xboxone
Latest
'Kingdom Hearts 3' leaks six weeks early
It's not unheard of for games to reach players days before launch thanks to supply chain leaks, pirates or overeager retailers. Square Enix, however, is dealing with something considerably worse. The developer's Tetsyuo Nomura has confirmed that copies of Kingdom Hearts 3 are circulating roughly six weeks ahead of the game's January 29th debut. While Nomura didn't say how the Disney-tastic crossover RPG got loose, he did confirm that Square was "aware as to how this all happened."
'Street Fighter V' will display in-game ads starting December 11th
Fighting game fans are used to seeing ads in tournaments, but now they're infiltrating the games themselves. Capcom is introducing "sponsored content" to Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition on December 11th to promote its purchasable bundles, costumes and the Pro Tour. You'll see them on costumes, in certain stages and on pre-fight loading screens. This isn't concerning by itself (many real sports have ads, after all), but Capcom goes out of its way to discourage you from turning the ads off.
'Anthem' demo will be open to everyone on February 1st
No, you won't have to plunk down some cash to play the Anthem demo before the game's February 22nd debut. BioWare and EA have announced that the sneak peek on February 1st through February 3rd is an open demo that will be accessible to anyone on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. If you've either pre-ordered the game or subscribe to Origin Access, you'll just play earlier -- a "VIP" demo will run between January 25th and January 27th. You'll also receive an in-game item to flaunt your early adopter status.
'Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled' revives a classic on June 21st, 2019
What, did you think that Activision would stop at remastering the first three Crash Bandicoot games? True to the teasers, Activision and Beenox have revealed Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled. The overhaul of Naughty Dog's marsupial karting classic includes all the familiar characters, tracks and game modes of the PlayStation original (including Battle Mode), but throws in massively improved graphics and, naturally, online play.
'Far Cry New Dawn' turns Hope County into a nuclear wasteland next year
Take the chaotic backwoods setting of Far Cry 5, add a dash of Fallout 76 and a sprinkle of Rust, and you've got Far Cry New Dawn, the latest game in Ubisoft's open-world action-adventure series. New Dawn is the radiation-soaked sequel to Far Cry 5, and it's set to hit PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on February 15th, 2019.
Indie roguelike 'Below' has a release date: December 14th
More than five years after its original reveal, Capybara Games is ready to deliver Below, a much-anticipated indie title. Engadget spoke to co-founder Nathan Vella a few months ago about the stresses of running a successful small game studio working on such a complex game. At the time, he said that: "Fear of letting people down, and the kind of trust that people have put in us, are the two biggest motivating factors." Below throws gamers into procedurally-generated dungeons with a shield and weapon, and keeps the pressure up with permadeath. In a 2016 interview, creative director Kris Piotrowski said "The answer to 'What lies below?' is the main thing we're holding back." Now, the game is ready to ship on Xbox One and Steam, with a brief preview trailer teasing the adventures players have ahead of them.
Spotify's revamped Xbox One app includes smarter voice control
Spotify just became much more useful if it regularly provides the background music for your Xbox One sessions. After weeks of testing, it's releasing a refreshed version of its Xbox One app that promises both easier discovery of music and, importantly, more control when you find it. The new "razor sharp design" (similar to the one from newer PS4 and Roku apps) gives you easier access to the Made for You hub, your library and your recently played songs, while the Xbox One Guide now has shuffle and repeat controls for longer gaming marathons. And if you like to shout at Cortana instead of tapping buttons, you're in for a treat.
The first major 'Battlefield V' update arrives December 4th
EA DICE is about to release the first of Battlefield V's numerous major updates, and it's clear that the studio wants to start off on a strong note. "Overture" is launching December 4th with an intriguing (and apparently "emotional") single-player story, "The Last Tiger," as its centerpiece. You join an isolated Tiger tank crew in the last days of World War II as it not only tries to fend off the Allies in a hopeless last stand, but starts to "question the ideology" that led them to that situation. It might not represent a grand philosophical discussion, but it's weightier material than you might have expected for a free post-launch story.
Microsoft cuts Xbox One prices by $50 in post-Black Friday sale
Microsoft wants to keep its console sales buzzing now that its Black Friday sale is over. The tech giant is launching a "limited time" sale that cuts the price of any Xbox One bundle by $50, whether it's an Xbox One S with Battlefield V (now $250) or an Xbox One X with PUBG (now $450). It's not as good a deal as during the Black Friday frenzy, but it might help you decide on a gift if your recipient isn't picky about their gaming platform.
The next year of 'Destiny 2' starts with Black Armory on December 4th
When Bungie first talked about the future of Destiny 2 after Forsaken, it didn't say much beyond acknowledging that you'd get three big doses of content through the annual pass. Now, the studio is ready to say more... a lot more. Bungie has posted an update calendar for the next year of its shared-world shooter, and there will be plenty to do whether or not you've paid extra.
'Red Dead Online' beta test launches on November 27th
You're about to learn how well Red Dead Redemption 2 works as a multiplayer game -- as hinted back in September, Rockstar Games is launching the beta for Red Dead Online this week. Just when you can play will depend on how eager an RDR2 player you are, mind you. Anyone who bought the Ultimate Edition will get first crack on November 27th. After that, it depends on when you've played. People who've played RDR2 on November 26th will get to try Online as of the 28th, while those who played on the game's launch weekend (October 26th through 29th) can take their turn on the 29th. Everyone else will have to wait until November 30th.
