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Tag: pc gaming

  • Coming to Xbox Game Pass: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II, Death Stranding Director’s Cut, and More – Xbox Wire

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    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.

    Coming Soon

    Death Stranding Director’s Cut (Cloud, PC and Xbox Series X|S) – January 21
    Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass

    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.

    MySims: Cozy Bundle (PC) – January 29
    Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

    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.

    Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 29
    Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass

    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.

    In Case You Missed It

    Quarantine Zone: The Last Check (PC) – Play today!
    Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

    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.

    Dead by Daylight – Stranger Things DLC – January 27

    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.

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    Danielle Partis, Xbox Wire Editor

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  • Store Running Low On Gaming PCs Begs People To Sell Rigs

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    As PC components like RAM continue to be gobbled up by AI hyperscalers, leading to higher prices and limited supplies, a large electronics store in Japan is running out of computers and parts and is asking its customers to please sell them some old PCs.

    It has become more expensive to build or upgrade a PC over the last few months. A big reason for that is AI-focused tech companies gobbling up PC parts to build massive data centers. It’s becoming quite pricey and challenging for your average person to buy PC RAM and graphics cards, as companies like Micron stop selling to consumers and focus more and more on big companies that buy in bulk. Prebuilt PCs from companies like HP, Dell, and Asus will likely see a price increase of 15 to 20 percent as well, according to PC World. All of this, plus tariffs causing other problems, has led to fewer PC parts and computers on shelves in some stores, forcing one shop to beg people to sell them some hardware.

    On January 7, as spotted by PC-Watch and Tom’s Hardware, Sofmap Gaming, a large electronics shop in the Akihabara district of Tokyo, posted a somewhat desperate-sounding plea. Here’s the tweet text via machine translation:

    “Um, as a favor, if you buy a new PC, please sell your gaming PC to our company. We buy them back at pretty high prices. Whether it’s a gaming desk or a laptop, or even a regular non-gaming one, we pretty much buy any PC.”

    Attached to the tweet was a photo of what appears to be a mostly empty shelf inside of Sofmap Gaming with only a few PCs and monitors left. “Gaming PCs, even used ones, are really out of stock right now. This is it,” claimed Sofmap Gaming. The account is also replying to nearly every user who responds with questions about what they can sell and how much it might be worth.

    With some experts saying the ongoing demand for memory and other PC components, like GPUs, will be a problem for 2026 and even 2027, it might be a good time to start looking around your house to see what random bits of hardware you have lying around somewhere collecting dust. If the parts aren’t too old, they might be worth a pretty penny soon.

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    Zack Zwiezen

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  • Coming to Xbox Game Pass: Star Wars Outlaws, Resident Evil Village, and More – Xbox Wire

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    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.

    Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition (Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
    Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

    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 (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – January 7
    Now with Game Pass Premium

    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.

    Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 7
    Now with Game Pass Premium

    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.

    My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) – January 15
    Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

    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 Key Art

    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.

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    Will Fulton, Xbox Wire Editor

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  • Coming to Xbox Game Pass: Fortnite Crew, The Crew Motorfest, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault, and More – Xbox Wire

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    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!

    Coming Soon

    Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault (Game Preview) (PC) – November 19
    Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game 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.

    Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 19
    Now with Game Pass Premium

    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.

    Revenge of the Savage Planet (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – November 19
    Now with Game Pass Premium

    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.

    Monsters are Coming! Rock & Road (Handheld & PC) – November 20
    Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

    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.

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    Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor

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  • The Morning After: Valve revives the Steam Machine

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    Valve has announced a raft of new hardware, including a new VR headset, Steam Machine and Controller. The devices are all designed to usher in a new era of PC gaming, with Valve’s usual focus on the player. is a slender VR headset that connects wirelessly to your PC and has a built-in battery to rid you of those pesky cables. That focus on freedom extends to the Frame operating as a standalone device, like the Meta Quest.

    At the same time, the company has revived its long-loved (but not massively successful) . This new model has semi-custom AMD silicon capable of running 4K games at 60 frames per second. Valve says it’s roughly six times as powerful as its portable unit, the Steam Deck. Rounding out the list is the controller, which looks like a Steam Deck with the screen cut out. But it’s not as if that’s a bad thing, especially as it’s got TMR sensors which, while using a different underlying technology, promise the same benefits as a Hall Effect stick.

    As someone on the not particularly game-y end of the spectrum, I use announcements like this as an exercise to see how excited I would be. To that end, I’m curious how much Valve will charge for this gear when it makes its debut early next year. On one hand, the performance promises laid out here are fairly substantial but, on the other, this is also a company that sells the base model Steam Deck for less than a Switch 2.

    That said, I would certainly get off the couch if there was a new Half-Life game in the works, and that seems plausible here. Nathan Ingraham is certainly getting his little hopes up that the revival of the Steam Machine too.

    — Dan Cooper

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    The news you might have missed

    The new innovations aren’t hitting the spot.

