If you're an Xbox One or Xbox Series X owner, then the Amazon Prime Day deals represent the perfect time to stock up on new games.
I test the console extensively whenever I'm experimenting with new Xbox accessories as part of my job here at TechRadar Gaming, so I have a strong handle on the best titles on offer.
Below you will find a selection of games that I recommend, spanning all the way from massive adventures like Crimson Desert to recent spy thriller 007 First Light. These are the releases that I'm spending the most time in right now, so I can personally vouch for the quality of each one.
Price hikes! Get your price hikes here! Hot on the heels of Apple's upward push of dollar figures, ganging up with Framework, and harnessing the disillusion caused by the price of Valve's Steam Machine... It's now Microsoft's turn. The ailing division is enacting yet another increase to the price of the Xbox Series consoles, at $100 more for the 512 GB versions and $150 more for the 1 TB model. The pricing will come into effect in roughly a month and change, on August 1st.
The firm is also killing the 2 TB version of the Xbox Series X, in an echo of Apple slicing away the higher-RAM variants of its Mac Studio computers. If you were on the fence about buying one of those, it would be wise to rush, as at the current price of "only" around $799.99, stocks are unlikely to last. Here's the new pricing, in all its glory:
Xbox Series S, 512 GB, Digital Edition: $499.99
Xbox Series S, 1 TB, Digital Edition: $599.99
Xbox Series X, 1 TB, Digital Edition: $749.99
Xbox Series X, 1 TB: $799.99
Microsoft is also adding a few options for payment and alternative purchases. Buy Now, Pay Later for splitting purchases across short-term installments for consoles bought at the Microsoft store, confirming rumors of a partnership with well-known payment processor Klarna. If that's not quite your jam, there's also interest-free 12-month financing available at Amazon for Xbox hardware.
The company is expanding Xbox trade-ins, stating that it's "working with retail partners" to enable players to sell their consoles to stores for cash or store credit. This isn't a new thing in the gaming world, as GameStop and Amazon have historically had this feature, but Microsoft's wording makes it sound like the program will be expanded to more retailers. As always, you can buy a certified refurbished console from the Microsoft Store and a number of retailers.
The highly anticipated Steam Machine is being shot down by flak due to its high release price, but all of a sudden, the $1,349 on ask for the 2 TB version doesn't sound so absurd, considering the superior hardware, gigantic game library, and low prices for games. Following Microsoft's logic, the upswing for the now-dead 2 TB version of the Xbox Series X would be $300, putting it at a nice round $1,099.99. Are you not entertained, if not excited, to be living in such interesting times?
If you've had your sights set on a new Xbox console, I strongly recommend you get one as soon as possible, because in just over a month, they're about to get much, much pricier.
On Thursday afternoon this week, Microsoft announced that its Xbox Series X|S consoles are getting a price hike come August 1, and this one is steep. Specifically, the cost of all 512GB models of these systems is climbing by $100, while 1TB units are skyrocketing an eye-watering $150. Microsoft is also sunsetting its 2TB Xbox Series X entirely.
I've included what the MSRP of Xbox Series X|S consoles will be after these price increases go into effect in the table below:
Product
New Price
Previous Price
Xbox Series S (512GB)
$499.99
$399.99
Xbox Series S (1TB)
$599.99
$449.99
Xbox Series X Digital
$749.99
$599.99
Xbox Series X
$799.99
$649.99
As you can see, we'll soon be living in a sobering reality in which the Xbox Series S — once heralded by many as an affordable and low-cost option for enjoying modern gaming on a budget — costs as much as the Xbox Series X did at launch, and in which the Series X has hit the $800 mark. Awful.
Tariffs were largely responsible for those, though this time around, the ongoing RAM and storage crisis that's being perpetuated by the tech industry's all-in bet on AI is to blame.
AI's insatiable hunger for silicon has brought on severe worldwide memory and storage shortages, driving up component costs and making just about every electronic device on the market more expensive as a result. Tragically, the problem is projected to get even worse next year, which may mean additional price hikes are on the horizon.
"Unfortunately, console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027," Xbox lamented in its notice about new prices. "The entire consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis, but the effects are particularly hard on consoles. Unlike phones, computers, speakers, and other consumer devices, consoles are typically not sold at a profit, but instead for less than they cost to make."
Ironically, the new Xbox price hike comes days after CEO Asha Sharma made a point of discussing the fact that "gaming is unaffordable in many cases." (Image credit: Microsoft (edit by Windows Central))
How do you feel about the latest round of Xbox console cost increases? Do you believe the Xbox Series X|S is still worth getting at their new prices? Let me know, and be sure to check out the incredible Prime Day deal on the Series X I've included below. It's a killer chance to get one for less before August.
With new steep price hikes only about a month away, this killer Xbox Series X deal is a must buy right now if you're interested in picking the console up.
After two price hikes in one year, Xbox and Microsoft are going for the hat trick of price hikes, with the price of the Xbox Series X/S going up for the third time in 15 months. As of August 1, 2026, the price of a Series S/X console is going up by $100 or $150, respectively. The 2TB variant is also being discontinued. The news comes from a statement shared on Xbox Wire, which also introduces multiple programs Microsoft is kicking up to try and make the consoles "more accessible," even amidst the prices rising yet again. Before digging into […]
Microsoft has just announced that the price of the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles will increase "effective August 1, 2026" in a post on Xbox News Wire. Specifically, the company says that "The price of Xbox consoles will increase by US$100 for 512 GB models and US$150 for 1 TB models. We will also be sunsetting our 2 TB model."
We don't have confirmation on what this will mean in countries outside the US, but we know there will be changes worldwide; the question is how much.
This will make the prices of Xbox consoles in the US as follows:
New Xbox console pricing
Old price
New price
Xbox Series S 512GB
$399
$499
Xbox Series S 1TB
$449
$599
Xbox Series X 1TB All-Digital
$599
$749
Xbox Series X 1TB Disc
$649
$899
So the Xbox Series S now costs the same as the Series X used to, and is the same price as the PS5 Digital Edition currently costs (though we'll see if that changes again too…).
Fortunately, you have a chance to beat the price rise at the moment — if you're in the US, Walmart has a great discount on the 1TB disc version currently.
The Xbox Series X serves up stunning graphics and super smooth performance — this is a great discount for the disc version, and may sell out quickly now that the price rise has been announced.View Deal
We're getting into a real crunch point when it comes to price rises caused by the AI-driven memory crisis.
It's hard to say if the price rise coming just before the GTA IV launch is a cynical move by Xbox, or if letting us know six weeks in advance, during a sales event, just after GTA VI pre-orders went live is doing us a favor — I'm inclined to lean towards the latter.
Amazon Prime Day is here, and like always, we have some of the best deals out there highlighted for you. To add a little flair to it, I am someone who very rarely posts about deals. It’s not my jam, but when I do, you can bet it’s about something I think is a real deal!
Introducing the Turtle Beach Velocity One Racing Wheel and Pedal System. One of the best setups I’ve laid my hands on and reviewed in 2024 is now on sale for an absolutely crazy price. Not only that, but its sister system is also on sale, the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race KD3.
A premium racing wheel setup that delivers a fantastic drive-system alongside a slew of bonus features that will leave newcomers and people looking to upgrade extremely satisfied.
