Developer_Direct kicked off 2026 with new gameplay and developer insights for four games coming to Xbox, all of which players can enjoy this year.
The development teams at Playground Games (who brought two games to the show), Game Freak and Double Fine showed off Fable, Forza Horizon 6, Beast of Reincarnation, and surprise announcement, Kiln. Each brought extended new footage, looks behind the development curtain and, of course, information on when you’ll be able to play the games yourselves.
All the games in our show are Xbox Play Anywhere titles, meaning when you buy them through the Xbox or Windows store, they’re yours to play on PC, Xbox console, or supported gaming handhelds at no additional cost – and you can pick up where you left off with all your saves, game add‑ons, and achievements.
Here’s a summary of everything we brought to Developer_Direct today:
Beast of Reincarnation – Launching Summer 2026
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, Handheld Optimized, or play it day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (see developer website for other platforms)
Launching this summer and available day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Beast of Reincarnation promises an unforgettable blend of action, strategy, and mystery. Game Freak gave us more details on Emma and her companion Koo’s adventure in a haunting, post-apocalyptic Japan.
We learned that Emma has been afflicted by “blight” – which has removed her memories and emotions, but given her the ability to manipulate plants – and led her to meet Koo, a dog that’s become a “malefact.” Emma’s role is to hunt down malefacts, but she forms an unusual bond with Koo, setting her off on a journey through Japan circa 4026 AD.
Game Freak call Beast of Reincarnation a “one-person, one-dog action RPG”, and have created a unique combat system to match – Emma provides classic, fast-paced action game attacks in real-time, but Koo offers added skills that can be used from a menu that slows time, more like a turn-based RPG. It makes for a game that offers a very different feeling to other action titles, adding tactical complexity to high-speed combat – which can be tweaked to your liking with three difficulty settings.
You can learn much more about the characters, combat, world, story and the game’s dynamic tempo in our Xbox Wire article, and wishlist the game now ahead of its launch this summer.
Fable – Launching Autumn 2026
Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, and launching day one with Game Pass Ultimate – also available on PlayStation 5 and Steam
The Fable team at Playground Games took us to the fairytale world of Albion, for the first in-depth look at the studio’s brand new open world action-RPG – and revealed that the game will be coming to players in Autumn 2026. Developed by a dedicated team at the UK-based studio, Fable is set to deliver everything players love about the original trilogy – choice and consequence, dry British wit and playful moral chaos – all reimagined for a new generation of players in an unmistakably Playground way.
During the show, we learned how your story in Albion begins, how character customization will work, learned more about the game’s new take on Fable’s morality system and saw brand-new gameplay that showcased combat – with enemies old and new – as well as the game’s unique living population of NPCs. Fablewill be a fresh new beginning for this much-loved franchise and will be coming Autumn 2026 to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Steam, PlayStation 5 and Game Pass Ultimate.
Check out our in-depth interview with Fable GM & Game Director, Ralph Fulton here.
Forza Horizon 6 – Launching May 19, 2026
Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Steam, Xbox Play Anywhere, Handheld Optimized, or play it day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at launch – coming to PS5 later in 2026
Forza Horizon 6 is speeding towards players in 2026, with the announcement that the much-anticipated next instalment of the Horizon series will be landing on May 19 this year. As part of the Developer_Direct show, the Forza team at Playground Games revealed first-ever gameplay showcasing the breathtaking landscapes of Japan in all their glory, and lifted the curtain on the spectacular cars that will be gracing the cover of the game – the 2025 GR GT Prototype, which is making its video game debut in Forza Horizon 6, and the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser.
Forza Horizon 6 will feature the largest and densest map of any Horizon game to date, full of verticality, diverse biomes, seasonality and breathtaking driving experiences – all elevated by Japan’s unique car culture. And just when you thought things couldn’t get better, the team provided an overview of the new features players will enjoy as part of Forza Horizon 6 – including Customizable Garages and The Estate, an overhauled car roster (with 550 cars to collect and customize at launch) as well as new shared experiences, Drag Meets and Horizon Time Attack Circuits.
For an in-depth look at what’s new in Forza Horizon 6, check out our interview with Design Director, Torben Ellert here.
Kiln – Launching Spring 2026
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, Handheld Optimized, or play it day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – also available on PlayStation 5 and Steam
We joined Double Fine in their game-turned-ceramics studio in San Francisco, California to learn more about Kiln, an Online Multiplayer Pottery-Party Brawler (say that ten times fast!), arriving this spring.
Double Fine’s new foray into fun asks the question: what would it look like for a game to combine the beautiful expression of creation with all of the chaotic fun of destruction? Turns out it’s a team-based arena battle game which asks you to craft ceramic battle armor on a realistic pottery wheel, and where your abilities are determined by the kind of pot you make.
We took a turn on the clay-splatted wheel to learn all about the 4v4 action of Kiln, the wide variety of crafting tools at your disposal, and what each size and shape of crafted pot means for your combat abilities.
You can catch more of the action in their smashing Announce trailer now and get fired up for the ultimate throwdown by wishlisting Kiln today. Help the team sculpt the game before it launches this Spring by signing up for their upcoming closed beta test, and joining the Double Fine Action Insiders. Find out about the game’s story, mechanics, and more in our hands-on preview on Xbox Wire.
Looking Ahead
As with every Developer_Direct, today’s show marks just a selection of the games coming to Xbox this year. 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of Xbox, and offers a moment to honor the games, creators, teams, and players that have inspired play for decades – and we’ll be celebrating that all year long. With the likes of Gears of War: E-Day and Halo: Campaign Evolved still to come, we’ll be returning to some of our most beloved franchises, not to mention introducing new worlds of our own, and those from our incredible third-party partners. It’s going to be an incredible year – make sure to stay tuned to Xbox Wire and Xbox social channels to keep up to date with everything we have to show you.
The Living Population of NPCs is a fascinating addition – what does that offer the player?
Fulton: The Living Population is our cast of over 1,000 NPCs, each with roles, personalities and routines. That whole concept of persistent NPCs, each of whom is unique in a whole bunch of ways that you can go and interact with and mess about with, is incredibly complex.
When you start working on it, you realize that every settlement has to have enough houses with enough beds, for everyone in the settlement to go and sleep in at the end of the day. It was a fun day when we explained that particular requirement to our environment art team [laughs], but they rose to the challenge like they do with everything.
In games, you don’t normally have to connect the dots quite so precisely. You know, you’re just building a nice-looking town. But in Fable it also has to be a functional town.
As an example, early in development we couldn’t work out why one town was so empty during the day. And when we zoomed out into debug mode, it was because NPCs were getting up to go to work, but they lived too far away from their jobs. So, they started walking to work, but didn’t get there before their schedule told them to turn around to go back to bed.
It’s required a lot of working through, but it pays off because, honestly, as you play the game, you get to know the names of the individual NPCs. You get to know what they like, what they’re looking for in a partner, where they live, where they work, all that kind of cool stuff. It’s an extra dimension to traditional NPCs.
Does the Living Population tie into the main quest?
Fulton: Tying the main quest and the Living Population together in a really overt way didn’t seem like the right way to go, so we’ve deliberately linked them in the lightest possible fashion. You know, there are some times when characters in the main quest will reference your reputations, or the things you’ve done previously – but we never want to force a player to have to go and interact with those things in order to progress the main quest.
We know there are some players – we call them ‘Bards’ – who are just going to play through the main story. They’re going to start at the start, and they’re going to get to the end, and that’s going to be their experience. That’s entirely fine, that’s a totally respectable way to play.
But there are some players, who we call ‘Architects’, who we know are going to go and mess around with the systems and just see where they can push them, see what they can achieve with it, and we want them to have the freedom to do that at any point as well.
Welcome back to your routine “what am I going to play next?” suggestion list! We’ve got some favorites, some surprises we snuck in last week (and a cheeky reminder to join us for our fourth Developer Direct for even more games coming your way). Let’s get to the games!
Available Today
Resident Evil Village(Cloud, Console, and PC) Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass
Resident Evil Village is the eighth main entry in the Resident Evil series. Set years after Resident Evil 7 biohazard, players follow Ethan Winters into a haunting European village, fighting for survival against brutal enemies as danger and mystery lurk around every corner.
MIO: Memories in Orbit (Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! A hand-crafted metroidvania set within a vast, decaying world reclaimed by nature and robots. Play as Mio, a nimble android exploring labyrinthine environments, battling rogue machines, and uncovering lost memories in a richly atmospheric adventure filled with secrets and danger.
Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now available on Xbox Game Pass! Take on the role of Sam Porter Bridges on his mission to deliver hope to humanity. Are you ready to unite the divided – one more time?
RoadCraft(PC) – January 21 Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass
In the wake of natural disasters, RoadCraft calls on you to rebuild what’s broken. Operate a fleet of over 40 authentic construction vehicles to clear debris, repair roads and bridges, and restore essential infrastructure. Tackle realistic challenges solo or in cooperative play across expansive, physics-driven environments shaped by destruction and recovery.
Ninja Gaiden Ragebound(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 21 Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass
A brand-new side-scrolling entry to the Ninja Gaiden series from the team behind Blasphemous, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound redefines the classic platformer saga in a spectacular, thrilling and challenging ninja adventure.
The Talos Principle 2 (PC and Xbox Series X|S) – January 27 Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass
A thought-provoking first-person puzzle experience that greatly expands the first game’s philosophical themes and stunning environments with increasingly mind-bending challenges. Born into a new world where biological humanity is extinct but human culture lives on in a city of robots, get swept up in a mind-bending adventure involving a mysterious megastructure hiding enormous powers.
Anno: Mutationem(Cloud, PC, and Console) – January 28 Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass
Welcome to the neon-covered, 2D-meets-3D Cyberpunk world of Anno: Mutationem. In thisAction-Adventure game with RPG elements you become Ann: a highly skilled, combat-trained lone wolf on a personal mission in the giant Metropolis, full of sinister mega-corporations, mysterious fringe groups and creatures more bizarre than words can express.
Drop Duchy (Cloud, PC, and Console) – January 28 Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass
Build your duchy piece by piece in this refreshing hybrid rogue-lite game. Use block-dropping mechanics to collect resources, recruit troops to fight against belligerent armies, and let every block shape your realm, leading your path to victory! Complete Edition includes all additional content.
Befriend cute characters and discover creative adventures across retro re-releases of two lovable games in MySims: Cozy Bundle. Use your imagination to rebuild a town in MySims and help a cute magical land become an even better place in MySims Kingdom. There are stories to uncover, locations to explore, and lots of characters with big personalities to meet.
Your craft is death. Purge the relentless Tyranid swarms as legendary Space Marine Demetrian Titus in a spectacular new campaign, solo or in three-player co-op, and save the Imperium as your own Space Marine in endlessly brutal PvE and PvP games with 6 playable classes to choose from!
Indika(Cloud, PC and Xbox Series X|S) – February 2 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Indika is a story-driven adventure set in an alternative 19th-century Russia, following a young nun on a surreal journey of self-discovery. Blending dark humor with serious themes like faith, morality, and religious authority, the game mixes exploration, light puzzles, brief action moments, and symbolic RPG elements. Its narrative is enriched by retro-style arcade flashbacks and a strange companionship with the devil himself, creating a unique experience that balances comedy and tragedy while pushing the boundaries of conventional game design.
Final Fantasy II(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – February 3 Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass
A remodeled 2D take on the second game in the world-renowned FINAL FANTASY series! Our epic tale begins with four young souls orphaned during the struggle between the Palamecian Empire and the rebel army. On their journey, the youths join forces with the white wizard Minwu, Prince Gordon of Kashuan, Leila the pirate, and many others. Behold the beautiful and sometimes tragic twists of fate that await you on your adventure.
Command the checkpoint in a collapsing city. Screen survivors, manage scarce resources, and hold back the undead. Every choice matters and one mistake could unleash the plague beyond your walls.
DLC / Game Updates
The Sims 25th Birthday Bundle (PC) – January 22 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Celebrate a Sim-sational New Year with EA Play on the Xbox PC app. This month, embrace classic chaos with re-releases of The Sims and The Sims 2, coming to EA Play on January 22. Keep the cozy vibes rolling with MySims: Cozy Bundle joining The Play List on January 29.
Grounded 2 Garden Update (Cloud, PC, and Console) – January 27 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Explore the new Community Garden biome in The Toxic Tangle update, packed with hidden paths, twisting trellises, and earthy caverns. Battle new creatures, craft Tier III gear, and ride the Ladybug Buggy with its water cannon as you face fresh challenges across the Garden.
The battles fought. The pain endured. All of it leads back to him. Stranger Things Returns To Dead by Daylight: Vecna, Dustin, & Eleven Enter The Fog.
Sea of Thieves Season 18, Act 2 (Cloud, PC, and Console) – January 22 Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass
The Trading Companies are calling on Emissaries to raid Molten Sands Fortress and recover valuable treasure from its vault! During the event, those who reach Emissary Grade 5 can accept a special quest that will awaken this fiery fort. Which flag will you fly?
Leaving January 31
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Jump back in to tie up any loose ends, or save up to 20% off your purchase to keep the fun going!
Shady Part of Me (Cloud, PC, and Console)Cataclismo (PC)
Starbound (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Lonely Mountains Snow Riders (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Paw Patrol World (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Citizen Sleeper 2 Starward Vector (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Excited to see you all back here in just a few days for our next Developer Direct! In the meantime, go charge your batteries and get those games downloaded. Cheers!
Note: Games with a ‘Handheld’ designation represent those that are optimized for handheld play.
Developer_Direct returns next Thursday, January 22 at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK, and will kick off Xbox’s 25th anniversary year with a look at some of the incredible games in store for players.
As we shared previously, the show will include exclusive gameplay and developer insights for Playground Games’ Fable and Forza Horizon 6, as well as Game Freak’s Beast of Reincarnation – all presented directly by the people making the games, and recorded in their studios.
Here are all the details on how to tune in:
When is Developer_Direct? Thursday, January 22 at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK.
How do I watch Developer_Direct? Developer_Direct will be streamed live on official channels, including:
The show will also be streamed simultaneously on regional Xbox channels around the globe, as well as on Steam. It will air on China’s Bilibili platform later the next day.
