Microsoft has been on the defensive somewhat with the service, removing Call of Duty earlier this year on rumors that it's simply "too generous" and potentially unsustainable.
Furthermore, even more rumors have been circulating online that Xbox Game Pass may be undergoing a massive restructuring in 2027, with changes that purportedly include:
The inclusion of "ads" in Xbox Game Pass with different versions. One version of Xbox Game Pass with ads will cost $12.99 per month, and one without ads will cost $19.99 per month or $239.99 annually.
New Xbox games will no longer release day one" for Xbox Game Pass "starting somewhere between February and April 2027," in exchange for reducing the cost of Xbox Game Pass by $3.
The claim "cloud streaming will no longer be a part of Xbox Game Pass."
Cloud Streaming will be "an add-on bundle" that costs $5.99 for 25 hours.
Here's one I would actually like: "Xbox Game Pass' Family plan will be included, as a $5.99 addon."
"We regularly test different Game Pass offerings and look at what works best for players in different markets. We don’t have any changes to announce today or plans that have been finalized. There are no changes to previously announced games coming to Game Pass Ultimate on day one.”
Statement I got from an Xbox spokesperson about this:"We regularly test different Game Pass offerings and look at what works best for players in different markets. We don’t have any changes to announce today or plans that have been finalized. There are no changes to previously… https://t.co/CLLSEppdBPSeptember 15, 2026
Additionally, we've been doing some digging of our own and can confirm that the list of "changes" outlined by the above forum aren't based on any current plans within Microsoft and amount to "speculation or guesswork," trusted sources suggest.
However, it's no secret that Microsoft is actively exploring "changes" to Xbox Game Pass, which could include some of the guessed ideas outlined in the forum post.
Our sources say that there's no current plan to remove "day one" games as a feature of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in totality, but like the statement to Paul Tassi says, changes are coming. But, 100% speculatively and analytically: I think it's probably worth expecting that more franchises like Call of Duty may be pulled from day one access even on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Perhaps bigger franchises might be moved onto an even more expensive tier, or come with some kind of "addon" bundle like a cable TV package.
In short, Xbox is effectively denying these specific rumors, while acknowledging that changes are coming. Like Paul Tassi spotted, the mention of "previously announced games" in Xbox's quote is interesting, as the wording increases the likelihood that future Xbox Game Pass game additions could be altered or paired back.
Anonymous forum rumors should be always be taken with a huge grain of salt. However, with the recent changes to Xbox Cloud Gaming getting monthly restrictions, I have a feeling some of the suggestions in the thread could materialize in a worst case scenario.
Xbox Game Pass is a huge revenue stream for Microsoft today, but balancing that against retail sales and cash flow back to studios (particularly first-party studios) has been a subject of debate for some time.
However, we will have to wait until 2027 to find out if these rumors of Xbox Game Pass changing are true or false.
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Already synonymous with flight simulation hardware, Thrustmaster is expanding its sim gaming range again with the HOTAS Warthog Mk. II, an "enhanced" variant of its popular, military-themed stick and throttle bundle for PC. Previously announced at Flight Sim Expo, it's releasing today, September 16, 2026, at an MSRP of $599.99, it's available from the official eStore and Amazon.
Indeed, the Warthog Mk. II features the same official U.S. Air Force licensing as its predecessor, with a design that seems almost indistinguishable from the Mk. I at a glance. In reality, Thrustmaster has focused mostly on the internals, redesigning its "H.E.A.R.T." Hall-Effect sensor mechanism "to offer enhanced smoothness and durability".
On the outside, it's still a 1:1-scale recreation of a Viper stick grip and the Warthog A-10C throttle with separate controls for both simulated engines (plus a locking system). Despite a few visual tweaks, the Mk. II supports full compatibility "with all Thrustmaster grips", which is great news for any sim enthusiasts who already adopted the brand's ecosystem on Windows PCs.
Thrustmaster's VIPER flight stick.ThrustmasterAnd its companion, the WARTHOG throttle unit.ThrustmasterThe refined MK II flight stick base.ThrustmasterAnd Thrustmaster's Hall-Effect sensors visualized.Thrustmaster
I've tested a huge number of flight sticks for games like Microsoft Flight Simulator, but I haven't strayed too far into military sims, or even further out to space-faring dogfights in titles like Elite Dangerous. However, I've always seen the Thrustmaster Warthog Mk. I appearing among some of the top-rated HOTAS sets in my adventures, so I definitely knew about it.
This release came with a chance to test the Warthog Mk. II for myself, so of course I said yes to a sample. Imagine my surprise when Thrustmaster's shipping confirmation included the 6.56 kg heft of this dense, 100% metal monster listed in its specs, with some extra weight on top for packaging. My word, what am I getting myself into?
The Viper flight stick grip provides a flight experience that's as close as possible to a real fighter pilot's.
Thrustmaster
Don't get me wrong, it's not like I've never, ever tried a flight stick in a combat game, but a HOTAS set of this intensity needs to be paired with something that fits better than a Cessna in Microsoft Flight Simulator. I'm looking forward to seeing how the first Warthog version built such a reputation, and whether its accolades carry over to the "sturdier" Mk. II.
That, and I need to figure out bindings for the stick's 19 buttons and the 8-way hat switch, even if the latter is usually quite obvious, before moving on to the Warthog control panel and its wealth of chunky levers, switches, and dials. That's up to 128 total buttons — should be fun! Stay tuned for my HOTAS Warthog Mk. II review going live before the end of the month.
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Hier — 16 septembre 2026Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Microsoft appears keen to go ahead with plans to build a data center in Slough, England. Plans could be submitted as soon as this autumn, according to The Slough Express.
Recently, a consultation was held to receive feedback from local residents about the data center. In that process, Microsoft said: "Data centres have become integral to our lives, with social media, contactless payments and remote working all reliant on the functionality they provide."
The tech giant added, "The UK needs more new data centres to power the economy of the future."
The consultation covered several topics related to the proposed data center, including on-site parking and if the building of the data center would affect local traffic.
Councillor Chandra Muvvala discussed the impacts of data centeres with the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). "Not having a data centre is not a problem, but having a data centre is certainly a problem," said Muvvala.
The councillor also noted things Microsoft could do to help the community, such as planting trees or improving local parks.
A petition to pause the data center project has over 600 signatures at the moment. Petitioners want an independent assessment to be completed to determine the impacts of the project.
Controversial data centers
The proposed data center in Slough is not alone in drawing criticism. Microsoft has also faced pushback about its planned data center in Leeds, England.
The complaints about the project in Leeds are similar to those from people in Slough. Residents in both areas have expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the data centers and raised flags about potentially high noise levels and other ways the data centers could harm their respective surrounding areas.
Microsoft has already received the go-ahead to build the data center from the Leeds City Council, which voted unanimously to approve the project. But the final decision on the project will come from Chief Planning Officer Martin Elliot.
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Additionally, Koei Tecmo has released a free playable Alpha demo available to download on all the aforementioned platforms (except Nintendo Switch 2) and has opened pre-orders for the game.
Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember is a sequel to Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. It will take the player on a bloody and brutal journey across a dark fantasy version of China's Three Kingdoms period and battle many challenging foes, including iconic warriors from that era along with towering demons.
