Latest Xbox, multi-platform Game News & Updates
☁ Xbox, multi-platform News
634 articles
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformCapcom is about to make Monster Hunter Wilds permanently cheaper
The latest entry in the action RPG series is about to get a lot cheaper ahead of paid Ascendance expansion
🎮 PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Multi-platformXbox’s Console Future Looks Bleak In New Industry Forecast
Next year could be a grim one for Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, as console sales are expected to dramatically decline in 2027 by almost 20%. Thanks to component shortages, video game consoles like the Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S have only gotten more expensive over time--a complete reversal of how systems used to get cheaper the longer they were on the market. According to a report from S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan (via GamesIndustry.Biz(https://www.gamesindustry.biz/analyst-game-console-shipments-expected-to-decline-195-to-339m-units-in-2026)), the math is simple: more expensive machines(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps5-xbox-and-switch-2-heres-how-their-prices-have-changed-since-launch/), fewer consumers able to buy them. The firm is predicting that console shipments will fall to about 27.1 million units by 2027, but it could recover to 37.4 million units by 2030 if the component crisis begins to stabilize by 2028. This would allow Sony and Microsoft to release their next-gen consoles--the PS6(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-6-everything-we-know-about-sonys-next-generation-console/1100-6533561/) and Project Helix(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-xbox-release-date-specs-display-price/1100-6525379/), respectively--and S&P Global Market Intelligence analyst Neil Barbour projected that the consoles will sell for between $600 and $800 each. "For now, the market faces a compounding problem: hardware that is either too old or too expensive for the median consumer, a software slate that is thin outside a handful of tentpole releases, and a macro environment that keeps any meaningful price relief off the table," Barbour said to GamesIndustry.Biz. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FatSqS3VYY For the Switch 2, S&P has forecast that it'll sell 17.1 million units in 2026, while Nintendo's own expectations have sales pegged at 16.5 million units sold in the console's second fiscal year. That would make for a decline of 16.9% compared to its launch year(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-switch-2-continues-to-be-a-massive-hit-selling-over-10-million-units-in-six-months/1100-6535903/), but it's not just the looming $50 price hike in September(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-nintendo-switch-2-is-officially-getting-a-price-hike-in-september/1100-6539854/) contributing to this. S&P believes that the lack of a killer game for 2026 is hindering Switch 2 sales, although the launch of Pokemon Winds and Waves(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-winds-and-waves-release-date-gameplay-and-everything-we-know-so-far/1100-6538522/) in 2027 could see a spike in sales. Nintendo is also rumored to be exploring an OLED version of the Switch 2(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-exploring-a-switch-2-oled-but-is-worried-about-price-report/), but the potential price for it is said to be a topic of concern at the company. As for the PS5, recent price hikes(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps5-price-increase-confirmed-by-sony-amid-market-pressures/1100-6539060/) haven't helped the console improve its recent sales, either. S&P's forecast is a 15.2% decrease year-on-year, with Sony likely shipping 13.2 million units in 2026--a big drop compared to how Sony shipped 17.1 million PS5s in 2025. Xbox could be hardest hit, as the outlook doesn't look positive for the Microsoft gaming division. S&P says that Microsoft shipped 3.2 million Xbox Series X|S consoles last year--a figure that Microsoft has never publicly revealed, as it's notoriously cagey with sales numbers--and that was the lowest annual total to date. S&P predicts 2.5 million Xbox Series X|S units will be sold in 2026, followed by "a rapid wind-down toward zero" as it prepares for a next-gen console launch. With Project Helix expected to be expensive due to its ability to support both console and PC marketplaces, S&P has forecast launch-year sales of 2 million units, reaching roughly 7.3 million units by 2030. Barbour added that the sales outcome could look different, and that S&P is "splitting the difference" between a traditional Xbox console successor and a living-room PC that has been given an Xbox certification. That 2028 launch year for next-gen consoles is looking more solid--although anything can change in these turbulent times--as court documents(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-console-generation-may-start-in-2028-xbox-court-docs-say/1100-6515423/) and statements(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-mentions-ps6-release-year-if-only-this-document-werent-redacted/1100-6509450/) have the expected starting period of the next generation of consoles penciled in for 2028.
