said user @ForzaErwin84 in a previous post. “Xbox or Phil Spencer and the leadership team should be ashamed of themselves. Just be clear about it and move on. People supported the franchise for many years and then this. Shame on you.”

The layoffs by Microsoft have affected numerous studios and developers, so the concern is valid. Fans are primarily wanting clarity and are demanding this from both Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios. Many point at the official Forza Motorsport X account, which used to post frequently, but now has only had one post since July 10th.

How do you feel about Turn 10’s handling of Forza Motorsport? Do you think the series will see more games, or is Forza Horizon the future? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Forza Motorsport Fans Slam Xbox For Having “No Respect for Fans” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Following a recently posted job opening, Sony Senior Vice President Sadahiko Hayakawa seemed to confirm that more of the company’s games will be offered for platforms beyond PS4 and PS5. That’s not a total surprise based on everything we’ve seen over the last few years. Sony started a slow path towards a multiplatform strategy by releasing its games on PC a few years ago, before eventually bringing PlayStation brands to Nintendo Switch. The last barrier seemed to fall when the company announced a version of Helldivers 2 for Xbox Series X|S. We don’t know which PlayStation games will come to other platforms next, but there is one candidate that makes the most sense, and that’s Marvel’s Spider-Man.

Released on PS4 in 2018, Marvel’s Spider-Man was a huge deal upon release. A critical and commercial success, the Insomniac developed game spawned DLC, a spin-off, and a numbered sequel. On top of all that, it also created a distinct take on the Marvel Universe that the developers plan on building upon in the future; not only is there a third Marvel’s Spider-Man game in the works, but Insomniac is also currently developing Marvel’s Wolverine. Right now, there is a version of the Marvel Universe that is exclusively accessible on PlayStation and PC.

In the years since Marvel’s Spider-Man was released, both Marvel and Sony have found ways to grow out that universe. Not only has the Insomniac take on Spider-Man shown up in Sony’s Spider-Verse films, but we’ve even seen the game’s take on Peter Parker adapted to the Marvel comics, where he’s played a key role in some crossover events. Perhaps the smartest move the companies made was giving Insomniac’s Spider-Man his own unique costume design with that trademark white spider. A lot of fans didn’t like it at first, but now it appears all over clothing and other merchandise, and it’s even obtainable in Marvel Rivals. It’s impossible to overstate what a big deal this game has been for both PlayStation and Marvel over the last seven years.

For all of those reasons, Marvel’s Spider-Man would be a really smart game for PlayStation to bring to Xbox, and possibly Nintendo Switch 2 as well. Spider-Man is one of the biggest superheroes on the planet, and bringing his game to other platforms simply makes sense from a marketing standpoint. Batman’s Arkham games weren’t exclusive to other platforms, and Spider-Man’s games shouldn’t be exclusive either. These are iconic characters beloved by people around the world. While Spider-Man fans can see him show up in lots of games outside of Insomniac’s series, PlayStation has the exclusive rights to create solo games based on the character. That means if you’re an Xbox owner who loves Spider-Man, you have to stick to ensemble games like Marvel’s Midnight Suns and the upcoming Marvel Cosmic Invasion. You can’t even play old Spider-Man games released by Activision on Xbox or Nintendo systems, likely as a result of the deal between Marvel and Sony.

From Sony’s perspective, Spider-Man would be a more logical choice to bring to other platforms before any other game. The company could bring over titles like Days Gone instead, but that’s just not going to have the same widespread appeal; the pool of Xbox players that care about Deacon St. John coming to the platform is going to be a lot smaller than the number that are excited about the prospect of seeing Peter Parker. One is a cultural icon that has been around for more than 60 years, and the other is unlikely to ever appear in another video game again (sorry Days Gone fans, but it’s the truth). That’s not to say PlayStation shouldn’t also port over games beyond Spider-Man, but it’s the one that makes the most sense from an investment standpoint.

That brings us to the financial aspect of all this: the Spider-Man games cost a lot of money to develop. Development costs on AAA games have ballooned over the last decade, making it harder and harder for companies to justify keeping games walled off as exclusives. The Spider-Man games have been great sellers for Sony, but it’s safe to assume those profits are getting split with Marvel. Sony is probably making more than enough money to justify developing additional Spider-Man video games, but bringing them to additional platforms means a better chance at recouping costs.

Read Next

How Being a Father Taught Me That Spider-Man Shouldn’t Be One

Time will tell if PlayStation sees the financial and logical incentives to bring Marvel’s Spider-Man to other platforms. On top of everything else, it’s a good game, and it could give Sony a reason to bring over Insomniac’s follow-ups. That’s a lot of potential revenue, and there’s good reason for Marvel to push for it happening, just as the MLB once pushed to get The Show ported to Nintendo and Xbox platforms. There are other PlayStation games that also make sense to bring to multiple platforms (The Last of Us for sure), but it’s long past time that players on Xbox and Switch 2 got a chance to swing as Spidey.

The post The 1 PlayStation Game Sony Has to Port to Xbox Now appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Turn 10 Studios has released an update regarding future content releases for Forza Motorsport, which comes in the wake of reports last month that suggested the series was likely dead after Turn 10 lost many staff members due to Microsoft cuts. A lengthy post detailed the features now available in the new Track Toys Tour, also outlined a future Ringer Tour scheduled for September. It appears that, for the moment, Xbox has no plans to suspend updates for its Forza titles, giving fans hope that, despite the current climate of gaming layoffs, the series might not be quite as dead as previously thought.

In a post on the social media platform X, the official Forza Motorsport account addressed concerns players had with the future of the game, assuring them that support for the racing simulator will continue.

“Dear Forza Community, we know many of you have questions about what’s next for the Forza franchise, and we appreciate the support of our incredible community,” said the post. “We wanted to assure players that Turn 10 and Playground Games will continue to support Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon 5.”

Read Next

Forza Motorsport Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Major Update

Developed by Turn 10 and published by Xbox Game Studios, the future of Forza Motorsport was made uncertain last month after reports of layoffs and statements from a former developer suggested that these cuts had effectively buried the series.

“Turn 10 Studios has shuttered the Forza Motorsport space and the team is no more,” wrote former Forza content coordinator Fred Russell in a July 3rd Facebook post. “A very sad day for one of the best car racing video games. I loved my time there.”

Turn 10 was significantly impacted by massive layoffs in July, which affected approximately 9,000 Microsoft employees. This move had Forza fans worried as Microsoft has been behind a string of studio shutdowns in recent months. Last year, it closed multiple game studios, including Redfall developer Arkane Austin and HiFi Rush developer Tango Gameworks.

However, despite the gloom surrounding the loss of the studio’s members, Turn 10 was upbeat in outlining its future content updates for Forza Motorsport. In addition to introducing new tour content for players, the developers will also reintroduce an extra tour at the beginning of each month.

Along with new tour content, players will also be able to earn previously exclusive rewards through an expanded challenge hub, with new reward cars being made available. These cars include:

• 1998 Nissan #23 Pennzoil NISMO Skyline GT-R: Available Now
• 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe: Available Now
• 1974 Porsche #1 911 RSR: Available September 3rd

This new update to Forza Motorsport has given fans new hope for the series. Still, the developers also stopped short of ultimately clarifying whether Xbox has plans to continue the series beyond its current iteration. It also didn’t address whether there was any DLC or other major content that was still being developed for the 2023 title.

