If you’re reading this ahead of buying someone a new Xbox, or you already have and are getting ready to wrap it, stop! I highly recommend setting it up ahead of time, completing most of the above suggestions before you give the shiny new console to its intended recipient—especially if that recipient is a kid who will likely want to play games, not wade through menus and wait for updates to install. So at the very least, update the console and install a few games, so they can open it up, plug it in, and start playing right away!
A new console is a great gift, but an even better gift is a new console filled with games that are already set up and ready to play.
Once you’ve got your Xbox all hooked up, installed some fun new games, got your controller updated, and your TV settings sorted, it’s time to stop reading this article and go play some video games. Well, unless you wanna dig around the comments first, as I assume a few readers might have some extra tips and tricks of their own. Either way, enjoy your new Xbox!
Oh yeah? Then why, when Kotaku called several brick-and-mortar stores just a few days before Christmas this year were we told inventory for both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles was either very limited or completely gone?
The truth of the matter is, while it has become somewhat easier to get your hands on new-gen consoles, doing so still requires diligence and patience—unless you want the smaller, cuter Series S, or can wait for shipping. Otherwise, much like last year, if you were hoping to walk in and out of a store with a brand-spanking-new console in hand, you’re likely out of luck.
Inventory In Brick-And-Mortar Stores Is Unreliable
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You might be tempted to call up your local physical retailer like Best Buy or GameStop with the goal of buying a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X in the store. That’s certainly a possibility, though it depends on the console you’re going for.
A GameStop associate at a Manhattan, New York location told Kotaku over the phone that Sony’s system is “rarely” in stock and when it is on the store shelves, it’s gone within the week. The Xbox Series X is “a little more common,” the associate said, but the same inventory issue arises: When it is available, it’s sold out in just a few days’ time. This situation is repeated at other physical stores, including Best Buy and Walmart, with store associates at both retailers telling Kotaku in brief phone interviews that the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are “occasionally” in stock but quickly sell out.
Surprisingly, things are a little different at Target. An employee at a Manhattan store said that the PlayStation 5 was actually sitting on the shelves “right now,” but folks looking to buy one couldn’t just walk in, take one to the counter, and check out. Instead, you have to do an in-store pick-up through the company’s website and, if inventory was available, then you could walk in with money and walk out with a PlayStation 5. In an eye-popping twist, the Xbox Series X was immediately available. The employee said, if I really wanted to, I could go buy Microsoft’s console this instant. They were quick to point out, though, that all system purchases—especially on the PlayStation 5—were limited to one per person due to “security concerns.” Yikes.
Online Retailers Are A Bit Better, But Not By Much
If brick-and-mortar stores are unreliable in terms of physical inventory, you may have a better chance at buying a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X online and shipping it to your home. All the major retailers typically have both consoles in stock and if they aren’t available by themselves, you can usually get it bundled with a game or subscription. There are some exceptions here, of course. GameStop, for example, is completely sold out of individualPlayStation 5s and Xbox Series Xs online right now. As is Best Buy on the PlayStation 5, though you can order the Xbox Series X if you have an account.
It’s always finicky ordering something from Walmart, as the company tends to partner with third-party sellers to complete transactions. But, as I’m checking the company’s website right now, PlayStation 5s and Xbox Series Xs are mostly available to purchase online—though the prices for these consoles seem to vary wildly. Target is similarly strange, withbothsystems either being “discontinued for shipping” or relegated to in-store pick-up only—if they are even available at all, of course. One quick note here, though: You could also order the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X directly from Sony and Microsoft’s official websites, and they appear to be in stock. Shipping here seems to be comparable to other major retailers as well, with orders placed now arriving just a few days after Christmas. Not bad.
Hey, You Could Always Just Get An Xbox Series S
It’s just so cute, even when zoomed in.Image: Microsoft
You may have noticed I skipped one whole console: the Xbox Series S. That’s because, as I wrote earlier, Microsoft’s cheaper, smaller system is almost always available. Several associates across the brick-and-mortar stores told Kotaku over the phone that they had “plenty” of Xbox Series S’s sitting on their shelves at the moment. And while I was browsing around multiple online retailers, including Microsoft’s own website, the slimmer sister to the behemoth shoebox Xbox Series X was ready to be ordered.
Sure, it’s not the monster powerhouse that is the Xbox Series X. It can’t output native “true 4K” and only has four teraflops of processing power when compared to the bigger sister’s 12. And yeah, you do only get 512 GB of internal storage instead of 1 TB. But what the system lacks in power is made up by its impressive form factor and accessible price point. If you’re willing to make those minor trade-offs, then the Xbox Series S is an excellent way to get into this current generation of console gaming.
Another year is in the books, y’all. We made it through. The entertainment and technology industries are still getting battered by both the ongoing pandemic and semiconductor shortages, but it does appear that things are smoothing over a little. Maybe this time next year, the forecast of getting a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X will be significantly better. At the very least, we don’t have to worry much about bots anymore.
