game pass

  1. Pac-Man 45th Anniversary: Xbox Free Play Days with 3 Pac-Man Games

    Pac‑Man’s 45th anniversary is getting a proper party: Bandai Namco’s year‑long “Make imPACt” campaign has been joined this weekend by an Xbox Free Play Days spotlight that lets Game Pass members jump into three Pac‑Man titles for free while limited‑time discounts make ownership tempting...
  2. Windows 11 Handheld Mode: Console-Style Xbox Home on ASUS ROG Ally

    Microsoft’s new handheld-first layer for Windows 11 — the full‑screen, Xbox‑centric “home app” experience shown on the ROG Xbox Ally family at Gamescom — is the clearest signal yet that Redmond intends to stop treating handheld gaming as an afterthought and start treating it as a first-class...
  3. ROG Xbox Ally Handhelds: Global Ship Date October 16, 2025

    ASUS and Microsoft have locked in October 16, 2025 as the global ship date for the ROG Xbox Ally family — two Windows‑based, controller‑first handhelds (the ROG Xbox Ally and the higher‑end ROG Xbox Ally X) that promise a full‑screen Xbox experience on a compact, purpose‑built chassis...
  4. ROG Xbox Ally: Windows Handheld with Console‑Style Xbox UI

    Microsoft and ASUS’ ROG Xbox Ally gives the clearest look yet at what a purpose‑built, console‑inspired Windows gaming UI feels like on a handheld — a full‑screen Xbox experience that boots into a game‑first shell, ties deeply into Game Pass and Xbox services, and pairs with ASUS’ Armoury Crate...
  5. Xbox Cloud Gaming: Cheaper Ad-Supported Tier Amid AMD Push

    Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service is officially being discussed as a candidate for a lower‑cost, more widely available tier — possibly ad‑supported — even as Microsoft simultaneously pushes forward on next‑generation hardware, AI features, and a deeper partnership with AMD that will shape...
  6. Microsoft Xbox Cloud Gaming Considers a Lower-Cost Cloud-Only Tier

    Microsoft’s Xbox cloud ambitions appear to be entering a new phase: executives are publicly acknowledging that many subscribers use Xbox Cloud Gaming primarily for streaming, and Microsoft is actively exploring a lower-cost, cloud-only entry point that would decouple xCloud access from the full...
  7. Arm Windows gaming gains local installs with Xbox PC app Insider

    Microsoft has begun rolling out an Insider-stage update to the Xbox PC app that finally lets eligible Arm‑based Windows 11 PCs download and run selected PC titles locally instead of being restricted to cloud streaming — a practical, incremental shift that ties new Xbox app behavior to deeper...
  8. Xbox Series X|S Legacy and the Windows-First Hardware Era

    Carl Ledbetter’s short, reflective note about the Xbox Series X and Series S is less a farewell than a bookmark: an acknowledgment that one clearly defined hardware era is closing even as Microsoft’s ambition to expand “what Xbox means” accelerates into new form factors and a Windows‑centric...
  9. Xbox Game Pass August 2025 Leaves 5 Games, Borderlands 3 & Sea of Stars Lead

    Microsoft confirmed that five titles will leave Xbox Game Pass at the end of August, with Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition and Sea of Stars among the most notable removals — players have until August 31 to finish, download, or buy these games before they disappear from the service. Background Xbox...
  10. Windows 11: Mobile‑First Redesign with Centered Taskbar and Open Store

    Microsoft’s Windows 11 reveal marked a clear stylistic and strategic pivot: a softer, more mobile‑friendly desktop that folds touch, cloud, and cross‑platform access into the classic PC ecosystem, anchored by a redesigned, centered taskbar and an app store renewed with developer‑friendly...
  11. Xbox PC App on Windows on Arm: Local Game Installs Preview

    Microsoft has quietly unlocked one of the most consequential features Windows on Arm owners have been waiting for: the Xbox PC app can now — in preview — download and run compatible games locally on Arm-based Windows 11 devices. Background Windows on Arm has long been pitched as the...
  12. Will PC Gaming Handhelds Evolve or Fade Like Netbooks?

    The current surge in PC-style gaming handhelds looks strikingly familiar: a democratic, low-cost champion (Valve’s Steam Deck) sparks a boom, long-established OEMs pile in with premium alternatives, and suddenly the market is crowded with devices trying to one-up each other on raw performance...
  13. Xbox PC App on Arm: Insider Preview Adds Local Game Install

    Microsoft is starting a staged Insider preview that finally lets some Windows on Arm systems download and run compatible games locally from the Xbox PC app — a practical, incremental shift away from the cloud-only model that has dominated Arm-powered Surface and Snapdragon devices until now...
  14. Windows on Arm: Xbox PC App Brings Local Gaming to Arm PCs

    Microsoft’s Xbox PC app is beginning to let Windows on Arm devices do something they’ve long been denied: download and run select PC games locally instead of being forced to stream everything from Xbox Cloud Gaming — a staged Insider preview that signals a practical shift in Microsoft’s approach...
  15. ROG Xbox Ally: Windows handheld, leaks, and the Gamescom pre-order tease

    Microsoft’s surprise removal of a briefly live Amazon product page for the Asus ROG Xbox Ally has ratcheted up the heat on one of this year’s most talked-about handhelds, and the incident offers a revealing snapshot of how leaks, retailer metadata, and platform partnerships now shape major...
  16. Windows on Arm: Local ARM64 Gaming Arrives for Insiders

    Microsoft’s Xbox app is shedding a major limitation for Arm-powered Windows PCs: Insiders can now download and run selected ARM64-compatible games locally, moving Windows on Arm from “cloud-only” convenience closer to legitimate local gaming capability for the first time in years. Background...
  17. Arm Windows 11 Local Gaming Gets Xbox PC App Update with Prism Emulation

    Microsoft’s latest move to let Arm-based Windows machines download and run compatible PC games locally marks a meaningful shift for Windows on Arm gaming — not a revolution, but an important, practical step that widens the gap between cloud-only play and a genuinely usable native gaming...
  18. Xbox PC App on Windows 11 Arm Expands Local Game Downloads

    Microsoft has begun rolling out an update that expands the Xbox PC app’s functionality on Arm®-based Windows 11 PCs — most notably adding support for game downloads and local play from the Xbox PC catalog to eligible Arm laptops and handhelds — a shift that marks the most tangible step yet...
  19. Xbox PC App Expands Local Gaming on ARM Windows 11 (Insiders)

    Microsoft is rolling out a targeted update that begins to change how the Xbox PC app behaves on Arm®-based Windows 11 devices, and for the first time Microsoft is letting Insiders download and run more PC titles locally on ARM hardware rather than relying solely on cloud streaming. This shift —...
  20. Arkane Union Calls on Microsoft to Cut Ties with Israeli Military

    Arkane Studios’ Lyon-based union has publicly joined calls for Microsoft to sever ties with the Israeli military, putting one of the games industry’s most respected studios at the center of a widening debate about cloud providers, AI, corporate responsibility, and the ethics of doing business in...