#Microsoft

Microsoft unveils the XBOX Nano Controller at $49.99, launching in November

Microsoft announced the XBOX Nano Controller, its smallest controller at a little over 5 inches long and 3.5 ounces, priced at $49.99 with pre-orders open now and availability from November in markets including China, Hong Kong SAR, and Taiwan. It keeps all 18 standard inputs and adds a rechargeable battery, a programmable Action Button, and XBOX Wireless plus Bluetooth support. Microsoft is also running US holiday offers with Samsung and Meta that bundle the controller and 2 months of Game Pass Ultimate for new members.

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Review: How Whip, Tarot, and Relic Systems Carry the Series Legacy

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse launches October 15 on Xbox Series X|S and PC, developed by KONAMI with Dead Cells studios Evil Empire and Motion Twin, with Xbox Play Anywhere support. In hands-on play, the author finds the game builds on Dead Cells' art and action while adding seven weapon types, a parry, and a whip that doubles as a grappling hook. Defeated bosses are sealed into tarot Arcana that grant spells, upgraded through the Works of Mercy achievement system, and weapons, spells, and three relic slots can be swapped anytime while paused.

Valor Mortis Launches Today on Xbox Series X|S and Game Pass, Devs Share Combat Tips

Valor Mortis is available today on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Game Pass, with Xbox Play Anywhere support. Players control William, an Englishman who joins Napoleon's cause, in a plague-ravaged Europe. Developer One More Level shared combat tips: break enemy posture for heavy attacks or finishers, counter after blocking to restore lost health, aim at glowing weak points since ammo is scarce, and use Fire Transmutation to set enemies alight for finishers. Ambers change builds, such as Marksman's Bane parrying bullets for pistol rounds and Butcher's Carnage restoring health through melee at the cost of Ferrofluid Flask healing.

Get the Shattered Relay Weapon Blueprint in Call of Duty: Mobile as a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Pre-order Bonus

Pre-ordering Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 grants players the Shattered Relay weapon blueprint in Call of Duty: Mobile. The offer was announced on Xbox Wire.

Colorbound Explores Aymara Culture Through Color, Music, and a Heartfelt Story

Colorbound, a puzzle-platformer from Panpipe Studio, is out now on Xbox Series X|S for $14.99. Players control Anku, a boy in the mountains of Chile who uses color to reunite his late grandfather's scattered band. The game draws on Aymara culture of the Andes, blending pastel watercolor visuals and panpipe music into a story of love, loss, and family.

Five features to know about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's DMZ mode

Xbox Wire outlined five core features of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's DMZ mode, set on the new Hajin map after the events of the MW4 campaign. Players craft gear with a 3D Printer at the Forward Operating Base, deploy through Story Missions, Dynamic Operations or Free Roam, and develop up to three persistent Operators. Digital pre-orders grant Campaign Early Access from October 16 and all of DMZ from October 20.

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for October 12 to 16

Xbox has outlined the games arriving October 12 to 16, including Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Planet Zoo 2, and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 pre-orders grant Campaign Early Access on October 16 ahead of its global launch on October 23. Deep Dish Dungeon, Valor Mortis, Bluey's Happy Snaps, and Chained Beasts are among the titles coming to Game Pass.

Moonlight Kids' Echo Weaver launches on Xbox and PC, day one with Game Pass

Echo Weaver, developed by Moonlight Kids, launches today on Xbox Series X|S and PC and is available day one with Game Pass at $19.99. The team calls it a Metroidbrainia, where each loop in the space colony Provenance lasts only minutes and progress comes from knowledge rather than gear. Publisher Akupara Games called it the best demo it has played, while the team said the knowledge-based time loop made development roughly five times the work of other genres.

Free Play Days – ARC Raiders, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Little Nightmares III, Screamer, and More

Xbox Free Play Days runs October 8 to 11, with Screamer and Family Man free for Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential members, while ARC Raiders is free for all Xbox members. High On Life 2, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Little Nightmares III and Rogue Waters are also available as timed trials, with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 including Update 2.0.

