Xbox has once again launched its year in review for 2024, and it comes with an entirely new look, a bunch more stats and will tell you all about your year on gaming across PC, Console and Cloud.

The round-up will show you how much time you spent gaming, your most-played games, how high-up the list you were for your gaming stats and also a bunch of relevant stats for the games played as well.

Here’s what is new this year:

• A customized look based on your most-played game.
• A personalized gamer profile just for you, based on the games you love to play! If you’re into epic quests with a sprinkle of magic, you’re a “Knight Owl.” More of a sports champ? You’re a “Real MVP,” always leading the pack.
• Multiplayer fans can see the friends they played with most.
• Dedicated recap sections for Game Pass and Rewards.

How to access your 2024 Xbox Year In Review

You can access the website HERE and then just login with your account details, and then you can choose to either share them online or keep them to yourself.

The post The 2024 Xbox Year In Review Has Arrived To Show You How Many Hours You Spent Gaming appeared first on Press Start.

8BitDo has announced the latest mechanical keyboard in its classics range following the release of the Famicon and Genesis models, and this time, the OG Xbox gets the keyboard/mouse treatment.

Both the keyboard and mouse have that translucent green goodness, and for the first time, they have RGB backlighting to shine through the clear keys. Just like the other models, it also comes with two super buttons (no software needed) which allow you to set hotkeys easily.

There’s also a dedicated integrated Xbox button that not only lights up, but allows you to quickly activate Windows Game Bar and coloured arrow buttons to match the original Xbox controller.

As far as the mouse goes, it has a charging dock so that you can keep it charged at all times, customiseable side buttons which are inspired by the original Xbox controller, compatibility for left/right hand and three connection modes (wired, bluetooth, dongle).

Both of these products will launch at the start of January for $119.99 USD (~$184 AUD) for the keyboard and $59.99 USD (~$94 AUD) for the mouse. We’ll keep you posted on Australian information once we have it.

The post 8BitDo’s OG Xbox Inspired Keyboard And Mouse Are Absolutely Stunning appeared first on Press Start.

I’ve been banging on about how good Xbox’s ecosystem is for the last few years now, with the fact that not only saves go across both Xbox and PC seamlessly, but also the fact that you can play Xbox games on the likes of Samsung TVs/Monitors and Amazon Fire Sticks with nothing but a controller is fantastic.

Clearly Xbox agrees, because it has just launched a new marketing campaign really highlighting all the platforms that can be considered an Xbox now, outside of the obvious Xbox Series XS|. This includes the likes of mobile phones, laptops, the ASUS ROG Ally, the Fire TV Stick and Samsung TVs.

The campaign does get a little bit naff as it goes on to compare other boxes like a Kitty Litter and a Bento Box by saying these things aren’t an Xbox, but I am happy to see Xbox really singing the praises of the ecosystem it has built out over the last few years, as I think it works really well and opens up gaming to more people.

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Just a few years ago Xbox dropped its Wireless headset that was one of the best value for money wireless headsets on the market, and in the last few weeks its released an updated version, which is priced just at tiny bit higher but offers some solid improvements.

As far as the design of the headset goes, it’s pretty much the exact same thing as what released some years ago, but the green accents have now been also swapped out for black finishes which I much prefer as it takes the premium feel of the headset to the next level. The band feels durable, the earcups are an extremely comfortable faux leather that can also be taken off and replaced and the fit feels exceptional, without pressing down too much on my glasses.

In terms of build quality and fit, I’d put this ahead of the Pulse 3D Headset, which is the same price. You’re not getting any kind of noise-cancelling with this headset, which is to be expected for the price, but it does a good job of blocking out external sounds.

My absolute favourite thing about the headset is still how accessible the buttons (or lack of them) are. I really dislike how many buttons there are on the Pulse 3D headset and the fact that they’re all on one side but on the Xbox Wireless Headset, the entire earcups act as volume controls, so your right cup controls the main volume whilst the left earcup does your game/chat balance.

You’ve also got an easy to access mute button on the microphone as well as a button to turn the headset on and off (complete with a matching startup tone to what you’d be used to with your Xbox Series X). As far as buttons go, that’s literally it and compared to other units on the market, that’s a godsend. Xbox has kept it simple and that’s exactly what you want with a headset. Even on day one, I was never second-guessing where to find one of the buttons or how to turn my chat volume up. It’s perfectly designed.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $159.95 WITH FREE SHIPPING

The headset is incredibly easy to pair to either your Xbox Series X/S or PC and all it takes is just holding down the power button to set it into pairing mode. Your Xbox or PC will then recognise the headset and connect each and every time it powers on. You can also connect the headset to multiple devices at once, meaning that you can connect to your mobile via Bluetooth whilst playing on your Xbox, and hear both devices at once, which is really helpful. You can also connect the headset to an Xbox wireless adaptor, which I highly recommend if you’re using a PC as it’s just going to be more stable than Bluetooth. This is still one of the best parts of the headsets as I feel that a lot of headsets at this price range don’t provide simultaneous connectivity.

As far as battery life goes, these have now been improved with a 20 hour battery life (up from 15 hours in the original version). It’s now the best in class in the market by any stretch these days, but it’s still perfectly fine, and you’re getting a quick enough charge from USB-C that it’s never an issue.

One of the original negatives on the original wireless headset was the microphone, and this has been improved quite significantly on the new headset. It does a fairly decent job at muting out background noises and also auto mutes when you’re not speaking. Again, it doesn’t rival the likes of the Arctis Nova Wireless but for sub $200 it’s perfectly fine for casual online gaming.

I was pleasantly surprised by how good this headset sounds for $150. Whilst it doesn’t experience the deep bass that I got with the SteelSeries Arctis 7X or similarly priced headsets  , those headsets are more than double the price. What I did get though, was an exceptionally crisp sound even when at the loudest volume. The difference between these and something like the Arctis 7X is probably closer than it should be given the price difference.

The headset now comes with a Dolby Atmos license out of the box which is a big improvement compared to other headsets in this price range. Whether you’ll be able to tell the difference is obviously down to your ears and how much you care about that kind of audial fidelity, but it’s great that it’s included.

@shannongrixti

The new Xbox Wireless Headset has a longer battery life, an all-black design, Dolby Atmos support included in the box and a better auto-muting microphone #XboxWirelessHeadset #NewXboxHeadset #XboxSeriesX #Xbox #XboxSeriesS #XboxHeadset #Xbox

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post Xbox Wireless Headset (2024) Review – Even Better Value For Money appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has announced its next Xbox Partner Preview and it’s happening on Friday morning at an early time for Aussies.

The stream will give us a look at new and upcoming games from Remedy, Sega, 505 and more lasting about 25 minutes. It’ll bring new gameplay footage for Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Alan Wake II: The Lake House as well as Wuchang Fallen Feathers.

ALL THE AUSTRALIAN TIMES FOR THE XBOX PARTNER SHOWCASE

The Xbox stream is happening early on Friday, October 18th at the below times:

• 04:00 AM AEDT (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra)
• 03:30 AM ACDT (Adelaide)
• 03:00 AM AEST (Brisbane)
• 02:30 AM ACST (Darwin)
• 01:00 AM AWST (Perth)

WHERE TO WATCH THE OCTOBER XBOX PARTNER SHOWCASE

You can watch on YouTube HERE or at the below embed.

We’ll have all the new announcements on Friday morning as the showcase happens.

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Xbox has announced official accessories for the upcoming Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 including two controllers and an Xbox Series X console wrap.

All three items in the collection are clearly heavily inspired by Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 with the layered pattern of redacted documents, hidden coordinators and Black Ops symbols.

When it comes to the Xbox Series X|S controller and the Xbox Series X|S Elite controller, these will be available on Xbox Design Lab where you’ll be able to customise your controller.

• Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Xbox Series X|S Controller – Starting at $139.75 AUD 
• Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Xbox Series X|S Elite Controller – Starting at $239.90 AUD 

The console wrap is available exclusively on the Microsoft Store and includes a 1 hour 2XP token for Black Ops 6 as well. It’s available for $79.95 HERE.  

• Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Xbox Series X Console Wrap – $79.95

These will launch on October 23rd for the wrap and you can order the controllers now. Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches on all platforms on October 25th. Amazon has the cheapest price at $88 with free shipping HERE. 

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Xbox released two new Xbox Series X consoles in the discless model and the Galaxy Black model (better look at that from us here), and whilst I wasn’t game enough to do any teardowns, thankfully, YouTuber Austin Evans has and there’s some significant differences.

The chip has a new 6nm design down from 7nm, and the motherboard and cooling system for the console has been totally redesigned. Many of the components on the motherboard have been moved around, and there’s no longer a vapor chamber cooling system, with it featuring a more traditional copper heat pipe design instead.

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Whilst the heat and noise hasn’t changed a heap, Evans found that both Xbox Series X models use less power both when idling and also whilst gaming in comparison to the original model. This might not mean a lot for the average gamer, but it’ll mean a bunch for Xbox’s cloud servers as they use actual Xbox Series X hardware to run these servers.

You can read more about the Xbox Series X Galaxy Black edition over at our review HERE or watch the unboxing video below:

The new Limited Edition Galaxy Black Xbox Series X which includes at 2TB SSD and a custom console and controller design. It will cost $999 AUD and it’s available HERE.

There’s also the first all-digital Xbox Series X and that comes in White with a 1TB SSD and will cost $699 AUD and that can be purchased HERE. 

Lastly, the Xbox Series S now comes in a 1TB white model to join the previously released black model. This costs $549 AUD and it’s available HERE.

The post The New Xbox Series X Consoles Have An Improved Internal Design With Less Power Usage appeared first on Press Start.

The Xbox Series X design was unlike anything else that we’ve seen with its super understated design, all-black nature, and it’s been left up to special editions to add that extra bit of something to the console, but most of these have been not up for purchase and only able to be won in competitions.

In comes the Galaxy Black Xbox Series X which is one of the first limited edition consoles to release so far, and it builds on that same sleek and stylish design, adding a few small design highlights to make it extra special.

It also has a larger 2TB SSD which is why it’s a bit more expensive than the standard Xbox Series X, so it’s obviously going to be for a more hardcore gamer or a collector that likes everything.

@shannongrixti

The Limited Edition Galaxy Black Xbox Series X has a 2TB SSD and is absolutely stunning with its green/white specks and bright green details #XboxSeriesX #Xbox #XboxSeriesXGalaxyBLack #GalaxyBlackXboxSeriesX #Tech #Gaming

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

As far as the design goes, it’s the same black console but there’s green and grey specks all over the console which on paper sounds like it could be a mess, but it still looks high-end and classy, adding an extra bit of something to the design.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $999 FROM THE MICROSOFT STORE

The only other major difference is that the base is a bright Xbox green which again, doesn’t take away from the original design of the console but adds a bit of extra pop.

It’s the controller that really steals the show here, and it absolutely would have sold well if it was released separately. It’s the same black controller, with again some minor differences to elevate the design.

The d-pad has that same speckled design pulling over from the console, the buttons are blacked out and the whole back of the controller pulls over that same bright Xbox green from the base of the console.

Whilst most people probably won’t run out to upgrade their original Xbox Series X to the Galaxy Black, I personally love seeing these limited edition releases and hope we see more from Xbox.

The post The 2TB Galaxy Black Xbox Series X Adds Some Sparkle To The Understated OG Design appeared first on Press Start.

The three new Xbox Series X|S consoles that were announced in June have landed in Australian stores today.

The three consoles are:

The new Limited Edition Galaxy Black Xbox Series X which includes at 2TB SSD and a custom console and controller design. It will cost $999 AUD and it’s available HERE.

There’s also the first all-digital Xbox Series X and that comes in White with a 1TB SSD and will cost $699 AUD and that can be purchased HERE. 

Lastly, the Xbox Series S now comes in a 1TB white model to join the previously released black model. This costs $549 AUD and it’s available HERE.

@shannongrixti

Three new Xbox consoles were just announced and here’s a closer look at them #Xbox #XboxSeriesX #XboxShowcase #XboxGameShowcase

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

XBOX SERIES X GALAXY BLACK EB GAMES TRADE DEALS

If you’re looking to upgrade to the Limited Edition 2TB Galaxy Black Xbox Series X or from an Xbox Series S to the Xbox Series X Digital Edition, EB Games has a few trade deals.

If you’re a Level 4 member trading in an Xbox Series X with 4 games, you can get the Galaxy Black model for $399 and if you’re trading in an Xbox Series S toward the digital Xbox Series X, you can get that for $459. You can find those HERE.

NEW XBOX SERIES X|S CONSOLE LINE-UP

You can find the new Xbox Series X|S lineup of consoles below in a handy graph. It includes

• Xbox Series S 500GB (White)
• Xbox Series S 1TB (White/Black)
• Xbox Series X Digital 1TB (White)
• Xbox Series X 1TB (Black)
• Xbox Series X 2TB (Galaxy Black)

The post Three New Xbox Series X|S Consoles Are Out Today And EB Games Has Trade Offers Too appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has announced that it has created an incredible looking gold Xbox Series X|S that comes complete with a leather look controller and it can be won in a really unique way.

Between November 12th and January 6th, those in Sydney (as well as London and New York) can visit their local Microsoft Experience Centres to try and solve a puzzle with the Xbox encased in a puzzle box that needs to be solved before you can enter the competition.

For those not in these locations, Bethesda will also be giving away a console on its social channels in due time. You can find more information about both giveaways HERE.

I have to say, the controller is super nice as well, and I do wish we saw more of these awesome Xbox controllers/consoles sold to the public as they look phenomenal, but understand they’re probably a bit more bespoke than the usual custom controller.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is launching on December 9th on Xbox Series X|S and PC and will also come to PS5 in 2025.

The post This Gold Indiana Jones Xbox Series X Is Absolutely Gorgeous And Aussies Can Win It appeared first on Press Start.

The day after PlayStation Network went down for almost 8 hours, it’s now Xbox’s turn with Xbox Live being down for most users.

Xbox tweeted out that it is aware of users experiencing issues with sign-in, launching games and joining parties and that technicians are looking into it.

We are aware users are experiencing issues with sign-in, launching games, and joining parties. Support teams currently are looking into this, and we will provide an update here and on our status page. https://t.co/PzAdjUXo7T

— Xbox Support (@XboxSupport) October 2, 2024

“We are aware users are experiencing issues with sign-in, launching games, and joining parties. Support teams currently are looking into this, and we will provide an update here and on our status page.” said Xbox in a Tweet.

The Xbox Status page shows red (major outage) for account and profile, friends and social activity, cloud gaming and remote play, and yellow (limited) for games and gaming.

Down Detector, one of the main websites for tracking website outages in Australia, had its first report at about 8:49pm with 1500+ people reporting an outage in the next hour or so.

The post Xbox Live Is Currently Down appeared first on Press Start.

October is the spookiest month of the year, without doubt.

We’re subjected to pumpkin spice lattes, the thawing process for Michael Buble’s holiday onslaught begins, and it’s capped off by Halloween, the year’s most bone-chilling holiday. As it turns out, October is also going to be home to plenty of new, exciting game releases that should help you forget the brooding horror that pervades the month. I’m talking about games like Silent Hill, A Quiet Place, and Clock Tower to keep the creepies at bay.

