Xbox Game Pass has been through a somewhat controversial year, with its price hike in 2025 before being reversed by current Xbox CEO Asha Sharma later on.

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.

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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."
• And more bits and bobs.

However, the truth is perhaps not so clear.

Forbes journalist Paul Tassi recently interviewed an Xbox spokesperson about what they thought of these rumors, and they had this to say:

"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.”

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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A few days ago, Microsoft shocked the gaming world by revealing that it has acquired Xbox exclusivity for Hideo Kojima's 'Physint', an upcoming stealth-action game that's billed as a successor to the legendary Metal Gear Solid franchise.

It was originally a PlayStation-exclusive, but Hideo Kojima cut ties with Sony after the company tried to cancel Physint without warning, as stated on his X account.

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Fast forward to today, and Bloomberg found a scoop from an anonymous source who was familiar with the project about why the company decided to axe Kojima Productions' latest IP.

According to Bloomberg's report, "[Physint] missed deadlines and was on track to be well over budget despite being years away from release".

It then stated, "Kojima’s previous two games, Death Stranding and its sequel, didn’t meet PlayStation’s revenue expectations," and "PlayStation was reluctant to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in another game that wouldn’t remain permanently exclusive to the company’s own hardware."

Window's Central's take

In short, it seems Sony was running out of patience with Hideo Kojima and wanted to cancel it for taking too long to make, going over budget, and to prevent it from being ported to other systems that aren't PlayStation.

While I'm personally ambivalent about this (my favorite Kojima game will always be Metal Gear Rising), it can't be denied that Xbox is reaping the benefits of this situation.

Microsoft now has Kojima Productions' full support for publishing Physint on Xbox and PC, and with them also working together on the upcoming horror game OD, this could be the start of a long, profitable friendship between the two studios.

With how quickly Kojima Productions' relationship with Sony has deteriorated over this situation, I wouldn't be surprised if we see an Xbox port of Death Stranding 2 with Xbox Play Anywhere in the future, as the original Death Stranding did.

But whether or not Physint and OD will turn out to be good games and make enough money to warrant Microsoft's investment, we will have to wait and see to find out.

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Tokyo Game Show is almost here, and it's ready to bring all kinds of exciting gaming news from the Land of the Rising Sun. Microsoft will be among the many publishers attending this year, and it's planning some big reveals to mark the Xbox brand's 25th anniversary.

Here's where and how you can watch Xbox's Tokyo Game Show 2026 showcase livestream and get a little taste of what to expect at the show.

Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026: Watch times and platforms

The Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 showcase livestream will commence on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 7:00 pm (JST) / 3:00 am (PT) / 6:00 am (ET) / 11:00 am (BST).

It will be available to watch on the following YouTube and Twitch platforms:

• youtube.com/@XBOXJapan
• youtube.com/XBOX
• twitch.tv/XBOX

Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026: What to expect

Microsoft will be showing off many upcoming Xbox games during its Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 livestream.

Two of these games are confirmed to be Minecraft Dungeons 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, and they'll also be playable on the Tokyo Game Show's show floor for people attending the event in person.

Minecraft Dungeons 2 is an upcoming ARPG where you and your friends hack and slash your way through the Minecraft universe for glory and loot in a similar manner to Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo series.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is the latest upcoming entry in the Call of Duty Modern Warfare sub-series. Players will engage enemies in thrilling military shooter combat through an epic single-player campaign and chaotic 6v6 online multiplayer modes.

The community-driven Xbox FanFest will also be at the Tokyo Game Show to host a watch party for the Xbox Tokyo Game Show livestream, with special guests Misuzu Araki and Larry Hyrb.

What are you hoping to see at Xbox's Tokyo Game Show 2026 showcase?

As for what else will be at the Xbox Tokyo Game Show, your guess is as good as mine.

While I'm personally hoping to see gameplay footage of long-awaited titles like Spyro: A Realm Beyond and Persona 6, my colleagues are hoping to see footage of Physint.

Physint is an upcoming action-stealth game made by Kojima Productions that's meant to be a successor to the legendary Metal Gear Solid franchise. It was originally a PlayStation exclusive, but when Sony unexpectedly tried to cancel it, Hideo Kojima cut off ties with Sony and permitted Xbox to publish Physint instead.

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Will we see gameplay of Physint, Spyro: A Realm Beyond, and Persona 6 at the Xbox Tokyo Game Show livestream, or will we see some new games that haven't been announced yet?

Tune in next week to find out when the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 livestream launches on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

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In a major coup for Xbox game publishing, Microsoft has landed the contract to publish Physint, Hideo Kojima's long-awaited follow up to Death Stranding.

Despite being announced by PlayStation, somehow, Xbox has managed to acquire the rights to publish Hideo Kojima's return to the "action-espionage" genre. It was all announced just now via Xbox Wire.

Physint in essence sounds like a spiritual successor to Kojima's classic Metal Gear Solid franchise. Metal Gear owner Konami and Hideo Kojima had a high-profile bust-up a few years ago, following the launch of MGSV: The Phantom Pain — which arguably remains unfinished to this day.

Since then, Kojima went independent, developed the award-winning Death Stranding franchise, and later landed a publishing deal with Xbox for horror title OD. Death Stranding 2 is presently a PlayStation exclusive, but the first Death Stranding since launched on Xbox with Xbox Play Anywhere. Later, Kojima re-acquired the rights to Death Stranding from PlayStation itself. It stands to reason Death Stranding 2 will eventually hit Xbox in the future as well.