The post Xbox Gives Update on the Future of Forza Motorsport appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Xbox has reportedly pulled the plug on a brand new game from the Just Cause team. Xbox has been in a strange state for the last few years. For starters, fans got pretty upset when Xbox started bringing some of their big games over to PlayStation. It felt like a sign that Xbox as a platform was dying and that the company was taking any approach possible to stay sustainable. On top of that, numerous studios have been shut down resulting in thousands of lay offs and many games being cancelled. Just a month ago, the Perfect Dark reboot, Everwild, and a new ZeniMax MMO were all scrapped with developer The Initiative being shut down.

It was a move that caused a ton of controversy and has led to fans feeling like Xbox’s future is bleak. Despite Xbox confirming it is working on a new console, many wonder why they’d even bother investing into a console that can’t even deliver its games. Not only are games being cancelled, but others are taking forever to release. Fable has been in development for the better part of a decade and won’t release until next year at the earliest. That game was announced when the Xbox Series X was revealed and yet, it likely won’t release until a year or two before the next Xbox releases.

Unfortunately, things are only getting worse, though. It has been confirmed that active development has stopped on Contraband, a brand new heist game being made by Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios. Xbox Game Studios was going to publish this game, which was announced formally back in 2021. Some thought Contraband was quietly cancelled previously due to the fact it has been quiet for so long, but it has been alive this whole time. However, Xbox has pulled the plug on the project. Avalanche did give a bit of hope for the project in a statement, noting that they are “evaluating the project’s future” and will give some kind of announcement as soon as they can.

It’s possible Contraband may be scooped up by a different publisher, but that will likely depend on how good the game looks in its current state. If Contraband was cancelled because it wasn’t making enough progress or was in a rough place, then it’s hard to imagine another publisher wanting to continue to invest in it. However, all we can do is wait and see what happens. It’s unfortunate, though, as a big new heist game sounds really cool. However, Contraband has been MIA for nearly half a decade and it’s hard to say when it might even release, if it does get saved.

The post Xbox Just Cancelled Another Big Exclusive from the Just Cause Team appeared first on ComicBook.com.

PlayStation appears to be teasing that it’s moving away from its console exclusive formula. For years, exclusive games have defined consoles. If you’re a shooter fan, you would probably go to Xbox for Gears of War and Halo. If you’re a fan of cinematic story games, you go to PlayStation. If you like really creative and light hearted adventure games, Nintendo is likely your platform of choosing. However, the barriers have begin to fall in recent years. Xbox and PlayStation have been bringing their games to PC for years and now, Xbox is bringing games to PlayStation, including heavy hitters like Gears of War.

It’s a sign that the times are changing. Later this month, PlayStation will bring Helldivers 2 to Xbox as well. Some suspected that this was a move made by developer Arrowhead with the support of PlayStation, but it was actually the other way around. PlayStation was the one that decided to bring Helldivers 2 to Xbox, likely realizing the amount of demand for the game and seeing how many sales it would leave on the table if it didn’t do this. Now, it seems like more PlayStation games could in fact be coming to Xbox in the future.

PlayStation Is “Moving Away from a Hardware Centric Business Model”

As reported by Genki_JPN on Twitter, Sony Senior Vice President Sadahiko Hayakawa seemed to indicate during an earnings call that they are trying to move away from locking everything behind hardware. Instead, they’re focusing on developing engagement and profitability, seemingly suggesting that they are bringing PlayStation games to new platforms.

“In the gaming business, we are moving away from a hardware centric business model more to a platform business that expands the community and increases engagement,” said Sadahiko Hayakawa. He went on to note that Sony is transitioning to becoming an entertainment creation company to help with sustainability and profitability.

This all seems to sound like Xbox’s own strategy which has begun pushing games to other platforms for growth. Forza Horizon 5 is one of the best selling PS5 games this year, so clearly it’s working in their favor. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Gears of War also top the charts for PS5 as well and Halo will be a gamechanger when it inevitably comes.

The question is whether or not PlayStation will go as hard as Xbox has or if it will drip feed older games like Marvel’s Spider-Man or the Uncharted collection instead of releasing more recent games. This plan could also see PlayStation leaning harder on PC as a platform, shortening the gap between PC and PS5 releases if not eliminating that gap entirely. Only time will tell, but all of this news comes as a big surprise amidst all of the recent PS6 rumors which indicate Sony is still investing heavily into new hardware.

What do you think of this strategy? Let me know in the comments below.

The post Sony Teases Moving Away From PlayStation Exclusives & Bringing Games to Xbox appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Earlier this year, Xbox confirmed plans to enter the handheld gaming market with the ROG Xbox Ally. The portable system was slated to be released sometime this year, but without a confirmed release date. Previous rumors have circulated regarding when the ROG Xbox Ally will come out, along with hints at its price. But so far, Xbox has not officially announced the release date or pricing for its handheld. Thanks to a new insider report, however, it looks like we can expect an official announcement from Xbox soon enough.

The ROG Xbox Ally has been compared to the Switch 2, but it’s actually more akin to a Steam Deck. It will be integrated with the Xbox Game Pass library, but can run other PC games, as well. Microsoft hasn’t confirmed the price point yet, but many insiders expect it will fall around the same price as previous ROG Ally models.

As 2025 marches on, many gamers are expecting a release date announcement for Xbox’s handheld soon. After all, the holiday gifting season is rapidly approaching, and that’s a huge time for game and console sales. Now, it looks like we have a good idea of when the ROG Xbox Ally will make its debut.

ROG Xbox Ally Reportedly Targeting Mid-October Release Date

Today, Dealabs’ Billbil-kun revealed that the ROG Xbox Ally is expected to release on October 16th. Incidentally, this is the same date as the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 launch of Pokemon Legends Z-A, so it could be a big day for gaming.

A mid-October would put it nicely ahead of the holiday gifting rush, perfect timing for gamer gift giving. However, the article notes that the source only confirms this date for the European market. That means the date in other regions, including the U.S., could vary. But many major consoles target worldwide simultaneous launches, so it is fairly likely that the ROG Xbox Ally will release on or around October 16th in most regions, if this rumored date is confirmed.

In addition to the alleged release date, Billbil-kun also claims that the official announcement will take place soon. Specifically, they expect that Xbox will host a live broadcast during Gamescom 2025 to announce the release date for its handheld. Supposedly, this will take place on August 20th during a confirmed Xbox @ Gamescom broadcast. The panel in question will be streamed live on the official Xbox accounts on Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube for those not attending Gamescom in person.

Read Next

ROG Xbox Ally’s Reported Pricing Makes It Comparable To The Steam Deck

If Xbox does confirm the release date during this panel, it’s likely we’ll also finally get a confirmed price. According to Billbil-kun, the prices are set at €599 / $700 for the ROG Xbox Ally standard model and €899 / $1050 for the ROG Xbox Ally X. Given the ongoing market conditions in the U.S., it’s unclear whether pricing will differ here compared with in other locations. At any rate, these reported prices align with previous leaks.

As of now, Microsoft and Asus have not actually confirmed the release date or pricing for the ROG Xbox Ally. Dealabs and Billibil-kun have proved fairly reliable sources of leaks in the past, but there’s always a chance intel like this will wind up being false. So, until we have an official release date announcement, nothing is set in stone.

The post New Leak Reveals ROG Xbox Ally Release Date & Price appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced plans to shift away from Xbox console-exclusive games moving forward. By contrast, several upcoming titles are confirmed or expected to be exclusive to PS5 at launch. This can be frustrating for gamers who are bought into the Xbox ecosystem. Consoles aren’t cheap, and many people have either an Xbox or a PlayStation, but not both. With Xbox putting out fewer console exclusives, fans are no doubt wondering whether Sony will also release more of its big single-player titles for Xbox.