Let’s take a look at exactly what’s coming over the next month:

Biggest October 2024 Game Releases

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Release Date: October 31

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $89 (free delivery)

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Release Date: October 25

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $89 (free delivery)

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered

Release Date: October 31

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5

Sonic X Shadow Generations

Release Date: October 25

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

The Cheapest Price – Amazon – $69 (free delivery)

Until Dawn

Release Date: October 4

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $89 (free delivery)

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred

Release Date: October 8

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Silent Hill 2

Release Date: October 8

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $99 (free delivery)

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $99 (free delivery)

Super Mario Party Jamboree

Release Date: October 17

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $68 (free delivery)

Alan Wake 2 DLC – The Lake House

Release Date: TBC

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Neva

Release Date: October 15

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Fear the Spotlight

Release Date: October 22

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Throne and Liberty

Release Date: October 1

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Kill Knight

Release Date: October 3

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Mechwarrior 5: Clans

Release Date: October 3

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game

Release Date: October 4

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Disney Pixel RPG

Release Date: October 7

Platforms: iOS, Android

To The Moon

Release Date: October 8

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Europa

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch

Starship Troopers: Extermination

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Transformers: Galactic Trials

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Undisputed

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition

Release Date: October 15

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Just Dance 2025 Edition

Release Date: October 15

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

New World: Aeternum

Release Date: October 15

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Squirrel with a Gun

Release Date: October 15

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Age of Empires Mobile

Release Date: October 17

Platforms: iOS, Android

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead

Release Date: October 17

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed

Release Date: October 18

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Unknown 9: Awakening

Release Date: October 18

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Date Everything

Release Date: October 24

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven

Release Date: October 24

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Clock Tower Rewind

Release Date: October 29

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Release Date: October 29

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Post Trauma 

Release Date: October 29

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered

Release Date: October 31

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Batman: Arkham Shadow

Release Date: October 22

Platforms: Meta Quest 3

The post Games Coming Out In October 2024 That You Should Be Excited For appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has announced that it will be doing another TGS broadcast this year focusing on content from Xbox Game Studios, Activision, Blizzard And Bethesda.

ALL THE AUSSIE TIMES FOR THE XBOX TGS STREAM

• AEST (Melbourne / Sydney / Brisbane / Canberra) – 08:00pm Thursday, September 26th
• ACST (Adelaide / Darwin) – 07:30pm Thursday, September 26th
• AWST (Perth) – 06:00pm Thursday, September 26th

WHERE TO WATCH THE XBOX TGS STREAM

You can watch the Xbox TGS stream over on YouTube HERE or on the below embed.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE TGS XBOX STREAM

It’s always hard to know what to expect from TGS streams as they typically appeal to a Japanese audience which doesn’t always translate to other parts of the world in terms of the games shown, but there’s been some pretty big rumours circulating about what we could expect to see with Final Fantasy XVI being the main one that we’re expecting to see on Xbox.

There’s been rumours floating around about an Xbox handheld, which would go over quite well in Japan, but I’m not quite sure if this is the right event to see it, but that’s always a possibility.

The post Xbox’s TGS Stream Is Happening Tonight And Here’s All The Aussie Times appeared first on Press Start.

There have been attempts to bring real time strategy to a console, which relies on a controller without a direct pointer or anywhere near as many keys as a computer keyboard. Some like Halo Wars scaled down the complexity of it’s game systems to account for the controller as primary input. Age of Mythology takes a different approach. Retold rather maintains the full complexity of the PC-only original game while finding a way to cram it all into the inputs provided by a standard Xbox controller, and it works better than I expected.

Some of the most interesting new features I found when playing on console were that for certain common commands you can now tell the game your intention and it will take care of the detail for you. As an example, you can choose to select a villager, give them a command to build a structure. They’ll complete it and then wait for your next order. Alternatively you can select a building and place it. The game will grab a nearby villager who will work on the structure until it’s finished then return to whatever they were doing beforehand. You maintain full control of what you build and where, but takes some of the micromanagement out of your hands.

In a similar vein, you can manage your resource collecting by simply telling the game what you want to collect. You are given a radial menu of smart presets designed for different stages of the game or specific goals. Stuff like gathering more gold in later stages of the game or more wood when you’re focused on expanding your navy. Once selected, any idle villagers under your control will assign themselves to collecting resources according to the ratio you’ve specified. You can manually specify the ratio of wood, food and gold too if none of the presets meet your specific needs. I love the way Retold lets you communicate your intent and have it faithfully carried out, as it lets me focus on the things I love most about Mythology like military management and town design.

These features make playing on a controller way more manageable, but are so useful in how it lets you focus on the aspects of the game you enjoy most that I’m going to keep using them even when I get to play the game with a good old mouse and keyboard.

Outside of these smart automations, there’s still a *lot* in a game like Age of Mythology to map to a controller. There is nothing I found I couldn’t do compared to a mouse and keyboard, but the limited inputs on a controller mean that things get very complex very quickly. Your commands are found in layers of radial menus. Hold LT to show a command menu, select Buildings and you’ll see a series of building radial menus from which you can select the building you want and then finally place it. The aforementioned villager automation options are behind a LT + RS combo. Your God powers are behind LT + X. The menu that appears when you pull LT is dependent on the context. It will show a different menu depending on which unit or building you have selected, or whether you have nothing selected. In order to have a place for all the options that would normally be accessible with a mouse pointer on a controller, things get super complicated.

This complexity can be intimidating. Even as someone with a great deal of experience with the genre, I found that I struggled to map what I wanted to do to the commands on the controller that would let me do it – especially at first. I found things got more manageable as I got used to the controls, but even several hours in I found myself whiffing my inputs because I didn’t realise I had a unit selected or just couldn’t remember the specific button combo to get the menu I wanted.

Commanding your army involves some smart shortcuts, but I often found myself simplifying my strategy because I just didn’t want to do more complex battle commanding with the controller. You can select your entire military with the left d-pad, or specific portions of it with LT + a d-pad direction. When I play strategy games on PC I’ll often assign subsets of my army to different command groups based on their function. One for slower siege weapons, one for cavalry, and so on.

Command groups are difficult enough to manage that I just found myself relying on commanding my entire military as a single group. It works fine for simpler skirmishes, but is definitely not ideal. Even the options to select just ranged units or just cavalry with the d-pad while nice additions, select *all* of that unit type. Units waiting at your base will gradually come traipsing to the front. Complex management is absolutely possible, don’t get me wrong, but I found that even with the thoughtful shortcuts it felt like the controller was holding me back from putting my plans into action.

For all it’s faults, it’s impressive that the team managed to find a way to map the incredibly complex options of a computer based real time strategy entirely to a controller. They’ve made smart additions to controls and overall gameplay options that help manage complexity regardless of how you play. While impressive, I still don’t find that a controller is a first-class input method for this game. It’s manageable for base building and simple skirmishes but gets in it’s own way as the game becomes more complex.

It’s a fine way to have a nostalgic dip into an old classic, but I’ll be sticking to my desk when I can.

The post Age of Mythology Retold Is Impressive But Flawed With A Controller appeared first on Press Start.

Obsidian has confirmed that upcoming RPG Avowed will run at 30 frames per second on the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

Speaking to the Iron Lords Podcast, Art Director Matt Hansen said that Obsidian is “targeting a baseline of 30FPS” for the RPG. He followed this up by saying that “you don’t necessarily need that 60 frames” because Avowed is a first-person, single-player game.

“It’s a first-person, single-player game, you don’t necessarily need that 60 frames. And that allows us to get a lot juicier with VFX and lighting and all this other stuff. It’s a trade-off we opted to make relatively early, and we’re really happy with that. The game’s running pretty smooth for how visually dense it is, and that was always our goal.” said Hansen.

Obviously, whilst this could be the current baseline for Avowed, you’d think that there’s enough time especially with the delay to look at 40/60FPS options, so we’ll see how this one plays out.

Avowed will release in February 2025 on Xbox Series X|S and PC. This comes after the game was delayed to make way for other Xbox Game Pass games that are set to release this holiday such as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and STALKER 2.

The post Avowed Will Run At 30FPS On The Xbox Series X appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has revealed the prices and release dates for the previously revealed new Xbox Series X console iterations.

Both consoles will release on October 15th with the 1TB Robot White all-digital Xbox Series X costing $699 AUD and the 2TB Galaxy Black costing $999 AUD. The 1TB White Xbox Series S will cost $549 AUD (same as the black version).