During the previous announcement two years ago, PlayStation Studios' lead Herman Hulst said that Physint was "part of the PlayStation and Kojima Productions partnership," although that no longer seems to be the path Kojima chose.

“Creators have choices about where and how they bring their ideas to life," Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said in today's blog post. "We’re honored that Kojima-san has chosen XBOX to work with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on PHYSINT. His ambition to challenge conventions reflects the kind of creativity we want to support at XBOX."

"This expands our relationship with XBOX beyond OD," said Hideo Kojima. "As we move forward with the development of PHYSINT, we remain committed to redefining the action-espionage genre for players around the world."

Microsoft and Hideo Kojima also said that the two are collaborating across film and television as well, beyond horror title OD. It sounds as though Microsoft is investing a ton into Kojima Productions to bring this partnership to life, although it sounds as though there's some drama that has taken place behind the scenes between Kojima Productions and PlayStation. Physint was announced on the PlayStation stage, so for it to swap hands in such a stark way suggests there's a bigger story at play here.

In response, Sony has released a statement confirming that it has "made the difficult decision to step away from collaborating with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on its project PHYSINT."

Either way, it's a fantastic win for Xbox, potentially. Working with such high-profile developers like Hideo Kojima boosts Xbox's visibility with audiences that Microsoft has typically struggled to access. It also feeds into Asha Sharma's strategy of targeting more ambitious AAA projects with trans-media opportunities for TV and movie treatments.

Whether it all lands remains to be seen, but man oh man, this is NOT one I saw coming.

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It still feels like a dream that Spyro the Dragon, one of my childhood favorite platformer games, is finally getting a true successor to the classic PlayStation One trilogy with Spyro: A Realm Beyond.

Fortunately, Toys for Bob is here to remind me that it's indeed real by showing off a sneak preview of Arcadian Vale, one of the first locales you'll explore in the game, as part of a special event celebrating Spyro's 27th anniversary called Spyro Community Day.

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As you can see from the concept art, the Acadian Vale is a lush and colorful locale that perfectly captures the childlike wonder you'd normally associate with Spyro games, complete with cascading waterfalls, ancient buildings, and cutesy critters running around (which I totally won't roast alive to spawn butterflies that will replenish my health like in previous games).

The art also implies that the Arcadian Vale will feature a fair degree of verticality, most likely to help players practice the new free-roaming flight mechanic that will allow us to fly anytime, anywhere instead of specific levels and boss fights like in previous games.

It's going to be a long, painful wait until we get to play Spyro, but in the meantime, you can celebrate Spyro's legacy by showing off fan art, appreciation messages, and other content for Spyro Community Day on social media platforms like X with the hashtag #HappyBirthdaySpyro.

Spyro: A Realm Beyond is set to launch sometime in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC with Xbox Play Anywhere support, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.

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Microsoft's long-rumored disc-to-digital program for Xbox went live in testing last week, and it has grown to supporting hundreds upon hundreds of games since.

So far, there are well over 1,000 games available as part of Xbox's disc-to-digital testing program, which gives you digital rights for disc-based games.

Simply inserting a compatible disc into an Xbox One or Xbox Series X console gives you the ability to attach it digitally to your account, giving you the ability to play, download, stream from the cloud, and access Xbox Play Anywhere support without the disc. You can also console share the license as well to another player.

The disc doesn't become inert after licensing the digital version either. If you sell the disc or give it away, the next user can grab the digital license from your account. You won't lose your cloud save either, so if you re-acquire the disc or buy it outright digitally later on, you'll be able to continue on as normal.

Some users have been disappointed with the initial roll out, however, as some major publishers have so far not opted in.

Some outlets went with headlines today decrying Ubisoft and others for their apparent decision to boycott the system. Ubisoft has long been the target of game preservationists, given that Ubisoft's shuttering of The Crew and other games led to stronger calls for digital rights. Ubisoft denying access to digital versions from disc-based games already sold would seem a bit like their M.O. in that universe. It seems the anger was premature, though.

Microsoft has always stated that this initial testing phase doesn't represent the full scope of content coming to the disc-to-digital program. Indeed, many publishers are still likely going over the contracts and ensuring that the legalese all matches up before going ahead with it. SEGA, Square Enix, Bandai Namco, and Ubisoft were among those apparently not honoring the program.

Today, it seemed that Ubisoft games have now gone live in the system for Xbox Insider testers in the Alpha and Alpha Skip-Ahead, however.

As you can see in the X (Twitter) thread above, Ubisoft games are now fully available on the disc-to-digital program, with titles like Far Cry Primal, Far Cry 4, Trials Fusion, Assassin's Creed titles, and many more going live.

I received a DM about an hour ago informing me of the change, and it seems other titles are now following suit.

It remains to be seen when (or if) other publishers come on board. Given how aggressively Square Enix has supported forward-facing Xbox initiatives like Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming, it's fairly obvious to me that Square Enix will jump on board pretty soon. I'm told other publishers are just going over the detailing before committing, which is standard practice for any big corporation.

Xbox's disc-to-digital program is one of the most impressive innovations we've seen from Microsoft's gaming efforts in recent years, although it was originally pitched in 2013 as part of the Xbox One. It was pretty poorly presented back then, though, and users in 2026 are far more knowledgeable about the potential benefits of digital gaming. Still, there's more Xbox could potentially do here to sweeten the deal. With PlayStation committing to the phase out of discs entirely by 2028, many are wondering (and hoping) on whether Xbox will continue the disc-based torch with the next-gen Xbox Helix.