    Sam Rutherford for Engadget

    I was a massive fan of Even Realities’ original smart glasses and was excited to see what . Sadly, he was testing the specs with a beta version of the new software and found them lacking in several important ways. He’s urging folks to hold off buying these until the gaps in the software have all been filled in.

    What a shame the fan noise is so bad.

    Image of the Framework 16 with its two new GPU and CPU modules.

    Daniel Cooper for Engadget

    For years, the world has clamored for a modular, upgradeable gaming laptop offering the same longevity as a desktop. Now, Framework has achieved where so many have failed, selling an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 for its two-year-old Laptop 16. — quite literally, thanks to the cooling issues that mean the fans are running at full speed whenever you put it under heavy load.

    But don’t leave your passport at home just yet.

    AppleID

    Apple

    Apple is rolling out a Digital ID to its wallet that will, at some point in the near future, be legally accepted at TSA checkpoints. It’s and can eventually be used as your ID for domestic flights. But, you know, probably worth reading all of the details before you declare your paper passport a thing of the past.

    $250 gets you a lot of gear, including LiDAR.

    Image of the DJI Neo 2 floating in mid air

    (Steve Dent for Engadget)

    DJI’s Neo was good but not great — short battery life, noisy propellers and a lack of object avoidance all dulled its shine. Now, the , leading our Steve Dent to call it “the best personal drone on the market.”

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    Daniel Cooper

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  • Xbox October Update: ROG Xbox Ally Available Now, Handheld Compatibility Program, and More – Xbox Wire

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    Handheld Compatibility Program – Helping Players Play Smarter

    We’ve introduced the new Handheld Compatibility Program to make it easier for you to identify which games are optimized for handheld play. This update is now visible on product detail pages across all Windows devices and featured in the handheld compatible channel on Home on supported Windows handhelds.

    To support informed choices, a compatibility notification will appear before installation or purchase if a game is not currently Handheld Optimized, helping you understand how a game will play on handheld. [Back to Top]

    PC Gaming Updates

    Faster Downloads, Sharper Experience

    We’ve rolled out updates to the Xbox PC app that improve download speeds so you can jump into your games faster. These changes are rolling out now to Xbox Insiders and will be available to all players soon.

    We’ve made improvements to the download tool, allowing the app to better optimize your PC’s internet connection. That means fewer slowdowns and smarter bandwidth usage, especially on high-speed networks.

    This is part of our ongoing commitment to making Xbox on PC faster, more responsive, and tuned to player feedback. We’ll continue listening to feedback and monitoring performance as the rollout expands. [Back to Top]

    Xbox Console Updates

    Official Clubs and Game Pass Benefits Update

    Stay plugged into publisher updates and unlock more value with Game Pass. Game Hubs now include two new modules designed to keep you informed and engaged. The first provides the latest news from Official Clubs (where available), while the second highlights any Game Pass in-game benefits tied to the title. These updates have started to roll out and will soon appear alongside existing modules like Your game stats and Available add-ons, making it easier than ever for you to discover what’s new and take advantage of what’s included. [Back to Top]

    In Case You Missed It

    Xbox Accessories – The Outer Worlds 2 Xbox Wireless Controller and Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2

    Step into the sequel with gear that’s ready for the mission. The Outer Worlds 2 Xbox Wireless Controller and Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 bring bold new designs inspired by The Moon Man and the galactic rifts threatening humanity’s survival. These aren’t just controllers; they’re your ultimate weapon in the Arcadia system. Available now through Xbox Design Lab, both options let players gear up with style and purpose.

    Xbox Console – Dynamic Backgrounds

    Battlefield 6, Keeper, The Elder Scrolls Online, and The Outer Worlds 2 all introduced new dynamic backgrounds for Xbox Series X|S consoles, allowing you to customize your console and celebrate these exciting new games. [Back to Top]

    Game Additions

    ROG Xbox Ally: Advanced Shader Delivery – Launch Faster, Play Smoother, Game Smarter.

    We’re making your gaming experience even better with advanced shader delivery – now available for supported titles on ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X.

    This new feature preloads game shaders during download, so select games launch up to 10x faster, run more smoothly, and use less battery on first play.

    Today, advanced shader delivery is supported on select titles, with more coming soon. Here is the list of current supported games:

    • Ark Survival Ascended
    • Avowed
    • Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
    • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
    • Control
    • Dead Island 2
    • Deep Rock Galactic
    • Farming Simulator 25
    • Forspoken
    • Final Fantasy XVI
    • Forza Horizon 5
    • Forza Motorsport
    • Gears of War: Reloaded
    • Gears Tactics
    • Grounded 2
    • Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced
    • Lies of P
    • Metro Exodus
    • Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
    • Monster Hunter Rise
    • Persona 3 Reload
    • Resident Evil 2 (2019)
    • Resident Evil 3
    • S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
    • Sea of Thieves
    • Sniper Elite: Resistance
    • South of Midnight
    • The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Remaster
    • Ninja Gaiden 4
    • The Callisto Protocol
    • The Outer Worlds 2
    • Silent Hill f
    • Keeper
    • Hogwarts Legacy

    Xbox Play Anywhere – Buy once, play anywhere

    Over 1,000 games now support Xbox Play Anywhere, making it easier than ever to switch between PC, console, and supported handhelds, at no extra cost to you. Jump into games like Hollow Knight: Silksong and Silent Hill f now. Your progress travels with you, including saves, add-ons, and achievements. Just sign in with your Xbox account on any device and pick up right where you left off.