This thing is a tiny little beast of a base! (Image credit: Windows Central)
These are insane deals coming from my favorite new racing wheel creator, Turtle Beach. It still feels weird seeing them make something that isn’t a headset, but it's always amazing to see new entrants into the simulation space.
While I didn’t entirely recommend the VelocityOne system at the $650 price point, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that $399 would make this a ten out of ten deal. You'll get a 7.2nm base with a side control unit that delivers over a dozen different buttons and switches. Alongside a triple-pedal setup, perfect for manual/clutch racers.
Then, there's the $237 for the KD3 system, which is even more shocking. Completely undercutting the half-decade-old Logitech G923, which is also on sale, it’s $25 less than its main competitor!
With a slimmer look and a slightly reduced feedback system, the KD3 wheel and base are phenomenal for the price. With two pedals rather than three, those looking to skip the clutch and have a more realistic, but still casual racing experience will absolutely love this setup.
Whether you’re looking for a cheaper, higher-end setup or something cheaper than the old price of the Xbox Series S, look no further than the Turtle Beach Racing Wheel family. And while you’re at it, pick up Forza Horizon 6 too, you’ll thank me later!
What is the main difference between these two devices?
Turtle Beach - VelocityOne Race Wheel & Pedal System comes with a Control Unit and third pedal, alongside a stronger force feedback wheelbase. Meaning, you'll feel more of the car.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
So now we know that GTA 6 will cost £69.99 for the Standard Edition, and £89.99 for the Ultimate Edition — we're in a brave new world of video game prices here, folks.
We're updating this page as different retailers start showing their pre-order pages — here's a quick list of search page links for now, but we'll put solid links in as they appear.
One of this week's bigger stories in the world of Xbox was the platform's new CEO Asha Sharma stating that "gaming is unaffordable in many cases" in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly.
We were curious to hear how you, our readers, feel on the matter, and so when we reported on Sharma's statement, we included a poll about it in our article in which many of you voted to voice your opinion. It remains ongoing, and I'll embed it below, but even now, the way our community feels has been made clear by the votes we've tallied up thus far.
At the time of writing, of the 228 of you that have participated in the poll, a whopping 151 gamers — 66% — believe that the cost of gaming is getting out of control. 28% of you, a count of 63, think it's a growing problem but that affordable options still exist, while the remaining minority think gaming isn't unreasonably expensive.
It's clear that the vast majority of you feel that gaming has become partially or completely unaffordable, and honestly? I'm not surprised.
In fact, I'm right there with you; between the ongoing RAM and storage crisis brought on by the tech industry going all in on AI and rising development costs leading to higher game prices (GTA 6 is $80, by the way), the cost of both new games and the hardware to play them on is becoming untenable.
Xbox's new CEO Asha Sharma is correct in saying that gaming has become unaffordable for many, though ironically, Microsoft has driven much of the AI push that's led to hardware shortages affecting the game industry. (Image credit: Microsoft)
Sharma made a good point that memory shortages aren't the only culprit, and that "the attention economy and competing subscriptions" in other entertainment mediums like film and TV have made it harder for many to afford games and gaming devices too.
With that said, though, it's undeniable that the AI-driven hardware crisis is largelyresponsible for what we're seeing, which is why Sharma considers navigating it Xbox's next big "challenge and opportunity." In your responses to Sharma's comments over on our subreddit, though, many of you have rightfully pointed out that Microsoft itself has massively contributed to this problem with its own push for AI.
"Wonder who's fault that is? 🤔," wrote one reader, reacting to Sharma's statement about the price of gaming in 2026. "Well, of course gaming is becoming unaffordable at the moment. No s***, Sherlock. The call is coming from inside the house," said another.
"'Gaming is becoming unaffordable' says CEO of a company making gaming unaffordable," added another, hammering home the point as another of you did: "Yeah. Maybe she should talk to her boss about that."
Like many of you, I too believe that Microsoft has effectively stepped on a rake as it continues to invest in AI through initiatives like its partnership with OpenAI, sabotaging the game and tech industry alongside other big-name AI developers even as its AI products fail to move the needle and AI in general still lacks a clear road to any kind of stable profitability.
Put simply, gaming has become unaffordable — and quite a bit of the blame for that frustrating truth lies on Microsoft's shoulders.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Now, in the latest Xbox update — available now for Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring of the Xbox Insider Program, and hopefully soon to all — Microsoft has further elevated the Xbox user experience with a few major feature enhancements and additions.
The first and arguably most exciting part of the update is a change for Xbox gamertags that expands their character limit from 12 to 15. Provided you create a gamertag that's both unique and doesn't contain non-Latin characters, you can take advantage of this. Non-unique gamertags will still have a 12-character limit, and will be assigned a random numerical suffix.
"This update applies to gamertags that are unique and available, giving you more room to create a gamertag that feels like you," reads Microsoft's blog post.
Xbox 360 games playable through the Xbox Backwards Compatibility feature have also been updated so that they have game hubs within their game cards in the Xbox UI. These allow you to "quickly view achievement progress, captures, and other useful information," and give these titles parity with Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S games in the Xbox Dashboard.
Xbox 360 games now have game hubs within their game cards thanks to this update, giving them parity with Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S titles in the Xbox UI. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
Another big addition for Xbox Game Pass subscribers specifically is the ability to play a game through Xbox Cloud Gaming while you're updating it. This allows you to circumvent the time you'd normally have to spend waiting for an update to finish entirely, and jump right in while one downloads in the background. Do note that this feature will only work with games that support play through streaming.
Finally, you now also have the ability to add games to your wishlist directly from game cards, making it quick and easy to bookmark a title you're interested in when you come across it on the Xbox Dashboard. This works with "both released and upcoming games," notably.
All in all, I think these are some excellent improvements to the Xbox platform, and continue the streak of speedy updates that have come after Xbox's new CEO Asha Sharma stepped into the position earlier this year.
They also come about a month and a half after Sharma vowed to deliver new Xbox updates every two weeks, admitting that "We have to sweat every single detail" and announcing that one of her core goals this year would be to "fix the fundamentals on console and PC."
With GTA 6 pre-orders going live at midnight tonight, the pressure is on to ensure your hardware is up to the task, especially since the title is exclusive to current-gen consoles. If you haven't upgraded yet, Amazon Prime week Day is the perfect time to secure an Xbox Series X.
I'm not going to pretend that the current deal sets the gaming world alight, but it does bring us closer to an actually reasonable price for Xbox's flagship console. This is currently the only active deal for the Series X. You can pick it up for $573 at Walmart (not AMAZON), saving you $76.99 just in time for the GTA 6 launch.
A rare price drop since the initial increases on September 19, 2025, the standard Series X is edging closer to being a bargain again. This edition includes a disc drive, too.
The Xbox Series X 1TB will be the best place to play GTA 6
(Image credit: Windows Central | Jez Corden)
The Xbox Series X remains the gold standard for Xbox gaming, and will be the best place to experience GTA 6 (if you don't want to fork out PS5 Pro prices, that is). With a custom 8-core Zen 2 CPU and 12 teraflops of RDNA 2 GPU power, it is built to handle the heavy lifting that Rockstar’s latest beast of a game will demand.
