One thing we haven't had so much of with the Xbox Series X|S compared to previous generations is limited edition consoles. There have been some, like the Halo Xbox Series X and some competition specials, but compared to the Xbox 360 and Xbox One especially, it's been a pretty dry time.

Some of the older limited editions command a pretty penny on the used market these days, and obviously there's a finite supply of them. But there are some real gems, like the Gears 5 Xbox One X (pictured above) or even the blood red Gears of War 4 Xbox One S. Later this year we'll also see the Xbox Series X25, with its classic translucent green shell. Though unfortunately, a vastly increased price, now.

But over on the Xbox subreddit there's a thread rolling right now where folks are talking about these consoles, so I thought I'd bring it on over here, too. So what's your favorite limited edition Xbox console of all time?

There are some incredible choices on the Reddit thread, from the classic Crystal Green OG Xbox through the Halo 4 Xbox 360, the Titanfall Xbox One, and some others that folks like myself based in the UK might not even have known existed.

I didn't know there was a Taco Bell Xbox One X, for example, nor a green Mountain Dew OG Xbox. Granted, neither of these were actually sold, but they still exist, and I'd definitely go for a Mountain Dew Xbox if I could get my hands on one without selling a kidney.

I've never actually owned a limited edition console myself. The closest I've come so far is the Project Scorpio launch edition Xbox One X, which I still have in my office looking pretty.

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If I had to pick, it'd be between two. The Xbox console I always coveted the most was the Crystal Green first-generation. I wish I'd chopped in my standard black console to get one, but given I'd already spent a whole paycheck from a part-time job on one at the age of 17, I decided against it lest I risk the wrath of the parents.

The other might be one most wouldn't pick given some of the wild designs, but as a massive fan of the franchise, I always wanted the blue Forza Edition Xbox One. It didn't help that a friend of mine actually had one, taunting me every time I went over.

So, those are my picks, but I'm more interested in yours. There's no shortage to choose from, so hit the comments below and share your own favorite limited edition Xbox console design from the last 25 years!

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Digital Sun (the indie developer behind the cult-favorite Moonlighter series) and 11 Bit Studios (the publisher of several hit indie titles like The Thaumaturge, Indika, Frostpunk 2, and Creatures of Ava) have announced that Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is finally leaving early access.

Version 1.0 of Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault will be launching on September 2, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

To celebrate the occasion, Digital Sun and 11 Bit Studios are giving away the first Moonlighter game for free to keep forever via Steam between August 5, 2026, and August 9, 2026.

For those unaware, the Moonlighter series is a top-down, action-RPG with roguelite elements where you live the life of an adventurer-shopkeeper named Will.

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The gameplay loop of this series revolves around exploring dangerous dungeons filled to the brim with ancient treasure guarded by deadly monsters.

You then sell whatever loot you find to help maintain your shop's profits while investing in other businesses to help the struggling town of Tresna thrive again and give you access to better equipment to help you survive more challenging dungeons.

Windows Central's take

We actually covered the Moonlighter series a couple of times at Windows Central. One of my colleagues, Brendan Lowry, reviewed the first Moonlighter, and while he praised it for having a unique premise, excellent presentation, and decent action-RPG gameplay, he felt there was much room for improvement in the story and combat department.

One of my other colleagues, Michael Hoglund, previewed Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault's early access build and mentioned that it was already a massive upgrade from its predecessor.

Dungeon crawling was more rewarding, combat was more varied and intense, and its merchant simulation gameplay has somehow made inventory management, which is usually a tedious task in most games, a fun activity in its own right.

I never played the Moonlighter series before, but with the first game now being free on Steam for a short time, I may give it a shot because the art style looks cute, and the gameplay looks fun while giving me nostalgic memories of classic top-down action-RPGs like The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

It would certainly be a good time to kill before the sequel leaves early access, while giving me much better appreciation for all the improvements it's made from the first game.

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My favorite Xbox feature is having a bit of a moment in the sun.

The Xbox ecosystem is a lot better than people give it credit for in my view. Xbox Game Pass is still a fantastic deal for those who want to graze a large library of content. Xbox Cloud Gaming is more viable than ever for single-player games, and things like cloud saves remain free, while paid on other platforms.

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My favorite feature however is Xbox Play Anywhere. The ability to buy once, and take my games across Windows PCs, cloud, my laptop, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Ally X handheld is a cornerstone of how I want to access games now. It's a vastly underrated feature, and something I think Microsoft could do a lot more to promote.

I was over the moon when I saw Larian announce Baldur's Gate 3 for Xbox Play Anywhere this week, in what has been a pretty great sprint for the service.

I sent Larian publishing lead Michael Douse a message and asked for comment on why Baldur's Gate 3 ended up hitting Xbox Play Anywhere, almost three years after its initial launch.

"We just did it because it's a pretty cool part of the Xbox ecosystem and it would mean a lot to the players who enjoy that ecosystem," Douse explained. "We had the resources & time and figured it would make a few folks happy."

Indeed, there's been a huge sprint of fantastic AAA games hitting Xbox Play Anywhere recently, including 007: First Light, Beast of Reincarnation, Hell is Us, Palworld 1.0, Dispatch, Subnautica 2, and many more. Upcoming we also have things like Blood of the Dawnwalker and Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Historically, games only hit Xbox Play Anywhere via Xbox Game Pass, but increasingly, developers are dropping Xbox Play Anywhere on a discretionary basis.

I also asked Sascha Reuter from Fullset about Project Neon, a classic SHMUP that originally launched on the Neo Geo. Project Neon has now been ported to Xbox Series X|S and other platforms, and is launching straight into Xbox Play Anywhere.

"We always love to give players as much bang for for their buck as we can," Reuter explained. "So adding all the versions was pretty much a no-brainer, so was to allow players to switch between their systems however they like."

Reuter told me that developing for Xbox Play Anywhere is as simple as "using a Dropbox folder," as developers can deliver app packages that target multiple platforms via Microsoft's developer back end. Reuter said that Xbox's API for designating a save folder is simple to set up for cross-platform saves, and prevents overwriting and handles syncing via Azure.

Microsoft last year revealed new APIs for cross-platform save syncing for developers who want to take their games even further afield beyond the Xbox ecosystem, as more and more of us go cross-platform.

Increasingly, it feels like developers are actively opting into Xbox Play Anywhere by default, but challenges remain.

The future of Xbox is PC

Microsoft is doing a lot of work to bridge the gap between its Xbox and Windows ecosystems. Xbox Play Anywhere helps developers target Xbox customers regardless of platform, and Microsoft has long suggested games with Xbox Play Anywhere see higher sales and boosted retention.