The YouTube stream will be broadcast in 4K/60, and as with any live broadcast, there may be dips in streaming quality based on your bandwidth.
Is the event available in languages other than English? Developer_Direct will be streamed live on YouTube.com/Xbox with English captions, and our other live languages will be available via regional Xbox channels.
The languages we will support live on our Xbox channels are: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, LATAM Spanish and Turkish.
Shortly after the broadcast concludes, we will add the following additional languages to YouTube.com/Xbox: Arabic (MSA), Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Czech, Dutch, Filipino, Canadian French, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Hindi, Māori, Persian (Farsi), Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Thai, Ukrainian and Vietnamese.
The easiest way to find your preferred language is to go to your region’s Xbox page, or by viewing on the official Xbox YouTube channel and clicking the gear icon in the lower right corner.
Is Developer_Direct going to be Accessible to those with low/no hearing or low/no vision? There will be a version of the show with Audio Descriptions (AD) in English on the Xbox YouTube channel, American Sign Language (ASL) on Xbox’s YouTube channel and the /XboxASL Twitch channel, and British Sign Language (BSL) on Xbox On’s YouTube channel.
I’m not going to be able to watch, where can I find out what was announced? A full recap will go live on Xbox Wire immediately following the show (including localized versions in Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, LATAM Spanish and Japanese following later). Xbox Wire will also publish detailed articles about every game from the show with extra information.
Notes for co-streamers and creators: We at Xbox greatly appreciate any co-stream efforts and aim to ensure you have a smooth experience if you choose to do so. However, due to forces beyond our control, we cannot guarantee that glitches or disruptions by bots and other automated software won’t interfere with your co-stream.
For those planning to create full post-show breakdowns of Developer_Direct in the form of video-on-demand coverage, we recommend you do not use any audio containing copyrighted music to avoid any action by automated bots, and to also consult the terms of service for your service provider.
We’ll see you for Developer_Direct on Thursday, January 22!
Welcome to the new year, friends! Happy to be back with more games and more fun. Let’s get to it!
Available Today
Brews & Bastards(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Brews & Bastards is an intoxicating, twin-stick shooter, overflowing with action-packed combat, potent brews and outlandish bosses. Select from a group of inebriated heroes and descend, drink, and destroy your way through hordes of drunken demons in search of the stolen Brew Stone.
Rediscover the dark whimsical tale of Little Nightmares, now enhanced in stunning 4K and 60 FPS. Play as Six, a lone child trapped in The Maw, a massive vessel inhabited by monstrous, distorted versions of adults. Sneak, hide, and survive in a world where your childhood fears come to life.
Coming Soon
Atomfall(Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) – January 7 Now with Game Pass Premium
A survival-action game inspired by real-life events, Atomfall is set five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster in Northern England. Explore the fictional quarantine zone, scavenge, craft, barter, fight and talk your way through a British countryside setting filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, cults, and rogue government agencies.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die blends dynamic real-time action, tactical combat, and risk-reward dice mechanics for thrilling second-to-second battles. Unravel an original stand-alone story as Queen Aleksandra, the once great ruler of Random on a mission for vengeance and redemption.
Rematch(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 7 Now with Game Pass Premium
Step onto the pitch in Rematch, a third-person, team-based football game where every pass, volley, and tackle matters. Designed for 5v5 online play, Rematch puts you in full control of one athlete, with no offsides, no fouls, and no downtime. Pass smart, play with purpose, and win together.
Step into the armor of a relentless Space Marine and use a combination of lethal weaponry to crush overwhelming Ork forces. Immerse yourself in an intense and brutally violent world based on the richest science fantasy ever created. Enhanced for a new generation, this edition brings quality of life and graphical improvements.
Final Fantasy– (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC) – January 8 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
“Earth, fire, water, wind… The light that once shone within the four Crystals was lost. Become the Warriors of Light, restore power to the Crystals and save the world.” A remodeled 2D take on the first game in the world-renowned Final Fantasy series! Enjoy the timeless story told through charming retro graphics. All the magic of the original, with improved ease of play.
Star Wars Outlaws(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 13 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars game, set between the events of “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” Explore distinct locations across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as scoundrel Kay Vess, seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. Fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted. If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.
Take the magic of friendship to new heights in a mystery adventure for one or two ponies. Playing as Sunny, Hitch, Izzy, Pipp, Zipp, or Misty, use your special abilities to stop the unstable magic that’s sending Zephyr Heights out of control! And have tons of fun with hilarious minigames and countless pony customizations.
Resident Evil Village(Cloud, Console, and PC) – January 20 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Resident Evil Village is the eighth main entry in the Resident Evil series. Set years after Resident Evil 7 biohazard, players follow Ethan Winters into a haunting European village, fighting for survival against brutal enemies as danger and mystery lurk around every corner.
MIO: Memories in Orbit (Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 20 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! A hand-crafted metroidvania set within a vast, decaying world reclaimed by nature and robots. Play as Mio, a nimble android exploring labyrinthine environments, battling rogue machines, and uncovering lost memories in a richly atmospheric adventure filled with secrets and danger.
Leaving January 15
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Jump back in to tie up any loose ends, or save up to 20% off your purchase to keep the fun going!
Flintlock The Siege of Dawn (Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Neon White (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)
Road 96 (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)
The Ascent (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)
The Grinch Christmas Adventures (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)
I hope your last year treated you well with lots of high scores, achievements unlocked, and GGs. We’ll be back soon with even more games so keep it tuned here, or with us on social for Xbox and Xbox Game Pass. Talk soon!
Note: Games with a ‘Handheld’ designation represent those that are optimized for handheld play.
What would you like to say to your players after releasing Ninja Gaiden 4 this year?
Our deepest thanks to everyone who has played the game, from the Master Ninjas who have been supporting the series for a long time, to those who are playing the series for the first time! Our days were spent developing the game so that players can enjoy the series’ signature intensity and a variety of actions to overcome difficult situations, so I’m happy if you experienced even a bit of the game! I think the flavor of the action really comes through the more you play it, so please continue to enjoy the different characteristics of the two Master Ninjas, Yakumo and Ryu! – Hirayama
To everyone who has supported Ninja Gaiden over the years, and to those how have started playing the series from this entry, thank you for playing the game. I enjoy watching your gameplay videos and comments on social media every day. In this game, we aimed for the revival of pure action that transcends time, and the three companies put everything into developing it. The action is really exciting and it’s a stoically made game, so those of you who have played the game please continue to thoroughly study it… and those who haven’t played it yet, I’ll be thrilled if you give this feel good slash action a try! – Nakao
How does it feel to have the game out there after development?
First of all, to be able to deliver a new numbered title in the series after 13 years is something that our entire team is truly happy about. We continuously debated and adjusted the game towards its launch, and once it was released it felt like it passed in an instant so I didn’t feel anything immediately, but as I saw social posts and videos being posted every day, little by little I began to feel joy. – Hirayama
For our development team, there are many members who, during the golden age of slash action games, were players or were involved as developers. So, while we had confidence in the game itself, I felt more nervous and excited than I have ever been before. And my current feeling is of relief, since the action has been well received. – Nakao
Are there any stories about how players have engaged with your game that you’d like to reflect on?
For a long time, we were in the dark while developing this game but seeing everyone playing and reacting to it at gaming events was a big driving force in development, and we made use of it in the final adjustments towards launch. Thank you again for your support! Post-launch, we are checking every single piece of feedback, so please look forward to future in-game updates! – Hirayama
Although I’ve mentioned it several times, we’ve been receiving a lot of feedback that, “the action definitely feels good!”, and it’s the part we’ve put our most effort into, so I am extremely happy that everyone is pleased with it. In this game we’ve taken the big challenge of mixing the best parts of Ninja Gaiden with the best parts of PlatinumGames’ action, so nothing makes me happier than hearing everyone enjoying the action. – Nakao
What is your studio most looking forward to in 2026?
We are really looking forward to everyone playing “The Two Masters,” the additional content currently in development! In addition to new weapons for Yakumo and Ryu, we are planning on an additional story and other replayable content. We’re working hard to deliver it as soon as we can, so please wait a little bit longer! – Hirayama
There are many games coming out next year, and as always, several action games will be released, so as an action game maker we are looking forward to seeing these games. For us, in 2026 we are planning to release additional content for Ninja Gaiden 4, “The Two Masters,” which we are currently hard at work developing. Not only is there content such as a new story, but above all the new weapons for each character will provide a new play experience unlike any of the previous weapons, so we hope you look forward to it! – Nakao
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
Return of the Legend
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
Epic Hack and Slash Combat, Evolved
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
An Ancient Enemy Returns
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
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Game directors Adam Stjärnljus and Klas Martin Eriksson reveal what to expect from the story of this anticipated sequel.
Learn more about how the planet of Novo has evolved, and what to expect from the narrative.
Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf will be released in 2026 for Xbox consoles and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title, and will be available day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Just like its predecessor, Planet of Lana II’s story is told in a made-up language, and without subtitles. We want players to think of the narrative as another puzzle to be solved and allow them their own interpretation of the characters, their relationships and motivations. But in this article, we thought it would be fun to invite Xbox Wire readers to learn a bit more about how Novo itself has changed since the first game, and what to expect ahead of landing on this beautiful, beleaguered planet this time around.
A Changing Planet
The first Planet of Lana followed 11-year-old Lana on a heartfelt rescue mission after her sister and village were taken by cold, mysterious machines. With her adorable companion Mui at her side, she crossed a world filled with danger and discovery to protect their beautiful planet, Novo. But what she uncovered was only the beginning of a far bigger story…
Chaos grips Novo after the arrival of advanced alien technology, forcing its many tribes to adapt or perish. A new society—The ruthless Dijinghala—uses the technology to strip the planet’s resources and, when Lana’s niece gets caught in the middle of this exploitation, Lana and Mui set out on another adventure to reclaim Novo’s future. But things get increasingly more complicated along the way as they are forced to confront their own past, as well as that of their home world.
Different Factions, Different Challenges
Since the events of Planet of Lana, three major factions have emerged on Novo and they all have very different attitudes towards the arrival of the machines.
Tailo Village– Nestled among a calm cove in Novo’s southern lakelands, Lana’s home village has adopted a nuanced attitude to the presence of the machines, and largely made them a part of everyday life. They are used for agriculture, fishing and other infrastructure – the relationship is one of symbiosis and harmony.
Wemari Village – Hidden deep within the ancient Wemari forest, this protective community is very sceptical – if not downright hostile – to the strange machines that now roam the Novo wilderness. This skepticism means players will have to tread carefully while exploring this beautiful, but deadly part of Novo.
The Dijinghala– A new society emerging in the desolate North is quickly turning into a threat to all free peoples of Novo. Hungry to power their insatiable march toward modernity, The Dijinghala are repurposing the machines to scour the planet’s precious natural resources. Of course, players can expect some sticky situations to arise when they inevitably cross paths with these ruthless excavators.
More of Novo to Explore
To set the stage for this planet-wide conflict, players will gain access to an array of new environments to explore; From snowy mountains, deep oceans, ancient forests, forgotten ruins and even urban areas to mention a few. All of them are packed with fresh creatures and gameplay variation to discover during the 6-8 hour campaign.
And of course, with new parts of Novo to explore comes new secrets to discover of its shadowy past – attentive fans are sure to come away with many new pieces of the long forgotten puzzle that is Novo’s human and non-human history alike.
Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf will be released early 2026 and will be available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from day one! Wishlist now and go play Lana and Mui’s first adventure in the wait up to their epic continued journey, and follow @PlanetOfLana on social media to stay up to date.
Planet of Lana II
Thunderful Publishing AB
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
The saga continues. Their home saved, a deeper journey begins.
Embark on an unforgettable cinematic puzzle journey with Lana and her loyal companion Mui. Whether you’re a returning hero or a new adventurer, step into a world where a new, ancient mystery emerges from Novo’s hidden depths. But as they scour these depths, a new threat will put their unbreakable bond to the ultimate test, guiding Lana to confront her destiny amidst encroaching shadows.
Planet of Lana II is a cinematic puzzle adventure framed by an epic sci-fi saga that stretches across centuries and galaxies.
Key Features:
Unique, Evolved Companion Gameplay: Experience Lana and Mui’s profound, evolving bond. Guide Mui with enhanced precision for deep exploration and collaborative puzzle-solving.
Solve Diverse & Clever Puzzles: Tackle a wider array of physics-based puzzles, including hypnotizing spectacular creatures and controlling new hybrid robots for unique solutions.
Master Stealth & Wit: Carefully navigate dangerous situations using refined stealth mechanics and tactical wit to outsmart foes.
Survive Challenging Action Sequences: Use your reflexes and master Lana’s new agility with wall jumps, run-slides, and faster movement to survive thrilling, dynamic action sequences.
Discover an Epic & Deeper Story: Immerse in a longer, more profound sci-fi saga. Confront Lana’s own demons and unveil the planet’s darkest secrets across stunning, diverse worlds, including new underwater chapters.
Return of an Acclaimed Composer: Experience Takeshi Furukawa’s critically acclaimed score, from the original Planet of Lana. His mesmerizing compositions seamlessly elevate every emotional beat and cinematic moment.
This week we have a couple of Crews for you to join in our recurring, “Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass” announcement (looking at you Fortnite and The Crew Motorfest!). So, grab your favorite controller (come on, we all know there’s one you like more than the others), charge up your mouse, and let’s get to the games!
Get Fortnite Crew with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Fortnite Crew is available today with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Included with Ultimate is access to the current Battle Pass, OG Pass, LEGO Pass, and Music Pass. In addition, get 1,000 V-Bucks each month while you’re subscribed.
Fortnite Crew includes a bonus benefit: Rocket Pass Premium in Rocket League! Get the current Rocket League Season’s Rocket Pass Premium, plus future Seasons’ while you’re still subscribed. With Rocket Pass Premium, you’ll unlock the premium track of the Rocket Pass!