Forza Horizon 6 Teams Up With 7-Eleven for Horizon Meets Update

Forza Horizon 6 is teaming up with 7-Eleven on the Horizon Meets update, adding a 7-Eleven-inspired storefront and themed Car Meet to the game's Nangan region. The update also includes a Konbini Prop Pack, Clerk Uniform, and Egg Salad Sandwich Collectible, plus an in-game Toyota Supra GR livery and free Slurpee offer at US and Canadian stores through October 27. A real-life merch collection launches October 8 exclusively on 7Collection.com.

Microsoft forms new Xbox division XP, names new Mojang and Minecraft CEO

In an internal note to Xbox employees, Microsoft said Kayleen Walters is moving from Mojang to become President of XP, a new Xbox division, while Maria Angelidou-Smith joins Xbox as CEO of Mojang and Minecraft on October 19. Both report to Asha. XP, a play on Experience Points, covers four areas: XBOX PICTURES, XBOX PRODUCTS, XBOX PARTNERSHIPS and XBOX PLACES. Maria previously led Facebook Groups and other products at Meta and served as Chief Product Officer at Reddit.

Same story, shown on the selected item Microsoft forms new XBOX division XP, led by President Kayleen Walters

Microsoft forms new XBOX division XP, led by President Kayleen Walters

Microsoft announced XP, a new XBOX division led by newly appointed President Kayleen Walters, covering film and television, consumer products, strategic partnerships and live experiences. The division consolidates capabilities previously spread across XBOX teams and formalizes four investment areas: XBOX PICTURES, XBOX PRODUCTS, XBOX PLACES and XBOX PARTNERSHIPS. Walters spent 13 years at Lucasfilm, and at Mojang Minecraft grew from 350 million units sold to over 425 million.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Heading to Xbox on PC November 18

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection will launch on Xbox on PC on November 18, with Xbox Play Anywhere support letting players continue across Xbox Series X|S, Windows 11 PCs, and compatible handhelds. The game is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, and the series marks its 10th anniversary on October 8. Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin will be featured in Free Play Days from October 22 through October 25.

Xbox Game Pass October wave one adds Battlefield 6, Valor Mortis and more

Xbox announced the first October wave of Game Pass additions, with Battlefield 6 joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on October 13. Echo Weaver, Forever Ago, Deep Dish Dungeon, Valor Mortis, Bluey's Happy Snaps, Chained Beasts and Beyond These Stars arrive on day one. Nine titles including A Plague Tale: Requiem, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Pacific Drive leave the library on October 15.

Xbox Indie Selects for October 2026: Mortal Shell II, Mewgenics and More

The ID@Xbox team has revealed six games in its October 2026 Indie Selects lineup, including Mortal Shell II, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, Mewgenics and The Sinking City 2. Mortal Shell II removes the traditional stamina gauge for faster, more aggressive combat in a compact interconnected open world, while Mewgenics is a roguelike tactical turn-based RPG from Edmund McMillen with a generational breeding system. The curated collection is available in the Indie Select Hub on the Xbox Store and Xbox.com/IndieSelects, rotating weekly on Wednesdays.

Gears of War: E-Day official launch trailer released

Xbox Wire released the official launch trailer for Gears of War: E-Day. No further details were provided.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer launches today on Xbox Series X|S, with Fuse Games detailing crash penalties and the runs-based loop

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is available today on Xbox Series X|S and on the Xbox Store. Fuse Games creative director Kieran Crimmins and co-founder Steve Uphill explain that the game uses a runs-based loop where players pick a vehicle and Racer Style, then add parts and upgrades between races, and running out of crashes means wrecking out and restarting the tour. Multiplayer uses a shorter runs-based system decided by a final knockout event, with wins unlocking new characters and customization.

How The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival Builds a Tactical Brawler

The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival is available now on Xbox Series X|S and PC with XPA support and shared saves for $19.99. Rick, Daryl and Michonne each have a signature weapon, separate animations and their own skill tree, and after the credits players can replay levels with any character including unlockable Negan. Higher difficulties are not damage multipliers but turn chaotic encounters into tactical puzzles where positioning keeps you alive.

Hello from Seattle: XBOX FanFest Comes Home November 12

XBOX FanFest will be held at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) in Seattle on Thursday, November 12, 2026, as the final stop of this year's eight-city FanFest Tour. The event coincides with the celebration of 25 years of XBOX on November 15, and will feature hands-on gameplay, XBOX history and artifacts, chances to meet the people behind the games, trivia, collectibles, fan activities, and an XBOX Gear pop-up shop. XBOX is also running the FanFest Seattle Ticket Sweepstakes and the Green Ticket Trip Sweepstakes, both ending October 11, 2026, for eligible U.S. residents 18 and older.

