Latest Xbox, multi-platform Game News & Updates
☁ Xbox, multi-platform News
655 articles
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformXbox's Game Pass price cut shows its big bet on Call of Duty didn't pan out
The move is sensible and will be popular, but Microsoft's strategy for Game Pass and COD, and its Activision buyout, make less sense now
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformThe Blood Of Dawnwalker’s Release Date And Other New Details Will Be Revealed Next Week
!Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/04/22/01f4c6d0/thebloodofdawnwalker1.jpg.webp) Developer Rebel Wolves has announced a special livestream for its upcoming action RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker(https://gameinformer.com/xbox-games-showcase/2025/06/08/vampire-rpg-the-blood-of-dawnwalker-gets-first-gameplay-trailer-and). Airing next week on April 28, the stream will reveal new details about the game, including its release date. The “Road to Launch” livestream airs at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET and will showcase new gameplay footage “with a particular focus on activities tied to the game’s open world,” explains game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz in a press release. The presentation will also debut a new story trailer, feature developer insights into the game's storytelling, and share the system requirements, among other announcements. The Blood of Dawnwalker was first teased in 2022, and it is an open-world action RPG set in 14th-century Europe during the Black Death. Vampires terrorize the continent, and players control Coen, a warrior who becomes a vampire-esque creature called a Dawnwalker. To save his family from a powerful vampire lord, he must utilize his vampiric abilities to battle nightmarish creatures. The game also places a heavy emphasis on choice-driven gameplay, such as forming uneasy alliances with other characters. The developer, Rebel Wolves, was formed by ex-CD Projekt Red developers who previously worked on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077. For more on The Blood of Dawnwalker, check out our Gamescom 2025 preview(https://gameinformer.com/gamescom-2025/2025/08/21/the-blood-of-dawnwalker-is-more-than-the-witcher-with-vampires), where we learned the game is more than just “The Witcher with vampires.”
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformXbox Game Pass Ultimate's price was too expensive for too many fans
Microsoft has slashed the price of Game Pass Ultimate, a rare concession to Xbox consumers faced with rising prices across the board.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformXbox VP Clarifies A Key Detail About Project Helix, But Questions Remain
An Xbox higher-up has responded to a rumor regarding the next-generation platform Project Helix(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-xbox-release-date-specs-display-price/1100-6525379/), clarifying a key detail about the machine, which can play both console and PC games. But his answer didn't clear everything up. A claim by leaker KelperL2(https://www.neogaf.com/threads/no-more-special-sauce-for-xbox-console-going-into-helix.1695998/page-4) said Microsoft would sell Project Helix chips to companies like ASUS and MSI, thereby allowing people to buy a version of the system that runs on the Helix guts. This led to speculation that Project Helix was not in fact a first-party Xbox console and might be more akin to a third-party device like the Rog Ally X from Asus(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/rog-xbox-ally-is-good-hardware-let-down-by-annoying-software/1100-6535471/). But that isn't necessarily completely true, according to Xbox next-gen VP Jason Ronald. He said on social media(https://x.com/jronald/status/2046441220231340424?s=46), "Project Helix will be available as a 1st party Xbox console." Continue Reading at GameSpot(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-vp-clarifies-a-key-detail-about-project-helix-but-questions-remain/1100-6539534/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f/)
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformWhy doesn't Xbox Game Pass include every Call of Duty game?
Microsoft confirms new Call of Duty games won't be added to Xbox Game Pass day one. Can Game Pass at least get the old ones?
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformSave Money By Turning Your Xbox Expansion Card Into An SSD For Your PC
Thanks to the enduring memory demands of the AI boom, fast storage in the form of SSDs has become more and more expensive with each passing week. That has made repurposing your existing hardware more important than ever, which is where a recently discovered method for using the Xbox storage expansion card on PC might come in handy. The small form factor SSDs that Microsoft manufactures with Seagate for the Xbox Series X and S aren't proprietary, instead using a format that has been used with digital cameras for some time. These cards are called CF Express Memory Cards, and their popularity outside the Xbox ecosystem means there's a plethora of options for adapters on PC. Not all of them work, but one Reddit user has found(https://www.reddit.com/r/xbox/comments/1skkf6t/usingxboxseriesxsexpansioncardsaspcstorage/) at least one that turns the storage card into usable, albeit slightly slow, storage for your PC. The adaptor in question plugs into one of your PCI-e ports on your motherboard, and gives you a slot that fits the Xbox expansion card. Plug it in, and your PC should immediately register that as a new SSD ready for use. The speeds aren't fantastic, thanks to the limited bandwidth of the adapter, but it's still drastically faster than a SATA hard drive and should be perfect for normal gaming use, whether that's just storage or running games off of it directly. Continue Reading at GameSpot(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/save-money-by-turning-your-xbox-expansion-card-into-an-ssd-for-your-pc/1100-6539535/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f/)
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformToday's Game Pass Change Is A Great One. The Next One Will Hurt.