• White All-Digital 1TB Xbox Series X – $699 AUD
• Galaxy Black 2TB Xbox Series X – $999 AUD
• White 1TB Xbox Series S – $549 AUD

This means that you’re essentially saving $100 for buying a console without a disc drive, or paying $200 more for an extra TB and the special edition consoles.

Both consoles are available to pre-order HERE. 

The post The Discless And 2TB Galaxy Black Xbox Series X Prices And Release Dates Have Been Revealed appeared first on Press Start.

This morning saw the annual Xbox Games Showcase return, full of new game announcements, fresh trailers and updates for existing or already-announced titles and an exciting surprise or two.

One small surprise, although something that had leaked earlier, was the reveal of an all-new, all-digital Xbox Series X console that comes in a slick, white colourway – along with new versions of the Xbox Series S and disc-based Xbox Series X, all launching later this year.

The digital Xbox Series X will be a 1TB version which looks pretty much the same as the current one, albeit in a Robot White colourway. There will also be a new “Galaxy Black Special Edition” disc-based Xbox Series X console with 2TB of storage and a very cool silver, grey, and green celestial effect with matching Xbox Wireless Controller. Lastly, there’ll be a new 1TB version of the Robot White Xbox Series S console.

Xbox also reiterated that it’s hard at work on the next generation of its hardware.

You can see the reveal video below:

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Update: The new major update for Starfield is now out across all platforms, giving players access to the new features described below including a heap of great new visual and performance settings on console, brand-new maps and new gameplay and quality-of-life improvements.

You can see all of what’s new in the original story below:

Original Story 1/5: After Todd Howard confirmed it was on the way shortly, Bethesda has now officially unveiled Update 4 for Starfield and it’s promising to be the biggest suite of improvements to the game since it launched last year. It brings with it some highly-requested features, making it a fairly exciting development for fans or anyone who’s been holding out for some important additions – like new performance options and hugely improved maps.

Here’s what’s coming in the update when it lands on May 15th:

UPDATED SURFACE MAPS

Easily one of the most-requested features for those of us with little sense of direction, Bethesda has completely overhauled its map and waypoint systems. The updated maps now show the full terrain and points of interest for the area you’re in, and new on-screen waypoint markers have been added when exploring the game’s major cities so you can see the locations of shops and other important locations and fast travel to them easily. It’s a night-and-day improvement.

NEW GAMEPLAY/DIFFICULTY OPTIONS

The new update also packs new options to change up gameplay, including the ability to increase vendor credits and carry capacity or access your ship cargo from anywhere through your player inventory. You’ll also be able to adjust things like food effects, environmental hazards and the difficulty of space or on-foot combat independent of one another. Lastly there’ll be a new Extreme difficulty to take on if you’re brave.

NEW SHIP INTERIOR CUSTOMISATION TOOLS

The new update also adds a huge amount of new interior customisation for player ships, similar to the current outpost decoration, including empty modules to dress up from scratch and more flexibility in the ship’s layout.

XBOX SERIES X DISPLAY SETTINGS

Bethesda’s also adding new display options for Xbox Series X players, including a 60FPS mode and more options for those playing on VRR displays at 120Hz. There will now be the choice of four different framerate targets – 30, 40, 60 or Uncapped, with the 40 and Uncapped options only available to those with VRR/120Hz-ready displays.

Along with these you’ll also be able to prioritise visuals or performance, independently of your chosen framerate target, though Bethesda recommends switching to Performance mode if you’re choosing a frame rate target of 60 or above. Choosing Performance will lower the internal resolution and detail for special effects, lighting, and crowds, and both modes should adjust internal resolution dynamically when needed to keep up with the framerate target.

QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENTS

In addition to all of the above, Bethesda is promising a bunch of quality-of-life improvements including being able to keep dialogue scenes in the camera mode you’re using for gameplay, updated menu tabs, the ability to change your appearance and traits when starting New Game Plus and more.

Bethesda’s even put together a whole five-minute video on Update 4 to talk over these new features, so check that out below:

The post Starfield’s New Major Update Is Out Now With 60FPS/120Hz Modes And New Maps appeared first on Press Start.

Update: The current-gen update for Fallout 4 has finally arrived for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, bringing with it new performance and visual modes on consoles, new Creation Club content packs and other tweaks and improvements.

If you’re an owner or have access via a subscription, you should now be able to download the new version for free, although it does appear that only the PlayStation Plus Extra version of the game is eligible for the upgrade and not the previously-available PlayStation Plus Collection version.

We've seen some confusion regarding the free Fallout 4 next-gen update for PlayStation Plus Extra members. The Fallout 4 next-gen update will be available to PlayStation Plus Extra members through the PlayStation Game Catalog. Your patience is appreciated while the teams work on…

— Bethesda Game Studios (@BethesdaStudios) April 25, 2024

You can learn more about what’s included in the update right here.

Original Story: It’s been a long time coming, but with Fallout fever at a high right now thanks to the Prime Video series that debuted yesterday, Bethesda has finally announced plans to drop its much-anticipated current-gen update for 2015’s Fallout 4.

The free update update is coming on April 25th and will bring native versions of the game to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and will also offer a number of improvements including Performance and Quality modes that target 60FPS and increased resolutions, as well as improvements to stability and gameplay fixes.

Fallout 4 for PS4 and Xbox One will also be getting an update that includes stability improvements and fixes, and on PC players will be getting widescreen and ultra-widescreen support along with a number of other fixes. The game will also be coming to the Epic Games Store for the first time, and will become Steam Deck Verified.

The announcement is light on any other details, but there will be new Creation Club content available for free alongside this update as well, which includes some Enclave-related gear, a goofy makeshift weapon pack and some Halloween decorations.

Return to the Commonwealth April 25th! Learn more about the #Fallout 4 next-gen update coming to console and PC, and additional free content for players in the Wasteland: https://t.co/JfSvJVpDut pic.twitter.com/xJ4FSbRUd6

— Bethesda Game Studios (@BethesdaStudios) April 11, 2024

The full series of Fallout is out now on Prime Video.

Set in Los Angeles a whole 200 years after a nuclear apocalypse, Fallout follows Lucy (played by Ella Purnell) as she steps out of Vault 33 into the unknown and unhinged world above.

“Based on one of the greatest video game series of all time, Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have,” the show’s description reads.

“200 years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind — and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird and highly violent universe waiting for them.”

You can find out more about the show and how to watch it in our full guide here, and read our review of the series here.

The post Fallout 4’s PS5/Xbox Series Update Is Out Now appeared first on Press Start.

It looks as though Ember Lab’s gorgeous 2021 action adventure, Kena; Bridge of Spirits might be headed to Xbox Series X|S consoles soon, as a rating for the game has appeared on the USA’s ESRB website. The page also suggests it’ll be made available as a physical version, given it’s titled as the retail release of “Kena: Bridge of Spirits – Deluxe Edition” and the listed publisher is Maximum Entertainment – which also handled the physical copies of the PlayStation versions under the Maximum Games banner.

The ESRB listing, which has rated the game a T for Teen as with the existing PlayStation versions of the game, reads:

“This is an action-adventure game in which players control a spirit guide (Kena) as she removes corruption and restores various environments. From a third-person perspective, players traverse platforms, solve puzzles, interact with spirits and creatures, and battle corrupted spirits and boss creatures. Players use a magic staff, arrows, and small creatures (called Rot) to strike enemies and drain their health meters in melee-style combat. Enemies (e.g., human-like spirits, tree-like ghouls, giant wood creatures) attack players by using bladed weapons and explosive bursts of fire/energy. Combat can be frenetic, with frequent impact sounds, screen-shaking effects, and cries of pain.”

We scored the game an 8/10 in our review, where I wrote, “As an indie effort and a debut game, Kena: Bridge of Spirits makes a good impression. It balances simplicity and challenge while weaving a neatly-paced story into something that can be played over a chill couple of days. Despite fantastic production values it’s still far from a AAA title – so it’s important to keep expectations in check, but anyone looking to lose themselves in a charming, gorgeous world ripe for exploration should look no further. It’s exactly what I needed right now – perfect cosy weekend entertainment.”