The game aims to top its predecessor with new weapons, magic, and techniques to master, more epic combat scenarios to survive in, and more challenging bosses to overcome.
You can get a taste of the early portions of Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember through its public Alpha Demo. It's free to download and play until September 30, 2026, and if you complete it, you will unlock a special Fledging Phoenix Helmet that can be used in the full game.
Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember Digital Deluxe Edition. (Image credit: Koei Tecmo)
If you pre-order Wo Long 2: Wings of Ruin, you can get exclusive access to the Creator Goddess Garb armor set and early purchase access to the Harvest God Armor set.
The game will come in a standard edition (which only contains the base game) or a Digital Deluxe Edition, the latter of which features:
Season pass that grants access to two future DLC expansions (the first will release on August 31, 2027, and the second on October 31, 2027), plus the Creator God Armor set as a Season Pass Bonus.
Digital Mini Soundtrack
Digital Artbook
Shietieshou Hat.
Can't wait to dive back into this grim dark Soulslike take on the Three Kingdoms era
The original Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty was an immensely fun, underrated Soulslike that we gave a 4.5/5 star review for its in-depth combat system and nail-bitingly tough bosses that were so satisfying to beat.
So I can't wait to see if its sequel has what it takes to top the first game when Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember launches next year on March 4, 2027.
In the meantime, I'll be playing the Alpha demo, as it's been a long while since I played a Soulslike, so I'll need to shake off the rust before the full game arrives.
Embody the power of a fiery Phoenix and descend upon the battlefield to purge horrifying demons and duel legendary heroes of the Three Kingdoms in Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember.
Microsoft just announced a Windows and Surface event for October 7, 2026. The event will be held in San Francisco and will focus on "how local AI will shape the next chapter of the PC." It will start at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will be at the event, as will Surface chief Pavan Davuluri. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang will also be there, so we can expect to see RTX Spark discussed on stage.
RTX Spark is NVIDIA's new superchip. It powers the Surface Laptop Ultra and Surface RTX Spark Dev Box. Microsoft already announced those devices but has not shared key details yet, including pricing and availability. The event in October could be a chance to share more about the devices and the RTX Spark in general.
Microsoft is also expected to highlight improvements to Windows 11. The tech giant is deep into its Windows K2 initiative that aims to reduce pain points in the operating system and smooth the overall experience. We've seen some early wins from that initiative, such as the option to resize and move the Taskbar on Windows 11.
But Microsoft still has a long way to go before Windows 11 is redeemed in the eyes of many. Windows updates often ship with bugs and the operating system still has mismatching UI elements. Fixing Windows 11 is a large project that will take time, and Microsoft would be wise to show what it's already done to improve the OS and point to what's on the way.
While Microsoft could always surprise us with more hardware announcements, its quote about "how local AI will shape the next chapter of the PC" aligns well with devices we already know are on the way. The Surface Laptop Ultra and Surface RTX Spark Dev Box are designed to run AI locally.
Based solely on that quote, we could see Microsoft discuss Project Zenith at the event. That's the codename of a new class of devices aimed at developers that want to build apps and local AI experiences.
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Mobile gaming controllers have come a long way over the last few years, but they all suffer from one common flaw: they're rarely as portable as the phones they're designed to enhance.
That's always seemed ironic to me. Smartphones fit in our pockets, but many mobile controllers require a dedicated carrying case or space in a backpack. At that point, I often find myself wondering why I didn't just bring a handheld gaming PC instead.
That's exactly the problem the new $99Razer Prio aims to solve.
Rather than chasing the biggest grips or most console-like ergonomics, Razer built something fundamentally different. The Prio folds into a compact package measuring just 107mm by 67mm when closed, making it roughly credit card-sized in length and width, while weighing only 101 grams.
It's the first mobile controller I've used that genuinely disappears into a pocket.
And that's what makes it special.
Razerhad no input, nor did it see the contents of this review, prior to publication.
A clever design that solves a real problem
The Razer Prio mobile controller (folded) next to the Xiaomi 17T Pro with a rather large 6.83 inches display. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The Prio's standout feature is its unique folding mechanism.
Using an interlocking design, each half rotates and folds inward, transforming from a compact rectangle into a full mobile controller. Razer's engineers deserve credit here because this doesn't feel like a gimmick. It's solving a legitimate problem that nearly every competing product ignores.
The trade-off, however, is that setup isn't immediately intuitive.
The first few times I unfolded the Prio, I found myself fumbling with the locking mechanism and trying to remember exactly which piece rotated where. Razer could absolutely improve the onboarding experience with clearer instructions.
Fortunately, the learning curve doesn't last long. After a handful of uses, unfolding the controller becomes second nature, and you begin to appreciate just how clever the entire design is.
More importantly, because it's so small, I actually carried it around.
That's a bigger compliment than it may sound. Many mobile controllers are technically portable but not especially convenient. The Prio is different because you can toss it in a pocket and completely forget it's there until you need it.
Small controls, surprisingly good results
Top-down view of the unfolded Razer Prio controller without a phone, showing its central bridge, USB-C plug, D-pad, face buttons, and dual analog sticks. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Once unfolded, the Prio reveals a complete controller layout that includes dual thumbsticks, a D-pad, bumpers, triggers, face buttons, and dedicated function buttons.
Naturally, any controller this compact requires compromises.
The thumbsticks are noticeably smaller than what you'd find on a traditional controller, and the face buttons reflect the Prio's portable-first design philosophy. If you're expecting Xbox controller levels of comfort, you'll need to temper expectations.
That said, I liked using them more than I expected.
The D-pad feels tactile and responsive, the face buttons provide good feedback, and the thumbsticks are particularly interesting. Razer uses capacitive thumbsticks with contactless sensors that can detect movement without relying on traditional mechanical contacts. In theory, that means improved durability and resistance to stick drift compared with conventional designs.
The thumbsticks are tiny, but it sure beats onscreen controls any day. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
During testing with games like Brotato and Xbox Cloud Gaming titles, controls felt accurate and responsive. Because the Prio connects directly through USB-C rather than Bluetooth, I also never noticed any input lag, pairing issues, or connectivity problems.
No Bluetooth and USB-C also means the Prio itself never needs charging, which again adds to the convenience factor, as it's one less thing to think about if you want a quick gaming sesh at the doctor's office.
The triggers deserve a special mention. They're perfectly usable, but they're also one of the areas where the compact size makes itself known. The L2 and R2 triggers feel a little unusual compared to traditional controllers and are somewhat clickier than expected. They get the job done, but nobody is going to mistake them for premium full-sized controller triggers.
Better than touch controls, and that's what matters
How the Prio (bottom) compares to the Razer Edge 5G (above). (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The Prio isn't designed to be the most ergonomic controller available. It's designed to be the controller you're willing to carry every day.
During longer gaming sessions of around an hour, the smaller controls do start to make their presence known. My hands were definitely more aware of the compact design than they would be with something like a Kishi V3 Pro.
The top shoulder buttons are decent on the Razer Prio. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
But here's the thing: I'd still choose the Prio over touchscreen controls every single time.
In fact, that's the comparison that matters most.
Playing action games with virtual buttons often causes hand fatigue and cramping much faster than using the Prio. The tactile controls provide actual feedback, keep your thumbs off the display, and make games considerably more comfortable to play.
