It’s no surprise that more Blizzard games are arriving on Xbox Game Pass, but we’re inching closer to a crossover that many might not have expected as Xbox unveils its June Game Pass lineup.

For June, Xbox revealed various titles coming to Game Pass, including FBC: Firebreak, a co-op shooter from the famous Alan Wake developer Remedy Entertainment.

But hidden behind that in the lineup is the fully remastered version of the Warcraft trilogy, which includes Warcraft I & II: Remastered and Warcraft III: Reforged.

The trilogy will arrive on June 26 for PC Game Pass. Now, the question on my mind is: World of Warcraft when?

Will Microsoft add the biggest MMORPG in history to Xbox Game Pass? How would that even work? Let’s talk about it.

World of Warcraft on Xbox Game Pass would be a dream crossover

I’ve played World of Warcraft on and off for many years now, and while I don’t always stick with it, it’s something that my friends and I always find our way back to.

I have a visceral memory of my demon hunter soloing Kil'jaeden in his final phase after all of my friends had perished in his shadow realm.

My friends and I primarily jump in and out of World of Warcraft because it costs too much money. If you aren’t aware, you need to pay a subscription to play the game (or at least to get access to all of the features), and that costs $15 per month, or $156 per year ($13/month).

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $20 per month and features hundreds of games. If you’re open to playing new games, you’ll get way more out of Game Pass than WoW.

But imagine if World of Warcraft came to Xbox Game Pass. That would be the sickest deal of all time. Realistically, however, I don’t see that happening at its current price point.

If Microsoft were serious about bringing WoW to Game Pass, it’d likely adjust the cost and offer a separate, unique subscription like "Xbox Game Pass World of Warcraft Ultimate," or something goofy like that.

At minimum, I could see Xbox charging $30 for that subscription, which would be a $5 discount on the monthly WoW subscription.

Maybe a new host of people who never had or cared about Game Pass would get it and start playing other games as well. That would expose more people to all of the games on there, which would help a lot of developers out there. That’s just an optimistic take on the potential of the situation.

As it stands, it’s more likely Microsoft would rather keep that $5 to maintain its steady cash flow from the billion-dollar earning MMORPG.

But if Microsoft ever did do it, you can bet that I’ll be throwing my money at it. You'd find me somewhere in Azeroth, exploring the wilderness while queuing up to get bodied by the latest Mythic dungeons.

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Say whatever you'd like about the predictability of Microsoft, but the Xbox brand has pivoted so wildly over the last several years that you'd assume its product roadmap was nothing but hairpin bends.

From banking heavily on Xbox Game Pass and cloud gaming, to sharing exclusive games with PlayStation, to teaming up with Asus for the ROG Xbox Ally handheld, and even suggesting third parties will build their own Xbox consoles in the future, it's increasingly hard to know where Xbox is heading next.

Except, we do know one thing: it's been a year and change since a very different kind of Xbox hardware was quietly announced — one that won't be a console in the traditional sense, but a VR/XR headset. Given its scope, we may even see it revealed as soon as this September.

Xbox's take on the Meta Quest 3: Powered by Horizon OS

In April 2024, Meta announced that it was opening the door for third-party manufacturers to adopt the Meta Quest 3's operating system, Horizon OS.

Alongside this announcement, Meta (and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Instagram) revealed that this decision would spark a new generation of VR/MX hardware, with several partners already lined up to spearhead the move, including:

• ASUS ROG: Who were earmarked to develop a new stand-alone, high-performance headset optimized for gaming and powered by Horizon OS
• Lenovo: Tipped to use Horizon OS' mixed reality features to power headsets for education, productivity, and entertainment
• Xbox: Set to build upon its partnership with Meta following Xbox Cloud Gaming's arrival to Horizon OS by developing a limited edition Meta Quest headset

We didn't get to see any of these devices as prototypes, and we weren't offered any form of release date or pricing information. But Meta did reveal that each headset could be fine-tuned to suit its target audiences.

In Xbox's case, Zuckerberg suggested that this model could "come straight out of the box with Xbox controllers and Game Pass, so that you can immediately just start playing on a big screen anywhere you go."

How that translates to the final product remains to be seen, and just how special Xbox's limited edition Meta Quest headset is from the standard Quest 3 model is also up in the air.

However, we have seen Meta provide limited editions of other products, namely its Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, which have received new colorways and designs over the years. At the very least, this could mean that Xbox's Quest headset will visually stand out, likely opting for the black colorway that the console is primarily known for.

As a limited edition Meta Quest variant, we can likely rule out any dramatic changes to the Quest 3's current design or features. You can probably expect it to look pretty much the same as the current third-generation Quest headsets, though adopting the Xbox Wireless Controller's colored buttons would be a nice touch.

Big screen experience or fully VR ready?

That's if the Quest 3's Touch Plus controllers are included in the box, Zuckerberg did hint that the headset could come with an Xbox controller, after all. Thankfully, those who nab the headset when it launches will still be able to use its hand tracking for VR/MX content, and a lack of controllers could result in a sizeable discount on the headset's overall price.

If the limited edition Xbox Meta Quest headset adopts the Quest 3S as its baseline, instead of the more premium Quest 3 model, it could be an impressively affordable entry-level option for VR/MR first-timers.

However, many of the Quest's most popular games do require a pair of Touch Plus controllers. Which means, should you be swayed by the Quest's VR/MX game library, you would need to buy the controllers separately, which Meta sells for $74.99 — each.

When can we expect it?

Frustratingly, the last time we heard of this Xbox-branded headset was also the first time we heard about it. Since Meta's original post in April 2024, we've had pretty much radio silence.

Does this mean that the project has evaporated into thin air? Well, it wouldn't be the first time that Meta has announced something and failed to deliver (we're still waiting for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas VR).

However, with Xbox happy enough to work with third parties on Xbox-branded hardware (even to the point of cancelling its own plans) and the seemingly small scope of the collaboration, I'd say there's a strong chance that this headset is still due to release. The question is: when?

The answer to that question may be sooner than we think, with the upcoming Meta Connect 2025 event, scheduled for September 17-18, making an ideal stage to showcase a new headset, especially as the Meta Quest 4 is rumored not to make an appearance until 2027.

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Microsoft's desire to release a gaming handheld, be it in the vein of handheld gaming PCs like the ROG Ally X or a handheld console like the Switch, has been the source of much speculation in 2024.

However, in an act of brazen openness that would make a Nintendo exec blush head-to-toe, Microsoft Gaming head Phil Spencer has finally confirmed that a handheld Xbox console is in the early stages of development.

But do you really need to wait for one?

Microsoft's handheld Xbox is finally confirmed

Confirmation of Xbox's handheld plans comes from a November 12 interview with Bloomberg, in which Spencer revealed that Team Green "definitely" wants to be a part of the handheld market.

This news comes after months of online speculation surrounding Microsoft's potential plans to deliver a portable Xbox experience, most of which was fueled by Spencer's own comments.

Towards the start of the year, Spencer revealed he was a "big fan of handhelds" but claiming the company had "nothing to announce" regarding its own during an interview with The Verge — while also stating that Xbox is "learning from what Nintendo has done over the years with the Switch."

In a March interview with Polygon, Spencer outwardly proclaimed that the Xbox hardware team was exploring "different hardware form factors," and that he wants his own Lenovo Legion Go to "feel like an Xbox."

However, we can only say for certain that Microsoft is pursuing its handheld ambitions with the goal of creating an actual end product.

The catch? According to Spencer, there's nothing "imminent" and Xbox is still hoping to "find teams and technology and capability that add to what we're trying to do in gaming at Microsoft."

Thankfully, while Spencer claims that the device is still a few years out, you don't actually have to wait for a handheld Xbox experience. In fact, it's likely you already own a handheld Xbox of sorts, you don't realize it.

Why wait? You already own an Xbox handheld (kind of)

Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming platform has been bringing the Xbox experience to devices of all kinds since 2019.

At the time of writing, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can enjoy over 350 cloud-enabled games on Smart TVs, VR headsets, streaming devices, laptops, and Chromebooks.

However, you can also use Xbox's Cloud Gaming library on your smartphone and handheld gaming PCs. We've even had some success using an ROG Ally X as a pseudo-PlayStation Portal for Xbox with remote play.

Granted, your phone alone doesn't exactly scream "console-like experience." Especially with all of the touchscreen control schemes you'll have to contend with. You'll spend more time covering your screen with your digits if you play that way.

That said, there are plenty of affordable solutions in the form of Bluetooth controllers, or, for a more console-like feel, slot-in game controllers for smartphones like the GameSir X2s Type-C which can be found for just $39.99 on Amazon or the more premium Backbone One, which retails for $99.99.

Outlook

While Xbox will be taking its time in delivering a handheld Xbox console to market, there are plenty of ways of enjoying Xbox games on the go, even if you don't own an Xbox console.

So, while concrete news of an inbound Xbox is welcomed, that doesn't mean we have to do without in the meantime.

Personally, I've been enjoying much of the Xbox Cloud Gaming catalog in AR using XREAL's Beam Pro and Air 2 AR glasses combo, for ultra-cinematic play sessions on a huge virtual screen.

Of course, if you like the idea of AR but aren't a fan of smart glasses, there's always the Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S to enjoy Cloud Gaming through, with Microsoft reportedly working on a branded Xbox Quest headset to release at some point in the near future.

There are so many ways to play Xbox's Cloud Gaming catalog that there's almost no reason for Microsoft to continue with console hardware.

Xbox gaming is available across so many devices, including those you take with you on the go. Meaning, you don't have to wait, enjoy your Xbox handheld console today.

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Call of Duty fans were given reason to celebrate, and maybe a bit wary, all at once on Tuesday.

The upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be available on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, its computer counterpart, from day one. It's a first for the franchise.

This news was first reported by The Wall Street Journal earlier this month, and it was officially confirmed via a post on Microsoft's Xbox Wire blog. 

According to the post, "Game Pass members will be able to jump into Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 on day one." 

Here's what that means for you: Whether you're a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber or you only subscribe to the PC- or console-specific versions of Game Pass, you'll have access to COD: Black Ops 6 as soon as it comes out.

Microsoft on Tuesday also revealed the game's first live-action trailer called "The Truth Lies" In the trailer, multiple leaders from history — including Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, George H.W. Bush, Colin Powell, and Saddam Hussein — deliver puzzling speeches over an eerie soundtrack. It's red meat for COD diehards. And even if it's not, you can guarantee it won't stop them from playing. 

For more details on the new game and a "first in-depth look at gameplay," you'll want to tune into the Xbox Games Showcase event followed directly by a Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Direct event on June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific. You can watch live via the Xbox YouTube channel.

Until then, all that's left for COD fans is to wonder whether Microsoft will raise the price of its Xbox Game Pass service.

How much more could Microsoft make off COD on Game Pass from Day 1? How much more could you pay on Day 100?

When the WSJ first announced Microsoft's plans to bring Call of Duty to Xbox Game Pass, that was the big question: Will this make Game Pass more expensive per month?

As we've seen from other subscription-based streaming models, it's more a question of "when" rather than "if," especially considering the franchise's incredibly popular status. In addition to price increases, recurring revenue from annual subscriptions automatically renewing could mean more COD-based revenue for Microsoft.

A Call of Duty game has been the top-selling video game of the year for more than a decade. According to the gaming site IGN, the only two titles that briefly usurped a COD game during that time were Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018 and Grand Theft Auto in 2013.

As anyone with too many subscriptions can tell you, recurring subscription revenue is rapidly expanding year over year. With online play the overwhelming way to experience COD over the long term, a subscription model makes brilliant business sense for Microsoft. Research firm Gartner projects growth of 20 percent in the software-as-a-service category in 2024, continuing a years-long trend.

The WSJ also reports that gamers need not worry that Microsoft would delay the new COD game's launch on PlayStation, PC, or even Xbox outside of Game Pass in an effort to drum up new Game Pass subscribers as possible, noting that Microsoft has pledged not to withhold the Call of Duty series. (The company hasn't said anything official about whether it'll delay the release, though.)

Launching Black Ops 6 is money-saving news for those who already pay for Game Pass or plan to pay about $10 for one month instead of $70 for an entire game. It's also good news for Microsoft, as data shows that "customers prefer and are often committed to ongoing payments, which helps reduce churn rates compared to businesses that rely on one-time transactions." 

If you plan to play the game for months (and with the game's popular multiplayer component, that's likely the case for a lot of people), the cost of Game Pass quickly adds up. With potential price hikes in the future, you might find yourself paying more than $70 in just a few short months.

In preparation for the game's release later this year, check out the best gaming laptops available now and refresh yourself by playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a game that earned 4 out of 5 stars in our review.

If you're a Call of Duty (COD) fan and you already have Xbox Game Pass, you may love this exclusive news from The Wall Street Journal. According to the WSJ, Microsoft plans to launch the new COD game directly to Xbox Game Pass, the same successful approach it took with Starfield's launch last September.

Following the Starfield launch, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed during the company's FY24 Q1 earnings call that it "set a record for the most Game Pass subscriptions added on a single day ever." With how wildly popular the COD franchise is, it's virtually guaranteed that another record will be set when the newest title debuts this fall.

The WSJ reports that Microsoft will announce this news at the annual Xbox showcase in June. Consumers will still supposedly have the option to purchase the upcoming COD game outright for PC or console, even on PlayStation, but launching such a major game franchise on a streaming service instead of only as a purchasable title paints a unique picture for the future of the gaming industry.

A 'COD' launch on Game Pass could raise prices and negatively impact creativity

First and foremost, launching the new Call of Duty game on Xbox Game Pass will result in less overall game sales. The WSJ writes that the COD franchise has "ranked No. 1 in overall franchise sales each year from 2009 through 2023," and that won't happen if it launches on Xbox Game Pass. Sure they can move the goalpost with "most downloaded" or something similar, but it's not that same top sales figure.

In his final report on Activision, TD Cowen analyst Doug Creutz (via WSJ) said, "We strongly believe that an overall shift to a subscription model for the industry would negatively impact value creation at the publishers." The team working on a game will see less overall sales flowing back into their pockets, but Microsoft will still be raking in the dough through new Xbox Game Pass subscribers. 

To a consumer, it seems like the smarter decision to pay $9.99 to $16.99 a month for a streaming service that gives them access to a plethora of games rather than pay $70 for a single COD title. However, that appeal is likely all part of Microsoft's plan.

Just like Disney Plus launched at $6.99 a month in 2019, only to raise it to $13.99 a month in 2023, Xbox Game Pass probably won't stay at its low $9.99/$16.99 price forever. The plan for many streaming services is to first get people interested, and then increase prices.

Although Microsoft hasn't said anything yet about increasing Xbox Game Pass subscription costs, it's hard to believe they wouldn't — and many people on X share that sentiment.

Even with a price increase, Xbox Game Pass will likely still be a great value for those who have a lot of games on their to-play list. But it's worth noting the cannibalization effect launching a major IP on Game Pass will have on a-la-carte sales.

The WSJ says that Microsoft has pledged to not withhold the Call of Duty series from its rivals, but that doesn't mean the company won't delay the launch of new COD games on PlayStation, PC, or even Xbox consoles outside of Game Pass.

Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision prior to the Microsoft acquisition, said, "I have a general aversion to the idea of multigame subscription services" during a court hearing for the FTC lawsuit filed against Microsoft to block the Activision takeover. And honestly, I'm inclined to agree. 

Of course, we won't know anything officially until Microsoft announces the news at its Xbox showcase in June. Perhaps Microsoft will surprise us and launch the new COD on Game Pass and other platforms simultaneously.

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Good news for cloud gaming fans — can now play select purchased Xbox games on Boosteroid cloud gaming. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers are also able to stream all of the Game Pass titles currently on Boosteroid.

Is it worth picking up a Boosteroid subscription to stream your Xbox library through the cloud, and which Microsoft titles are available on Boosteroid? Here’s what we know so far. 

“Deathloop,” “Dishonored,” and more Xbox games coming to Boosteroid 

Microsoft’s partnership with cloud gaming platform Boosteroid was first announced last March, with the first round of Microsoft games hitting the service last June. Now Microsoft is allowing gamers to play certain purchased Xbox titles on Boosteroid, complete with cross-play and cross-saving. 

The current list of titles is limited at the moment, but a good start. It includes: “Deathloop,” “Dishonored,” “Dishonored 2,” “Dishonored: Death of The Outsider,” “Gears 5,” “Gears Tactics,” “Ghostwire: Tokyo,” and “Pentiment.” According to the announcement on Xbox Wire, Microsoft plans to add more titles to this list over time. 

All of these games (and any that follow) are now playable on any device that supports Boosteroid. So, if you bought a copy of “Dishonored” on the Microsoft Store on PC, you can now load it up on your phone through the Boosteroid app. 