Available on day one with Game Pass! Dive deep into this action RPG with roguelike elements and a tale about new beginnings. Live the double life of a fearless adventurer and a crafty merchant. Dive into vibrant dimensions brimming with shiny loot and pesky enemies. Grow your shop, tinker with weapons and gadgets, as well as make your mark among a ragtag community of castaways.
A papercraft adventure game where you’ll meet the many good and not-so-good folks of Limbo, a place where souls with deep regrets are cursed into repeating the same day on a loop.
In a future knocked off its axis by corporate greed and stupidity, you have been made redundant and abandoned on the far edge of space with little gear and no safety net. You must explore every nook and cranny, collect dozens of upgrades, and turn over every mysterious alien rock if you want to get revenge on your former employer and return to Earth.
Beware, monsters are coming! In this tower-survivor rogue-lite on wheels, you gather resources and prepare defenses for an ever-moving city, protecting it from unrelenting hordes, while boosting potential through enhanced player progression. Are you prepared to face an unstoppable army of darkness? Can you reach the Ark?
The Crew Motorfest (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 20 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
The ultimate car culture festival has settled down in one of the most breathtaking places on Earth: Hawaii. Enjoy a variety of thrilling driving activities and choose how you want to have fun with more than 700 vehicles: cars, motorcycles, and even boats and planes! The best part: The Crew Motorfest has just started its 3rd year of free content updates, bringing new islands to explore, new car customization features, a race creator tool, NASCAR, and even more to the game.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – November 25 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
An all-new title crafted by renowned studio Don’t Nod, known for their acclaimed titles such as Life is Strange and Vampyr. Immerse yourself in an intimate narrative action RPG, taking you on an exhilarating journey between life, death, love, and sacrifices.
Kill It With Fire! 2(Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 25 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Take on the arachnid menace alone or with friends in full campaign co-op. Wage the arachnid war across time and space and exterminate every last spider across the multiverse or jump into Spider Hunt PVP and play as the eight-legged menace for the first time!
Marvel Cosmic Invasion(Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) – December 1 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! A cosmic battle awaits! Choose between 15 Marvel heroes in this frenetic action beat ‘em up to fight against the deadly Annihilation Wave threatening the galaxy. From New York City to the depths of the Negative Zone, the future of the Marvel Universe will be fought for across the stars!
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – December 2 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Embark on a new narrative journey by the creators of Life is Strange. Film your summer of 1995 and create memories of a lifetime with your new friends. 27 years later, confront the dark secrets that made you all promise to never speak again after that fateful summer.
In Case You Missed It
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7(Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) – Available now Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! In Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players the biggest Black Ops ever. Squad up with friends or play solo in a thrilling and innovative Co-op Campaign, harness near-future weaponry in a signature Multiplayer experience packed with 16 electrifying 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps at launch and descend into the next twisted chapter of Round-Based Zombies in the heart of the Dark Aether.
DLC / Game Updates
Halo Infinite – Operation: Infinite – Available today
Operation: Infinite offers a mighty mission packed with armor, progression updates, and more. Earn 2X Career Rank and 2X Spartan Points, claim 200 never-before-seen customizations from The Exchange, challenge yourself in a refreshed slate of Ranked Seasons, and brave a new Husky map just in time for the Halodays.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory – Available today
Valley of Memory is a free Assassin’s Creed Mirage update launching today! Explore AlUla’s deserts and oases, uncover family secrets, and face a ruthless gang of robbers. Enjoy enhanced gameplay with mission replay, smoother parkour, and new customization options.
League of Legends: Play the new Darkin Champion, Zaahen – November 19
Defy death and defeat with Zaahen, the Darkin warlord who ascends in combat to become unstoppable as the battle rages on – even with the odds stacked against him. Instantly unlock League of Legends’ newest top laner with Xbox Game Pass on November 19.
Revenge of the Savage Planet: Bingo Brawl Mode – November 19
Revenge of the Savage Planet adds more modes, more customization, and more ways to play! The core game adds a competitive mode called Bingo Brawl, a bunch of new ways to tweak your experience with Remix Mode, plus suits, Habitat items and more! So much game! So much fun! Grab a friend and play together. What could go wrong?
In-Game Benefits
The First Descendant: Assemble Bundle (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) – Available now
Gear up with the Assemble Bundle! Express your style with brilliant weapon skins, colorful Descendant paints, dynamic sprays, a stylish back attachment, and daring makeup options. Suit up and get ready to experience thrilling action across a sprawling battlefield!
Assassin’s Creed Mirage: Guardian Pack (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Available today
Keep the secrets of the First Civilization deeply buried in the sand by dressing yourself as a guardian of the old temple. This Pack contains a Costume and a Mount Skin.
Leaving November 30
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon, so be sure to jump back in or start fresh before they go! Save up to 20% off your purchase to keep them in your library.
Barbie Project Friendship (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Lords of the Fallen (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Octopath Traveler (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Octopath Traveler II (Cloud, Console, and PC)
SteamWorld Build (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Don’t forget to tune back into Xbox Wire on November 20 for all the updates from the Xbox Partner Preview for even more news. Talk soon!
Note: Games with a ‘Handheld’ designation represent those that are optimized for handheld play.
With the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, it’s a timely reminder of the responsibility we share to uphold the integrity of play. We put together this guide on the latest security features and actions players can take to make sure they’re ready to jump into Call of Duty today.
We’re focused on creating environments where competition thrives. At the heart of every great game is a simple promise: everyone deserves an equal shot at victory. Cheating breaks that promise, undermining the excitement and integrity of the experience for players and developers alike. Through close collaboration with game developers, anti-cheat technology providers, and players, we’re committed to protecting fair play and ensuring everyone can enjoy a level playing field.
Why Security Features Matter for Fair Play
Cheat software isn’t like traditional malware that sneaks in unnoticed; it’s installed and run by players who deliberately disable and circumvent built-in protections to gain an unfair edge. That’s why Microsoft’s security features alone can’t stop cheating if someone turns them off. The real value comes when these protections stay enabled by all – they create a trusted state that developers can count on. Using that state, developers can better safeguard their games and their players, by reliably distinguishing systems that are more likely to have cheaters vs. systems that are configured for trust and security.
Cheating has grown increasingly sophisticated, moving from simple memory hacks to exploits that try to compromise a system before it even verifies your PC is in a trusted state through the hardware and Windows boot process. While most modern PCs include essential security features for gaming, Windows 11 takes protection a step further with advanced defenses tailored for players and developers. Working closely with hardware providers and anti-cheat providers, we have established a set of standards for hardware and software security, creating a root of trust. These technologies work together to make your PC ready for gaming, making it harder for cheats to take hold:
Trusted Platform Module (TPM)2.0: Creates a modern, hardware-based secure key storage and root of trust, from which the system and Windows can generate information that can be trusted with cryptographic keys.
Secure Boot: Ensures only trusted software loads during the boot process. So, when it is enabled, developers can have confidence that cheats weren’t inserted into the system early to evade detection by the anti-cheat providers. Plus, it extends the root of trust from the TPM all the way through the hardware initialization process to the time that Windows begins to boot.
Virtualization-based Security (VBS): Provides another layer of protection, strengthening security by creating a secure, isolated environment within your system where it is difficult to run unauthorized code that could interfere with your game or anti-cheat software. Like secure boot, when it is enabled, developers can have greater certainty that cheats are not interfering with fair game play.
Remote Attestation: Provides a well-documented and industry wide approach for remotely validating every important step of both the hardware and Windows boot process by leveraging the TPM and creating cryptographically secure evidence that verifies your PC in a trusted state as it initializes and boots into Windows.
These same technologies sit at the heart of Xbox console security, a proven and trusted model, and we’re excited to see anti-cheat providers leveraging them on Windows 11 today.
How You Can Help Game Developers Build Trusted Communities
We’re working with partners to build the tools and standards that make gaming safer, but players have an important role too. By keeping your firmware and security features up to date, you’re helping developers maintain a trusted environment for everyone. Enabling these protections sends a signal that you value fair play.
That signal matters because developers increasingly rely on these standards when designing multiplayer experiences. When security features stay on, it becomes easier for developers to differentiate genuine gameplay from cheating and keep the community competitive and fun.
Here’s how you can help ensure your PC is ready for secure, fair play:
Keep Windows Up to Date: Make sure to regularly install Windows 11 updates. These updates are delivered automatically through Windows Update and provide essential security enhancements to help safeguard your gaming experience.
Stay Current with Firmware/BIOS Patches: Be proactive about checking for and installing firmware/BIOS updates from your PC manufacturer. Firmware/BIOS patches aren’t always automatic, so reviewing your manufacturer’s support site or tools ensures your device receives the latest protections against emerging threats. We’ve included some links below for many of the top manufacturers to help get you started.
Enable TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot: Most modern gaming PCs come with these features enabled by default. If you’ve built your own system or use an older device, check your firmware/BIOS settings and manufacturer’s or Windows’ instructions to activate them.
Review Security Requirements: Major titles such as Call of Duty and Valorant provide dedicated pages that outline the necessary protections needed for secure and fair gameplay. Check the official website for your favorite game to find its recommended security requirements before you play to ensure your system complies with the latest standards.
Stay Informed: Follow Microsoft’s official channels for guidance on best practices and the latest news. Bookmark the Security blog to keep up with our expert coverage on security matters. Also, follow us on LinkedIn (Microsoft Security) and X (@MSFTSecurity) for the latest news and updates on cybersecurity. We’ll keep you updated so you can focus on playing, not worrying.
Manufacturer Instructions
Additionally, here are a few resources to help:
What’s Next
The fight against cheating is always evolving, and so are the tools we use to protect the gaming community. As new games and anti-cheat solutions adopt modern security technologies, you’ll see more titles requiring features like TPM, Secure Boot, and advanced protections such as VBS.
We’re here to listen to your feedback as we work toward our shared goal of fair play for all. Together, we can build a gaming ecosystem that’s secure, fair, and fun for everyone. See you in-game!
Starting November 18, Fortnite Crew is part of your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
Valued at $11.99 a month, Fortnite Crew offers monthly rewards and access to Passes across Fortnite – and even Rocket League’s Rocket Pass Premium.
Fortnite also launches for Xbox on PC and becomes an Xbox Play Anywhere title on November 18.
It’s time to drop in, in style. From November 18, Fortnite Crew becomes part of your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, bringing monthly benefits across Fortnite (and even in Rocket League, too).
Not only that but, on the same day, Fortnite will become available through Xbox on PC for the first time, offering even more ways to play. Fortnite is joining Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning your progress and purchases will seamlessly follow you across Xbox consoles, PC, and supported gaming handhelds.
What’s Included in Fortnite Crew?
Fortnite Crew members get access to monthly rewards across Fortnite, and beyond. That comprises:
Fortnite Crew Pack – A Fortnite Crew-exclusive bundle that includes a new Outfit, plus at least one matching accessory like a Pickaxe, Glider, Wrap, or Emote. The November Crew Pack includes the racer Maxx Speed Outfit!
Battle Pass – Access to claim premium rewards from the Battle Pass as you level up. Including Outfits, Back Blings, and more!
OG Pass – Access to claim premium rewards from theOG Pass as you level up. Including items that are a fusion of new and classic!
LEGO Pass – Access to claim premium rewards from the LEGO Pass as you level up. Including items to use in LEGO Fortnite!
Music Pass – Access to claim premium rewards from the Music Pass as you level up. Including Instruments, Jam Tracks, and more items to use in Fortnite Festival!
1,000 V-Bucks – Each month, you’ll be rewarded 1,000 V-Bucks to put towards Outfits, Emotes, and more in the Fortnite Shop.
Rocket Pass Premium – Your Fortnite Crew membership even offers a benefit outside of Fortnite! You’ll also get access to Rocket Pass Premium in Rocket League.
Rocket Pass Premium is a Bonus Benefit. Bonus Benefits are only guaranteed for the then-current edition of Fortnite Crew. They may be changed from month to month or discontinued.
How Do I Access Fortnite Crew with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?
As an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, you’ll gain access to Fortnite Crew and begin accruing benefits by logging into Fortnite and Rocket League on Xbox console, Xbox on PC, or a supported gaming handheld.
If you are an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, here are the full details on the Fortnite Crew benefit being added to your subscription.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is for players who want the best of everything – alongside Fortnite Crew, subscribers get access to over 400 games playable on Xbox consoles, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud on supported devices. 75 new day one releases are added per year, including all Xbox-published games. You also get access to EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, enhanced Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming quality, Rewards with Xbox, and more.
Every Wednesday, dive into the Indie Selects Hub—your gateway to a fresh, curated indie collection plus four themed spotlights that rotate weekly! You can always find this collection hub in the Xbox Store and on Xbox.com/IndieSelects.
It’s spooky season, which means scary movies and creepy vibes are in full swing. If you’re not quite ready to face the dark alone, no worries — the ID@Xbox team has handpicked 6 awesome indie games to keep you company.
Some of these are in keeping with the dark vibes of October, but others are far from it – if you’re easily scared, we have some friendlier picks, too. Whether you want to team up with friends for a space raid, enjoy some alone time tending crops, explore strange buildings with even stranger gameplay, or solve wild puzzles in new lands, there’s something here to keep the shadows at bay.
Here’s more on what we’ve got for you this month (in no particular order):
Jump Space (formerly Jump Ship) delivers one of the most thrilling sci-fi co-op experiences I’ve played in a while. This mission-based PvE co-op game puts up to four players in charge of crewing a spaceship with seamless transitions between ship management and on-foot missions. You and your crew head out on roguelike missions traveling across a chosen path gathering resources, engaging in cargo raids, and more – all with the hopes of bringing permanent upgrades back to your base. Aside from taking on quests to progress the narrative, you’ll also be doing side quests for the various vendors in the Hangar to earn credits, spacesuits, and Materia Ingots for upgrades. The gameplay loop is simple yet engaging: explore space, customize your ship and gear, and survive intense deep-space encounters together – and, if you’re lucky, upgrade.
After spending around 12 hours traveling the stars, I really enjoyed what’s here. Each mission is a roguelike journey made up of multiple jumps, where each choice affects future paths and rewards. Strategic route selection is key to optimizing both short-term success and long-term gains for your base. From what I’ve experienced so far, Jump Space truly shines when played with a group, because even in the most desperate situations, smart teamwork and a bit of luck can lead to the most exhilarating, last-second escapes.