If you're already gaming primarily with on-screen controls, the Prio feels like a massive quality-of-life upgrade.
Wide compatibility and a surprisingly good software experience
The Prio technically works with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, but you can only use it unfolded. It's a bit clunky, but super fun to use! (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Razer says the Prio supports USB-C smartphones up to 188mm in length and cases up to 15mm thick. It also works with both Android phones and modern USB-C iPhones.
My foldable phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 worked too, albeit with a caveat. Ironically, I found the best experience with my Fold devices was actually in their unfolded tablet mode. While that may seem counterintuitive for such a compact controller, gaming on a larger foldable display paired with the Prio was surprisingly enjoyable.
The included spacers and bumpers also make fitting phones straightforward, even when using cases. For instance, I had no issues using the Prio with my Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with a Pitaka case (you just have to swap out or remove the internal bumper/pads).
Then there's Razer Cortex.
Rear of the Razer Prio on the Xioami 17T Pro smartphone with a 6.83 inche display. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The dedicated Cortex button launches Razer's gaming software, which automatically gathers installed games into a centralized library. The experience feels somewhat similar to using a Steam Deck or handheld gaming PC launcher, making it easier to jump into games without digging through app drawers.
The controller supports not only mobile games but also cloud and remote streaming services, including Xbox Cloud Gaming, Steam Link, PlayStation Remote Play, and Razer PC Remote Play.
One limitation worth mentioning is that not every mobile game benefits from the Prio. Some popular titles remain locked to portrait orientation. Games like 1945 Air Force and Raiden Fighter simply aren't designed around horizontal controller gameplay, so the Prio doesn't add much value there.
For more console-style mobile games, however, it's an excellent fit.
Competition
The $149 Razer Kishi V3 Pro is bigger and more premium, but really not pocketable like the Razer Prio. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)
The Prio's biggest competition may come from within Razer's own lineup.
The Razer Kishi V3 and Kishi V3 Pro offer larger controls, better ergonomics, and a more traditional controller experience. They're excellent options for couch gaming or tossing in a backpack.
The Prio takes a different approach.
Those controllers are portable. The Prio is pocketable. That distinction ends up making all the difference.
Sure, there are some other great options like the Backbone One Xbox Edition ($109), Abxylute S9 ($99), and even Razer's Razer Kishi Ultra, which all got excellent reviews from us and are great mobile controllers, but none of them are .... well, pocketable.
Should you buy it?
Folded black Razer Prio mobile controller resting in front of its white product box. It's a bit thick (and mostly hollow), but still easily fits into a pocket. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
✅You should buy this if...
You want a pocketable mobile controller
You want a step up from on-screen controls
You cloud game or play horizontally-formatted games
❌You shouldn't buy this if...
You have a foldable phone (maybe)
You prefer more comfort over portability
The Razer Prio succeeds because it understands the assignment.
Rather than trying to become another bulky mobile controller, it prioritizes portability without sacrificing too much functionality. The result is a controller that's more comfortable than touchscreen gaming, more practical than many competitors, and genuinely easy to keep with you every day.
At $99.99, it sits right on the edge of what feels reasonable. Personally, I think $79.99 would be the sweet spot. But Razer also made the smart decision not to push pricing too close to the far more premium Kishi V3 Pro ($149.99), and there are certainly more expensive mobile controllers on the market.
The controls are small. The setup is initially quirky. The all-black design could use a splash of classic Razer green.
None of those complaints change the fundamental reality: the Prio solves a real problem.
And if you've ever left a mobile controller at home because it was simply too big to carry around, the Razer Prio might be exactly what you've been waiting for.
Pocketable
Razer
Prio
The Razer Prio isn’t out to win any “biggest, cushiest controller” awards—it’s gunning for the gold in portability. With a clever foldable design that shrinks down to about the size of a credit card, it’s one of the rare mobile controllers you might actually slip into your pocket instead of leaving it to gather dust at home.
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Microsoft is having a bit of a rough September when it comes to bugs. Another issue has been discovered in Windows 11. This time, it's Excel's copy and paste feature that's been broken by an OS update.
That bug was discovered shortly after Microsoft confirmed issues with Hyper-V Linux folder shares, Remote Desktop, and USB audio. Those have since been fixed through an out-of-band update, but the Excel bug has not been fixed yet.
"In Microsoft Excel 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016, the paste operation might fail silently. Although users try to paste content, the source remains selected and the destination is unmodified. When this issue occurs, users receive no indication of the failure, such as a beep or error message. Microsoft is researching the issue and will post more information in this article when the information becomes available."
The September Patch Tuesday update has almost 1,000 security fixes, so it is important to install it on PCs. But it may be worth holding off a bit if your workflow would be hindered by lingering bugs.
I don't want to come across as a doomsayer. The sky is not falling because copy and paste in Excel is broken. But it's frustrating to see bugs creep into Windows 11 updates.
Microsoft is aware of negative feelings many users have toward Windows 11. The company has a Windows K2 initiative that aims to reduce pain points and improve the overall Windows 11 experience. Part of that initiative centers around improving Windows updates.
On paper, Microsoft is trying to reduce how many updates people need to install each month. But I've had to install several Windows 11 updates just in September, including the out-of-band update that fixed the audio issue.
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Amazon has announced 17 new games for Luna, its cloud gaming service packed within Prime that allows subscribers to stream video games on PCs, Amazon Fire TV Sticks, and mobile devices without the need for a home console (although you will still need a compatible controller).
This lineup for Amazon Prime Luna includes some heavy hitters like Doom: Eternal, Star Wars: Outlaws, High on Life, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, to name a few.
Here's the full list of games coming to Amazon Prime Luna throughout September 2026, and when you can expect them to arrive.
War Hospital (September 3, 2026)
Just Die Already (September 3, 2026)
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (September 10, 2026)
Star Wars: Outlaws (September 10, 2026)
Drop Duchy (September 10, 2026)
DOOM + DOOM II (September 10, 2026)
Botany Manor (September 10, 2026)
King of Tokyo (September 10, 2026)
It’s Quiz Time: Guinness World Records (September 10, 2026)
DOOM Eternal (September 17, 2026)
Rims Racing (September 17, 2026)
Wall World 2 (September 17, 2026)
Hue (September 24, 2026)
The Da Vinci Cryptex (September 24, 2026)
High on Life (September 24, 2026)
Bowling Mayhem(coming soon)
Cranium Planet (coming soon)
We can play DOOM Eternal on the Cloud again for as long as we want, thanks to Amazon Luna
Ripe & tear until it is done. (Image credit: Windows Central)
Out of all the games on this list, the best addition is without a doubt Doom Eternal. This game is one of the greatest first-person shooters ever for its adrenaline-pumping gunplay, challenging and deliciously evil boss fights, and wide variety of weapons that keep its ultra-violent gameplay fresh.
So, if you can't afford to play DOOM Eternal on Xbox Series X|S or PC these days due to these platforms being price-hiked by the RAM crisis, or you want to play it on the go without Xbox Cloud Gaming's newly imposed monthly limits, signing up for Amazon Luna with a Prime membership may be your next best Cloud Gaming option to experience the best DOOM game ever made.