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Xbox ANZ and Cure Cancer have unveiled a trio of custom-made Xbox Series X consoles inspired by the award-winning cancer research of Dr. Arutha Kulasinghe of The University of Queensland. These gorgeous-looking and exclusive consoles are being auctioned off with the proceeds going to support the work of Cure Cancer, which also encompasses the excellent GameOnCancer community.

The designs on each of these consoles are inspired by Dr. Kulasinghe’s spatial tumour mapping approach, which is developed in collaboration with Akoya Biosciences and Nanostring Technologies, and can be life-changing for those who are undergoing cancer treatment.

“These groundbreaking realisations of how cells organise and communicate have been captured by these images that are now featured on the Xbox Series X consoles,” Dr. Kulasinghe explains. “With Xbox and Cure Cancer, we’ve been able to further highlight the transformative leaps we’ve achieved in cancer research.”

Cure Cancer’s CEO, Nikki Kinloch, adds, “It is truly incredible how this rare moment of scientific breakthrough is beautifully represented through this collaboration with Xbox. It brings much-needed awareness for supporting groundbreaking cancer research to the wider community, which has always been our mission at Cure Cancer.”

“We are extremely proud of Dr Arutha. Being able to see resistance and sensitivity to current generations of cancer therapies at the time of diagnosis is groundbreaking, and it can be life-changing for those who are going through cancer treatment.”

These consoles are on auction starting now and running until April 30th, and you can head to the GameOnCancer page here to bid on them. For the duration of the auction the custom-designed consoles will also be on display at the Microsoft Experience Centre at Westfield Sydney.

Even if you’re not interested in bidding on one of these beautiful custom Xbox Series X consoles, there are plenty of ways to support the work of Cure Cancer, including donating your Microsoft Rewards points, which you can do through the the Microsoft Rewards Hub.

The post These Custom Xbox Series X Consoles Are Being Auctioned Off To Help Aussie Researchers Fight Cancer appeared first on Press Start.

It’s been rumoured for a little while, and now apparent images have been shared of a white, all-digital Xbox Series X console that’s supposedly launching later this year.

The images were provided to and shared by eXputer, which originated some of the rumours of this console last month. According to the outlet, this new version of the Xbox Series X isn’t just cosmetically different and lacking a disc drive, but will also have some slight internal tweaks including an upgraded heatsink. It’s also reportedly expected to come in at a slightly cheaper price than the current version of the console.

You can see photos of the front and back of the console that were supplied to eXputer below, but of course with none of this confirmed there’s no guarantee that these are real. Still, it’s quite an attractive and even more understated look than the current version with the stark white exterior and lack of a tray in the front. Elsewhere, the ports and layout look pretty much the same:

The post A White, All-Digital Xbox Series X Has Appeared In Supposed Leaked Images appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has teamed up with South Park Digital Studios and THQ Nordic to once again unveil a set of custom Xbox Series X consoles, this time celebrating the release of this week’s new co-op adventure, South Park: Snow Day!

The four custom Xbox Series X consoles are based on the iconic Grand Wizard Cartman, Kyle the High Elf, Princess Kenny, and Stan Marshwalker and each comes with its own themed Xbox Wireless Controller to match. Like Xbox’s other custom console giveaways, these aren’t going to be available anywhere else, making them a pretty neat collector’s item.

To stand a chance at winning one (and Aussies are eligible!) you’ll need to follow the official Xbox account on X and then re-post the below post with the tag #SouthParkXboxSweepstakes between now and April 22nd. Full rules, terms and all of that jazz can be found right here.

The perfect Xbox to play on a snow day ?

Follow and RT with #SouthParkXboxSweepstakes for a chance to win one of these custom #SouthParkSnowDay Xbox Series X console and controller combos!

Ages 18+. Ends 4/22/24. Rules: https://t.co/2MJysfWYF7 pic.twitter.com/UUSY1K6ED5

— Xbox (@Xbox) March 26, 2024

We just published our review of South Park: Snow Day, where Matt describes it as a scrappy but serviceable adventure that’s not amazing but will probably scratch the itch of South Park fans wanting a new tie-in game to play. Matt called it, “An alright little adventure for South Park fans or for those wanting a casual game to play with friends, South Park: Snow Day has all the charm of an episode of the show, but its roguelite nature becomes a tad frustrating with wild difficulty spikes and a lack of checkpoints. Chock full of references and jokes without filter, the game is definitely entertaining; but with a lack of a roadmap or post-release content, some players may be left in the cold thanks to a short story and repetitive loop.”

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After that Chicken Crimpy-themed Xbox Series S console captured the attention of Aussie gamers (and plenty of arguments about superior Shapes flavours) last year this year, the duo of Arnott’s and Xbox have teamed up once again to create a newer, better console. Not only is it the more powerful Xbox Series X, but it’s themed on the vastly superior BBQ flavour of shapes.

Once again, Aussies can get in with a chance to score one of 10 of these beautiful machines, either by heading into their local Woolworths and buying any packet of Shapes or keeping an eye on out the official Shapes Instagram page for added ways to win.

Even more non-BBQ Shapes Xbox Series X Console are up for grabs every day as well with purchases of boxes of Shapes from Woolies, Coles and independent supermarkets along with up to 30,000 Xbox Game Pass prizes. The promo kicks off today and runs until May 12th, 2024 with Australian and New Zealand residents over 18 eligible to enter.

You can find more information on the promo and get your entries in here.

The post Xbox Has Created A Barbecue Shapes-Themed Xbox Series X Console And Aussies Can Win Them appeared first on Press Start.

The idea of the death of video games on physical media seems to loom closer every day, and with console manufacturers consistently offering versions of their consoles sans optical drive, it’s easy to believe that the big platforms are keen to do away with them sooner rather than later.

In an interview with Stephen Totilo of Game File following last week’s business update though, Xbox’s Phil Spencer has rejected the idea that the company is pushing a disc-free agenda – despite ongoing speculation that it’s shifting away from physical media as well as those leaked plans for an all-digital, cylindrical Xbox Series X refresh.

“We are supportive of physical media, but we don’t have a need to drive that disproportionate to customer demand,” Spencer told the journalist, somewhat echoing recent comments from Take-Two’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick.

“We ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing. And I think our job in running Xbox is to deliver on the things that a majority of the customers want. And right now, a majority of our customers are buying games digitally.”

The Xbox boss did point out some logistic and economic concerns around the continued inclusion of drives in gaming consoles, saying that the dwindling number of manufacturers building disc drives coupled with less people buying physical games means that the cost versus return on putting an optical drive in a console is a real consideration.

“Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console – and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers – the cost of the drive does have an impact,” Spencer explains, while reiterating that an all-digital future isn’t a part of the company’s current strategy.

“But I will say our strategy does not hinge on people moving all-digital. And getting rid of physical, that’s not a strategic thing for us.”

You can read the full interview, which also goes into discussions around the recent mass layoffs at Xbox, Activision Blizzard and Bethesda as well as the future of Call of Duty on Game Pass, right here.

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Today saw the arrival of Xbox’s big “business update,” which Microsoft revealed via a special episode of the Official Xbox Podcast featuring Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond and Matt Booty. The podcast came as something of a reaction to a sudden explosion of rumours of a new multiplatform strategy for Microsoft’s gaming business and has finally provided something in the way of answers.

During the podcast, the Xbox team briefly spoke about hardware and the role it continues to play in Xbox’s business, with Sarah Bond stressing that it’s still key to the “flagship” experience for players. Bond also briefly mentioned that new hardware announcements are on the way, saying “There’s some exciting stuff coming out in hardware that we’re going to share this holiday.”

Whether that means that we’ll be seeing those earlier, leaked revisions to the Xbox Series X console and Xbox Wireless Controller remains to be seen, but it definitely seems like Xbox has something cooking in that regard.

Bond also added that next-gen is very much still in the pipeline and that Xbox fans can expect big things, saying “We’re also invested in the next generation roadmap, and what we’re really focused on there is delivering the largest technical leap you will have ever seen in a hardware generation.”