A group of seven lawmakers are sending a letter to the world’s biggest video game companies tomorrow, asking each of them what steps they’re taking to combat “harassment and extremism” in online video games.
As Axios reports, the seven Democratic representatives—including Lori Trahan (Massachusetts), Katie Porter (California) and Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon—have all co-signed a letter, which is looking to “better understand the processes you have in place to handle player reports of harassment and extremism encounters in your online games, and ask for consideration of safety measures pertaining to anti-harassment and anti-extremism”.
Unsurprisingly, the list includes companies like Activision Blizzard (Call of Duty, Overwatch), Microsoft (Xbox), Sony (PlayStation), Roblox, Take-Two Interactive (Grand Theft Auto, NBA 2K), Riot Games (League of Legends, Valorant), Epic (Fortnite) and Electronic Arts (Battlefield, FIFA & Madden).
Those are all massive international companies, most of them with thousands of employees spread out all over the world, and responsible for some of the planet’s most popular and enduring online games. To want to grill them, when so many of them are based in the US—or at least most popular in the US—is a pretty obvious move!
Hilariously, though, whoever put the list together of which companies to target has clearly just gone down a list of “most popular games”, not “biggest companies”, because among those titans of industry are Innersloth, the developers of Among Us.
Among Us may be a huge hit, but Innersloth are also a tiny team. How tiny? This tiny:
Among Us Wins Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2020
Innsersloth’s webiste says the studio currently has 20 employees. I don’t know how much they’re going to be able to explain when their game has you playing as a cute little astronaut, doesn’t have voice chat and only lets players communicate via a menu of pre-written lines.
But then nobody has to legally reply to the letter at all, it’s just a letter, so maybe they can just reply “sorry, think this is meant for Xbox!” and get on with their day.
The Xbox Series S is one of my favorite purchases. It’s the little machine that could, a less powerful version of a next-gen console, that somehow is able to run everything anyway. Today you can get one for under $200, the cheapest it’s ever been—even cheaper than last week’s cheapest ever. You know, if you don’t mind being part of the evils of corporate America.
I know this reads like one of those posts where Kotaku gets a giant wad of cash for every purchase, but honestly, I’m writing this up because it’s so damned cheap. The catch is you need to buy it through Amazon, and Amazon is awful.
So, you know, having $40 on your Amazon account is the same as having $40 in your bank account that you’d have spent on Amazon anyway. In fact, the next $40-worth of stuff you buy from Amazon will feel like it’s free! It doesn’t matter that you put the money there yourself, it’ll still feel like a free thing when you order, and the checkout says it’s covered. We’re so stupid.
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However, you do end up getting a really awesome console, while giving Microsoft, that already sells it at a loss, far less money. Sure, you’ll end up spending a fortune more on expanded storage for it, because the S comes with a ludicrous 364GB free on its puny SSD. And yeah, you’re going to pay a monthly tithe to Game Pass for there to be any point in owning it. And then you’ll need that second controller…
Capitalism is evil! But we still want games consoles, and this is the cheapest way you’re going to get a brand new one. Now, who wants to give me a job in advertorial?
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
We all have different hobbies and ways of relaxing after a long day of work. It’s vital to make time to relax so that you can hit the ground running with energy every day. If gaming is your getaway, then you’re going to like this Black Friday deal that we’re releasing a little early. On Thanksgiving and Black Friday only, we’re offering a three-month subscription to Xbox Live Gold for the lowest price you’ll find for two days: just $9.99.
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Xbox Live Gold is the ultimate way to experience Xbox One (and Xbox 360 and Xbox Series X). The world’s fastest, most reliable console gaming network, you can dive into online multiplayer to take your gaming to a whole new level. Xbox Live Gold is your ticket to the most exciting social entertainment network in the world, letting you find people to play with using Clubs and Looking for Group. (Or you can always play with your real-world friends, too.). The cloud-hosted multiplayer helps eliminate lag and cheating while the 300,000 server network remains the fastest in the business.
Every month, Gold also gives you access to two to four free games as well as 50% to 75% discounts in the Xbox Store. You can check out some of the most recent free downloads here. With discounts on select content every week, your Gold subscription is a gift that will keep on giving throughout the duration of your subscription. Basically, it’s the best way to play your favorite console and we’re offering the best deal you’ll ever see.
This Thanksgiving and Black Friday only, we’re offering Xbox Live Gold for three months for about the price of one. Sign up for three months today for 60 percent off $24 at just $9.99 while supplies last.
The custom made Xbox set evokes the iconic Wakandan salute from the films.
Microsoft
The highly anticipated Marvel Studios release Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sees Letitia Wright’s tech genius Shuri take center stage. And as young women and other STEM hopefuls look up to this new role model, Microsoft and Marvel Studios have joined forces to push the power of her example even further.
On November 3rd, the two companies invited journalists, creators, and community leaders to the Microsoft Experience Center in New York to reflect over Shuri’s example and celebrate the real world efforts of women in tech.