Still, it's difficult to retroactively set up Xbox Play Anywhere. If codebases diverge too much across separate versions, applying Xbox Play Anywhere can create errors when synchronizing progress. Games like Fallout 76 have never received Xbox Play Anywhere support for that reason — although it's not unheard of. Resident Evil 8 gained Xbox Play Anywhere support several years after launch too, just like Baldur's Gate 3.

Some publishers perhaps simply don't seem to see the value in it. Ubisoft has begun offering free versions of some of its PC games to owners who already own the Xbox version, but Xbox achievements aren't supported on PC. EA doesn't offer any form of synchronicity at all between its Xbox and PC versions either.

Recent data suggests that Xbox Play Anywhere is seeing more organic adoption than ever, consistently hitting a 50% compatibility rate for newly released games. Microsoft's impending Xbox backward compatibility emulator on PC could see even more Xbox games hit PC via Play Anywhere by default, by virtue of the fact they're already Xbox games regardless.

I love this feature, so it's great to see more developers opt-in. Hopefully, we're starting to see

Baldur's Gate 3 and Project Neon are available to buy now on Xbox Play Anywhere, across Xbox PC and Xbox Series X|S.

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Players of Dovetail Games' popular train simulator, Train Sim World 6, on Xbox One and PS4 have unfortunate bad news to endure.

Currently the game and all DLC content have been made available on last-gen hardware, but that is now coming to an end.

The announcement was made on the developer's blog, alongside information on exactly what it means for players on Xbox One and PS4.

"Train Sim World titles and new TSW Add-on releases developed from this date onwards will only be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC platforms (Steam, Xbox for PC and Epic Games).

This change is essential for allowing the teams that create TSW content freedom to take advantage of current-gen hardware, prioritising the best performance possible, and improving the visual quality as much as they can."

The good news is that this change doesn't affect content you've already bought up to now. It's still there, it's still playable, and it's still supported. The cancellation only applies to any further DLC content for Train Sim World 6 and for future games in the franchise. To play any of that, you'll need to be on PC, Xbox Series X|S, or PS5.

It's sad news for players still on the last-gen consoles, for sure, but credit to Dovetail Games for holding out as long as it has.

Even Xbox has finally had to take the plunge with Call of Duty, with Modern Warfare 4 not releasing on Xbox One or PS4, either. It's particularly bad timing for those still holding onto their older consoles given that both Xbox and Sony have recently increased prices on the new consoles, too.

If you are on Xbox One with Train Sim World 6, you do at least have options. It supports Xbox Play Anywhere, for one, so if you can move to PC, you can take all of your existing content with you so long as you use the Xbox App. You can't transfer your content to Steam or Epic Games. Content does transfer between Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S as you would expect, and PS4 players can also carry over to PS5.

Train Sim World 6 is also supported by Xbox Cloud Gaming, so even though your console may not be up to scratch going forward, you can still keep playing through the cloud if you're unable to move natively to supported hardware. PS4 owners don't have that luxury, as cloud streaming on PlayStation is limited to owners of the PS5 version.

While the timing might not be great, it's understandable. Games are more demanding than ever, and ultimately no experience at all is better than paying for something and having a bad experience.

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Another month into the scorching summer season, and things have just heated up for Xbox Game Pass as we have a couple of major highlights coming in its latest batch of new games dropping in the first half of August 2026.

Some standout highlights include the cozy Power Wash Simulator 2, the hit open-world survival game Grounded 2, and the chaotic roguelike action game Ball x Pit.

However, the star of the show is the first Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer beta test, which is scheduled to run from August 6, 2026, at 12:00 pm PT to August 10, 2026, at 10:00 am PT for people who pre-ordered the game on Xbox Series X|S or Steam or people who are subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

Here's August's first wave of Xbox games coming to and leaving Xbox Game Pass.

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass (August 15)

• Menace (Game Preview) (PC)
• Atlas Fallen (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Aliens: Firesteam Elite (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Firewatch (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Windows Central's take

To be frank, this isn't the greatest batch of new Xbox Game Pass titles in the world (unless you're really into Grounded 2 or PowerWash Simulator). It's quite clear that, right now, Xbox is dedicating all its marketing power to hyping Gears of War: E-Day by including its upcoming early-access multiplayer beta test in this line-up.

Which, to be fair, is totally fine with me because Gears of War: E-Day's multiplayer looks insane. It features an epic 12-player PvE mode called "Siege Horde" where you must fight off never-ending waves of Locust grunts while completing objectives, and occasionally content MMORPG-style raid bosses that require every player to take down.

The classic PvP 4v4 Versus mode also makes a comeback, but with new match types, maps, and new weapons to help you rip and tear your enemies apart.

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So, if you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass, you're in for one heck of a weekend this week. If you want to find out more about how to enter the Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer beta tests, you can check out our FAQ on the subject.

Additionally, you can also check out my colleague, Jez Corden's preview of Gears of War: E-Day's Siege Horde mode to see if its large-scale carnage and 12-player co-op insanity is up your alley and enticing enough to make you pick up the full game when it launches on October 6, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass (Day One), and PC via Windows and Steam.

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If you use a Steam Deck, then the first thing I would always recommend is to install Decky Loader. From there, one of the first plugins I'd recommend is SteamGridDB, because let's face it, the box art isn't always the best artwork you can have in your games library.

Now, though, SteamGridDB is also on Windows 11. We first covered SteamGridDB for Windows 11 a while ago, but until recently I hadn't really given it much notice.

I've started using the Xbox App on Windows 11 as my go-to launcher since I'm in there a lot for Game Pass games, anyway.

But while it's convenient having the Xbox App launch games also from Steam, Epic Games, Ubisoft, etc., one thing made me twitch; the artwork pulled in was awful. Low-res icons mostly rather than full artwork.

This is where SteamGridDB comes in. Just as on the Steam Deck, you can use it to select custom art for your games, and in this case, bring your non-Xbox titles up to the standard of those you're getting directly through the app.

SteamGridDB is not an app, as such, but instead a Game Bar widget. So to make your changes you have to go through Game Bar, but I actually think I prefer it this way. It can't hook into the Xbox App like it can hook into SteamOS, so it's probably the next best thing this way.

These days you can get it directly from the Microsoft Store, and once it's installed, you may just need to launch it from the Widgets Menu on the Game Bar.

But it's as simple as selecting a game, hitting the search icon, and compatible artwork will show up. The selections in my experience aren't quite as plentiful as they are on SteamOS, but there's not been a game I've come across where there isn't something that's a whole heck of a lot better than a crummy low-res icon.

Once you choose your artwork, the next time you go to your library in the Xbox App, it'll have been applied, and it won't make your eyes bleed any longer.

I'm using it on my desktop PC, but it's particularly useful if you're on a handheld gaming PC such as the Xbox Ally or Lenovo Legion Go series. Clean library, clean mind!

Game Bar is one of those features I use a lot without really exploring what it can do, and SteamGridDB is now a permanently pinned widget. It only takes seconds to make a change, and it's so worth it.