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Valve's popular Steam Deck handheld pushed handheld gaming PCs into the mainstream with its affordable, Linux-based console, and its potential successor seemingly aims to make the same impact. Speaking to IGN's Jacqueline Thomas, Valve software developer Pierre-Loup Griffais touched on the fabled 'Steam Deck 2' and whether the ongoing RAM crisis could affect its development.
We want to make sure there's a very delineated performance improvement for something like a future Steam Deck.
Pierre-Loup Griffais, Valve
When asked whether ongoing hardware shortages — which have already affected pricing for its Steam Machine PC and Steam Frame VR headset — have changed how Valve thinks about a Steam Deck successor, Griffais answered, "Not really." For now, it sounds like any potential 'Steam Deck 2' will target the same balance of performance and affordability as before, but is that realistic?
Steam Deck performance was crushed years ago
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ stands as one of the best Windows-based handhelds today. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
For clarity, I use my Steam Deck almost every day, and it still powers through my library of built-for-Windows PC games with relative success. However, there's no denying its age, and the custom-made Zen 2/RDNA 2 APU doesn't stand a chance in many of the AAA games released in the past few years. For those demanding titles, plenty of Windows-based handhelds are far better suited.
Unfortunately, much like the Claw [8 EX AI+], the Steam Machine is a premium engineering marvel suffering from historically terrible macroeconomic timing.
Daniel Rubino, Windows Central
In that, I'm trying to stay grounded when I hear that Valve's plans haven't changed for the Steam Deck 2 (or whatever it might be called), because that never necessarily meant it would target the same price point as its first handheld. After all, the company just launched its new Steam Frame VR headset for $1,059, which is higher than it originally planned (via PC Gamer).
So, Valve is stuck between a rock and a hard place: sourcing a follow-up (presumably also custom-made) processor and the corresponding components for a mass-produced handheld without pricing it so high that it loses mainstream appeal. It won't be easy, and I wouldn't be surprised if we don't hear anything concrete about the Steam Deck 2 for a few years.
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À partir d’avant-hierWindows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Windows 11 just received an out-of-band update that addresses several issues with the operating system. The September Patch Tuesday update includes almost 1,000 security fixes and other improvements, but it also had bugs that broke folder shares in Hyper-V-based Linux virtual machines, Remote Desktop Services, and certain audio devices.
Microsoft released the out-of-band update shortly after the issues were confirmed. It should download automatically in the background if you're running Windows 11 versions 26H1, 25H2, or 24H2. You can also grab the update through the Microsoft Update Catalog.
For the sake of clarity, Microsoft refers to these types of updates as out-of-band updates, but many people refer to them as emergency updates because installing them is urgent enough to ship the fixes immediately.
Here's a quick summary of the fixes, as outlined by Microsoft:
Out-of-band updates have been released more in 2026 than in previous years. Some bugs in Windows 11 have required multiple patches.
When we publish a piece on Windows Central about a Windows 11 update, it's normal to see comments asking what the update will break. When there are inevitably issues with Windows 11, people ask "what do you expect" or something along those lines.
Obviously, if Microsoft finds issues, it needs to patch them. Emergency updates should be used when needed. My question is: why are they needed more frequently this year?
Microsoft is in the middle of an initiative to improve Windows 11 and reduce pain points in the operating system. But no one will care if they can move the Taskbar to the top of the screen or customize the Start menu if their speakers don't work.
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After two weeks, we've reached the end of Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance's weapon showcase series, and it's closing out with a new trailer for the Longsword.
Ever since Monster Hunter World, the Longsword has been one of the most popular and dominant weapon types in Monster Hunter games for its insane damage output and various counter moves that make fighting bosses a cakewalk.
In Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, the Longsword is getting even crazier thanks to the new Boost Bracer, granting it a plethora of new moves, speed buffs, and more.
First of all, Longsword has a new Boost Driver attack that sheathes the weapon and lets you move about before unleashing an offset counterattack that can be followed by a literal, gut-wrenching slash attack when successfully toppling an attacking monster.
While Boost Gauge is active, the Longsword gets access to new combo attacks so quickly they're on par with Dual Blade attacks; you get a new combo ender where you dash back and forth in the blink of an eye to slice monsters, and you get access to the Sacred Sheath Stance from Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak that lets you pull off chargeable heavy attacks.
Additionally, while activating the Boost Gauge, the Longsword's Foresight Slash counter now deals additional damage.
Now we wait for the Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance Tokyo Game Show 2026 showcase
Embody your wildest samurai power fantasies with Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance's Longsword. (Image credit: Capcom)
While I am slightly annoyed at Capcom's blatant favoritism in making Longsword, objectively, the best weapon type for the third Monster Hunter game in a row, I do like the more aggressive attacks and faster combos it's getting in Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, as they feel like they were ripped straight out of Onimusha: Way of the Sword.
Plus, these changes look like they're trying to make Longsword lean into a more berserker playstyle, which I prefer over its old, defensive playstyle of waiting for monsters to attack and countering them, as I'm getting burnt out on parry mechanics in games lately.
That being said, out of the newly improved weapons, I'll be maining Gunlance again in Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance because the changes it's receiving are cool and LONG overdue.
Though I'll also dabble in Sword & Shield, Hunting Horn, Hammer, and Dual Blades when Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches in 2027for Xbox Series X|S,PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.
However, for all we know, Capcom could be hiding some new mechanics and secret balance changes for each weapon type not shown in these trailers. Will players discover these potential secret changes for each weapon type when they play Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance's first playable demo at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show 2026?
Tune in this week to find out when Tokyo Game Show 2026 commences onThursday, September 17, 2026.
Venture into Forbidden Lands to discover uncharted lands and hunt giant monsters alongside your friends in online co-op to protect nature and mankind in Monster Hunter Wilds.
Empower your weapons with the new Boost Bracer, explore a mysterious land floating in the sky, and hunt down ancient Elder Dragons in Monster Hunter Wilds' epic DLC expansion, Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance.
Amazon is prepping this year's Prime Big Deal Days event with 48 hours of more exclusive deals, kicking off on Tuesday, October 6, at 12:01 AM PT (3:01 AM ET), and running until Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Naturally, Windows Central is here to hand-pick the discounts that are worth your time, so you won't miss out on the best laptops, PCs, and Xbox gaming bargains.
Once fall arrives, there's so much to get ready for — and Prime Big Deal Days makes it easy to check it all off while saving.
Carmen Nestares, VP of NA Marketing and Prime Tech
You'll need an active Amazon Prime membership (or a 30-day free trial) to take advantage of the exclusive tech deals, with new savings appearing as "Today's Big Deals" throughout the event, running until stock runs dry. Still, if anything sells out, we'll point you in the right direction for alternatives.
Amazon generally offers significant discounts on first-party hardware like Alexa smart speakers and Fire smart TVs, as well as a wide range of laptops and gaming accessories, but its competitors also offer savings on their own. Windows Central is here to find the best deals using our expertise and advice based on real-world experience, so check back often!
Do I need Prime membership for Big Deal Days?
Yes, to enjoy all Prime Day discounts, you need a paid membership or, if you haven't previously registered, a 30-day free trial.