The evening began with a special video from Letitia Wright herself emphasizing the power of the Black Panther story to inspire. After this, Editor-at-Large at PEOPLE PEOPLE Janine Rubenstein took the stage and introduced the panelists: Microsoft’s Q Muhaimin, Product Manager for Xbox Experiences and educator Erica Buddington, founder of Langston League and champion for culturally relevant and identity-affirming educational programs.
Rubenstein guided the panelists through reflections on each of their journeys into the tech world, and the identify-based struggles that involved. The women brought up their successes, their challenges, and the role models that lifted them up throughout, much like Shuri would be able to do, now, for so many.
Janine Rubenstein (L) talks women in tech with panelists Q Muhaimin (M) and Erica Buddington (R).
Microsoft
Additionally, as Rubenstein called out, Microsoft and Marvel Studios’ efforts around maximizing the impact of the new film would not end here. The layered collaboration also includes community theater buyouts with local content creators in order to bring the film to under-resourced communities, a dazzling drone performance in the night sky, the first ever “Wakandan HBCU Lecture” delivered by Professor Jacoby DuBose at Howard University, and a new, easy to follow coding curriculum teaching youth powerful tech skills via making their very own Black Panther video game.
But of course, the star of the event sat on its pedestal to the left of Rubenstein: a custom designed Xbox Series X stylized with patterns, controllers, and charging stations all crafted to evoke the iconic Black Panther Wakandan salute. The set itself is both part and exemplary of this entire initiative and the power sitting behind the Black Panther symbol. And so that is why Microsoft and Marvel Studios plan to hand it over to a few lucky winners via a special Twitter giveaway.
The first Black Panther film met not only critical and commercial success, but set off a cultural wave that reverberates throughout the world still today. And now, the sequel is poised to expand that impact even further, this time shining an even brighter light on women of color who wish to become tech leaders and warriors in their own ways.
This collaboration then, hopes to just nudge all that along.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now playing in theaters. The film stars Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta, and Angela Bassett and is directed by Ryan Coogler.
Microsoft’s giveaway contest for the custom Black Panther Xbox Series X is now active and ends on December 1st. See here for details on how to submit via Twitter for a chance to win.
One of the best-selling video gamed franchises of all time is finally getting an adaptation. Not just one though. Gears of War will get a film and a series. Multiple production companies have been trying to get a project rolling since at least 2007, but it seems that Netflix is the only one that has succeeded. For a time, New Line Cinema held the rights. Then, Universal was planning to produce a feature film around the time of the release of Gears Of War 4. That attempt also stalled out.
According to Netflix’s press release, the service “will first adapt the video game saga into a live action feature film, followed by an adult animated series, with the potential for more stories to follow.” They are partnering on both with with series developer The Coalition. For those unfamiliar with the plot of Gears of War, here is how Netflix described it:
A society divided and on the brink of collapse faces total extinction by the Locust, a monstrous threat from below. Delta Squad, a ragtag fireteam led by disgraced sergeant Marcus Fenix, is now charged with leading humanity’s last stand. The series has been critically acclaimed for redefining the tactical third-person and co-operative shooter genre and has one of gaming’s most passionate fanbases.
As of now, there’s no actual cast or crew attached to either the film or the animated series that are now in the production pipeline. That being said, since Netflix came out and announced that there are adaptations in the works, it’s likely that we’ll hear some news soon!
Every Video Game Movie Ever Made, Ranked From Worst to Best
If you’ve held off on building up a digital library of games, the original Red Dead Redemption is here to remind you that you might not be missing out after all. Rockstar’s 2010 open world Western was just removed from PS Now/Plus after six years. And as the industry moves to include more subscription and streaming services, it’s not likely to get any better.
As first spotted by Twitter news account @videotech_, the original Red Dead Redemption evaporated from Sony’s PlayStation streaming titles under PS Plus. First included in 2016 as part of the formerly-named PS Now service, Red Dead is notable for having never received a remaster, despite the celebration it and its zombified expansion earned. Sony’s streaming service remained the only way to play the game on PlayStation consoles after the PS3. Gamers will now have to hunt down a disc for a compatible Xbox console or dive into the waters of emulation to enjoy John Marston’s debut story.
Playing the original Red Dead Redemption via backwards compatibility on Xbox is perhaps the most direct and best way to play it currently. The game received an enhanced update on Microsoft’s console a few years ago, upping the resolution to 4K on Xbox Series X and 1440p on Series S. That said, hopefully you’ve got access to a good physical copy if you don’t want the digital version, which is still only available in Xbox’s storefront (who could blame you at this point?). With an initial release date of 2010, scratches might be the least of your concern given how susceptible aging DVDs are to disc rot.
GTA Series Videos
For those willing to roll up their sleeves with a totally legal copy of the game, RPCS3 offers a path to emulating the experience on PC. For everyone else, this is a reminder that hanging onto the games you like is sometimes worth it. While we’d like to hope these digital services we pay into every month will keep these games accessible, today iss a reminder that such hopes can be dashed real fast.
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It’s almost as if these services are more about ongoing profit streams than legacy preservation. Hmm.