The catch here is that you need to both own the game and purchase a Boosteroid subscription. If you purchased one of these games individually, it is only eligible if you bought it through the Microsoft Store (that means Steam purchases don’t count). Alternatively, you can connect your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to your Boosteroid account, but you’ll still need to pay for both subscriptions. 

So, if you’re interested in cloud gaming and already own one of these games, this could be a good opportunity to try out Boosteroid. However, gamers who aren’t sold on cloud gaming yet might be better off waiting until there are more Xbox titles available on Boosteroid to maximize the value of trying out a subscription. 

How to play Xbox games on Boosteroid

If you already have Game Pass Ultimate and Boosteroid subscriptions and want to start streaming any of these newly-available titles, the process is pretty simple. 

Start by logging into your Boosteroid account, select the “Library” tab, and select the filter for Xbox games. This will show you all of the Xbox titles currently available on Boosteroid. They may say “license required” if you haven’t connected your Microsoft account yet, but that’s the next step. 

Select the Xbox title you want to play. When you hit the “play” button, you should get a prompt to log into your Microsoft account. When you do, make sure you use the account connected to either your individually purchased games or your Game Pass Ultimate subscription. After logging in, your Microsoft and Boosteroid accounts will be connected and you should be able to play any eligible Xbox titles through Boosteroid.

Microsoft and Xbox have been at the center of several game-changing rumors as of late regarding which direction the green brand is heading in. Thankfully, we shouldn't have too much longer to speculate on the brand's next steps as Xbox head Phil Spencer took to social media to confirm a business update event taking place next week. According to Spencer, here's where Microsoft intends to share more details about its 'vision for the future of Xbox.'

Xbox's exact vision remains to be seen, but the console giant has found itself amid a whirlpool of speculation of late surrounding the prospect of its exclusive first-party games going multi-platform — with Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo's Switch likely to gain access to previously Xbox only titles like "Hi-Fi Rush," "Sea of Thieves," and even Bethesda's latest epic Sci-Fi RPG "Starfield."

An end to exclusivity?

Rumors of Xbox's shift from console exclusivity were kick-started last week after new blue and red branded images were datamined from a "Hi-Fi Rush" anniversary update. The images, featuring captions of "I'm here baby!" and "Rock out! Anywhere," drove speculation that the popular Xbox exclusive title was about to make to jump to other consoles.

Before long, more rumors began to swirl that suggested that even the brand's most recent announcements like "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle" could also be among the titles expected to go multi-platform in the future.

Why the shift in Microsoft’s Xbox exclusives strategy? Well, if these reports are true, Xbox likely wants the biggest return on investment from its software strategy, profiting off of game sales on other consoles while providing Xbox owners with the fantastic value of Xbox Game Pass which offers many first-party games as part of the membership.

To many, Microsoft's actions have suggested a shift away from the hardware side of the games industry. The success of Xbox Game Pass has even led some to believe that Xbox's future lies in an app-based streaming subscription like the one to be found on the Meta Quest 3. However, while that's no doubt a strong possibility when it comes to the future of that particular service, Microsoft is reportedly far from done when it comes to delivering Xbox hardware.

The rumored Xbox handheld

According to the latest Xbox News Cast Podcast (as reported by Wccf Tech), Microsoft's next mainline Xbox console is on track for a 2026 release, but will also be partnered with a dockable handheld console similar to that of the Nintendo Switch.

The unnamed device is said to be created by the team behind Microsoft's premium Surface lineup and will focus on providing cloud gaming and native execution of Xbox games.

This brings Microsoft into the handheld gaming market for the first time beyond partnering with brands like Logitech on the G Cloud, and runs parallel to Sony's reported plans to launch a new handheld games console, potentially the PS Vita 2, within a similar time frame.

Outlook

It makes perfect sense for both the green and blue brands to dive in on the handheld action and ride the wave of its current revival. With handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion Go, all finding decent levels of success throughout 2023, the handheld gaming market hasn't seen as much action in decades.

The only real concern would be whether or not this market can maintain its momentum by the time Xbox and PlayStation's offerings are estimated to arrive in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

It's still early days for Xbox's handheld gaming aspirations, so we're unlikely to hear much, if anything, about this during next week's business update. But we should expect Xbox head Phil Spencer to address the growing rumors surrounding a potential end to Xbox-exclusive games and the company's thoughts and plans surrounding future content availability.

For breaking news and updates on everything console or handheld gaming and tech, follow Laptop Mag on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, and Flipboard. 

I’ve made it clear I’m in love with handheld gaming, and my adoration for the Asus ROG Ally in particular could bring about the second big bang. Not only is it one of the best handheld gaming devices, but I’ve talked (Editor’s note: At great length, trust us) about how the Asus ROG Ally is my new favorite gaming “laptop” and played dozens of games on it. Unfortunately, the world hasn’t quite caught up to my appreciation of handheld gaming on Windows 11. And by “the world,” I mean software developers.

Valve is the only player in the realm of game stores that has fully developed a separate UI for controllers. While we could attribute this to the company having its own Linux-based operating system for Steam Deck, it has actually had Big Picture Mode years and years ahead of its launch. In truth, Valve is the only major app launcher on Windows that has been prepared for the gamepad revolution. 

Not even Microsoft itself, which has been on the console scene since 2001 with the launch of the original Xbox, has an application on Windows that works seamlessly with a gamepad. We’re still in a phase of handheld gaming where navigating the operating system and launching gaming apps makes the player feel unwanted. It’s not optimized for this method of control, and even with Xbox’s recent compact mode fixing a couple of issues, it’s still borderline unusable.

The underlying problem rests with Windows 11, which makes navigation nightmarish. This is why handheld system manufacturers like Asus and MSI have taken to building dedicated software for the device — ensuring all of your games and relevant settings are in one place. You still have to navigate these unoptimized launchers to get games downloaded, but once it’s installed, it makes the process less arduous.

Xbox isn’t alone in this issue, but it is the company with the most skin in the game. Excluding the Steam Deck, many other handheld gaming systems run on Windows. The Asus ROG Ally even launched in partnership with Xbox, particularly highlighting the value of Xbox Game Pass by providing three free months when you purchase the handheld console. There’s even an Asus ROG Ally hands-on live on the Xbox Wire blog with the headline “this is Xbox Game Pass portable.”

Xbox should know better, and until we get something decent, I will continue screaming about its issues on Windows while using a gamepad. Please fix it, Microsoft.

Issues with Xbox app on Asus ROG Ally and other gaming handhelds  

Xbox launched an update for its Windows application in November called “compact mode,” and while I was excited for how it would change things, all it does is remove the letters from the icons on the sidebar and provide more screen space at the center. While a slight improvement, this barely addresses the app’s issues.

The most obvious problem is that the UI is the same Xbox application designed for mouse and keyboard, but with settings tweaked for gamepad. A search bar hovers over the top at all times, even though it’s only accessible when at the top of the screen. If you scroll too far down at the bottom, you can’t select the search bar without going all the way back up (unless you use the touchscreen).

Xbox also doesn’t have a built-in keyboard, and while this is lower on the list of priorities, it’s one of the many things that Steam Big Picture Mode handles flawlessly. Alongside its borderless window mode which makes it feel like a dedicated console UI, it stands out as the stronger of the two by far.

There’s even a “Friends” bar always floating down at the bottom of the screen. While that’s fine on paper, it’s difficult to select when using the gamepad. Moving downward on the joystick will continue scrolling through the page, and the only way to select it is to get lucky by scrolling down on an item that sits parallel to it.

And then there’s the issue of general navigation. Moving to the My Library tab showcases a selection of games I can jump back into, but the directions I need to move in to even begin picking one is comical. From the My Library tab, I have to highlight the back button, search bar, install queue, next page of the “jump back in” section, the “toggle ascending/descending” button for the My PC games section (which rests below the “jump back in” selection), filters, and then up once to finally land on my first game in that area. To be clear, it visually sits horizontally from the My Library tab.

Since the application is still primarily optimized for mouse and keyboard use, every little button is still on screen. You have to fight a physical battle, pushing through a blockade of useless buttons when you just want to select the game you want to play. There are no button shortcuts to make navigation simpler, and doing the most basic action is an absolute pain. It’s so bad that I’ve resorted to using Desktop mode with the joystick emulating a mouse.

There are also moments where you’re trapped in the UI, as certain highlightable buttons don’t let you travel beyond them. Honestly, at times, It’s almost as if the Xbox app does not want you to play its games.

Bottom line 

There’s no excuse why the Xbox app should be as miserable on a gamepad as it is. Other applications, like Ubisoft Connect and EA Play, may suffer from the same issues, but we’re highlighting Xbox’s lack of compatibility because its presence in this market is significant. The company has been developing UI for consoles since 2001 and these handhelds are designed to run on Microsoft’s operating system — the Asus ROG Ally exists in partnership with Xbox itself.

Xbox needs a separate launchable mode, similar to Steam’s Big Picture Mode, that is designed like its console UI. There’s no reason why the company shouldn’t have a feature like this already, and while handheld gaming on Windows is a relatively new revolution, here’s to hoping the company gets around to it sooner rather than later.

The Asus Zenbook 14X OLED is one of the best touchscreen laptops around. If you're bargain shopping for a capable PC for work, school and play, this deal is for you. 

Currently, the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED is on sale for $549 at Best Buy. It normally costs $799, so that's $250 in savings and the lowest price ever for this particular Asus laptop. Best Buy further sweetens the deal with a free 1 month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and 6 free months of  Trend Micro Internet Security (valued at $30).

In terms of value, this is one of the  best laptop deals you can get. 

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer recently commented on information regarding the growth of Xbox Game Pass and its ecosystem, making a drastic claim about its development. When an FTC lawyer, James Weingarten, presented him with projected growth metrics revolving around Xbox Game Pass subscribers, Spencer claimed that the projections were far below reasonable expectations for the company (via Wccftech).

These growth metrics showed the service reaching 100 million subscribers between fiscal year 2029 and 2030, but Spencer is not a fan of these predictions. In fact, he does not "believe that is what the future Xbox business would look like." He then proceeded to say "if this were the outcome, we would -- I don't think we'd still be in the business." He believes the company needs to be in that position by fiscal year 2026 to 2027, or "we'd have to make a difference decision with the business."

Is Xbox truly going to exit gaming?

If you're anything like me, your first instinct upon reading Spencer's quotes is to thrust yourself into panic mode. Are our video games safe? Is Xbox Game Pass going to perish? What about all of our digital media? Will the three gaming titans shrink down to two and revolve around only Nintendo and PlayStation?

But there's a reason why that one part of the quote is being highlighted by the media, as the full context of the situation is not given a proper spotlight. Spencer's comments on the growth of Xbox do not come from a place of uncertainty and fear; it's a result of him believing that there's no way that would happen.

His quote begins with him saying that he does not think Xbox will reach only 100 million subscribers by fiscal year 2029 to 2030, and instead he expects projections should be there by 2026 to 2027. When he says "I don't believe we'd still be in the business," he's taking an extreme regarding the ridiculousness of those estimates. 

Spencer is likely suggesting that those aforementioned estimates are so absurd that if they were true, Xbox would not be able to continue this business model. Spencer also sent a separate tweet plainly stating "so much has changed" and that they will share "the real plans" when they are ready.

From the way I read those quotes, in no way did it seem like Spencer was implying that Xbox is in so much danger that they could go out of business by 2027. Instead, it reads as someone countering projections that no longer hold up to the reality anymore. We might not know for sure until Spencer clarifies, but I'm somewhat certain this is not the case.

There’s no better time to dive into the best PC Game Pass games than when you’re stuck at home. 

For those who are unaware, Xbox launched PC Game Pass (previously known as Xbox Game Pass for PC) as a service you can either pay for separately from Xbox Game Pass or bundled with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It works just like the original Xbox Game Pass, letting you download all available games for free as long as you’re in the service. PC Game Pass costs $4.99 for the first month then $9.99 per month after that. You’ll frequently find PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on sale.

There are more than 100 PC games on Game Pass for PC and you'll find games regularly coming and going. Also, check out our piece about why I’m not worried about Xbox’s lack of exclusives. See our recent Diablo 4 piece.

Recently, we fully reviewed the Xbox Series X, so if you want to know whether or not it's better to play on your current PC or a next-gen console, check out the Xbox Series X review. See our recent Xbox Wireless Headset review. Also, check out our System of the Stars piece, where we meet the therapist using videos games to teach mental health. You can also read about my romantic journey in Stray Gods.

See our recent Star Wars Jedi: Survivor review, which is likely going to go to EA Play at some point, and that means it's going to be where? That's right, PC Game Pass. If you're into pen and paper games, check out our best virtual tabletop software page. (And our DND tips if you need help).

In no particular order, here are the best PC Game Pass games you can play right now:

1. Hi-Fi RUSH

It’s commonplace to experience periods where we feel detached from something we love for one reason or another. I haven’t been in a gaming mood since October, 2022. Even after starting beloved titles like God of War: Ragnarok, Ghost of Tsushima, and Dead Space 2, nothing was sticking and I hadn’t beaten a single game since. Then Hi-Fi RUSH dropped.

Hi-Fi RUSH had me fall in love with the medium all over again, but its ability to reinvigorate my perception of gaming doesn’t just boil down to it being great; it’s because I have never played anything quite like it. From its phenomenally expressive cel-shaded aesthetic and adorable animations to an exhilarating sense of rhythm complimented by awesome hack-n-slash combat, this is an experience few will never forget. Best of all, it’s wrapped up in a shell that brings me back to cartoons of the early 2000s while fundamentally reminding us of the best 3D games from the earliest iterations of the medium.

Hi-Fi RUSH is one of those rare gems that ignites a thought, making us realize that video games can be so much more than what they are now. Tango Gameworks knocked it out of the park, and I cannot recommend it enough. It easily sits among the best PC games and best Xbox Series X games.

- Momo Tabari

See our full Hi-Fi RUSH review.

2. Forza Motorsport

It’s been 18 years since the first Forza Motorsport, and much like Gran Turismo, the series has had its ups and down. But as Gran Turismo 7 gets its second wind with a wave of updates, new cars and additions to the campaign, Turn 10 has brought the heat with simulation physics and a driving model that pips Polyphony to pole position.

That’s a bold claim, but I have to be honest. Behind the wheel, this game feels better. I’m not talking about complete sim accuracy here. I’m talking about the thrill of getting to learn every car’s characteristics and pushing it to the absolute limit, which is going to take a while given just how dense this game seems.

For all intents and purposes, Forza Motorsport is everything I wanted it to be. It’s one of the best Xbox games available today through its incredibly grounded automotive simulation physics, top notch visuals and audio, impressive AI, a rewarding caRPG gameplay loop, and a revived multiplayer model that is sure to encourage far cleaner racing than the bumper cars of old.

— Jason England

See our full Forza Motorsport review.

3. Disney Dreamlight Valley

Disney Dreamlight Valley's launch ruined my life. I spent a majority of my time awake farming and exploring during the first week of its early access, and although I've finally managed to quell the addiction, I still had a blast during the 50 hours I spent with it.

If you're interested in playing a hybrid between Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, this is the game for you. There's an undeniable magic in hearing instrumental versions of my favorite Disney songs played while running around these adorable environments, and lets not forget, you can even have the one and only Elsa as a villager. But no, she cannot be romanced, which is the most disheartening aspect of this otherwise solid game.

If you do decide to pick it up, we have plenty of Disney Dreamlight Valley tips and tricks. Check out our guides on how to get Moonstones quickly, how to quickly level up companions, how to make tons of money quickly, how to farm tons of fruit, how to get 150 Moonstones for free, and a list of every recipe in the game

— Momo Tabari

4. Metal: Hellsinger

Gaming and music is an age-old partnership that rarely fails to deliver. Who can forget the iconic tune of Super Mario Bros. or Sephiroth’s intimidating “One-Winged Angel” theme in Final Fantasy 7? It’s a beautiful combination that gives gamers plenty of memorable moments. Now, with Rock Band, Brütal Legend, and Doom delivering the awe-inspiring soundscape of rock in games, fans can headbang with controller in hand. 

If there was a way to mix the rhythm combinations of Guitar Hero while blowing a demon’s head off with a shotgun, even better, right? Enter, Metal: Hellsinger. Developer The Outsiders have created a union between the fast-paced first-person shooter mechanics of Doom Eternal and thrown in the ability to “slay to the beat.” This isn’t the first of its kind, but when there are the iconic voices of Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Randy Blythe (Lamb of God), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), along with the excellent voice talent of Troy Baker, blasting in your ears, you can already tell this isn’t your average FPS based in hell. 

But does it keep the momentum? After eight hours with the game — completing the main story and finishing all the Torment trials — the best way to describe it is metal fans should come for a good time, not a long time. Like a proper album, rock band Two Feathers have created around 11 original tunes to slay away to, but this can only take gamers so far when enemy variation is limited and levels play out the same way.