New members can enjoy exclusive Prime Day discounts for free and cancel anytime. After the trial, membership is $14.99/month plus tax. Includes access to games via Prime Gaming alongside Prime Video and Prime Music.
Over the last couple of months, I've been salivating at the chance to play Final Fantasy Resonance, the first 'HD-2D' RPG in the Final Fantasy franchise.
It aims to bring back turn-based combat to the series after being absent for decades, while taking players on a grand adventure with gorgeous pixel-art graphics, lovable characters, and a fun story that pays tribute to the entire Final Fantasy legacy.
As someone who grew up playing turn-based Final Fantasy games ever since the original PlayStation One version of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy Resonance wowed me with its nostalgic-yet-fresh presentation and gameplay.
Yet, I can't be worried. Square Enix hadn't made a home console Final Fantasy game with turn-based combat since Final Fantasy X-2 in 2003. It has spent many years trying to turn this series into an action-RPG franchise, which made me worry the developers had forgotten how to do turn-based combat for a Final Fantasy game.
Fortunately, after having played the recently released Final Fantasy Resonance demo on Xbox, my fears were crushed harder than a falling Meteor because this game is AWESOME so far.
Here's why I'm looking forward to playing Final Fantasy Resonance and why you should to if you're an old-school Final Fantasy fan or turn-based RPGs in general.
What is it?
The king of dragons, Bahamut, returns in Final Fantasy Resonance. (Image credit: Square Enix | Windows Central (Alex Cope))
Final Fantasy Resonance follows the story of Rain, a Knight of Grandshelt tasked with saving the world's life-giving Crystals from being destroyed by an evil group of dark knights known as the Sworn Six.
Along the way, you will meet heroic companions with intriguing backstories, explore a vibrant and colorful world rendered in nostalgic yet richly detailed pixel-art graphics, and call forth spiritual manifestations called 'Visions' to aid you in turn-based combat against deadly foes.
Story and Presentation
Veritas of the Sworn Six does battle with our heroes. (Image credit: Square Enix | Windows Central (Alex Cope))
What I like about the story so far is how simple yet effective and easy to follow it is.
After dealing with shoehorned alternate timelines and 'Plot Ghosts' in the Final Fantasy VII Remake series and Final Fantasy XVI's library's worth of exposition and introspection, it feels so nice to play a Final Fantasy game where the premise is "Evil knights want to burn the world because they felt it wronged them; go stop them."
What also helps elevate the story from what I've played so far is the myriad of side-quests that go into detail on the characters' backstories, the vibrant worldbuilding and charming characters, and the stunning way Square Enix presents it.
This game takes 'HD-2D' graphics (a graphical style that blends 2D-pixel art with 3D backgrounds and atmospheric lighting) and perfects it with gusto.
Call me an old goat but pixel art facial expressions will always be more charming to me than fully 3D graphics. (Image credit: Square Enix | Windows Central (Alex Cope))
The cinematic cutscenes, environments, and turn-based battles are so gorgeously animated and detailed that they make the world feel more alive than games rendered in Unreal Engine, and make something as mundane as fighting low-level goblins feel like the most epic battle in the world.
Not to mention, the pixel-art animation breathes so much life and personality into the characters through their facial expressions and actions that it makes me feel nostalgic for old PlayStation One JRPGs like the underrated classic, Grandia.
On a side note, the story has plenty of funny gags and heartwarming moments that will please long-time Final Fantasy fans while bringing levity after some pretty brutal moments.
Classic Final Fantasy turn-based combat returns with a modern twist
The optional battles of Final Fantasy Resonance will steam roll you if you're not prepared. (Image credit: Square Enix | Windows Central (Alex Cope))
Now, of course, Square Enix wastes no expense when it comes to their games' presentation, but what about gameplay?
Well, Final Fantasy Resonance follows the old-school Final Fantasy gameplay loop of exploring a world map to progress the plot, visiting towns to shop for equipment, and exploring dungeons filled with deadly enemies and bosses that must be defeated in turn-based combat.
Turn-based combat was my biggest draw to Final Fantasy Resonance, and I'm pleased to report that Square Enix still knows how to make it, and it feels SO GOOD.
At first, it plays the combat system seen in Final Fantasy X, where you take turns smacking each other with weapons and spells until one side is defeated. However, Final Fantasy Resonance quickly introduced me to new mechanics to spice things up.
These include breaking an enemy's Stagger gauge to stun them, like in Final Fantasy VII Remake, and gaining extra turns where you can unleash a storm of attacks to batter them while they're down.
Stagger enemies to trigger turns that can end with 'Resonance', where summon your party's Visions to unleash a devastating super attack or assist move to buff and heal allies. (Image credit: Square Enix | Windows Central (Alex Cope))
Combat takes things a step further with Visions. This mechanic allows your party to embody the traits and abilities of heroes from past Final Fantasy games or original heroes exclusive to this game.
These Visions can turn party members into tanks that draw aggro from enemies, healers to keep the party alive, damage dealers that focus on breaking an enemy's stagger meter, and much more. What's more is that these Visions can perform powerful super moves (with pre-rendered cinematics) when you manage to stagger all enemies on-screen at once.
The Warrior of Light Vision will turn one of your party members into an immovable wall that can protect allies from being slaughtered in battle and rain holy retribution on enemies. (Image credit: Square Enix | Windows Central (Alex Cope))
As you use and level up Visions, you can even permanently learn their passive traits and mix and match them to suit your playstyle to create the ultimate party of heroes. I got so hooked on the Visions system that I spent hours trying to learn the few abilities that were available from the demo just to see what kind of party members I could create.
It felt so rewarding when I managed to cobble a team together to take this game's brutal optional bosses and obtain some loot for my efforts, especially on Hard Mode when breaking Stagger meters became harder to do with just brute force alone.
On side note, thank goodness this game allows you to play the hardest difficulty immediately instead of making us beat the whole game on 'Normal/Easy' Mode first like many Final Fantasy games seem to these days. It makes the story's high notes feel more worth it when we're given the option to tackle it's hardest difficulty.
Here's hoping the full version of Final Fantasy Resonance lives up to its name and 'resonates' with gamers
Overall, I'm liking what I'm seeing in Final Fantasy Resonance so far after completing the demo.
It nailed the retro vibe of the early 2D-era Final Fantasy games while being fresh with its beautiful HD-2D art style. The combat system and Visions system are so addictive; there are hints of plenty of side content to partake in, and it's chock-full of fan service for Final Fantasy fans while being accessible enough for newcomers to enjoy without making them do homework.
Hopefully, if the full version of Final Fantasy Resonance is good and sells well enough with gamers, it will convince Square Enix to make more turn-based Final Fantasy games in the future once it's finished with Final Fantasy VII: Revelation.
Either way, I can't wait to play the full version of Final Fantasy Resonance when it launches on October 22, 2026, onXbox Series X|S (with Xbox Play Anywhere support), PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 1 & 2, and PC via Steam.
If you want to check out Final Fantasy Resonance for yourself before then, the playable demo is available to download on digital storefronts.
Join the young knight Rain on his quest to save the Kingdom of Grandshelt and the world from evil by banding together with powerful allies and embodying the spirits of past Final Fantasy heroes in Final Fantasy Resonance.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War recently joined Xbox Game Pass, and as such, there's an influx of folks who haven't played before. That goes for me, too, having played only a small amount back in 2020 on the PS4.