What publishers are you hoping to see jump on board? Hit the comments, let us know.

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Xbox Cloud Gaming has essentially been put out to pasture, with Microsoft intent on including hourly limits on the service.

From November 2026, Microsoft will impose a 15-hour cap on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate users playing cloud games, as well as a 10-hour cap on Premium, and 5 hours on Essential. It's a huge climbdown from the previous "unlimited" access Xbox Cloud Gaming granted, and an indictment of the business model in general.

Microsoft says that the changes will impact "4%" of Xbox Game Pass subscribers, which in essence still amounts to well over a million players. Microsoft has rolled out Xbox Cloud Gaming to LG, Samsung, and now TCL TVs as of today, which makes for some awkward timing.

The limits have been met with derision both within and without the Xbox fanbase, and have shone a spotlight on where Xbox is falling short here.

NVIDIA GeForce Now will extend its value over Xbox Cloud Gaming

Already the market leader, NVIDIA GeForce Now introduced hourly limits a few months ago in response to some criticism, although the limits GFN offers are far more generous than what Microsoft has proposed here. On GFN's highest tiers, you get 100 hours, with some hours rolling over to the next month too.

Not only that, but NVIDIA GeForce Now also just offers a generally higher-quality experience, with better bitrates, latency, and stability. Xbox Game Pass had it beat before on usability, though, with a more console-like interface and more TV-friendly apps. Game Pass also comes with a larger upfront library of games, whereas NVIDIA GeForce Now, for the most part, is made up of games you've already purchased from Steam.

The issue for me is ... 15 hours just isn't enough to complete the vast majority of decent games these days. Fable is supposedly around 30 hours long for a completionist playthrough. Will Xbox Cloud Gaming users be expected to spread their session across two months to finish the game?

Microsoft is going to offer per-hour passes to boost how much access you have, but we've not really seen the pricing yet. I have a feeling they won't be cheap.

Xbox Remote Play could be a solution ... but it seems to be abandoned

We live in a weird dichotomy right now, driven by the AI component crisis. Microsoft is buying up all the memory for its AI push and leaving Xbox with scraps on the side. That extends to Xbox Cloud Gaming servers too, and while they can be used for AI workloads off-peak, I'm told, they're obviously not specialized for that type of work.

Either way, servers break down and wear out; they need to be replaced regularly. Running servers 24/7 is an expensive business on the component side, even before you start thinking about electricity and water for cooling.

A chap on X (Twitter) sent me a link to an Xbox Player Voice feedback item that laments the quality of Xbox Remote Play.

You can effectively turn a home Xbox Series X|S console into a "personal cloud server" and have it stream your games over a viable Wi-Fi network. The problem is, despite being similar hardware, Xbox Remote Play is inexplicably locked to 1080p. Xbox Cloud Gaming on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers 1440p with higher bitrates, too.

There's no real reason why, at least in the case of the Xbox Series X, we shouldn't be able to get a better Xbox Remote Play experience. But that doesn't exactly solve things for users who rely entirely on Xbox Cloud Gaming ...

Cloud-first gamers who bought an Xbox Ally base model or other cloud-first devices like the Logitech G Cloud are pretty much screwed by this change — unless Microsoft does something to improve Xbox Remote Play. That is, of course, presuming they even own an Xbox Series X|S, both of which are now insanely expensive. None of this really makes a lot of sense, does it?

Update: Since writing this piece, it seems Microsoft began testing 1440p on Xbox Remote Play too on the Xbox Insider program's Alpha Ring, which is a huge win. But there's still not a lot of information about whether they're going to respond to the backlash about cloud usage limits. I'll try and get more info later about exactly what we can expect from Xbox Remote Play.

Xbox Cloud Gaming is another victim of the RAMpocalypse

I was recently told by Microsoft figures that, given compute demands for AI, Xbox Cloud Gaming is effectively losing money when used beyond 15 hours per month. When you have Azure server rack space being used for anything other than AI, it seems Microsoft isn't particularly sentimental towards the idea anymore.

Microsoft has been on an economic grind for Xbox over the past few months, "restructuring" the org to ensure that it sends a bigger accountability margin back to the mothership. That's meant mass Xbox layoffs and cancellations of projects, and a more aggressive posture towards easy wins.

Xbox Cloud Gaming clearly isn't an easy win in this new reality. If 15 hours is the cap that prevents the service from being unprofitable ... perhaps the business model was never really viable in the first place.

Xbox Cloud Gaming isn't exactly struggling in a vacuum, though. Other companies that rely entirely on cloud inference seem to be struggling. Whether it's Roblox or Twitch, the era of "cheap cloud" seems to be over — alongside video game consoles themselves, and consumer hardware in general, seemingly.

Either way, I don't see how you can plausibly expect people to use cloud gaming as a primary vehicle with such a strict limit. Microsoft isn't able to get Xbox hardware stock to most of the world either.

Then ... you start wondering why Microsoft is so eager to let a literal billion Windows 11 users burn cash on a pyre for free access to Microsoft Copilot ... but wants to charge out the nose for Xbox Cloud Gaming? It's a pretty clear admission that they don't see much of a future for cloud gaming in general. Or perhaps it's just more AI psychosis.