    These are the games added to the Xbox Play Anywhere collection in September:

    • Agatha Christie – Death on the Nile
    • Alphadia III
    • Baki Hanma: Blood Arena
    • Bio Block
    • Bratz Rhythm & Style
    • Brews & Bastards
    • Car Mechanic Shop Simulator
    • Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3
    • Dead Reset
    • Deep Rock Galactic Survivor
    • DeTechtive 2112
    • Detective Dotson
    • Double Dangerous
    • Dragon Ruins
    • DreamWorks Gabby’s Dollhouse: Ready to Party
    • Echoes of Light: Child of the Balance
    • Echoes of the Plum Grove
    • Firefighting Simulator Ignite
    • Formula Legends
    • Full Throttle Parking
    • Giant Rush
    • Green Soldiers Heroes: Extreme Bikers
    • Hanoi Puzzles: Flip Match
    • Heian City Story
    • Hollow Knight: Silksong
    • Hot Stakes Casino – American Roulette
    • Hotel Barcelona
    • Ink Enigma: Hidden Object Challenges
    • Kairobotica
    • Karma: The Dark WorldMeow Moments: Celebrating Beats & Books
    • Moon Mystery
    • My Horse Stories
    • Nachtmahr
    • Napoleon Maiden Episode.1 A maiden without the word impossible
    • NBA Bounce
    • Nicktoons & The Dice of Destiny
    • Not Not 2 – A Brain Challenge
    • Otherwar
    • Overpowered 1 – Mars Infestation
    • Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
    • Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
    • Scar-Lead Salvation
    • Silent Hill f
    • Skyline Bowling
    • Slime Rancher 2
    • Sokocat: Islands – Remastered
    • Spot Challenge 3D
    • SpotCat vs The Cheddar Mafia In Asia
    • Stylist Girl
    • Sworn
    • Theme Park Jam
    • Totally Normal Journey: The Interactive Musical
    • Train Sim World 6
    • Wander Stars

    Check out the full list of available games that players can enjoy anywhere.

    Stream your own game – Over 1000+ games

    We’re continuing to grow the Stream your own game collection in Xbox Cloud Gaming. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential members can now stream from a library of 1000+ games they own, across supported devices. That includes titles like ARC Raiders and Jurassic World Evolution 3.

    More games, more flexibility, and more ways to play – wherever you may be.

    Recently added:

    • ARC Raiders
    • Children of Morta
    • Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition
    • Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition
    • Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location
    • Jurassic World Evolution 3
    • King of Meat
    • Pinball FX3
    • SongPop Party
    • Syberia – The World Before
    • Talisman: Digital Edition
    • The Jackbox Party Pack 9
    • Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2
    • XIII
    • …and many more!

    Check out the full list of cloud-playable games available to stream on supported devices here. For more information on Stream your own game, learn more here. [Back to Top]

    More games added to Retro Classics

    Great games deserve to stick around, and we’re making sure they do. Xbox and Antstream Arcade are bringing retro favorites to modern devices with Retro Classics available on Game Pass, so players can keep enjoying the classics. With over 1 million players already diving into Retro Classics, here’s a look at the titles that have been recently added to Retro Classics.

    • BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk’s Inception (Amiga)
    • BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk’s Revenge (DOS)
    • Ice Hockey
    • Moonsweeper

    Game Pass members can join weekly tournaments like the Maze Reaper tournament happening now, take on community challenges and enjoy a growing library of Activision and Blizzard games with the Retro Classics collection set to expand to more than 100 titles over time. Click here for more information on Retro Classics.

    Xbox adds mouse and keyboard and touch controls for more games

    Xbox supports the use of wired USB mice and keyboards for navigation in select games and apps, as well as across Xbox and Windows devices.

    For players enjoying Xbox games on mobile, Xbox touch controls deliver a controller-free experience for hundreds of titles. Today, there are 130+ games with mouse and keyboard support active on cloud and 230+ games with touch controls available on cloud, giving you more ways to play than ever before.