The rhythm-based FPS is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, Series S, and Game Pass on September 15, and despite its setbacks, Metal: Hellsinger is a game any FPS and metal fan will want to pick up. 

— Darragh Murphy

See our full Metal: Hellsinger review.

5. Two Point Campus

Two Point Campus is a management sim that tasks you with creating idyllic and well-functioning university buildings, thriving under the pressures of educational achievement and, hopefully, making a beautiful home for students and staff alike. What it also teaches you is a very hard lesson in managing your finances while forcing you to constantly question your own morals.

You’re the decision maker of your campuses’ desires and sometimes you might decide to skimp a bit for your own monetary gain. Say, deciding your students can make do with a few haphazardly placed vending machines as opposed to a luxurious, assistant-run food kiosk full of culinary delights. Or, maybe even just bung a fridge in their student lounge. Two Point Campus will consistently put you at a crossroads of your own moral compass and how you choose to follow it is up to you.

There’s a lot of decisions to be made as you construct your campus and there’s an incredibly fine line between making money fast or spending with a longer term goal in mind. Two Point Campus, while teaching your students in a variety of fun courses like robotics, dark arts, and knight school, will also teach you a fantastic lesson in how to get the best out of management sims.

— Grace Dean

See our full Two Point Campus review.

6. Deathloop

Deathloop is like a chaotic, violent melange of Groundhog Day, a dash of My Super Ex-Girlfriend, and favorite game of all time, Dishonored. In fact, Arkane Studios is the talented team that brought us the latter and they’re the same folks who worked on Deathloop — and the similarities are striking. Deathloop delivers all the beloved aspects of Dishonored: supernatural abilities, dual-wielding fighting styles, gritty, explorable worlds, and merciless, annoying enemies who call the whole damn town for backup. 

However, Deathloop offers a more modern twist, ditching stuffy ol’ 19th century royal protector Corvo for au courant Colt who’s got a colorful, snide personality à la Samuel L. Jackson and hilarious quips that make you chuckle. With Colt’s on-edge temperament and affinity for cursing, he’s one step away from yelling, “Enough is enough! I’ve had it with these [expletive] time loops on this [expletive] island!”

As you step into Colt’s shoes for the first time, you’re just as clueless as he is. You, too, are trying to collect all pieces of the puzzle to create the big picture of what the hell is going on here and how you’re going to put a stop to this maddening time loop.

— Kimberly Gedeon

See our full Deathloop review.

7. Halo Infinite

343 Industries captured the very essence of Master Chief within the fast-paced, high-octane gameplay of Halo Infinite. It is the most fun I’ve ever had in a Halo game. But once you realize that 343 Industries brutally murdered a promising narrative and replaced it with a lazy attempt to provide an entry point for new fans, the credits have already rolled and you have a sour taste in your mouth.

Despite that, Halo Infinite delivers the most fun Halo multiplayer in the entire franchise, and the fact that it's free means that everyone can hop in on the experience. Nothing beats grappling-hooking across an enemy base to land on a group of enemies, drop a shield and tear into them with the ridiculously overpowered Sentinel Beam. 343 Industries are still working out some kinks concerning the Battle Pass and how armor works, but with time, it'll get better.

— Rami Tabari

See our full Halo Infinite review.

8. Back 4 Blood

One of the MVPs of zombie shooters returns with Back 4 Blood, and as you may have read from my first impressions, Turtle Rock studio hasn’t lost a beat since Left 4 Dead 2 was released back in 2009.

The chaotic co-op spirit is fully intact: online survival horror action with more brain spilling than Arn Anderson could shake a Glock at, along with new elements that promise to bring longevity to the experience.

Sure, Turtle Rock hasn’t changed much from the Left 4 Dead formula (including the repetition problems), which means Back 4 Blood isn’t the revolutionary return to the genre  gamers hyped it up to be. But the intense action, online multiplayer mayhem and satisfying shooting mechanics make this easy to forgive.

This is the spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead we’ve all wanted, and trust me, it’s been worth the wait.

— Jason England

See our full Back 4 Blood review.

9. Halo: The Master Chief Collection

You can’t beat the classics. 343 Industries is slowly but surely rolling out all of the games included in the Halo: Master Chief Collection on PC Game Pass. So far, Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 have officially launched on PC, and there are many more titles to go for a total of  six games in just one package.

If you have no idea what Halo is all about, let me educate you. Halo is a first-person shooter about a badass dude in a suit of armor that walks really slow, but in the later games he walks really fast. No, but seriously, Halo in its most simplest form is a sci-fi action shooter that pits you against all kinds of aliens looking to destroy human life. Your goal is to kick ass and save the day. Don’t mistake your simple goal for shallow story telling. There’s a lot of in-depth story points that you’ll fancy, enough to write hundreds of words about, but trust me, it’s good.

— Rami Tabari

10. Gears 5

Gears 5 is an excellent third-person, cover-based shooter, in addition to being the best Gears of War games ever made thanks to its in-depth storytelling, beautiful open-world environments and believable characters. It's one of the best PC Game Pass games I've ever played.

When I saw the first trailer for this game at E3, I thought Gears 5 was going to flop. But when I played the campaign, I was blown away by how the story seamlessly connected itself to the rest of the series. If campaign isn't your thing, don't worry, Gears 5 also has a game mode called Escape, which traps you in a Swarm nest and forces you to fight your way out in a limited amount of time. It's super intense and a great way to experience Gears with friends. There's also Horde mode and countless PvP modes to keep you busy.

— Rami Tabari

11. Dishonored 2

Just when you thought things had ended happily ever after for former Royal Protector Corvo Attano, Dishonored 2 pops up to show anything but. The sequel to the critically acclaimed first-person action-adventure stealth brings us back to Corvo 15 years after the events of the first game. A celebration for the late queen Jessamine, put on by Emily Kaldwin, the daughter of Attano and the queen, is disrupted by the witch Delilah Copperspoon, who claims to be the rightful heir to the Dunwall throne. Chaos erupts as a successful coup is carried out and it’s up to whomever you choose to play as (Emily or Corvo) to right the wrongs and save the kingdom. 

Use the powers of the mysterious Outsider to travel to a new kingdom and find the truth about Delilah, the Outsider and the Void. I’ve always been a big fan of the Dishonored series. Not only is the story compelling, but the supernatural powers and stealth mechanics allow you to tackle the game however you see fit. Do you go in for a frontal assault, killing everyone in sight, or go for the non-violence route? Whatever you choose has drastic effects on the game. And when you’re done, check out the excellent DLC, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider. 

— Sherri L. Smith

12. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

After many delays, Ori and the Will of the Wisps released this year and I can truly say it was well worth the wait. Picking up after the events of the first title, Ori and the Blind Forest, Will of the Wisps follows Ori the Spirit Guardian on its journey to find Ku, the baby owl from the first title. After being blown off course into a new land. Ori must use its powers to restore the light that’s been slowly receding into darkness. 

Will of the Wisps is one of the best and prettiest Metroidvanias currently available. Developer Moon Studios successfully surpassed the world of the first game, allowing Ori to interact with the denizens of this new land. The backdrops are colorful and diverse and the music ties it all together. I found myself humming some of the tracks for days after I finished the game. The story is bittersweet, but it’s one that I highly recommend. 

— Sherri L. Smith

13. Forza Horizon 4

Racing fans who find the realistic tracks in Forza's acclaimed simulators to be too confined shouldn't hesitate to download Forza Horizon 4. This open-world racer is among the best racing games ever, right up there with Burnout 3. Don't take my world for it; Forza Horizon holds an average Metacritic rating of 92 from unanimously positive reviews. 

What makes this arcade racer a must-own for Xbox owners? It starts with dazzling graphics that depict near-photorealistic landscapes ranging from sun-drenched vistas to snowy hillside, each changing dynamically based on the seasons. Dozens of different racing types, including rallies, road races, straight-road drag races and cross-country marathons keep the gameplay fresh, while endless tuning options make a robust selection of car types and models feel different. 

Once you've completed the exhaustive list of challenges, route creator lets you build your own race track. Want to play with others? Forza Horizon 4's Team Adventures pits two groups against each other in a series of races. Oh, and keeping up with the trends, Forza developer PlayGround Games introduced a 72-car battle royale mode late last year. So start tuning your engines -- Forza Horizon 4 is a game that racing fans, or even casual gamers, simply can't miss.

— Phillip Tracy

14. Middle-earth: Shadow of War

I can't think of a more fun way to spend my quarantine days than by slashing my way through hordes of hideous orcs. Set between the events of the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Shadow of War is an open-world action RPG with an epic story and all of the abilities, powers and weapons you expect from a LOTR game. 

In Shadow of War, you play as Talion who forged a new ring of power only to lose it. The story isn't perfect but Tolkein fans will appreciate familiar characters and locales from the books and movies. In Shadow of War, Middle-earth is vast and varied, each region of the map played out on an entirely different terrain. 

Talion's fast movements make traversing the landscape less tiresome and frequent encounters with ork and uruks are always a fun challenge in finding new ways to slay. Abilities and ancient weapons are put on full display when you encounter one of the Uruk-hai captains, each of which has its own name and personality. If you played the first game, then you'll be happy to know that the Nemesis system returns in Shadow of War. The unique mechanic is better than ever, and, along with the new Fortresses mechanic, make Shadow of War one of the best LOTR games ever.

— Phillip Tracy

15. The Outer Worlds

A space western from the people that brought us Fallout: New Vegas and Knights of the Old Republic 2? Yes to all of that, thank you. The Outer Worlds is another character-driven RPG by Obsidian Entertainment that brings some of the feel of both of those games in a universe that is somewhat reminiscent of the short-lived Firefly TV show.  

The game is in first-person and combat is similar to the Fallout series but relies on a slow-motion mechanic to assist your aim rather than handling it entirely for you. You start on your own, but eventually build a party of companions over time to tackle challenging quests. The characters in your party and within the world are some of the best parts of this game because each has its own interesting personality. 

The skill trees for both your characters and the weapons in the game are deep and offer lots of opportunities to specialize your character down whatever path you like. While The Outer Worlds lacks the full open-world experience of the Fallout series, it should still scratch that itch pretty effectively with the amount of exploration allowed on each quest. If you are a fan of RPGs or the space western genre this is not a game to be missed.

— Sean Riley

16. Cities: Skylines - Windows 10 Edition

While city planning was never a job I aspired to, you wouldn’t know it from the number of hours I've poured into SimCity in my life. Cities: Skylines is the spiritual successor and it's keeping the genre alive almost single-handedly. If you haven’t played a city builder game like Cities: Skylines before, it is virtually impossible to make it sound compelling. And yet, somehow, the combination of building out and then managing your city is incredibly satisfying.

You start your city from scratch on a small plot of land, simply laying out the roads and designating areas for specific types of construction, and then hopefully your population begins to build. As you hit specific population milestones, you gain new abilities and access to more land to keep building your little city into a metropolis. While building is your primary focus, running your city involves creating tax incentives to promote certain businesses and the like, all of which contributes to the success of your city.

Cities: Skylines is a beautiful game, particularly as your city grows. It becomes entertaining to simply fly over it and view all of the various buildings and the sim people going about their day. And just when you feel like you’ve got everything you can from Cities: Skylines, you can dip into the mods community for the game, which can completely transform the look and functionality of the game to make everything new again.

— Sean Riley

Despite introducing us to a distorted world of flesh and machinery back in 2014, Microsoft’s exclusive first-person horror adventure game Scorn has yet to release — but we won't have to wait much longer.

Developed and published by Serbian game development studio Ebb Software, Scorn aims to throw gamers into a nightmarish world brimming with disturbing, yet fascinating creatures and locations from the minds of Polish painter Zdzisław Beksiński and Swiss artist H.R. Giger — the man behind Ridley Scott’s Alien. That’s a big indication of how creepy this game will be. 

Ebb Software may have gone through a number of development issues, as shown in a recent “hostile” post over on Kickstarter that even called out Cyberpunk 2077 and developers CD Projekt Red. The Scorn developers have since apologized for the post in a number of recent updates, and we now have a release date and more gameplay thanks to the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase 2022.

Here’s everything we know so far about Scorn, from the release date to its PC requirements. 

Scorn release date

Despite being officially announced back in 2014 with pre-alpha footage included, the game has yet to launch due to delays and funding. Scorn was initially meant to release in autumn 2021, but had been pushed back to October 21, 2021. This news originally came from Ebb Software's CEO, Ljubomir Peklar, stating the game is now "75 percent" complete and will officially launch in October this year. The full release date was announced at the Xbox and Bethesda event.

In better news, Scorn's launch date has now moved forward! In a video titled "You’ve waited long enough," Ebb Software announced it will be released a week earlier than previously claimed. Scorn will launch on October 14, 2022. 

Scorn price and availability

With Scorn being available on Xbox Game Pass from day one, those with a membership will be able to play it on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC for as little as $9.99/£7.99. Xbox has been releasing highly anticipated games such as Halo Infinite and Back 4 Blood on its subscription service without any extra cost, and Scorn is getting the same treatment. 

We have yet to see an official price, but Scorn is likely to be a $60 title. Ebb Software partnered up with Microsoft to release the creepy horror adventure exclusively on Xbox platforms, which means Scorn won’t be coming to PS5 or Nintendo anytime soon, if at all. It will also be available on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG.

In their Kickstarter campaign, the developers stated: “Before deciding to partner with Microsoft we made sure that they will not have any influence over the game's concept and development process. They were more than cooperative in that regard. The only thing they were interested in was exclusivity rights. Once all that was agreed upon it was a no-brainer decision when you look at all the benefits Scorn will get from this partnership, from additional resources to much bigger exposure (marketing).” 

Scorn story

Aside from the living, breathing world our nameless main character is thrown into, not much is known about the main storyline of Scorn. What we do know is that our character is lost in a dream-like world, and must traverse different interconnected (and creepy) regions in a non-linear fashion.

From what we can tell, Scorn may be more lore-driven with gamers sole goal being to try to escape from the nightmare. For now, this is just speculation, but the developers have stated that each location players visit in the “open-ended” world will have its own theme and story, with puzzles and characters that play a big role in the world. We also know Scorn’s regions will be set up like a maze with different rooms and paths to discover.

This is what Ebb Software had to say about how the story will play out: “All the storytelling happens in-game, with no cut-scenes to distract you from the grisly reality of the living, breathing world you’re in. But keep your eyes open — the game won’t show you any sympathy if you miss something important on your uneasy travels. Everything has a reason and purpose — you just need to work out what it is.”

Thanks to a developer update in March, we also know that puzzles are an integral part of the story, and even the maze-like structures throughout the player's creepy surroundings tell their own story.  Plus, the developers made a note that while it could be a walking simulator by just atmosphere alone, it's a lot more thanks to the creatures and puzzles players will have to come across. 

This is similar to how games like Dark Souls tell stories, leaving gamers to pick up pieces of the story as they play through the game. Still, since Scorn has been delayed, this structure may change when it comes out in 2022. 

Scorn gameplay

Scorn might have been disregarded as yet another first-person horror title you can find in Steam’s massive collection of horror games. However, as soon as Ebb Software showed off its twisted version of symbiotic weaponry, the game went from horror experience to survival horror.

Players will be exploring multiple maze-like regions filled with creepy puzzles to solve and grotesque enemies to fight off. Scorn is expected to have a multitude of weaponry, and we already know of two weapons players can shoot off and be grossed out by: a six-shot pistol and a three-barrel rifle that fires off organic spikes. Check out the 8-minute gameplay trailer below, which takes us through the game's prologue. 

As the trailer points out, Scorn doesn't have any dialogue, as the environment will do a majority of the storytelling. What's more, while there are guns in Scorn, it "is not a shooter."

Puzzles, inventory, and ammo management will also be a major part of gameplay. Resources will be limited, so players will have to decide on whether hiding is the best option or taking on one of the many creatures is the way forward. Scorn may take cues from other survival-horror classics such as Dead Space and Resident Evil, mixing combat with puzzles. Combat appears slower than in these games, as seen with the pistol reloading sequence in the gameplay footage. This is sure to build tension in combat, but players will also acquire different skill sets, weapons, and various items that may increase different stats. 

In the March developer update, we caught a quick glimpse of two aspects of gameplay: the puzzles and machinery involved in accessing areas. It's as fascinating and grotesque as you expect it to be.

As the update states: "Scorn has a very distinct style woven into every piece of the game, so puzzles need to be a continuation of that experience. While solving puzzles, the player is still exposed to the same environment and risks, keeping them immersed in the world."