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Microsoft has announced on the Xbox website that it is teaming up with the TV brand TCL to bring the Xbox app to its Smart TVs in the coming months. This makes TCL the latest brand of Smart TVs to feature Xbox Cloud Gaming alongside Samsung, LG, and Hisense.

To use it, you will need to download the Xbox app on a compatible TCL Smart TV, a supported controller, and Xbox Cloud Gaming playtime bought separately or included with Xbox Game Pass (which, as a bonus, will grant you instant access to a huge library of Xbox Cloud games).

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With this, you will be able to play your favorite Xbox titles by streaming directly from the TV without the need for a console.

What's more, it's compatible with Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning your game save data will carry over to other hardware compatible with Xbox's ecosystem, so you can continue your progress on the go.

Windows Central's take

Normally, this would be cause for celebration, as more platforms to play Xbox games on are always good news.

However, enthusiasm for the Xbox App has taken a nosedive recently, as Microsoft has made the controversial decision to limit how long people can play Xbox Cloud Gaming due to rising costs of cloud gaming caused by the RAM crisis.

Xbox Cloud Gaming used to be free, but starting in November 2026, Xbox Game Pass users will have their playtime and library of games restricted depending on which subscription tier they're on.

• Essential - 5 hours per month, 50+ games, max resolution of 1080p
• Premium - 10 hours per month, 200+ games, max resolution of 1080p
• Ultimate - 15 hours per month, 400+ games, max resolution of 1480p

I personally never play games on the cloud, as I'm an old-school kind of guy who prefers playing games offline, but I feel sorry for those affected by this news.

Xbox Cloud Gaming on Smart TVs was a cool and affordable way to play Xbox games for those who couldn't afford to buy the expensive Xbox Series X|S consoles.

But I don't think many people will want to play Xbox Cloud Gaming on any platform now thanks to these restrictions, because being forced to play 5, 10, or 15 hours PER MONTH is just ridiculous.

But what do you think? Are you still willing to play Xbox Cloud Gaming on Smart TVs now that it's coming to TCL, or are the newly imposed playtime curfews making you quit the service altogether?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know in the comments, poll, or on our Reddit page.

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After two months of relative calm, Xbox's live services are once again suffering a major outage as of this writing.

This is confirmed by the official Xbox Status website, which states that Xbox's "Account & Profile" and "Games & Gaming" are currently unavailable.

Xbox Support's X account also confirms through an official announcement post that people are reporting they can't sign into their Xbox profiles, create new accounts, or play games that require a profile login.

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Xbox Support states they are aware of the situation and are currently investigating this issue to find a fix as soon as possible.

We'll keep you posted on the case and let you know when Xbox's online services are fully fixed and operational again.

In the meantime, let's hope this Xbox outage isn't as bad as the last one, which lasted over 15 hours straight and disabled nearly all of Xbox Network's services.

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Xbox's long awaited disc-to-digital program is here, and I just went hands on.

Available now to Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha rings, users can immediately receive digital entitlement on hundreds upon hundreds of Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S titles without any additional effort or work.

The program formerly codenamed "Positron" leaked as part of code snippets from the Xbox Cloud Gaming web interface. It was later confirmed by Tom Warren at The Verge, and at the time, many thought it was too good to be true.

The way it works is incredibly simple.

1. Insert a compatible Xbox One or Xbox Series X disc into your Xbox Series X.
2. Select the disc tile with the menu button on your dashboard, and select "Claim Digital License." Alternatively, running the game from the disc will also automatically claim the license too.

3. If compatible, a toast message will inform you that digital entitlements have been unlocked, along with an explanation of how it works.
4. You can now remove the disc and put it back on your shelf!
5. You can now install the game from your library without the disc too, and it'll have a symbol on it denoting that it was claimed from a disc.
6. With the digital entitlement unlocked, you can now play compatible Xbox Play Anywhere games on devices like the Xbox Ally, or stream them from Xbox Cloud Gaming.
7. If you sell the disc or lend it to a friend, they will receive the digital entitlement after installing it for the first time. Then, your digital rights will be removed until you get the disc back or re-purchase it.

The process as you can see is incredibly seamless and intuitive. Simply inserting and installing the game immediately unlocks the rights, and the disc remains fully capable of transferring the license onwards if you ever decide to sell the game.

It creates a ton of added value specifically for Xbox discs, and so far, it doesn't seem like PlayStation is planning to replicate the feature.

It's a huge preservation win, too, because it seems that even many fully de-listed games are capable of providing a digital license as long as you own the disc. Users have noted the classic Deadpool game for Xbox One comes with a digital entitlement despite being no longer available for purchase.

Unfortunately, many publishers aren't participating in the program at the moment, including companies like Ubisoft, Sega, Bandai, and others. It could be that Microsoft is working with them to sort out the contractual minutiae, but it could also be that these companies are hostile to the idea of people being able to ... I dunno, actually own the content they paid for, which wouldn't be a shock.

Indeed, digital rights are very squarely in the consumer consciousness right now.

It's a nice bridge to the inevitable digital future, and a huge preservation win

PlayStation caused a ton of controversy when it announced that it will begin gradually phasing out discs completely by 2028, indicating that the next-gen PlayStation 6 will not have a disc drive at all.

Xbox hasn't offered an official alternative narrative yet, although there are some hopes among the disc-using faithful that Microsoft could seek to get a massive PR win over PlayStation by backing disc-based games. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's tweet announcing the disc-to-digital program has a truly absurd 27 million views, with over 200,000 likes — giving you a sense of how passionate the user base is over this issue.