    Some games even provide custom control overlays or render their own touch layouts, creating a tailored experience for each title’s unique gameplay. Learn how to set up and customize your touch controls here. [Back to Top]

    Here are the latest titles added this month:

    Mouse and keyboard:

    • ABRISS – build to destroy
    • Astro Miner
    • Biz Builder Delux
    • Chess Royal
    • Cozy Designer
    • CyberTD
    • Dolmenjord – Viking Islands
    • Dragon Takers
    • Dream Town Island
    • Dungeon Village 2
    • Eldgear
    • Elemental War Clash
    • Forest Golf Planner
    • GRAPPIN
    • Hatsune Miku – The Planet of Wonder and Fragments of Wishes
    • HexaScape: Cyber Defense
    • Last Escape: Dead Complex
    • Mayhem Heroes
    • Meow Moments: Celebrating Geeks & Athletes
    • Midnight Remastered
    • Narcissus
    • Penguin’s Road
    • Pocket Harvest
    • Pocket League Story
    • Post Trama
    • Roofcats Band – Suika Style
    • Pool Slide Story
    • Snooker Blitz
    • SokoNature
    • Spot Challenge Vol. 1
    • The Thaumaturge
    • To the Sky

    Touch:

    • Keeper
    • Immortals of Aveum
    • Tales of Kenzera: ZAU

    For support on setting up devices, see here for more details.

    Help Shape the Future of Xbox

    Stay tuned to Xbox Wire for future updates and the latest and greatest Xbox news. For support related to Xbox updates, visit the official Xbox Support site.

    We love hearing from the community, whether it’s a new feature idea or feedback on something we can improve upon. Xbox is always evolving, and your input helps shape what’s next. If you’d like to help create the future of Xbox and get early access to new features, join the Xbox Insider Program today by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub for Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One or Windows PC. [Back to Top]

    Happy gaming!

    Editor’s Note (October 30): We’ve clarified in the Faster Downloads, Sharper Experience section that the download speeds update for the Xbox app for PC is only rolling out for Xbox Insiders for now. We also corrected the Forza Motorsport game title listed in the Advanced Shader Delivery section.

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    Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor

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  • Coming to Xbox Game Pass: Ninja Gaiden 4, Keeper, Ball x Pit, Supermarket Simulator, and More – Xbox Wire

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    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: Christmas Adventures (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 15
    Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

    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.

    He Is Coming (Game Preview) (PC) – October 15
    Now with Game Pass Premium

    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!

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    Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor

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  • Grounded 2’s Hairy and Scary Update Crawls Onto Your Screens Today – Xbox Wire

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    Summary

    • Face off against AXL, the terrifying new tarantula boss.
    • Craft an entire suite of tarantula-themed gear, from armor to a candlelit throne.
    • Build smarter with the streamlined BUILD.M grid system, and power up your Buggy with seamless PEEP.R and Hot Pouch support.

    Brookhollow Park just got a lot more… hairy. And a lot more scary! Grounded 2’s newest update unleashes AXL, a colossal tarantula with enough legs, fangs, and fur to make even the bravest teens scrambling to fine-tune their loadouts. But don’t worry—you’ll have the tools to fight back, and they’re every bit as fearsome as the towering arachnid they come from.

    Defeating AXL opens up a whole new frontier of power. You can forge an imposing tarantula armor set, wield the devastating Tarantula Bow and Spear, and even decorate your base with spidery flair. From larger-capacity chests to flickering candles to the kind of throne Yoked Girth would envy, you’ll have plenty of eight-legged style to show off.

    Grounded 2 Hairy and Scary Screenshot

    This update also makes it easier than ever to turn your park empire into an architectural masterpiece. The streamlined BUILD.M grid system is here to make placing, snapping, and perfecting your creations more intuitive, giving your wildest blueprints a chance to shine.

    Grounded 2 Hairy and Scary Screenshot

    Meanwhile, your Buggy is getting a serious quality-of-life glow-up: with both PEEP.R and Hot Pouch integrated, you can scan, swap, and stock up without ever leaving the driver’s seat. Pair that with a hauntingly stylish new Praying Mantis armor set, complete with plague doctor vibes and some nifty healing tricks, and you’ve got more ways than ever to customize your playstyle.

    Grounded 2 Hairy and Scary Screenshot

    Not only that, but we are excited to announce Japanese and Brazilian localization have been added to Grounded 2 with this update. More languages will be added throughout development, so keep your eyes on our socials and the road map for future announcements! 

    Hairy and Scary is all about dialing up the intensity while keeping the spirit of play alive. It’s spooky, it’s stylish, and it’s brimming with new ways to survive the tiny terrors of Brookhollow Park. And if you think this is where the surprises end, think again. The backyard has a few festive frights tucked away for October, so keep your eyes peeled for holiday surprises lurking just around the corner.

    Grounded 2 Hairy and Scary Screenshot

    Grounded 2’s Hairy and Scary update is available now in Game Preview for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud, and in Early Access on Steam. Jump in today with Xbox Game Pass, and prepare yourself—it’s hairy, it’s scary, and it’s only getting wilder from here.