Starting today, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers enjoy something few ever get to experience in the age of the subscription model: a price drop(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-pass-gets-price-drop-new-call-of-duty-games-no-longer-included/1100-6539523/). It's been six months since the price of Game Pass Ultimate went up to $30 a month(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-pass-price-hike-announced-now-costs-30-month-for-ultimate/1100-6535138/), but under the new Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma, the cost is unexpectedly falling back down to $23 a month. It's not without caveats--this tier no longer includes Call of Duty entries on their respective launch days--but for the likely millions of players who subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate and don't play Call of Duty, this is only a good thing. This news comes less than a week after an internal memo written by Sharma spoke to how the price of Game Pass had risen too much(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-considering-these-major-changes-to-game-pass-after-ceo-said-its-too-expensive-report/1100-6539449/). In the wake of today's official price reduction, the "leaked" internal memo feels more like an intended tease, otherwise known as a controlled leak. That's all fine by me. It's a tried-and-true means of communicating your brand's ideas to the public, and it's at least interesting to begin to see what shape Xbox will take under Sharma. But controlled leak or not, today's headline feels like it guarantees another major change is coming, and it's that next one that worries me. Since 2017, Game Pass has changed many times, but one figurative line it hasn't crossed yet is the involvement of specific types of ads. There are many ways these could be implemented, from picture-in-picture or banner ads to video ads that interrupt gameplay, and more. Plenty of games, even some in Game Pass, do use ads, but they're usually of the sort that players don't balk at. I don't want my time with NBA 2K to be interrupted by an ad for the new Jordans, but I don't mind that there's a Jordan store inside the series' social hub, The City. Continue Reading at GameSpot(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/todays-game-pass-change-is-a-great-one-the-next-one-will-hurt/1100-6539533/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f/)
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformGame Pass's Price Cut Isn't The Discount You Think It Is
Just over half a year ago, Microsoft announced that it was increasing the price of its highest tier of Xbox Game Pass by 50%(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-pass-price-hike-announced-now-costs-30-month-for-ultimate/1100-6535138/), with the price soaring from $20 a month to $30. Today, the Xbox maker compromised on that decision(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-pass-gets-price-drop-new-call-of-duty-games-no-longer-included/1100-6539523/) in a bid to make the subscription cheaper again, but closer inspection shows that not much has actually changed. At least, if you still plan to play Call of Duty(https://www.gamespot.com/games/call-of-duty-black-ops-7/) annually. Microsoft has, with immediate effect, reduced the monthly price of Game Pass Ultimate from $30 to just $23. To compensate for that, the annual release of Call of Duty will now be excluded from the service, with each new iteration only being added to the Game Pass library approximately a year later. What the price decrease achieves is an annual saving of $84, but also the exclusion of a game that will cost $70 at launch. So if you're still planning to jump into one of the biggest franchises in gaming on day one, and remain subscribed for the rest of Game Pass' benefits, your actual saving is just $14 annually. Why would Microsoft give that away for seemingly nothing? Likely because the number of active Game Pass subscribers who will purchase Call of Duty at launch irrespective of this change is a lot smaller than the two other demographics the new policy is meant to attract. First is lapsed subscribers who balked at the previous 50% price hike and abandoned the service, who might be enticed back into renewing their subscription despite the price still having increased by over 10% compared to six months ago. The other is the customer who only plans to purchase Call of Duty and little else each year, with those sales no longer cannibalized by a service that made it far cheaper to do so. Continue Reading at GameSpot(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-pass-price-cut-isnt-the-discount-you-think-it-is/1100-6539531/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f/)
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformCoD Launches Are Gone, But Game Pass Should Ditch All The Other Games You've Heard Of, Too
For the past few years, getting Call of Duty on release day has been a big reason to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass. Call of Duty is still hugely popular, but now, if you want it on launch day, you'll have to pay for it separately. Microsoft has lowered the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-pass-gets-price-drop-new-call-of-duty-games-no-longer-included/1100-6539523/) from $30 to $23 a month, but this means day-one access to Call of Duty is gone. This move makes sense financially for Microsoft, but I hope it's a precursor to an even bigger move: a new, even-cheaper Game Pass tier that doesn't include big AAA games like CoD. Give us a Game Pass focused on a curated selection of AA and indie games, price it appropriately, and allow these titles to shine when they're not competing for attention from games and franchises that regularly overshadow them. One of the big problems with Xbox Game Pass is that its biggest games want to monopolize all of your attention. Call of Duty and Forza Horizon are cleverly designed to be "Forever Games": experiences that demand all your free time and also influence you to spend more on them. The tactics aren't exactly subtle, as Microsoft has experimented with early access to first-party games, allowing you to dive into those titles by upgrading to a deluxe edition for a few dollars more. Microsoft is still making money and getting a monthly pound of flesh out of you by keeping you subscribed to Game Pass, while flashy marketing campaigns and live-service elements keep you hooked for longer. Continue Reading at GameSpot(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/cod-launches-are-gone-but-game-pass-should-ditch-all-the-other-games-youve-heard-of-too/1100-6539528/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f/)