It's a must-have if, like me, you're using the Xbox App to launch games from elsewhere.

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Mark Russinovich is the CTO of Microsoft Azure, and as it seems, a big fan of id Software's classic 1993 FPS, DOOM. I've seen the game running on practically every imaginable piece of hardware with a screen and any semblance of buttons, but I hadn't expected it to be playable inside Paint — until I installed it on my own PC earlier this morning.

"Playable" is being generous, because as Russinovich explains in his documentation for DoomPaint on GitHub: "Every frame is placed on the Windows clipboard and pasted into Paint's canvas as a genuine document edit", so Microsoft Paint is acting like more of a monitor than anything else, but it's still a sight to behold.

Performance ranges from quite smooth to snail's pace, but "the spreadsheet-tier framerate is part of the charm", and this is hardly the kind of medium I'd expect anyone to beat the entire game in. Nevertheless, it's real, and stands as the latest example of DOOM running in weird places. You'll need to install Python to run it, but that's all — alternatively, you could just watch my video.

It's a particularly bizarre crossover featuring two of my special interests, retro boomer shooters and classic Windows apps, with the icing on the cake being its creator. Sure, looking at the contributors section of DoomPaint shows generous commits from Anthropic's Claude and Microsoft's GitHub Copilot, so we're definitely dealing with a vibe-coded project here, but this is still a fascinating look into the downtime of a Microsoft executive.

Plus, there's working sound and music in this oddity, which is a step beyond what I expected from using Paint as a DOOM renderer. Again, though, this is more of a visual trick than an engine conversion, as Russinovich reiterates, "Paint renders the game but does not compute it. Paint computes nothing. Paint has never computed anything. That's the joke."

I've spent plenty of hours replaying the classics with source ports like UZDoom, and pulling a legitimate copy of its internal ".WAD" file will make variants like this playable with the complete selection of levels and weapons. If, somehow, you still haven't played DOOM in 2026, this could be one of the strangest ways to get started — but it's probably better to appreciate it from a distance.

— via Tom's Hardware

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I’m usually not one who likes to compare a new game to others, or someone who combines two games and calls it a “child” of the aforementioned counterparts. But I feel like I would be dishonest with the fans of specific games if I didn’t compare in this case.

Beast of Reincarnation is part NieR: Automata, a touch of Sekiro, with a semblance of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, all combined into a beautiful creation that makes me wonder what Game Freak could really do if they weren’t enthralled by the money they make with Nintendo off their Pokémon games.

The first time I saw the developer of Beast of Reincarnation listed, I was floored by what Game Freak could actually do. For years, they’d been on the receiving end of joke after joke for their lackluster open worlds in Pokémon on Nintendo Switch 1 and 2.

Let’s just say this: Game Freak is actually capable of some astonishing stuff. Beast of Reincarnation is proof that developers can sometimes become victims of their own success, bound to endless cycles of repeat games until they’re able to break free and direct something of their own.

This review was conducted using a pre-release code of Beast of Reincarnation provided to Windows Central by Game Freak. The company had no input or prior knowledge of its content.

Beast of Reincarnation: Story

The year is 4026, and the world as humanity once knew it is gone. Taken by what they call the Blight, the Earth has been largely replaced by some sort of forest-like organism that dominates the landscape and poisons the populace. Humanity still exists, whether as themselves or the husks of iron golems; the world's future hangs in the balance of one they call “Blighted.”

That person is Emma, an 18-year-old both gifted and cursed by the Blight. Known to the rest of humanity as a “Sealer,” Emma has the ability to use the Blight to her advantage. She grows and manipulates it at will to wreak havoc on those around her.

Alongside Emma is Koo, a dog who also suffers from the Blight. Together, Emma and Koo set out alongside a ragtag set of characters to free the land of the Blight by taking on the big bad, the Beast of Reincarnation. A creature that resurrects itself once every 100 years and must be defeated in order for humanity to survive.

To do so, Emma must go about collecting the powers held within the Nushi, boss-like creatures of massive zones Emma will journey to. Each Nushi collected will grant Emma a new power and further improve her strength and capability to defeat the Beast of Reincarnation.

The overall arc is well done and far beyond anything I've seen Game Freak make to date. While it's not on the same level as NieR: Automata or Pragmata in terms of Eastern-developed stories, it's nice to see them create something more than the ever-loving rival-driven Pokémon games.

Beast of Reincarnation: Gameplay and Combat

Beast of Reincarnation comes labeled as an action RPG, but that term doesn’t really cover what kind of action the game entails. From Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Diablo 4 to Kingdom Hearts and The Witcher 3, the ARPG genre is very undefined in terms of what you can expect.

Which is yet another reason why comparing other games is such a compelling approach in this situation. As the combat reflects that of games like Sekiro and NieR: Automata, but it's nothing like something from Diablo!

Either way, what matters most is the answer to the age-old question, “Is it fun?” Yes! I had a blast playing Beast of Reincarnation.

The combat is a bewildering dance of enemy management. Engage foes when ready, keeping them at a distance, or sneaking up on a group to eliminate one before engaging the whole cohort. Balancing that alongside handling your companion, it might sound overwhelming, but it's not.

What I love most about Beast of Reincarnation is how intuitive the controls feel (at least on a controller). Your main weapon attacks, combos, and pet abilities are all within reasonable button combinations that create a sense of power.

I am always the shield or magic guy in Soulslike/ARPG games, so I was pretty terrible with the parries to start. I even gave up playing Sekiro at one point because it wasn’t clicking, and I’m a guy who’s beaten and replayed every other Dark Souls game.

Beast of Reincarnation felt different, or at least, things just finally clicked. After an hour, I felt like I knew what I was doing. A feeling a lot of players have when tackling some of these harder games.

And make no mistake, again, I love these games, but I’m trying to emphasize both the challenge of them as well as the ease of learning. One of the biggest gripes players have with harder games these days is the lack of accessibility or difficulty options, or how hard the games are.

I’ve never been one to believe that games like Sekiro or Dark Souls should have difficulty options, as that would alter the very core principles those games were built on. Beast of Reincarnation isn’t that, but it's also not a game that will hold your hand through every little niche or problem you come across.

Beast is a perfect reincarnation of the ARPG genre in the sense that it delivers a rewarding, challenging experience yet doesn’t punish the player with lost experience, loot, or something else upon death.

The rewards come in waves with a sense of accomplishment as well as wonder on screen as parries land and enemies fall. New weapons, gear, and other items that grant currency for upgrading both your gear and your home base.

Your main weapon is a samurai sword. Upgradable and interchangeable with other similar swords of varying effects you'll find across the landscape.

What I found disappointing in terms of both weapons and combat is that over time it can feel very repetitive. Unlocking combos is a slow process, and weapons aren't all that varied either.