    Grounded 2
    Xbox Play Anywhere

    Grounded 2

    Xbox Game Studios


    ☆☆☆☆☆
    485


    ★★★★★


    $29.99


    PC Game Pass


    Xbox Game Pass


    Shrunk again, but the world is much larger. Survive a sprawling open world alone or in co-op with friends. Craft weapons, forge armor, and build bases while exploring the park on your trusty Buggy mounts. Unravel hidden mysteries and face unexpected threats. But something else is out there—and it hasn’t forgotten you.
    Shrunk to the size of an ant, you’ll find once-familiar spaces turned into a sprawling, uncharted frontier. Survive alone or in co-op with friends, crafting weapons, forging armor, and building bases as you explore manmade playgrounds overgrown by nature. Traverse this new realm on trusty Buggy mounts—your capable allies—and uncover the mysteries lurking beneath bright colors and towering structures. But stay wary: something else is out there, and it hasn’t forgotten you.

    Survive, Adapt, Overcome
    The world is relentless, but so are you. Shape your adventure with unique archetypes, each offering distinct abilities to match your playstyle. Whether you rely on precision, cunning, or sheer strength, you’ll need every advantage to survive against the threats lurking in the park.

    Stronger Together
    The perils of the park are daunting alone, but with friends, every challenge becomes an adventure. Work together to build, fight, and uncover the secrets buried beneath the grass. Whether you’re facing danger side by side or continuing your journey in a shared world, survival is always better with allies.

    Because Walking is Bogus
    They scurry, they fight, and now—they help you survive. Hatch, raise, and ride your own insect friends – Buggies! Saddle up and traverse through the park, fight on them or alongside them in battle, or use them to gather resources and build your base. The right partner could mean the difference between thriving and barely surviving.

    A Shadow That Follows You
    The threat is always there—watching, learning, waiting. You don’t know where it’s coming from, only that it never leaves. The deeper you dig, the closer it gets. Some mysteries should stay buried, but it’s too late now. It knows you’re looking. And it’s ready. Every answer drags you deeper, every step invites something closer. You were never alone. You thought you were in control. You were wrong.

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    Danielle Partis

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  • Xbox Has A Fix For The Most Annoying Thing About PC Gaming

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    PC gaming is wonderful. You can customize games as much as you desire, run them at high framerates, and enjoy all sorts of other useful advantages. But one really annoying part of gaming on a PC in 2025 is dealing with shader compilation. Thankfully, Microsoft is rolling out a solution, but it might take some time before you get to enjoy its benefits.

    Over the last few years, game developers have started implementing shader compilation on PC. The idea is for your GPU to compile as many of the shaders that will be used during gameplay as possible ahead of time and limit how much stuttering you feel while playing. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s a pretty good way to improve how well games play on your PC. But the big problem with compiling shaders is that it takes time, and you’re often left looking at a screen for a few minutes or more, depending on your PC and how many shaders the game needs to compile. In theory, you only have to do this once at startup. But in reality, you’ll likely do it a few times, as big updates or changes you make to the game’s settings can force another shader compilation. I have even run into games, like Borderlands 4, that compile shaders mid-game when fast-traveling for the first time. It’s all very annoying, but thankfully, Microsoft has a solution that is now in the wild.

    As spotted by PC Gamer, Microsoft’s Agility software development kit, a collection of game development tools for DirectX, has been updated to 1.618 and now supports Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD). This tech, which was announced last month, is Microsoft’s plan to get rid of those annoying shader compiling screens. The basic idea is that instead of your GPU and PC compiling all the shaders at game boot, ADS will contain a large database of pre-compiled shaders for various hardware and API setups. So you download a game and it includes all the shaders you’ll need, already compiled offline and ready to go.

    This is essentially how consoles get around having to compile shaders when booting up a game, but it’s much easier over there, as devs only have to manage a few setups. In the world of PC gaming, there are many, many different hardware configurations to deal with, making it trickier to pre-compile everything.  But AMD, Intel, and Nvidia are all working together alongside Microsoft to provide devs and storefronts with everything they’ll need to pre-compile shaders for as many hardware variations as possible, and then offer these to consumers when they buy digital games.

    For now, ADS is only available on Microsoft’s Xbox Store app and only when using the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X handhelds, which both launch on October 16.  It’ll likely be a few years before ADS is a normal feature included in most big stores and games, but at least there’s hope. One day, not too far in the future, we’ll all be free from having to wait for every big PC game to compile shaders. Doesn’t that sound nice?

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    Zack Zwiezen

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  • Xbox August Update: Cross-Device Play History, Controller Updates, and More – Xbox Wire

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    As part of our continuing effort at Xbox to deliver more meaningful and fun gaming moments, however you play, we’re bringing some exciting improvements across devices in this month’s update. Soon, you will be able to more easily sync your gameplay with cross-device play history, along with cloud-playable games now appearing in your play history. With the new My apps tab in the Xbox PC app, you can quickly launch your favorite apps or games from multiple storefronts. Gaming Copilot (Beta) for Game Bar on Windows 11 is now in preview and is designed to be your gaming sidekick. And controller navigation through the Xbox PC app just got a whole lot smoother. Read more about the new features below, including new gaming additions for Xbox Play Anywhere, Stream your own game, Retro Classics, and more.