Jump Space is still in Game Preview, but it’s already showing incredible promise. If you’re into games like Void Crew or Wildgate, this is an easy recommendation. But even fans of the spacefaring elements in No Man’s Sky or Starfield might be surprised by how much they enjoy it. I’m genuinely excited to see how it evolves over time – Raymond Estrada
Jump Space (Game Preview)
Keepsake Games
☆☆☆☆☆ 239
★★★★★
$19.99
This game is a work in progress. It may or may not change over time or release as a final product. Purchase only if you are comfortable with the current state of the unfinished game.
Jump Space is a mission based co-op PvE for 1-4 players, where you are the crew of a spaceship. Transition seamlessly from crewing the ship to on-foot exploration and space walks. Explore, upgrade, and survive intense encounters in deep space together.
Full details on the latest status of the game, how you can give feedback and report issues can be found at https://jumpspacegame.com
Echoes of the Plum Grove, my comfy farming obsession. Picture this: you wake up, the sun’s shining, and your biggest dilemma is whether to plant carrots or go chat with the quirky neighbor who keeps gifting you turnips. That’s Echoes of the Plum Grove in a nutshell—a charming farming and life-sim game that feels like a warm hug with a side of strategy. It’s all about growing crops, crafting, and building a life in a world that moves at your pace.
From the moment I started, I was hooked. There’s something magical about watching your little farm transform season by season. Sure, winter can sneak up on you (pro tip: stockpile food!), but that’s part of the fun—planning ahead becomes its own cozy challenge. And the townsfolk? They’re full of personality, making every interaction feel like a mini story.
If you’ve played Stardew Valley or a Harvest Moon game, you’ll feel right at home here. But Echoes adds a cool twist: generational gameplay. Your choices echo (pun intended!) through time, which makes every decision feel meaningful. I’ve spent countless hours tending crops, exploring hidden paths, and laughing at unexpected events. It’s the kind of game that makes you lose track of time—in the best way – Jessica Ronnell
Echoes of the Plum Grove
indie.io
☆☆☆☆☆ 16
★★★★★
$19.99
A new life awaits you in Honeywood! After washing onto the island’s shores, you’ll find yourself the newly minted owner to a humble plot of land. Pull up your sleeves, grab your tools, and get to work building a farm that will last not only a lifetime, but span generations!
Echoes of Plum Grove is a casual, cozy farm simulator where your decisions have consequences! What to plant, what to stock for the winter, and who to befriend will shape not only the town of Honeywood, but the island itself.
Detective Dotson is a mystery adventure game set in a vibrant pixelated version of modern India. The story follows a detective uncovering clues to solve various cases, each one revealing new details about the mysterious death of his father. The story is engaging as each case, no matter how small it might look, provides a new piece of the larger puzzle about the mystery of his father’s sudden passing. The game rewards exploration, you gather clues by interacting with the colorful cast of charismatic characters and engage in fun mini games – my favorite being dancing.
Masala Games perfectly captured nuances, vibes, and expressions of the characters and fun environments. The world is inviting and stimulating, I love spending time exploring to discover countless details in the background, from street vendors and people celebrating the Festival of Colors, to the hilarious moment when a guard throws a sandal at trespassers. It’s clear this is a labor of love, the lively soundtrack and top-tier voice acting elevate the experience even further, making the world of Detective Dotson a joy to explore.
There’s also a 60 minute movie available for free on YouTube that serves as prologue to the story. You don’t need to watch it to enjoy the game, but I recommend it if you want to dive deeper into Detective Dotson’s universe.
Overall, Detective Dotson is a charming, engaging experience that combines mystery and humor, with puzzles and mini-games. It’s a game that invites you to linger, explore, and return to catch the little details you missed the first time – Oscar Polanco
Detective Dotson
Masala Games Private Limited
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$14.99
A cozy mystery game about a detective with Bollywood dreams. It’s the first adventure game set in the colorful streets of India. Engage with adorable 2D characters living in a 3D world. Find clues and solve the evidence board. With each case, a larger mystery unfolds. Play gully cricket, dance at weddings or help a cute grandma find hidden objects. Everything is always at your own pace in Detective Dotson. Enjoy the wholesome vibes but don’t forget to bargain, for everything!
Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion III is a wild mash-up of genres that includes Metroidvania-style progression, Match-3 puzzle “combat”, and visual novel presentation. You’ll make your way through dozens of branching paths as the seemingly cookie-cutter maybe-game hero, J.J. Hardwell, in order explore the eponymous mansion while stumbling upon some seriously goofy, deeply meta story elements that keep this firmly footed in comedy rather than creepy.
Spoiler alert: While this game has a “3” at the end of its title, this isn’t a sequel to any real-world existing game series. That fact alone should tip you off to the fact that the always clever minds behind CRDM3 at Strange Scaffold (I Am Your Beast, Clickolding, etc.) have cooked up a game that continually surprises in a way that I found absolutely compelling and entertaining. Each confrontation in the mansion – be it with a pterodactyl in clown make-up or a foul-mouthed tiny angry dino with a pistol – is solved through Match-3-style puzzle “fights”, each with unique attacks/abilities based on lining up colored gems or other symbols. I can’t say I’ve seen this type of mechanic used in this particular way to such silly, smartly written, and yet challenging effect. I loved every minute of it.
The systems in the game go much deeper than just “Candy Crush but with dinosaurs,” including branching dialogue choices that unlock “traits” which in turn give you access to new areas that you weren’t able to explore before. If you’re on board to dive into a wildly unhinged, hilarious, and very inventive interactive love letter to indie game development (and being “always online”), then look no further than this oddball delight. It may have all the trimmings of being a (fantastic) joke-filled romp on its surface, but ultimately there’s an earnest heart (especially for game creators in a tough, relentless industry) beating beneath all those layers of absurdity.
Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3
Strange Scaffold
☆☆☆☆☆ 4
★★★★★
$19.99
Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 is “committing to the bit” so hard that it hurts. It’s a sequel to a game series that doesn’t exist, complete with lore and a fictional development team. It’s a game where match-3 is used not just for combat, but for lockpicking doors, debating robots, and swallowing a bunch of diamonds in front of a notorious gem thief so that he can’t steal them first. It is, all genre elements considered, a match-3 survival horror comedy RPG metroidvania, and it’s rad as hell.
20 years ago, Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion emerged as a smash-hit genre fusion, casting fan-favorite protagonist Jack Briar in a fast-paced puzzle adventure.
8 years ago, Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 was announced on the biggest stage in gaming.
This is what happened next.
Hotel Barcelona feels like a hidden gem from the early 2000s, mixing 2.5D roguelike action with a wild blend of ’90s anime and ’80s horror. You play as Justine, a U.S. Marshal sharing a body with the soul of serial killer Dr. Carnival, on a mission to avenge her father. After a bizarre crash and a run-in with two hitchhikers, she ends up at Hotel Barcelona — a place she can’t leave thanks to a witch’s curse and a bunch of trapped serial killers. To survive, Justine and Dr. Carnival team up for fast-paced, over-the-top combat against waves of killers, bosses, and the witch herself.
I think the story beats are what kept me locked in, especially after an intense interaction between the hotel manager (easily my favorite character) and Dr. Carnival. I desperately needed to understand their connection. Honestly, nearly every character interaction was entertaining, and I found each character charming in their own unique way. As for the actual gameplay, it’s pretty challenging and I found myself dying on the first stage… a lot. However, there are several difficulty options, along with the ability to play co-op with friends to ease things up a bit. There’s a ton of variety such as run modifiers, skill & weapon upgrades, unlockable costumes, mini-games, and a unique Slasher Phantom system – allowing players to follow the steps of their previous run but also leverage their phantom’s attacks to fight enemies if properly strategized.
Hotel Barcelona is an entertaining roguelike, packed with inventive take on combat, some nice narrative touches, and a cast of delightfully unhinged characters. If you’re into horror, you’ll appreciate exploring the hotel and diving into the story — the game wears its weird, grindhouse vibes loud and proud – Deron Mann
HOTEL BARCELONA
CULT Games
☆☆☆☆☆ 30
★★★★★
$29.99
Justine, a rookie U.S. Marshal, thought this was just another routine case.
But when her car crashes in a freak accident at the edge of nowhere, she finds herself trapped in a twisted new world: HOTEL BARCELONA.
Seven serial killers.
One haunted hotel.
And a second personality living inside her head…
Meet Dr. Carnival: murderer, psychopath, devastating ancient monster.
THIS FALL… DEATH HAS A ROOM KEY
In this blood-soaked 2.5D sidescroller straight from your nightmares:
Battle through insane horror-themed floors!
Face killers inspired by the nastiest corners of your local video store!
Every time you die, your past self fights beside you – like a ghost with a grudge!
BLOOD IS POWER
The more you kill, the stronger you become.
But let the blood stop flowing… and you’re next.
CARNIVAL’S AWAKENING
Unleash the brutal power of the serial killer in your mind.
Turn the tide of battle. Become a legend.
Not recommended for:
Individuals with weak stomachs
Fans of quiet indie puzzle games
People afraid of mirrors
Anyone still emotionally recovering from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
There’s something timeless about sitting down to play with someone you care about — a shared laugh, a moment of discovery, that unspoken rhythm of working together. Lego Voyagers, from Light Brick Studio and Annapurna Interactive, captures that feeling perfectly. It’s a quiet, heartfelt co-op adventure that invites two players to journey through breathtaking Lego worlds where imagination and friendship guide every step. With no dialogue or instructions, the story unfolds naturally through play — a gentle reminder that connection doesn’t always need words.
Each puzzle feels like a conversation between two people. You’ll build bridges, balance across floating platforms, and find joy in the smallest details — the sound of a brick clicking into place, the light dancing off translucent pieces, the simple pride of solving something together. Lego Voyagers isn’t just about reaching the end; it’s about slowing down, communicating without speaking, and rediscovering the quiet magic of creating side by side. It’s a story that resonates long after the controller is set down, because it’s really about the people holding them.
Lego Voyagers shines with crisp visuals, soothing sound, and seamless co-op play — locally or online. Thanks to the Friend’s Pass, only one player needs a copy, making it easy to share the experience with anyone you’d like to reconnect with. Short, warm, and beautifully made, this is more than a game — it’s a shared memory waiting to be built – Steven Allen
LEGO® Voyagers
Annapurna Interactive
☆☆☆☆☆ 44
★★★★★
$24.99
From the makers of LEGO® Builder’s Journey comes a new 2-player co-op adventure about friendship and play. When two friends make it their mission to rescue an abandoned spaceship, they embark on a journey beyond their wildest dreams, ultimately learning the value of being connected.
● Experience what it feels like to be a LEGO brick. Tumble, jump, snap together, and build your way through rich brick worlds.
● Unravel a poetic, non verbal narrative, set in beautiful brick built environments, supported by an atmospheric soundtrack.
● Cooperatively solve the game’s many challenges and discover how two bricks are better than one. Play locally on the same screen, or online.
● Invite a friend to join your adventure for free with the Friend’s Pass. As long as one of you owns LEGO Voyagers, you can both play the full co-op experience together.
LEGO Voyagers asks open questions about building friendships, sharing dreams, and giving space.
It reminds us that while playing and being creative is for all shapes and sizes, it’s always better when you share it with a friend.
You may have noticed some big changes to our consumer tech coverage this year. We revamped our gadget news, reviews, and guides, and have steadily elevated our product photography and videos as we’ve added new experts to bring you everything happening in the weird and inventive world of consumer tech.
As the end of the year draws near, it’s time to announce Gizmodo’s Best Tech of 2025 Awards. We reviewed a tremendous amount of gadgets this calendar year—several from new categories like smart glasses with displays—and we’re going to expand into even more categories in 2026. We couldn’t be more excited to share with you all the products that impressed us the most.
Across over a dozen categories, every winner is a product that Gizmodo’s consumer tech team has either reviewed or tested extensively—so you can trust we’ve done our jobs. We didn’t just hand out awards willy-nilly.
We’ve also got a few additional winners to award in the coming weeks; some products are releasing after this list publishes, so it’s only fair that we wait to include them for consideration.
Not everyone will agree with our picks, but don’t worry, dear reader, you’ll get a chance to vote for your favorite tech of the year in a separate Reader’s Choice Awards.
Most importantly, thank you for reading consumer tech stories. Our North Star is to provide authoritative, fair, and entertaining coverage. We hope you enjoy going through our Best Tech of 2025 Awards!
Phones and Tablets
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
No other phone packs as many features as Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra. It’s a chonker of a phone for sure, but that’s only because it has everything and the kitchen sink (including a stylus).
You don’t need to spend $1,000, or even $800, to get a solid smartphone these days, and Google’s Pixel 9a is proof of that. The OLED screen is big (but not huge), the cameras take solid photos, the battery lasts a day, and the performance is responsive. It even runs Gemini and AI features fairly well thanks to its Tensor G4 chip.
Unlike the iPhone Air, the iPhone 17 Pros have no compromises. Everything about these models is there for the sake of function. Of any iPhones ever released, they have the best screens, the most powerful performance (with vapor chamber cooling, so they don’t overheat easily), the longest battery life, and the best-quality cameras on the front and back.
Motorola really pulled ahead of the foldable flip phone competition this year with the Razr Ultra. Nearly every feature—folding screen, performance, battery life, and cameras—outguns those of similar flip-style phones. It was great to see the iconic phone brand return with such a strong showing.
Samsung knocked the Galaxy Z Fold 7 out of the park. It’s everything a foldable should be: super thin unfolded, about as thick as a regular phone when closed, and super light. It’s not cheap, but overall, this is the best book-style foldable that’s widely available for purchase globally.
The pinnacle of Apple’s tablet range is, once again, the iPad Pro. Not only do you get a beautiful tandem OLED display, but the M5 chip can also output laptop-level performance for all your creative apps. There are versions with 11-inch and 13-inch screens available as well.