From boss to boss, they look gorgeous, but the combat itself is the general dodge and parry, followed by a finishing move. I find it more frustrating that it seems so much potential was left on the development floor. Even general enemy finishers are mirrored far too often, with every Golem seemingly getting the same backslash attack.

With great horizontal and vertical traversal mechanics, I felt "whelmed" by the combative options to make good use of them. The abilities eventually begin to flesh this out, but they take so long to unlock that by the time you do, you start to wonder if you even have enough time to have fun.

That's not to say it's horrid, not by any means. The combat is serviceable and genuinely fun at times, but the fact that much of the actual development for this game was given to external studios is shown as the entire puzzle doesn't feel as cohesive as it could have.

Walker

Speaking of which, the main base for player operations is known as the Cleanse Walker. This, straight out of Star Wars, metallic vehicle is a host for you and your party, as well as equipment benches, chicken farms, and even a shower for you and your dog, Koo.

Players can find items out in the world that will grant upgrades to these different little Walker areas, like different seeds to plant so your in-Walker cook can help create new dishes that will bolster your stats as well as keep Emma fed. Hitting a point of starvation will cause Emma to lose out on some of her strength, making a general return to your Walker something that will become habit-forming.

You can also increase bonds with other characters and Koo, which grant extra slots for abilities, or other things like new recipes, upgrade paths, etc.

Those abilities for Koo will be essential, as he adds a plethora of abilities that grant multi-target damage, blinding, and other effects. He can also carry healing items and other small-use gadgets that will help Emma in a pinch. Upgrading his bond with Emma will allow for more slots to become available to use. If he dies (not Emma), the slots reset, so be careful!

I actually quite liked these additions granted by the Walker, but as I said with combat, I just wish they'd have more impact on the overall game itself. Once again, it feels like the mechanic is there but never quite reaches its full potential.

Open world-ish

All of this comes neatly packed in a semi-open world. On your pilgrimage, Emma will come across multiple zones of varying size, all of which are open to the player to explore. Checking corners, while not necessary, will lead to treasure chests and Walker upgrade items.

Each new zone comes with a general collection of both corrupted and normal Golems to either fight or buy items from, as well as new enemies packed into different areas that will keep players on their toes, much like the second zone, which literally had me blowing up from self-destructing Golems.

A general Blight-infested look will dawn on each zone, but every one felt very different from the last. The first acting as a training ground of sorts, while leading into narrower, but more vertical areas like an entire city structure with its own underground tunnel system.

What you don’t find on your first go won’t be gone forever, as each zone can be revisited with a simple fast travel back. Meaning anything you might have missed is still up for collection.

The loot isn't game-changing outside of general Walker upgrade materials. What bothered me most was the lack of cool outfits to find! Armor isn't showcased either, as each new outfit

Beast of Reincarnation: Performance and graphics

Here’s where things get a little more complicated. Our main review rig was my Windows PC via Steam, where I run an RTX 5080, 9800X3D, and 64GB of DDR5 RAM. Needless to say, my rig can hang.

On Beast of Reincarnation, I had zero issues running it via my system at 4K with DLSS set to Quality. I was hitting frame rates well above 90, with all the settings maxed out, ray tracing included. When we hop over to Xbox, it’s a different story.

Our own Jez Corden was testing it on his Xbox Series X and reported to me that it was almost unplayable at times. I asked him what kind of frame rate issues he was running into, and in his own words he said, “from 60 FPS down to like 5 FPS,” when running around the open-world zones.

Curiously, I booted up my 4060m laptop, and over there, it ran surprisingly well. At 1080p, I was hitting over 100 FPS with most settings maxed and DLSS 3.5 set to Quality. So, for once, it doesn’t seem to be a bad PC port, but rather a potentially bog-water console port.

We’ve been told that issues will be ironed out come launch, but as of July 28, 2026, when we last tested the Xbox Series X version, it wasn’t doing so well. I can’t imagine the Series S version is much better!

So buyer beware; maybe check out a couple of day-one patches if you’re unsure about the experience you could potentially have playing on console. Sounds like it could be another Crimson Desert situation. Great PC performance, with a couple of patches needed before the game really shines on console.

You'd think as a result, the world would be jaw-droppingly gorgeous, but it's just okay, I guess? Don't get me wrong, the art direction is wonderful, and I do think the game is rather pretty to look at, but for the performance trade-offs we're currently seeing on console, it doesn't make a lot of sense.

Should you buy Beast of Reincarnation?

If you’re a sucker for the following titles, you should absolutely buy this game: NieR: Automata, Sekiro, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Pragmata, Horizon Zero Dawn, Shadow of the Colossus. You get the point.

I think once all the bugs are ironed out, Beast of Reincarnation will become quite a hit with a smaller audience. I don’t believe it’ll reach the heights of something like NieR: Automata, but it's something that I truly feel has the weight to capture said audience with its magic and majesty.

It's also a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, so if you're a subscriber to either, definitely add it to your list.

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If, like me, you were wildly impressed by Gears of War: E-Day's insane multiplayer gameplay showcase and want to play it as soon as possible, then you're in luck. E-Day is holding two beta test weekends for players to try out its multiplayer modes and help the devs polish it ahead of its October 6, 2026 launch.

The first beta test will run from August 6, 2026, at 12:00 pm PT to August 10, 2026, at 10:00 am PT for players who pre-ordered the game on Xbox Series X|S or Steam, and/or subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

The second beta test will be open for all players on all eligible platforms and will run from August 13, 2026, at 12:00 pm PT to August 17, 2026, at 10:00 am PT, regardless of whether a player has pre-ordered the game or not.

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To download the beta for the early access weekend, search for it on your respective platform's digital storefront or library for "Gears Beta" if you pre-ordered the game digitally, or redeem an email code sent to your account if you pre-ordered the physical edition.

Accessing the open beta test is easier, as you simply need to search for "Gears Beta" on the Xbox digital storefront, Xbox PC app, or Steam's storefront and download accordingly.

Xbox users will need at least an Xbox Game Essentials subscription to access the Gears of War E-Day multiplayer beta tests.

Steam users won't need an Xbox/Microsoft account to play the Gears of War E-Day multiplayer beta tests, but they'll need to link their Steam account to an Xbox account (which is done via the multiplayer beta test's main menu) if they hope to play with Xbox players via cross-play.

Multiplayer beta content

Here's a list of what content you can expect from Gears of War: E-Day's multiplayer beta test versus what content will be available in the full version, sourced from the official Gears of War: E-Day page.