'No Man's Sky' update lets the entire community pursue shared goals
No Man's Sky is continuing its renaissance year with an update that not only adds some variety, but gives the entire player base a reason to join in. Hello Games is releasing a free Visions update on November 22nd that introduces global community missions. Anyone playing NMS can contribute progress toward a shared goal, such as a unlocking an Eye of the Korvax helmet, fireworks, more emotes and building parts. You'll have an incentive to play even if you've already checked off all your personal goals.
47GB 'Fallout 76' patch nearly replaces the entire game on PS4 and Xbox One
Prior to release, beta testers of Bethesda's Fallout 76 ran into an issue that caused the entire game to spontaneously redownload itself on their PCs. Now a major patch has arrived on all platforms and for PS4 players at least, it's a similar experience. Patch notes indicate the update addresses many performance and stability issues, as well as tweaking the game's PVP mode. But on PlayStation (update: and Xbox One), gamers faced a 47GB download, compared to the game's initial 53GB install size (after the patch is applied it takes up roughly the same amount of space). On PC it was a more modest 15GB, but players who have bandwidth caps that are already stretched to their limit by fall releases aren't all happy, with the game requiring nearly 100GB by itself in just a couple of weeks. The developers did mention this prior to releasing the update, and said "This update will be large compared to what we expect for patches going forward." Of course, Overwatch just reinstalled itself with a new patch for at least the second time, so maybe it's time for ISPs to ease up on bandwidth restrictions because the file sizes aren't going down. Update: The size of the patch is similar between PS4 and Xbox One, leaving PC gamers with the smaller 15GB download.
'Rainbow Six: Siege' ends year 3 with a new Morocco map
Ubisoft is winding down the third year of Rainbow Six: Siege with another big update that might take players out of their comfort zones. The developer's upcoming Operation Wind Bastion will add a free new Morocco map, Fortress, and two Moroccan characters that throw a curve into familiar gameplay. Nomad has proximity-based air-blast grenades that can knock down a stubborn defender. Kaïd, meanwhile, can electrify metal defenses like barbed wire and reinforcing walls. If there's a must-hold room, Kaïd can make it very hard to breach.
First 'State of Decay 2' content update adds stealthy crossbows
If you thought State of Decay 2 was getting a bit stale even with a little DLC, relief is at hand. Undead Labs has released its expected free Zedhunter update, and it promises some significant changes to the gameplay in addition to extra missions -- and one might seem familiar. Most notably, it now includes crossbows. You can pull off your best Daryl-from-The-Walking-Dead impression and pick off zombies without drawing attention, wasting ammo (it's recoverable) or putting up with the occasional jam. You'll find three swords and three knives in case that crossbow isn't enough.
Microsoft may release a disc-free Xbox One in 2019
Microsoft is no doubt pouring much of its energy into the next-gen Xbox, but it might give the current generation one last hurrah. Thurrott sources understand that it's planning new Xbox One configurations in 2019, including one without a disc drive. This would lower the cost for people who aren't attached to physical game copies or Blu-ray movies, potentially by as much as $100. And no, you wouldn't be hosed if you already have a disc-based game library. Reportedly, there would be a "disc-to-digital" exchange program where you could visit a store and turn in your tangible games in return for download codes.
Xbox's Black Friday deals start early for Live Gold members
Microsoft's Xbox Black Friday sale is kicking off early for Xbox Live Gold members, and you can grab discounts on some of the biggest titles around right now. Red Dead Redemption 2 was only released a few weeks ago, but you can save 10 percent in the sale.
With keyboard and mouse support on Xbox, Microsoft closes the gap on PCs
After years of unfulfilled promises and a few weeks of build-up, the Xbox One family finally supports keyboards and mice. Alright, so it's still a feature reserved for members of the beta-esque Xbox Insider Program and few games actually work with the different control scheme, but it's here nevertheless. Keyboards, mice and consoles aren't an abnormal pairing. I remember playing Unreal Tournament on the Dreamcast with keys and clicks, and the PS4 has supported the alternative peripherals for years, even if developers have largely ignored them. It's a slightly bigger deal on Xbox One, though. After all, it technically runs Windows 10, the OS of choice for PC gamers, albeit with the clunky Xbox UI on top. The line between console and computer, then, becomes ever blurrier.
'Astroneer' brings space exploration to Xbox and PC on February 6th
Space exploration game Astroneer has racked up a major following in its Early Access stage. After hinting at it, the game finally has an official release date. The title from System Era Softworks will be available for Xbox One and Windows 10 starting on February 6th, 2019. It will run you $29.99 at launch.
Xbox One mouse and keyboard support is available now
If you're tired of Microsoft drumming up hype for the Xbox One's mouse and keyboard support, we have good news: that feature is finally here. Install the November 2018 Xbox Update and your One S or One X will have PC-like input for compatible games, including Fortnite and Warframe. Don't expect every game to offer a mouse-and-keyboard option -- it'll typically be limited to games where it both makes sense and won't provide an unfair advantage in multiplayer modes.