You can see the full podcast below:

The post Xbox Has New Hardware To Announce This Year appeared first on Press Start.

With rumours still permeating social media around first-party Xbox Game Studios titles like Starfield, Indiana Jones and more going multiplatform in future, and Xbox boss Phil Spencer very vaguely announcing an update of some kind on the company’s plans this week, the idea of Microsoft exiting the gaming console sphere altogether has naturally been thrown around a fair bit.

That’s just not the case though, according to journalist Shannon Liao who has made the claim that Spencer himself held an internal townhall last week after the first word of a potential multiplatform strategy made its way onto the internet, where employees were assured that there are currently no plans to drop out of the hardware race and that Xbox consoles would continue to be a part of its multi-device strategy.

other things in this weekly issue: a new report of a Tuesday Xbox townhall, an excerpt from my interview with an Epic EVP about toy metaverses, and lots of highlights from one good site Inverse including freelance pieces (like Final Fantasy at BAFTA) I was excited to commission!

— Shannon Liao (@Shannon_Liao) February 9, 2024

Xbox’s “business update event” is scheduled for this week where the company will be sharing details on what’s next in the brand’s future.

We don’t yet have a date or time for when this “event” is going to occur, with Spencer’s message on social media last week simply reading, “We’re listening and we hear you. We’ve been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned.”

We're listening and we hear you. We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned.

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) February 5, 2024

In the last week or so, with little other input from official channels, rumours and claims from every corner have grown as more “insiders” share which games they believe are headed to more platforms than just Xbox and PC. Those titles include the above as well as games like Hellblade 2, Pentiment, Grounded, the Gears of War Series and more, though we obviously don’t know how accurate any of these actually are until Xbox makes the announcement itself.

Fans desperate for more information have even latched onto things like US retailer GameStop using the term “Microsoft Game Pass” in a tweet or months-old updates to the Xbox website that changed some branding around games’ “Day One” Game Pass availability, to fuel speculation over possible scenarios like Game Pass itself landing on competing consoles.

That rumours like these carry so much weight also shows that Xbox fans are ready for the company to be more forthcoming about its first-party plans and the direction of its business – no less after it just shed nearly 10% of the Xbox workforce post-Activision Blizzard acquisition.

The post Phil Spencer Has Reportedly Assured Staff That Xbox Isn’t Getting Out Of The Console Business appeared first on Press Start.

Move over Xbox Series X Fridge, there’s a new appliance in town. Clearly not satisfied with its current share in the home appliance market, Microsoft has added yet another console-shaped product to its line-up with the Xbox Series S Toaster.

The $40 USD toaster not only looks like an Xbox Series S console but will burn an actual Xbox logo into your morning toast, at least before you smother it in butter or bung on a fried egg. It’s also got a bunch of less Xbox-related, more toaster-related features like six levels of browning, removable crumb tray, auto eject and shut off and “extra long slots.”

Sadly, this one’s not available in Australia at the time of writing but given it actually popped up in French stores earlier last year before making its way to Walmart stores in the US for the holidays there’s always a small sliver of hope that we see it roll out to other regions. We’ll be sure to update with more if it happens.

The post Now There’s An Official Xbox Series S Toaster appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox Australia/New Zealand is going hard on the giveaways this week, offering up fans the chance to win one of 20 Xbox Series X consoles this week with multiple up for grabs each day.

Across all of its social media channels on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube there’ll be clues and opportunities to win, in a fun scavenger hunt-style response to the Xbox community’s thirst for free consoles. Take a look at the video below to find out more:

We'll be giving away multiple Xbox Series X's every day for the remainder of this week, with 20 up for grabs in total!

Want to win?

Watch to find out how ? pic.twitter.com/8vWt4JzScb

— Xbox ANZ (@XboxANZ) December 4, 2023

Today is the first day of the promotion, and Xbox has kicked things off with a fairly simple visual puzzle over on X (though the first bit is quite clever and did take me a hot second to catch on to). Once you’ve cracked the code, or just read the comments from folks who’ve done the work already, make sure to comment it in the below post to get your name in the running:

T&C's: https://t.co/FrXEs62GMB

— Xbox ANZ (@XboxANZ) December 4, 2023

You can find all of the relevant terms and conditions for this giveaway right here.

The post Xbox ANZ Is Giving Away 20 Xbox Series X Consoles This Week appeared first on Press Start.

Just when you thought Xbox’s continually-increasing stable of one-off custom Xbox Series X consoles couldn’t get any better, it’s only gone and done this. To celebrate the launch of Bluey: The Videogame, Xbox has crafted this very special Bluey-themed Xbox Series X console complete with matching controller featuring both Bluey and Bingo.

[presto_player id=150280]

Feel more with PS5. Beyond the everyday. Beyond extraordinary. Even beyond imagination. Feel it now.

To enter for a chance to win this, you’ll just need to follow Xbox on X, and repost the below before December 14th at 3PM AEDT.

All of the giveaway terms and conditions can be found right here.

The perfect way to play Bluey The Videogame: with a #Bluey Xbox!

Follow and RT with #BlueyXboxSweepstakes for a chance to win a custom @OfficialBlueyTV Xbox Series X & controller.

Ages 18+. Ends 12/13/23. Rules: https://t.co/o7jQCwIfzY pic.twitter.com/fNgd2iXjHe

— Xbox (@Xbox) November 17, 2023

Bluey: The Videogame is described as an “interactive sandbox adventure” that sees players explore faithfully-recreated, iconic locations from the Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning animated TV show, set out in an episodic format with fan-favourite moments from the show spun into engaging gameplay for young children and their parents alike. The game includes a completely new, four-part storyline, and features up to four-player cooperative play.

You can get Bluey: The Videogame on Xbox, PlayStation and Switch here for $59.

The post This Special Bluey Xbox Series X Console Is Incredible And You Can Win It appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has just revealed its share of this month’s Black Friday sales activity and it’s going all-in with deals on Xbox Series X consoles and console bundles as well as accessories and games.

The Xbox Black Friday 2023 deals begin right now with discounts on hundreds of games, up to 50% off, on the Microsoft Store, with hardware and accessory bargains also rolling out including some incredibly sharp pricing on Xbox Series X consoles, especially at Amazon where you’ll not only get an Xbox Series X for just $649 but a bonus physical copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 as well. You can see the deals below:

[presto_player id=150280]

Feel more with PS5. Beyond the everyday. Beyond extraordinary. Even beyond imagination. Feel it now.

Xbox Series X Consoles And Bundles For Black Friday 2023

Amazon

• Xbox Series X Console – $649 with bonus copy of Call of Duty MW3 and free shipping
• Xbox Series X Diablo IV Bundle – $719 with bonus copy of Call of Duty MW3 and free shipping
• Xbox Series X Starfield Bundle – $728.95 with free shipping

Microsoft Store

• Coming Soon

EB Games

• Xbox Series X Console – $649
• Xbox Series X Diablo IV Bundle – $719

JB Hi-Fi

• Coming Soon

Big W

• Coming Soon

Xbox Accessory Deals For Black Friday 2023

Amazon

• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Electric Volt – $69.95
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Pulse Red – $74
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Robot White – $69
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Shock Blue – $79
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Velocity Green – $74
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Astral Purple – $74
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Carbon Black – $79

Microsoft Store

• Coming Soon

EB Games

• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Electric Volt – $74
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Pulse Red – $74
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Robot White – $69
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Shock Blue – $79
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Velocity Green – $74
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Astral Purple – $74
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Carbon Black – $69
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Remix Special Edition – $89
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Sunkissed Vibes OPI – $79
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Carbon Black + USB-C Cable – $79
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller – Carbon Black + Wireless Adapter – $89

JB Hi-Fi

• Coming Soon

Big W

• Coming Soon

The post Xbox’s Black Friday Deals Are On Now With Big Discounts On Xbox Series X Consoles And Bundles appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has just unveiled another of its wild limited edition Xbox Series X console designs, this time in celebration of the upcoming Wonka film. The Wonka Xbox Series X comes adorned in a chocolate block design and is housed within a faux storefront to give the ultimate Wonka vibe. Along with the console, it’s also whipped up a special (X)box of Chocolates complete with edible Xbox Wireless Controller among five specially-flavoured truffles.