Multiplayer beta exclusive rewards

Additionally, completing certain challenges within the beta tests will net you some exclusive in-game rewards you can use in the beta and in the full game, which include:

• Epic Blast Damage Mags Character Skin – Hit Player Level 20 
• Rare Crush the Bug Weapon Skin Set – Extract from Horde Siege 8 Times on Infantry difficulty or higher. 
• Crush the Bug Banner – Get 25 Headshots 
• Crush the Bug Emblem – Perform 10 Revives 
• Crush the Bug Icon – Perform 5 Prototype Lancer Chainsaw Executions 
• Open Beta Medal & First in the Fight Title – Launch the Multiplayer Beta 

PC spec requirements

If you're planning on playing Gears of War: E-Day on PC, here is a list of recommended specs by The Coalition for you to determine if your rig can run it.

Do note that these specifications aren't reflective of the full game, and The Coalition will update this list with the final PC spec requirements ahead of the game's launch.

Also, make sure you update your NVIDIA Driver to GeForce Game Ready Driver 610.74 before launching the game; otherwise, it won't run.

Minimum requirements

• CPU — AMD Ryzen 5 2600X / Intel i7-6850K / Intel i5-10400.
• GPU — NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 / AMD Radeon RX 9060 / AMD Radeon RX 6600
• RAM — 12GB
• Storage — 80GD (SSD required)
• Windows Version — Windows 10 / 11 (minimum 22H2)
• Graphics Preset — Medium
• Performance Specs — 1080p, 60fps, Super Resolution: DLSS / FSR / TSR / XeSS

Recommended requirements

• CPU — AMD Ryzen 5 5600 / Intel i5-11600K.
• GPU — NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT / AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
• RAM — 16GB
• Storage — 80GD (SSD required)
• Windows Version — Windows 10 / 11 (minimum 22H2)
• Graphics Preset — High
• Performance Specs — 1440p, 60fps, Super Resolution: DLSS / FSR / TSR / XeSS

Windows Central's take

I can't wait to get stuck into a Gears of War game again after all these years, especially after reading Jez Corden's preview about how epic Gears of War: E-Day's "Horde Siege" mode is shaping up to be.

Not to mention its story campaign, as shown in the Gears of War: E-Day Direct in June, which is also building up to a nostalgic thrill ride for players who grew up playing the original trilogy while also bringing in new newcomers with new mechanics and weapons to make it more fast-paced and brutal than previous titles.

But what about you? Are you looking forward to playing the Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer beta tests, or are you waiting until the full game comes out to play the campaign solo or with co-op?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know through the poll, the comments section, or our Reddit page.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Larian Studios has announced a surprise update for the Xbox version of its critically-acclaimed CRPG, Baldur's Gate 3, despite currently working on the next Divinity game.

As of today, Baldur's Gate 3 is now an Xbox Play Anywhere title, meaning you can now play it on any platform within the Xbox ecosystem.

This includes Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and gaming handhelds like the Xbox Ally.

To celebrate the occasion, Larian Studios has also announced that the Xbox version of Baldur's Gate 3 is now on sale for a 30% discount for a limited time.

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What's cool is that now that Baldur's Gate 3 is an Xbox Play Anywhere title, buying it on Xbox consoles means you don't have to buy it again on Windows PC and vice versa.

Windows Central's take

Xbox recently appears to be doubling down on PC gaming, what with rumors of Xbox Helix being very PC-focused and making more of its games compatible with Xbox Play Anywhere, which my colleague, Jez Corden, considers to be one of the Xbox's most underrated features, despite not many big-name games supporting it.

Now, personally I'm using the Steam version of Baldur's Gate 3 due to exclusive PC mods available on Nexus Mods, but I can't deny that Baldur's Gate 3 becoming an Xbox Play Anywhere title is a massive win for the feature.

I hope that this will convince Microsoft to invest in adding more games for Xbox Play Anywhere so we can play our entire library wherever we want on any accessible Xbox, PC, or handheld compatible within the Xbox ecosystem.

Especially since adding more games compatible with Xbox Play Anywhere means we can play more of them on handhelds to circumvent these continually rising heatwaves that make home console gaming impossible.

But what do you think? Are you excited that Baldur's Gate 3 is now an Xbox Play Anywhere title? Will this convince you to finally give the game a go if you somehow managed to avoid it for three years?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know through the poll, the comments section, or our Reddit page.

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Despite the massive damage Xbox Game Studios took during its controversial 'reset', it's still alive and ready to continue celebrating the 25th anniversary of the original Xbox, which would help change the video game landscape forever.

In honor of this momentous occasion, Microsoft has several announcements to help the Xbox fan community join in on the festivities while giving them presents as thanks for their support over the years.

Community-Created XBOX Designs and profile badge

To start, Microsoft is partnering with two popular Xbox content creators, Klobrille and Ben Kenobi, to publish new gamerpics, backgrounds, and a dynamic theme for Xbox consoles custom-made by the Xbox community.

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Additionally, Xbox is also willing to publish your custom-made Xbox designs if you send them on X and @XBOX with #XBOX25.

Speaking of Xbox customization. Starting today until the end of 2026, players who log into their Xbox account on console, PC, or the Xbox mobile app will obtain the Xbox 25th anniversary profile badge that they can put on their profile pics.

Xbox Game Pass

Next up, Xbox Game Pass is curating a collection of classic Xbox games that helped define the brand on each console generation from the original Xbox all the way to Xbox Series X|S, all playable on console or PC.

Some of these iconic titles will include, but are not limited to: Fable Anniversary, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Fallout 4, Psychonauts 2, Grounded, and more.

Xbox FanFest Tour dates

Finally, Microsoft has announced more dates for the Xbox FanFest Tour, which kicked off during the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2026.

The Xbox FanFest Tour is a global series of events where Xbox fans come together to connect, play games, and have fun.

Here's where and when you can expect the tour to happen next:

• Cologne, Germany — August 26, at gamescom
• Tokyo, Japan — September 17, during Tokyo Game Show
• London, U.K. — September 26
• Mexico City, Mexico — October 17
• Sydney, Australia — October 17
• Toronto, Canada — November 6
• Seattle, U.S. — More info coming soon!

Tickets for each stop of the tour will be handed out to people through city-specific sweepstakes.

If you wish to enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win a ticket and keep up on all the news updates for this tour, you will need to visit the XBOX FanFest Tour webpage.

If you want to keep up to date on further announcements regarding Xbox's 25th Anniversary celebrations, products, and exclusive content, visit the Xbox 25th Anniversary webpage hub.

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Those of us old enough to have played Halo: Combat Evolved when it was first around (I think we're boomers now?) will have probably done so with the most legendary of all Xbox controllers.

The Duke.

The absolute goliath of a controller that back then, in my teenage hands, felt like a dinner plate. But what a thing. Hefty, sturdy, a real piece of equipment. I adapted pretty quickly, having been used to the equally sizable Dreamcast controller, and have many fond memories of one of Xbox's most iconic franchises.