This deal is mostly for those who have been waiting for the right moment to retire an aging Xbox One X or Series S. This console generation has been a rocky one, with prices being hiked upward rather than dropping as the hardware ages, so we always knew steep discounts were off the table. However, if you are looking to upgrade without heading to the second-hand market, this is the most sensible way to do it.
Is Xbox Series X better than Xbox Series S?
With the Xbox Series X|S consoles, Microsoft offers options to suit different budgets. Both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S play the same games, but the Xbox Series X delivers superior graphics processing power. This means it can handle higher resolutions, enhanced visual effects, and occasionally higher framerates — up to 120 FPS in some games.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
There’s no shortage of hype surrounding Summer Game Fest, and its orbit of smaller indie game showcases, as well as the wildly successful Xbox Games Showcase. This year’s events were chock full of exciting game reveals, especially for AAA lovers.
Titles like State of Decay 3, Fable, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 dominated the post-showcase conversation, and it can be difficult for indie game reveals to get enough time in the limelight.
So we here at Windows Central want to take this opportunity to highlight ten indie game reveals for Xbox from this month’s showcases that have stolen our hearts. Maybe you’ll find a few that you want to bump up to the top of your wishlist, too.
Grave Seasons
Grow crops, fish, mine, and meet the locals for a little romance all while solving a murder mystery in Grave Seasons. (Image credit: Blumhouse Games, Perfect Garbage)
Life sims are having a moment. The genre has been on the rise for a few years now, though, which means that it is at risk of feeling stale. This has led to a new wave of genre mashups where newly released life sims have unique plot twists that keep players intrigued.
One of the best mashups of this genre is the cozy horror life sim. Grave Seasons, developed by Perfect Garbage and published by Blumhouse Games, is a shining example — we find ourselves playing as an escaped convict who has made themselves at home in an idyllic town called Ashenridge.
As one does in a cozy life sim, we set ourselves up with a darling little farm, rubbing elbows with the locals and maybe even falling in love. Hit the mines, grow your crops, and drown a few worms at the local fishing hotspots. It's all you would expect from a pixel art cozy life sim. Until the murders start, anyway, then you find yourself tossed into the chaos of investigating a murder and protecting the next victim whenever possible.
Grave Seasons is a narrative feast, with each playthrough having a different potential killer in the town — it could even be your current love interest. Different playthroughs of the game result in new details and conversations based on your relationships with the locals, keeping gameplay fresher than your garden harvest.
Start your new creepy life in Grave Seasons when it comes to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud with support for Xbox Play Anywhere on August 14. Grave Seasons will also launch day one on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
After escaping from jail, set up your homestead in the cozy town of Ashenridge. Grow crops, woo the locals, solve some murders. Grave Seasons blends cozy life and dating sim gameplay into an exciting whodunnit mystery.View Deal
Moss: The Forgotten Relic
Moss finally escapes the bondage of VR so that players on all platforms can experience the heartwarming fable of Quill's adventure. (Image credit: Polyarc)
In 2018, Polyarc released a 3-D action-adventure puzzle game about a little mouse named Quill, called Moss, and it stole our hearts. There was just one problem — Moss was only available in VR.
Those of us on Xbox or who were unable (or unwilling) to play in VR had to just look on at trailers and screenshots of Moss longingly and hope that someday it would eventually find its way to consoles in a non-VR variant. Though at the time, it didn’t seem likely at all for that to ever happen.
Imagine the surprise when the first trailer for Moss: The Forgotten Relic dropped. This stunning adventure that takes place in a living fable has players exploring a fallen kingdom that is slowly being reclaimed by nature.
Quill, the courageous but small mouse protagonist, will need your guidance and protection as you uncover hidden secrets and navigate puzzles in a story that feels plucked from the pages of a classic fairy tale.
Both Moss: Book I and Moss: Book II have been combined for a complete fairy tale epic that is enhanced and reimagined for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and compatible handhelds.
Moss: The Forgotten Relic is developed and published by Polyarc and is expected to release this Summer.
Formerlly a VR-only game, Polyarc has completely revamped both the original Moss and its sequel, Moss Book II, into a console-friendly game without the VR requirement. Follow the story of Quill, a small mouse on a big adventure through a story inspired by classic fables.View Deal
Bad Magpie
The cure to loneliness? Shiny trinkets, of course. (Image credit: Milktooth)
Sometimes in life, you just want to be a magpie — burning meadows, finding shiny objects, and creating generalized chaos using cartoon logic. There’s just one problem. In Bad Magpie, your magpie self only has one wing. Surely that couldn’t have anything to do with the chaos and arson, right?
Anywho, Bad Magpie sets you loose in a small but densely packed world with plenty of chaotic things to do as a grounded magpie who wants nothing more than to win the heart of a fallen star and cure its own loneliness in the process.
It’s a delightfully chaotic romp through a colorful world packed with puzzles that give you the freedom to solve them however you see fit, as long as you’re curious enough to try.
Despite there being no text, no dialogue, and no cutscenes, Bad Magpie does have a rich story with a cast of critters and tactile interactions that encourage mischief and exploration in order to experience an emotional narrative told through environment and interactivity.
Bad Magpie, developed and published by Milktooth, is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC with Xbox Play Anywhere support and Xbox Game Pass in 2027.
A lonely little one-winged magpie has found itself in love with a falling star, and the only way to win its heart is with shiny trinkets. Burn a meadow, drain a swimming pool, you can't fly, but there are still plenty of ways to create some chaos and make that star fall in love with you.View Deal
Momento
Choose objects that matter to you to create your own life story in Momento. (Image credit: Silver Lining Interactive, Fat Alien Cat & Nomo Studio)
The “put stuff in a room to learn a story” genre is an interesting niche that explores environmental storytelling through beautiful art and puzzles. In the five years since Unpacking popularized the concept, there have been several new entries, but few have captured the same gut reaction we all experienced when we finally started to understand the game’s narrative.
Developers Fat Alien Cat & Nomo Studio and publishers Silver Lining Interactive may have managed to expand that experience with the upcoming release of Momento.
Similar to Unpacking, Momento is a cozy room decorator where players place objects around a beautifully illustrated room, but there is a slight twist. It’s up to you to choose the objects that matter most to decorate with, and the objects you select have a lasting impact on the path the story takes.
Starting with your childhood scene, Memento asks us to choose the toys that represent our dreams and future, which then lead into different scenes in adulthood that explore unique themes.
Wonder, love, heartbreak, and the significance of sentimentality are at the heart of Momento, as you experience a lovingly crafted tactile world that reacts to you.
Unlike similar narrative room decorators, Memento does not have a puzzle element to its gameplay. Instead, small decisions made by the player have lasting impacts that ripple throughout the story. Memento is coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and compatible handhelds with support for Xbox Play Anywhere.
Nothing heals a broken heart better than French pastries, which leads us to The Witch’s Bakery. Playing as Lunne, you can experience a colorful adventure in Paris as you serve the locals tasty treats from your newly opened bakery. Lunne’s not your ordinary chef, however. She’s also a witch with the power to see into people’s hearts.
Developed by Sunny Lab and published by Silver Lining Interactive, The Witch’s Bakery lets players experience Paris in three parts each day. During business hours, Lunne manages her bakery and serves up pastries.
