Video Game Chat

If it works as well as Edge Chromium does on desktop, I would say the Xbox crowd are in for a treat. It is a very good browser in my experience.

Did anyone actually buy/rent any films or TV shows from the PlayStation Store in the first place? ? I've never fully understood its inclusion, it just can't compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon..

After a long wait, we are finally getting a sequel to the Pokemon picture taking simulator, titled simply New Pokemon Snap. The game will come in April, but today we got a trailer highlighting the various things you can do in the game, as well as its region. In a new trailer from the Pokemon Presents, we got a big highlight for the Lental region, where the game will take place. The video also showed some of the Pokemon you’ll be taking shots of. Much like the original game, you can do things to change their expressions or movements, such as throwing baits to get reaction shots. Your pictures will get rated based on rarity, leading to more rewards. The game will also have a social element, where you can share pictures online, where people can like it, and those with the most likes will be featured. This is most likely the online portion that was referenced when the eShop listing went live earlier in the year. New Pokemon Snap is set to release as a Nintendo Switch exclusive on April 30th.

Microsoft has announced the first set of backwards compatible titles to take advantage of FPS Boost. The team at Microsoft has added enhancements to backwards compatible titles by developing FPS Boost, which employs a variety of new methods for nearly doubling the original framerate on select titles. This results in higher, steadier framerates to make games visually smoother. Games that will benefit from FPS Boost first, starting today, are Far Cry 4, New Super Lucky’s Tale, Sniper Elite 4, UFC 4, and Watch Dogs 2. Microsoft said it chose these titles because they are popular with players, and to also highlight “several different ways” FPS Boost can improve the experience. This means New Super Lucky’s Tale can now run up to 120fps, and UFC 4 can now run at 60fps. More titles to feature FPS Boost will be announced and released soon. This spring, the firm will also roll out new menu icons and system settings via system update where you can go to “Manage Game” to find a “Compatibility Options” button that will allow you to toggle FPS Boost on or off. There will also be a new indicator informing you when a game is running with FPS Boost whenever you hit the Xbox button on your controller. Many of these FPS Boost games will also be made available in Xbox Game Pass. New Super Lucky’s Tale and Sniper Elite 4 are both currently available with Xbox Game Pass.

Here's an announcement we didn't expect to ever land in our email inbox. Six Days in Fallujah, the formerly cancelled tactical shooter that was the subject of controversy all the way back in 2009, has been resurrected by Highwire Games for a release at the end of this year. Development is headed up by a team of veteran industry members that includes the lead designer of Destiny and Halo: Combat Evolved Jaime Griesemer as well as composer Marty O'Donnell. Get a first look at what Six Days in Fallujah looks like a whole 12 years later in the announcement trailer below. This unexpected revival is an "all-new game" told from the first-person perspective, aiming to recreate the "true stories of Marines, soldiers, and Iraqi civilians who fought Al Qaeda during the toughest urban battle since 1968." You will take control of a squad faced with real-life combat encounters, which have been put together following more than 100 interviews with those who were present during the second battle of Fallujah. A press release reads: "The game gives these stories voice through gameplay and first-person accounts captured in original documentary interview footage. Six Days in Fallujah aims to be the most authentic military shooter to date and to tell these military and civilian stories with the integrity they deserve." Upon its cancellation back in 2009, Six Days in Fallujah was criticised for attempting to release in far too close proximity to the actual real-life events it was based on. In response, former Marine Sergeant Eddie Garcia, who was wounded during the battle for Fallujah, said: "Sometimes the only way to understand what’s true is to experience reality for yourself. War is filled with uncertainty and tough choices that can’t be understood by watching someone on a TV or movie screen make these choices for you. Video games can help all of us understand real-world events in ways other media can’t." Victura CEO Peter Tamte adds: "It’s hard to understand what combat is actually like through fake people doing fake things in fake places. This generation showed sacrifice and courage in Iraq as remarkable as any in history. And now they’re offering the rest of us a new way to understand one of the most important events of our century. It’s time to challenge outdated stereotypes about what video games can be." More information and footage of Six Days in Fallujah will be shared soon.