I hadn't even thought of digging out my Hyperkin Duke for Halo: Campaign Evolved until I came across a thread on Reddit simply calling it a "nostalgia rush."

It just feels right.

The only trouble is that if you don't already have one of Hyperkin's remade controllers, they're not as plentiful as they once were.

Right now you can only buy the white Xbox 20th anniversary edition, with the original black and the crystal green ones no longer in stock (unless you hunt a used one down.)

The Hyperkin Duke is a perfect recreation of the original, except you can use it on modern Xbox consoles and your PC. The icing on the cake is the OLED panel in the giant center button that shows the OG Xbox boot-up screen when the controller is connected.

As my colleague, Jez Corden, wrote when first trying it out, this controller is built for nostalgia. Playing backwards compatible games with it just feels right. Halo: Campaign Evolved may be shiny and new, but it's as classic an Xbox game as you can get.

After all, the original incarnation of the game was the console seller back then. I'm not a massive Halo fan these days, but the original is the game that got me to buy an Xbox. The first time I played it at a friend's house with a Duke, all of my next paycheck from my part-time job was used to buy a console and a copy of Halo.

I haven't played Campaign Evolved yet, but suddenly I have the urge to dig out my green Duke from the box of many things in the attic and get to it. Better still, I guess, now we're also getting original Xbox backwards compatible games on PC, too.

Oh, and if the Duke is a little too big, you can still buy the smaller Duchess from Hyperkin, too. Same nostalgia, smaller size.

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Something I said on our Xbox Two Podcast this weekend was taken a little bit out of context by some news aggregates, and it led to rumors that Microsoft was exploring quitting Steam. They are absolutely not exploring that (right now), but there is good reason to think Microsoft is evaluating how it engages with Windows gaming all up.

Someone superchatted in during the live show and asked if there was a scenario where Xbox would ever quit Steam. Microsoft has been re-engaging with exclusive content as of late, with Gears of War: E-Day being the tip of that spear. It'll be exclusively on Xbox Series X|S on console, removing PlayStation from the equation. It is, however, still launching on Steam on PC, in addition to Xbox PC.

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PC gaming seems to be core to Xbox's future. Xbox Helix is going to be a gaming PC in essence, and component prices are making the Xbox Series X|S a non-starter for many. At least for the duration of the memory crisis, Microsoft likely isn't expecting to sell a ton of its own hardware. So, targeting users where they already are, without completely exiting the hardware landscape, is likely the play for now.

So, given that Microsoft literally owns Windows, how are they hoping to corner a bigger piece of the lucrative PC gaming market, even if it doesn't mean undermining Steam directly?

Xbox will continue to support Steam, but it's planning to expand its PC business too

Xbox Game Pass remains core to how Microsoft plans to show up on PC. Game Pass is designed to capture a separate audience from Steam, targeting users who are perhaps more inclined to otherwise stick to free-to-play titles or seek savings in as many ways as possible.

Xbox is still investing a ton in improving the Xbox PC app, which now sports Xbox Mode on Xbox handhelds and Windows 11 PCs, turning your desktop environment into a more optimized, controller-focused interface. The Windows 11 team wrote just last week about how it intends to further boost the OS for gaming and optimization in general. We live in a world where Linux and SteamOS seem to offer significant gaming performance gains by simple virtue of not being Windows — Microsoft absolutely wants to solve that gap.

But furthermore, I've received information from multiple trusted sources that Microsoft and Blizzard have been planning to open Battle.net up to third-party developers. It's unclear if that's still the plan under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, but so far, I'm not yet seeing evidence that the plans here were canceled.

Battle.net boasts enormous monthly active users in its own right, and technically has its own "exclusives" in the form of World of Warcraft, Heroes of the Storm, and some other Blizzard classics.

Microsoft already tested launching some Xbox games through Battle.net, including Avowed, The Outer Worlds 2, and DOOM: The Dark Ages. It seems Battle.net is being redesigned to offer more third-party content beyond the Microsoft ecosystem in the future, while still acting as the primary delivery platform for Blizzard games like Diablo IV and Overwatch.

Battle.net and the Xbox PC app already form a "bridge" of sorts via Xbox PC's plugins section. Microsoft is also working with publishers like Ubisoft and EA to integrate their own PC stores to give publishers the opportunity to deliver their content directly while integrating Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud, and Xbox PC ecosystems and features. Ubisoft announced last week that owners of some Xbox Series X|S console games will receive their Xbox PC versions for free, for example, and it's likely the program there will expand over time.

There's a lot of unknowns here, of course. There are some gaps and pitfalls when it comes to third-party titles on the Xbox PC store. Diablo IV, for example, doesn't support Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning users have to buy DLC multiple times for multiple platforms. Ubisoft games on PC don't support Xbox achievements either, even though you can sync your progress on some games to Xbox Series X|S devices.

Just how seamless the synchronicity between platforms will be remains to be seen, but the core of it is pretty simple: it's about giving developers more options for selling games, and putting more games in front of users where they already are on PC. The PC market is pretty fragmented given its open nature, with different launchers, stores, and platforms competing for attention. Xbox is trying to make it more seamless for PC players who want the integrations using its plug-in systems, while also leveraging the platforms it already has to create more opportunities for developers in general.

Blizzard games are generally seasonal in delivery, so it's a potential win for Xbox if, during typical patch cycles, Blizzard gamers pick up another game inside the ecosystem rather than leave for something external on the Riot Client, Epic Games Store, HoYoverse launcher, or wherever else.

Positron and Xbox emulation on PC

Microsoft is also known to be creating a bridge between console and PC with its Positron platform.

Xbox "Positron" is a system designed to help gamers convert disc-based games into digital licenses. If those games support Xbox Play Anywhere (and up to 50% of new releases currently do these days), then you will also get the PC version of any Xbox Series X|S disc-based game you connect to your Microsoft Account.

Sources suggest to me that Positron is expected to be revealed some time in August as Microsoft works out some of the finer details. It won't support every single game on Xbox 360, Series X|S, and Xbox One, but it will support a significant amount of titles pending licensing hurdles and agreements with publishers.

Another tool Microsoft is using to grow its presence on PC is the unassuming backwards compatibility emulator we saw ship a few weeks ago.

Xbox has arguably been a leader in the digital preservation space, ensuring games from decades ago still function on modern systems. In some cases, the only way to play certain old school games has been on Xbox consoles via backward compatibility. But Microsoft is planning to expand that even further to include PC gamers in the mix as well.

For now, the Xbox backward compatibility emulator on PC includes four OG Xbox games, including Conker, Blinx, and Crimson Skies. Future plans also include Xbox 360 games, which could light up some major classics that have, in some cases, up to now, been completely locked to consoles.

It would help Microsoft close some big gaps in its PC ecosystem, which came in pretty late and is sadly still missing out on mountains of classic games. It would also help Xbox gain access to a wealth of new content that would potentially perform better on lower-end handheld devices, such as the Xbox Ally S, in a universe where hardware prices have become truly insane.