And, of course, they’re giving them all away in a sweepstakes:

[presto_player id=150280]

Feel more with PS5. Beyond the everyday. Beyond extraordinary. Even beyond imagination. Feel it now.

How To Win A Wonka-Themed Limited Edition Xbox Series X Console

Fans can enter to win the limited-edition Wonka prizes by following Xbox on X (formerly Twitter) and retweeting the official Xbox sweepstakes tweet. The giveaway will run from November 13, 2023 through December 14, 2023. For official rules and eligibility details, please visit here. Prizes are limited to sweepstakes only – not available for retail.?

Wonka-Inspired Xbox Series X and Storefront Display: A special Wonka chocolate bar-inspired Xbox Series X bundled with a unique console display modelled after the magic of Willy Wonka’s iconic chocolate store. While the console may look like one of Wonka’s famous chocolate bars, the Wonka-inspired Xbox Series X is not edible.

(X)box of Chocolates: A beautiful box of surprises celebrating the new “Wonka” film containing the first-ever official edible Xbox Controller made of 100% pure chocolate and wrapped in the signature gold wrapper; a custom designed, burgundy-colored Xbox Wireless Controller inspired by Wonka’s coat from the film; and five additional chocolate truffles uniquely crafted to complement your Xbox gaming adventures including:

• Achievement Hunting: Delicious chocolate with a boost of energy ingredients, which helps with long-term gaming focus. Time to rack up that Gamerscore.
• Button Masher: Buzzing with bold espresso to keep your reactions crisp and your head in the game.
• Your Citrus Sidekick: Chocolate and orange team up for a sunny burst of flavor, in honor of the fruitful variety of games available on Xbox Game Pass.
• Xtra Kick: Balances out the sweet with just the right amount of heat. Just like any end boss, this gets you a little fired up but yields sweet rewards.
• Wonka for the Win: Sometimes the greatest joys in life are also the simplest. So, this treat focuses on the essence of what makes a great truffle: the chocolate. 100% pure, decadently delicious chocolate.

The post Xbox Has Made A Wonka-Themed Xbox Series X And Edible Controller And You Can Win Them appeared first on Press Start.

Update #3: Windows Central has once again updates its report, saying that Microsoft has confirmed third-party accessories plugged into an Xbox console through the Adaptive Controller won’t be subject to these restrictions, hopefully putting to rest some concerns around the use of accessible devices.

Update #2: Microsoft has addressed this situation directly, confirming the decision to block unauthorised accessories being used with Xbox consoles. The statement reads:

“Microsoft and other licensed Xbox hardware partners’ accessories are designed and manufactured with quality standards for performance, security, and safety,” it said.

“Unauthorised accessories can compromise the gaming experience on Xbox consoles (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.) Gamers may receive a pop-up warning that their accessory is unauthorised. Eventually, the unauthorised accessory will be blocked from use to preserve the console gaming experience.”

Microsoft has also advised players to check the full list of accessories that are supported on Xbox consoles at this link.

Update: Windows Central has updated its report with claims from sources that Microsoft is planning to expand its programs to approve more third-party wireless controllers for use on Xbox consoles, which should help increase the options available to consumers in the face of the below crackdown on unapproved devices.

Xbox users who play with specialised or custom third-party accessories (or are recipients of those well-meaning but ill-advised holiday gifts of horrifically bad controllers) look to be in a rough spot right now with widespread reports that unauthorised or unlicenced devices are being blocked from use with Xbox consoles.

According to Windows Central, users have started seeing a new error message after recent Xbox firmware updates that warn users their devices will be blocked from use (if not already rendered inoperable) by November 12th, 2023. The message reads, “A connected accessory is not authorised. Using unauthorised accessories compromises your gaming experience. For this reason, the unauthorised accessory will be blocked from use on 12/11/2023.

“For help returning it, check with the store it came from or contact the manufacturer. To see authorized accessories, go to www.xbox.com/accessories. (0x82d60002).”

It’s not just back alley, super-custom or illicit accessories being affected either, with some more “major” players in third-party gear who don’t necessarily have the full Xbox seal of approval seeing some of their products subject to this blocking, like Brook Gaming:

https://twitter.com/brookgamingfans/status/1715337068401021284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1715337068401021284%7Ctwgr%5E32f845013bae4c12baf253989997f3c10bb89942%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.windowscentral.com%2Fgaming%2Fxbox%2Fxboxs-new-policy-say-goodbye-to-unofficial-accessories-after-november

“Dear gamers, we extend our heartfelt appreciation for your unwavering support and interest in Brook. We find it necessary to share crucial information with you regarding our Xbox console-related products, which may encounter functional disruptions in the near future,” the statement from Brook reads before listing affected products.

“Recently, we have received player feedback concerning these products when used on Xbox consoles (the latest OS version 10.0.25398.2266, released on 10/16) during online gameplay. An error message may appear: “A connected accessory is not authorized.”

“We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause you. The Brook engineering team is fully committed to developing a solution to maintain product quality and functionality.

“Please trust that we will spare no effort in identifying potential solutions. Once further updates become available, we will promptly notify you through our official community platforms.”

Xbox has yet to address this new messaging or clarify how many devices it’ll affect (including things like keyboard and mouse setups or accessible controllers), but we’ll be sure to update this story with more as it comes.

The post Xbox Is Going To Start Blocking Unauthorised Accessories From Being Used With Its Consoles [UPDATED] appeared first on Press Start.

Update: Good news! Xbox Australia has just announced that Aussie fans will be able to get their hands on one of these Xbox Series X Console Wraps after all – with the Starfield Console Wrap launching on November 29th for $74.95.

You can pre-order it right now, right here.

Hey ANZ, we heard you liked the Starfield Xbox Series X wraps ?

Arriving November 29. Pre-order now: https://t.co/pEBoZwuIzg | @Bethesda_ANZ pic.twitter.com/RCi6F7SuAZ

— Xbox ANZ (@XboxANZ) October 17, 2023

Xbox has announced a brand-new, official option for customizing your Xbox Series X console that doesn’t involve removing and replacing any panels or forking out for a brand-new console – wraps.

Xbox Series X Console Wraps are designed to literally “wrap” around the Xbox Series X console and are then secured with a hook and loop enclosure. The insides are printed with silicone designs that help to keep the wrap even more secure, and they fit the console with a custom, precision fit that doesn’t compromising air flow or performance. All of the openings and ports are kept clear and they’ve even added small feet to the bottom of the wraps to ensure air can flow freely through the console.

Right now, Xbox has announced three designs including a Starfield wrap that echoes the design profile of the already-released Starfield Xbox Wireless Controller and Xbox Wireless Headset, and then two new Camo designs that will also be familiar to Xbox Controller collectors out there.

The Starfield design is launching in select regions on October 18th for $49.99 USD (about $80 AUD), while the Arctic Camo and Mineral Camo designs are launching in select regions on November 10th for $45 USD (around $70 AUD).

Xbox Australia has confirmed on social media that, unfortunately, at this stage these won’t be available to Aussies.

The post The Starfield Xbox Series X Console Wrap Is Coming To Australia After All And You Can Pre-Order It Now appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox is back at it again with another incredible custom console, this time a Series X themed around Diablo IV, and it’s giving it away to a lucky fan.

Xbox, Activision and Takeoff Studios in the UK collaborated on the concept for the console, which blends Diablo lore with classic art to create something as beautifully dark as the world of the game. It’s inspired by the Gates of Hell bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin and brings to life the Gates of Hell that players will know from Diablo IV (and the rest of the series).

The winner of this hellishly-cool custom Xbox will also receive another, regular Xbox Series X console so they can play without ruining their new masterpiece.

Better yet, Xbox is once again opening this competition up to “all Xbox-supported regions” which includes us here in Australia!