As the sun goes down, Lunne closes up shop, and players can explore Paris and uncover the secrets of the city while building up relationships with her friends and neighbors. Sometimes characters’ emotions are locked away, and it requires a little more than just a chat to help them overcome their troubles.
During the evening hours, Lunne can use her witchy abilities to go inside of her friends’ troubled heart palaces and discover that person’s key ingredient — the secret touch to the recipe for a magic pastry that can heal them.
After guiding emotions through heart palaces and exploring Paris, Lunne can return to her atelier for the night to rest, improve her magic, and decorate her bakery before the next day begins anew.
The Witch’s Bakery is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S in August.
Serve up fresh pastries and heal the hearts of the locals in this beautifully illustrated indie about a powerful Witch and her bakery set in Paris. Coming to Xbox this August.View Deal
Magicians: The Devil’s Deal
From the developers of Submerged comes a new, action-packed adventure straight from the pits of Hell itself. (Image credit: Focus Entertainment, Uppercut Games)
If you prefer a more action-heavy take on magic, developer Uppercut Games and publisher Focus Entertainment’s upcoming narrative-driven first-person shooter, Magician’s The Devil’s Deal, just might scratch the itch for you. Uppercut Games is previously known for the narrative, no-dialogue, no-combat adventure Submerged and its sequel, making Magicians: The Devil’s Deal a new challenge for the experienced studio.
Magicians: The Devil’s Deal follows the story of Jacob Menteuro, an illusionist bound to a deal with the Devil, who unfortunately finds himself cast into Hell. Combat, exploration, and stage magic come together as Jacob and the player experience a narrative where he must overcome the Masters of Theatreland on an infernal stage that turns everyday magical props into lethal weapons.
Compelled by the Devil himself, Jacob must topple the Masters to take their powers for himself in this visually stunning world inspired by Victorian London.
Magicians: The Devil’s Deal takes the stage in 2027 on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC. And for the final trick, you can play it day one on Xbox Game Pass.
Jacob's made a deal with the Devil, but now he must fight through the hell of Theatreland to overcome the masters who betrayed him in this upcoming first-person shooter adventure from the developers of Submerged.View Deal
Cassette Beasts 2002
Cassette Beasts 2002 embraces the same retro vibe that made the first so special. (Image credit: Raw Fury, Bytten Studio)
In 2023, Cassette Beasts crashed onto consoles and introduced fans to a world where they could collect and transform creative monsters with the power of retro cassette tapes. During the recent rash of showcases, developer Bytten Studio and publisher Raw Fury showed off the upcoming sequel, Cassette Beasts 2002.
Cassette Beasts 2002 starts in a quiet neighborhood of London, but players will find themselves and their custom-created characters pulled down to the land of Nodnol. Players can explore Nodnol alone or with friends via online multiplayer, and can even opt to import their original character from the first game.
In Nodnol, players can form bonds with the colorful cast of twelve different companions who can be bonded with, recruited, and even romanced. Similar to its predecessor, Cassette Beasts 2002 lets players record audio from beasts using cassette tapes that can then be played back to take on their form in battle. Fusions are also making a return, but Cassette Beasts 2002 ups the ante with over 57,000 fully-animated fusion forms.
Cassette Beasts is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC with Xbox Play Anywhere entitlements and support for Xbox cross-platform multiplayer.
One of the most creative takes on monster-taming and creature collecting is back with an all-new time period, but it still embraces the nostalgic tech that made its predecessor popular. Record beasts, tame them, and then take them into battle.View Deal
Deer and Boy
Upcoming platformer Deer and Boy has long had a spot on our wishlists, and we will finally be able to get our hands on a heartwarming and poetic journey about a young runaway boy who befriends a delicate fawn very soon.
Deer and Boy is an original adventure with a unique twist: a single-player game where you are never alone as your companion grows into a majestic deer during your story, changing the way you interact with the game’s world and puzzles.
Developed by Lifeline Games and published by Dear Villagers that offers a deep narrative adventure with complex story layers that change how you see the game’s tale, with young players experiencing a wholesome story about the friendship between a boy and his deer companion. More mature players may see deeper meaning in the story, even though it has no dialogue or text.
Deer and Boy promises to be an easy, relatively short game that can be completed in a few sessions and is suitable for all members of the family — even the little guys. You can enjoy this interactive cinematic story when it releases on June 23 on Xbox Series X|S.
Experience a heartwarming story of a young runaway who forms a bond with a delicate fawn. This short, sweet, family-friendly game has a layered narrative that all ages can enjoy.View Deal
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit
Flamey returns for a new adventure on a new island. (Image credit: The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild, Spry Fox)
A beautiful island awash in a watercolor aesthetic, a wholesome character creator, and an ominous bus crash that leaves you stranded at a spooky campsite — welcome to Cozy Grove.
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit is the much-anticipated sequel to the 2021 life sim, where players became Spirit Scouts stranded on an island inhabited by the ghosts of adorable bears. To return home, your Spirit Scout had to help those bears become at peace with elements of their past lives.
Some stories were tragic, others heartwarming, but all of them were meaningful and left us just a little sad when the bear’s ghost would move on and become golden.
Netflix snapped up Cozy Grove developer Spry Fox in its earliest days of reaching into the gaming industry, and initially hoarded the ghost-bear-helping life sim on its mobile platform before deciding to sell the studio back to its founders at the end of 2025.
That return to independence is great news for console and PC players who were desperate to return to this incredible world and experience more haunting bear stories, because now Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit is coming to Xbox on July 15.
Grab your badge sash, we’re going decorating and helping ghosts remember their pasts and come to peace with their deaths. New bears, new island, new NPCs to meet. Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit comes to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and compatible handhelds with support for Xbox Play Anywhere. A free demo is available now.
After developer Spry Fox regained their independent, the previously Netflix-exclusive sequel to the cozy island life-sim, Cozy Grove, is now making its way to consoles. Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit launches July 15 with new bears, new collectibles, and a new story.View Deal
Grim Trials
(Image credit: Soft Source Pte Ltd., Rolling Glory Jam)
There’s more to look forward to than just cozy games, so we’re closing out the list with a coming-of-age tale set in the afterlife, complete with heavy metal riffs and action roguelike gameplay. You can still craft, but like, in a hardcore way.
Grim Trials lets you customize your weapons and equipment as Avelin, a young woman who has been recruited to serve as one of Death’s reapers. It’s up to Avelin to track down impure souls, but in doing so, she will be forced to come to terms with her own untimely demise and face her own demons.
Grim Trials features endless hex-grid arenas where Avelin will need to overcome monsters and traps before tackling the 7 sacrilegious bosses. Players are armed with customizable scythes, crossbows, and Blessings from the Gods of Death.
A victory on the battlefield affords Avelin the spoils of war, and she can use the materials collected to craft better weapons, armor, and consumables to aid in the journey through the afterlife.
Developed by Rolling Glory Jam and published by Soft Source Pte Ltd, Grim Tales is sure to pique the interest of those who fell in love with Hades 2 and similar roguelikes with deep customization options, relationship-building side quests, and a full cast of characters to learn more about.
A demo for Grim Tales is available now, and you can look forward to it launching on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and compatible handhelds, though no release date has been confirmed just yet.