Lots of potential, but polish is paramount

Xbox's history with PC gaming has been checkered, to say the least. PC gamers of a certain age still call back to the dark days of Games for Windows Live. Even those who might've dabbled more recently lament Xbox PC's feature and app gaps when compared to Steam.

On lower-end devices especially, the Xbox PC store is still not as performant as it probably should be, especially on that initial load. The Xbox PC store search functionality isn't particularly great either, and curation is a mixed bag. It's hard to find new games at times, and many games to this day still skip the platform, even though Xbox PC offers a far more generous cut than Steam does.

The Xbox PC store has improved by a huge amount, and now probably represents roughly 50% of my play time. I'm currently bouncing between Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Ally X while playing Hell is Us, for example, and many upcoming major AAA titles like Blood of the Dawnwalker and Onimusha from Capcom do support Xbox Play Anywhere.

Indie developers still aren't huge fans of the Xbox PC platform either, sadly, with long certification times and difficult policies making shipping on Xbox PC needlessly complex. Without some form of Game Pass deal, it seems many indie developers simply don't think it's worth the effort.

It'll be interesting to see what Xbox does to continue improving adoption on their end, and particularly how Battle.net handles some of this stuff in the future (if plans don't change under new CEO Asha Sharma). None of it means Xbox will walk away from Steam; there's simply too much money to be left on the table. PC has long been a place of platform plurality, and Xbox is seemingly embracing that aspect of Windows gaming in a big way.

RELATED: Xbox Helix and Steam — does it still make sense?

If it works, could Microsoft look to a future where it focuses on its own platforms rather than Steam or Epic Games? It's perhaps a window at best, but not likely in the medium or even long term. But given how Microsoft is pressuring Xbox to deliver bigger margins at all costs, I suspect today's incarnation of Xbox would be less philosophically inclined towards supporting Steam if it felt it didn't have to. But that's just my (potentially cynical) opinion.

As far as I know, Xbox has no plans whatsoever to quit Steam, even as it doubles up on Xbox PC and potentially Battle.net as store destinations for its developer ecosystem.

All of this is before we learn more about Xbox Helix, and how Microsoft plans to bridge the console and PC ecosystems with its own hardware ... More competition should be good for consumers, at least in theory. Ideally, whether you're on Steam or not, Microsoft's boosted attention towards Windows should improve PC gaming in general.

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In the UK, Summer used to mean a few fleeting days of mild sunshine, scoffing a melted choc ice in my Nan's backyard and still needing to put a cardigan on in the evening. Thanks to climate change however, British Summer is rapidly turning into a crash course on how to survive 6 weeks in Mount Doom.

We're now regularly seeing temperatures soaring to 38°C (that’s a blistering 100.4°F for our American readers across the pond), which alone probably doesn't sound that dramatic, but as everyone over the age of 40 says, IT'S THE HUMIDITY THAT GETS YOU.

Anyway, to my point, for anyone living in a classic heat-retaining UK brick house built to withstand the winters and middling summers of the past, sitting indoors and trying to game in this heat feels like trying to play Diablo 4 from actual Hell.

It's put me off turning my Xbox on at all and pushed me further into the arms of handheld gaming.

Gaming is so hot right now, literally.

Under full load, both the Xbox Series X and S I have in my living room act like electric radiators at best, but during Summer it's absolutely unbearable.

The Xbox Series X draws around 160 to 200 watts of power when rendering demanding games, dumping nearly every single watt of that electricity straight back out into the room as pure thermal exhaust. Naturally, this raises the question: is Microsoft doing anything to help us out?

It's worth noting that Microsoft’s revised Xbox Series X models (including the all-digital white edition) have a smaller chip, and I'm still rocking the old disc model. The new chips pull roughly 10 to 15 watts less from the wall and are more power-efficient, but I doubt that 10-watt difference has a dramatic enough effect on heat output.

In my case, I play mainly on a Series S anyway, which, while about half as powerful as the Series X, also dumps every watt it generates out the vent as heat.

The Xbox Toaster might be a real, actual kitchen appliance, but I'd argue you could fry an egg to go with it on my Series S. Though disclaimer: I didn't actually risk breaking my console to try this; the picture is a joke. Have you seen how much the Xbox costs nowadays?

Retreating to the cold arms of the ROG Ally X

I've had a love-hate relationship with my ROG Ally X, but faced with giving up gaming for the summer or melting into my couch, I've been pushed willingly back into its arms as my device of choice.

Sure, it also generates some heat of its own, but it's more akin to holding a Dyson hairdryer than having full-force hot winds blowing into my living room. That being said, there are plenty of ways I can lower the impact, like dropping the TDP and playing in Silent mode.

I've also leaned a little harder into Xbox Cloud Gaming during these hot spells. Using the cloud, I can play the more graphically heavy titles on a lower-power screen without melting my lap away.

Granted, using the Cloud is environmentally ironic

While handhelds and cloud gaming save my immediate space from an unbearable meltdown, I do need to acknowledge that cloud gaming doesn't actually eliminate heat entirely. It's simply displacing it elsewhere, namely to Microsoft's massive server infrastructure.

Data centers require colossal amounts of electricity to run high-end server blades and even more energy to power the massive industrial chillers keeping those racks cool. As climate change continues to drive extreme weather across Europe and North America, relying on cloud infrastructure simply shifts the burden elsewhere. I'm saving myself from sweating today, but streaming high-bitrate video from a rack of server GPUs miles away and outsourcing my discomfort to Microsoft carries its own heavy carbon footprint.

Big tech is wrestling with this environmental paradox, and Microsoft has faced intense scrutiny over its climate impact, with reports highlighting how data center water usage could double or even triple by 2030 due to intense cooling demands.

The company is more than aware of the backlash. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently touted new closed-loop liquid cooling technologies, claiming their revamped data centers can drastically cut water consumption down to what a single restaurant would use per year. But whether closed-loop cooling fixes the issue or not, the sheer electrical demand of running hyperscale infrastructure isn't disappearing. Every time I stream a game to keep my bedroom cool, Microsoft's servers are working overtime and sweating on my behalf.

Surviving the new normal

Until air conditioning becomes standard in British housing, summer gaming will remain an uncomfortable and sweaty juggling act for me.

For now, my Series S is taking an extended summer break, staying firmly switched off. You'll find me sat next to an open window begging for a slight breeze and relying on my gaming handheld to get me through the heatwave.

Or you know, I could just read a book...

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I have become one of the world's only Xbox Ally-first gamers, and as you might expect, I'm a big fan of Xbox Play Anywhere.