2021 will see the release of a brand-new Call Of Duty title to take the place of 2020's Black Ops Cold War. Rumours circulated last week that Sledgehammer Games, the studio behind Advanced Warfare and WWII would be developing the new title, while Infinity Ward (Modern Warfare) and Treyarch (Black Ops Cold War) continued with their own projects, including the constantly evolving battle royale Warzone. Now reliable leaker and Call Of Duty insider Tom Henderson, who first claimed that Sledgehammer was stepping up to develop Call Of Duty 2021, has dropped some hints about the upcoming game's title and setting. As you can see from the below tweet, Henderson is either claiming that Call Of Duty 2021 will be called Guerrilla Warfare, or Apes VS. Soldiers. I suspect the former, though I wish for the latter. Meanwhile, TheGamingRevolution, another well-known industry insider shared a cryptic tweet in response to Henderson that fans believe to be a reference to a potential 1950's setting. Interestingly enough, Reddit user NahuChurch also managed to spot a now-deleted tweet from a third reliable Call Of Duty source: ModernWarzone. They claimed that Call Of Duty 2021 will most likely be set in the 50s and feature guerrilla warfare, which would imply that the game's story will be focused around the Korean War. Activision doesn't tend to officially unveil its Call Of Duty games until around May, so take all of this with a pinch of salt for now.

You can save on thousands of titles, now through February 15. Valve has kicked off the Steam Lunar New Year Sale and you can save some money on tens of thousands of titles, now through February 15 at 10am PST, 1pm EST, 6pm UK. You can also earn points again, and kick off the Year of the Ox with an animated profile, mini profile, avatar frame, and animated avatar. Bundles are now available in the Points Shop, and you can save 10% when you purchase a Points Shop Bundle. If you already own a few items in a Bundle, you can complete the set. In celebration of the New Year, you can also claim a free animated sticker each day of the sale, celebrating the Year of the Ox. Hit up the link to see everything on sale and enjoy some savings.

The new Xbox Series X/S controller can easily switch between the different devices you use it with. As pointed out by Microsoft’s global customer success account manager Timo Wolf, the gamepad can remember which what it has been connected to. Holding the controller’s sync button will hook it up to the last mobile device or PC it was used with, with the controller flashing two or three times. Meanwhile, double-tapping the sync button will connect it to your Xbox console. This isn’t a new feature; Wolf points out that a Reddit post made on November 18 last year discusses this functionality. It’s a handy thing to know given that people can play games across their Xbox consoles, Windows 10 PCs and on mobile devices thanks to Microsoft’s Cloud Gaming streaming service. The new Xbox Series X and S controller was revealed in March 2020. This new gamepad came with a brand new D-Pad with Microsoft apparently making it easier to hold than its predecessor. Though they boast a number of improvements, Microsoft is apparently asking Xbox owners whether its new controllers feel “next-gen” enough. In particular, the company wanted to see what people thought about the rival PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller and the innovations it introduced including improved haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

I tend to focus primarily on one title but also casually dip into others at the same time - I play Forza Horizon 4 almost every night but just now my main focus is on completing Control.

A brand-new Tomb Raider game is in development, and it sounds like it'll be closer to the original PlayStation games than the more recent - and divisive - reboot trilogy. Square Enix plans to mark Lara Croft's 25th anniversary celebrations all year long, with retrospectives, "nostalgic content", and other fun surprises. While all of this is going on, developer Crystal Dynamics will be beavering away on the next big Tomb Raider adventure, though we're unlikely to hear much about it for a while yet. For now, we have a slight idea of what to expect thanks to franchise game director Will Kerslake. He teased that upcoming project will blend the original games with the reboots, which were of course an origin story of sorts for the raider of tombs. "We envision the future of Tomb Raider unfolding after [the rebooted trilogy], telling stories that build upon both the breadth of Core Design and Crystal Dynamics' games, looking to unify these timelines," he explained in a 25th anniversary video (Push Square). "With Tomb Raider's extensive history, this is not an easy task, and we ask for patience as we go through the process." No big announcements in 2021 then, but old-school fans of the franchise will no doubt be glad to hear the Tomb Raider is at least partially returning to its roots. This blending of the old and new is unlikely to mean a return to the finnicky controls of the original games. It's likely more indictive of where we find Lara in her life and who she is a person, which will no doubt be interesting to see after three games of a much younger and more inexperienced adventurer.

