Xbox and Microsoft gaming head Phil Spencer may've just spilled the beans. In an interview this week, Spencer spoke about a whole lot of plans for the future of Xbox, including plans for "lower priced hardware" that'll work with Microsoft's game streaming service and xCloud. So maybe you won't need an Xbox Series S after all.
Microsoft is really pushing its Xbox game streaming, both with "local" Remote Play as well as cloud gaming via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, previously known as Project xCloud. But while the likes of Google's Stadia initially aimed from TVs via the Chromecast, Xbox cloud gaming prioritized a more mobile experience. Gaming on smartphones, however, doesn't always have the same feel, especially when there are no physical controllers available. That's why Xbox is now rolling out its new Touch Controls to improve its cloud game streaming experience with a twist.
Another secret weapon of sorts appeared for the Xbox Series X this week. The device and its closest relative, Xbox Series S, both work with an IR receiver hidden in the industrial design of the front of the case. Because this receiver is included, the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S console units both have the ability to work with Xbox One Media Remotes.
The Xbox Series X has a significant advantage over the Sony PlayStation 5 before launch. Not because the devices aren't capable of the same graphics power, or the Xbox is designed to fit under your television's weird table any better. But because the Xbox Series X rolls with a list of games that'll run with an image refresh rate of 120FPS - a list that's larger than that of the PS5.
Streaming is the big thing in entertainment these days, including in gaming. There are, however, two ways to stream games, with the most known one being the Netflix-style streaming from a remote computer ala Google Stadia. There is, however, another kind of streaming that lets you remotely play games already installed on a PC or console. That's exactly the kind that iPhone and iPad owners can now enjoy with the latest Xbox mobile app while Microsoft figures out how to get around Apple's cloud game streaming restrictions.
In addition to the other Xbox Game Pass additions arriving this month, Microsoft has announced that its video game subscription service will also be getting a handful of LucasArts classics just in time for Halloween. These are, of course, the remastered versions of the classic games, which originally launched for platforms like DOS, classic Mac OS, and early versions of Windows.
Today's consoles are no longer just dedicated gaming appliances. They have also become entertainment centers and, in some cases, computers in their own right. That's especially true with the Xbox, which shares a common DNA with Windows because of their Microsoft heritage. The ties between the two just got a bit closer with Xbox gaining a Microsoft Bing, formerly just Bing, app, which also brings with it Microsoft's Rewards program just for doing searches.
Struggling video game retailer GameStop quietly announced a major new revenue-sharing deal with Microsoft last week, eclipsing the news with information about what Microsoft gets from this arrangement. Details about the mutual benefits provided by this business arrangement have trickled out, however, with insiders claiming that Microsoft will share a portion of the revenue earned through digital transactions that take place on Xbox consoles sold by GameStop.
Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. announced on the 15th of October that they'd be moving Digimon Survive to 2021. This game was originally expected to be released inside the fourth quarter of 2020, but circumstances dictated that the company needed to give the game more time in development before it was ready to prime time. A statement from Kazumasa Habu was released this morning for the public to peruse.
Microsoft's new consoles, stylistically named the "Xbox Series X|S", are just a few weeks away from shipping with a new design physically and digitally. The user interface will feature a new look and feel and introduce new ways to get started. To make sure that the Xbox's loyal fans won't feel left out, it is now rolling out the October update that will make the Xbox One family share the same UI DNA as the upcoming next-gen consoles.
Today a Microsoft representative confirmed that the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S consoles will work with Auto HDR. That's high dynamic range, turned on by default, for all titles, for both consoles. Per Peggy Lo, Compatibility Program Lead for Xbox, "this gives an extra sense of richness and depth to the image when compared to a standard dynamic range (SDR) image".
Game streaming is starting to pick up with Microsoft and then Amazon jumping into the arena. Of course, it has also become controversial with Apple blocking many of these streaming services and the companies' attempt to work around that limitation. Of these new services, Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming via its Game Pass Ultimate subscription is unique in its availability on Android phones only, at least initially. Console and PC games, however, don't easily translate to touch screens, and gaming accessory maker Nacon is offering two controllers to help bridge that gap.