In the past few years, PS5 players have gotten a few big titles as console exclusives. This includes Death Stranding 2, Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, among others. With a few big Insomniac titles like Marvel’s Wolverine still in the works, Xbox gamers are no doubt curious whether Sony will ease up on its PS5-only launch practices. Unfortunately, a new report from within the industry suggests it’s not likely.

This new info comes from Millie Amand, a video game industry insider with a mixed track record for reliable intel. Amand does not cite a specific source for this information, but notes that Sony does not factor Xbox into its plans for “premium content.” She goes on to affirm that there aren’t any plans for PS5’s big single-player titles to make their way to Xbox any time soon.

Xbox Players May Keep Missing Out on PS5 Favorites

Amand’s statements could be bad news for Xbox owners when it comes to getting big AAA titles day one. But there are a few caveats here. As Amand notes, live service games seem to be an exception. Sony recently revealed plans to bring Helldivers 2 to Xbox, expanding the popular multiplayer game to another console. Similarly, Final Fantasy 16 also made its way to Xbox earlier this year. That sparked many Xbox owners to hope for more console exclusives, like the acclaimed Marvel’s Spider-Man, coming to the platform.

If this latest intel is accurate, it looks like Sony may bring its multiplayer-focused titles to Xbox, but not single-player-focused AAAs. That would mean upcoming games like the planned Insomniac Marvel titles would likely stay on PS5, and that older titles may not make the move over, either.

Read Next

New Marvel’s Wolverine Intel Narrows in on Release Date (And It’s Not What Fans Hoped)

It’s also important to keep in mind that there’s a difference between timed console exclusives like Final Fantasy, which isn’t actually owned by Sony, versus games published by the company directly. Timed exclusives tend to eventually become available on other platforms after an agreed-upon period, like what we saw with Final Fantasy Remake Integrade being announced for the Xbox Series X|S.

Unfortunately, it sounds like Sony plans to keep its biggest AAA titles on its own console, at least for the time being. When it comes to multiplayer and live service games, however, it seems like Xbox users may not be out of luck. As Sony announces more upcoming first-party titles, we should have a better sense of how accurate this report really is for the future of PS5 console exclusives coming to Xbox.

Do you have both an Xbox and PlayStation console, or just one? What are your thoughts on console exclusives? Let us know in the comments below!

The post New Sony Report Gives Update on Single-Player PS5 Exclusive Games Coming to Xbox appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A classic PS2 and original Xbox game, and more specifically, a third-person action-adventure game from 2006, is available for just $1, thanks to a new and limited time 86 percent discount that is live until August 19. For those who weren’t around back in 2006 or who were not playing video games 19 years ago or who simply don’t remember the year, it had some great games. There were games like Gears of War, Bully, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Saints Row, Prey, Okami, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, New Super Mario Bros, Resistance: Fall of Man, Company of Heroes, Guitar Hero II, Final Fantasy XII, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Call of Duty 3, Need for Speed: Carbon, and many more. It wasn’t a landmark year for gaming, but it was certainly a great year.

2006 was also when many great franchises got their start, as you can see from the list above. That said, the list above is not even exhaustive. To this end, another series that got its start 19 years ago, and which remains active to this day, though not incredibly active, is Just Cause from Avalanche Studios. In the present, Square Enix now publishes the series, but back then it was Eidos Interactive.

As the current IP holder, it is Square Enix who has made the original Just Cause only $0.97 until August 19. Naturally, it has not made this deal available on PS2 or the original Xbox version, but the PC version available on Steam.

Read Next

12 Best PS2 Horror Games, Ranked

When Just Cause released back in 2006, it actually didn’t overly impress critics. You’d assume it was well-received considering it spawned a successful, multiple game franchise, but its Metacritic score range is high 60s to mid 70s. That said, the aforementioned duo gave the IP another try in 2010, with the release of Just Cause 2, which was well received and which cemented the series.

“Your world…Your rules! In Just Cause, you are a Latin field operative and specialist in regime change backed by top secret US government agency who will overthrow the corrupt government of San Esperito,” reads an official description of the 2006 PS2 and Xbox game for those unfamiliar with it. “The rogue South American state is suspected of stockpiling Weapons of Mass Destruction, and it’s your mission to negate the threat this poses to world peace. It could be to your advantage that the tropical paradise is about to implode as various factions vie for power – it just needs a gentle nudge in the right direction.”

Those that decide to take advantage of this deal should expect an action-adventure game that can be beat in about eight, nine, or ten hours. However, side content will take the journey closer to 20 hours. And then completionists will want to add another 10 onto this.

The post Classic PS2 and Xbox Game Available for $1 for Limited Time appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Survival game fans are feasting with two of Xbox Game Pass’ latest additions. Xbox Game Pass is by far and away one of the best deals in gaming. There has been a lot of discussion about whether or not Xbox Game Pass is actually viable for Xbox itself, but for the user? It’s a total steal. For just $20 a month, you get access to all of Xbox’s first-party games the day they release, including Call of Duty and Bethesda RPGs like The Elder Scrolls 6, at no extra cost. You also have a huge catalog of incredible games of all sizes. If you’re looking for a new indie game, there’s plenty of them? Wanting to check out a blockbuster game from a few years ago? Game Pass has some of those too.

Xbox Game Pass really thrives on shining a light on games that may have otherwise slipped under your radar and making it easy to find something new for your friend group. Recently, Xbox Game Pass added two new co-op survival games: Grounded 2 and Abiotic Factor. Both games debuted on the service on day one and have been huge hits for subscribers so far.

Xbox Game Pass Fans Praise New Survival Games Grounded 2 and Abiotic Factor

Over on Reddit, users are raving about how both Grounded 2 and Abiotic Factor are some of the best survival games they’ve played in recent memory and have created great value for their Xbox Game Pass subscription. Perhaps more specifically, user Cvnt-Force-Drama noted that both games are extremely friendly to those who want to play a survival game by themselves, something that isn’t really that common in the genre.

“I love the idea of survival games, and I’ve tried almost all of them, save for a few,” said the Reddit user. “But I have no friends, literally, so my fun to be had is rather limited. But Game Pass released Abiotic Factor and Grounded 2. Both of these games are definitely the most solo friendly survival games I’ve played. I can’t recall if Valheim is still on the service but it’s the only game that stands tall with these two in my opinion.”

Grounded 2 is the sequel to Obsidian Entertainment’s Honey, I Shrunk the Kids-inspired survival game where a group of kids get shrunk down in their backyard. The sequel explores similar ideas, but takes the kids to a park and fleshes out a lot of its ideas to have more depth and ambition. The most notable new feature is that players can now mount insects for both traversing the larger environment the sequel has added and partaking in combat.

As for Abiotic Factor, it’s a somewhat silly game set in an underground research lab where you encounter paranormal entities and creatures from other worlds. As you’d expect with survival games, it also has crafting and scavenging, all of which allow you to unlock more features and gameplay opportunities. It’s sort of like a goofy version of Black Mesa, the research facility from the Half-Life games.

Both games are on Xbox Game Pass now and are playable in co-op with friends or in solo modes. They also have stories, so there’s much more to Grounded 2 and Abiotic Factor than endless survival loops of scavenging and crafting.

Have you played either of these games? If so, let me know in the comments what you think of them.