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformWitcher 3 Director Says Next-Gen Console Delay Would Not Be Such A Bad Thing
The Witcher 3 director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz has commented on the state of next-generation consoles, saying his studio Rebel Wolves wouldn't be too upset if the PlayStation 6(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-6-everything-we-know-about-sonys-next-generation-console/1100-6533561/) and next-gen Xbox(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-xbox-release-date-specs-display-price/1100-6525379/) get delayed due to the ongoing memory and component crises. "To be honest, it's even better for us," Tomaszkiewicz told Eurogamer(https://www.eurogamer.net/next-gen-console-delay-blood-of-dawnwalker-developer) about how he would feel if next-gen consoles get delayed. He's currently working on the vampire game The Blood of Dawnwalker, which releases in September across console and PC. He went on to say a new platform comes with new challenges that developers need to spend time working on and learning. "You need to know what are your borders, what you can do, what you cannot do. And also it's an additional build you need to create that you need to take care of later," he explained. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/blood.jpg?w=1024) The Blood of Dawnwalker releases in September. Currently, Rebel Wolves has four different builds of its current game, The Blood of Dawnwalker--Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and two for PC due to regional restrictions. If The Blood of Dawnwalker is a success and Rebel Wolves wants to bring it to whatever new systems are coming, the amount of work required would be multiplied, Tomaszkiewicz said. "It sounds easy but you need to know that there is a group of testers who need to test every platform separately--not only this particular change but whether the whole game has no blockers, if you can finish it from the beginning to the end, and so on and so on. It's a huge effort, to be honest," he said. As for the benefits of coming to a new, more powerful platform, Tomaszkiewicz said improvements would be "mostly visuals" thanks to having more RAM and a better processor. To be sure, Sony has not officially announced the next PlayStation console, but the company has spoken at a high level about its plans(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps6-plans-reportedly-thrown-into-uncertainty-by-ai-hardware-demand/1100-6538201/). Microsoft has been speaking openly about Project Helix for some time. Recently, Xbox's chief strategy officer Matthew Ball said Microsoft is committed to releasing Project Helix(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/is-xbox-fixable/?thumbnailid=1785763), but the company is going to "rethink everything" about it. It remains to be seen what that means. Due in part to the AI-fueled demand for memory and components, hardware prices on game consoles have gone up in recent years. Sony and Microsoft already raised prices on the PlayStation and Xbox consoles, while Nintendo is hiking the price of the Switch 2 in September. Some are theorizing that, should current trends continue, the price of new consoles in the future could be $1,000 or more, and that's a real bummer(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/there-is-no-reason-to-buy-another-playstation-or-xbox/). With the prices of new consoles expected to be the highest ever, that may help explain why Sony is killing of discs in 2028(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/over-220000-people-petition-sony-not-to-kill-physical-playstation-game-discs/). If companies like Sony and Microsoft are going to sell fewer consoles in the future, as data suggests(https://www.gamesindustry.biz/analyst-game-console-shipments-expected-to-decline-195-to-339m-units-in-2026), then shifting to an all-digital world helps improve margins(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstations-disc-based-game-sales-have-dropped-dramatically-in-recent-years/) to mitigate the impact of fewer hardware sales.