If you're on console, it's mostly OK. But on PC there are some issues, one of which is a problem with textures not rendering properly. Sometimes it'll look blocky, others the sky won't render in at all, and when it happens, it looks like you're playing a PS1 game. Horrible.
It turns out this has been an issue pretty much always on PC, and given it's a six-year-old game, it's unlikely to get a patch to fix it. General consensus is that it suffers from a memory leak, and while I would expect Microsoft to make sure new arrivals on Game Pass aren't broken, let's face it, it's not happening.
It affects all game modes, so even if you only jump into the Campaign and Zombies, you're going to see it eventually.
Many attribute the issue to AMD graphics, but I've seen it on NVIDIA, too, and no amount of trying different drivers makes a difference. There is no fix, but there are some workarounds you can employ that can help it happen less often. You may not need all of them, but some of these have worked for me.
1. Reduce your settings to medium and don't use the high resolution textures
Trust me, you don't need the HD textures. Just turn them off, chances are it'll help. (Image credit: Future)
It's an older game, and it doesn't look as crisp as Black Ops 7 or the upcoming Modern Warfare 4. It's best to just accept this, and even though you may well be able to run it maxed out (I certainly can on an RTX 5090), dropping the settings is one way to help reduce the texture issue. Create less strain on the system.
The other thing to do is to make sure you're not trying to use the HD texture pack. In my experience it doesn't make that much difference, anyway. But having this enabled prompted texture issues in every single game for me; turning it off and going down to medium, it rarely happens now.
The HD texture pack can't be removed if you're playing on Game Pass (and is part of the reason the game is so ridiculously large in size), so just make sure you're not using it.
2. Tweak your targeted VRAM usage
You only have three options for VRAM usage targets on Black Ops Cold War, but it's worth playing with to see if it makes a difference. (Image credit: Windows Central)
In the graphics settings you have an option to tell the game what target to aim for regarding VRAM usage.
One step you can take to try and help with texture issues is dropping this down, especially if you don't have mountains of it to spare. I appreciate that while I'm using 32GB VRAM, most aren't, and it's a more precious commodity.
For most, 80% should be good. It's not a magic fix, but it's worth trying anyway.
3. Turn off upscaling
In my experience, DLSS being disabled can help reduce texture issues. (Image credit: Windows Central)
For me, it was the combination of turning off DLSS along with dropping the settings to medium that had the most impact. I didn't realise DLSS was even enabled at first, but I've had the least texture issues since turning it off.
It also means you have to turn off any ray tracing effects, which is fine; you don't need that anyway.
Black Ops Cold War isn't the most demanding game out there; after all, it is from 2020. If you have a GPU from the last decade, you should be fine without relying on upscaling.
If it does start to chug a little, you can play with the render resolution to try and overcome it. But turning off the upscaler seems to have been an important step for me, at least on NVIDIA.
I spent a good amount of time trying to see if anyone had a fix for the texture issues in Black Ops Cold War, and there's also talk out there regarding page files and other configuration changes that I didn't feel comfortable messing with unless it was a last resort.
Fortunately, the combination of dropping the graphics settings and turning off the upscaling has mitigated it to the point that where it once happened multiple times an hour, I can now play for multiple hours at a time and not see it happen once.
It's also worth making sure you're not using your GPU for anything else while playing. If you're watching video content on the side, make sure you turn off hardware acceleration (in Chrome and Edge this can be done in the flags), or just don't have anything else open to be safe.
It'd be nice for Microsoft/Activision to get a patch out since the game just got added to Game Pass and a bunch of people are experiencing it for the first time. The ancient version of Modern Warfare 2 on PC just got patched to fix exploits, so you never know. I think they have a duty of care to make sure games being offered are in a good place.
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The latest Windows 11 update gives you plenty of reasons to upgrade, including hundreds of security fixes. But it also includes some bugs that range from frustrating to workflow-breaking.
Microsoft recently confirmed that a bug in Windows security update KB5124008 can cause some audio devices to fail. Affected systems will see one or more of the following issues:
The device displays an error in Device Manager: "This device cannot start (Code 10).”
No audio output.
Volume controls are unresponsive or remain at zero.
Sound settings are unresponsive or unavailable.
Some devices might function in standard stereo configurations but fail when using multichannel audio features, including 8-channel or 3D audio modes. Some customers have reported that they're able to restore audio in these cases by switching to 2-channel mode.
I believe my PC was affected by this bug. After installing the most recent Patch Tuesday updates, my external USB speakers stopped working, and Windows automatically defaulted my audio output back to my docked laptop's built-in speakers.
The problems only affect USB Audio Class 1.0 devices. Just about any operating system or platform that supports USB audio works with USB Audio Class 1.0. That class was the first standard for audio devices and shipped in 1998. There are USB microphones, headsets, speakers, and many other devices that fall into the category.
Because some modern platforms (most notably gaming consoles like the PS5 and Nintendo Switch) do not support newer standards, headsets and other peripherals are often made to be USB Audio Class 1.0 devices so they work everywhere.
The bug affects Windows 11 versions 26H1, 25H2, and 24H2. Microsoft has confirmed the issue but has not released a fix at this time.
You may be able to workaround the bug by switching to 2-channel mode, but that is not a permanent fix. You can also uninstall the KB5124008 update, though it may be better to just wait for an official fix or to find a workaround.
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Microsoft Copilot will soon support Grok models from xAI. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint users in the Microsoft Frontier Program can test Grok models now, with general support expected to roll out in the future.
Grok models are being added to Microsoft's Online Services Subprocessor list. By offering different models as subprocessors, Microsoft can give customers access to those models without people having to switch away from the overall Copilot experience.
For example, Researcher Agent in Microsoft Copilot works with Claude AI models from Anthropic. Other Copilot experiences may use multiple AI models to complete tasks.
"Our multi-model strategy gives customers access to leading AI models while maintaining the trusted Copilot experience," said Microsoft in a Tech Community post.
For different models to appear as options, admins need to enable them through the settings of their respective organization.
During the testing period, Grok models will not be available in the European Union, European Free Trade Association, or the United Kingdom.
What is a subprocessor?
Subprocessors are third-party providers that help Microsoft deliver online services. Microsoft has an expansive list of subprocessors used for everything from powering data centers to completing tasks in Copilot.
Using Grok as a subprocessor helps Copilot tackle different tasks and provides redundancy that protects against outages or issues with other subprocessors. But users should not expect the witty or irreverent tone and style that Grok has become known for on X.
Subprocessors sit under Microsoft's system prompts and enterprise guardrails, so the generated responses will still be professional. Essentially, you get the benefit of Grok's multi-step logic and mathematical prowess but within Copilot.
Once an admin enables the integration, you can set Copilot in apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to automatically pick the best model for a task, or manually pick between GPT, Claude, or Grok directly from a drop-down menu in the interface.
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It's been a wild ride, but we've nearly reached the end of Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance's weapon trailer series showcasing all the changes this DLC expansion is bringing for Monster Hunter Wilds' fourteen weapon types.
The latest batch of trailers for this series covers all the changes coming for Heavy Bowgun, Lance, and Switch Axe weapon types.