The OnePlus came out of left field, and we’re glad it did, because there’s a lot to like about this 13-inch tablet. Notably, the battery life outclasses that of similar-sized Android tablets, the 8-speaker system pumps out Dolby Atmos sound, and the software’s multitasking is well executed. It’s easily the best alternative to an iPad Pro, and it costs a lot less.
A more pocketable version of the beloved Paper Pro, the Paper Pro Move is easier to reach for when you need to jot down notes or fleeting ideas. It has the same color E Ink screen as its bigger sibling, comes bundled with a stylus, and includes an assortment of practical AI features for lovers of notetaking and reading. The Paper Pro Move is like a modern reporter’s notebook—only your handwritten and hand-drawn content is synced digitally to the cloud and accessible on devices like your phone and laptop.
The MacBook Pro remains as good as it ever was, but it’s slightly more future-proofed with the M5 chip. An M4 Pro or M4 Max may offer better performance, but for the average user, the M5 will be sufficient for most necessary tasks on the latest macOS 26 Tahoe.
If you’re looking for a laptop with “everything,” Acer’s Predator Triton 14 AI has even more. The notebook includes an RTX 5070 GPU and a higher-end Intel Core Ultra 288V CPU. It even lets you use a stylus on the trackpad (though not the touchscreen) when you feel creative.
For a laptop that has a little of everything and can still run all day, you don’t need to look further than the Asus Zenbook S16. It feels good on your fingertips, is light enough that it slips into a backpack with ease, and still has adequate performance for all but the most hardcore tasks.
If you were wondering just how powerful a Chromebook could get, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 may beat your expectations. The 2K-resolution OLED display is sharp with inky blacks, the keyboard is clacky, the trackpad is smooth, and battery life lasts pretty long. Few apps can take advantage of the NPU, or neural processing unit, today, but coupled with 16GB of RAM, the Chromebook Plus 14 is future-proofed for tasks down the line.
The best bang-for-buck graphics card of 2025 is AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 XT. It not only achieves impressive metrics for 1440p and 4K gaming, but also costs less than competing cards at a similar price point.
When it comes to gaming, there’s simply no match for the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D desktop CPU. AMD’s special 3D cache, which adds extra memory just below the CPU’s main processing cores, is still proving itself to be the thing you want for any desktop gaming rig.
There’s nothing quite like the Framework Desktop; it’s the most customizable, modular, and performative small-form desktop PC out there. It features an AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 CPU, which delivers exceptional performance for both work and gaming on a single chip, and includes swappable USB-C-based I/O ports, as well as interchangeable decorative tiles, on the front.
The Nintendo Switch 2 continues to surprise us months after launch. The dockable handheld console takes what made the original Switch great and beefs up the performance and screen size, while adding unique features like mouse controls. Of course, you buy a Nintendo console for the games, and there are also plenty of great titles to keep you occupied.
Microsoft and Asus pushed the ROG Xbox Ally X as an enhanced PC, with its new UI dubbed the “full screen experience.” It performs very well, especially at lower wattages, and you still have access to all your favorite PC games across the most popular launchers.
Lenovo’s Legion Pro 7i has the performance and amenities of an 18-inch gaming laptop in a 16-inch shell. You’ll want a version of this laptop with at least an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU to really push frame rates in games.
If you want to use a single controller with both a Switch 2 and PC, you need look no further than the 8BitDo Pro 3. The controller includes pop-out face buttons you can rearrange for the traditional Xbox layout. You can also swap the A and B buttons if you prefer to game on Switch 2.
Lego’s Game Boy is easily the toy of the year. The nearly 1:1 replica of the iconic Nintendo handheld released in 1989 is extremely fun to build and has two brick-ified game cartridges you can insert into the back slot, pressable buttons, and lenticular screens that mimic the monochrome green screen. You’ll be smiling with every brick you snap into place.
Improving on the AirPods Pro 2 was no easy feat, but Apple has done just that with the AirPods Pro 3. Everything from sound quality to active noise cancellation, to fit, to continuous battery life is better. Extra features, like an accurate, built-in heart rate sensor and live translation, only cement them as best-in-class.
You don’t have to go premium to get solid sound, and CMF is a testament to that. This subbrand of Nothing puts out quality audio in an affordable price range, and while you won’t get the best in any category (ANC or sound), these wireless earbuds are incredibly well-rounded. A wide range of colors and solid ANC don’t hurt, either.
Sony is no stranger to being king of the castle when it comes to headphones, and with its WH-1000XM6, it takes the crown again. The XM6 improve on the XM5 in pretty much every way, delivering great sound, excellent ANC, and solid battery life—the most important qualities in a pair of wireless headphones.
There are gaming headphones that may help you pick out footsteps or gunshots to trounce noobs in multiplayer, but the Sony Inzone H9 II simply have the best audio of any headset this year. They’re comfortable and include a quality microphone, so you’re not missing out on much for the sake of feeling truly immersed.
Bose is known for its pricey audio products, and while the SoundLink Plus doesn’t shirk that trend, the bass, sound, and overall look make it worth every penny.
Canon’s PowerShot V1 may be the best vlogging camera ever. With excellent image quality from its 22-megapixel sensor, a versatile 16-50mm zoom lens, and superfast autofocus, this compact point-and-shoot and its flip-out display are perfect for amateur creators looking to level up their content.
Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay+
There’s no better option among instant cameras, offering such classic-looking prints, than the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay+. Along with the camera’s usual sensor, you can take selfie photos or connect a phone or SD card to print personal photos as well.
Insta360 Go Ultra
If the usual GoPro is looking too standard, the Insta360 Go Ultra offers better portability with its magnetic, pop-out 4K pod. You can attach the pod to your shirt or bike and expect solid footage up to 4K and 60 fps.
Bang for buck, the Apple Watch SE 3 delivers—hard. It’s got the greatest hits features from the last 10 years of Apple smartwatches, and even some from its pricier Series 11 sibling, like the S10 chip, double tap and wrist flick gestures, a more durable glass screen, and optional 5G cellular support.
Google crept up from last to first place in the Android smartwatch rankings this year. Sure, there’s a convenient raise-to-talk Gemini feature, but it really nailed fundamentals like a bigger and brighter domed screen, longer battery life, redesigned charging stand, improved health and fitness tracking, and better-optimized Wear OS 6 with the bubblier and more animated Material 3 Expressive design language. For Android phone users, the Pixel Watch 4 is the best there is.
For those who don’t want to wear a smartwatch or tracker, the Oura 4 Ceramic includes robust physiological data, including heart rate variability, sleep analysis, shifts in body temperature, and blood oxygen rates, as well as new features like reproductive health and smart sensing. The newest ceramic model is also less prone to scratching and color fading.
The Polar Loop is the serious athlete’s ideal tech companion: a comfortable, no-screen, no-subscription wearable that gives athletes exactly what they need and want and nothing more. The Loop provides 24/7 activity tracking and insights into fitness progression—all from a company known for first-class heart-rate technology.
The screenless Whoop 5.0 provides more data than almost any other wearable. It tracks everything from step count to heart rate variability, to sleep metrics, and more, and spins out a daily strain score, all of which are displayed cleanly in its accompanying app. The subscription-based, tiered model is an added cost, but it allows for plenty of customization.
There’s no shortage of Wi-Fi 7 routers to choose from. But if you want a mesh network that’s simple, stable, delivers fast downloads, and won’t clash with your home decor, the Eero Pro 7 is our go-to. It’s one of those “it just works” products.
The Matic isn’t your typical disc-shaped robot vacuum; it’s full of personality like a Pixar character. It sucks up dirt quietly and never bumps into walls or furniture, and it mops well, too. If this is what it’s like to have a droid at home, bring it on.
The push to hook up home security cameras to the cloud opens them up to convenient features like backup and AI computer vision, but it also puts your footage at risk. Reolink’s Altas captures high-quality video and includes a solar panel for sun-fueled power, but the best thing is that it works without an internet connection, with recordings saved to a microSD card. Maybe every gadget doesn’t need to be “smart.”
Functional and portable, Xgimi’s MoGo 4 is half projector and half vibes. The cylindrical device can project a 1080p screen at up to 200 inches in size, doubles as a Bluetooth speaker with its 6W Harmon Kardon drivers, and is fully portable thanks to its built-in battery. But what truly makes it unique is the attachable magnetic filters that can spray a pattern like a sunset, water ripple, or dreamy effect onto walls or ceilings, just to set a mood.
AR
Meta Ray-Ban AI Glasses Gen 2
Meta was first to popularize AI glasses, and its lead is showing. The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 might not be an explosive upgrade over the last generation, but they improve in all of the areas that matter, including battery life and video capture, making them an easy pick if you’re in the market for non-display smart glasses.
If the Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses Gen 2 are an easy pick, the Meta Ray-Ban Display are even easier. With a bright display and “Neural Band” for controlling the UI with precise finger pinches and gestures, these are the AR smart glasses that will make you feel like you’re actually living in the future.
The Xreal One Pro are hands-down the best way to watch movies and TV while flying. They plug directly into any compatible device, such as a phone, laptop, or tablet, via USB-C and let you see a 171-inch virtual display that’s bright and sharp. There’s a whole spatial computing aspect to them, but we’d just stick with using them as awesome video glasses.
We were spoiled for choice for a 240Hz QD-OLED monitor this year, but in the end, the Alienware AW2725Q stood out the most. This 27-inch square display offers a beautiful picture with a monitor stand that looks unique without sacrificing stability.
Incredible doesn’t even begin to describe this portable battery bank. It’s got three USB ports (2x USB-C and 1x USB-A) capable of supplying 300W of combined power to charge two laptops and a phone, or pretty much any modern device. With a 26,250mAh capacity, you could go a whole weekend without needing a wall outlet.
Logitech struck gold with its MX Master series of wireless mice, so it didn’t need to do much to make the MX Master 4 the best mouse of the year. It feels comfortable, has a free-spinning and side-scrolling wheel, and now supports haptics to add a little rumbly in your thumbly.
Laifen’s P3 Pro is the kind of product that Apple would make if it designed grooming products. Its aluminum body and satisfying, reversible magnetic razor attachment system scream Apple-inspired. Its compact footprint is deceptive—this razor is powerful enough to mow down even the bushiest of beards.
Anker Prime Charger (160W, 3 Ports, Smart Display)
Almost every power brick that comes with a laptop is huge and heavy. Using the latest gallium nitride (GaN) technology, Anker’s Prime Charger (160W, 3 Ports, Smart Display) is barely larger than an AirPods Pro 3 case and can charge one device at up to 140W (perfect for even a 16-inch MacBook Pro) or three devices totaling up to 160W. The built-in screen is handy for showing how much power each port is outputting.
Keeper, the otherworldly new adventure from Double Fine, arrives today.
Launching on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, and Steam. It’s an Xbox Play Anywhere title, and available day one with Game Pass.
Read a note from Creative Lead, Lee Petty, as his beautiful passion project arrives.
Hi there, my name is Lee Petty, and I’m a Creative Lead here at Double Fine Productions. I’ve been at Double Fine for almost 20 years! I was the Art Director for Brütal Legend and Broken Age, but was also the Creative Lead for Stacking, Headlander, Autonomous, and RAD.
My new game, Keeper, was inspired by the events of the last few years. Like most, I thought a lot about isolation and connection with others. I’ve always been into hiking, backpacking, and spending time outdoors with my family. During the pandemic, it became even more important to me. I wondered if the wildlife around me would be all that is left in the future. Would it continue to develop, to evolve? I thought of the mycelium, the vast underground networks that connect fungi, and how they are also used by trees to share nutrients and communicate with each other.
I imagined an isolated island in a far-flung future without humans. What sorts of life would evolve there? Would this life still be possessed with a need to connect with others and to have a purpose?
When thinking about what this world could look like, I was inspired by Surrealist painters, like Max Ernst and Salvador Dali, who created vibrant, dream-like worlds that are both familiar and unlike anything else. Some of my favorite movies, like ‘The Dark Crystal’ and ‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’, are about strange, otherworldly places and unusual forms of life, and both present as family-friendly films but have weirder, darker undercurrents. This comes through in Keeper too, giving it a gameplay style that I like to call “Weird, but Chill”.
A story told entirely without words, Keeper is the tale of a long-forgotten Lighthouse on a post-human island, which awakens after eons of lying dormant. The Lighthouse’s ancient masonry crumbles and it falls to the ground, but then it grows legs, stands up, and sets off on a journey toward the mountain peak at the center of the island, joined by a spirited seabird companion, named Twig.
It’s a psychedelic tale of companionship and an adventure of mystifying metamorphosis, all set in a beautiful and surreal otherworldly realm beyond understanding.
It’s a game which is very much about the unexpected, and we have gone to great lengths to preserve the mysteries and surprises the game holds. I’m really excited for you all to discover them for yourselves as you play – and I’d like to ask you to please consider how you talk about these surprising elements, ideally preserving some of the mystery for others wherever possible. Thank you for playing!
Lee & The Team at Double Fine Productions
Keeper
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 200
★★★★★
$29.99
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass
From Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Keeper is a beautiful and surreal otherworldly adventure, and a story told without words.
On an island in a long-lost sea, a forgotten lighthouse stands dormant in the shadow of a distant mountain peak. As withering tendrils spread and coalesce, it awakens. Taken with a mysterious sense of purpose and joined by a spirited seabird, it embarks upon a heartening tale of unlikely companionship, an odyssey of mystifying metamorphosis, and an unexpected journey towards the center of the island, into realms beyond understanding.
Your games, wherever you want—ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are now available for players across 45 countries worldwide, with more on the way.
Developed in partnership with ASUS and AMD, these handhelds put the Xbox experience and the freedom of Windows in your hands, so you can play your way, wherever you go.
At Xbox, we define success by how much time players choose to spend with us—and the Xbox Ally handhelds are designed to make that time more seamless, flexible, and fun than ever before. Your Xbox experience travels with you—your library, your progression, your friends, and your achievements. And for the first time ever, you can play more of your games with Xbox, including those from leading Windows PC storefronts, all in one place. Whether you’re playing locally or streaming from your console or the cloud, it’s all right there, ready when you are.