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformDying Light: The Beast canceled on PS4 and Xbox One
Techland's open-world zombie game Dying Light: The Beast is apparently too beefy for previous-generation hardware.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformBest flying mounts in Palworld
Flying mounts in Palworld are initially extremely slow, but ramp up to go as you meet pals like Jetragon. Here’s where to find all flying mounts in Palworld.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformObsidian already gave us the best Fallout sequel possible
It's one of the best RPGs of the 2010s, and a worthy successor to New Vegas
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformAnother Game Skips Last-Gen, As Dying Light: The Beast Dumps PS4/Xbox One
Dying Light: The Beast was released last year for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with developer Techland promising a last-gen version of the game as well. That's no longer the case, as the studio says it has made the "difficult decision" to cancel the PS4 and Xbox One versions, due to the game's visuals being too advanced for those systems to handle. "Dying Light: The Beast was built from the ground up to take full advantage of current-generation hardware," Techland said(https://x.com/DyingLightGame/status/2077000243455906018) in a statement. "Its open world, advanced visuals, and fluid combat and traversal all depend on processing power and memory that previous-generation consoles simply cannot provide." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ17PvGRgF0 Techland added that while development progressed on the last-gen versions, it came to the conclusion that the games would need to be technically compromised in a way that impacted the experience the studio sought to offer players. The developer added that it wasn't a matter of leaving those older platforms behind, but that they could not keep up with the demands of the game. Anyone who was expecting to play Dying Light: The Beast on PS4 or Xbox One and preordered the game will be eligible for a refund. Dying Light: The Beast isn't the only game to pull the plug on a last-gen release. The last few years have seen numerous titles focus purely on current-gen tech and PC, like Gotham Knights(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gotham-knights-will-not-offer-performance-mode-on-console-runs-only-at-30-fps/1100-6508324/) and Hogwarts Legacy(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/hogwarts-legacy-last-gen-ports-delayed/1100-6512076/), while Cyberpunk 2077's major updates and Phantom Liberty expansion skipped the older consoles(https://www.gamespot.com/videos/cyberpunk-2077-reveals-dlc-ditches-last-gen-consoles/2300-6459403/) as well--likely due to the game suffering from severe performance issues on those platforms. The world of Dying Light: The Beast expanded with a free update(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-dying-light-the-beast-update-makes-your-choices-actually-matter-for-once/1100-6539002/) back in March that put much more emphasis on survival. The new mode allowed players to permanently clear out zombies from zones and repopulate them with people, but the catch with the Restored Land update was that supplies would be harder to find due to them no longer respawning, containers weren't as plentiful with goodies, and shops would charge a premium for their stock. "Techland's expansion turned standalone sequel winds up being the most enjoyable Dying Light so far, because it dials back the power fantasy," Mark Delaney wrote in GameSpot's Dying Light: The Beast review(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dying-light-the-beast-review/1900-6418407/).
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformEverQuest’s biggest fans are leading its revival
Live-service games and the companies that run them are in big trouble. Games and their developers are getting shut down and gutted, and publishers' huge promises are dubious. Meanwhile, EverQuest, one of the original live-service games, is thundering back more than 25 years later. EverQuest Legends is currently in preorder beta with an upcoming release &8230;
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformHow to get pure quartz in Palworld
Pure quartz is a valuable resource needed to make circuit boards and electrical goods. Find out where the best locations to mine pure quartz are in Palworld.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformHow to get polymer in Palworld
Polymer is a valuable resource in Palworld as it is needed to create circuit boards and powerful guns. Find out when you unlock polymer and how to make it.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformGod Of War Laufey Will Be On A Disc, And That Tells Us When It Could Launch By
Sony will stop supporting physical game discs beginning in January 2028, and that news has not gone over well, even if it makes good business sense(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/your-loyalty-to-sony-or-xbox-means-nothing-analyst-says/?thumbnailid=1814257). Following that announcement, Sony's own Santa Monica Studio has confirmed that its high-profile upcoming game, God of War Laufey, will be available on a disc, and this is sparking some theories as to when it could release. "We can confirm God of War Laufey will be available on disc," the developer said(https://x.com/SonySantaMonica/status/2075664837095674340). Given that Sony's plan to kill game discs begins in January 2028, people are taking this statement to mean Laufey will launch before then. That wouldn't be surprising, as reporter Jason Schreier has already said Laufey is targeting a release in February or March 2027(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48JxW-UN4M). Another big-name PS5 game, Marvel's Wolverine, will be released on a disc as well(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/unlike-gta-6-marvels-wolverine-will-ship-with-a-disc/). Laufey is the next big God of War game, but instead of telling another Kratos story, this one focuses on his wife, Faye(https://godofwar.fandom.com/wiki/Laufey). Joining Faye on her journey is a gelatinous cube played by Jack Quaid(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/god-of-war-laufeys-director-talks-fan-skepticism-new-ideas-and-phranque-the-cube/). A lot of people have had a lot of things to say about Sony's decision to abandon physical game discs in the wake of increasing digital game sales. The decision to ditch discs is all about Sony making the most money possible(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-is-sony-killing-discs-its-all-about-profitability-and-control-expert-says/). Sony has legions of fans who collectively continue to buy many millions of physical game discs(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstations-disc-based-game-sales-have-dropped-dramatically-in-recent-years/) every year, but your loyalty to Sony means nothing(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/your-loyalty-to-sony-or-xbox-means-nothing-analyst-says/?thumbnailid=1814257). For what it's worth, people are theorizing that the next Xbox system, Project Helix(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-xbox-release-date-specs-display-price/1100-6525379/), will back away from discs as well. That's not happening yet, however, as Microsoft just recently announced that Halo: Campaign Evolved will be on a disc for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S(Campaign Evolved will be on a disc for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S).