Forest of Deceit Localisation Update Adds Six New Languages, Including Simplified Chinese

Forest of Deceit, the social deduction party game from Ghost Camp and Thomas Mackinnon, has received a localisation update adding German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese and Italian. The update is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows PC, with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

The Science Behind Best Friendship in The Jackbox Party Pack 12's MegaPals

MegaPals, one of the five new games in The Jackbox Party Pack 12, is a word association game inspired by Mind Meld where matching answers earns points and the two players who pair up best become the MegaPals. An eight-player game has 28 possible winning pairs, and a between-round relationship chart shows each player's highest-scoring friend. The pack launches October 15 on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for October 5 to 9

Xbox has outlined the games coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and Game Pass from October 5 to 9. Gears of War: E-Day and STAR WARS: Galactic Racer arrive October 6, while Echo Weaver joins Game Pass on October 8. The lineup also includes KINGDOM HEARTS Collection [I～III], Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival, and Neon Abyss 2, with release dates subject to change.

Invincible VS Open Beta Begins October 13: What You Need to Know

The Invincible VS open beta begins October 13, the same day Angstrom Levy joins as the third DLC fighter and 21st playable character in Season 2. He is a zoning-focused fighter built around portals and summonable orbs, and he will be playable for the first time at Evo France this October. Invincible VS is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud as an Xbox Play Anywhere title.

IKEA and Xbox Team Up on YXSTABY, a New Collection Made for Gaming at Home

IKEA and Xbox have launched YXSTABY, a nine-piece collection designed for gaming at home, co-developed by designers from both teams. The collection draws on the Xbox controller for inspiration, including a thumbstick stool built from the Xbox Wireless Controller's original 3D design files. It launches in IKEA stores today and online later this year, with availability varying by market.

IKEA and Xbox YXSTABY Collection: How the Collaboration Came Together | Official Xbox Podcast

The Official Xbox Podcast sits down with teams from IKEA and Xbox to explain how their YXSTABY collaboration came together. The episode shows collection pieces including chairs, stools, controller display solutions and a D-PAD cushion, plus a TV stand with cable management. IKEA says it reached out to Xbox because gaming is a big part of life at home, and the two sides found their design approaches a natural fit.

Gears of War: E-Day Enters Early Access Today, Full Launch on October 6

Gears of War: E-Day begins Early Access on October 1 at 8:00 a.m. PT for Premium Edition players and Game Pass subscribers with the Premium Upgrade, with the full launch set for October 6 at 8:00 a.m. PT. The game is available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Steam, with cloud gaming through Game Pass Ultimate and GeForce NOW. Built by The Coalition in Unreal Engine 5, it includes an origin-story campaign, the 4-player Horde Siege PvE mode, and 4v4 Versus PvP, with two-player split-screen on console only.

Free Play Days – FARCRY 6, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Skull and Bones, The Crew Motorfest

Ubisoft's Free Play Days lineup brings FARCRY 6, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Skull and Bones, and The Crew Motorfest free for all Xbox members from Thursday, October 1 until Sunday, October 4, with no Game Pass Ultimate, Premium or Essential membership required. Players can purchase the games at a limited-time discount and keep their Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event, though discounts, percentages, and title availability may vary by title and region.

Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles Gets a Colossal Update and Two DLCs on Xbox and PC

Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles has released its biggest update yet alongside two new DLCs, Verne Bannerless and Medieval Houses, now available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The update adds upgradable surveyors including the Behemoth, unrestricted curved walls, the ability to sail any ship, and an overhaul of wars and combat. Medieval Houses adds six timber-clad houses, while Verne Bannerless brings Verne and Piranha air units.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Seek Sunken Treasures During the High Seas of Tamriel Event

The Elder Scrolls Online is holding the High Seas of Tamriel event, where players can seek sunken treasures. The news was posted on Xbox Wire.