This launch reflects the efforts of many—from the players who shaped the journey through early feedback, to the game creators who built the games you’ll play today. It’s a celebration of what we can build together.
Ready to jump in? Here’s how to get your Xbox Ally handheld today.
The Wait is Over: Get Your Xbox Ally Handheld Today
We’ve seen incredible excitement from players during pre-orders and availability may vary depending on the retailer and device. In the U.S., you can pick up the Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally on Xbox.com.
For global availability of both the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, check the ASUS eShop and participating retailers worldwide. To find retailers in your region, head to Xbox.com.
Getting Started
The moment you boot up your Xbox Ally, you’ll see everything you love about Xbox come to life in a new way. From grips that feel like an Xbox controller in your hands, to the new Xbox Full Screen Experience, every detail is designed to feel familiar. To help you unlock the full potential of your handheld, we’ve pulled together a few resources that will make your experience with the Xbox Ally handhelds smooth, fun, and yours:
To make sure you’re ready on day one, we’ve created a Getting Started guide with tips and best practices to walk you through customizing your gaming experience so you can start playing right away. And once you’re in the game, your personal sidekick Gaming Copilot (Beta) is within reach—just long press the library button to ask for recommendations and get help, all without leaving your session. Learn more in the guide.
For your first play session, we’ve rounded up a selection of great gamesto try on your Xbox Ally from our Handheld Compatibility program, including Gears of War: Reloaded, South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Hollow Knight: Silksong. Discover what’s waiting for you when you power on—check out the full list now.
With Xbox Play Anywhere, you can play 1000+ games you own seamlessly across Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, including the new Xbox Ally handhelds. Over 55 new titles were added last month, giving you more ways to play wherever you go. To make it even easier to discover new favorites, players in select markets will also receive three months of Xbox Game Pass Premium or PC Game Pass (where available) with the purchase of an Xbox Ally handheld. Premium, which now offers unlimited cloud gaming and access to PC titles, gives you a library of over 200 great games to jump into anytime, anywhere. Learn more at Xbox.com.
We are committed to empowering everyone to play in a way that works for them, including the 425 million players with disabilities across the globe. With the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, the Xbox experience and Game Bar have been optimized for handheld use, bringing along familiar accessibility features from Xbox consoles and Windows 11 PCs. You can check out a list of available accessibility features by visiting Xbox Support.
The Future of Handheld Gaming Starts Now
The Xbox Ally is the latest example of how we’re making gaming better across all of Windows. Together with ASUS, AMD, and Windows, we’re committed to pushing handheld gaming further, guided by your feedback and powered by deep collaboration. That means ongoing improvements to performance, battery life, handheld compatibility, and new features on the Xbox Ally handhelds in the months ahead.
In the coming weeks, Xbox Ally players can look forward to previewing Default Game Profiles, a new feature that balances frame rate and energy use for select titles to give players smooth, enjoyable gameplay while extending battery life. And that’s just the beginning. Early next year, we will also roll out enhancements to the docking experience for both Xbox Ally handhelds, introduce AI-powered features like Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) and highlight reels for the Xbox Ally X, and much more.
What’s most exciting is that many of these innovations are designed to scale across all Windows devices—some are available today, and others are on the way. Features like enhanced controller navigation, Gaming Copilot (Beta), and aggregated gaming library via the Xbox App are already available to all Windows users, while Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD) is designed to be usable by all Windows storefronts and games. These innovations, along with performance optimizations made to Windows and driver enhancements from partners like AMD, deliver a smoother, more powerful gaming experience—benefiting players no matter where they play with Windows. The future of handheld gaming is here—and it’s built on the freedom of Windows and powered by Xbox.
On behalf of Team Xbox, thank you for being with us as we embark on this new era of handheld gaming.
We surprise-added a bunch of games last week – for cloud, console, PC, and even the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally handhelds – with more to come, meaning we have something for everyone. Let’s get to the games.
Available Today
Supermarket Simulator (Cloud, Console, and PC) Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Run your own supermarket in this store management game! Stock shelves, set your prices, take payments, hire staff, expand your store, handle shoplifters, and design your layout. Purchase goods from online or local markets around town and personally deliver online orders to your customers.
Coming Soon
Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Editions (PC) – October 9 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Available on console and cloud gaming and now coming to Xbox on PC! Gather your party; the RPG saga returns. Immerse yourself in an epic RPG series where every choice matters. Play over 100 hours of adventure in enhanced editions of Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II!
The Casting of Frank Stone(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 14 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
The shadow of Frank Stone looms over Cedar Hills, a town forever altered by his violent past. As a group of young friends are about to discover, Stone’s blood-soaked legacy cuts deep, leaving scars across families, generations, and the very fabric of reality itself.
Ball x Pit(Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 15 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass:Ball x Pit is a brick-breaking, ball-fusing, base-building survival roguelite. Batter hordes of enemies with ricocheting balls and gather the riches of the pit to expand your homestead, generate resources and recruit unique heroes.
The Grinch has a wonderful, awful idea – steal all the presents in Who-ville, using gadgets like his stealthy Santa costume and Candy Cane Lasso. Help him sneak around, freeze creatures with snowballs, and learn the meaning of Christmas along the way, in this festive platformer!
Eternal Strands(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 15 Now with Game Pass Premium
Eternal Strands is the debut fantasy title from Yellow Brick Games. Fight epic, towering creatures while blending magical abilities with an arsenal of powerful weapons to keep the world from crumbling in this third-person, action-adventure game.
Deep in the forgotten corners of the world, a dark force stirs – the Demon King rises once more. Sharpen your wits, seek out powerful artifacts, and stand firm in the face of the apocalypse in this roguelite RPG auto battler.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 15 Now with Game Pass Premium
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black features the high-speed, ninja action of iconic hero Ryu Hayabusa and his deadly Dragon Sword. Embark on a global battle against formidable foes, engage in relentless combat, and play as additional characters Momiji, Ayana and Rachel.
Pax Dei (PC) – October 16 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Welcome to a vast, social sandbox MMO inspired by the legends of the medieval era. Here, myths are real, ghosts exist, and magic is unquestioned. Join thousands of players as you explore the land, build your home, forge your reputation, and craft your own stories. What world will you make?
Keeper(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 17 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! From Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Keeper is a story told without words, in which a long-forgotten lighthouse is awakened and, joined by a spirited seabird, it embarks upon a heartening tale of unlikely companionship, and an unexpected journey into realms beyond understanding.
Evil West(Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 21 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Making a return to the Game Pass library! A dark menace consumes the Old West. In solo or co-op, fight with style in visceral, explosive combat against bloodthirsty monstrosities. Eradicate the vampiric hordes with your lightning-fueled gauntlet and become a Wild West Superhero.
Ninja Gaiden 4(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 21 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! The definitive ninja hack and slash franchise returns with Ninja Gaiden 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
In Case You Missed It
We recently revealed new details about Xbox Game Pass memberships. You can learn more about this below:
Hogwarts Legacy(Cloud, Console, and PC) – Available now Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. Embark on a journey through familiar and new locations as you explore and discover magical beasts, customize your character and craft potions, master spell casting, upgrade talents and become the wizard you want to be.
Little Rocket Lab(Cloud, Console, and PC) – Available now Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Little Rocket Lab is a cozy, machine building RPG. You play as Morgan, an aspiring engineer! Head home to St. Ambroise to help complete your family’s dream-building a rocket. Help the locals with new machines, be creative, and become the ultimate engineer! That rocket isn’t going to build itself!
DLC / Game Updates
Dead by Daylight: Sinister Grace – Available now The skin tears. The head rises. The hunt begins. In Dead by Daylight: Sinister Grace, play as The Krasue, forever cursed by insatiable hunger and a terrifying creature well suited for The Fog. The Krasue’s blood-drenched tale is one of ambition gone awry.
Diablo IV: Season of Infernal Chaos – Available now Season 10 takes gameplay to chaotic heights, with updates that encourage deeper build experimentation and mastery through powerful Chaos Armor Uniques and deadly class-tailored Chaos Perks. The chaos persists in endgame with revamped Infernal Hordes, now overtaken by new, relentless Chaos Waves.
FBC: Firebreak – Breakpoint Update – Available now The first free Major Update, Breakpoint is packed with systemic overhauls, new content, and quality-of-life improvements – all aimed at making FBC: Firebreak more fun, varied, and rewarding to play.
Grounded 2: Hairy and Scary Update – Available now The Hairy and Scary update unleashes AXL the tarantula with a full armor set to craft, new weapons to wield, and new base décor. Fine-tune your loadout with new gear and build smarter with the streamlined BUILD.M interface as you prepare to face AXL on the back of your Buggy.
Age of Empires II: DE – Chronicles: Alexander the Great – October 14 Pre-order now and save 15%! Prepare for the next chapter in the fan-favorite Chronicles saga by stepping into the sandals of history’s greatest conqueror. Embark on Alexander the Great’s epic journey in this narrative-driven campaign featuring three new civilizations, customizable armies, and fresh storytelling.
In-Game Benefits
Now all Game Pass subscribers can get in-game benefits for eligible free-to-play games and titles in the Xbox Game Pass library, in addition to special offers like Discord Nitro. Specific benefits may vary per plan, region, and time.
Valorant: Play the new Agent Veto (Console and PC) – Available now Upset your enemy’s gameplan and take every fight on YOUR terms with Veto: Valorant’s new Senegalese Sentinel whose Radivore mutation shuts down and shrugs off enemy abilities.
Call of Duty: Warzone – Game Pass Pack 4 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 15 Get a free in-game bundle for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone. This pack includes operator skins, weapon blueprints, emotes, weapon charms and more that you can use in both games.
Leaving October 15
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Be sure to pick up where you left off before they go and remember you can save up to 20% off your purchase to keep the fun going!
Cocoon (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Core Keeper (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutants Unleashed (Cloud, Console, and PC)
No matter how you want to game – be it on your PC, your console, a metaphorical ton of devices for cloud gaming (maybe a literal ton, if you count the CAR that has cloud gaming??), we have something for you. Talk soon!
Our goal with Game Pass has been clear: deliver unmatched value, benefits, and a deep library of games for our players. Since launching in 2017, we’ve steadily grown our subscriber and creator satisfaction – and today, creator participation and player engagement in Game Pass are at an all-time high. But we have the opportunity for Game Pass to help more players find the creators and games they love.
We know not everyone wants the same thing in their Xbox experience, so we’re evolving Game Pass to offer more flexibility, choice, and value to all players, whether you love day one releases, discovering hidden gems, or playing across multiple devices and screens and across Xbox consoles, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud.
Starting today, we’re introducing three upgraded Game Pass plans based on how players play: Essential, Premium, and Ultimate. Each includes expanded game libraries, including PC titles, unlimited cloud gaming, in-game benefits (including Riot Games titles), and a revamped Rewards with Xbox experience. Today’s Game Pass Core subscribers will automatically move to Essential, Standard subscribers will transition to Premium, and Ultimate subscribers will remain in the Ultimate plan.
It’s all a part of our commitment to meet players where they are, so you can choose what works best for you, no matter how or where you love to play.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Just Got Its Biggest Upgrade Yet
Ultimate has been upgraded for players who want the best of everything. We’re rolling out our most expansive upgrade yet, including more day one games than ever before, Fortnite Crew & Ubisoft+ Classics for the first time ever, enhanced Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming quality up to 1440p, Rewards with Xbox, and more. Now players can have it all.
Ultimate subscribers now get access to over 75 day one releases a year. That includes some of the most anticipated upcoming games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, High on Life 2, Keeper, Ninja Gaiden 4, and The Outer Worlds 2. These join a growing library of more than 400 games playable on Xbox consoles, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud on supported devices, with more than 45 new games added today. Think of hits like Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, plus exclusive benefits like access to EA Play.
We’re also welcoming major additions to the Ultimate experience. Starting November 18, Fortnite Crew – an $11.99/month value – will be included in Ultimate, with access to the Fortnite Battle Pass, 1,000 V-Bucks each month, and more. This is just the beginning of Xbox and Epic’s work together toward an open gaming ecosystem where friends can play and create together, anywhere, across devices. And today, Ubisoft+ Classics (valued at $7.99/month per platform) joins Ultimate, offering access to a curated selection of Ubisoft games playable on console, PC, and cloud, like Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and more.
Cloud gaming is also getting a major boost. Ultimate subscribers exclusively enjoy our best quality streaming and shortest wait times, so it’s easier than ever to jump into your favorite games. Xbox Cloud Gaming has also officially exited “Beta,” as part of our commitment to make gameplay smoother and more responsive. And we’ll keep expanding the Stream your own game collection for all subscribers. Keep an eye on Xbox.com/Play for the latest list of cloud playable games.
Ultimate subscribers can now earn up to $100 per year (100k points globally) in the Store just by playing games. With our upgraded Rewards program, players can get up to 30% value on select Game Pass games, with 4x points on purchases of games and add-ons, 10% back in points on select Game Pass library titles and add-ons, and up to 20% off select Game Pass games.
Xbox Game Pass Premium – More Games, More Flexibility
Premium has been upgraded to offer even more flexibility and value for those who want to play on their own terms at exceptional value. Premium provides access to a broader library of great games and extends the Xbox gaming experience across console, PC, and cloud.
We’re now giving Premium subscribers more games than ever before, from gaming’s biggest hits to hidden gems, now with access to 200+ games on Xbox console, PC, and supported devices, all still at $14.99. This library, with more than 40 new games available today, is also now playable on PC, including timeless hits like Minecraft, Forza Horizon 5, and Grand Theft Auto V. Plus, Premium subscribers get newly added fan-favorites like Diablo IV and Hogwarts Legacy starting today, and new Xbox-published games within a year of their launch (excludes Call of Duty titles).
Cloud gaming is also expanding in Premium. Subscribers now enjoy unlimited cloud gaming, including select games you own, and newly added in-game benefits in some of the biggest games like League of Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X, instantly unlocking cosmetics, characters, and more to enhance your gameplay.
Premium also brings new value through Rewards with Xbox. Premium subscribers can also get up to $50 per year (50k points globally) in the Store just by playing games, earning 2x points on purchases of games and add-ons, plus 5% back in points on select Game Pass library titles and add-ons.