Face the trials of hell as Avelin, a young woman whose untimely demise has left her longing for her still-living love. Should she endure the trials of a fledgling reaper, she just may get to see them again. Can you defeat the 7 sacrilegious bosses in Avelin's way?View Deal
Microsoft and Xbox have experienced some high highs and low lows with its video game adaptations over the years, with Bethesda and Amazon's Fallout TV show and 2025's Minecraft movie proving to be huge hits while the live-action Halo TV series and Halo: Nightfall before it left most viewers extremely disappointed.
Overall, though, multimedia projects that draw from Xbox's gaming IPs have enjoyed more of a positive reception in recent years — and according to comments from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and other executives in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, there's "more appetite to work with us on titles than ever before."
"You won't see us try to become the biggest linear provider in the world or anything like that, but I think great games are culture, and culture is entertainment," Sharma explained. "If you think about it, we've got the number two show of all time on Amazon [Fallout], Minecraft was top 5 in 2025, Call of Duty is bigger than the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So it all measures. [There's] more appetite to work with us on titles than ever before."
The claim that the Call of Duty series is larger than Disney and Marvel's massive cinematic universe is a bold one, but from what I can tell, the math does actually check out; reported box office numbers put the MCU's lifetime revenue at about $32 billion, while all signs point to Call of Duty making over $35 billion across 500 million lifetime sales.
I never would have expected a Sea of Thieves movie, but that's exactly what we're getting, with Marvel's Destin Daniel Cretton set to produce through Hisako Films. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
Now, you can certainly make the argument that the MCU is bigger in terms of cultural impact, but at least from a fiscal perspective, it does seem like Call of Duty has inched itself ahead of the film franchise that kicked off a renaissance of superheroes on the big screen.
We know a Wolfenstein show is coming to Amazon, that a Minecraft one is in the works with Netflix, and that a Fallout Shelter-inspired reality competition series is filming as well.
Microsoft's plans for multimedia Xbox projects beyond these are a mystery right now, but one thing is quite clear: the company is very interested in continuing to adapt its big-name gaming franchises to other entertainment mediums, and I have no doubts that we'll see additional shows and movies get announced and made in the coming years.
What are some of the Xbox properties you'd like to see Microsoft try and adapt to TV and film? Let me know in the comments below.
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If you were waiting for Amazon Prime Day to jump on some Xbox deals, well, I don't know what to tell you. It's been a bit of a damp squib so far, I think the age of actual console deals in today's climate is behind us. However, Newegg has stepped in with a genuine way to save: You can currently grab a $100 Xbox Gift Card for just $83 (expired) when you use the promo code FTTF6926 at checkout.
That’s an instant $17 saving on credit you were probably going to spend anyway on games, and it's basically free money in your (Xbox) bank.
You can use Xbox credit to 'treat yo'self' to a new controller or any number of the amazing games on Xbox right now. To get this deal, add the gift card to checkout and use code FTTF6926, to deduct $17 off. (EXPIRED)View Deal
How to redeem your Xbox gift card
The code is delivered digitally via email, so there’s no waiting around for a physical card.
Sign in to your Microsoft account (the same one you use on Xbox)
Enter the code from Newegg
Your balance updates instantly and is ready to use across the Xbox and Microsoft Store.
When you check out, just select your Microsoft Account balance as the payment method to make sure you’re using that discounted credit.
What can you spend the credit on?
This could be a good way to get some cheap Play Anywhere titles for your gaming handheld (Image credit: Windows Central | Jez Corden)
Don't let the name fool you; this isn't locked to digital games on your console. It adds balance to your whole Microsoft account, which you can use for games & DLC, Game Pass Ultimate, accessories and anything on the Microsoft store including Surface devices and Office 365 subscriptions.
If you don't have anything in mind right now, but know you are likely to spend money in the store soon, perhaps for a bigger purchase, you can stack multiple gift cards to lower the cost later. It’s a simple way to make any upcoming Microsoft purchase a little cheaper without locking you into a single product.
Newegg usually only runs these promotions for a very limited time, and it's likely that they're just trying to compete against Amazon Prime Day for traffic. With that in mind, this deal will be short-lived. If you have any big purchases with Xbox in mind (GTA 6 perhaps?), then jump on this deal now and secure yourself some free credit on top of your spend.
FAQ
Do Xbox gift cards expire?
No. Xbox (Microsoft) gift card balances do not expire, so you can redeem and hold onto the credit until you’re ready to spend it.
Can Xbox gift cards be used for Game Pass?
Yes. Your balance can be used to pay for Game Pass Ultimate or other Microsoft subscriptions, provided you have sufficient funds available.
FREE CASH (KIND OF)
You can use Xbox credit to 'treat yo'self' to a new controller or any number of the amazing games on sale right now through the dashboard. To get this deal, add the gift card to checkout and use code FTTF6926, to deduct $6 off.View Deal
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After months of speculation, Valve finally revealed the price of the Steam Machine yesterday, with the base barrier to owning your own GabeCube listed at $1,049 USD. You could go up to $1,428 USD for the version with all of the bells and whistles, but getting your foot in the door will cost over a grand to start. In a new report from GamesIndustry.Biz, the reaction to that price from senior video game industry analysts is a general sense of surprise that it's not worse and disappointment that it's as high as it is. But what it means for next-generation […]
I've spent most of my life drifting from one fleeting entanglement to another, never really taking the risk to actually invest in something significant. But then, four months ago, I finally made a real commitment: my life changed for the better and I haven't looked back since. That's right, I finally bought myself a premium gaming controller. And, this Prime Day, I think should take the leap too.
But there are lots of great PC and Xbox controllers out there, so how do you know when you've found the one? Trust me: when you know, you know. And for me, that controller is the Asus ROG Raikiri II.
If you want a super low-latency, wireless controller for PC or Xbox, the Asus ROG Raikiri II is an excellent choice, thanks to its great feature-set and impressive build. And while it usually has a unflinchingly high price tag, you're currently in luck, as right now you can pick up the ROG Raikiri II at Amazon for $189.99 (was $143.99). In my book, that turns it from a strong candidate to an absolute must-have.
There are so many reasons I'm impressed with the Asus ROG Raikiri II. Wonderfully clicky face buttons. Dual-mode, TMR triggers and TMR thumbsticks. Impressively low latency. And I'm even more impressed now it's a huge $46 off.
I've not exactly tried to hide my love for this controller, as you can see from my Asus ROG Raikiri II review. I gave it a glowing 4.5 stars, thanks to its compelling features.
Those dual-mode triggers mean you can easily set it to a shallow tap for clicking heads in shooters or set them to their full range for granular control over your accelerator for driving games.
The thumbsticks also feel wonderfully precise, making it easy to sneak past fascists on Indiana Jones and The Great Circle. Also, its 2.4GHz wireless connectivity offers super low-latency of just 2.3ms, making it always feel really responsive.
And when it comes to design, it's no less impressive. It feels solidly built in your hand and comes with its own charging dock and replacement thumbsticks. Meanwhile, its customizable RGB lightning adds just enough flair without it feel overdone or garish. Finally, ROG's Gear Link software allows to set response curves for its sticks and triggers and changes its lighting patterns. Not bad for less that $150 / £200.