Section 9's sci-fi action adventure End of Abyss launches October 1 on Xbox Series X|S

Section 9 Interactive, a small studio founded by three former Tarsier Studios members, announced that its sci-fi action adventure End of Abyss launches October 1 on Xbox Series X|S. Players take the role of young combat technician Cel, descending into an abandoned underground facility to upgrade gear, use a Scanner to explore branching paths, and fight monsters. The team said the game began as a top-down shooter prototype and shifted toward a slower action horror metroidvania focused on exploration and tension, with enemies prototyped in Unreal before their designs were finalized.

Microsoft Jewel Comes to Mobile with XBOX Achievements and Game Pass Benefits

Microsoft Jewel is available now as a standalone app for iOS and Android, the fifth mobile app from Microsoft Casual Games and its first new mobile launch in seven years. Players can earn XBOX Achievements on mobile and sync progress across the iOS, Android, and PC apps with a Microsoft account. XBOX Game Pass members get Premium benefits on PC, while Game Pass Ultimate members get them on both PC and mobile.

NBA The Run Kicks Off Its First Season With a Major Update

NBA The Run has launched Wave One – 2000s Legends, its first and biggest seasonal update since launching in June, free on Xbox Series X|S. It adds five historic NBA legends — Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Dirk Nowitzki — unlockable individually for 5,000 Cred or together as DLC for $9.99 in the Microsoft Store. The update also brings Drive Cam and Drive Flip Cam, 11 licensed Run Anthems tracks, Championship Belts, Practice Mode and Custom Matches, plus new courts, dunks and taunts.

Available for Xbox Insiders: Mythic Achievements, One of Our Most Player-Requested Features

Starting today, Xbox Insiders can get an early look at Mythic Achievements, earned by completing all original achievements for a game, with later DLC or update achievements not required. Mythic status has already been applied retroactively to eligible games players completed in the past, including Xbox 360 titles, and a new Gaming tab on profiles shows achievements and progress toward Mythic.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 PC Trailer, Tech Updates, and More

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has a PC trailer along with tech updates and more. The news comes via Xbox Wire, with further details not yet disclosed.

Forest of Deceit Localisation Update Adds Six New Languages, Including Simplified Chinese

Forest of Deceit, the social deduction party game from Ghost Camp and Thomas Mackinnon and narrated by Sylvester McCoy, has received a localisation update adding German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese and Italian. The 4-to-8-player game is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows PC, and supports Xbox Play Anywhere.

Gears of War: E-Day and Xbox Team Up With Prince St. Pizza for "The Emergence Pie"

Xbox and Prince St. Pizza announced a collaboration for the launch of Gears of War: E-Day, with the limited-edition Emergence Pie available at Prince St. Pizza locations across the U.S. and Toronto, Canada through November 1. Each purchase of the pie or a slice comes with a code for an in-game pizza emblem, and a limited-edition pizza cutter modeled after the game's Prototype Lancer is on sale at shop.princestreetpizza.com. Gears of War: E-Day launches October 6, 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Steam.

Minecraft Dungeons II Launches September 29 With Jumping and the New Sift Dimension

Minecraft Dungeons II launches September 29 on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Cloud and other platforms. Mojang design director Laura De Llorens said on the Official XBOX Podcast that the sequel adds jumping, an interconnected world you can walk across, the new Sift dimension, armor split into four pieces, talismans and a reworked enchantment system. Multiplayer adapts when players join or leave and now mixes couch co-op with online play.

Minecraft Dungeons II Launches September 29, New Dimension The Sift Coming to Minecraft in 2027

Mojang Studios announced at Minecraft LIVE that Minecraft Dungeons II launches September 29 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, and will be included with Game Pass. The game introduces The Sift, Minecraft's first new dimension in over 14 years, with new biomes including Meadows and Carapace plus new mobs and block rules. Mojang also confirmed The Sift will come to Minecraft in 2027.

Minecraft LIVE Fall 2026 Recap

The Minecraft LIVE Fall 2026 recap has been published on Xbox Wire. It covers the official Minecraft livestream event.

Five Ways to Build a Better Used-Car Business in Used Cars Simulator

Used Cars Simulator is out now on Xbox Series X|S for $19.99, currently $15.99. The game's five tips cover inspecting before repairing, keeping money moving, leaving the shed to explore, treating cars as physics toys, and deciding how much chaos your business can handle. Published by PlayWay S.A., it has players inspect, negotiate, repair, customize, and resell cars.