The post Xbox Game Pass Users Hail New Day One Games as Some of the Best Survival Games Ever appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It appears that PlayStation is exploring bringing games to Xbox. There has been no shortage of speculation over the last year over games dropping exclusivity and coming to new platforms. Xbox has been the biggest proponent of this and extremely successful in its pursuits. Forza Horizon 5 is one of the best selling games on PlayStation 5 this year and it wouldn’t be shocking if Gears of War Reloaded joins those ranks when it releases for PS5 this month. Xbox is clearly comfortable in making more games available on other platforms, but many have wondered if PlayStation will copy this strategy. It lightly dabbled with LEGO Horizon Adventures on Nintendo Switch, but that’s small potatoes by comparison.

However, there is a pretty big PlayStation game coming to Xbox later this month. Helldivers 2 is coming to Xbox in just a matter of weeks and will likely be one of the biggest releases on the console this month. The game is massively popular on PlayStation and PC, but Xbox fans have had to sit out. It seemed like the perfect game for Xbox players for the longest time, but no one expected PlayStation to give up one of their biggest games to a different platform. However, it’s happening.

PlayStation Made the Call to Bring Helldivers 2 to Xbox

Many suspected developer Arrowhead was behind the decision, since they aren’t owned by PlayStation. However, PlayStation does own the Helldivers IP, so they have final say on where it goes. With that said, the CEO of Arrowhead, Shams Jorjani, noted to a fan on Discord (via Windows Central) that it was all PlayStation’s idea to bring Helldivers 2 to Xbox. “It was all PlayStation,” said Jorjani. “Send them your thanks! We were all in support of course.” He even went on to note that he thinks it’s the “coolest thing” that PlayStation has done to date.

This certainly seems to indicate that PlayStation is at least exploring the idea of bringing games to Xbox. Helldivers 2 is a great test as it will show if Xbox fans really want to spend the money to play PlayStation games on their console. While it’s hard to imagine something like The Last of Us or God of War making the leap to Xbox, maybe something much older that isn’t as active like Uncharted could be a possibility. Perhaps Marvel will nudge PlayStation to bring Spider-Man to Xbox even. Either way, it’s all brand new territory for the industry.

With that said, this likely isn’t being done haphazardly by PlayStation. It feels like a calculated move that could have big implications for the future. PlayStation even had a job listing recently that indicated they are making a larger effort to bring games to new platforms, including Xbox. Only time will tell where this is all going, but it’s pretty exciting times for gamers.

The post PlayStation Made The Decision to Bring A Major Exclusive to Xbox appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 have had a healthy and competitive relationship, though many would say the PS5 has had the edge, especially with the PlayStation 5 Pro’s release. However, a new rumor suggests that Microsoft is looking to one-up Sony with the next generation of consoles. With Microsoft’s current phase of releasing its exclusives on PS5, this means the next-gen Xbox will aim to outpower the PlayStation 6.

AMD insider KeplerL2 is predicting that the next-generation Xbox will be slightly more powerful than the PlayStation 6. This comes after YouTuber Moore’s Law Is Dead gave estimates of the PlayStation 6’s power, placing it roughly equal to NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4080.

However, KeplerL2 reports that the PS6 will target performance around the level of the AMD Radeon RX 9070XT, while the next-gen Xbox will be more comparable to NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5080. While both GPUs are powerful, NVIDIA has a slight edge.

While the PS6 has had specs and information released in the past, Xbox’s next console has been somewhat quieter. However, this information from KeplerL2 aligns with Microsoft’s promise of a great technical improvement with the next Xbox. KeplerL2 also suggests that the next Xbox will have even more features than previous consoles have had.

Read Next

New PS6 and Next-Gen Xbox Game Seemingly Confirmed (And It’s a Highly Anticipated Sequel)

It remains to be seen if this information is true. With all leaks like this, fans should remain skeptical and take the report with a grain of salt. That said, the next generation of consoles will likely see vast improvements across the board and perhaps see an even more intense console war between fanboys. With both reportedly using AMD’s RDNA 5, it will be a tight race to see which console offers better performance and more power.

What do you think will be the better console? Will Microsoft overtake the PS6 with the next-gen Xbox, or will Sony remain king? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Next-Gen Xbox Will Reportedly Be More Powerful Than the PS6 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

An Xbox 360 game from 2008 just got DLC 17 years later. In 2008, games like Grand Theft Auto IV, Call of Duty: World at War, Fallout 3, Gears of War 2, Left 4 Dead, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Persona 4, Fable II, Dead Space, LittleBigPlanet, Devil May Cry 4, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Soulcalibur IV, Army of Two, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2, Rock Band II, and Battlefield: Bad Company all headlined. This list is, of course, not exhaustive, but the point is it was a milestone year for gaming. One of the great years in gaming history, in fact. And despite this, a smaller indie game, back when the indie scene was fledging, managed to stick out.

While the indie scene is vast and vibrant today, it was far smaller and more niche in the Xbox 360 era of gaming. Titles did breakthrough on occasion though, such as 2008’s Castle Crashers from The Behemoth, a studio still active to this day. Included in this activity is a new update for the Xbox Live Arcade gem.

When Castle Crashers first released back in 2008, it was an Xbox 360 exclusive and an Xbox Live Arcade standout. And this did not change until 2010, when it finally came to PS3. Then in 2012, it came to PC. Then in 2015, Xbox One. This release was in remastered form, and it eventually shed Xbox One exclusivity four years later in 2019, when it came to Nintendo Switch and PS4. Six years after this, it is getting new “Painter Boss Paradise” DLC today, which adds a new character, a character creator, and a redesigned look.

“Painter Boss Paradise marks the first downloadable content for Castle Crashers in 13 years,” reads an official pitch of the new release. “Along with a myriad of other features like new art for all official playable characters, weapons, and map, the DLC brings a longtime fan request to Castle Crashers—custom character creation!”

Right now, the DLC, which costs $3.99, is limited to PC. This will presumably change in the future with a console release, but there is no word of that at the moment.

Read Next

Xbox Exclusive Game Being Removed From Sale Permanently Next Month

For more coverage on all things Xbox 360 and all things Xbox in general — including all of the latest Xbox 360 news, all of the latest Xbox 360 rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Xbox 360 deals — click here.

The post Xbox 360 Game Just Got DLC 17 Years Later appeared first on ComicBook.com.

2024’s best RPG is currently on sale for its lowest price yet on select platforms. The RPG genre is filled with some of the best video games out there. Baldur’s Gate 3, Skyrim, the Fallout series, the Mass Effect games, Persona, and more all make up some of the classics in this genre. It should go without saying that you can really get a lot of bang for your buck within the RPG genre. They are extremely long, highly replayable, and filled with tons of fun content. Even at full price, it can feel like a steal to get a game with as much depth as Baldur’s Gate 3.

With that said, you can get one of the best RPGs of the generation for its lowest price right now. Metaphor ReFantazio is currently on sale for $55.99 on Xbox, down from $69.99. The game is playable on Xbox Game Pass if you don’t want to sink any money into it, but this is a long game and it’s very possible it could leave the service before you finish it. As of right now, we’re not quite sure when the game is leaving the service. Xbox’s deals for these kinds of newer games can last anywhere from 6 months to a year or longer in more notable cases. With that said, this is the cheapest it has been and it’s hard to imagine it dropping any further in price before the holiday season. If you’re looking for something that reminds you a bit of Persona, this is the game for you.

The standard edition remains full price on PS5 and Steam, but players can get Metaphor: ReFantazio Digital Anniversary Edition for just $59.99 on PS5 until August 14th. This is down from $99.99, so it’s quite a steal and comes with a variety of goodies including in-game items, digital artbooks and soundtracks, and of course, the game itself. It’s more content for just a few dollars more than the discounted Xbox version, so it might even be a better deal overall.