Scorn PC Requirements

Scorn’s beautifully grotesque atmosphere and fleshy details may not require powerful GPUs to run smoothly, but seeing as Ebb Software’s first-person adventure still doesn’t have an official release date, the current recommended PC specs may change. Still, the best cheap gaming laptops will be able to run Scorn without a hitch according to its system requirements on Steam.  

The minimum requirements for Scorn are an Intel Core i3-2100 or AMD FX-6300 CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti or AMD Radeon HD 7870 GPU, at least 8GB of RAM and 50GB of storage.

As for the recommended requirements, this includes an Intel Core i5-2500 or AMD FX-8350 CPU, Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290 GPU, along with the same 8GB of RAM and 50GB of storage. In comparison, Resident Evil Village requires an Intel Core i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 GPU and 16GB of RAM for recommended performance.

These settings are likely to change seeing as Scorn has been in the works before RTX 30 Series GPUs and next-gen consoles were announced. The game will also arrive on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, which means we can expect quality graphics and effects to make everything all the more delightfully gruesome to look at. 

Outlook 

Scorn is gearing up to be the strangest game to launch in 2022, melding together flesh and technology in a way only artists H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński could dream up. It’s a biomechanical world gaming has yet to explore, and is sure to pique the interest of anyone who enjoyed games along the lines of System Shock 2 or the atmosphere of Agony (again, not a game we’d recommend).

With a nightmarish world to explore in a nonlinear fashion, misshapen beings creeping out of crevices and an array of organic weaponry that are equally repulsive and fascinating, Scorn is looking to be a unique horror experience worth your time — especially seeing as its coming to Xbox Game Pass as soon as it launches. Speaking of, check out the best Xbox Game Pass games to play right now. 

Microsofts latest Xbox app update arrives with "How Long To Beat integration," which will give you advance notice of how long it will take to complete a game. Basically, it forewarns you about how much of your time you will need to invest so that you can prepare a bunch of excuses to ignore friends and family. 

All jokes aside, the How Long To Beat website is a great resource, which will let you know how long it takes to complete a game based on your playstyle and skill level. You can also see how long it takes the average player and give yourself an idea of how much time you will need to dedicate to the next game you plan on playing. Is it a weekend killer or an afternoon frolic?

Microsoft states that you can click “View Details” and submit your own play times to help other players decide if they wish to play a game based on the time it takes to complete. 

Other update improvements

Microsoft states that with the most recent update, the app "launches up to 15% faster and  that they've seen crash-free sessions improve to 99.9%."

The tech maker also mentions that "player reports of games that didn’t download or didn’t install successfully reduced by nearly half," with a 20% improvement in search results within the app.

The integration of How Long To Beat to Game Pass is an excellent one, especially for gamers who have busy schedules, active family lives, or social agendas. Having advance information on how much time a game will require will help many strategize their personal itinerary. Who knows, maybe it will help improve Xbox date nights. 

Cloud gaming is the forever elusive feature that PlayStation fans have been clamouring for, since Xbox Game Pass launched it last year, but I’m predicting that it will drop a lot sooner than you may think.

In fact, I’m going to sweeten the bet with some extra detail. By the end of 2022, you will be able to open a PlayStation Cloud Gaming app on your web browser. Not only that, but an announcement will be made at a showcase event in September.

What makes me so confident? Maybe it’s just an overwhelming amount of false hope, but there are some pins to tie together with thread on my conspiracy board that helps me make a pretty good case.

• More: Best PlayStation 5 games
• Best Xbox Game Pass games

Sony’s patent tells an obvious story

It all started with a patent for “Browser-based Cloud gaming” back in 2019, which was granted and published in April 2022.

The patent describes what is seemingly a more open version of PlayStation Now (now fully integrated into PlayStation Plus Premium), which broadens the scope beyond working on proprietary hardware devices to being usable on a web app or browser.

Technically speaking, it is very similar to what we are getting from Xbox Cloud Gaming — a series of consoles connected to a server with a local cache for game data to reduce any potential for lag.

As you can see, it’s been years in the making, but while we got a small glimpse of that through PS Now, that was just a fraction of what this patent seems to promise.

Strike while the iron is hot

Let’s compare this to what is happening in the world of Xbox. The service has been live for a long time now, undergoing plenty of updates to improve latency and setting up partnerships to put cloud gaming on the likes of Samsung TVs.

Beyond that, its mobile aspirations continue to grow with the likes of Logitech working with Tencent on a handheld and plenty more partnerships that I can’t talk about yet (but soon). 

There’s no denying that the company is already a few steps ahead of Sony, but all is not lost. As you see from above, everything is in place, but PlayStation absolutely needs to push the button and launch as soon as possible.

To remain silent any longer runs the risk of a situation similar to what happened with the PS3 and Xbox 360. You see, with the benefit of launching a year earlier, Microsoft’s system absolutely dominated and the company was already releasing sequels to its popular franchises — leaving the PS3 playing catch up all generation long.

Granted, there are a lot more reasons why Sony’s third console lost out to the mighty 360, such as how difficult it was to develop games on it and the bizarre pricing, but there’s no doubt that it missed out big because of this delay.

Cloud gaming is unmistakably the future and the longer PlayStation remains quiet, the further it will fall behind and the further Microsoft will surge ahead, developing its service and improving based on real world user testing. 

Outlook

We all knew this was coming. The question has always been when? With all the information in front of us, I’m willing to bet it will be sooner than you think, to the point that we may see some sort of announcement at the inevitably upcoming PlayStation Showcase in early September.

With Sony’s silence alongside certain huge releases toward the end of the year in PSVR 2 and God of War Ragnarok, it’s becoming increasingly likely that we’ll get a sequel to the previous jaw dropping PlayStation Showcase.

Sony has all the chess pieces in place: a confirmed patent for cloud gaming and a PlayStation-branded Backbone One controller, and I believe you will see these pieces fall into place very soon.

If I’m wrong, I’ll tweet a picture of the pint I buy for my Editor on Laptop Mag’s Twitter, so be sure to follow, to laugh at my humiliation.

The Xbox handheld is already here and you didn’t even know it! Well, it kind of is, so long as Steam Deck gets a native Xbox Game Pass app sooner rather than later.

Gamers have been dreaming of a portable Xbox for years now — creating fancy fake prototypes like imkashama’s Xbox Series Z last year.

But Microsoft could save itself a whole lot of money and time if the company partnered up with Valve and stuck Game Pass on the Steam Deck. And no, I’m not talking about Cloud Gaming. That already exists, but it’s such a long, drawn-out process to get that done.

I’m talking about a native app, through which you install the games directly to the deck and be able to play them offline. Not only would that be beneficial to Xbox, but Valve would also sell a tonne more Steam Decks, safe in the knowledge that their Game Pass library is ready for them to download and play.

Please play nice

Now I know the big red light here will be on Valve’s bottom line. Xbox Game Studios titles probably make a decent amount of money through selling them on Steam, so to remove those purchases in favor of a Game Pass subscription may not be in the company’s best interest. But allow me to propose a workaround. 

I’m pretty sure that if Microsoft were to offer a Steam Deck-based upgrade to Game Pass, which charges a slight premium that Valve gets a cut of, I’ve no doubt that many people would opt for that over paying full price for games they already have access to. I mean, I certainly would, but I’d love to know your thoughts on Twitter!

Plus, if Steam is willing to allow emulators like RetroArch onto its store, then anything is possible. 

Cloud gaming is good, but not quite good enough

There’s no denying that Xbox Cloud Gaming is a fantastic initiative, but given the inconsistency of network speeds, it’s not quite ready for a prime time spot — especially on Steam Deck.

The steps to get Xbox Cloud Gaming onto your Steam Deck involve dipping into the Linux desktop mode, installing Edge, doing a bit of coding in udev, adding it to your Steam library, and adding artwork to make it look nice on SteamOS. It’s such a pain!

Plus, it’s a pretty inconsistent experience at the moment. Yes, for slower, more tactical or casual games, it works incredibly well. But when you start to get into games like Forza Horizon 5 or Halo Infinite, the controller lag is a noticeable disadvantage in competitive moments.

For these AAA experiences that Game Pass prides itself on, surely you want to present them in the best way on this handheld powerhouse. While I get that these games will be built to run on the more powerful hardware of the Xbox Series consoles, the Steam Deck does share a similar Zen 2 architecture that would make migration a little easier.

Outlook

Xbox’s mission is a simple one: to “bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet.” Sure, they are stepping up to PlayStation by snapping up studios and launching Xbox-exclusive titles, but this library of games is certainly more accessible across many devices.

That ethos is what makes the rigmarole of adding cloud gaming and the lack of a native app kind of confusing. From an outsider’s perspective, it looks like it would be an easy thing for Valve and Microsoft to agree upon, and the Steam Deck would become a must-buy for all kinds of gamers beyond nerds (like me) who love to tinker with it.

So whether it takes some sort of deal to give Valve a piece of the Game Pass pie, or whether you can present the numbers on just how many more Steam Decks Valve would sell off the back of this move, please make our dreams come true.

Which is better: Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus? The answer is a little more complicated than you may think, but we’ll try to answer it.

Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus are the two biggest game subscription services on the planet, offering two different visions of what this generation of console gaming looks like. But which one reigns supreme? Let’s find out.

Before I begin, these are incredibly diverse services with different offerings, so while I do have a final ruling on a winner, both are great options with specific advantages. 

I know this could start to offer bait to the whole garbage “Xbots vs. PS ponies” debate that just turns into Twitter abuse, and if you are one of those people, you should seriously reevaluate your life and be better.

Where to buy

Price

Xbox Game Pass has two tiers. Well, technically it has three, but since two of them are the same price, I’m combining them:

• Xbox Game Pass (Console or PC): $9.99/£7.99 per month
• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (Console, PC and Cloud): $14.99/£10.99 per month

PS Plus has three tiers:

• Essential (same as the PS Plus of old): $9.99/£7.99 per month, $24.99/£19.99 per quarter, $59.99/£49.99 per year
• Extra (up to 400 PS5/PS4 games): $14.99/£10.99 per month, $39.99/£31.99 per quarter, $99.99/£83.99 per year
• Premium (all of the above + up to 340 classic games): $17.99/£13.49 per month, $49.99/£39.99 per quarter, $119.99/£99.99 per year

This one’s a bit of a coin toss, based on what you want from the service. If you were to look at the lower tier, you can get the full Game Pass library for the same price as the standard PS Plus, but you don’t get access to console multiplayer on your Xbox.

However, while the pricing structure is simpler for Game Pass, I do enjoy having the option to pay annually for PS Plus and save myself some money in the process.

Winner: Draw

Games

The games on offer start to show the differing visions behind what each of these services are supposed to be. Yes, on the face of it, they are both catalogues of titles you can play, but there are some big differences.

As I wrote about in my PS Plus Premium review, there is a massive library of games that span across the nearly 30-year history of PlayStation (the Extra tier gets you the PS5/PS4 games only). 

With everything from Tekken 2 on PS1, Dark Cloud on PS2, Resistance: Fall of Man on PS3 and Returnal on PS5, the refreshed PS Plus is all about celebrating the past and giving people the chance to try games that may have passed them by at the time of launch. 

It’s an admirable strategy and one that translates into a huge list of titles that may veer slightly into quantity over quality, but the amount of choice is warmly welcomed.

Xbox Game Pass takes a different approach — a slightly smaller list with just over 300 games (compared to the 700+ you can get on the PS Plus top tier), but the not-so-secret weapon is the fact that all of Xbox Game Studio’s big first-party exclusives launch day one on Game Pass.

That is a huge value-for-money proposition that PlayStation simply can’t compete with. No longer do you have to dump $60+ on the big AAA releases. You just get them on the first day and play them to your heart’s content.

Without getting too far into the economic and rights ownership debate of buying a game vs. playing it through a subscription service, it’s clear that Game Pass is a little more consumer friendly at this time. But PS Plus’ trip down memory is an absolute blast, so while Xbox gets this point, let it be known that both of these libraries are fantastic.

Winner: Xbox Game Pass

Cloud Gaming

PS Plus has a cloud element with the opportunity to save game progress online, stream select games either through your console or via a dedicated PC app, or access your console remotely to play. 

Gameplay streaming performs well with only the slightest controller lag that may impact moments where millisecond-quick inputs matter, but 99% of the time, it’s an enjoyable, convenient experience.

But, you know why I started this section with Sony. It’s because Microsoft’s cloud gaming efforts blow PlayStation out of the water. It does for one key reason: you can play literally anywhere. 

With PS Plus, you’re limited to certain options. With Game Pass, however, you can play on your laptop, tablet or phone, thanks to dedicated Xbox Cloud Gaming apps or even through a browser. So long as you’re on a fast, stable internet connection, the experience is exactly the same on all of these devices.

This one (for now) is no contest.

Winner: Xbox Game Pass

The future

So, what does the future look like for these two platforms? The answer is clear for Xbox Game Pass: more big day one releases like Redfall and Starfield to add to its huge first-party catalogue, and an ever changing collection of third-party games.

For PlayStation Plus, the answer is a little more murky. You will never see a Sony first-party exclusive drop on launch day onto PS Plus, but when will we see them? A year after launch? Two years?

As we are seeing with Stray, we may get some other surprise third party (or maybe even first party) day one drops like this going forward. But since none of that is confirmed, the only thing I can say for sure is that more games will come to the service. 

With a more uncertain answer like that, the future is looking clearer (and brighter) for Xbox Game Pass.

Winner: Xbox Game Pass

Overall winner: Xbox Game Pass

Comparing PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass sounds logical on paper, but it’s a lot more complicated than that. Each service is trying to do something very different.

PS Plus is a vast collection of games old and new, which gives you a chance to try any missed hits and reminisce about the classics from your childhood. On the other hand, Game Pass is a slightly smaller library with day one access to what is set to be a massive selection of first-party titles.

So, it ultimately comes down to what you want from a game subscription service. Personally, I prefer the improved value for money of Game Pass Ultimate. It is more established with better features, and the selection of games will only get better with all the new Xbox Game Studio titles.

But you will never see classics quite like those you see on PS Plus Premium. This, alongside the broader library, will get better with time. The fight has just begun, but Xbox has pulled out an early lead.

Rumors about Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming stick plans swirled around the gaming sphere for years. Last June, the gaming giant announced its intentions to release a cloud-gaming streaming device that reaches gamers "on any TV or monitor without the need for a console at all."

At the time, Microsoft didn't disclose much about the hardware project, but gaming pundits suspected that it could be a Chromecast-esque streaming stick or an Apple TV-like box. As it turns out, the former is true; Windows Central confirmed some juicy details about the cloud-gaming device from Microsoft.

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Microsoft confirms Keystone: Xbox Cloud Gaming 'stick'

Hawk-eyed sleuths discovered the code name "Keystone" on an Xbox OS list; the discovery caused some to wonder whether it's a cryptonym for its long-rumored cloud-gaming hardware. According to Windows Central, Microsoft is admitting that Keystone is, indeed, the code name behind its cloud-gaming hardware project.

A spokesperson for the Redmond-based tech giant revealed that Keystone is a modernized HDMI streaming stick that launches its cloud-gaming service and Xbox Game Pass.

"Our vision for Xbox Cloud Gaming is unwavering. Our goal is to enable people to play the games they want, on the devices they want, anywhere they want. As announced last year, we've been working on a game-streaming device," the Microsoft spokesperson said. "As part of any technical journey, we are constantly evaluating our efforts, reviewing our learnings, and ensuring we are bringing value to our customers."

In other words, Microsoft promises to increase access to gaming by offering low-cost hardware to players, however, the Xbox team is still exploring several iterations of Keystone. As such, we likely won't see Keystone in its final form any time soon.

Windows Central speculates that the cloud-gaming stick could run a pared-down version of Windows or Xbox OS, allowing Microsoft to heighten the visibility of its streaming apps (e.g., Microsoft Movies and TV).

Although we don't expect an official announcement about Keystone in the near future, our eyes and ears will be sharp during Microsoft's fast-approaching June 12 Bethesda Showcase event.

Xbox is hosting a special gaming showcase with Bethesda to show off a lineup of games coming soon, along with new releases gearing up to launch on Game Pass on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

Announced on the Xbox Wire blog, the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase will take place on Sunday, June 12. While it doesn't offer a hint at what will be announced, we expect to see plenty of sneak peeks at hotly anticipated titles such as Starfield, Redfall, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, and a few more big reveals. 

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The event will be streamed on a variety of platforms, on June 12, and you can check out the best places to watch it below. 

How to watch the Xbox and Bethesda Game Showcase 

Kicking off on June 12 at 10am PT / 1pm EST / 6pm BST, the livestream will be available to watch on everything from YouTube to TikTok.

• YouTube.com/Xbox
• Twitch.tv/Xbox
• Twitch.tv/XboxASL
• Twitter.com/Xbox
• Facebook.com/Xbox
• TikTok.com/@Xbox

Starfield is one of the biggest games on many gamers' radar, with a recent developer diary revealing new faction details, a robot companion and more. It's Bethesda’s first self-developed title not in the Fallout or Elder Scrolls franchises, and we have high hopes for it.