Microsoft has provided a list of games coming exclusively to Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S this year. A handy list of the games coming exclusively to Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One has been posted, and it gives you a quick look at just some of what’s heading to the consoles. As Microsoft notes though, you can expect more than that what you will find on the list. Below is just what has been announced so far. Adios – 2021 The Artful Escape – 2021 The Ascent – 2021 The Big Con – 2021 CrossfireX – 2021 Dead Static Drive – 2021 Echo Generation – 2021 ExoMecha – 2021 Exo One – 2021 The Gunk – 2021 Halo Infinite – 2021 The Last Stop – 2021 Lake – 2021 Little Witch in the Woods – 2021 The Medium – January 28 Microsoft Flight Simulator – Summer 2021 Psychonauts 2 – 2021 – technically not a console exclusive, but it’s launching into Xbox Game Pass RPG Time – 2021 Sable – 2021 Scorn – 2021 She Dreams Elsewhere – 2021 Shredders – 2021 Song of Iron – 2021 Tunic – 2021 Twelve Minutes – 2021 Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer’s Legacy – 2021 Warhammer 40K: Darktide – 2021 Way to the Woods – 2021 The Wild at Heart – 2021 Just consider the list a quick reference guide on what’s coming.

Steam’s next big sale has had its date leaked. 2021’s first Steam sale is going to be the Lunar New Year Sale. That’s according to Steam Database, which also revealed that the upcoming sale kicks off February 11, and goes on for just five days until February 15. As you might have guessed, this sale celebrates the Chinese New Year, which begins on February 12. As is always the case with these leaks, the dates come from a Steam developer, whom Valve shared the information with. Valve never announces sale dates to the public ahead of time, but the company communicates them to Steam developers to help them arrange sales for their games. The Lunar Sale is not among Steam’s biggest, so don’t expect anything massive. That said, Valve typically highlights games made by Chinese and other Asian developers during it, so you may get a good deal on a curious-looking Chinese game you’ve been eyeing.

Microsoft has reassured Final Fantasy fans that more games in the franchise are coming to Xbox Game Pass. Speaking with TrueAchievements, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that missing Final Fantasy titles announced at X019 are still heading to the Xbox Game Pass service. “As we announced at X019, we are excited to bring the Final Fantasy franchise to gamers with Xbox Game Pass,” the spokesperson told TrueAchievements. “We have done so throughout 2020 and will continue to do so in 2021 and beyond. We look forward to announcing specific launch dates for more Final Fantasy titles in the future.” X019 took place back in November 2019, and Microsoft said at the time 10 Final Fantasy titles were coming to the service. At present, only five of the titles have graced Xbox Game Pass: Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 8 Remastered, Final Fantasy 9, and Final Fantasy 15, plus Final Fantasy 15 Multiplayer: Comrades. That leaves Final Fantasy 10: HD Remastered, Final Fantasy 10-2: HD Remastered, Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age, Final Fantasy 13, Final Fantasy 13-2, and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 to be added. It’s good news to hear that these are still planned, although why they missed 2020 remains a mystery. The original graphic, released during the trade show, clearly states that the planned time period was 2020 for all the announced Final Fantasy titles. Microsoft’s statement including “and beyond” could even mean that some miss 2021.

This thread is for the general discussion of the Xbox News Customize Your Xbox Series X, Series S. Please add to the discussion here.