Want to peruse some other controllers before making your decision? Then check out our guide to the best PC controllers. Alternatively, keep an eye on our Amazon Prime Day live blog for all the latest deals as we unearth them.
It's come to light that Obsidian Entertainment — the storied, legendary developer known for creating Fallout: New Vegas, The Outer Worlds, and Grounded, Pentiment, Avowed, and The Outer Worlds 2 under Xbox Game Studios — is currently facing a class action lawsuit after allegedly "violating state wage and hour laws."
The case — first opened in October last year, and followed by an amended complaint that was filed in January by plaintiff Victoria Turner, who has a name matching that of a QA lead that worked on Obsidian's 2025 RPG The Outer Worlds 2 — accuses the Xbox studio of engaging in "a systematic pattern of wage and hour violations under the California Labor Code and Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) Wage Orders."
Specifically, it's alleged that the developer failed "to pay all wages (including minimum wages and overtime wages)," didn't "provide lawful meal periods or compensation in lieu thereof," and didn't "authorize or permit lawful rest breaks or provide compensation in lieu thereof."
It's also been claimed that Obsidian failed to "reimburse necessary business-related costs," "provide accurate itemized wage statements," "pay wages timely during employment," and "pay all wages due upon separation of employment."
The lawsuit "seeks monetary relief" for Turner and "all others similarly situated in California" where Obsidian is headquartered, with the ultimate goal being "to recover, among other things, unpaid wages, unreimbursed business expenses, benefits, interest, attorneys' fees, costs and expenses, and penalties."
Obsidian Entertainment is well known in the industry for its expansive RPG titles, the latest of which is The Outer Worlds 2. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
Notably, the case covers "all persons currently or formerly employed by any or all Defendants as nonexempt employees in the State of California at any time between October 9, 2021 and the date of class certification." The plaintiff also seeks to include "All members of the Class who separated their employment with any or all Defendants at any time between October 9, 2022 and the date of class certification."
Obsidian's first response to the lawsuit came in early March, with the studio stating that it "denies, generally and specifically, each and every allegation in the FAC [First Amended Complaint]." It also denied "that Plaintiff and/or any putative class members she purports to represent have suffered any injury or been damaged in any sum whatsoever by reason of any act or omission" from the developer or its staff.
Obsidian then argued Turner's case "fails to state facts sufficient to constitute valid claims," and added that "Plaintiff and any putative class member and/or other allegedly aggrieved employees consented to and/or acquiesced in the alleged conduct by Defendant of which Plaintiff now complains."
Essentially, what the studio is saying here is that Turner hasn't provided adequate proof to support the lawsuit's claims, and that the workers it represents voluntarily gave up lunch and rest breaks. The case hasn't progressed since that response, but I and the rest of Team Windows Central will keep an eye on it and report on new developments.
All of this comes amid Obsidian's efforts to restructure itself within Xbox, with the developer enacting plans to shorten development cycles, more frequently work with partner studios, and reuse technology and solutions from previous projects as it builds new ones.
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In a rather lengthy interview with Entertainment Weekly, we received a lot of juicy details. From OD getting new information revealed to Netflix's Gears of War movie finally receiving some concrete updates, there's been plenty to unpack. While I've covered most of that elsewhere, it was Xbox's CEO, Asha Sharma's comments about her plans for XBOX's ecosystem that really caught my attention.
What's particularly interesting is that those plans extend far beyond the traditional console experience, so let's take a look at exactly what she had to say.
Within the interview, Sharma outlines her plans for XBOX, stating she wants:
a more open ecosystem to invite more developers, to have more types of games, to invite more players.
"The thing that we've been trying to do the most here is to treat everybody, whether they describe themselves as a gamer or not, [as important]. We try to have a very mainstream product."
Candy Crush is, of course, a huge IP for XBOX, even if many people don't associate it with the brand. Personally, I think that's one of XBOX's biggest issues. Franchises like Call of Duty and Minecraft are among the biggest entertainment properties on the planet, yet neither is strongly associated with XBOX in the minds of many consumers. If you ask me, that's a huge missed opportunity.
Halo x Candy Crush (Image credit: Entertainment Weekly | King | Xbox)
Back to Sharma, however. Following XBOX's Games Showcase, she sat down with Entertainment Weekly and discussed the state of gaming. In particular, she argued that gaming has become increasingly unaffordable.
Gaming is unaffordable in many cases, in terms of how we've traditionally thought about it... because of the attention economy and competing subscriptions.
Asha Sharma - XBOX CEO
She does expand, touching on how difficult the business is, saying:
"It's a really hard formula. It's a really challenging business, but I think it's a really special business."
It does suck to hear the words "gaming is unaffordable," but there's certainly some truth to it. We recently got the price reveal for the new Steam Machine, and to say the reception has been positive would be a stretch. At over $1,000, it's simply too expensive to seriously consider, at least for me.
That said, I do understand the broader point Sharma is making. Between increasingly expensive hardware, competing subscription services, and the constant battle for our attention, gaming isn't as accessible as it once was. Whether mobile experiences like Candy Crush are the answer, however, is another debate entirely.
But let me know your thoughts on Sharma and Green's comments in the comments below, and be sure to take part in our poll!
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Obsidian Entertainment, the Xbox Game Studios team known for Fallout: New Vegas, The Outer Worlds (1/2), Avowed, Pentiment, and more, is facing a class-action lawsuit over allegations that the studio violated California Labor laws to "increase their profits" through these violations, though Obsidian denies them entirely. Initially spotted by GamesRadar+, the suit is being led by Victoria Turner, who previously worked at Obsidian as a QA lead. The suit was initially filed back in October 2025, and was amended this past January 2026, which lists the full spread of allegations against Obsidian. "Through this action, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants engaged […]
The interview covers Xbox's foray into the entertainment industry, and there’s a lot to unpack, which I’ve done in various other explainers. Interestingly, though, we also got a new look at OD, including small details about its cast, revealing the main characters, which are Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer, and Udo Kier, who has sadly since passed away.
The article reveals that Kier underwent a full scan prior to his passing in November last year. However, his involvement in the game has not been detailed. Kojima did, however, discuss the game itself a little, stating: “I wanted to do something new. I wanted to do something different… I had this OD concept since I was working on DS1 [Death Stranding] and I was working on it just by myself. I can't reveal much detail, but it's something that no one has ever seen before. A new game system.”
Kojima also detailed the process of pitching the project, and it seems Xbox wasn't the first company he approached. He said:
“I pitched to many people, to the big companies, and also to the up-and-coming companies. All of them said the same thing…They said that I'm crazy, and that they really don't understand the concept - that they will not be able to do it.”
OD (Image credit: Kojima Productions | Xbox Game Studios)
According to the article, however, Phil Spencer, the former head of Microsoft Gaming, understood what Kojima was attempting to achieve. So does Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who commented on the game, calling it a “deeply moving game.”
She went on to add, “I've got great artists and creatives that can pick a great game better than I can, and so I want to give it space, but most importantly, I think it just represents another kind of game.”
We also got a small teaser from Kojima. He told Entertainment Weekly:
“I wanted to go beyond the limit of the 'scariness' that other games had reached. It's a single-player game, and I wanted to make it as scary as possible. But for those that might stop playing when it gets too scary, I have thought of a system that will allow them to keep going. I can't say much more, because it'll give too much of a hint on the system, and I could get in trouble for saying too much!”