We have yet to hear many updates from other games like Redfall, so we're excited to see what's in store for the Arkane Studios-developed co-op first-person shooter. Stay tuned for big announcements and everything coming to Xbox Game Pass once the showcase kicks off. 

We're back with a hearty serving of deals, and if you're on the market for a worthy gaming or business laptop, you're in luck.

Right now, the impressive Samsung Galaxy Book with an 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 CPU is just £569 over at Laptops Direct, making this commendable business laptop an absolute steal.

Plus, if you're on the hunt for a gaming laptop with an RTX 3060, this Asus TUF Dash F15 with RTX 3060 is just £799. That's the lowest price we've ever seen for a gaming laptop with this GPU! Better yet, you can grab a three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for a tenner less. 

Today’s best deals: TL;DR

• Samsung Galaxy Book: was £835 now £569.97 @ Laptops Direct
• Asus TUF Dash F15: was £999 now £799 @ Box.co.uk
• AirPods Pro: was £199 now £149 @ Geek Swag
• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3 Months: was £32 now £19 @ CDKeys
• Pokémon Legends Arceus: was £44.99 now £34.99 @ Currys with code SWNEXTDAY
• Horizon Forbidden West (PS4 with free PS5 upgrade): was £69 now £51 @ Currys with code ALOY15

Today’s best deals: In more detail

Looking for more deals?

Every day, we scour the internet for the best bargains for your buck. Check out these lists for the most up-to-date curated selection of savings worth every penny.

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Microsoft is making changes to its popular Xbox Game Pass subscription service in the UK after an investigation into auto-renewal practices of Nintendo Switch, Playstation and Xbox called for an improvement in services.  

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) released an update detailing Microsoft's response to the investigation, stating that the gaming giant will be making a number of changes to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Notably, this includes canceling inactive membership and the option of a pro-rata refund for recurring 12-month contracts. 

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"Gamers need to be given clear and timely information to make informed choices when signing up for auto-renewing memberships and subscriptions," said CMA executive director of enforcement, Michael Grenfell.

CMA also states Microsoft will offer "better upfront information" to provide further support for customers to understand their Xbox membership. This includes making it clear the subscription auto-renews unless the feature is turned off, how much it costs, when it will auto-renew, and how to receive a refund when accidentally renewing. 

If a membership is inactive, Microsoft will contact customers who are still paying for the Xbox Game Pass subscription offering reminders on how to stop payments. If there is no response yet the subscription is still being paid, Microsoft will cancel the subscription. That's good news for anyone who has forgotten they're still a member.

Microsoft will also offer better information about price increases, and contact existing customers on recurring 12-month contracts to give them the option to end their contract and claim a pro-rata refund.

CMA's investigation launched on April 5, 2019, and continues to examine several issues when it comes to online gaming memberships. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes access to a growing list of games on PC, Xbox Consoles and other devices through its cloud gaming service, is priced at $14.99 / £10.99 a month.

Microsoft is the first to make these changes due to the investigation, and will hopefully some of the 25 million subscribers a big chunk of change if they don't make full use of the gaming subscription service. However, with Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard and continuously bringing new games to the platform, it may be worth keeping that subscription going. 

Microsoft's thriving Xbox Game Pass added a slew of popular games thanks to last year's Bethesda merger, and now gamers can expect Call of Duty, Warcraft, and more as Microsoft has agreed to acquire Activision Blizzard.

Microsoft has announced the company is acquiring Blizzard, one of the biggest video game companies known for publishing Call of Duty, Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Spyro and more. The $68.7 billion deal is still underway, but when it closes, Activision Blizzard will report to Xbox boss Phil Spencer as CEO of Microsoft Gaming.

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According to the Xbox blog post, both companies will continue to work independently until the deal is closed. Interestingly, Spencer states that Xbox will "offer as many Activision Blizzard games as we can within Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass." This means instead of going through Battle.net, many PC gamers will flock to Xbox Game Pass to play everything from the upcoming Diablo 4 and Starcraft.

"The fantastic franchises across Activision Blizzard will also accelerate our plans for Cloud Gaming, allowing more people in more places around the world to participate in the Xbox community using phones, tablets, laptops and other devices you already own," said Spencer. "Activision Blizzard games are enjoyed on a variety of platforms and we plan to continue to support those communities moving forward."

Much like the Bethesda merger, we can expect new games from Activision being made Xbox and PC exclusives. This means games from developers such as Blizzard Entertainment, Beenox, Demonware, Digital Legends, High Moon Studios, Infinity Ward, King, Major and more.

Microsoft continues to grow, with the company stating it will be the "third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony." With titles such as Overwatch 2, Diablo 4 and more in the works, Xbox could see an impressive lineup of upcoming exclusives, which means Sony will have to up the ante when it comes to PS5 exclusives.

What does the future have in store for Call of Duty, Tony Hawk, Spyro, Hearthstone, Guitar Hero, Crash Bandicoot, StarCraft, and even Candy Crush? We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, check out the best Xbox Game Pass PC games to play right now. 

Xbox is celebrating its 20-year anniversary with a virtual event looking back at the Xbox community over the years and what the next 20 years have in store. Plus, those who tune in to the live stream can check out exclusive 20th Anniversary giveaways.

Taking place at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST today (November 15), the celebration will focus on reminiscing on the Xbox team's favorite moments from the past 20 years of Xbox. General manager of Xbox Games Marketing Aaron Greenberg stated fans should not expect any new game reveals, and is not designed as a "news beat." Still, we expect some big moments, including a sneak peek at future plans for Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X updates, and possibly a better look at Halo Infinite. 

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Whatever's in store, the good news is Xbox's live stream is completely free to watch, and there are plenty of ways to watch the anniversary event. 

How to watch the Xbox Anniversary Celebration event

Kicking off later today, fans can head over to Xbox's Facebook page, official Twitch channel, or YouTube channel to watch the event live. Better yet, you can find out everything announced in the video below. 

As for those anniversary giveaways, you'll first need to be a registered Xbox FanFest fan to win. Head over to the FanFest page to get signed up.

There are a number of celebrity guest appearances and Halo-related announcements we already expect, as Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is "looking to steal the show" during the broadcast. However, it appears to be related to his latest blockbuster, Red Notice. We also know the upcoming Halo TV Show may be teased, seeing as Pablo Schreiber, who will play Master Chief, says "something very exciting will happen" during the event.

Who knows, we may even get updates on other upcoming titles, including Starfield, Redfall, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II and more. Whatever the case, be sure to tune in to find out everything announced. For fans of Xbox, you may want to check out this Xbox Series X by Gucci.

Halo Infinite is coming exclusively to Xbox and PC on December 8, and to give fans a better look at Master Chief in all his Spartan glory before the big release, Xbox announced a campaign gameplay overview to check out.  

Taking place at 6am PT/ 9am EST/ 2pm BST today (October 25), the Campaign Overview trailer promises to offer a 'fresh look' at the "biggest, most wide open and adventure-filled Halo experience yet." It's been over a year since fans got a first look at Halo Infinite's campaign, and a lot has happened since the reveal. After multiple delays and backlash, we're finally getting a look at what developers 343 Industries has been working on. 

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Halo Infinite has garnered a lot of hype after the recent multiplayer technical previews, demonstrating next-gen gameplay on PC, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and Xbox One. Halo Insiders were able to check out 4 vs 4 Arena-style matches along with the massive 12 vs 12 Big Team Battle mode. Check out how to download Halo Infinite Flight for a chance to be part of the tests.

So far, the multiplayer aspect has been praised, but we still haven't seen much of the campaign — until today. 

How to watch the Halo Infinite Campaign Overview

Xbox announced the campaign overview trailer on Twitter, which will premiere on the official Xbox YouTube channel. Stick around and check out the video below when it kicks off. In the meantime, check out our thoughts on Halo Infinite's multiplayer. 

According to the description, here's what to expect: "The Banished have defeated UNSC forces and taken control of the mysterious Zeta Halo, threatening the survival of humankind. When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief returns to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced."

Halo Infinite's campaign and free-to-play multiplayer will be available on Xbox Game Pass on December 8, but it may be up against some big competition. Call of Duty: Vanguard and Battlefield 2042 will be released in November, but only time will tell if Master Chief comes out on top. 

As Xbox Cloud Gaming for iPhone hits open beta, the Backbone One controller has joined the Designed for Xbox family, to give players a great way to play on the go.

Reading our Backbone One review, you can see we’re big fans of the controller, which essentially turns your iPhone into a Nintendo Switch look-alike. With this official partnership with Xbox, the functionality has been greatly expanded upon.

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Backbone + Xbox: What’s new?

The benefits will be immediate for both seasoned Backbone veterans and newcomers alike. 

Xbox integration is tightly wound into the Backbone experience, from the inclusion of a Game Pass feed in the UI to support for capturing and tagging Xbox Cloud Gaming footage, and sharing it as a link for people to watch. 

This will all be made available as a big update to Backbone’s app, so expect an update on our review of the Backbone One soon.

For newbies, any new purchases of a Backbone One come with three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Backbone + Xbox: Does this affect anything else?

One of the things we loved about the Backbone One was the integration of multiple gaming services across the biggest players in the market. 

You didn’t have to choose between PlayStation remote play or Xbox, you just got them both. But now they are in Microsoft’s corner, does this impact compatibility with games and services outside of the Xbox ecosystem?

When I asked, Backbone confirmed this won’t affect compatibility and the One controller will continue to work with any game or service on the iPhone including “PS Remote Play, Xbox Game Pass and Apple Arcade.”

We've tested the Xbox Game Pass cloud-gaming platform on funky phones such as the Microsoft Surface Duo and the LG Wing. While the service ran smoothly and the double-screen action was awesome, gaming on a phone isn't ideal with their miniature displays and unwieldy controls.

Fortunately, Microsoft announced that it's building dedicated cloud-gaming devices for gamers. The Redmond-based tech giant promised that the hardware would make it easier for users to game on monitors and TVs without a console.

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Microsoft is building dedicated cloud-gaming devices

Microsoft didn't divulge the type of cloud-gaming hardware it's working on, but as TechCrunch pointed out, there's a good chance the Redmond-based tech giant is building a Chromecast-like streaming stick or a small Apple TV-esque box.

It's worth noting that, in an interview with Stratechery last October, Xbox head Phil Spencer hinted that Microsoft was working on TV streaming sticks for its cloud-gaming platform.

“I think you’re going to see lower-priced hardware as part of our ecosystem when you think about streaming sticks and other things that somebody might want to just go plug into their TV and go play via xCloud,” Spencer told Stratechery. 

This isn't the first time Microsoft had streaming-stick ambitions. In 2016, Xbox planned to launch a streaming device codenamed "Project Hobart" — the company was even poised to unveil it at E3. Unfortunately, the project got shut down. Five years after the cancellation, however, it looks like the Xbox streaming stick is back on Microsoft's roadmap.

A new Xbox TV app is on the way

In addition to the cloud-gaming device, Microsoft announced that it's working with global TV manufacturers to embed the Xbox experience into smart TVs. Gamers won't need any other hardware besides a controller.

The Redmond-based tech giant is hush-hush about the TV companies it's working with for this new Xbox TV app, but keep in mind that Microsoft announced a strengthened partnership with Samsung last February. Perhaps we'll see the Xbox TV app appear on Samsung TVs in the near future.

Microsoft insinuated that it is pushing out lower-priced hardware to make gaming more accessible to those of all socio-economic backgrounds. In other words, the company doesn't want prospective consumers to be hindered from using its subscription services because they don't have the required hardware.

“We believe that Microsoft can play a leading role in democratizing gaming and defining the future of interactive entertainment," Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief Will Turtle said. 

The Redmond-based tech giant concluded its announcements by reminding fans that the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase will launch on Sunday, June 13 at 1 p.m. EST.

Microsoft's recent Windows 10 update seems to be creating a number of problems for PC gamers, causing them to uninstall the update altogether.

Gamers have taken to Reddit to complain about the recent Windows 10 update (which Microsoft has yet to address), with users seeing unstable frame rates, consistent stuttering and VSync issues. 

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One user experienced a "consistent stutter in Doom Eternal," despite having an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 and AMD Ryzen 5 3600. However, it isn't just AMD CPUs being affected, as another user with an Intel Core i7 9700 with a GTX 2070 Super experienced similar issues.

One user noted the screen-sharing on Discord caused the frame rate in games to be "very unstable" when VSync was enabled. After uninstalling the update, every went back to normal for the gamer.

The latest KB5001330 Windows 10 update is expected to be the culprit, along with KB5001337 and the preview version of the build, KB5000842.

Even Nvidia has taken to its forums to recommends rolling back the Windows 10 update for those that are experiencing "lower performance in games" after installing the update. 

How to uninstall the Windows 10 update

If you're experiencing any issues, you'll want to uninstall the update and wait for Microsoft to push out a fix.

To roll back the latest Windows 10 update to an earlier version, click on the Start button, then click the "Settings". Navigate to "Update & Security". From there, scroll down to "View update history" and click on it.  

A "View update history" window will show up, and you'll then be given the option to "Uninstall updates." You'll be given a list of updates to choose from. Select the update you want to install (in this case, KB5001330, KB5001337 or KB5000842).

Microsoft doesn't have the best track record when it comes to Windows 10 updates. At the very least, we're hoping there won't be any issues with the recently launched Xbox Cloud Gaming beta.

(H/T PC Gamer) 

Xbox Game Pass gives the Xbox Series X an edge over the PS5 thanks to the sheer amount games it offers, including some older classics from the original Xbox and Xbox 360 via backwards compatibility. Now, it seems even Android smartphones have that advantage over Sony's next-gen console.

Microsoft has brought backwards compatible gaming to its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate cloud streaming service, meaning you can now play Perfect Dark, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Fable II, and plenty more original Xbox and Xbox 360 games on your smartphone.

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In the announcement, Microsoft noted that games connected through the Xbox Network (known as Xbox Live until recently) will let gamers play on past save files and play online, too.

Microsoft continues to build upon its cloud gaming service, even working on dual-screen support for Android devices when playing select games on Xbox Game Pass. 

And to iPhone users out there, sorry. You won't be getting these features yet, as Microsoft is still working on cloud gaming for iOS with a spring 2021 launch window in mind.

Currently, there are 16 Xbox and Xbox 360 titles that are playable via the Xbox Game Pass (Beta) app. Hopefully, Microsoft will continue to build on this library. In the meantime, check out what you can play. 

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate backwards compatible games

• Banjo-Kazooie
• Banjo-Tooie
• Double Dragon Neon
• Fable II
• Fallout: New Vegas
• Gears of War 2
• Gears of War 3
• Gears of War: Judgment
• Jetpac Refuelled (touch controls enabled)
• Kameo
• Perfect Dark
• Perfect Dark Zero
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
• Viva Piñata (touch controls enabled)
• Viva Piñata: TIP (touch controls enabled)

Microsoft's Surface Duo had the potential to become one of the best smartphones for gaming, with its dual-screen feature allowing users to span the Xbox Game Pass app across both displays. However, when tested, we found the Duo's divider got in the way. Fortunately, Microsoft may now have found a better way to utilize the feature.

Microsoft released an update on its Xbox Game Pass Beta app that supports dual-screen functionality, turning Android devices such as the Surface Duo into a portable Xbox console. Now there's a whole screen for dedicated touchscreen controls. 

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As seen on Windows Central, the beta app allows Xbox Game Pass games with dedicated touch controls to make better use of Android devices with dual screens, with the Surface Duo being the perfect test candidate.

If properly rolled out onto the main app, this means games can be displayed on the top screen, while a full set of controls can be used on the bottom, instead of having touch controls overlaying gameplay. With this method, developers will have a lot more room to customize touch controls for their games.

Games on the Xbox Game Pass app that use touch control support include Gears 5, Streets of Rage 4, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Minecraft Dungeons, Dead Cells, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice and plenty more.

Some games, such as Gears 5, also support motion controls, which work hand-in-hand with the Surface Duo's gyro. With a full-on screen as your gamepad, maybe you won't need to bring an Xbox Controller when gaming on-the-go.

With a Surface Duo 2 rumoured to be coming out this year, Microsoft could be paving the way for a more gaming-centric dual-screen device. That is, if the dual-screen support officially comes out. Essentially, we'd be getting an Xbox DS, and we certainly wouldn't turn our noses up at that. 

Xbox Game Pass already made waves last week when it brought 20 Bethesda games to its lengthy catalogue of games, but now PC subscribers of Microsoft's gaming service are getting another huge batch of Triple AAA titles — and you won't have to spend an extra dime.

