We really believe that creative control should always stay with the game creators, the game development team, and with the AI features that we are experimenting exploring, this is really to support the vision of the team. Ultimately, we want to bring AI that helps broaden the game's reach, deepen engagement and keep players coming back to your games to many more games across the catalog.
Microsoft seems more determined than ever to combine Xbox and Windows - to the point that its next-gen Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, will play PC games too. Today, we learned Helix will go alpha in 2027. But the company isn't waiting for Helix before it points Windows gamers in the Xbox direction. Starting in April, it's bringing its full-screen Xbox mode to every kind of Windows 11 PC, including laptops, desktops, and tablets.
Spencer, who got his start at Microsoft as an intern in 1988, served as a manager and executive at Microsoft Game Studios in 2003. In 2014, he took over as Head of Xbox, guiding the company through the aftermath of the troubled, Kinect-bundled launch of the Xbox One. More recently, he helped shepherd the company's 2020 purchase of Bethesda Softworks and its $68.7 billion merger with Activision Blizzard, including the many regulatory battles that followed that latter announcement.
The Xbox Core controller is widely regarded as one of the best gamepads available. Whether you're gaming on an Xbox console, PC, or Android device, the first party Microsoft controller is always a solid choice. C urrently, the special edition Ice Breaker blue version is on sale for $50, down from its usual $80 price, giving you a remarkable $30 discount. It's rare to see the fancy colorways like this one go on sale for so much. It's currently down to the same price as the basic carbon black model.
The next-gen Xbox is believed to be targeting a 2027 launch, with AMD CEO Lisa Su recently suggesting that the console is on track to release next year. Microsoft, however, hasn't "fully internally committed" to that launch window, according to a new report. The Xbox parent is reportedly considering 2027 as the "best case scenario" for the launch of its next-generation console. Additionally, the company is said to be working with other OEMs to bring more Xbox hardware options to consumers.
The higher bitrate streaming option will let subscribers with an Xbox Series X or S, Xbox One X or Xbox One play their games at a higher resolution, provided the game and their display supports it. Microsoft previously only offered 1440p streams on select Fire TVs, LG TVs, Samsung TVs, web browsers and the Xbox PC app.
Textured grips on the triggers, bumpers, and back case make it easy to lock onto targets and stay on them, while the new hybrid D-pad offers incredibly accurate yet familiar input that gives you a competitive edge. Additionally, if the standard layout doesn't quite work for you, or you simply want more control over the way you play, you can also customize button mappings with the Xbox Accessories app.
You might not have heard of the Nex Playground, but it's a tiny gaming system built entirely around Kinect-like games. With its camera and computer vision processing, the $249 Nex Playground can track up to four players as effectively as Microsoft's old Xbox motion tracker, according to Engadget's Devindra Hardawar. The hardware is cute and well-designed, there are plenty of games, and it works offline. The only issue is the ongoing subscription needed to access most games.
The Xbox Elite Series 2 Core Controller contains adjustable-tension thumbsticks. These allow you to adjust the tension to either loose or tight, based on what feels best for you. Shorter hair-trigger locks allow less travel, reducing the time it takes for actions to register. The wraparound rubberized grip covers the back and sides of the controller, providing additional grip during longer gaming sessions.
Thirteen years after vanishing at the end of the original game, cursed horror author Alan Wake is trapped in an alternate dimension and determined to write his way out, while FBI agents close in on the mysterious town of Bright Falls. Why we love it: A thoroughly entertaining blend of detective procedural and surrealist survival horror. Read the full review.
Some collectors will stop at nothing to complete their collections, even if that means decades have to pass before ever finishing. One such collector was on such a journey, finding and acquiring every Xbox 360 game released, and at the start of this year, that collector has finally finished this now vintage library that totals around $20,000--with the last game being a gift from their son.