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformOuter Worlds 2 Director Reacts To Mass Layoffs At Xbox And Dispels “Misinformation”
The Outer Worlds 2 game director and 20-year Obsidian Entertainment veteran Brandon Adler has reacted to Microsoft's recent mass layoffs at Xbox(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-layoffs-studio-closures-and-spin-offs-everything-announced-today/) and other notable changes, which included the reported cancellation of Avowed 2(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-kills-obsidians-avowed-sequel-in-the-wake-of-layoffs-report/). Adler, who is the current game director on an unannounced project at Obsidian, said(https://www.linkedin.com/posts/brandon-adler-0aa6b83this-has-been-an-extremely-difficult-week-activity-7481353187719819265-t6el/?utmsource=lishare&utmcontent=feedcontent&utmmedium=gmbweb&utmcampaign=copy) it was an "extremely difficult week at Obsidian" after the layoffs were announced on July 6. "Not only have I had to say goodbye to some amazing game developers, but I've had to say goodbye to some of my best friends. I truly feel for every one of them. Know that if you are looking to hire one of these former Obsidian devs, you are hiring some of the best people around--both professionally and personally," he said. Something that made recent days more challenging, Adler said, was how "a bunch of cold take artists" commented on "what Obsidian is what it isn't," he said. Specifically, Adler said he takes issue with people commenting on how Obsidian "isn't who they used to be" or that the company's DNA has changed. "Most of the time they are not just wrong, but spreading an enormous amount of misinformation," he said. "In most circumstances, the people in lead or director roles are the same people that worked on games like The Outer Worlds, Pillars of Eternity, and New Vegas. Like, literally the same people. The through line from KotOR2 to our current games is pretty clear." Obsidian is "of course not" the same as it was 20 years ago, Adler admitted, and that's because in life, "nothing stays the same." However, Adler maintains that "the DNA at Obsidian is the same was it always was." The same studio DNA that led to popular and well-received games like Knights of the Old Republic, Fallout: New Vegas, Neverwinter Nights 2, and South Park: The Stick of Truth remains intact, he said. "I'm extremely proud of our history and I am also excited for who we have become," he said. "Just remember, when you are seeing people spouting off about Obsidian, running their mouths about who we are now vs. what we were then, you are listening to someone crow about something with zero insight into how a game is made and who contributed to our previous games." Adler started at Obsidian in January 2006 after spending four years in the United States Air Force where he served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom as a senior airman. His first gig at Obsidian was a QA tester for Neverwinter Nights 2. He then became an associate producer on Alpha Protocol and later on New Vegas and The Stick of Truth. He left Obsidian in March 2012 to join MEDL Mobile, where he worked on mobile games and apps. He returned to Obsidian in June 2013 to become lead producer on Pillars of Eternity. He was the gameplay design director on Avowed and then became game director on The Outer Worlds 2 with Leonard Boyarsky. The layoffs at Obsidian reportedly went deep, with 25% of staff losing their jobs. A planned Avowed sequel was said to have been canceled, with Obsidian shifting focus instead to a new Fallout game from New Vegas director Josh Sawyer.(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-fallout-game-is-new-focus-for-new-vegas-developer-obsidian-entertainment-report/)