Xbox Game Pass Essential: A Great Way to Get Started
Essential is for players who want the essence of everything Xbox. With access to games across console, PC, and cloud, Essential makes it easy to jump in and start playing, whether you’re diving into solo adventures or teaming up with friends.
Our revamped Essential plan now includes unlimited cloud gaming, online multiplayer, in-game benefits, and Rewards with Xbox, plus a curated catalog of 50+ games playable on both console and PC.
The Essential library is now fully playable on PC, featuring standout titles like Hades, Cities: Skylines – Remastered, Stardew Valley, and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. You also get unlimited cloud gaming, allowing you to play games, including select games you own, on the devices you choose — giving you more freedom to play your way.
Subscribers also get access to in-game benefits in some of the biggest games like League of Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Overwatch 2.
And with our Rewards with Xbox program, Essential members can earn up to $25 per year (25k points globally) in the Store just by playing. You’ll also get points on purchases of games and add-ons.
Getting Started with the New Xbox Game Pass Plans
As we continue to evolve Xbox Game Pass, we’re focused on delivering more value, more benefits, and more great games across every plan. Whether you play on console, PC, cloud – or all three – there’s a Game Pass option designed to fit your playstyle.
With the latest upgrades, Ultimate is now priced at $29.99/month, reflecting the expanded catalog, new partner benefits, and upgraded cloud gaming experience. Standard subscribers will be upgraded to Premium remaining at $14.99/month, offering exceptional value for players who want flexibility and access to new Xbox-published titles within a year of launch. Core subscribers will be upgraded to Essential remaining at $9.99/month, providing a curated library, online multiplayer, and cloud gaming for those who want to jump in and start playing.
We regularly evaluate exchange rates and market conditions, so pricing may vary by region. For the most up-to-date information on plan features and pricing in your area, visit the plan picker on Xbox.com.
We continue to add more games to Xbox Game Pass. Check out the latest games available starting today below, along with in-game benefits available across each plan. As a reminder, game titles, features, and availability vary over time, by region, Game Pass plan, and platform. Learn more about supported regions here.
Ultimate – Available Today
Hogwarts Legacy (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed II (PC)
Assassin’s Creed III Remastered (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag: Freedom Cry (PC)
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (PC)
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD (PC)
Assassin’s Creed Revelations (PC)
Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection (Cloud and Console)
Assassin’s Creed Unity (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Child of Light (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Far Cry 3 (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Far Cry Primal (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Hungry Shark World (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Monopoly Madness (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Monopoly 2024 (Cloud, PC, and Console)
OddBallers (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Prince of Persia The Lost Crown (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show (Cloud and Console)
Rabbids: Party of Legends (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Rayman Legends (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Risk Urban Assault (Cloud and Console)
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Skull and Bones (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
South Park: The Stick of Truth (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Starlink: Battle for Atlas (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Steep (Cloud, PC, and Console)
The Crew 2 (Cloud, PC, and Console)
The Settlers: New Allies (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Tom Clancy’s The Division (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Trackmania Turbo (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Transference (Cloud and Console)
Trials Fusion (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Trials of the Blood Dragon (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Trials Rising (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Uno (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Valiant Hearts: The Great War (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Watch_Dogs (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Wheel of Fortune (Cloud and Console)
Zombi (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Premium – Available Today (also in Ultimate)
9 Kings (Game Preview) (PC)
Abiotic Factor (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Against the Storm (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition (PC)
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition (PC)
Age of Mythology: Retold (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Ara: History Untold (PC)
Arx Fatalis (PC)
Back to the Dawn (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Battletech (PC)
Blacksmith Master (Game Preview) (PC)
Cataclismo (PC)
Cities: Skylines II (PC)
Crime Scene Cleaner (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Diablo (PC)
Diablo IV (PC and Console)
An Elder Scrolls Legends: Battlespire (PC)
The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard (PC)
Fallout (PC)
Fallout 2 (PC)
Fallout: Tactics (PC)
Football Manager 2024 (PC)
Frostpunk 2 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Halo: Spartan Strike (PC)
Hogwarts Legacy (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Manor Lords (Game Preview) (PC)
Minami Lane (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Minecraft: Java Edition (PC)
Mullet Madjack (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
My Friendly Neighborhood (Cloud, PC, and Console)
One Lonely Outpost (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Quake 4 (PC)
Quake III Arena (PC)
Return to Castle Wolfenstein (PC)
Rise of Nations: Extended Edition (PC)
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Sworn (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Terra Invicta (Game Preview) (PC)
Volcano Princess (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Warcraft I: Remastered (PC)
Warcraft II: Remastered (PC)
Warcraft III: Reforged (PC)
Wolfenstein 3D (PC)
Essential – Available Today (also in Ultimate and Premium)
Cities: Skylines Remastered (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S)
Disney Dreamlight Valley (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Hades (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Warhammer 40,000 Darktide (Cloud, PC, and Console)
More Rewards with Game Pass
Editor’s Note (October 1): We’ve clarified the pricing information for Ubisoft titles.
We’ll be waiting until next year for the first round of PCs sporting Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chip, plus whatever Intel and AMD have in store for lightweight laptops. As a hint of what to expect, in stepped a company nobody had ever heard of, offering a laptop few people wanted. Humain (no, not that AI wearable company that bricked its wonky AI Pin and sold itself to HP for peanuts), a Saudi Arabian company, debuted a laptop at Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii (full disclosure: travel and lodging were paid by Qualcomm, and Gizmodo did not guarantee any coverage as a condition of accepting the trip), that looks like every other clamshell notebook, save for one small detail. Instead of the Copilot key that’s become standardized on Windows machines, it features an “Humain” AI key.
Humain’s laptop is a Windows machine at its heart, powered by the Snapdragon X2 Elite chip. But the AI key brings up an extra layer of UI called Humain One. Through the interface, you can call up an AI chatbot, an AI image generator, and a few more semi-interesting capabilities. There’s a special chatbot for homework help, document summaries, or a “Story Generator.” The AI will create a narrative using the average third-grade reading level.
It’s nothing we haven’t seen before, most obviously from Microsoft’s own Copilot AI, which is built into the company’s 365 apps and desktop. Humain usurped Copilot’s new laptop with the promise that at least some of the AI processes are being handled on-device. The notebook is otherwise packing solid-sounding specs, from an OLED display designed by Samsung, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. No, the company didn’t have any word about how much the machine will cost, or when, or where it will be available. There’s no word if it will come to the U.S., either. The only question remaining is, would you want it to?
Apps still don’t make use of new laptops’ AI capabilities
I spent all of Snapdragon Summit barely able to take in the epic sights of Maui through the haze of big tech AI hype. Qualcomm’s new slogan, “AI is the new UI,” ran like a river through every new announcement and demo. Qualcomm wanted to imply that on-device AI will be able to look into your fridge and suggest meals (Samsung’s fridges already do that). You can use an AI app called Collov AI to remodel rooms in your house with new furniture, though it currently doesn’t have any hookup to major furniture retailers to see how products you can actually buy might look in your abode. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before; only now these features are supposedly running on the device, versus in the cloud.
Qualcomm’s explanation for how this works suggests that the new Snapdragon X2 Elite chip for PCs has such strong AI processing capabilities, but if a laptop or mini-PC using it ever gets overwhelmed, it can bring in the big guns—the major datacenters with such massive cloud compute they could suck the power grid dry. On-device AI should be the goal for every company. AI models are getting better at being contained. The Snapdragon X2 Elite’s redesigned NPU—or neural processing engine built for low-key or background AI tasks—now sports 80 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) versus the 45 TOPS on the original Snapdragon X platform.
What that translates to is still vague. Collov AI, the home decoration app, was tasking the NPU at just 10%. The GPU, or graphics processing unit, was taking the brunt of the rest of the AI image generation. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, though I have yet to see a demo that can truly tax the NPU.
I ran multiple benchmark tests on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme platform, all done on non-commercial test machines with 48GB of RAM and 1TB SSD under the hood. I was standing in front of many Qualcomm reps ready to slap my hand if I tried jumping for any non-synthetic benchmark. From what I could see, the chip does have more power behind it than previous Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm chips. The problem is that when you try and benchmark for AI performance, even if the chip does well, it’s too difficult to determine what that translates to when you’re using the device as a daily driver.
The Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme’s GPU was especially impressive. The laptops managed to hit a score of 5,648 and an average of 41 fps in 3DMark’s Steel Nomad Light test and 23,586 in the Solar Bay benchmark. It all suggests that laptops with the Snapdragon X2 Extreme chip will be great for graphics tasks, but the issue will be the number of apps and drivers that are compatible with Qualcomm’s ARM-based chip. Apps like Maxon’s ZBrush should have an ARM version by early 2026, but good luck trying to get any gaming done on these machines.
These tests can only offer a perspective of what users could potentially expect from actual products. I couldn’t possibly say how much the X2 Elite Extreme laptops will cost in this age of tariffs. Recent rumors suggested TSMC, which manufactures these chips, is going to pass tariff costs for 3nm process CPUs onto Qualcomm and fellow chipmaker MediaTek.
“It’s [TSMC’s] choice to try to figure out what to do with the pricing structure,” said Alex Katouzian, Qualcomm’s head of compute and mobile. “What we constantly think about is, ‘How do I get the most efficient design, meaning performance per millimeter square?’”
We’ll always take more efficient, more powerful chips, though in all likelihood Qualcomm’s latest high-end Snapdragon for PC will feature in laptops that cost more than the last go-around. If you’re going to entice us with an AI app, it should do something worth jamming an AI key onto the keyboard.
The Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025 Broadcast just wrapped up, bringing you a fresh look at what’s coming to players around the world this year and next from our creative teams, our incredible partners across Asia, and beyond.
From Xbox Game Studios, Forza Horizon 6 is coming in 2026 with Japan as the setting, we offered a deep-dive into the difficulty settings coming to Ninja Gaiden 4 (developed by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames), announced that a Japan World Update arrives in Microsoft Flight Simulator and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 today, and revealed new gameplay for Age of Mythology’s Japan-inspired Heavenly Spear expansion, which launches next week. Activision revealed Japan-set maps for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and Bethesda showed off some of the best Japanese-created C.A.M.P.s built for Fallout 76 following its recent updates.
Our partners across Asia and the rest of the world brought even more. We saw a world premiere for Gungrave Gore: Blood Heat, Square Enix surprise-released RPG Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven for Xbox, and Capcom showed off more of Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection – along with the news that the first two games in the series are on their way to Xbox. IO Interactive brought star power, with the reveal of a lead character in 007 First Light, as well as a Bruce Lee-themed mission in Hitman: World of Assassination. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, with 25 different games included in the show.
Several games featured in the broadcast will be available for Game Pass subscribers, including Terminull Brigade, Winter Burrow, and show-closer Forza Horizon 6. Game Pass continues to deliver unmatched quality, with many new releases making up Metacritic’s best reviewed games of 2025 so far, including three of the current top five: Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Hollow Knight: Silksong. And the momentum isn’t slowing down. Still to come to Game Pass subscribers this year, in order of release: Keeper, Ninja Gaiden 4, The Outer Worlds 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and much more.
And the majority of titles in the show also have Xbox Play Anywhere support, empowering people to play the games they want, wherever they are, and with whatever device they’re using. That includes on-the-go, with the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds arriving on October 16 – and playable on the showfloor at Tokyo Game Show.
But you want to know everything, right? Read on to learn about everything announced:
Age of Mythology: Heavenly Spear Offers a New Look Ahead of Launch Next Week
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
Age of Mythology: Retold’s next expansion, Heavenly Spear takes players to Japan, where they’ll encounter new gods, new monsters, new powers, a new story, and more. The brand-new 12 mission campaign focuses on Yasuko, a farmer’s daughter who takes on a new destiny when she discovers a magical spear. As war looms and chaos spreads across the land, Yasuko must uncover the relic’s secrets and prevent it from falling into the hands of Kagemasa, a ruthless warlord who seeks to imprison the sun goddess Amaterasu and claim godhood for himself.
Heavenly Spear launches on September 30, with preorders open now on most platforms. Those who purchase the Age of Mythology: Retold – Premium Editionwill receive Heavenly Spear upon launch.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Introduces Japan-Set Multiplayer Maps
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one on Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
The teams from Treyarch and Beenox made an appearance to offer a first look at a few Multiplayer maps set in Japan, coming to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
Toshin offers a look at 2035 Tokyo, combining well-defined lanes and some really fun set pieces – including a cat cafe, a karaoke bar, and a crashed train. Den offers a different vibe – set in the countryside outside Tokyo, this map centers around a Japanese castle that’s been repurposed as a Guild base.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches on November 14, with the Early Access Beta beginning on October 2, and the Open Beta from October 5.
Fallout 76 Developers Thank the Japanese Community
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
It’s been a busy year in Appalachia. This year, Fallout 76 has seen the release of The Ghoul Within (which allowed players to play as Ghouls for the first time), Gone Fission (which introduced brand new fishing mechanics and quests), and, most recently, C.A.M.P. Revamp, which added newfound flexibility to building tools in the game.
Fallout 76‘s developers made an appearance in the show to thank Japanese players for embracing each new update, and even showed off some of the most impressive Japanese-made C.A.M.P.s created so far.
Forza Horizon 6 Will Take Us to Japan in 2026
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam. Coming to PlayStation 5 post-launch
Forza Horizon 6 closed the show by announcing that the beloved open world racing series will return in 2026, this time taking players to the breathtaking landscapes of Japan. A teaser trailer gave us callbacks to each of the previous games, before giving us a taste of the gorgeous new world we’ll be exploring – with Mount Fuji dominating a landscape that includes serene waters and urban environments, as cherry blossoms flutter on the breeze.
Forza Horizon 6 will arrive in 2026, and you can learn more right now on Xbox Wire – we interviewed the developers to answer some of the biggest questions about moving the series to Japan. Wishlist now on Xbox and Steam.
