gamescom-2015
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Mojang's next game is 'Cobalt,' a 2D platformer due in October
Mojang isn't just focused on shipping endless variations of Minecraft -- it can publish other games, too. As proof, the Microsoft-owned team has announced that Cobalt, an Oxeye-developed 2D platform game for Mac, PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One, will finally arrive (it was unveiled in 2012) in October. The title has you employing hacks and stealth to learn why a human colony vanished on an alien world. It's big on multiplayer, too, with cooperative play, six competitive multiplayer modes and 30 dedicated maps. If you're eager to give Cobalt a shot before the fall, you can try pre-release Mac and Windows versions today.
'Crackdown 3' hits Xbox One in 2016
Crackdown is back and as boom-tastic as ever. The first gameplay video for Crackdown 3 shows off a futuristic, neon-tipped city that acts as a sprawling sandbox once players dive in. The game features online co-op and competitive play -- that's up to four players for co-op. Crackdown 3 hits the Xbox One, and only the Xbox One, in summer 2016.
Microsoft says 'Quantum Break' coming April 5th, 2016
Microsoft first announced Quantum Break as an Xbox One exclusive quite a while ago, and it has finally revealed the launch date: April 5th, 2016. At Gamescom 2015, the company also showed off brand new gameplay from the title (below), which comes from the developer that created Max Payne, Remedy. Suffice to say, it looks beautiful and features a strong time travel component. The studio originally promised that it would have an in-game live action show, and Remedy's Sam Lake confirmed that's still the case.
The Chatpad returns on Xbox One this November
Remember that Chatpad you used to trash-talk your Xbox 360 rivals? It's back in an Xbox One version with a few new twists. The keyboard add-on still clips to the bottom of your gamepad and makes it easy to type just about anywhere on either the Xbox One or a Windows 10 PC, but it now has a pair of programmable keys to automate common input (for example, asking for help from your friends in a tough match). Microsoft won't ship the peripheral until November, alas, but pre-orders will start today -- we'll get you pricing as soon as we can.
New Xbox dashboard and backwards compatibility come in November
At E3, Microsoft unveiled a revamped dashboard for the Xbox One that put an emphasis on speed and community. It's now here at Gamescom when the company has revealed when exactly this revamped user interface will be filtering down onto your console: this November. The biggest additional feature is backwards compatibility, which means that around 100 Xbox 360 titles will be available to play on the hardware. Of course, if you've already paid for these games for the older console, you won't be charged again for the privilege.
Xbox One will be a 'full-featured' DVR for TV
We'd heard rumblings for some time, but today at Gamescom, Microsoft announced that Xbox One would get its own DVR. The new functionality works from the OneGuide and streams over-the-air TV recordings to any Windows 10 device with the Xbox app or SmartGlass on iOS and Android. And you'll also be able to watch offline, too. With those two apps, you'll be able to schedule shows to record when you're away from OneGuide in your living room. Recorded content stored on an external DVR was viewable on the Xbox One's TV option, but now, the console itself will pull double duty. The console also has the ability to stream over-the-air television channels thanks to a pair of digital TV tuners, so adding in the recorder offers a complete package for game and TV viewing. Xbox One's DVR will arrive in 2016 and won't command any additional fees.
Xbox Live and ID@Xbox indie games coming to HoloLens
Microsoft's promise of unifying its disparate platforms with Windows 10 has even more going for it with some surprise announcements ahead of this week's Gamescom show in Germany. We knew that Xbox Live was coming to the desktop -- for free, even -- but that extends to HoloLens too. That's right: online multiplayer, friends lists and your achievements (anything tied to Redmond's gaming service, from the sounds of it) will be available on the augmented reality headset, according to VRFocus. The site also reports that HoloLens, Windows 10 and Xbox One will share a universal store for apps and the like "in time." Some purchases will also apparently be pay-once-play-anywhere affairs too. And similar to Microsoft's push to get Android and iOS developers to bring their apps to Windows 10, the ID@Xbox program will work to court indie game developers and extend across Redmond's latest operating system, HoloLens and Windows Phone.
'Endless Space 2' hopes to sate your space-faring strategy thirst
The million-selling Endless series of strategy games is expanding with the fourth entry, Endless Space 2. It takes place in the same universe as the previous releases, but at the "space colonization age of different civilizations" within it. If you sign up for the official newsletter you'll unlock a special in-game character, and spamming ten of your friends will get you a badge of honor and some in-game points. More details beyond those are teased for Gamescom next week, according to developer Amplitude Studios. To help hold you over, the team's put together an interactive teaser video (enter fullscreen, hold the space bar to swap viewpoints) that you'll find just below.
