Xbox

With Sony ending production of PlayStation discs, one commenter points out that it confirms there’ll be no PS6 disc drive, ending backwards compatibility for physical games — though at least Microsoft is working on a fix for that.

Xbox is expected to make some tough cuts soon, and it already dropped a new franchise from IO Interactive, but OD will continue to be part of Xbox’s publishing lineup, according to IGN.

That’s what the company told Bloomberg for its story about exiting a partnership with IO Interactive. “We expect to invest about the same in content as we did last year,” Xbox says. “What’s changing is where we’re investing and the kinds of projects we’re backing.”

Mikhail Klimentov interviewed Schreier about the channel, where Schreier sits in a room and explains things about video games. “A rule that I set for myself is that I will not do any video that takes me more than 30 minutes to do in any way,” says Schreier.

“PlayStation hardware unit sales fell to their lowest May total since May 2000, while Xbox hardware unit sales were the lowest ever recorded for a May month,” says Circana analyst Mat Piscatella.

Nice way to get around having to just sit and wait for an update to download. Microsoft is testing the feature for Xbox Insiders.

Sure, you’ll be able to order a physical edition of the game when preorders open tonight, but Rockstar says the box contains a download code anyway. If you’re buying GTA VI, don’t expect to be able to sell it when you’re done.

It’s one of a few new tidbits in a splashy Entertainment Weekly profile about Xbox, which comes at a curious time for Microsoft’s gaming division with troubles including looming layoffs and studio closures.

Like previous Halo titles, unlockable skulls in Halo: Campaign Evolved will allow you crank up explosions, turn down gravity, or celebrate every grunt headshot with confetti and fanfare. You can even mimic the gameplay of the classic Halo: Combat Evolved, or enable remixes of skulls for randomized choas.

Microsoft just shared half an hour of new gameplay footage from the upcoming Fable reboot. Why wasn’t this in Sunday’s Xbox showcase?

During an interview with The Game Business at Summer Game Fest, Xbox strategy chief Matthew Ball admitted to “underestimating” the RAM crisis, saying that demand for Xbox consoles “exceeds supply.” It’s pushing Xbox to re-evaluate its plans for its next-gen Helix console:

Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball acknowledged during a The Game Business Live interview at Summer Game Fest that the wave of cancellations happened over just a few months after the October price hike. Ball also admitted that “the value of the offering has now changed,” since Call of Duty games won’t be available day-one on Game Pass anymore.

An even messier return to console wars than we thought: As spotted by ResetEra, Microsoft’s own Xbox Podcast seems to have inadvertently revealed proof that Gears of War: E-Day was coming to PS5 before Xbox locked it down. The podcast episode has been pulled, presumably to fix the goof.

Xbox has just released a new Halo: Campaign Evolved trailer, and the footage was captured on Sony’s PS5 Pro console. The trailer comes a day after Microsoft brought Xbox exclusives back at its Xbox Games Showcase, with Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution both skipping PlayStation.

According to the Fable website:

Both Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution are Xbox console exclusive titles, a phrase we haven’t heard for quite some time given Microsoft’s multiplatform push. “These are not timed exclusives,” says Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire editor-in-chief. “Games already announced for multiplatform releases will stick to that plan – we’re committed to investing in and growing XBOX both on console and beyond.”

The next CoD was actually announced ahead of Game Fest, but here’s five more minutes of Modern Warfare 4, which launches in October.

We’ve been waiting to hear more about inXile’s new steampunk RPG, and during the Xbox Games Showcase today we finally got a rough release window: 2027. Clockwork Revolution will also be an Xbox console exclusive, just like Gears of War: E-Day.

Activision’s new Spyro game is Spyro: A Realm Beyond, and it’s launching in spring 2027. It’ll be available on Xbox, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, made by teams who worked on Dead Cells, will be released on October 15th. Despite the pedigree of its developers, it’s not a roguelike.

The next big update for Flight Simulator gives you a chance to explore over 30 American landmarks and national parks without bothering with a road trip. It launches, appropriately, on July 4th. Also you can fly the Goodyear blimp.

As promised, Sega’s Crazy Taxi is coming back with a new game called World Tour, and based on the first trailer it seems like it’s capturing some classic vibes. It’s launching in 2027.

Sign me up. Doom: The Dark Ages Revelations launches on July 7th. It costs $19.99, though it’s included if you already have the game’s Premium Edition or Collectors Bundle.