    Here’s what’s new:

    Cross-Device and Cloud-Playable Play History Now Rolling Out

    Last month we announced the preview for cross-device play history and cloud-playable games, making it easier than ever to keep playing your games across Xbox, wherever you are. What started with Xbox Insiders is now rolling out and will soon be available to everyone.

    Your play history will now sync across devices, showing up on console and in the Xbox PC app. So, whether you’re switching screens from one room to the next or picking up where you left off at a friend’s house, your recently played games are right there so you can jump back in.

    You’ll also start seeing cloud-playable games show up in your history. That means every cloud-enabled title, from original Xbox classics to Xbox Series X|S exclusives, is now in one place whether you own it or play through Xbox Game Pass. It’s a simpler, more connected way to find and get into cloud gaming.

    There are multiple entry points to continue playing your current games. On console, check out the Play history tile on the Home page, and on the Xbox PC app, you can find your Play history under the Most Recent section in the sidebar menu as well as the Play history tab in My Library.

    PC Gaming Updates

    Bring Everything Together with My apps – Available to Xbox Insiders

    Bring Everything Together with My Apps Screenshot

    We’re continuing to evolve the Xbox on PC experience, and we’ve rolled out My apps to Xbox Insiders, a new tab in the Xbox PC app that makes it easier to get to the apps you use most. With My apps, Xbox Insiders enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview can now quickly launch key apps and storefronts, like browsers, utilities, and game launchers, right from the library. No more bouncing between desktop windows; everything’s in one spot and ready to go.

    This builds on our work with the aggregated gaming library, making it easier to find, download, and launch your games from multiple storefronts directly from the Xbox PC app. Whether you’re on a Windows 11 PC or a handheld device, My apps help streamline your setup so you can spend more time playing and less time searching.

    We’re starting with a curated set of apps and will expand support over time. Learn more about My apps in the full article here.

    Gaming Copilot (Beta) on Game Bar – In Preview to Xbox Insiders

    Gaming Copilot (Beta) on Game Bar Asset

    Gaming Copilot (Beta) is now available in Game Bar on Windows 11 for Xbox Insiders enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview. It’s built to be your go-to sidekick, helping you get past tough spots so you can stay focused on what matters: playing the games you love.

    Whether you’re looking for tips, stuck on a boss, or just want to get into the action faster, Gaming Copilot (Beta) is here to make things smoother and more personal. It’s smart, helpful when you need it, and stays out of the way when you don’t.

    Want to dig in? Check out the Xbox Insiders article for more on how to get started.

    Controller Navigation in the Xbox PC App Just Got a Lot Smarter

    Controller Navigation in the Xbox PC App Asset

    The Xbox PC app now makes it easier to move between controller, keyboard, and touch – no matter how you play. We’ve added smart updates for controller and keyboard users that make navigation feel more intuitive and console-like: A to select, B to go back, Y to search. You’ll notice smoother trigger and bumper behavior, faster scrolling, and smarter focus memory between pages. Keyboard navigation also got a boost.

    Visually, things are cleaner. Focus indicators are clearer, animations are subtle but purposeful, and everything feels more polished. It’s all about making the experience feel familiar, responsive, and just better.

    In Case You Missed It

    Xbox Consoles – Dynamic Backgrounds

    Grounded 2 Asset

    Gears of War: Reloaded, Grounded 2, Madden NFL 26, Ninja Gaiden 4, and Sea of Thieves all introduced new dynamic backgrounds for Xbox Series X|S consoles, allowing players to customize their consoles to match exciting new games.

    Game Additions

    Xbox Play Anywhere – Buy once, play anywhere

    Xbox Play Anywhere Asset

    Over 1,000 games now support Xbox Play Anywhere, making it easier than ever to switch between PC, console, and supported handhelds, at no extra cost to you. Your progress travels with you, including saves, add-ons, and achievements. Just sign in with your Xbox account on any device and pick up right where you left off.

    These are the games added to the Xbox Play Anywhere collection in July:

    • Abiotic Factor
    • Aquapark io
    • Back to the Dawn
    • Bad End Theater
    • Crowd City
    • Dead of Darkness
    • EDENS ZERO
    • Golf Guys
    • Grounded 2
    • Hatsune Miku Logic Paint S+
    • Maiden Cops
    • Mecha BREAK
    • Minami Lane
    • My Friendly Neighborhood
    • No Heroes Here 2
    • Novel Rogue
    • RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business
    • Sand Legends
    • Spell Disk
    • The Last Camp
    • The Wandering Village
    • Tiny Pixels Vol. 2 – Stormy Knights
    • Wheel World

    Check out the full list of available games that players can enjoy anywhere.

    Stream your own game – Over 450+ games

    Stream Your Own Game Asset

    We’re continuing to grow the Stream your own game collection in Xbox Cloud Gaming. Game Pass Ultimate members can now stream from a library of 450+ games they own, across supported devices. That includes titles like GRADIUS ORIGINS and Mafia: The Old Country.