But wait, there’s more. Sharma chimed in one final time, lamenting that games like OD have shown her that Xbox has “not reached the boundary of games, and, therefore, we need to make sure our platform is sufficiently open so more creators and developers can come on board and be successful, because the next Kojima is yet to be known.”
It's important to include the full context of what was discussed, and to be honest, whatever Kojima is cooking up sounds wildly ambitious, and I’m here for it. Hopefully, we don’t have to wait much longer to learn more, but let me know your thoughts on what was said, and don’t forget to take part in our poll below:
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Despite all of that uncertainty, we've actually received a fairly positive update on the game. During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Blade came up in conversation with Todd Howard, who offered a surprisingly encouraging update. Here's what he had to say:
“I'm not at liberty to say when [we'll see more], but I saw some stuff just yesterday [on May 21] and the folks at Arkane [Studios, the developers] are doing a really, really great job.”
Of course, Todd Howard may not necessarily be privy to the full scope of any potential changes happening across Xbox, but a positive update is still a positive update. More importantly, it lines up with comments we've heard elsewhere recently.
“It’s a big show, I can’t fit everything in. It’s a big show, and there’s other beats coming up in the year… there’s always potential to hear more about things that didn’t show up today.”
That certainly gives fans reason to believe we could see the game again sooner rather than later, perhaps even before the end of the year.
As I've said before, it's difficult to discuss projects like Blade without acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding Xbox right now. Hopefully Arkane and its teams are safe, and we'll get to see the fruits of their labor sooner rather than later.
For now, though, Blade appears to be very much alive and well, and that's worth celebrating. Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!
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Believe it or not, the Gears of War project in development at Netflix might be one of the Xbox adaptations I'm most excited about. I am a Gears of War fan, and after what happened with the Halo TV series, I'm really hoping Netflix takes a completely different approach here.
I don't want another adaptation that treats the source material as optional. I want something that respects what made Gears special in the first place. A gritty, brutal story that actually feels authentic to the games.
Now, in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty, along with details revealed by EW itself, has given us our clearest indication yet of what Netflix is planning. And honestly, it's left me feeling more optimistic than I expected.
Instead of beating around the bush, let's look at the direct quotes:
"Netflix announced a live-action Gears of War movie from director David Leitch (The Fall Guy, Bullet Train) and writer Jon Spaihts (Dune: Part III). EW can exclusively reveal that the film will tell 'the origin story of Delta Squad, a ragtag crew of soldiers who wage a desperate war for survival against the Locust, a race of subterranean creatures set on destroying humanity,' according to an official description."
Matt Booty expanded on that by saying:
"The game really is about the bonds between teams. It's about brotherhood at its core. When you go visit the studio, their tagline is 'Never Fight Alone.'"
Now, I don't know about you, but that certainly gets me excited. Gears has always been at its best when it's focused on the relationships between its characters, and not just about the locust and such. If Netflix genuinely understands that the heart of Gears is brotherhood, survival, and fighting impossible odds together, then this adaptation might actually have a shot.
It's even one of those adaptations I think I'll end up forcing my parents to watch as part of my ongoing, and so far largely unsuccessful, mission to get them interested in the things I like.
It’s a great time to be a Gears of War fan, though, especially with E-Day releasing this year, exclusively on Xbox. We also got plenty of other details about Xbox's entertainment ambitions, including a small update on Halo and the surprise announcement of a Sea of Thieves movie. So, at least when it comes to film and television, Xbox seems to be thinking pretty big right now.
But let me know your thoughts. Are these details enough to get you excited about the Gears of War adaptation? Be sure to leave a comment and take part in our poll!
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Sea of Thieves, the popular pirate game developed by none other than Rare, is weirdly getting a movie.
Now, I'll be honest, I actually think pirates are pretty cool, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say this could be pretty fun. Imagine if they somehow managed to get Johnny Depp involved, though that's highly unlikely, of course.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty discussed a number of things, including the newly revealed Sea of Thieves movie. So, rather than droning on, here's what was said:
"EW can also report that Sea of Thieves will be developed into a live-action movie. Marvel filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton (Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) will produce through his company, Hisako Films. A director is not yet attached.
'The main character of a Sea of Thieves game is actually the player and the community,' Booty explains. 'So if you sit down to think about Sea of Thieves, it's not, Who are the main characters? What's the plot? It's a super social game, but there's a tone to Sea of Thieves. It's built on a very cooperative community, so you can start to sense what that's going to be like.'"
I actually really like Destin Daniel Cretton, who is set to develop it, so this might be pretty interesting at the very least. I've also actually enjoyed the time I've spent playing Sea of Thieves, and as a fan of pirates, I'm interested to see how they pull this off.
It also shows just how serious Xbox, or Microsoft rather, is about breaking into the entertainment industry. In the same interview, Matt Booty teased that there are at least a dozen projects currently in the works.
I'm also glad we got a little bit of Halo news, which I've covered separately, but the full interview is well worth a read if you're interested in where Xbox sees its future beyond gaming. If nothing else, it paints a picture of a company that's being surprisingly ambitious with its franchises outside of video games.
But let me know your thoughts. Does a Sea of Thieves movie excite you, or are you feeling a little seasick at the idea? Let me know in the comments, and don't forget to take part in our poll!
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It's been nearly a year since Xbox and developer Obsidian Entertainment released Grounded 2 — a sequel to the studio's original co-op survival game that shrinks you down to the size of a bug and transforms everyday suburban environments into vast open worlds — in Early Access on Xbox, PC, and Xbox Game Pass.
Since then, Obsidian (with co-development support from Eidos-Montréal) has delivered three major updates for the game, with a fourth — Into the Abyss, a water-themed patch adding the Pond area — scheduled to release on August 11. At the same time, Grounded 2 will also come to PS5, inviting a brand new network of players to join the game's community.
It's worth noting that the first Grounded, by contrast, didn't get a PS5 release until 2024, which came two years after the title left Early Access and launched in full with its 1.0 update in 2022.
Indeed, it's no exaggeration to say that Obsidian has been quite busy building on Grounded 2's foundations to refine it into a bigger, deeper experience, and I found a recent interview with game director Chris Parker in which he discusses its development, journey to PS5, and Into the Abyss to be quite interesting.
"Every time that we think we're done we can take a breath — just one breath, that's all you get, and then we keep going. At the same time, we're constantly processing all the community feedback, and trying with love to figure out how we do as much of it as we can, while recognizing that we can't possibly do all of it," Parker told GamesRadar+. "And now we're on the cusp of releasing the largest content update that we've done. It's bigger than Garden [The Toxic Tangle update], and to be launching on PlayStation 5 effectively makes this our second launch, right? We had the early access launch before, but this is like doing it all over again this summer."
Parker noted that Obsidian and Eidos originally "had some struggles" when first working together on Grounded 2, but would "ultimately figure out what the best solution for the game would be and move on."
"Those things occur less and less often now. What's far more likely to happen is that Eidos comes and pitches something to us, like the story for the pond, and I will just plus-one that with them. Then I'll suggest something and they get excited and plus-one that," he added.