With that said, this is a fantastic game and absolutely worth scooping up. Metaphor: ReFantazio won best RPG of the year at The Game Awards last year and is one of the highest rated games of the entire generation. It holds a score of 94 on Metacritic, which is extremely impressive. It is widely regarded as one of the best games Atlus has put out to date and has been heralded as a must-play within the genre. You can view a trailer and description of the game below.

“From the creative minds behind Persona 3, 4, and 5 comes Metaphor: ReFantazio,” reads the description. “Brace yourself for the next evolution of fantasy JRPG with Metaphor: ReFantazio, available now. Winner of 50+ awards, with a free demo that carries save-data to the full game. Enter the royal tournament to fight for the throne and for the future. Control your destiny, face your fears and awaken magical “Archetype” powers that lie dormant in your heart. Team up with a compelling cast of characters and embark on an immersive journey that promises hours of captivating exploration, dynamic turn-based with a blend of real-time combat, and exhilarating discovery.”

Metaphor: ReFantazio is out on Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

The post 2024’s Best RPG Is Its Lowest Price Ever for Limited Time appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Xbox Game Pass just added a new cult-classic indie game that you have to play if you haven’t before. As of today, Xbox revealed the next lineup of titles that it would begin bringing to Game Pass for the month of August 2025. This array most notably includes Assassin’s Creed Mirage, which arrives later this week, in addition to Citizen Sleeper 2 and Aliens: Fireteam Elite. However, it’s an indie title from developer Videocult that stands out as the true must-play game of the month so far on Xbox Game Pass.

The game in question that is worthy of your time and attention is that of Rain World. Released originally in 2017, Rain World is an indie game that might not have the same name recognition as titles like Hades, Stardew Valley, Undertale, or Hollow Knight, but it has certainly cultivated a major following over the years. It’s also available on Game Pass right now as the first new game for August.

What’s fascinating about Rain World being so beloved is that it wasn’t always this way. When the game first launched, it was generally seen as a disappointment. Although it garnered praise for its unique visuals and design, it had numerous other shortcomings that resulted in critics coming down quite hard on it. Rain World’s Metacritic score is reflective of this as it boasts a dismal 59/100 aggregate rating.

However, as the years passed, Videocult continued to improve Rain World based on player feedback. This coincided with new releases for Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox that further spread the game’s reach and brought in new fans. Eventually, Rain World amassed such a cult fanbase that Videocult released new expansions for the game dubbed Rain World: Downpour and Rain World: The Watcher. This latter piece of DLC only arrived earlier in 2025, showing that Videocult is still supporting Rain World to this day.

Read Next

2 New Xbox Game Pass Games Couldn’t Be More Different, but They Must Be Played Back-to-Back

All of this is to simply say that there has never been a better time to play Rain World. While the 2D survival game was at one point thought to have been a failure, it has instead gone on to be one of the most influential indies of the past decade. Its addition to Xbox Game Pass for console and PC couldn’t come at a better time, especially with so little else to play right now. As such, if you’re a Game Pass subscriber yourself, I highly encourage you to give it a download.

The post Xbox Game Pass Just Stealth-Dropped a Cult-Classic Indie That You Have to Play appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new sizeable update for Starfield was released today, featuring a short list of minor fixes. However, it has still got the community talking after reports of newly discovered code references that point towards the development of a long-requested feature: interplanetary travel. Although mods have been created to address the lack of proper space travel in Starfield, it appears that the development team may be considering implementing an official version of the highly sought-after feature.

A Reddit post surfaced on r/Starfield, claiming to have found lines in the code that pointed towards interplanetary travel being a feature in an upcoming update. Several lines found in PSC scripting files reference a “cruise mode,” including lines checking if cruise is enabled and triggers for when a “ship arrives in cruise mode.”

Despite interplanetary travel being a feature consistently at the top of the list among the game’s fans, Bethesda has thus far stopped short of promising it in future content updates. It’s possible that, after disappointing some fans with a lack of features at launch, the developer wants to ensure they have it working before they announce any progress made toward achieving expanded travel.

Read Next

Starfield Dev Teases New DLC & Big 2025 Updates for Space RPG

Currently, there isn’t seamless travel between planets in Starfield. Players must wait for loading screens when traveling to new areas, a game flaw that undermines the immersion of a free and open universe for some Starfield fans.

Despite lacking official confirmation from Bethesda, there are still other reasons, beyond this discovery in the code, for fans to be hopeful that the feature will eventually come to the game. 

A mod initially released back in 2024 called Astrogate proved that the concept was possible. The mod features FTL travel, where players fully control the pace at which their ship hurtles through space. It also features an Autopilot mode, allowing players to decide how they want to spend their time while waiting for their ship to arrive at its destination.

Just going off what data miners have found in the code doesn’t give too many hints about what an official version of the feature may look like. However, based on words like “cruise” and “arrival,” it seems like the current attempt at the feature may have players setting their destination in a scripted event. References to the phrase “far travel” separate from the typical “fast travel” that players are used to suggest that the feature will be more robust than Starfield gamers may expect.

However, just because the references were found in the code does not confirm they are definitely coming to the game. It’s possible the feature may have been tested but abandoned, or that it may be referencing some completely different feature entirely. Still, it will be interesting to see the response to the potential of this long-awaited feature coming to the game officially. It’s possible that if enough people get excited about it, it may tip the scales for the developers to fully commit to releasing it.

The post Starfield Reportedly Adding Feature Bethesda Fans Have Wanted Since Launch appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Earlier this year, developer Strange Scaffold released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown on PC. Naturally, fans on consoles felt quite a bit of jealousy, and there were immediate questions about whether the game would end up on alternate platforms. Not only will the TMNT game arrive on consoles, but it will happen very soon; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown is slated to be released August 14th on Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X|S. Players can expect the same game that was released earlier this year, alongside a new Remix Mode, which is also coming to Steam that same day via a free update.

Strange Scaffold was quick to express that Remix Mode is not the same as a New Game+ option. Instead, when players clear a level in Tactical Takedown, they’ll automatically unlock a Remix variant. These alternate versions will offer a greater variety of enemies and an increased level of difficulty. To take on these remixed levels, players will have to change up the strategies they used previously, and take full advantage of moves that are purchased from Fugitoid. For players that already beat the game on Steam, this should give them an excuse to revisit Tactical Takedown, and it should help to make the experience more worthwhile for console buyers as well. A new trailer for the game can be found below.

Interestingly enough, today’s announcement makes no mention of a version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown for PS4 or PS5. That has already led to some frustration among PlayStation users, who replied to today’s announcement with some surprise. That said, Switch always seemed like a natural fit for the game; the TMNT have a history on Nintendo platforms going back nearly four decades. On top of that, indie games seem to perform pretty well on Switch. It’s possible that we could see PS4 and PS5 versions in the future, but Strange Scaffold has made no announcements as of this writing.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have appeared across a plethora of games over just the last few years, but Tactical Takedown manages to stand out for multiple reasons. For one thing, it’s the first time the characters have appeared in a turn-based game, with all of the characters having designs that evoke figurines, and the levels resembling dioramas. The game also has a very distinct storyline, taking place after the deaths of Shredder and Splinter. As a result, the team has gone their separate ways, which is reflected in the actual gameplay.

Read Next

New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Game Developer Teases “Batman-Style” Take on Leonardo

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown currently has a “very positive” rating on Steam. That said, the game has a pretty small number of reviews from users, given that it has only been available since May. As such, it will be interesting to see how console users feel about Tactical Takedown when it’s released later this month.