Speaking with Microsoft sources suggests that the future is bleak for disc-based games in general, and that, while no official decision has been made, the expectation is that the next-gen Xbox Helix will also follow in PlayStation's all-digital footsteps.

It's less about the discs themselves, but I've been told that the supply chain that produces optical disc drives like those found in the PS5 and Xbox Series X is effectively collapsing. Factories and assembly lines that produce lasers and lenses required for Blu-Ray drives are pivoting their floor space to industries that are growing and scaling. Practically the only use case for discs these days at any scale is PlayStation 5, with Xbox Series X offering a miniscule opportunity by itself.

The likelihood of Xbox maintaining the disc-based supply chain by itself is vanishingly small in my view. If PlayStation's own ecosystem wasn't enough, I'm not quite sure how Xbox's would be able to go it alone in any way, shape, or form.

Regardless, the whole "digitization" saga is once again shining a huge spotlight on the lack of digital rights we seem to have as consumers. Microsoft has at least been quite fair on this topic in the past, refunding Groove Music (formerly Zune Music) MP3 purchasers no questions asked. It's also maintaining licensing for users who purchased digital content in its defunct Xbox Movies & TV platform, too. But, we shouldn't have to rely on companies "doing the right thing," as many evidently simply won't if given the chance.

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Perhaps the big three will opt-in to another format to maintain the physicality many of us in the hobby enjoy. Perhaps Xbox and PlayStation will opt for key cartridges similar to what Nintendo Switch 2 offers. Perhaps Microsoft will revive Activision's Skylanders and slap the games on cute and collectible toy figurines via NFC chips. Who knows.

What I do know at least is that Xbox's disc-to-digital program is real. It works, and it's fantastic.

Once the testing period is over, it should roll out more broadly to all Xbox Series X owners in the coming weeks ahead.

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Getting to attend Gamescom and play upcoming blockbusters can be a double-edged sword, at least for someone multitask-challenged like me.

Moving from station to station at a breakneck pace, trying to memorize control schemes while a developer watches over your shoulder, always breaks me out in a sweat. I’ve never really been someone who can juggle multiple games at once. I tend to pick a title, lock in, make it my personality, and obsess over it until completion. Simply because my brain can't easily process competing control systems. So, doing that fifteen times over at Gamescom... you can imagine my anxiety.

That being said, the moment I sat down with Fable, any lingering panic was quashed with the first swing of my oversized hammer.

Playground has absolutely nailed the combat

The combat system could not have been more intuitive or frictionless; I don’t think I glanced at the controller guide once. I simply followed the sardonic Humphrey (played by Matt King) through a series of abandoned caves, wildly weaving my hammer, calling lightning bolts from above, and firing a rapid-fire crossbow with abandon against the hordes of skeletal enemies.

Transitioning on the fly between melee, ranged, and spellcasting was a piece of cake to navigate, and I felt the impact with each ABXY input. And the utterly ridiculous Befoul spell, which turns foes into chickens, was abused on every cooldown. I made sure to kick each and every chicken I created, though I later found out you could also cook them in a flame bath.

The combat was so much fun that I genuinely didn’t want the session to end, despite it being the last appointment of my day and knowing a cold beer was waiting for me on the other side.

We played through the same demo twice with two very different character builds, and on two different difficulties. I would have happily gone for 3 more rounds. The ultimate test, of course, will be whether that loop holds the same novelty and feel across an entire campaign. But the foundation is absolutely rock-solid.

Playgrounds vision and staying true to a classic

Following my hands-on session, I sat down with the developers at Playground Games to discuss how they are steering the franchise during their tenure, specifically regarding their combat philosophy and approach to player progression.

One of the core design pillars of the reboot is to give players “total freedom of expression.” While your active combat loadout must consist of the set triple combo, a melee weapon, a ranged weapon, and a set of spells, you are completely free to mix, match, and swap components to craft a playstyle that feels entirely personal to you.

The action flows organically, allowing you to string disparate moves together in any order you want (cooldowns aside). Whether you prefer a sluggish, heavy-hitting warhammer or a swift, sharp sword, momentum remains smooth, responsive, and deeply satisfying.

The devs were emphatic about their approach to progression. It shouldn’t be about passive stat increases where "numbers simply go up." Upgrades need to feel transformative during gameplay.

Players earn experience through combat and exploration, spending skill points on a dedicated tree to upgrade spells and abilities multiple times. Weapons also get their own upgrade paths; in my second playthrough of the demo on a harder difficulty, I shot at enemies with a crossbow that fired so fast it might as well have been a machine gun.

An example we played was the Lift spell. Initially, it would levitate a single enemy, but a later upgrade would let you slam down that enemy into a violent, crowd-clearing area-of-effect style blast.

The team leaned hard into clever interactions between the spells and weapons too. Turn an enemy into a chicken, clip them with a fireball, and watch them transform into a temporary ghost chicken. If an enemy recovers from a suspension or chicken state, they will briefly stagger and flap their arms, leaving them completely wide open for a punishing counterattack.

Honoring the dark and gritty wit of the original Albion

Rebooting a beloved, legendary franchise is no small feat, and the team is acutely aware of the delicate tightrope they are walking. Balancing modern designs with the unique British charm and underlying darkness that defined the original Lionhead games is a massive task, but it’s one they clearly understand, and that fuels much of their decision-making.