For those who don't know, Xbox Play Anywhere is a truly remarkable program by which Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC players get both the PC and console version of a game on a single purchase. In an era where digital rights and preservation have become central, the fact a huge chunk of my Xbox console library is playable on any Windows PC is something that is probably critically overlooked.

It's a great service in particular for the Xbox Ally handheld range, but it's true that many, many games simply don't support the feature. Support has been generally inconsistent, despite some big wins throughout the past couple of years.

New data shows that Xbox Play Anywhere support is still improving, but there's still a ton of work to be done here.

Korean Xbox resource @KoreaXboxNews has been manually tracking the ratio of games that support Xbox Play Anywhere throughout 2026, and the general trend has been pretty impressive.

Microsoft lists new games on the Xbox Store page and lets you filter games by the features they support. KoreaXboxNews' data shows that Microsoft is steadily approaching a ~50% ratio for new games launching that allow users to buy once and then play anywhere.

Microsoft indeed landed some big AAA wins in this regard recently. IO Interactive's 007: First Light was particularly notable. Typically, Microsoft requests that Xbox Game Pass partners deliver titles with Xbox Play Anywhere in exchange for the funding deal. 007: First Light was notable for the fact it was a rare AAA game that opted for Xbox Play Anywhere without any form of discernible incentive.

Other major Xbox Play Anywhere wins recently include Hell is Us, Palworld 1.0, Subnautica 2, Arc Raiders, Cronos: The New Dawn, STALKER 2, Persona 4 Revival, Final Fantasy Resonance, Valor Mortis, Control Resonant, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Blood of the Dawnwalker, Beast of Reincarnation, and many more. Although there have been some downsides too.

Ubisoft continues to be a particular frustration in this area. Ubisoft+ Classics is an Xbox Game Pass benefit, but the PC versions come with no achievements, inconsistent cloud save support, and a Ubisoft Connect PC app requirement that offers no discernible benefits to the player. Some games that were formerly Xbox Play Anywhere, including Resident Evil 7, and Mortal Shell, have irritatingly dropped Xbox Play Anywhere for their sequels. Although sometimes support has arrived post-launch or post-announcement. Aliens Fireteam Elite 2 was certified for Xbox Play Anywhere recently, despite not initially including it.

There's also no real benefit for developers to offer Xbox Play Anywhere on older games. We have seen older games arrive on Xbox Play Anywhere with a Game Pass deal, such as Resident Evil Village, but there are so many classics and new games alike that may likely never arrive. Even many of Microsoft's own back catalog have never been ported to Xbox Play Anywhere, and if Xbox itself doesn't think it's worth it — why should third-party developers?

Xbox Play Anywhere is one of the best features of the Xbox ecosystem in my view, and it's great to see more upcoming titles adopt it out of the box.

RELATED: Best Xbox Ally accessories

Clearly more work needs to be done to convince third-party developers that it's worthwhile. Games sold on Xbox PC deliver more revenue to developers than Steam does, and longer term, building up a credible PC store alternative to Steam would benefit creators in the industry in the long run. I'd argue Microsoft should continue to invest in shouldering some of the burden to support developers willing to support Xbox PC, but Xbox already has its work cut out with a variety of other problems.

It's unclear if hoping developers will "organically" support Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox PC in general will be enough in the long term.

Do you use Xbox Play Anywhere? What games are missing from the platform? What could Microsoft do to improve adoption? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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Nobody could've seen this one coming!

Much has been said about Xbox's previous approach to its gaming portfolio. In a sprint to boost margin mandates seeded by Microsoft CFO Amy Hood, Xbox leadership put together a haphazard plan to publish icons like Gears of War, Halo, and Forza onto PlayStation. Forza has been an utterly resounding success, but ... the other two not so much.

It's arguably been particularly damaging with regards to Halo. Halo is to Xbox what Mario is to Nintendo, and for Xbox to put Halo on its arch-rival could be interpreted as a very visible signal that Microsoft isn't in it for the long haul.

Every hardware ecosystem tends to have some form of exclusive content, whether it's creative software on Apple products or native Google services on Android. Microsoft decided it wanted Xbox to be the only closed platform in history without any form of exclusive content. Was the juice worth the squeeze?

Well, the data very much says "not," I think.

According to Circana's Player Engagement Tracker, on July 28th Halo: Campaign Evolved ranked 4th in US DAU on Xbox platforms (8% of total Xbox players on that date launched the game), while placing 14th on Steam (2% of actives) and 29th on PlayStation (1% of actives).

— @matpiscatella.bsky.social (@matpiscatella.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-08-01T08:44:24.344Z

Despite some clear sales success, Halo: Campaign Evolved has hardly lit the PlayStation world on fire. Halo: Campaign Evolved defeated some service game staples on Xbox during its launch week, claiming the 4th highest daily active users across Xbox Series X|S consoles. It managed to rank a lowly 14th on Steam, and an even worse 29th on PlayStation, claiming just 1% of PlayStation's install base.

I would argue that the immeasurable brand damage putting Halo on PlayStation has wrought on Xbox is hardly worth this paltry figure. Circana senior director Mat Piscatella noted that the data shows "the massive challenge for new games in an environment dominated by the live service behemoths."

For Xbox, I would argue that Halo Campaign Evolved's performance represents a larger problem.

Halo Campaign Evolved has been generally controversial for its lack of multiplayer, perceived (or unperceived) "liberties" taken with the art direction and detailing, while accentuating a lack of visible roadmap for the future of the franchise. Sources familiar tell us that Halo Studios recently canceled a multiplayer-focused Halo game titled Project "Ekur," formerly "Tatanka," a short while ago, leaving the franchise somewhat adrift.

Microsoft's handling of Halo in general has been legendarily poor. The franchise was formerly a staple of the industry landscape and a cornerstone of Xbox's identity. In 2026, it feels like a shadow of its former glory, with a weak TV adaptation doing its own damage to the brand, and repeated "soft reboots" leaving the central narrative in a confused state.

The PS5 version doing poorly is a reflection on how much lustre Halo has lost in the wider gamer consciousness. Xbox fans have been jumping in for the nostalgia, but the fact nobody else cares is an indictment of how the franchise has been handled in general.

Putting Halo on PlayStation 5 did a ton of brand damage to Xbox in general, and I seriously doubt any future Halo will launch on PS5 given Xbox's shift back towards exclusive games. Gears of War: E-Day will be permanently Xbox exclusive, for example, and the E-Day previews have come in extremely positively recently.

Making Halo exclusive to Xbox again is low-hanging fruit ... delivering a Halo that can reclaim the franchise's lost glory is going to be much, much harder, as faith in Halo Studios seems to be in short supply, to put it politely.

As incoming Xbox CEO Asha Sharma seeks to reset the brand and double down on Microsoft's core IP library ... I think of all Xbox's problems, repairing Halo's prestige is by far the biggest challenge facing Xbox. What do you think?

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