    More games, more flexibility, and more ways to play – wherever you may be.

    Recently added:

    • A Short Hike
    • Bugsnax
    • DC League of Super Pets: The Adventures of Krypto and Ace
    • Don’t Starve
    • Everspace
    • Evil Genius 2: World Domination
    • Gradius Origins
    • Let’s Build a Zoo
    • Library of Ruina
    • Mafia: The Old Country
    • Scorn
    • Somerville
    • …and many more!

    Check out the full list of cloud-playable games available to stream on supported devices here. For more information, learn more here.

    More games added to Retro Classics

    Retro Classics Asset

    Great games deserve to stick around, and we’re making sure they do. Xbox and Antstream Arcade are bringing retro favorites to modern devices through Game Pass, so players can keep enjoying the classics. With over 1 million players already diving into Retro Classics, here’s a look at the latest and upcoming titles.

    • Caesar 3
    • Climber 5
    • Oystron
    • Private Eye
    • Shootin’ Gallery
    • The Colonel’s Bequest
    • Wing War

    Game Pass subscribers can keep an eye out for new weekly tournaments, community challenges and more games added from Activision and Blizzard, expanding the Retro Classics collection to more than 100+ titles over time. Click here for more information on Retro Classics.

    Xbox adds mouse and keyboard and touch controls for more games

    Grounded 2 Asset

    Xbox supports the use of wired USB mice and keyboards for navigation in select games and apps, and for getting around on Xbox and Windows devices.

    In addition, for Xbox players enjoying games on their mobile devices, Xbox touch controls are available for select games, allowing you to experience a different way to play – by touch and without a controller. Some games render their own controls in-game or supply custom control overlays, providing a more tailored experience for each game’s unique gameplay. Learn more about how you can set up and tailor your game’s touch controls here.

    Here are the latest titles added this month:

    Mouse and keyboard:

    • Barbie Project Friendship
    • F1 Manager 2023
    • F1 Manager 2024
    • Frag Punk
    • Grounded 2
    • Heretic + Hexen
    • Mecha BREAK
    • Paw Patrol Grand Prix
    • The First Descendent
    • Ultimate Chicken Horse
    • Ultimate Custom Night
    • War Thunder

    Touch:

    For support on setting up devices, see here for more details.

    Help Shape the Future of Xbox

    Stay tuned to Xbox Wire for future updates and the latest and greatest Xbox news. For support related to Xbox updates, visit the official Xbox Support site.

    We love hearing from the community, whether it’s a new feature idea or feedback on something we can improve upon. Xbox is always evolving, and your input helps shape what’s next. If you’d like to help create the future of Xbox and get early access to new features, join the Xbox Insider Program today by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub for Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One or Windows PC.

    Happy gaming!

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    Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor

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  • The Epic Games Store’s latest freebies are The Callisto Protocol and the revived MOBA Gigantic

    The Epic Games Store’s latest freebies are The Callisto Protocol and the revived MOBA Gigantic

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    The best thing about the free games that the offers is they’re genuinely yours to keep forever. They’re not locked behind a subscription of any kind. The only form of payment you provide is a little personal information in the form of your email address and whatever else is required to create an Epic account. It might be worth signing up if you haven’t already, as are pretty notable.

    First up is The Callisto Protocol, a from Dead Space co-creator Glen Schofield. It’s cut from the same cloth as Dead Space, but — stellar visuals aside — . (In fact, a Dead Space remake that arrived shortly afterward was .) Still, it can be yours for absolutely zilch right now.

    The Callisto Protocol hit Epic’s free game lineup just as the studio behind it announced a spinoff called . The upcoming title from Striking Distance, which is no longer led by Schofield after , is a stylized, roguelike dungeon crawler in which you play as a prison guard.

    You must try to survive the threat of infected inmates and escape a penitentiary on Callisto, an icy moon of Jupiter. [REDACTED] will arrive on October 31 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

    This week’s other Epic Games Store freebie is interesting too. It’s a MOBA-hero shooter hybrid called Gigantic that has a long and convoluted history. To keep things brief, the game debuted in 2017, was killed in 2018 after and revived under a different studio this year. I played it for a bit and found the matches to be fun and chaotic.

    The original Gigantic was free-to-play. While the revival — dubbed Gigantic: Rampage Edition — typically costs $20, it has zero microtransactions. So you won’t have to worry about being nickel-and-dimed after claiming this one.

    You’ll have until August 29 to snag those two games. There’s some good stuff to look forward to on the Epic Games Store next week as well. Starting on August 29, you can claim a Fallout bundle that includes Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics for free, along with an arcade-style football game called Wild Card Football.

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    Kris Holt

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  • Still Wakes the Deep is a modern horror classic

    Still Wakes the Deep is a modern horror classic

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    Don’t look down. Don’t look down. Don’t look down.