Below you can find a list of the biggest games that don't have specific release dates but are confirmed to release sometime in 2021. We'll be moving each of these games into the release date sections above as soon as official release dates and windows become available. Game Platforms 12 Minutes Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Apex Legends Switch Aragami 2 PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Axiom Verge 2 Switch Braid: Anniversary Edition PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC Chivalry 2 PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Chorus PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Stadia Clockwork Aquario PS4, Switch Control: Ultimate Edition PS5, Xbox Series X|S Cris Tales PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Stadia CrossfireX Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One Cyberpunk 2077 PS5, Xbox Series X|S The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes PS5, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Digimon Survive PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Dirt 5 Stadia Disco Elysium: The Final Cut Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny Switch Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC Elden Ring PS4, Xbox One, PC Evil Dead: The Game PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC Evil Genius 2: World Domination PC Far Cry 6 PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Stadia Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach PS5, PS4, PC Ghostrunner PS5, Xbox Series X|S Ghostwire: Tokyo PS5, Xbox Series X|S New God of War Sequel PS5 Gotham Knights PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Goodbye Volcano High PS5, PS4, PC The Good Life PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Grand Theft Auto V PS5, Xbox Series X|S Gran Turismo 7 PS5 Griftlands PC, Switch The Gunk Xbox Series X|S, PC Halo Infinite Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Hogwarts Legacy PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Horizon Forbidden West PS5, PS4 Jett: The Far Shore PS5, PS4, PC Kena: Bridge of Spirits PS5, PS4, PC Little Nightmares 2 PS5, Xbox Series X|S The Lord of the Rings: Gollum PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC Marvel's Avengers PS5, Xbox Series X|S Mass Effect: Legendary Edition PS4, Xbox One, PC MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One Metro Exodus PS5, Xbox Series X|S Microsoft Flight Simulator Xbox Series X|S Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin Switch NEO: The World Ends with You PS4, Switch No More Heroes III Switch Oddworld: Soulstorm PS5, PS4, PC Overwatch 2 PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Psychonauts 2 PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 PC Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart PS5 Resident Evil Village PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Ruined King: A League of Legends Story PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Sable Xbox Series X|S, PC SaGa Frontier Remastered PS4, Switch, PC Sam & Max: This Time It's Virtual PC Serious Sam 4 PS4, Xbox One Scarlet Nexus PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Shadow Man Remastered PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Shadow Warrior 3 PC Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster PS4, Switch Shin Megami Tensei V Switch Skatebird Xbox One, Switch, PC Solar Ash PS5 Spelunky Switch Spelunky 2 Switch S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Xbox Series X|S, PC Stray PS5, PC Temtem PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Quarantine PS4, Xbox One, PC Unknown 9: Awakening PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Xbox Series X|S, PC The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition PS5, Xbox Series X|S Windjammers 2 Switch, PC, Stadia Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World PS4, Switch, PC

Xbox Game Pass already got a big upgrade this year with EA Play being added to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions on top of all the games that are routinely added, and if a new rumour plays out as people hope it will, there might be another subscription to look forward to next year. The new rumour about Xbox Game Pass plans for 2021 suggests that the Ubisoft+ service that offers people instant access to over 100 Ubisoft games for a flat rate will also be added to Xbox Game Pass, likely through the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions as EA Play was. Rumors about Xbox Game Pass getting Ubisoft+ subscriptions rolled into the package circulated online this week with many crediting the Xbox Worlds site as the source. Though the rumour may have been entertained in forums and other discussions, Xbox Worlds included it in a list of the biggest supposed Xbox rumours going around right now. That alone isn’t much to bolster the rumor since theories like these float around discussion boards and forums frequently, but others have weighed in to make the rumor now seem more probable. Windows Central’s Jez Corden who has a good track record with Windows and Xbox-focused news said he believes there’s a “strong chance” of the rumors being accurate based on what he’s heard. The point about Ubisoft+ possibly adding a smaller selection of games to Xbox Game Pass as opposed to its entire vault is one that’s been suggested online alongside the initial rumour. Considering how many games Ubisoft offers through the service and how it gets new Ubisoft releases at launch just as Xbox Game Pass does with first-party games, that would make a lot of Xbox owners far less inclined to purchase new Ubisoft releases on day one. EA Play functions similarly to both services though and was included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions with no caveats, so there’s always the chance that the same could happen with Ubisoft+ next year.

With how integral Game Pass has become to the Xbox experience, the question of family sharing was bound to follow. Xbox Game Pass is one of the best values for any subscription service in games, but what if it could offer an even better deal for families? That’s what one Xbox owner asked the company, and the answer was surprisingly open. The ever-responsive head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, was asked on Twitter if Microsoft considered offering a solution for households with multiple Xbox consoles, if they wanted to share a single Xbox Game Pass subscription. Other subscription services, such as Spotify and Apple’s various services, offer a family option that unlocks all benefits for multiple users (usually five) in the same family, for a little bit more money. According to Spencer, offering a family tier of Xbox Game Pass is something Microsoft actually wants to do. “It’s something we’d like to do,” Spencer replied on Twitter. “There is Home Console feature for one console household but for multiple family members with consoles a family plan would help. Really appreciate the feedback.” Obviously, this isn’t confirmation that a family plan is coming to Xbox Game Pass, but it’s great to that see Microsoft isn’t opposed to the idea. Considering the value the company keeps adding to Game Pass, with things like game streaming, and the addition of EA Play, it’s very possible a family option will arrive down the line.