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformXbox Game Pass Price, Day-One Games, And Tiers In 2026 Explained
Microsoft is once again shaking up its Xbox Game Pass service, with drastic changes announced in April 2026 that included a price decrease and the confirmation that new Call of Duty games will no longer launch into the service(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-pass-gets-price-drop-new-call-of-duty-games-no-longer-included/1100-6539523/). If you're looking to join the service or upgrade your current membership, here's everything you need to know about what each Game Pass tier gets you. Table of Contents hide(https://www.gamespot.com) - What is Xbox Game Pass?(https://www.gamespot.com) What is Xbox Game Pass? Introduced several years ago, Game Pass is a subscription service that offers access to a library of first-party games from Microsoft and even more third-party titles. This a comprehensive collection of games across a wide selection of genres, and it can be accessed on PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and through the cloud on compatible devices like phones and tablets. Games come and go on the service--with additions and removals normally happening twice per month--but the key draw to Game Pass is that you'll get access to the biggest Xbox games on launch day. Or at least that was one of the key selling points. One of Microsoft's biggest franchises, Call of Duty, is no longer going to have its new releases launch into the service (more on that later). Continue Reading at GameSpot(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-game-pass-price-games-tiers/1100-6524825/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f/)
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformXbox Drops Prices For Game Pass Ultimate And PC Game Pass But New Call Of Duty Games Will No Longer Join The Library At Launch
!Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/04/21/f706f3d3/xbox%20game%20pass%20price%20update%202026.jpg.webp) Seven months after introducing new, more expensive tiers for Xbox Game Pass(https://gameinformer.com/2025/10/01/xbox-game-pass-ultimate-is-getting-an-overhaul-and-a-50-percent-price-increase), Microsoft has announced it is cutting the price of Game Pass Ultimate for console and PC. Furthermore, new Call of Duty titles will no longer be included in the library at launch. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced on X(https://x.com/ashashar/status/2046619416427950442) that “Game Pass Ultimate has become too expensive for too many players,” and that the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has dropped from $29.99 a month to $22.99. PC Game Pass, previously $16.49 a month, will now cost $13.99. Sharma states the price change takes effect today, and after checking ourselves, this is indeed the case. “We’ll keep learning and evolving Game Pass to better match what matters to players,” Sharma says in her post. The perks for Game Pass Ultimate will not change, as an Xbox Wire post(https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/04/21/xbox-game-pass-update/?ocid=XGPsocomcxbotwTextlrn4.21.A) states, “Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will continue to have access to hundreds of games on Xbox console and PC, including current Call of Duty titles, in-game benefits, online console multiplayer, and major day one releases.” !Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2025/11/20/a54f642e/bo7mptheden01v2branded.jpg.webp) The other side of this coin is that starting this year, Call of Duty games will no longer join Game Pass at launch. Instead, new Call of Duty games will be added to Game Pass roughly a year later, during the next holiday season. Existing Call of Duty titles will remain available on Game Pass, however. Although the cheaper Game Pass tiers, Essential and Premium, will remain at their current prices ($9.99 and $14.99 a month, respectively), this is welcome news for Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Gaming has rapidly become more expensive over the past year, so it’s nice to hear something going down in price instead of the opposite for a change. What do you think of these new Game Pass Ultimate and PC subscription prices? Let us know in the comments.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformRumored Modern Warfare 4 Won't Be On Game Pass: Everything We Know About Call Of Duty 2026
It hasn't been announced yet, but a new Call of Duty game is expected to release later this year, and the latest rumors suggest it will be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. Whatever it is, Activision is surely hoping the game performs better than 2025's Black Ops 7, which had the series' worst sales year ranking since 2008.(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/black-ops-7-had-call-of-dutys-worst-sales-year-ranking-in-the-us-since-2008/1100-6537567/) It's still early days, but there have been leaks, rumors, and reports about the game, and in this post, we're rounding up everything we've heard so far. This post will continue to be updated as more information about the new Call of Duty is divulged. One of the newest developments came this April, when Microsoft confirmed that Game Pass will no longer get new Call of Duty games at launch, meaning the 2026 game won't be there on day one. Table of Contents hide(https://www.gamespot.com) - When will Call of Duty 2026 be released?(https://www.gamespot.com) When will Call of Duty 2026 be released? Call of Duty 2026 AKA Modern Warfare 4 has not been announced, so there is no official release date. However, Activsion historically releases new entries in the annual series in October or November. That's around the time that Rockstar Games is planning to release GTA 6(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-6-everything-we-know/1100-6503729/), prompting some to theorize that an October release may be more likely than November. Continue Reading at GameSpot(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-2026-release-date-trailer-story-modern-warfare-4/1100-6538487/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f/)