    Waves the size of skyscrapers explode beneath me as I creep across a busted metal beam in the middle of the North Sea, suspended at the base of an oil rig that’s in the process of collapsing. I’m crawling swiftly but carefully, knees sliding on the wet metal and eyes locked on the platform in front of me. Don’t look down.

    I look down. The cold sea is boiling just inches from my beam, white spray reaching up, threatening to pull me under miles of suffocating darkness and pressure. Fuck.

    Still Wakes the Deep
    The Chinese Room

    In Still Wakes the Deep, horror comes in multiple forms. Violent creatures stalk the walkways on thin, too-long limbs that burst from their bodies like snapping bungee cords. Human-sized pustules and bloody ribbons grow along the corridors, emitting a sickly cosmic glow. The ocean is an unrelenting threat, wailing beneath every step. And then there’s the Beira D oil rig itself, a massive and mazelike industrial platform supported by slender tension legs in the middle of a raging sea, groaning and tilting as it’s ripped apart from the inside. Each of these elements is deadly; each one manifests a unique brand of terror.

    Still Wakes the Deep is a first-person horror game from The Chinese Room, the studio behind Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, Dear Esther and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture. The game is set in the winter of 1975 and its action is contained to the Beira D, a hulking metal maze that offers mystery, a growing familiarity and death at every turn. The rig is filled with a rich cast of characters from the British Isles, most of them Scottish. Players assume the role of Caz, an electrician on the rig whose best friend is Roy, the cook.

    Still Wakes the DeepStill Wakes the Deep
    The Chinese Room

    Still Wakes the Deep feels like a hit from the PS3 and Xbox 360 era, devoid of modern AAA bloat. It’s restrained like the original Dead Space, with a core loop that serves the narrative and vice versa. The mechanics steadily evolve without becoming repetitive or cumbersome. Its monsters are murderous but not overplayed. In Still Wakes the Deep, the horror is unrelenting but its source is constantly shifting — vicious eldritch beasts, the crumbling rig, the angry North Sea — and this diversity infuses the game with a buzzing tension until the breathtaking final scene.

    The game is fully voice acted and its crew members are incredibly charming. An undercurrent of good-natured ribbing belies every interaction, and the dialogue is earnest and legitimately funny, even in life-or-death situations. This skillful sense of character development only makes the carnage more disturbing once the monsters board the Beira D.

    After the oil rig drills through a mysterious substance deep in the North Sea, a giant eldritch organism takes over the structure, crunching its metal corridors and infesting the bodies of some crew members. Caz is on a mission to survive the creatures and escape the rig — and help save Roy, whose body is fading fast because he can’t get to his insulin.

    Still Wakes the DeepStill Wakes the Deep
    The Chinese Room

    Gameplay in Still Wakes the Deep is traditional first-person horror fare, executed with elegance and expertise. The action involves leaping across broken platforms, balancing on thin ledges, running down corridors, climbing ladders, swimming through claustrophobic holes and hiding from monsters in vents and lockers. There are no guns on the Beira D, and Caz has just a screwdriver to help him break open locks and unscrew metal panels, placing the focus on pure survival rather than combat. Interactive materials tend to be highlighted in yellow, so it’s never a question of what to do or where to go, but rather how to get there without falling prey to the monsters, the sea or the rig.

    Each input feels perfectly precise and responsive. Climbing a ladder, for instance, requires holding RT and pressing the analog stick in the proper direction — but if Caz slips, players need to suddenly press and hold LT as well, so he can regain his grasp in a quicktime event. In these moments of sudden panic, squeezing both triggers feels like the natural thing to do. It’s deeply satisfying to clasp the gamepad as tightly as Caz is holding the rungs of the ladder, player and character completely in sync in the aftermath of a sudden scare. Still Wakes the Deep is a prime example of intuitive game design.

    Still Wakes the DeepStill Wakes the Deep
    The Chinese Room

    It’s also just a gorgeous game. I stopped short multiple times while playing Still Wakes the Deep simply to admire the crisp lines, complex lighting and photorealism of specific scenes, but every frame is dense with thoughtful and well-rendered details. The otherworldly structures littering the rig cause Caz’s vision to bubble like a melting film reel, and multicolored circles overtake the screen every time he passes too close to a pustule — it’s disorienting and eerily pretty, much like the rest of the game.

    Still Wakes the Deep is an instant horror classic. It’s filled with heart-pounding terror and laugh-out-loud dialogue, and it all takes place in a setting that’s rarely explored in interactive media. Amid the sneaking, swimming, running and climbing on the Beira D, Still Wakes the Deep manages to tell a heartfelt and powerful story about relationships and sacrifice. Caz and Roy have a special friendship, but they also have family back on shore and returning to these people — alive, ideally — is a constant driving force.

    Still Wakes the DeepStill Wakes the Deep
    The Chinese Room

    Still Wakes the Deep is available now on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and it’s included in Game Pass. It’s developed by The Chinese Room and published by Secret Mode.

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    Jessica Conditt

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