Are you excited about Tactical Takedown coming to consoles? Have you been waiting to see the game released on platforms other than Steam? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The post New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Game Coming to Consoles This Month appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new month means a new lineup of incoming games for subscription services like Xbox Game Pass. The next round of free games for subscribers drops on August 6th, with a few more titles already revealed throughout the month. There’s a good mix of genres this month, but the big highlight is almost certainly a shiny new Assassin’s Creed game for Xbox Game Pass subscribers to enjoy.

July was a pretty solid month for Game Pass, with great cozy indies like Minami Lane alongside big day-one releases like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4. By contrast, August’s lineup is a little bit quieter, with many games being expanded to Game Pass Standard rather than coming as totally fresh additions to Xbox Game Pass. Even so, there’s still plenty to look forward to. Just make sure to wrap up your gameplay with any titles that are headed out, including Persona 3 Reload and Farming Simulator 22, or buy the full game to keep playing.

Everything Announced for Xbox Game Pass in August 2025

Read Next

Game Pass Is Saving Xbox, According to Microsoft Data

To see every game confirmed for Xbox Game Pass this month, check out the list of August games below:

• August 5th- Rain World (Console, PC, Cloud) through Game Pass Standard, Game Pass Ultimate, and PC Game Pass
• August 6th- Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (Xbox Series X|S) added to Game Pass Standard, still available for Game Pass Ultimate
• August 6th- Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders (Xbox Series X|S) added to Game Pass Standard, still available for Game Pass Ultimate
• August 6th- Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap (Xbox Series X|S) added to Game Pass Standard, still available for Game Pass Ultimate
• August 7th- Assassin’s Creed Mirage (Cloud, PC, Console) through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
• August 12th- Aliens: Fireteam Elite (Cloud, PC, Console) through Game Pass Standard, Game Pass Ultimate, and PC Game Pass
• August 14th- 9 Kings Game Preview (PC) through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass

Overall, it’s a fairly slow start to August for Xbox Game Pass. But for those on the Standard tier, having a few more games opened up to the more affordable subscription is a nice perk. And this is just the lineup for the first half of the month, with more additions likely to be announced in a few weeks. There are already a few confirmed day one releases later this month as well, including Herdlines.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is no doubt the biggest title in this month’s lineup so far, but there are some other solid games like Citizen Sleeper 2 to look forward to, as well. Players can also snag some in-game benefits in a variety of other titles through the month of August, including a Call of Duty: Warzone game pass pack and special hero unlock in Narake Bladepoint. The full list of August benefits is available via the Xbox Wire post about this month’s updates to the service.

Are you planning to get any of these new games for Xbox Game Pass? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Xbox Game Pass August 2025 Games Include Assassin’s Creed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

An all-time great video game is currently the cheapest it has ever been on any platform right now. The one truly great thing about digital gaming is that games are constantly on sale at absurd prices. You don’t have to leave your couch and fight over cheap copies at a store, they’re just right there on your console. Steam has been making use of digital sales for well over a decade now thanks to its generous seasonal sales that bring games down to all-time low prices. It’s a bit dangerous as all of the digital games for a few dollars here and there can really add up, but when you consider how much they would be otherwise, it’s hard to mourn your empty wallet.

With all of that said, one of the most fun action games out there is currently less than $2. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is currently $1.49 on Xbox. The Hotline Miami games are extremely violent, but stupidly satisfying action games with a charming stylized 70s aesthetic. They are top-down, so those expecting a first or third-person shooter should temper their expectations, but I highly advise checking it out. Not only is it so cheap that you should give it a shot no matter what, but the Hotline Miami games are absolutely excellent and easy to pick up and play.

The first Hotline Miami is arguably much better, but its sequel is still a ton of fun. It has nearly 60k positive reviews from fans on Steam and is still talked about to this day, despite being a decade old. If you’re looking for something new to play or you’re simply on a budget, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is a great pull. Unfortunately, this deal appears to be limited to Xbox as it’s still full price on Steam. However, the game is included with PlayStation Plus Extra subscriptions and the collection for both games is just $4.99 on PlayStation. It’s a bit more money, but you do get two games out of it, so an equally good deal, if not better.

You can view a trailer below for Hotline Miami 2.

“Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is the brutal conclusion to the Hotline Miami saga, set against a backdrop of escalating violence and retribution over spilled blood in the original game,” reads the description. “Follow the paths of several distinct factions – each with their own questionable methods and uncertain motivations – as unforeseen consequences intersect and reality once again slips back into a brilliant haze of neon and bloodshed.”

The post Hidden Xbox Gem With 60k Positive Steam Reviews is Selling for $1.49 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

All Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S owners have today been given a new free download from Microsoft, and it’s one that should make longtime Xbox fans quite happy. From time to time, Microsoft pushes out silent updates to Xbox consoles that bring new features to the platform. While these aren’t considered major console updates by any means, they do include freebies that weren’t on the platform before. As of today, another patch of this type has gone live, and it’s one of the best that Xbox has released in quite some time.

The free Xbox download in question that users have obtained is that of a new Dynamic Background. This theme is specifically meant to celebrate the video game studio Rare and its many titles that have been released over the 40 years that Rare has been in business. The art features numerous characters that stem from games like Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark, Battletoads, Jet Force Gemini, Sea of Thieves, Viva Pinata, Kameo: Elements of Power, and Conker’s Bad Fur Day, to name a few. Given that most of these games are ones that appeared on older Xbox consoles or other platforms like the Nintendo 64, this is a freebie that older fans will surely appreciate most.

You can get a look at the artwork of this new Xbox Dynamic Background in the post from Rare below:

If you want to equip this new Dynamic Background to your own Xbox dashboard, it’s relatively easy to do. All that you must do is head to the Settings section of your Xbox console and find the “Personalization” menu. Once in this tab, you should see a “My Background” selection, which is where Dynamic Backgrounds are stored. This new Rare art should then be found here and can then be set as the default background for your Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.

While it’s not known when we’ll get another free Dynamic Background like this one, if history has shown us anything, it’s that Xbox likes to push these freebies out in proximity to anniversaries. Earlier this year, a similar dashboard was made available as a way of celebrating 50 years of Microsoft. As such, when another major milestone tied to Xbox rolls around, there’s a good chance that a new Dynamic Background could arrive for the occasion.

The post New Xbox Series X/S Free Download Will Thrill Longtime Xbox Fans appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The 3D fighter Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, for a limited time, is greatly discounted for those who order it online via Walmart. Currently, the game, normally priced at $69.99, is available for over 70% off for both Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. The $20 price tag for the game, following its recent October 2024 release, is its lowest price yet, making it a highly attractive offer for those who have yet to experience this highly polished Dragon Ball fighter.

Console owners would be wise to take advantage of this price to get one over on PC players. The lowest price Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero has ever reached on the Steam platform is 30% off, or $48.99. Unfortunately, while players can purchase a copy of the game at a heavily discounted price, there are currently no discounts available in the PlayStation or Xbox stores for any DLC or add-ons. This means that new players looking to pick up the game for this low price may find themselves at a disadvantage against players who have already purchased character packs and obtained additional costumes.

This offer is only for the standard version of the game and excludes the premium-priced Deluxe and Ultimate editions available in digital marketplaces.

Read Next

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2’s Dragon Ball Daima DLC Gets a Release Date & Trailer

Released in 2024, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero was lauded by critics and Dragon Ball fans for its excellent visuals and different ways to play. Pitched as an extension of the beloved Budokai Tenkaichi series, it includes a fully fleshed-out story mode that features branching paths for different characters based on the player’s choices. Players can also revisit and redo their decisions to explore the various turns in the story.