Microsoft Flight Simulator: Japan World Update and New Local Legend Revealed
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass – also available on Steam
Microsoft Flight Simulator’s World Update 20: Japan is massive! This latest free update adds 23 new photogrammetry areas to the simulator, covering over 20,000 square kilometres.
The regions included add major Japanese cities like Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo, as well as five new highly-detailed, handcrafted airports, and 67 new points of interest, including Osaka Castle, one of the most important historical locations in Japan, Fukuoka Tower, the tallest seaside tower in Japan, and more.
In addition to World Update 20: Japan, we also saw a new Local Legend, the famous Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (NAMC) YS-11.
World Update 20: Japan is a free content update for all Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 simmers and the NAMC YS-11 is available now in the in-sim marketplace for $19.99. The sky is calling!
Ninja Gaiden 4 Challenges You to Become a Master Ninja
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
Team Ninja and PlatinumGames unveiled a first look at the difficulty design in Ninja Gaiden 4, showcasing dynamic enemy placement and aggressive AI that scale with difficulty levels. The game stays true to its punishing roots, while introducing a new hero mode and adjustable assists that can ease newcomers into its signature high-speed combat. A stand-alone training mode – a first in the series – lets players sharpen their skills before diving into battle. You can read more on Xbox Wire now.
Also revealed ahead of the show were two sword-inspired creations. First, Ryu Hayabusa’s Dragon Sword and new protagonist Yakumo’s Takeminakata were forged and brought to life by master swordsmith Yuya Nakanishi. Then, the exciting new Ninja Gaiden 4 Xbox Design Lab standard and Elite Series 2 controllers were made available for purchase. Ninja Gaiden 4 launches October 21. Preorder now to unlock the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch, and grab the Deluxe Edition for bonus cosmetics, in-game items, and access to future gameplay content: The Two Masters.
007 First Light: Gemma Chan Joins the Ensemble Cast
Xbox Series X|S – see developer website for other platforms
British actress Gemma Chan (‘Eternals’, ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, ‘The Creator’) makes her video game debut as Selina Tan, MI6’s Head of Tactical Simulation, in 007 First Light. Selina Tan is a senior MI6 official who leads Tactical Simulations, a program to train elite recruits. Formerly a psychology and strategy academic turned immersive tech expert, she now applies scientific precision and strategic insight to British Intelligence.
In 007 First Light, play as James Bond, a young, resourceful, and sometimes reckless recruit in MI6’s training program, and discover a new standalone, re-imagined origin story of the world’s most famous spy. Find out more on Xbox Wire.
Aniimo: Meet Even More Creatures
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Highly-anticipated creature-catching ARPG Aniimo introduced a number of the fascinating creatures who inhabit the world of Idyll. The TGS trailer gave players a first look at how a number of Aniimo interact with each other and their environment to create totally unique opportunities for discovery and gameplay! Get more details on the new creatures on Xbox Wire.
Double Dragon Revive Offers a Deeper Look Into ‘Extra Mode’
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One – see developer website for other platforms
New details are here for Double Dragon Revive! Beyond the main Story Mode, today we showcased the challenging Extra Mode. This mode will test your skills with over 50 missions. Clear them to unlock character-specific episodes, offering new story perspectives. Join forces with a friend in two-player co-op, online or locally! Double Dragon Revive launches October 23, 2025. Pre-order today!
Dragon Quest I & II 2D-HD Remake: A Brand-new Area, Ocean Floor Revealed
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Dragon Quest I & II HD Remake isn’t just offering a new way to play these timeless RPGs – it’s also opening up an entirely new area to explore. Producer Hayasaka Masaaki guided viewers through Ocean Floor, showing the player’s party meeting a mermaid, and being invited to save the area. You’ll explore the desecrated underwater town of Mersea, battle a multitude of monsters, and solve the mystery of what’s befallen this hidden region. Dragon Quest I & II HD Remake arrives on October 30, 2025.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake – A Beautiful Revival of the Classic Horror Experience
Xbox Series X|S – see developer website for other platforms
Koei Tecmo’s classic is reborn, more beautiful and horrifying than ever in Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake!
Fatal Frame Series Director Makoto Shibata, talked about the remake’s improvements over the original, including graphical and audio enhancements to help turn up the fright, while bringing the Japanese horror classic to a whole new audience. He also touched on how the Camera Obscura has evolved, and new action additions to help players battle the evil spirits haunting a village of never-ending night. Coming early 2026, wishlist now!
Gungrave Gore Blood Heat Revealed
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Fans got their first look at Gungrave Gore Blood Heat – this world premiere showed off the cult classic action game, rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, showcasing explosive new action. The demo highlighted Grave’s iconic dual-gun shootouts enhanced with brutal close-quarters combat and a revamped stylish action system. Players also witnessed newly designed enemy characters and explosive interactions that elevate the battlefield intensity. Find out more about the project on Xbox Wire.
Hitman: World of Assassination – Martial Arts Legend Bruce Lee Joins Agent 47 in a New Mission
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud – see developer website for other platforms
Set in the dazzling arena of an international martial arts tournament at the Himmapan Hotel in Bangkok, this mission introduces a high-stakes twist: Agent 47 must protect the undercover Agent Lee, who has infiltrated the tournament that doubles as a recruitment tool and cover for leadership meetings of Concord Union.
Lee must not only win but also earn the final prize: a duel with the Union’s elusive leader – The Dragon Head. Play for free from September 25 to November 20. Find out more on Xbox Wire.
Hotel Barcelona Reveals Multiplayer Modes Ahead of Release Tomorrow
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
The legendary creators of Hotel Barcelona, Hidetaka “Swery” Suehiro and Goichi “Suda51” Suda, made an appearance to unveil the game’s multiplayer options – and it’s more than just a bolt-on, crowdpleaser mode. The game will offer up to three-player co-op, introducing new layers of complexity and strategy. There will also be a PvP invasion system: invaders step into someone else’s run and become adversarial doppelgängers, locked in mortal combat until one player falls – with rewards given to the victor.
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Mistfall Hunter premiered an exclusive developer update introducing Solemn Needles, the game’s second map, confirmed for launch. Set within a bleached and sacred forest, Solemn Needles highlights the Divine Anchor – a relic whose lingering power draws enemies – alongside Hastine’s Fall, where the corpse of a giant still radiates divine strength, and the shadowed Witchery Woods, dense with secrets.
The video underscored that the hunt is far from over—sharpen your blades, ready your gear, and prepare to step back into the Gyldenmist soon.
Monster Hunter Stories – The Whole Series, Coming to Xbox
Monster Hunter Stories 3 available on Xbox Series X|S, Monster Hunter Stories 1 and 2 available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One – see developer website for other platforms
Monster Hunter Stories is a turn-based RPG series where you hatch, raise, and train Monsters.
The latest entry in the series, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, will be available on March 13, 2026. In a surprise announcement, we also say the announcement that the first entry, Monster Hunter Stories, and its sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, will both be available on Xbox from November 14, 2025. Pre-order begins today with a limited-time discount!
Project Evilbane Shows Off Its 4-Player Action-RPG Combat
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Project Evilbane has unveiled its second trailer! After fierce battles and hard-won victories, the heroes now face the ultimate enemy with the power to destroy the world. The trailer hints at relentless combat and new challenges ahead, promising epic moments and strategic action.
Players can already experience the game through a pre-alpha test available via the Xbox Insider Program. Project Evilbane is a dynamic 4-player co-op action RPG where teamwork, skill customization, and intense boss battles will shape the fate of a shattered world. The fight for humanity has just begun!
Rhythm Doctor On Call From December 6
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Thanks to its robust toolset and 7th Beat’s unique gameplay design ethos, Rhythm Doctor is one of the only games in existence able to act as a video editor for its own trailer. Everything in the spot is a single shot without any cuts or splices; all the effects, layered shots, and jumps between different songs are achieved in-game, set to a mashup of songs that represent less than half of the game’s total tracklist. And you’ll be able to play Rhythm Doctor on December 6.
Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven – Out Now for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
The Seven Heroes of legend are back seeking revenge, this time on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC! Signature Saga franchise systems like Glimmers and Formations were shown in action as well as Surprise Attack and United Attack – new additions for this remake. Experience the key freeform scenario system, where your choices and actions change the way the story unfolds. Inherit stats and abilities from previous Emperors, continue to grow stronger, and put an end to the Seven Heroes once and for all.
Starsand Island Gets a First-Ever CG Trailer
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Starsand Island unveiled its first-ever CG trailer, highlighting the game’s cozy, heartwarming island setting and key features like open-ended farming and creative DIY building. The footage also ended with a subtle tease of multiplayer elements, sparking excitement for future cooperative experiences.
Sudden Strike 5: Coming 2026
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC – see developer website for other platforms
In this Xbox-exclusive trailer, witness the return of strategic WWII combat in Sudden Strike 5! Harness the tactical brilliance of authentic Generals from each faction, combining their strengths with your own in an enhanced Doctrine System. Tackle difficult secondary objectives to secure the advantage, or charge straight towards your primary target with overwhelming force, secure your position and prepare to advance in Sudden Strike 5, coming 2026!
Terminull Brigade Brings the Nullverse to Xbox with Neon Genesis Evangelion Crossover
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Terminull Brigade invited fans back to the Nullverse with a CG trailer featuring the Rogueteers defending their digital realm. The showcase teased a Neon Genesis Evangelion collaboration, giving fans a glimpse of the crossover content. The trailer concluded with the announcement of Terminull Brigade launching for consoles and Xbox on PC, expanding the game to new platforms. Find out more about this unique game on Xbox Wire.
Winter Burrow, A Cozy Woodland Survival Game, Debuts Release Date Trailer
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Winter Burrow’s new trailer tells the story of a young city mouse returning to the harsh winter wilderness. Narrated by a wise, unseen elder mouse through a whimsical nursery rhyme, we see the mouse face hunger, cold, and other perils. Each verse of the rhyme offers guidance, from cooking stews to knitting sweaters and braving the forest.
Along the way, new friends lend their support as the mouse learns to survive. The trailer ends with the burrow transformed into a safe haven, a refuge against the cold, and with the reveal of the release date: November 12, 2025.
Google’s getting in on PCs, and it could mean we’ll finally have another option beyond today’s stable of operating systems. After letting ChromeOS moulder in a sea of its own inadequacies, the tech giant confirmed it’s going to offer a true PC operating system alternative to macOS or Windows 11 sometime… eventually. At Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit (full disclosure: travel and lodging were paid by Qualcomm, and Gizmodo did not guarantee any coverage as a condition of accepting the trip), Google VP of Devices and Services Rick Osterloh spoke with Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon and hinted about this new phase of Android.
“I’ve seen it, it’s incredible,” quipped Amon. With no other hints to go on, we need to consider what Google needs to do to make Android work on a big screen. Android on desktops or laptops needs to offer more than an Android-ified version of the latest iPadOS 26. Google could offer an OS that allows for the Mac-style continuity between devices without the walled garden that limits you to apps dictated by Google. I’m one of those PC users routinely miffed that Windows is force-feeding Microsoft’s first-party apps like OneDrive down our throats with annoying popup ads on desktop. A change of scenery would be welcome, but I’m not one ready to abandon my Steam library, either.
For those curious, here’s Osterloh’s full comments about Google’s plans for Android on PC:
“In the past, we’ve always had very different systems between what we’re building on PCs and what we’re building in smartphones and we’ve embarked on a project to combine that. We’re building together a common technical foundation for our products on PCs and desktop computers, and I think this is another way that we can leverage all of the great work we’re doing together on our AI stack bringing Gemini models—bringing all of our application and developer community into the PC domain. So we’re really excited about this and I think this is another way in which Android is going to be able to serve everyone in every computing category.”
Without specifics, we can only guesstimate what form Android on PC could take. Of course, Google is going to fill its new OS to the brim with Gemini AI features. On Chromebook, this is in the form of Gemini and apps like NotebookLM accessible straight from the taskbar. Google would likely want to utilize the desktop space to stick Gemini directly into the main UI, akin to Microsoft shoving Copilot on the Windows 11 desktop. Already, Google apps like Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and more all contain a button that lets Gemini access your files. Sometimes this proves useful. AI is great for quickly filling out spreadsheets. In other ways, the AI can be idiotic. I can ask Gemini to find an email about an upcoming event for a company coming up in October, and it will tell me about an email from last year.
Using AI to its fullest requires retraining users’ expectations. That’s already a hard bargain when desktop or laptop users are used to the standard experience on macOS, Windows—and to a smaller degree—Linux. Android was born as a modified version of a Linux kernel. After so many years, the Android Open Source Project has taken on a life of its own and now rules as the bedrock for all mobile devices that aren’t part of Apple’s steadfast iOS domain. Android’s best option to muscle in on the PC space is to simply regress back to its Linux roots.
Nobody wants to be beholden to an app store. Google has continued to argue in court that sideloading and third-party app stores ruin the experience. Judges haven’t bought that line of thinking, and neither have users. There’s nothing bad about having full native access to all Android apps, but they need to work well on a larger display. Beyond that, users expect to download all their main productivity and gaming apps. Compatibility is what’s been holding back Qualcomm’s own ARM-based Snapdragon X-based PCs with Windows 11. Google would be better off ensuring users can access all the Linux versions of the most-popular apps than letting them load the mobile version of TikTok.
ChromeOS is dead simple. It borrows the Windows taskbar and enables a spare few features from the control center or through the Quick Access key on recent Chromebook Plus models. File management can feel like a chore. Tasks as simple as cropping photos to specific sizes aren’t simple on Chromebook’s default apps. A desktop OS requires a completely different frame of mind from what Google has done recently.
PC users want something clean, straightforward, and easy to manage. We don’t need the ostentation of Material 3 Expressive. We want to use all our current peripherals and external displays and change our settings to suit our needs. A new OS would need to facilitate users changing out components for their desktops or more customizable laptops. It sure seems like Google has its eye on Qualcomm’s PC chips to start. Still, this can’t be a one-and-done venture. Google, always in mind to take a hatchet to well-established features or apps (remember Stadia game streaming? I sure do) would need to support this new venture long-term. Compared to ChromeOS, this new software suite shouldn’t be beholden to streaming through the Chrome browser.