Microsoft announced that it's finally bringing EA Play to Xbox Game Pass on PC, which means PC members will get access to over 60 of EA's biggest titles. Better yet, PC players can get their hands on them starting today from 2 pm PT/ 9pm GMT. 

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With EA Play, gamers will get access to everything from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and FIFA 20, to Titanfall 2 and Need for Speed Heat, along with a host of titles from EA's well-known franchises, including Battlefield, Madden NFL, Command & Conquer, and The Sims. At no additional cost? That's just all-around good news.

What's more, EA Play on PC and Xbox Series X is also bringing EA's most recent release, Star Wars: Squadrons. And, as the cherry on top, gamers get rewards each month, with March rewards being Gold Team Fantasy MUT packs and an EA Play celebration pack for Madden 21, an N7 Weapon Charm for Apex Legends, and more.

Finally, EA Play on PC will also offer access to game trails when available, including up to 10 hours of FIFA 21.

So, expect a long weekend of gaming ahead, and for a better look at all EA Play has to offer, head over to its main site. However, getting these games is not as easy as "press start to play."

How to access EA Play on Xbox Game Pass for PC

There are a few extra steps you'll have to take before you start blasting TIE fighters, as you'll first need to download and start up the EA Desktop app.

From there, you'll need to either sign in using your EA account or create a new one. Once you're logged in, you'll be asked to link your Xbox account with your EA account. Search for a game you want to download and now you can press start to play.

Now, there are a lot of great games to play on Microsoft's popular gaming service, but here are the very best Xbox Game Pass games on PC.

Microsoft, as we reported yesterday, announced that Xbox Game Pass would be receiving an influx of Bethesda games in the near future. As it turns out, the inundation of new games is coming a lot sooner than we thought.

At today's Bethesda Joins Xbox Roundtable livestream, the Redmond-based tech giant revealed that a flood of games created under the ZeniMax Media umbrella will now be available to play via an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

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All the Bethesda Games available on Xbox Game Pass

On March 12, a total of 20 Bethesda games will be featured on Xbox Game Pass: 

• Dishonored
• Dishonored 2
• Doom
• Doom II
• Doom 64
• Doom Eternal
• Fallout New Vegas
• Fallout 4
• Fallout 76
• Prey
• Rage 2
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
• The Elder Scrolls Online
• The Evil Within
• Wolfenstein: The New Order
• Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood

All titles will be available on Xbox, PC and the cloud via an Xbox Game Pass subscription except for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout: New Vegas.

Morrowind and Oblivion will only support console and PC, The Elder Scrolls Online be available on the cloud and console, and Fallout: New Vegas will only support console.

Last month, we reported that Microsoft added FPS boost to older games, including Far Cry 4, Watch Dogs 2 and more. Today, Microsoft announced that some of the aforementioned Bethesda games will also benefit from its FPS boost feature, but it did not reveal which titles will support the new technology.

Microsoft is updating its extensive library of Xbox Game Pass titles with more touch control support for a variety of games, making Android gaming a lot more accessible.

For those who have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions, there are more than 100 titles to play on Android devices thanks Microsoft's xCloud. While a majority of them will still need an Xbox controller to play them, many titles have been added that include touch control support, from Telltale's The Walking Dead series and Enter the Gungeon. 

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Now, users are getting a more, with games including Bridge Constructor Portal,
Morkredd, Neoverse, Nowhere Prophet, Spiritfarer, The Little Acre and Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair.

Other notables titles that have touch controls include Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Minecraft Dungeons, Dead Cells, Celeste and even Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. Hey, Halo or Gears 5 could be on there at some point.

Touch controls may not be as popular as, say, an actual Xbox Series X controller (which offers a nifty hidden feature), but the continued support does offer plenty more gamers a chance to play games they otherwise couldn't without a PC.

Microsoft is currently testing xCloud in browsers for iOS, which means Halo will finally be coming to iPhones and iPads. However, we're not sure if the touch control support will work with iOS devices, as it will only be able to run through browsers such as Chrome or Edge.

If all Xbox Game Pass games eventually support some form of touch controls, it may bring the heat to many big Android games such as Call of Duty: Mobile or League of Legends: Wild Rift. For now, it just seems to be indie titles, and we'll have to wait and see if more of the best Xbox Game Pass PC games get touch support. 

Xbox Game Pass, the Netflix of Xbox games, has been a cash cow for Microsoft — a whopping 70% of Xbox Series X and Series S owners have a Game Pass account, according to IGN. 

While many are salivating over the Series X’s envelope-pushing, next-gen marvels, two bizarre, odd-looking dual-screen phones have been calling my name — “Psst! Kim! Play with us!” — for a fascinating gaming experiment.

The LG Wing and the Microsoft Surface Duo are the dual-display devils singing these siren songs, enticing me to test Xbox Game Pass on their atypical user interfaces. Who am I to turn down such an irresistible invitation?

I played Batman Arkham Knight —  one of the most popular Xbox Game Pass games — on the Wing and Surface Duo using my Verizon FiOS Home WiFi network. The experience left me feeling amazed by the multitasking advantages of multiple-screen phones, but in the end, I’m left wondering if there are sufficient use cases for cloud gaming on smartphones — dual-display or not.

Xbox Game Pass: Gaming on the LG Wing 

The LG Wing, equipped with a past-gen Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 and 8GB of RAM, is the most striking smartphone I’ve reviewed thus far. It sports a 6.8-inch, edge-to-edge main display that can swivel into the device’s “wing,” transforming into a T-shaped posture. There is a second, 3.9-inch, 1240 x 1080-pixel display on the T’s stem. 

Smooth gameplay, but small text

I fired up Xbox Game Pass’s Batman: Arkham Knight on the Wing’s swiveled, 2460 x 1080-pixel, 60Hz main screen. It took about 20 seconds to boot up, which is par for the course for all Game Pass games. It’s not as quick as Google Stadia’s near-instantaneous loading times, but Game Pass (and cloud gaming as a whole) is a godsend for gamers who despise waiting an eternity for downloads.

On rare occasions, I’d tap on the Xbox Game Pass app, land on the home screen, and the app would crash shortly after — I’d then have to relaunch it (and it would work fine). This happened about four times out of 30 taps. Interestingly enough, during actual gameplay, I didn’t experience any crashes at all.

As Arkham Knight began, I found myself swaying to Frank Sinatra’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” as I got a bird’s eye view of the Joker’s cremation. I waited about two minutes for the cutscene to progress and realized something was wrong — nothing was happening.

As it turned out, the game was waiting for me to press “A” to incinerate the Joker. The text size on the game is so ridiculously small, it’s easy to miss prompts and conversations, but this is an easy fix with a patch from developers. I finally pressed A and watched Batman’s arch nemesis burn to a crisp.

After the Joker’s cremation, you’ll step into the shoes of Officer Owens who’s grabbing a bite inside Pauli’s Diner on a rainy Halloween night. At the request of a concerned patron, you must approach a creepy customer who’s unlawfully smoking. You should have just sat there and ate your food, though, because the confrontation eventually leads to a vicious massacre — the creepy customer is a demonic creature that unleashes bloodshed inside the diner. I found cutscenes and gameplay to be smooth as butter due to my fiber-optic internet. 

Mediocre graphics

As I watched the mayhem unfold in the diner, the graphical fidelity wasn’t impressive. If I saw this game playing on a PC, I’d assume the display settings were cranked down to low or medium.

In one scene, I had to interrogate an injured Scarecrow goon after chasing him down with the Batmobile. Although he was on the floor right in front of me, I had difficulties finding him because he seemed to blend right into the road. Colors could be more vivid, too; the Wing’s main display covers 105% of the DCI-P3 gamut, according to our testing, which apparently isn’t sufficient. 

At first, I chalked up the so-so graphics to Gotham’s dark and rainy setting, but when I played Ori and the Will of the Wisps — typically a visually stunning game — graphical details lacked crispness and detail, too. I admit that this is nitpicking, though; I shouldn’t expect high graphical fidelity on a 1080p, 60Hz smartphone. 

Another display setback with Game Pass is that, although the Wing has 6.8 inches of screen real estate, games only fill a measly 5.5-inch area of the display. The Wing also has an unusual 20.5:9 aspect ratio, which may be the culprit of this issue.

Multitasking while gaming

While playing Arkham Knight in swivel mode, I can engage with a number of different apps on the second screen. I zipped through the Laptop Mag website while waiting for a cutscene to finish. I looked up YouTube gameplay walkthroughs while driving the Batmobile around Gotham. I played reggae on Spotify as I kicked a henchman's ass. Hell, I even sent a quick text to a friend as I flew across a dystopian city. I browsed the web, played YouTube videos, listened to music and sent texts — all without interrupting the game. Pretty badass, right?

The only hiccup is that, after you’re done interacting with the second screen, you have to tap the main display to “tell” the device that you’re ready to recommence your main-display engagement. Otherwise, it will not respond. After tapping the screen, I could use my Bluetooth-connected controller again to dive back into the game.

I also tried to make calls on the second screen while playing Arkham Knight on the main display. It works, however, the game’s audio will mute while you’re playing. In order to hear my friend on the other line, I tried to turn on Speaker Mode during gameplay, but strangely enough, all that does is unmute the game. Callers will be able to hear you, but you will not be able to hear them unless you bring the device to your ear.

There is also a few seconds of gameplay stutter after transitioning from the second screen to the main display, but it doesn’t last long enough to be a concern.

Dual-display positioning while gaming

While the LG Wing’s T-shaped design offers access to dual-screen multitasking, it isn’t ideal for gaming. I had to prop the Wing against an object on a table to make it stable enough to stand on its own.

On the plus side, the LG Wing can be swiveled back into basic mode. With this position, the Wing looks like a typical, single-screen 6.8-inch smartphone. From here, you can easily attach the Wing onto a controller without any hassle.

Xbox Game Pass: Gaming on the Microsoft Surface Duo

The Microsoft Surface Duo is a book-like, ultra-thin device equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor and 6GB of RAM. It has two 60Hz, 5.6-inch displays with thick bezels. Thanks to its spectacular 360-degree hinges, the Surface Duo can be transformed into a number of different postures, including tent mode, compose mode and book mode.

Low latency, high letterboxing

I powered up Batman: Arkham Knight on the right hemisphere of the dual-screen Microsoft Surface Duo, which, like the left hemisphere, sports an AMOLED, 1800 x 1350-pixel display. Similar to the Wing, loading time took about 20 seconds. Arkham Knight’s tiny font issue is also present on the Duo.

I censured Game Pass for not filling all of the Wing’s 6.8-inch display goodness, but in book mode, the letterboxing is far worse on the Duo with the app only occupying a third of the screen. 

Thankfully, you can rotate the Duo into tent mode and compose mode for a screen-filling experience. You can also fold the Duo and hook it up to your controller.  

Sharper graphics

The rusty gears that rolled Joker into the incinerator for cremation looked slightly sharper and more detailed on the Surface Duo. As Batman swooped to the top of a building in Gotham’s Chinatown, I could see the intricate, Asian-inspired designs carved on the wooden-built structure — a visual treat that was harder to see on the LG Wing.

The Surface Duo, according to our testing, covers a whopping 199% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which is 94 percentage points more than the T-shaped device. Unlike the Wing, as long as the Duo is in tent mode or compose mode, the games fill the entire display, which has an aspect ratio of 4:3. Although the Wing has a 6.8-inch display, games on the Duo appeared larger on the 5.6-inch screen compared to the 5.5-inch allotment on the Wing.

I also tested Ori and the Will of the Wisps on the Duo’s screen. I found that the Metroidvania platformer was more vivid on the Duo than the LG Wing. Graphical fidelity seemed slightly higher on the Duo, but don’t expect to find PC-quality graphics on the dual-screen phone.

Multitasking while gaming

Similar to the LG Wing, you can browse the web, scroll through social media, watch YouTube, listen to Spotify — without interruption — while playing Xbox Game Pass games. Texting is a little tricky, though, because the keyboard takes up the whole screen while in tent mode and compose mode (the most optimal postures for gaming on the Duo), thwarting users from seeing what they’re typing.

I tested calls while gaming on the Duo as well. This multitasking feature was the most irksome. Calls are launched on the screen where the Xbox Game Pass app “lives,” causing Game Pass to shutdown. I had to drag the Phone app to the left screen and re-launch the Game Pass app on the right. Luckily, the game continued from where I left off — what a relief.

Dual-display positioning during gaming

The Microsoft Surface Duo’s design is perfect for smartphone gaming. As mentioned, the best positions for gaming are tent mode and compose mode, which can be set atop a surface without needing to attach the cumbersome smartphone to your controller.

You can also use Duo’s cool feature called “spanning,” which allows you to span the Xbox Game Pass app across both displays. However, this is not ideal because that pesky divider will get in the way. In one instance, I had to shoot down tanks in Arkham Knight, but I couldn’t see the on-screen target to aim and blast ‘em into smithereens because it was hiding behind the divider. 

Bottom line 

Although I prefer the Surface Duo for Xbox Game Pass, I don’t see why many would opt to play made-for-console games on smartphones. I often found myself squinting for dear life on both smartphone screens — something I wouldn’t have to do on a monitor or a gaming laptop. 

Perhaps smartphone cloud gaming could be beneficial for on-the-go folks who can afford a top-of-the-line cellular network, but frequent travelers are becoming more extinct due to our pandemic-affected world. Another scenario is a cash-strapped gamer who can’t afford expensive hardware and consequently must use their smartphone until they can purchase a higher-end machine. But other than these use cases, I don’t see the advantages of the Xbox Game Pass mobile experience.

On the plus side, the Wing and Surface Duo provide special features that other single-screen smartphones cannot offer: beastly multitasking on dual-screen displays. I often run to YouTube if I can’t figure out how to complete a level, so I could certainly see the usefulness of having a secondary screen for reference while gaming. Still, I can only see smartphone cloud gaming as a last-resort alternative — not a primary platform for playing your favorite IPs.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate cloud gaming service will launch on Windows PC and iOS devices in spring 2021, Microsoft announced. This means you can play graphics-intensive games like Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Dishonored 2 and the Halo series on lower-powered iPhones and laptops.

Microsoft aims to expand its reach and seduce new gamers into its lair by being more inclusive of the devices that can play its extensive library of Xbox games.

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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate cloud-gaming subscription is headed to iPhones, iPads and Windows PC 

When Xbox's cloud gaming platform launched in mid September, the service was only available on Android phones and tablets. Currently, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's cloud gaming service isn't available on Windows PC and iOS, but that that will all change in a few months.

"In Spring 2021, we will take the next step in our journey to reach more players around the world by making cloud gaming as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate available on Windows PCs through the Xbox app and browser, and iOS devices through mobile web browser," Microsoft said.

The Redmond-based tech giant added that gamers will be able to immerse themselves into the Xbox ecosystem, whether they're playing Minecraft Dungeons on an iPhone or enjoying Destiny 2 on a Microsoft Surface Pro device.

I've experimented with Xbox cloud gaming on the LG Wing and Microsoft Surface Duo, and found that I could load graphics-intensive games such as Batman Arkham Knight and Ori and the Will of the Wisps in less than 20 seconds — all without needing to wait an eternity for downloads. 

As mentioned, cloud gaming also gives you the opportunity to play GPU-taxing games on low-powered devices. Xbox's cloud gaming service will be available on Windows PCs through the Xbox app and browser; iOS devices can only access the gaming platform via mobile web browser.

Microsoft incited excitement among Xbox fans by telling them to get ready for next year's Psychonauts 2 and Master Chief’s return in Halo Infinite. The Redmond-based tech giant hinted that there are more surprises in store for early 2021, but they will remain hush-hush for just a little while longer.

"Stay tuned, starting with The Game Awards tomorrow, for more surprises," Microsoft said cryptically.

Bethesda, recently required by Microsoft, is the engine behind popular IPs such as Dishonored, Doom, Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Wolfenstein and more. Fans of these franchises were alarmed when the Redmond-based tech giant purchased its parent company ZeniMax Media — could Bethesda games get restricted to Xbox and PC?

At the Jefferies Interactive Entertainment Virtual Conference, a Microsoft executive unveiled the company's future plans for Bethesda (via ExtremeTech). As it stands now, Microsoft has no desire to hoard the publisher's beloved catalog of games for itself.

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Microsoft: Bethesda games will be the first or best on Xbox

Tom Stuart, CFO of Xbox, answered the question on the minds of countless gamers: Does Microsoft plan to have exclusive dominion over Bethesda games? 

"We don’t have intentions of just pulling all of Bethesda content out of Sony or Nintendo or otherwise," Stuart said. "What we want is we want that content, in the long run, to be either first or better or best or pick your differentiated experience, on our platforms. We will want Bethesda content to show up the best as — on our platforms.