The physical comedy so integral to the series' DNA extends directly into the mechanics. Shoot a skeleton's head off, and it will flail around blindly; shoot a leg off, and it will still desperately crawl toward you.

The dynamic reactions aren't just reserved for your enemies, either. The whole world of Albion responds directly to your actions. If you decide to test out your gravity-suspension spells or chicken cooking magic on innocent townsfolk in the capital of Bowerstone, you will be judged accordingly by the locals. Yet, the system's nuance shines through its reputation mechanics: NPCs form varied opinions based on their individual moral compasses, meaning a ruthless display of power might disgust some citizens while quietly impressing or intimidating others.

Under the shadow of the "Xbox Tax"

If you are just as excited for Fable as I am, this will be one of many previews you read (and thanks for reading mine too!). No doubt, many of them will sound remarkably similar, given we all played the exact same vertical slice of the game. But what has struck me since arriving home and looking at reactions is a familiar sense of foreboding about Playground’s release.

It’s hard not to notice the toxic undercurrent surrounding the game already. Long before anyone even touched a controller, the internet was already dissecting trailers frame-by-frame just to complain that the female protagonist wasn’t attractive enough…now I’m seeing an eye-roll-inducing wave of bad-faith takes cropping up online regarding Fable’s gameplay, based on a tiny boss fight clip. Unfortunately, I’m not surprised, given the current trend of spicy takes getting attention, but I also firmly believe these criticisms are a direct consequence of the game being developed under the stewardship of Microsoft.

The "Xbox Tax" has become a bit of a meme in recent years, but whether you believe it’s a real thing or not, it does represent a widespread frustration with Microsoft's recent corporate missteps. Missteps that lead people to put its first-party output under a hyper-critical microscope that is undeserved for the individual teams. There’s a worrying number of people who seem eager to sharpen their pitchforks for Fable right now. Not enough stagger animations? Campaign length too short for a long development cycle? I’ve seen it all already, and it's mainly from people with no intention of ever playing the game.

I worry that when the game finally launches, players won't judge Playground Games on their own merits. I’ve seen this exact thing play out before with major releases like Starfield and Avowed. I'm not here to argue those games are amazing by any means; they certainly had many faults, but the rabid appetite from internet fanbases to tear them down was completely out of proportion to their actual flaws. Genuine, constructive critique gets completely drowned out in a sea of toxic internet point-scoring.

Even with Fable launching on PlayStation 5 alongside Xbox and PC, I don’t think it will be entirely safe from the bad-faith warriors out for blood. I genuinely worry for the incredible team at Playground Games, who have poured their hearts into crafting something special and completely outside their usual Forza fare. But sitting here fresh off a tiny 30-minute slice of the game, I am rooting for it harder than ever. Fable deserves to be a hit, and it’s exactly what Xbox needs to shine as a flagship franchise. I just hope the Xbox tax collectors don’t bang too hard on the doors while we are all having fun.

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Fable is not skimping out on any details at this year's Gamescom, as it provided a metric ton of new gameplay information through an 18-minute gameplay demo, accompanied by a gameplay preview write-up at Xbox Wire.

There's a lot to unpack here, so let's not waste any more time and get into the nitty-gritty of what Playground Games has in store for this highly anticipated reboot of the Fable series.

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The demo begins with a recap of Fable's life-sim elements, where you can mingle with NPCs to potentially start a family, buy a home, or start a business. The player then sets off on a quest to save their grandma and village, which have been turned to stone by the mysterious hero-turned-villain, Isabel.

Throughout the demo, we see the player engaging in dialogue choices that determine how NPCs feel towards them, some funny cinematics that play off like a fantasy version of the iconic sitcom, 'The Office', exploring the city, developing skills in the skill tree, and most of all, beating the stuffing out of bandits with the game's combat system.

Judging from the footage shown in the Gamescom demo and from Xbox Wire's preview write-up, this game's combat system is shaping up to be the most in-depth one any Fable title has had to date.

You can parry and dodge enemy attacks, blast enemies off of cliffs using fireballs, catch incoming arrows and throw them back at enemies, trip or knock weapons out of enemies' hands using bows and crossbows, stun enemies by filling their stagger gauge before performing melee finishers on them, turn enemies into chickens using magic, and so much more.

And all this is done without messing about in menus or loadout bars, so you can focus on the action intuitively without immersion-breaking menu micromanagement.

You will need to master this evolved take on Fable's combat quickly, as you will contend with more dangerous foes than bandits throughout the game, including reanimated skeletons, wraiths, Cockatrices, and tough mini-bosses like the ghostly Lantern Keeper, to name a few.

Windows Central's take

I admit it's been a LONG time since I played the original Fable from 2004, but I do remember combat not being the most in-depth thing in the world, as it mainly amounted to whacking enemies once, moving back to shoot fireballs, rinse and repeat.

So to go from that to this new Fable where we're catching arrows to throw them back in enemies' faces, parrying attacks Sekiro-style, and blasting enemies with magic doesn't take forever to cast anymore is a massive improvement.

If Playground Games can continue polishing this promising combat system to be more speedy and perhaps show off more destructive spells, Fable could be a massive shoo-in for a 2027 Game of the Year contender.

We will have to wait to find out if the combat system, as well as its other gameplay aspects, live up to the hype when Fable launches on February 23, 2027, on Xbox Series X|S (with Xbox Play Anywhere support), Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Game Pass (Day One), PlayStation 5, and Steam.