I've barely used these weapons in the base game of Monster Hunter Wilds because, in my personal opinion, they hardly felt any different (and in some cases worse) from how they played in Monster Hunter World.
However, after watching these trailers, I think it's time I give them a shot because the changes the DLC expansion is bringing could provide the innovation they lacked in the base game.
First off, we have a trailer for the Heavy Bowgun, the hefty counterpart to the Light Bowgun that sacrifices mobility for heavy artillery.
The trailer shows that the Heavy Bowgun will gain a new Boost Driver attack that fires a laser beam, an Overcharge mechanic that allows the user to fire all their gun's ammo clip in one enhanced shot, and a special mode that charges the gun to fire a close-range plasma shot similar to Capcom's Mega Man series.
While Boost Mode is active, the Heavy Bowgun can reload ammo while dodging incoming attacks (which can also cancel the Boost Driver attack so you're not vulnerable during it), and reduce recoil on certain ammo types.
The trailer also shows that Adhesive Ammo from the base game has changed so that it fires multiple sticky explosive pellets immediately, instead of firing a single pellet that splits into multiple smaller pellets (which could be nullified if it was shot too close to a monster, hence why it was changed in the DLC).
The next trailer covers the Lance, the original defensive weapon type, which focuses purely on blocking every attack thrown at it while counterattacking (at least until Capcom decided to give every weapon type counter moves and parries in modern Monster Hunter games anyway).
In Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, the Lance has given some very subtle but potentially potent changes if you look hard enough. First off, the Lance has a new Boost Driver attack where the user slams the weapon onto a monster's face. This attack also acts as an Offset counter move, which can be used to parry an incoming attack.
Once you fill up the Boost Gauge with Boost Driver attacks and activate it, the Lance gains the ability to stab enemies a dozen times in a single combo (which has more chances to trigger status ailment build-up with status-effect Lances), and the Lance's running charge attack has its speed doubled, with an enhanced finishing strike.
Additionally, the Boost Gauge allows the Lance to perform a new regular counterattack where the user pokes with the lance before smashing enemies with a shield bash attack so hard it creates a short-range shockwave that can deal tons of stun damage.
Lastly, you can now block attacks with the shield while performing the running charge attack.
Finally, we come to today's trailer, which showcases all the changes coming for Switch Axe. The Switch Axe is a complicated weapon that attacks with a giant axe that can transform into a giant sword that causes explosions with every hit.
In most Monster Hunter games, most of the damage lies in Switch Axe's Sword Mode, while Axe Mode tends to act as a filler/defensive playstyle while waiting for Sword Mode to recharge. However, Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance is looking to improve Axe Mode's damage potential with new cool moves while adding new tricks that will get you to Sword Mode faster.
The first is a new Boost Driver attack in Axe Mode that instantly fills up the Switch Axe's Sword Mode resource gauge so you can transform into it immediately. The Sword Mode also gets a new Boost Driver attack that instantly fills its Phial energy resource so it can deal additional damage.
Once you activate the Boost Gauge, the Switch Axe's Sword Mode will let you perform a charging stab attack that lets you latch onto a monster and perform its devastating Zero Sum Discharge attack. After being knocked back from the Zero Sum Discharge, you can follow it up with an aerial dive attack in Axe Mode.
Additionally, the Boost Gauge will unlock new combo attack paths and enhance the speed of Switch Axe's counterattack.
Windows Central's take
The Master Rank Lagiacrus gear looks amazing. (Image credit: Capcom)
Out of all the weapons shown, I'm the most hyped to try out Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance.
It looks so much more stylish than before; I like all the new moves they're giving to Axe Mode to make it more viable, and the fact that Capcom has given Switch Axe the charging stab attack from Devil May Cry (most famously known as the Stinger) that leads into the Zero Sum Discharge attack is just 'chef's kiss' magnificent.
Heavy Bowgun's new laser move looks pretty cool (which I hope deals good damage so we can get away from using boring regular ammo), and the Lance appears to be hinting at getting more offensive capabilities that will be useful in group play (even if the new moves aren't as flashy compared to Switch Axe's).
But will all these slick-looking changes make the Heavy Bowgun, Lance, and Switch Axe more fun to play in execution? Join the hunt next year to find out when Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches in 2027for Xbox Series X|S,PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.
Venture into Forbidden Lands to discover uncharted lands and hunt giant monsters alongside your friends in online co-op to protect nature and mankind in Monster Hunter Wilds.
Empower your weapons with the new Boost Bracer, explore a mysterious land floating in the sky, and hunt down ancient Elder Dragons in Monster Hunter Wilds' epic DLC expansion, Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance.
Fresh from the bombshell that Diablo 5 is coming in 2029, I was lucky enough to get 15 minutes with the developers to ask some burning questions. Quickest 15 minutes of my life, but 15 minutes I am very grateful to have had, let me tell you!
Diablo 5... already?
Westmarch is toasty at this time of year (Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
Sitting down with Senior Producer Tiffany Watt and Art Director John Mueller, my first question was the obvious one: Why Diablo 5, and why now (or rather, why in three years)?
Since the announcement however, that question has been debated to death already, and the reason comes down to scope. Mephisto and Lilith's story has been told across an epic Hatred saga spanning three installments, and we certainly couldn't expect Diablo himself to be relegated to a simple expansion. The Lord of Terror deserves his own story, and that belongs in a brand-new chapter.
Now to anyone worried that this means Diablo 4 is effectively being taken out back and put out of its misery, you couldn't be further from the truth. I sincerely advise you to watch the Diablo 4 panel that took place at BlizzCon today, where the developers not only shared more about Season 15 but also laid out the roadmap for the game's future.
While it has been confirmed that there are no more planned expansions for Diablo 4, the team is introducing a cohesive "Seasonal Arc" rather than isolated, standalone seasonal stories.
"We have an opportunity now after Lord of Hatred to chart a little bit of a story that's based on Lord of Hatred," the team shared. They noted that upcoming seasons leading up to the launch of the Amazon will feature an interconnected story thread, ultimately culminating in a confrontation with the new Aspect of Death.
The narrative journey from Diablo 4 to Diablo 5
Diablo 5's first cinematic shows a burning city of Westmarch behind a horde of crucified angels (Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
I asked Tiffany and John about the new status quo in Diablo 5's world and how they plan to bridge the narrative gap from the current events of Diablo 4. I also wanted to know how they plan to ensure everything we just went through in the Age of Hatred saga still matters.
"Because Diablo 5 is a new game, a sequel, it gives us the freedom to start with a really big idea. What if Diablo got everything he wanted? And that's where we open the game. As you go through the campaign and the story, you are just a survivor in a very apocalyptic state of Sanctuary. You're discovering what happened, and how did this come about? Your role in it is really unique, and that's something we have more to share about next year."
But for now...
"Diablo 5 takes place 100 years after Diablo 4, and there was a Golden Age after we defeated Mephisto. In Diablo 5 you'll actually get to see how it played out, how Diablo actually conquered Sanctuary. You have the opportunity to watch that. As you're playing the story, you'll discover more about what the fallout is. When you enter it's actually 7 years after he has taken over Westmarch, you are the heir to Westmarch. You have a deeply personal connection to the story, because you have something to fight for. You're trying to win back the lands he (Diablo) conquered, but you're on the run. It's your fallen kingdom."