The custom matches feature an impressive amount of player agency, allowing Dragon Ball fans immense freedom when crafting their own ‘what-if’ scenarios. Players can change available characters, music, rule sets, scene transitions, and add effect triggers to different characters to craft custom story beats within a scenario. In addition to standard multiplayer modes, players can also easily create their own tournaments with enhanced rule customization options. These options include the ability to disallow flying, ringouts, change available characters, and select between team or single battles. There is also a limited local-op splitscreen mode for those who can find a friend to sit next to them on the couch.

All currently released versions of the game have achieved an 80 score or higher on Metacritic, and the PlayStation version has a 4.57 positive rating in the PlayStation Store. However, not all opinions on the game are positive. Critics of Dragon Ball: Sparkling! Zero is unhappy that the game hasn’t had much new content since its release and feel that the title didn’t live up to the legacy of the Budokai Tenkaichi games of the past.

Switch fans of Dragon Ball who haven’t purchased a copy of Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero will likely want to consider this sale, but may also want to wait a bit longer, as the game is set to have a Switch and Switch 2 release in November. Those who pre-order this Switch version get bonus content and an exclusive character, Goku (Mini). The Switch release will also be available in Deluxe and Ultimate editions.

The post $70 Video Game Drops to $20 in Extraordinarily Rare Deal appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It may seem like Xbox can’t possibly be making any money with Game Pass, a $10 to $20 a month subscription service. It’s not that expensive; therefore, even with tons of users, it can’t be that profitable, especially when it gives players no reason to spend $70 on new games that drop on the service. However, despite all the reasons it shouldn’t, Game Pass is actually saving Xbox.

Game Pass has been huge for gamers, but it was always seen as a huge risk for Microsoft. Xbox had to find a way to compete with Nintendo and PlayStation, and it seemed like Game Pass might only be a temporary fix.

Instead, it’s been a boon. The company’s earnings report from last week shows that Xbox Game Pass passed the $5 billion in annual revenue for the first time. It also revealed that the service was up double-digits year-over-year when Xbox expected nothing of the sort. Gaming revenue was up 10% for the quarter ending on July 30th, which is a huge step forward for Xbox.

Read Next

New Xbox Game Pass Day One Game Passes Expedition 33 to Top Charts

Xbox content and services revenue is more specifically up 13% year-over-year. First-party games have played a big role, but they specifically noted Xbox Game Pass as a major component of the swell. Hardware revenue is down 22% year-over-year, unfortunately. It doesn’t help that PC has access to Game Pass, too.

Anecdotally, this isn’t much of a surprise. There are so many games I’ve played solely because they’re on Game Pass, and that absolutely includes new games. I’d have missed out on a lot without the service, including Hollow Knight, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Fallout 4, Stardew Valley, Skyrim, Fallout: New Vegas, and so many others.

When the Fallout TV series was popular, I badly wanted to play some of the Fallout games, but I didn’t own any of them. Game Pass was there to save the day, as I could quickly download and play Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, and Fallout 4. The interest has since died down as the show gets further away, so it was good that I didn’t have to spend over $50 to get them all.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was a real return to form for what was admittedly a lackluster, dying franchise. It has had good Zombies maps, strong multiplayer, and a delightful campaign, all things I’d know nothing about if it hadn’t been on Game Pass. The franchise might be losing some of the goodwill by putting out Black Ops 7 one year later, but that’s another one I wouldn’t pick up without Game Pass.

It’s also a really good way to pick up older games I missed. Game Pass gives me and other gamers access to so many Xbox 360-era titles or Xbox One games that have come and gone, like Fable II, Dragon Age: Origins, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Mass Effect 2, and many more. Some of those games would ordinarily be difficult to come by.

It’s also an excellent home to franchises, allowing gamers to play through a series. It may not be in its entirety, but there are plenty of series that at least have a few of the games, making it much easier to play through them. This includes Fallout, DOOM, Grand Theft Auto, Assassin’s Creed, Battlefield, Crysis, Dead Space, Halo, Star Wars, and The Elder Scrolls.

Games are expensive nowadays. People are less inclined to pay $70 outright for a new game like DOOM: The Dark Ages earlier this year. They’re happy, however, to pay up to $20 a month to get access to it on day one, as well as so many other titles, and those months add up. It seems like it couldn’t possibly be profitable, but in fact, it’s saving Xbox. An Xbox remains cheaper than a PC, and it comes with a cheap subscription that will give you access to a ton of games, so it’s no wonder it’s finally beginning to turn things around.

[H/T Windows Central]

The post Game Pass Is Saving Xbox, According to Microsoft Data appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Over the last few years, Xbox has released a lot of different controller options from both Microsoft and its partners. From designs based on specific games, to specialty colors, Xbox fans have had no shortage of choices. A new controller design has been revealed by Xbox and 8BitDo, and this one should cater very specifically to fans of games made by Rare. The British development team’s 40th anniversary happens to be this year, and Xbox is celebrating the occasion with a bunch of new products. Rare fans can look forward to new vinyl soundtracks, new clothing options from Fangamer, and more.

Of course, the new Xbox controller might be the big highlight. The design pays tribute to arguably the two biggest video games Rare is known for: Banjo-Kazooie and Sea of Thieves. The controller is compatible with both Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, as well as PC, Android, iOS, and more. The controller features a blue and gold design, and it’s adorned with the company’s 40th anniversary logo. The controller is available for purchase right now, and costs $89.99. Readers interested in purchasing one can do so right here.

All of this new merchandise is a rare bit of good news for fans of the British development team. Earlier this summer, Xbox cancelled Everwild, a game long in development at Rare. On top of that, the company also cancelled an upcoming reboot of Perfect Dark. While that game was not in development at Rare, the property was originally created by the company. Many of Rare’s older properties have been neglected for several years now, and now fans of the company’s N64 era don’t have anything to look forward to. In fact, we don’t know what Rare is working on at all right now outside of Sea of Thieves content.

While Xbox doesn’t seem to have intentions of doing anything with Banjo-Kazooie in terms of a new game, the company clearly has no problem with releasing more merchandise based on the series. Fans have been treated to pins, shirts, plushes, and more over the last several years, and now there’s a new controller on top of it all. It’s nice that the characters haven’t been forgotten, but fans of the games would much prefer to see something a little more significant after all this time. Sadly, a lot of people have given up hope for a new Banjo-Kazooie game.

Read Next

Perfect Dark Actress Wants Another Publisher to Pick Up the Cancelled Xbox Game

For 40 years now, Rare has earned a pretty faithful following. The company has created some truly great games that left a huge mark on the industry. For that reason, this controller will likely hold a lot of appeal for its most passionate fans. Readers should note that Xbox has advertised this as a “limited edition” though, so anyone interested in adding it to their collection should place an order while quantities are available.

What do you think of this new controller design? Are you a longtime fan of Rare and its games? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The post Xbox Celebrates Classic Rare Games With New Controller Design appeared first on ComicBook.com.

No one likes paying out the ear for the things they enjoy, and video game fans are no exception. It was disappointing for everyone to hear that Nintendo would be pricing some of its new titles like Mario Kart World at a whopping $80, but since then, it seems like the price hike hasn’t caught on. Big studios like Electronic Arts (EA) and Xbox have both made changes to their pricing since initial announcements, lowering a few prices from the original $80 to the industry-typical $70 instead. Hopefully, this marks a general industry consensus to keep prices where they are—or lower.