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Frankly I have no idea why it didn't always work this way, but better late than never eh?!

Speaking at Gamescom, Microsoft confirmed that the long-expected disc-to-digital program is going live on Monday for Xbox Insiders, and it works exactly as you would've hoped and expected.

First detailed by Tom Warren at The Verge following datamining leaks, codename "Positron" is a new feature that will be available across Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles with a disc drive. Simply insert your Xbox physical game disc into a console, and you'll be prompted to redeem a digital version of the game too.

Naturally, it needs to be a game that actually works on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S. OG Xbox and Xbox 360 discs aren't compatible, since they were never manufactured with digital identifiers in mind.

The digital version will have all the same benefits as any other digital Xbox copy of a game: Xbox Play Anywhere support, meaning access on an Xbox Ally handheld or Windows PC and support for Xbox Cloud Gaming. If you console share with a family member, they'll also get access to the license via your account. Once you've activated the digital version, you won't need the disc to play the game. However, the disc you used doesn't become inert — it still contains the digital license, too.

Just like sharing a physical game in the real world, if you sell or give the disc away, the digital license will then transfer to the Microsoft Account of the new user, and off your account.

The system will go live for Xbox Insiders on Monday will support for "thousands" of games, sources tell me. Microsoft plans to roll out support for more discs over time as it refines and polishes the service, although it seems that some discs may be incompatible due to how they were manufactured at the time.

It's unclear if PlayStation will be able to replicate this feature on PS4 and PS5. Indeed, it's an awkward discussion right now potentially, given that Sony recently announced that it is phasing out disc-based games entirely to a visceral backlash.

Microsoft still hasn't really put its mark on the debate, although sources tell me it's less about the discs and more about the disc drives themselves; the entire supply chain for the components required to make optical disc drives is collapsing, with assembly lines pivoting away from the tech as users actively opt for digital-only.

Microsoft has also been actively building out Xbox game emulation on PC as well, with planned support for all Xbox 360 games, and potentially Xbox One and above in the future too. It's great, in my view, that Xbox is offering some sort of exit for those with digital collections — it remains to be seen if those on other platforms will be so lucky.

It'll be interesting to see how they navigate the inevitable phase out with the next-gen Xbox Helix as well, as users call on Xbox to take a different path to PlayStation.

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After Xbox's controversial 'reset' that laid off over 3,000 people and rumors of State of Decay 3 not coming to Xbox Game Pass flying about, fans of the long-awaited zombie survival game were starting to panic and think State of Decay 3 was going to be canceled.

Thankfully, Microsoft has laid all the doom and gloom to rest as it has announced on Xbox Wire that State of Decay 3 is still coming to Xbox Game Pass.

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On top of that, Microsoft has also announced that State of Decay 3 will be hosting closed beta tests before the end of 2026, which players can register for right now on the official State of Decay 3 website.

It will feature the largest map in a State of Decay game to date with untethered multiplayer, allow more people to join than the previous alpha tests, and incorporate gameplay improvements based on feedback players made during the alpha tests.

Windows Central's take

State of Decay 3 is the latest entry in the popular State of Decay series, where players band together in online multiplayer to survive the zombie apocalypse by scavenging for weapons and building settlements to hide in.

While I never played these games myself, I know my colleague, Jez Corden, absolutely loved State of Decay 2 despite its launch-day issues and has been waiting for its sequel for nearly a decade now.

So I'm betting he and many other zombie game fans are happy to see State of Decay 3 survive Xbox's recent mass culling and is continuing to press on for its eventual release in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Stay tuned for further updates as we continue this highly anticipated zombie survival game that refuses to die before it sees the light of day.

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Last July, Xbox users finally got their hands on one of the most viral games of the past couple of years. The celebrations were shortlived.

Wuthering Waves is a free-to-play gatcha RPG, similar to the likes of Genshin Impact. Wuthering Waves is available on every platform now, including Xbox, consoles, mobile, and PC, complete with a high-quality story and decent combat depth.

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The game is incredibly popular and has amassed a global audience across every platform, landing itself 30 million~ players across its versions. It won the Player's Choice award at last year's Game Awards, and continues to find growth owing to large free content updates.

Unfortunately, though, the Xbox version is broken.

Wuthering Waves (affectionally nicknamed WuWa by the community) recently got a sizeable content patch, adding new story beats and features to the game. The update has, however, once again put a spotlight on the Xbox version, which seems more broken than ever.

"The situation has worsened as I’ve progressed through the game. I’m currently in Lahai-Roi, and it’s been impossible to play for 40 minutes without the game closing unexpectedly," one user wrote on Reddit. "I play on Xbox Series X, but the same bug persists even on Xbox Cloud Gaming, where high local processing power isn't required. Other players have reported similar issues."

The most recent video showcases new visual glitches introduced in this week's patch, where textures get stretched infinitely across the playspace until the game crashes.

Users have been tracking Wuthering Waves' lack of quality on Xbox since the game launched, and had hoped it would be improved in subsequent updates. Sadly, things have gotten worse rather than better.

There are theories that Wuthering Waves on Xbox is a port of the iOS and Android version of the game, owing to a lack of shadows, foilage, and other post-processing improvements. The PlayStation 5 version is is far far better looking, far less crash-prone, and generally more performant than the Xbox Series X version. This absolutely shouldn't be the case in a game designed to run on low-end mobile phones.