In regards to the game coming to PS5, Parker commented that "there are other people above my pay grade that might have other opinions about what needs to happen with all that," referencing Xbox's new push for and return to exclusives that's begun with Clockwork Revolution and Gears of War: E-Day. "As a game developer, what I want is for the most amount of players to love my game on their platform, whatever that might be."
He added that "we have ideas for the future" of Grounded 2's roadmap, but made it clear that the Into the Abyss update shipping alongside PS5 availability is Obsidian's priority right now. "It's a huge content update with multiple biomes in it, there's a new buggy joining the group, we're bringing back swimming as a gameplay experience, and we're offering some other things that you can do while you're underwater too. We'll be talking about all that later."
Debates about exclusivity aside, I think it's great to see that Grounded 2's game director is excited to welcome a new community of players to the open-world survival game, and that Obsidian and Eidos have coalesced as co-developers to collaborate on the title both passionately and efficiently. That has me all the more interested in checking out Into the Abyss later this summer.
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Right now, everyone is watching Microsoft and Xbox with bated breath to see just how severe the reported layoffs will be, and while we wait for that inevitable announcement, Xbox is seemingly doing everything possible to distract from it. Like how Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and other high-ranking Xbox executives spoke to Entertainment Weekly in a new interview, which confirms that a Sea of Thieves movie adaptation is in the works, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day director Destin Daniel Cretton attached to it as a producer. That nugget of information came as part of a larger interview about the ongoing […]
Before we begin, I think it's only fair to say that I'm heavily invested in the Xbox ecosystem. It's my platform of choice, but I've almost always owned a PlayStation and Nintendo console alongside it. At least, that was the case until this generation, where I still haven't picked up a PS5 or Nintendo Switch 2.
Being an Xbox fan, though, often feels like living through a constant cycle of highs and lows. One week it's good news, the next it's bad news. Rumors, questionable decisions, smart decisions, panic, excitement, and endless debate. Quite frankly, it can be exhausting.
When Asha Sharma arrived to help revive Xbox, the reaction online felt pretty clear. The usual suspects, and even some Xbox fans themselves, were concerned about her background in AI. Many immediately jumped to conclusions, claiming it was the beginning of the end for Xbox, that the platform was being sunset, or that Microsoft was about to replace game development with AI.
In reality, Sharma has been fairly consistent in how she talks about AI. Her position has largely been that AI is a tool. Not something that replaces games or the people making them, but something that can assist in the development process. In fact, she even ended Copilot for console within her first 100 days as CEO, showing where she stands on AI quite firmly.
Asha Sharma, CEO at Xbox (Image credit: Bloomberg Technology)
That's why Sony's recent strategy update caught my attention.
That's not to say Sony hasn't received criticism, because it has, but the conversation feels far more measured than the reactions Xbox often receives whenever AI enters the discussion.
Within its strategy update, Sony states:
"As AI lowers barriers to creation and increases the volume and diversity of content... Within the studio business, AI powered tools are automating repetitive workflows and improving productivity... Across the platform business, AI is driving efficiency, personalization, and customer value at scale... Overall, AI is expected to unleash the creativity of Sony Interactive Entertainment's studios."
Sony outlines how AI will shape the future of PlayStation through game development, personalization, and platform-wide enhancements. (Image credit: @ZhugeEX on X)
Now, I will admit I'm being a little facetious here, but I do think there's at least some truth to it. If this had been an Xbox-led announcement, I suspect the discourse would have been far louder.
To be clear, I'm fully aware that Microsoft is one of the biggest proponents of AI and the broader push that's currently sweeping through the industry. But that doesn't mean other companies should get a free pass when they're making many of the same decisions that consumers are against. If we're going to scrutinize one company for embracing AI, then surely it's only fair we apply the same standard across the board.
Now, I will admit I'm being a little facetious here, but I do think there's at least some truth to it. If this had been an Xbox-led announcement, I suspect the discourse would have been far louder.
To be clear, I'm fully aware that Microsoft is one of the biggest proponents of AI and the broader push that's currently sweeping through the industry. But that doesn't mean other companies should get a free pass when they're making many of the same decisions that consumers are against. If we're going to scrutinize one company for embracing AI, then surely it's only fair we apply the same standard across the board.
Of course, maybe I'm completely wrong. That's entirely possible, and that's okay too. I'd genuinely love to hear what you think. Do you agree that the reaction would have been different if these statements had come from Xbox, or do you think I'm off the mark?
Let me know in the comments, and be sure to explain why you do or don't agree. And, of course, don't forget to take part in our poll!
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Before we begin, there's an important asterisk attached to all of this. Yes, according to Alinea Analytics, PlayStation has generated nearly double the revenue from PC ports than Xbox has from bringing its games to PS5. However, it's worth noting that Sony's PC strategy began in 2020, while Microsoft's push onto PlayStation only really started in 2024.
There's also a difference in scale. Sony has published roughly 20 PlayStation games on PC, compared to around 13 Xbox games currently available on PS5. So, while I fully acknowledge this isn't an apples-to-apples comparison, it's still interesting to dig into the numbers, look at the differences between the two approaches, and perhaps explore why Sony's PC strategy may not have taken off quite as strongly as it initially hoped.
First off, let's look at the numbers. According to Alinea Analytics, Sony had generated around $1.2 billion in revenue from its PC ports as of November 2025. A significant portion of that success came from Helldivers 2, which alone accounted for more than 12 million copies sold on Steam and roughly $400 million in gross revenue.
It's also fair to point out that Sony actually generated $1.5 billion in revenue, but due to Valve's 30% cut, Sony's takeaway was $1.2 billion.
Alinea Analytics data shows Helldivers 2 leading PlayStation's Steam success, helping drive an estimated $1.5 billion in revenue from PS Studios PC releases. (Image credit: Alinea Analytics)
Over in the Xbox camp, the picture isn't entirely dissimilar. Microsoft's PS5 ports have reportedly generated around $667 million in revenue, but much of that has been driven by Forza Horizon 5.
Despite arriving on PlayStation more than three years after its original launch, the racing game has sold 5.8 million copies on PS5 and generated roughly $323 million in revenue on its own, accounting for nearly half of Xbox's total PlayStation earnings. Again, fair to point out, but this data also includes Sony's cut from sales, which is 30%.
Forza Horizon 5 leads Xbox's PS5 sales, helping drive an estimated $667 million in revenue from Microsoft's PlayStation releases. (Image credit: Alinea Analytics)
When you put it into perspective like that, it's hard not to question whether the potential brand dilution is worth the extra sales for Xbox. Then again, a similar argument could be made about PlayStation's now-defunct PC strategy, albeit to a much lesser extent given that PC isn't a competing console platform.
Perhaps most surprising is just how quickly Xbox has reached half of Sony's. Sony's PC strategy had been running for roughly five years by the time these numbers were recorded, whereas Microsoft's PlayStation strategy was still relatively new.
Regardless of where either company ultimately ends up, one thing is clear: there are still plenty of great games heading to both platforms. Despite all the turbulence in the industry lately, and yes, AI certainly hasn't helped as rising costs continue to plague the industry. Still, I'm sure we can all agree there's still a lot for games to be excited about.
As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you think Sony's PC strategy has been more successful than Xbox's PlayStation strategy, or is the comparison more complicated than the headline numbers suggest? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!
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