EA and Xbox Walk Back Initial Commitment to $80 Price Tag

Soon after a Nintendo Direct announced that new Nintendo Switch 2 games would be selling for $80, the general gaming community groaned in dread that other large studios would take this as permission to price their own high-ticket games accordingly. Unfortunately, this seemed to be the new trend in gaming, and games like The Outer Worlds 2 and Borderlands 4 were announced to be following suit. Many studio executives seemed to see the price hike as a way to combat increasing production costs of AAA titles, but in mid-June of 2025, something changed.

All of a sudden, Xbox was committed to selling their games for $70, walking the initial The Outer Worlds 2 price back down to what was initially expected for the game and locking in that price for their holiday releases like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 as well. This seemed to prompt EA, a company that’s famous for nickel-and-dime-ing its players, to announce that it wouldn’t be selling $80 games either.

Read Next

Nintendo eShop Teases Nintendo Switch 2 Exclusive Games

Despite Randy Pitchford’s proclamation that “real fans” should be willing to pay $80 for Borderlands 4, Take-Two announced that they, too, would be lowering the price of their mainline titles to $70 as well. Suddenly, all of these studios that could have, and were predicted to, follow Nintendo’s lead in raising prices across the board backed down, leaving Nintendo the sole bastion and defender of the $80 price tag.

Increasing the Price of Games Isn’t the Answer to High Production Costs

Since the early 2000s, the cost of making games has only gotten higher while the sales of games have stayed more or less consistent. The original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 came out in 2009 and cost an estimated $200 million to make, which is around $360 million adjusted for inflation. In comparison, the 2019 remake of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare cost around $640 million to make, which translates to roughly $780 million adjusted.

This is a significant jump in cost after only ten years—production costs increased by almost $300 million dollars and Activision, which published both games, surely isn’t the only one that has seen an increase in costs as time has gone on. It makes sense that studios would want to find a way to recoup these costs so they can still make a profit; however, foisting that cost increase on consumers who are already finding prices for everything rising all around them isn’t the best course of action.

Early in 2025, the gaming community saw some of the results of studios trying to save money with the large-scale layoffs that impacted the gaming industry severely. Thousands of game makers are now out of work, but this can’t be the best solution for an industry that relies so heavily on the passion of its game makers to thrive. Games are difficult to make, innovative and explorative ones even more so, but there must be a better way to make them financially feasible.

Grand Theft Auto VI Could Make or Break the $80 Price Tag

Grand Theft Auto 6‘s price still hasn’t been revealed, but its pricing could set the new standard for games. Many were theorizing that it would retail for $100, but even if it releases at $80, studios might take this as permission to do the same. GTA 6 is one of the most anticipated games of the last decade, and is one of the few that might be able to get away with such an inflated price tag, but such a stand-out game shouldn’t set a trend. Not every game is GTA 6, and very few games can get away with what it might.

Any game selling for $80 and succeeding in its sales goals is another step towards normalizing the price tag for studios and players alike. If higher-ups and business types in studios see that players are willing to pay $80 for games, it will be pushed harder and harder. It’s likely only through pushback and consistency from the larger gaming community that studios will be pressured to find other ways to keep rising costs down. Whether this is through less ambitious projects, lower graphical goals, or an overhaul of production cycles remains to be seen, but at least for now, the gaming community is safe from the dreaded $80 headline game.

The post The Tide Has Slowly Turned Against $80 Video Games appeared first on ComicBook.com.

PlayStation Plus users have roughly 48 hours to get an Xbox game for free. And this applies to all PlayStation Plus subscribers across all three tiers of the Sony subscription service: PS Plus Essential, PS Plus Extra, and PS Plus Premium. Once claimed, the PlayStation Plus game is free to keep perpetually as long as you maintain an active subscription. If your PS Plus subscription lapses though you will lose access to the free download until you subscribe back up.

All of this actually applies to three games in total, all of which make up the July 2025 PlayStation Plus free games lineup, which is set to expire on August 5 and be replaced with a new batch of free games. Before this though, PS Plus subscribers have 48 hours to grab the following games for free: Diablo 4, The King of Fighters XV, and the criminally underrated Jusant. The Xbox game of this bunch is obviously Diablo 4, which is an Activision-Blizzard game, and Activision-Blizzard is owned by Xbox.

While Jusant is a great little title that should not be overlooked by PS Plus subscribers and The King of Fighters XV a decent pick up for fighting game fans, Diablo 4 is no doubt the highlight of these these three games, and the one PS Plus subscribers will want to make sure they have redeemed before the deadline. Not only is it the biggest and most notable of these games, but it is likely to be supported for many years to come.

The action-RPG was released by Blizzard in 2023, and as the name suggests, it is the fourth mainline installment in the series. Overall though, it is the seventh installment in the series if you count spin-offs.

Diablo 4 boasts a Metacritic score range of 86 to 91, with said scores varying platform to platform. That said, it is often left out of the conversation for best games of 2023. Further, it seems to have failed to resonate as greatly as its predecessor Diablo 3, especially in terms of staying power.

Since its original release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X in 2023, it has been added to with the Vessel of Hatred expansion, which released in October 2024 to a mixed reception. Meanwhile, as of last month, the game’s ninth season, Sins of the Horadrim, is live.

Diablo 4 is available on both PS4 and PS5 — including PS4 Pro and PS5 Pro — so this limited time PS Plus offer is available to all subscribers across the two generations of Sony consoles.

Read Next

PlayStation Plus New Day One Game Is One of July’s Best Games

For more PlayStation Plus coverage — including all of the latest PS Plus news, all of the latest PS Plus rumors and leaks, and all of the latest PS Plus deals — click here.

The post PlayStation Plus Users Have 48 Hours to Get Xbox Game for Free appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Microsoft is removing one of the best Xbox Game Pass games in the next two weeks. When exactly has not been communicated, but it will happen sometime around the middle of the month. And the bad news is the game in question, an RPG, is very long, giving Xbox Game Pass subscribers next to no chance to beat it between now and then. How long exactly is the RPG? Well, just to mainline it will take somewhere around 65 hours. This is just to mainline the game though. Add side content and more in, and you’re looking at an experience that is closer to 85 to 100 hours long.

The Xbox Game Pass game being removed was actually just released, and added to the Microsoft subscription service, last year. And as evident by its 89 on Metacritic, it was one of the highest-rated and best games of 2024. This game is Persona 3 Reload from Atlus, which, as the name suggests, is a remake of Persona 3, a 2006 PS2 game.

While Xbox Game Pass subscribers are almost certainly not going to beat the RPG between now and its removal, it is worth noting that subscribers can activate the exclusive 20 percent discount on the game as long as it is available in the Xbox Game Pass library. This is available up until the last second of it being available.

“Step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an unexpected fate when entering the hour ‘hidden’ between one day and the next,” reads an official description of the game for those who know little or nothing about it. “Awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends, and leave a mark on their memories forever.”

Of course, Persona 3 Reload could return to Xbox Game Pass in the future, especially at or around the release of Persona 6. However, there is no guarantee this will happen, and even if it does, it could be a while before this happens. That said, unless you have at least 6o-plus hours over the next two weeks, you may have no other option but to hope it returns in the future, and soon.

For more Xbox Game Pass coverage — including all of the latest Xbox Game Pass news, all of the latest Xbox Game Pass rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Xbox Game Pass deals — click here.

The post Microsoft Removing One of the Best Xbox Game Pass Games appeared first on ComicBook.com.