The devs also noted that, while the game was just announced, it's still three years out. While the early announcement might catch some off guard, it gives them a vital opportunity to talk to the community right now and gather feedback early in development while the narrative is still fluid and subject to change.
My own personal theory is that the recently announced Netflix show could do some heavy lifting here, but we are still waiting for more details on that front.
Establishing memorable side characters, and where Diablo 4 was lacking in this sense
Covetous Shen from Diablo 3 became our gem artisan and a memorable character (brought back for fishing in Diablo 4) (Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
After a brief chat about the exciting, nostalgia-packed Season 15 of Diablo 4, I mentioned to the team that it got me thinking about how Diablo 4 really failed to cement any memorable NPCs in my memory.
I can name every NPC in Diablo 3, from Shen to Kadala, and reel off their voice lines, but a blacksmith or occultist in Diablo 4 feels like a generic background asset. How can Diablo 5 bring back some of that character?
"This is something we recognize, and as we were starting to work on Diablo 5, we wanted to get back to that smaller story where you could go deeper with the characters. You know a lot of Blizzard characters have resonated over time, hey I have a cat called Deckard Cain! And everyone remembers Charsi from Diablo 2. The caravan is how we are really spending time with the characters in Diablo 5. There is an incredible cast that Jennifer and John have partnered on; we announced Zarg yesterday. He's a treasure goblin. Because it's a post-apocalyptic world, there are very few survivors. So when you come across one in your travels, it's going to be really rare that you find someone who is worth saving. That person or demon is going to be very meaningful to you when they join the caravan, and you'll learn about their backstory.
During the campaign, we'll learn how these NPCs have survived since Diablo's return to Sanctuary, their reasons for joining us, and their motivations. Essentially, we'll be given reasons to care for others outside of our own character. "We want to sort of bring back that notion that you have one character you get to know as the blacksmith, one as the jeweler, because they're like the last denizens of Sanctuary.
Of course Diablo 4 had its memorable characters in Lilith, Lorath, and Neyrelle, to name a few, but I'm happy to see that some of the flavor of Diablo 2 and 3 is coming back to the gameplay loop itself. I want to know the guy who is salvaging my gear!
Lessons learned from Diablo 4, from launch to current day
Halls at Blizzcon playing Diablo 4 (Image credit: Jennifer Young - Windows Central)
When Diablo 4 launched, I was surprised that several quality-of-life features standard in Diablo 3 simply didn't exist in the game. Things we had to wait months, or in the case of things like Armory and Party Finder, years, to be implemented.
Given the team's previous Diablo iterations and what the community liked and disliked, how did we end up losing so much in a new game, and will Diablo 5 avoid similar pitfalls?
"This is one of the reasons we are so excited to talk about Diablo 5 today. Even though it may be 3 years out, because we are starting the conversation so early we have a lot of opportunity to hear from the community about what is important. We are able to move a lot more quickly on things, and better prioritize what needs to go into the game. As a producer, I can ensure that things don't fall by the wayside. We had every intention of having these things in Diablo 4 at launch, but were frankly prioritizing some of those amazing creative system features. But it's really important we bring the whole package, and why we want to start the conversation early here with the community. Ultimately we're building the game the community wants.
As players in the game ourselves, it's important that we're hearing back from the community like, "Hey, like, you know what? Party finder, armory- these are things that are really core to our experience, that really allow us to enjoy the game at the level that we want." Last thing is, we were building a new toolset. You know, it wasn't the same foundation; it wasn't the same tech (from the Diablo 3 to Diablo 4 engine). The whole rendering engine, basically, all of it had to be modernized because it was just from a different era.
We've had our own branch now for Diablo 5, for a while now, and we've been tooling that and making that specific to the game we're building, and I think that's something that is not broadly understood how that works in game development. But it's a big deal! Because it means we can make it for our specific needs, not just what people want. We also don't want to carry over any tech debt or things we don't necessarily want in the game for the future."
Excited for what's to come, for both Diablo 4 and Diablo 5
(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
Unfortunately I didn't get chance to ask much more, at least nothing the team are ready to answer me on yet (e.g will the game go back to peer-to-peer servers again), but I'm hoping to get more time with them as development goes on.
It's easy to be positive when I'm in the thick of the crowds at BlizzCon and absorbing the infectious atmosphere of all the fans around me, but I haven't been completely oblivious to what's been a mixed-bag response to the announcement of Diablo 5 online and back home. There are as many who are cautious and critical of getting another chapter announced while Diablo 4 is thriving, and I totally understand the sentiment. Afterall, I lived through Diablo 3 getting dropped right before Reaper of Souls was a resounding success. However, I'm so excited for both games right now.
I remember Diablo 4 being the first time Diablo had been so, well, mainstream and thrust into the spotlight; it captured the zeitgeist in a way that no further expansions are ever going to do again, and I think that magic could be struck twice with a Diablo 5 release that will bring people back once more.
Plus, Diablo 4 is getting a new class, talk of more focused seasonal content now that the team isn't split between that and work on expansions, and we still have three years to enjoy it before Diablo 5 arrives (and I will be shocked if that goal date isn't delayed).
Season 15 celebrates 30 years of Diablo, and what better time to announce a new chapter coming than on its 30th anniversary?
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When is Call of Duty: Warzone updating to be integrated with Modern Warfare 4?
Officially, we don't have a date as yet. However, there are points of data we do have that can give us an educated guess.
Traditionally Warzone updates to the newest game when Season 1 launches, which is usually around three weeks in. The best guess at this time is mid-November, when we expect the final Black Ops 7 season to end.
Additionally, we know that Warzone will be shutting down on Xbox One and PS4 when the final Black Ops 7 season ends, as those platforms won't be getting Modern Warfare 4 or its Warzone integration.
So it stands to reason that the Warzone Modern Warfare 4 update will come as that season ends. We know it begins on September 17, and an educated guess right now would suggest an ending around November 12. This also falls in that three-week(ish) post-launch window we've seen before.
Note, this is all speculation right now. But once the final Black Ops 7 season is underway, we will at least be able to see when it ends, as that's when we expect the switchover for Warzone to happen.
What carries forward from Black Ops 7 into Modern Warfare 4 as far as Warzone goes?
Warzone is usually the exception when it comes to weapons, camos, and operators carrying forward, as even on the newer updates it continues to support legacy items as far back as Modern Warfare II.
Your 2XP tokens will carry forward, as these are attached to your account in the Call of Duty HQ app. Likewise, COD Points you have will also carry forward, but only on the same platform as they were purchased. You can't spend COD Points on PS5 that you bought via the Xbox Store, for example.
What this year's update looks like exactly hasn't yet been confirmed, but given past years, it's highly unlikely that weapons and their progress, along with unlocked camos, blueprints, and your operators, wouldn't be making the jump with you.
We did, of course, get an early look at the Modern Warfare 4 update to Warzone in the recent open beta, which showcased the new Zodiac Resurgence map.
Beyond this we don't really know a whole lot about how Warzone will look in a Modern Warfare 4 world, but there are still a couple of months left (we think) yet to fill in the blanks.
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