For all those PC gamers out there, the Epic Games Store has finally begun its winter sale, with discounts across the entire site and a selection of free games, one every day for the next few days. The first big game to go free is acclaimed metropolis manager City: Skylines, with more to come along the way. There’s also some serious discounts across the whole platform, the best of which we’ve hunted down and collated for you below – or check out the whole list here! Immortals Fenyx Rising – £33.49 Bugsnax – £15.29 Watch Dogs Legion – £33.49 Death Stranding – £27.49 Disco Elysium – £20.99 Ghostrunner – £18.74 Raji: An Ancient Epic – £14.99 Not only that, but Epic is giving away unlimited $10/£10 coupons! You get one for simply logging in with your account, but from that point on, spending a certain amount in the store will get you a coupon back as part of the purchase. So if you spend $15, you’ll get the games and a $10 coupon at the end of it. Perhaps the biggest offering this year comes in the form of a limitless $10/£10 voucher you can use again and again in the storefront. If you want to redeem the coupon, you simply need to head to your Epic Games account and click the “GET MY EPIC COUPON” button here. Nice and subtle for you. You’ll receive your first coupon automatically if you make an eligible purchase or claim a free game during the promotion period, and you can earn another $10/£10 Epic Coupon for every purchase you make on qualifying titles priced $14.99/£14.99 and above. This works in your regional equivalent, too, of course.

The Xbox Countdown Winter Sale 2020 is here! This year's sale features discounts on over 800 games, bundles and add-ons, available from Friday, December 18th through Sunday, January 3rd. Here are some of the biggest games included in the sale and links to both the UK and US stores for full listings. Game Store Link GB Price US Price Assassin's Creed Valhalla Link £41.99 $44.99 Batman Arkham Collection Link £16.49 $11.99 BioShock: The Collection Link £7.99 $9.99 Borderlands 3 Link £19.79 $19.79 Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Cross-Gen Bundle Link £51.99 $55.99 Control Ultimate Edition Link £17.49 $19.99 Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time Link £29.99 $29.99 Crysis Remastered Link £14.99 $17.99 Dirt 5 Link £38.49 $41.99 DOOM Eternal Link £18.14 $19.79 F1 2020 Link £27.49 $29.99 Fallout 4 Link £5.99 $8.99 FIFA 21 Beckham Edition Link £29.99 $29.99 Forza Horizon 4 Link £27.49 $29.99 Fuser Link £38.99 $38.99 Ghostrunner Link £18.74 $22.49 Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Edition Link £12.49 $14.99 Halo: The Master Chief Collection Link £17.99 $23.99 Hitman 2 Gold Edition Link £15.99 $14.99 Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning Link £20.99 $23.99 Immortals Fenyx Rising Link £35.99 $40.19 Mafia Definitive Edition Link £26.24 $29.99 Mafia: Trilogy Link £37.49 $44.99 Marvel's Avengers Link £29.99 $29.99 Mortal Kombat 11 Link £15.99 $14.99 Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Link £34.99 $41.99 Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered Link £17.49 $19.99 Ori and the Will of the Wisps Link £12.49 $14.99 Overcooked! All You Can Eat Link £29.99 $37.49 Red Dead Redemption 2 Link £24.74 $26.99 Resident Evil 3 Link £16.49 $19.79 Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Link £4.99 $5.99 Saints Row The Third Remastered Link £16.49 $19.99 Skate 3 Link £3.74 $4.99 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Link £20.99 $23.99 Star Wars: Squadrons Link £20.99 $23.99 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Link £7.49 $11.99 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 Link £29.99 $29.99 Watch Dogs: Legion Link £35.99 $29.99 Yakuza: Like a Dragon Link £41.24 $44.99 All 700+ Games, Bundles & Add-Ons In The Xbox Countdown Winter Sale 2020 (UK) All 700+ Games, Bundles & Add-Ons In The Xbox Countdown Winter Sale 2020 (US)