In other words, the tech giant doesn't want to silo Bethesda IPs from other consoles, but it's hoping to entice gamers to play on Microsoft platforms by making Bethesda Xbox games more seductive and enticing.

"If you think about something like Game Pass, if it shows up best in Game Pass, that’s what we want to see, and we want to drive our Game Pass subscriber base through that Bethesda pipeline," Stuart said.

However, Stuart wanted to make clear that its current non-exclusive plans for Bethesda aren't written in stone. "I'm not announcing pulling content from platforms one way or the other, but I suspect you'll continue to see us shift towards a first or better or best approach."

By the way, if you're still scouring online stores for an Xbox Series X, Stuart said that availability for the high-demand console won't improve until Q2 of next year, which is five to six months from now. The good news is that Microsoft doesn't have plans to sequester Bethesda IPs, but the bad news is you'll need a miracle to secure a next-gen console.

After Microsoft's recent purchase of Zenimax Media, which includes several game studios including Bethesda Studios, many have wondered if Xbox would now claim exclusive dominion over their many titles. 

Recent statements by Xbox Head Phil Spencer have left some wondering as he has not been completely transparent as to what their plans are. However, he's hinted in interviews what actions they're considering in recent interviews with Kotaku. But, lead creative at Bethesda, Todd Howard, seems to have a difference of opinion or possibly doesn't know what to expect after recent events.

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While discussing the situation with Kotaku, Spencer expressed these thoughts when asked if it were possible to recoup the $7.5 billion investment that was made when Microsoft purchased Zenimax, he replied. “Yes," then stated "I don’t want to be flip about that,” he added. 

“This deal was not done to take games away from another player base like that. Nowhere in the documentation that we put together was: ‘How do we keep other players from playing these games?’ We want more people to be able to play games, not fewer people to be able to go play games. But I’ll also say in the model—I’m just answering directly the question that you had—when I think about where people are going to be playing and the number of devices that we had, and we have xCloud and PC and Game Pass and our console base, I don’t have to go ship those games on any other platform other than the platforms that we support to kind of make the deal work for us. Whatever that means.”

In other recent statements in regards to the possibility of Game Pass being available across multiple platforms Spencer stated that although the conversations hadn't yet been had, he would be open to expanding Game Pass to Switch, iOS, and PS4. This leads one to believe that Microsoft and the team at Xbox have already been discussing all the ways they can monetize their new game streaming content as well as their recently acquired game titles. 

Todd Howard lead creative at Bethesda shared some of his own thoughts on the subject in an interview with Ars Technica and stated "I would agree that is hard to imagine" The Elder Scrolls VI restricted to Microsoft platforms, Howard said in response to a direct question on the matter. 

Howard later admits that "We haven't gone through all of that, to be honest," He further stated that  “Bethesda's autonomy to create our games and push everything the way that we have," even as a Microsoft subsidiary. "We felt very strongly about their view of access; games for everybody that we can bring to anybody regardless of where they are, what devices they're playing on. We're very, very passionate about that, and at the end of the day we're convinced we'll make better products and get them to more people easily by being part of Xbox as opposed to being just a third party."

Seems like a meeting needs to be had between all parties so all these details can be hammered out before any internal clashes begin to arise. At the end of the day, it seems Microsoft's aggressive moves could set them up to dominate the market for years to come. 

Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has been making the rounds as Microsoft prepares to roll out the new Xbox consoles. During a recent interview with Gamereactor, Spencer discussed bringing Xbox Game Pass to the Switch and PS4 game platforms. 

Spencer stated "I love the Switch, I love PlayStation, honestly, I think they've done an amazing job as being a part of this industry," he said. "I'm not sure that those are the next big set of users for us, but we could be open to those discussions."

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After the huge success of  the Game Pass cloud gaming service under the Project xCloud moniker, Spencer has set his sights on expanding to more platforms such as the Switch and PS4, while keeping on eye on iOS which he hopes to achieve in the near future. 

Spencer said  "I think for us it's all about priority, and reaching more players," the Xbox boss said. "So we went to PC first after Xbox, because there's just so many players there, globally, that don't own an Xbox, that we could go reach. We went to mobile next because there's a billion Android phones on the planet." 

He then followed that up with "We still have iOS to go after, we will come to iOS at some point.  "We're still working on some of our technology on PC for larger screens in terms of streaming, and getting to iOS, and I think once we get through that, we look at what the other options are."

In the few years that Spencer has been head of Xbox, he has pushed to expand its reach globally as well as expanding its collection of games and game studios. If he's to lock down iOS, Xbox Game Pass could end up dominating the market for years to come.

In preparation for the upcoming console wars, the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, recently discussed Xbox's plans to purchase other studios after its surprising acquisition of Bethesda and the studios under its umbrella. 

The Xbox Game Pass cosmos is ever-evolving and in need of a constant stream of new gaming experiences for its users. With the purchase of Bethesda for $7.5 billion dollars this past September, Xbox dropped the gauntlet in the upcoming console war that will begin this holiday shopping season. 

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In a recent interview, Spencer said, "Microsoft will constantly be in this mode of bringing more creators into the fold” in order to “feed” the Xbox Game Pass as it continues to grow." With all the studios that came along for the ride via the Bethesda purchase, Xbox is being proactive to ensure a stream of game titles for its Game Pass service. 

Before anyone freaks out, Phil Spencer did say Xbox would honor the current PS5 exclusivity for Deathloop and Ghostwire. It is believed this exclusivity will extend to the Switch title release of Doom Eternal. 

Xbox Game Pass already brings so many great titles to games, as well as the xCloud function, which allows users the ability to play their favorite games across different platforms. With these aggressive forward actions, Xbox has placed itself in the driver's seat in the online game streaming market. 

As a gamer, the upcoming console war is exciting but reminds me of Mark Antony's famous call for chaos and war dogs in Shakespeares' Julius Ceaser. It appears Phil Spencer and Xbox have bellowed out "Cry Havoc and let slip the dogs of war! 

Microsoft's xCloud game streaming service is probably the closest thing to a front runner in that fairly nascent market thanks in large part to the strength of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

The service is currently usable on a wide variety of hardware that has Android and Windows 10 support and of course Xbox consoles. What's missing from that list is a lower-cost option. But in a recent interview with Stratechery, Xbox Chief Phil Spencer, indicated that wouldn't be true forever (via Engadget).

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The discussion centered around Xbox All Access, the essentially subscription-based model for purchasing the Xbox Series X or Series S that spreads the cost of the console out over 24 months along with a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Spencer said: "I think you're going to see lower-priced hardware...think about streaming sticks and other things that somebody might want to just go plug into their TV and go play via xCloud." This is precisely how Google Stadia operates, using a Chromecast Ultra or eventually Chromecast with Google TV to deliver the cloud gaming service.

Spencer went on to say that, "You could imagine us even having something that we just included in the Game Pass subscription that gave you an ability to stream xCloud games to your TV and buying the controller."

The notion that Microsoft is exploring this idea is hardly a shock, there have been rumors of it going back several years. However, it's interesting to hear Spencer addressing it so directly, particularly so close to the launch of the Xbox Series X and Series S. 

Xbox fans can file this away for the future, but given the language that Spencer used I suspect that we are talking about something that is years away from happening, so don't cancel that Xbox Series X pre-order.

Yawn! Tell Me Why is the most boring game on Xbox Game Pass — yeah, I said it!

Admittedly, not everything about Tell Me Why is a total snoozefest. For example, the premise of Tell Me Why is far from boring. I’ll even go one step further and say it’s riveting and enthralling, offering an immersive, step-into-my-shoes dive into the challenges of gender identity à la Lev from The Last of Us —  a rarity in the video-game realm.

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The Xbox and PC exclusive follows the tale of traumatized twins who revisit their childhood home where a spine-chilling tragedy occurred — one of them murdered their mother, Mary-Ann. 

However, the twins’ conflation-filled memories about why Mary-Ann found herself in such a precarious situation are hazy and murky. As such, it’s your job to unravel the mysteries behind the twins’ mother’s death. One harrowing theory suggests Mary-Ann was so upset about one of her young twins' gender identity issues, she tried to kill her own child. The twins claim she was killed in self-defense. 

“Whoa! Tell Me Why sounds pretty fascinating so far,” you may be thinking. “How could this game possibly be boring?” Well, as aforementioned, the story itself is thrilling, but my personal gripe with Tell Me Why is how the developers at Don’t Nod Entertainment decided to design the gameplay to explore this wild plot. Microsoft calls Tell Me Why an “adventure game,” but where, pray tell, is the adventure? Tell Me Why is, at best, a graphically impressive visual novel filled with bland puzzles, yawn-worthy cutscenes and boring mechanics — all culminating into one gigantic let-down of a finale. 

How Tell Me Why lures you into its boring lair 

Tell Me Why starts off with an explosive bang, taking us 10 years into the past where you’re shown a distressed, shaken up youngster sitting in the police chief’s office. “I went to show her my haircut,” the snivelly child said. “She had a gun. She freaked out.”

When Police Chief Eddy Brown said that everything will be alright, the child shouted, “No, it’s not OK! My mom tried to kill me, so I stabbed her. I killed my mother.”

After that gripping scene, who wouldn’t want to stick around? There are so many questions swirling around your mind, including what would compel a mother to kill her own child? Once you’re pulled back into the present, you discover that the young child who confessed to the murder is Tyler Ronan who is now a transgender male. Tyler is the first playable transgender protagonist created by a major studio, a big win for transgender representation in video games.

Tell Me Why takes place in a beautiful, fictional Alaskan fishing village called Delos Crossing, which has a breathtaking wintry landscape with log cabin-esque buildings, picture-perfect snow-capped mountains and hints of Native American Tlingit cultural influence. With a compelling story and gorgeous graphics, Tell Me Why seduced me into its boring lair.

We get our first glimpse of Delos Crossing’s natural beauty when Alyson, Tyler’s twin sister, picks up Tyler from Fireweed, a juvenile detention center he’s been living in for the past decade. In order to return home, the twins must take a ferry across the river. While the twins exchange awkward pleasantries after not seeing each other for years, you get to look around and take in the Alaskan landscape — and boy is it beautiful! Tell Me Why may be boring, but Delos Crossing surely isn’t. 

During this ferry ride, you’re introduced to Tell Me Why’s incredibly tedious gameplay — every now and then, you’ll be prompted to choose how you’d like to respond to characters, which can affect the story down the line. At first, the choose-your-own-adventure vibes are intriguing, but the visual-novel game mechanics — requiring nothing more than a simple press of the Y or X button —  gets old fairly quickly.

Tell Me Why’s incredibly boring gameplay 

Tell Me Why gives you the illusion of choice. While being prompted to reply to a character, you’re given pre-selected answers that, at times, are the same exact responses worded in different ways. For example, in one scene, we meet Alyson’s friend (and Tyler’s love interest) Michael. Alyson mutters to Michael that she can’t wait to move out of Delos Crossing to Juneau (the Land of Milk and Honey in Tell Me Why) with him, impelling Tyler to ask, “What did you say?” Although Alyson made plans to move to Juneau with Tyler, her twin brother had no idea there’d be a third party. 

Playing as Alyson, you’re prompted to reply with two responses: “Maybe we’re going to be roommates” or “He wants to move in with us, too.” I don’t know about you, but those two responses seem awfully similar to me, hence the illusion of choice. You can tell these dialogue options don’t affect the game’s trajectory in any way, but they were implemented to heighten the game’s interactiveness. In some cases, you’re allowed to go ask a character all the pre-selected queries listed, so the excitement of, “Oh, no! I’ve got to make sure I ask the right question!” is lost.

To be fair, there are some pivotal choice-based interactions that do seem to affect the trajectory of Tell Me Why.  

During Alyson’s ferry ride with Tyler, she gives her twin brother a gift from Delos Crossing Police Chief Eddy Brown, the man who arrested Tyler, sent him to Fireweed, adopted Alyson, and forbade her from seeing Tyler for seven years. Of course, Tyler doesn’t take kindly to the gift (a priceless ring), but it’s up to you to decide whether you’d like to accept it. One option lets you begrudgingly accept the gift and another propels Tyler to throw the ring into the river (I chose the latter ‘cause screw him!). This decision greatly affected Chief Brown’s attitude toward Tyler later on in the game.

Besides replying to people all day long, another prominent aspect of Tell Me Why’s gameplay is finding lost objects. I don’t find much enjoyment in trying to find lost objects in real life, so I don’t see its appeal in video games. The twins never seem to know where their damn personal belongings are, whether it’s their car keys, ID or pay stubs. Again, the game’s saving grace is its beauty — even indoor locations have a quaint, charming ambience. 

For the first lost item or two, you’re excited to explore the alluring environment. However, it eventually becomes exhausting. The game is split into three chapters, focusing on three main locations: the twins’ childhood home, the police station and the grocery store where Michael works. By the third chapter, you’re at the twins’ childhood home for the umpteenth time being asked to —  once again —  search for another slew of items these irresponsible twins have misplaced. Yawn!

Let’s not forget the bland, easy-to-solve puzzles. Mary-Ann had a talent for writing fairy tales, so she wrote “The Book of Goblins” that she lovingly read to her twins every night. 

“The Book of Goblins” isn’t just a set of innocuous tales for kids, though — it’s filled with metaphors and analogies that have parallels with Mary-Ann’s life. “The Book of Goblins” is often used as a key to unlock puzzles throughout the game. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love reading a good ol’ book, but in a video game? In the words of the meme-worthy Kimberly "Sweet Brown" Wilkins, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” “The Book of Goblins” has 20 stories inside of it with at least 80 pages of fairytale poppycock. To simply unlock a damn door, I had to read “The Princess’s Party,” which had its answer key deeply embedded inside the tale. At one point, I had to fix a broken fuse box in a garage — a puzzle that added nothing to the progression of Tell Me Why. These puzzles bored me to tears, but I was so determined to solve the mysteries surrounding Mary-Ann’s murder that I was hell-bent on completing the game.  

There are supernatural elements in Tell Me Why — and it’s still boring 

The Ronan twins can speak to each other telepathically, which was particularly useful when the twins devised a plan to sneak into the police station to get more information on what happened during that fateful night. However, the supernatural ability isn’t a playable element in Tell Me Why. You can’t summon your twin telepathic powers to advance in the game. Instead, the supernatural ability often appears in scenes when the twins want to communicate something they don’t want nearby characters to hear.

The twins can also “see” into the past whenever they stumble upon a location that triggers their memories — this supernatural ability is playable. When you arrive at a memory-triggering area, your controller will vibrate, impelling you to revisit the past with your twin. 

These “memory visions” play out in front of you like hazy movies with specks of light. For the most part, the twins’ memories match, but other times, you’re forced to decide which twins’ memory you believe the most. Most of these bland visions don’t answer your pressing questions, but they offer insight into Mary-Ann’s personality, which doesn’t align with the mom-was-a-mentally-ill-bigot picture the twins painted of her.

For the past decade, the twins maintained that their mother attempted to kill Tyler due to his inner battle with gender identity, but as you observe Mary-Ann's sweet character during these memory visions, you start to notice that the twins’ narrative of what happened is full of bullcrap. In fact, you’ll learn that the twin’s mother was actually supportive of Tyler’s transition, which was confirmed by Mary-Ann’s friend Tessa and her husband Tom. One fascinating peek into the past tells us that it was not Tyler who stabbed his mother — it was Alyson. However, Tyler took the fall and went to Fireweed in Alyson’s place.

At the tail end of the first chapter of the Tell Me Why trilogy, you’ll meet the Mad Hunter for the first time in a hair-raising, bone-chilling moment. It’s a dark, hooded figure who doesn’t seem human — he has a creepy, crescent-shaped smile with a wood-textured face. There’s zero explanation about who — or what — this thing is, so you’re compelled to stick around and find out. Could the Mad Hunter be some sort of demonic character who possessed Mary-Ann to try to murder her own child?

Unfortunately, you’ll later find out that the Mad Hunter isn’t even real; he’s just a figment of the twins’ imagination. In fact, the Mad Hunter doesn’t even have any bearing on Mary-Ann’s death. Again, boring! 

Rare fun moments in Tell Me Why 

Tell Me Why is a total drag, but I’d be lying if I said there weren’t moments that have jolted me awake because they stepped away from the typical choose-your-response, find-this-object, read-this-book-to-solve-this-puzzle gameplay.

The most fun moment in Tell Me Why doesn’t occur until its third chapter and it involves Michael and Tyler’s flirtatious interactions. In one scene, Tyler helps Michael out at the grocery store as he does inventory before clocking out. Tyler and Michael take a break from the chore and head to the stockroom where they throw plush toys at each other. 

As Tyler, you get to hide behind a shelf, and just as Michael jumps out his hiding place to attack, you can deck him right in the face with a plush toy. This is what I came here for! This is fun! I wish there were more action-filled moments in the game like this one.