We've reached out to Wuthering Waves' developer Kuro Games via their PR firm to get a comment, but I would be surprised if they offered one up.

If they thought the Xbox audience wasn't worth providing a high-quality port for, I'm confused as to why they bothered spending the money to deliver a port in the first place. Genshin Impact and other HoYoverse gatcha games like Zenless Zone Zero run incredibly well on Xbox. HoYoverse also did dedicated launches for Xbox, complete with bonuses and freebies for new players joining the ranks via Team Green.

Wuthering Waves' treatment of the Xbox audience by comparison has been a sad joke.

There's also some blame to be levied at Microsoft here I would argue. PlayStation demands that developers create visual parity with their multiplatform versions within reason. Xbox's certification processes are also notoriously strict compared to other platforms — what's the point of those apparent strict rules if they allow games like Wuthering Waves to launch in such a lamentable state? It makes Xbox look inferior for one thing, and treats Xbox customers like second class citizens in the other.

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Either way, it sucks for Wuthering Waves fans on Xbox that Kuro Games doesn't seem to consider them worthwhile. I would recommend players stick to HoYoverse options instead. Hopefully Honkai Star Rail makes its way across to Xbox in the future too. PerhaHoYoverse' next big games come to Xbox on day one as well, further reducing the need to consider Wuthering Waves as an option.

If Kuro replies, I'll be sure to update this piece, but I wouldn't hold my breath. They don't seem to care about the Xbox version even slightly.

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Recently, the fan-run Xbox Game Preservation website saw a major surge in votes from players who want classic Transformers games playable on modern Xbox consoles via Xbox Backward Compatibility, with at least 58,489 votes. This number makes Transformers the most-requested third-party franchise fans want preserved on Xbox, and the second-most-requested franchise, behind Skylanders, which has over 163,000 votes.

The games that make up the most of this number (with 33,969 votes combined) are Transformers: War for Cybertron, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, and Transformers: Devastation. All of these are fantastic games in their own right, especially if you're a longtime Transformer fan like me.

The War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron games (released in 2010 and 2012, respectively) are brilliant third-person shooters with grim yet entertaining campaigns and slick gameplay that mixed Gears of War-style gunplay (without cover mechanics because Transformers don't need cover) with Transformers-style transformation mechanics.

Transformers: Devastation (released in 2015) was an equally fun third-person beat-em-up that took the high-octane insanity of Devil May Cry and Bayonetta and applied it to the Transformers universe with an addictive combat system.

Unfortunately, these games have been locked behind the previous Xbox 360 and Xbox One console generations and have not been re-released on modern systems or PC platforms to this day, even after over a decade.

They've also been delisted from digital stores, so the only way to play them (without resorting to piracy) is to track down their physical copies, which are pretty rare these days.

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As someone who grew up with Transformers ever since the incredible (and surprisingly dark) Transformers: Beast Wars series in the 1990s, I loved these games for how fun they were and how faithful they were to the source material (which were the palette cleansers after watching those awful Michael Bay live-action Transformers movies).

After seeing Xbox put effort into its Backward Compatibility program again, I would do some pretty desperate things to see Transformers: War for Cybertron, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, and Transformers: Devastation playable again on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC.

After all, if long-forgotten games like Blinx the Time Sweeper and Conker: Live and Reloaded can be brought back via Xbox Backward Compatibility, then don't these awesome Transformers games deserve a revival too?

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A buildable recreation of the original Xbox from 2001 is coming from Mattel Brick Shop, technically under the same brand umbrella as the MEGA-branded 3:4 scale Xbox 360 from 2023. Listing the "Microsoft Xbox Building Toy Kit For Collectors" without a firm release date for $329.99 at Best Buy, and even less information at Amazon, the pricey set hides some nostalgic dioramas inside.

Alongside the chunky console itself is a close-enough representation of the original "Duke" controller, and three internal displays based on popular titles from the console's lifespan. Miniature set pieces from Halo, Psychonauts, and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind have built-in lighting that's activated by the Duke joypad and fit comfortably inside this 1:1 set with 3,509 pieces.

Slightly bigger, but a lot more expensive

I'm admittedly the target audience for this sort of thing; a total sucker for nostalgia. I already own LEGO models of the SEGA Mega Drive (Genesis) console and its controller, displayed on shelves alongside other happy memories from my childhood. A full-sized, 1:1 recreation of the gigantic original Xbox wouldn't fit with it, but I'm sure I'd find somewhere else.

This isn't LEGO, though. It's the other brand, and it's asking a lot more money for this more complicated representation of Microsoft's hardware than Mattel's bricked-up Xbox 360 set that launched for $150 — one I already skipped. Asking over $300 for a follow-up toy feels steep, especially when many of us could find the real console on eBay for less.

On the other hand, the cute Morrowind feature appeals to a very specific part of my nostalgic heart, and ditto for Psychonauts. Still, to show off those parts and have them all visible, I'd need some serious display space. At that point, I'd rather buy the dioramas separately and show those off instead of a set that just looks like the real thing from a distance.

It's a neat way to celebrate Xbox's 25th anniversary, but I'm still patiently waiting for that translucent green Series X|S joypad instead. Rumor has it we'll see controller reservations opening at Gamescom for an October 20 release (via @eXtas1stv). Fingers crossed. I only have so much disposable income to burn on nostalgic accessories before my family starts getting concerned.

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