There was a moment where the twins discovered Mary-Ann’s hidden loft, beautifully decorated with characters from “The Book of Goblins.” This time, I felt that using “The Book of Goblins” to uncover the secrets of the loft would be worth it. I didn’t need to peruse through boring fairytales to unlock a door. This time, I had to compare a Mad Hunter mural on the wall (seen below) to a similar picture found in “The Book of Goblins.” Then, I had to pick out the areas of the mural that were changed to unlock the puzzle. In another puzzle, I pieced together Mary-Ann’s pivotal life moments in the right order by looking at the dates of old letters, photos and other mementos.

The puzzles themselves were fun, but what added to their enjoyment was the suspense of knowing you’re about to find out some wild secret buried inside this loft. After all, why else would Mary-Ann lock away this area from prying eyes? Could this provide some answers to why Mary-Ann was holding a gun that night?

When you finally unlock all the puzzles in the loft, you find out that Mary-Ann lost a child named Leo Ronan prior to the twins. Of course, this is a tragic, heartbreaking situation, but it doesn’t answer any of our pressing questions. This seems to be a bad habit the Tell Me Why developers can’t shake — they’re great at building suspense, but when you finally uncover the truth, it wasn’t worth the anxious anticipation and investment.

Tell Me Why’s boring finale 

When you finally make it to the end of Tell Me Why after enduring hours and hours of painfully boring gameplay and long, unskippable cutscenes, you think, “This is it! After three chapters of torturous boredom, I’ll finally know what really happened the night Mary-Ann died!”  

And then, Tell Me Why betrays you. In a moment that crushed my tortured soul, Tyler says, “We’re never going to know the truth are we? You have to decide what you believe. Whatever you choose, you’ve got to live with it.” At this point, I threw my hands up and said, “Are you kidding me?!”

Instead of unveiling the true, unadulterated events that occured during that fateful night, you’re asked to choose which twins’ account of the murder you believe the most. Tyler still maintains that Mary-Ann tried to kill him due to his haircut, which makes no sense because all evidence points to the mother having zero motive to hurt her beloved twins. Alyson, on the other hand, believes Mary-Ann was on the verge of killing herself, and while she was loading up the gun, she spotted Tyler running down the dock and chased him to figure out why he was running. In both memories, young Alyson stabs Mary-Ann to save Tyler from his mother. I begrudgingly chose Alyson’s perspective on Mary-Ann’s death without having any closure of what really happened that night. 

Tell Me Why I played this game again? 

 Tell Me Why PC performance 

Tell Me Why ran smoothly for the most part, however, in one extremely frustrating moment, I found myself stuck inside a kitchen counter. Yes, you read correctly. I got stuck inside a kitchen counter — this might have been the most exciting thing that’s happened in this entire ho-hum game. 

How did it happen? After I chose to “believe” Alyson’s account of her mother’s murder, I stepped into the shoes of Tyler who revisits his now-sold childhood home one last time to gather some possessions. After reading a letter on the kitchen counter, Tyler got stuck inside the kitchen counter. No matter how many times I tried to make him walk out of the counter, his legs and arms moved, but he went absolutely nowhere.

At that point, I couldn’t finish the game and I refused to restart it because Tell Me Why only supports autosaves — there is no way to manually save the game. If I launched the game from the last autosave point, I’d have to sit through the painful “We’re never going to know the truth” scene again, and I’d rather saw my own foot off. Fortunately, Tyler chose to imprison himself inside a kitchen counter during one of the last scenes of the game, so I didn’t miss much. I tweeted @TellMeWhyGame about kitchen-counter-gate and asked, “Tell Me Why this is happening?” They did not reply.

Bottom line

Tell Me Why, from a positive standpoint, unlocked the incredible potential that lies in the video-game realm to widen the minds of insular gamers. Think about the time you stepped inside the shoes of a protagonist who really captured your heart. They could be so far removed from who you are, but because the game was written so carefully and diligently, you can truly empathize with the protagonist’s emotional journey.

This is what Don’t Nod Entertainment did well. With the introduction of Tyler, the writers took their time to create Tyler Ronan, a transgender male in a small-town Alaskan fishing village. Sometimes, when writers create characters from underrepresented groups, they feel the need to make them victims of extreme violence and injustice. But when you step inside Tyler shoes, you’re simply living his everyday, mundane life, and as such, you start to pick up on some pesky anti-transgender microaggressions from the small-town folk — something you’d never experience if you’re not a transgender person. As a result, I’m certain Tell Me Why has instilled more empathy among gamers toward the transgender community. I hope Tyler opens the door to more underrepresented stories from an everyday perspective.

Still, Tell Me Why’s applaudable transgender representation doesn’t change the fact that this game is boring AF. A “Choices Matter” game like Tell Me Why should have a high replayability factor because most gamers would love to experiment with how different choices could affect the direction of the game, but who the hell would sit through a second go of unskippable cutscenes, a crappy save feature, turtle-like pacing and painfully boring puzzles? You couldn’t pay me to sit through Tell Me Why again. Tell Me Why is a snoozefest — don’t @ me. 

 
As the competition heats up in the cloud gaming arena, you’ll hear a lot of familiar names throwing their names in the hat. But it’s a relative unknown that could turn out the winner of the cloud gaming wars. Shadow by Blade, a cloud gaming service by the eponymous Shadow, has been quietly building a service that not only allows you to game, but also to do graphic design, perform complicated computations, and more. Is it perfect? No, but it’s got a head start on what could be the future of cloud gaming. 

Shadow by Blade: What is it?

Game streaming services like Google Stadia, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Project xCloud allow users to play games from multiple devices. Each has an interface reminiscent of the home screens found on consoles and PC gaming apps like Steam. Blade’s Shadow differs from the aforementioned services by giving you remote access to a fully-functional Windows 10 gaming PC. This means you can use Shadow for purposes beyond gaming. Because of that, Shadow is more robust and flexible than its competitors.

Shadow by Blade pricing and configuration

There are currently three tiers of Shadow’s service: Shadow Boost, Shadow Ultra and Shadow Infinite. Boost is the only tier that’s currently available. You’ll have to sign up on a waiting list for the other two. For now, Boost is available in two subscription plans. There’s the $14.99 option for those who might only need the service every once in a while or the $11.99 monthly subscription.

When they launch, Ultra and Infinite will have similar setups with the former costing $29.99/$24.99 monthly and the latter priced at $49.99/$39.99 monthly. 

Aside from pricing, what differentiates the three services is the specs of the virtual computer you have access to. With Boost, you get a virtual system with the equivalent of a 3.4-Ghz 4-core processor with 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 GPU with 8GB of VRAM. Ultra bumps you up to a 4GHz quad-core CPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage and an Nvidia RTX 2080 GPU with 8GB of VRAM. Infinite takes things even further with a 4-GHz six-core CPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and an Nvidia RTX Titan GPU with 24GB of VRAM. 

Shadow by Blade: How it works

Shadow effectively lets you rent a Windows PC via Shadow’s servers. You can access it from any Windows/Mac/Linux/Android device. It’s also accessible on the Shadow set-top box. The PC in question features an Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics card, 12GB of DDR4 RAM, 256GB of storage space, and 1Gbps download speed. With specs like that, you can run almost any game at high settings. If you’re on a budget and can’t afford to build a comparable PC, then Shadow is a fantastic means of experiencing high-end gaming. As long as you have a 15mbps connection, you’re solid.

However, games and applications don’t come pre-installed. You’ll have to download and install those yourself as you would on your own PC. You won’t have to do extra tinkering to get your keyboard, mouse, speakers, and gamepads to work with Shadow. Just plug your devices into your PC and Shadow will automatically detect them. It’s possible some peripherals may not be compatible with Shadow, but the ones I used functioned as they would on my personal computer.

Shadow by Blade app

The Shadow mobile app for Android and iOS devices allows you to access Shadow from your phone or tablet. However, using the mobile version of Shadow comes with the typical hurdles of mobile gaming. “Mobile version” is perhaps a misnomer considering you’re still accessing the same desktop you would when using the PC app. 

This can make navigating the desktop more difficult since you’re using your fingers to pinch, zoom, and drag. If you need to type, you’ll do so using your device’s on-screen keyboard. Doing so takes up screen space, making it harder to see what you’re doing. You can enable a virtual gamepad (like those found on numerous mobile titles) to play games. But as with all mobile games, playing this way obstructs your view of what you’re playing. Thankfully, you can connect controllers, keyboards, and mice via Bluetooth. Connecting a keyboard or gamepad diminishes the portability of Shadow on your phone, but at least the option exists.

Shadow by Blade gaming

To test Shadow’s gaming capabilities, I downloaded and installed Steam and the Epic Games Store. Just like on my own PC, I needed to login to each app to access my games library. I also had to validate the remote PC using security tokens. This could be a hindrance to some since you can’t just launch into a game as you would on something like Stadia or Xbox Game Pass. But as I stated before, Shadow is a remote PC, not a game streaming app.

Speaking of games, I tried out a variety of titles from each of my libraries. Doom Eternal, Streets of Rage 4, Marvel’s Avengers, Resident Evil 3, Mass Effect, and Need for Speed: Most Wanted played almost exactly as they would on my PC. I say “almost” because there were some instances of minor input lag or buffering hitches. However, these were few and far between. 

Playing games on my mobile devices wasn’t as intuitive because I had to access Shadow with touch controls. However, once I got the games running, I played using an Xbox Bluetooth controller without a problem. I should note that I have Verizon Fios as my internet service provider, which provides a reliable connection. This would account for my optimal experience using Shadow. I’m sure those playing on spotty Wi-Fi or areas with minimal coverage may not have it as smoothly as I did.

After gaming, I downloaded and installed Adobe Photoshop and Audacity to Shadow. As with games, using these apps was no different than on my PC. If you’re a content creator on a budget or someone who needs to edit a video or podcast on the road, having access to editing software from Shadow’s remote PC is a godsend.

Bottom line

Shadow isn’t as intuitive or user-friendly as the previously listed game streaming services. There is no dedicated interface for accessing games and you’ll have to download separate gaming clients to access titles. But what Shadow lacks in user-friendliness it makes up for with robustness. So long as you have a good internet connection, Shadow effectively gives you a high-end PC at a fraction of the cost of the genuine article. Because of that, it is objectively the best game streaming service on the planet.

At the time of this writing, Xbox Game Pass has over 10 million subscribers. Considering how Microsoft’s all-you-can-eat game subscription service costs a mere $9.99 a month ($14.99 for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate), it makes sense it would have such a large install base. And while that sounds like  a substantial number, 10 million users pales in comparison to the 90 million install base of Xbox Live. Given Game Pass’ apparent value, we have to ask the obvious question: Why aren’t more Xbox Live members subscribed to Xbox Game Pass?

Before answering that, we have to establish what Xbox Game Pass is and who gets the most out of it. Game Pass has hundreds of titles from the Xbox Store. This comprises both first and third-party games. Since March of 2018, Game Pass gets all first-party Xbox games on release date. Third-party titles arrive on Game Pass months or even years after release. As long as you’re subscribed to Game Pass (and have an internet plan with unlimited data), you can download and play games without restrictions.

The service is perfect for two specific groups: Those on a tight budget and people who don’t care about playing games at launch. If you’re a kid or college student, paying $15 a month to access hundreds of games is preferable to paying $60 a pop for individual titles. If Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) isn’t something that troubles you, you can simply wait to play whatever “new” titles come to Game Pass. Objectively, it’s a great deal if you fall into these two categories.

Dig a little deeper, however, and we see that Xbox Game Pass isn’t perfect. While there are many gamers who don’t play games at launch, a substantial number do. First-party Xbox titles on release date are great, but what about third-parties? Red Dead Redemption 2 on Game Pass seems like a boon… unless you already played it two years ago. What’s the point of having access to games you’ve completed?

The other major issue is that, like Netflix, games eventually get cycled out. If you’re in the middle of a long RPG like Final Fantasy XV and it is removed from Game Pass, you'll have to buy it. In Game Pass’ defense, the service gives you a month’s warning when games you’ve downloaded are about to leave. You also have the option to buy the game at a discount. That’s nice, but unfortunately, it leads to another problem. Paying $15 a month plus the cost of an individual title (or titles) undermines the very spirit of Xbox Game Pass. Subscribing to Game Pass doesn’t save you as much money as you may have hoped.

There’s also the question of ownership. Despite living in an age where subscription services reign supreme, many folks still want to own games. And I’m not just talking about owning physical titles (although that is a segment of customers). Some players feel more comfortable buying and downloading games individually rather than getting them through a service like Game Pass. It sounds like semantics considering you’re downloading games regardless, but perception is key, and to some, knowing they are getting a game through a service turns them off. In their eyes, Game Pass removes ownership.

Pricing may also be an issue. On its own, Game Pass is $9.99. For $14.99, subscribers get Xbox Game Pass for Xbox and Windows PC along with Xbox Live. This also includes access to play online games. An additional $5 on top of the $10 for Xbox Live doesn’t sound so bad, but to some gamers, it could very well be a deal-breaker.

Sports games on annual schedules, such as FIFA, Madden and NBA2K, account for a large portion of yearly game sales. The people who buy these titles vastly outnumber the amount of “core” gamers. Game Pass has little value for this group. As I said up top, it is rare for Game Pass to get third-party games at launch. If you’re a hardcore Madden player, you won’t want to wait eight months to play the most recent entry when a new one is right around the corner. And though it’s not a sports game, we can also lump the Call of Duty series into this category. No dedicated CoD player is going to wait almost a year to get their fix. To them, Game Pass doesn’t have much to offer.

So how does Microsoft get more Xbox Live members to upgrade to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate? Users know the service exists. It’s right there front and center on the Xbox dashboard whenever they turn on their console. Xbox owners know about the service and what it providess, so clearly visibility isn’t an issue. Having more third-party games releasing at launch or near launch could help. However,  it’s hard imagining big publishers like Ubisoft, Square Enix, or EA putting their games on Game Pass at launch and potentially undermining sales. That said, better first-party titles could help. Outside of Cuphead and the Ori franchise, Xbox doesn’t have universally beloved titles like those on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. Games like Hellblade: Senua’s Saga could deliver a “prestige” experience on Xbox to draw more folks to Game Pass, but it is too early to speculate on that. What's clear is that Xbox Game Pass has a branding problem with no easy solution.

A new console generation could give Game Pass a greater infusion of subscribers, even outside of the Xbox ecosystem. We know Microsoft’s first-party game studios are working on their respective projects. If the titles produced are of the same quality as those from Sony and Nintendo, it would give Game Pass a boost. We also can’t forget about Project xCloud, which comes bundled with Game Pass at no additional cost this September.

Although Microsoft admitted Game Pass is “not a big profit play,” the company isn’t abandoning the service any time soon. Even if Game Pass doesn’t seem appealing at the moment, the service will only get stronger. Perhaps with time, Xbox users will find value in Xbox Game Pass and sign up in greater numbers.

Earlier this week, we reported that Microsoft dropped the 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription from its platform. This sparked a flood of theories about Xbox's forthcoming plans for online multiplayer access. 

One reliable leaker, however, may have cleared the air about Microsoft's future vision for its gaming service, UberGizmo reported.

• Xbox shakes up Xbox Live Gold subscription: What you need to know
• Xbox Series X games: All confirmed games so far
• Xbox Series X vs. PS5: Which console is right for you?

Could Microsoft be trying to increase its bottom line by ditching its $60 12-month Xbox Live Gold service and encouraging its users to purchase one-month and three-month Xbox Live Gold subscriptions, which both cost over $100 per year? 

Or maybe the Redmond-based tech giant is hoping users will purchase its $15-per-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which includes Xbox Live Gold?

These are just two of the many theories speculators have come up with to rationalize Microsoft's sudden discontinuation of its yearly online multiplayer subscription. Luckily, well-known Xbox insider Klobrille is clearing away the confusion. They revealed Microsoft's motives for ditching the 12-month Xbox Live Gold service, and it's a lot more palatable than the Xbox-is-just-being-greedy theories: Microsoft reportedly wants to drop the paywall for online multiplayer access altogether.

Yes, you read correctly -- Microsoft may make Xbox Live Gold free.

“The question is not if the online multiplayer paywall falls. The question is when," Klobrille posted on Resetera.

Many say that this rumor couldn't possibly true — it would be a major revenue loss for Microsoft. However, some pundits say that this strategy may lure more players to sign up for Game Pass, which is often described as Xbox's Netflix for games.

Of course, you should take this information with a grain of salt; Microsoft has not yet confirmed Klobrille's claims. 

If the Xbox leaker's revelations are true, perhaps Microsoft may announce that they'll be dropping the online multiplayer paywall at the Xbox Series X showcase, which is poised to take place on July 23.