Instructions on how to enter are below:

1. Create a new account or use an existing account on X/Twitter
2. Follow @Xbox at https://twitter.com/Xbox, and @Diablo at https://twitter.com/Diablo
3. Retweet the promotional post and include the Sweepstakes hashtag #DiabloIVXboxSweepstakes. Retweets must be in the exact form as the original tweet to be eligible to receive an entry.

You’ve got until October 31st at 6PM to enter, so get around it. You can find the rest of the terms and conditions right here.

The post This Custom Diablo IV Xbox Series X Is A Masterpiece And You Can Enter To Win It appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has revealed that starting October 31st it’s giving everyone a slightly better deal on the Xbox Series S console with a new Starter Bundle, which looks to be replacing the current Xbox Series S package and is essentially the same aside from the inclusion of three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, worth around $57.

The bundle is due to launch on October 31st and will be the same $499 price as the standard Xbox Series S package. If the added benefit of three months of The Best Value in Gaming is just what you need to be convinced to pick up an Xbox Series S you can already pre-order the new Starter Bundle at select retailers like JB Hi-Fi and the Microsoft Store.

Of course, anyone looking to pick up the strictly-digital Xbox Series S should probably be looking at the 1TB Carbon Black variant, which is not only sexier but sports double the storage at 1TB and only costs $50 more. There’s no sign of a similar Game Pass bundle for this version but you’re going to need somewhere to store all of those Game Pass games, right?

The post A New Xbox Series S Game Pass Bundle Is Launching This Month appeared first on Press Start.

Thanks to poorly-controlled court documents that literally anybody can download and access, not only have Microsoft’s plans for a mid-gen refresh of both the Xbox Series X and Series S and a brand-new design for its Xbox Wireless Controller leaked, but as noticed by VGC it also mentions potential plans to bring Xbox Design Lab to console hardware.

The files were picked up by Resetera, where a link to the PDF uploaded by the US courts was found to have a ton of attached slides containing the unannounced information. It’s a genuine treasure trove of super-early information that we’re sure Microsoft didn’t want out there, but the proverbial cat has well and truly left the bag.

We won’t link to anything directly here, but within the documents that have leaked, the mention of Xbox Design Lab comes up quite a bit in reference to the new Xbox hardware refreshes, specifically called out against the new version of the Xbox Series X, codenamed Brooklin in its standard variant but carrying the codename of Uther for its Xbox Design Lab counterpart. Likewise, the revised controller, codenamed Sebile, carries the alternate moniker of Igraine for its Xbox Design Lab version.

Xbox Series X Refresh/mid-gen info leaked thanks to FTC documents https://t.co/3KHgiOnQJd

-Xbox Series X refresh digital only (2TB storage), target launch Oct 2024
-New Xbox controller with gyro

Source from attachments in PDF https://t.co/tuikvo2h5F pic.twitter.com/fFzEbepHdl

— Wario64 (@Wario64) September 19, 2023

Further down in the document, it’s mentioned that Xbox Design Lab for consoles is not yet in the “funded” stage, so plans could very well change between now and when this new hardware all launches. You can read more about the Xbox console and controller leaks here, and a leaked schedule of Bethesda releases over the next few years here, all from the same court document kerfuffle.

The post It Looks Like Xbox Design Lab For Consoles Is In The Works appeared first on Press Start.

Yesterday saw one of the biggest and most shocking leaks of company plans and internal communications that I think the gaming industry has seen in recent or even semi-recent memory, with documents uploaded publicly as part of Microsoft’s ongoing court case with the FTC over its planned $69 billion USD acquisition of Activision Blizzard seemingly having a huge number of very confidential files attached that revealed plans for new Xbox hardware, Bethesda game releases and a ton of internal emails that definitely weren’t meant for public consumption.

Now that the dust has (somewhat) settled on that explosive few hours, the attention has turned to just how this blunder happened and who is responsible, and despite plenty of theorising and conspiracy-mongering online, it turns out the culprit was simply Microsoft itself.

Douglas Farrar of the FTC shared on social media this morning an order Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, which states that on September 7th, the court had ordered the parties involved in this case to provide it with a secure cloud link to admitted exhibits with redactions with the intention of it being uploaded to the public-facing page established for the case, and that Microsoft provided the court with said link on September 14th, which was then obviously discovered to be lousy with stuff that wasn’t meant to be seen. The order states that the court was then informed of the mistakenly-included non-public documents and removed the files, but obviously not before it was far too late.

The judge just posted this order related to the accidental publication of Microsoft documents. pic.twitter.com/1nShLKrYbD

— Douglas Farrar (@DouglasLFarrar) September 19, 2023

Interestingly, the order also states that the trial exhibits will be resubmitted this week, and states that it needs to be filed along with a written certification signed by all parties that everything has been reviewed and only contains public information – something you would have hoped was done the first time around.

Dad of Xbox, Phil Spencer, also addressed yesterday’s series of increasingly-catastrophic bombshells with a short tweet, saying “We’ve seen the conversation around old emails and documents. It is hard to see our team’s work shared in this way because so much has changed and there’s so much to be excited about right now, and in the future. We will share the real plans when we are ready.”

We've seen the conversation around old emails and documents. It is hard to see our team's work shared in this way because so much has changed and there's so much to be excited about right now, and in the future. We will share the real plans when we are ready.

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) September 19, 2023

The post It Looks Like Microsoft Was Responsible For Yesterday’s Accidental Leak Of Future Xbox Hardware appeared first on Press Start.

Well, this was unexpected.

Thanks to poorly-controlled court documents that literally anybody can download and access, Microsoft’s plans for a mid-gen refresh of both the Xbox Series X and Series S and a brand-new design for its Xbox Wireless Controller have leaked.

The files were picked up by Resetera, where a link to the PDF uploaded by the US courts was found to have a ton of attached slides containing the unannounced information. It’s a genuine treasure trove of super-early information that we’re sure Microsoft didn’t want out there, but the proverbial cat has well and truly left the bag.

We won’t link to anything directly here, but for as long as they remain up you can see the images below from Twitter, showing off actual renders of the new Xbox Series X codenamed “Brooklin” which will seemingly sport more internal storage at 2TB, what looks like no disc drive, a front USB-C port, better network connectivity and improved efficiency for less power draw. Shockingly, it seems as though Xbox Design Lab is also going to be available for consoles.

Xbox Series X Refresh/mid-gen info leaked thanks to FTC documents https://t.co/3KHgiOnQJd

-Xbox Series X refresh digital only (2TB storage), target launch Oct 2024
-New Xbox controller with gyro

Source from attachments in PDF https://t.co/tuikvo2h5F pic.twitter.com/fFzEbepHdl

— Wario64 (@Wario64) September 19, 2023

Meanwhile the new controller will sport a redesigned look with better connection, seamless pairing with mobile devices and cloud services, haptic feedback, motion inputs, a swappable and rechargable battery and general build improvements.

The Xbox Series X refresh will seemingly cost the same as the current version with the controller pegged at $69.99 USD. The controller is slated to launch around the end of May next year with a new version of the Xbox Series S 1TB (codenamed Ellewood) coming next August and Codename Brooklin following in late October, and both followed by the announcement of “new storage options.”

The post Images Of New Xbox Series X And Xbox Controller Models Just Leaked Alongside A Heap Of New Information appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has just revealed all of the new features and improvements coming in the September Xbox console update, which will officially introduce a couple of previously-announced features that have had limited rollouts before now.

Firstly, everyone will now be able to stream their gameplay directly to their Discord friends via the existing Xbox and Discord integration. The new Voice Reporting system will also come into effect to help online players report harassment and other inappropriate behaviour through voice chat in games by allowing them to record up to 60-second clips and submit them to the Xbox Safety Team.

Some other new bits include greater control over VRR on Xbox Series X|S consoles, a new Rewards tab and – finally – the ability to pair a new controller or other device without needing to physically push the button on your console.

Take a look at the full list of what’s new from the Xbox Wire blog:

Xbox Console September 2023 Update

Stream your games from your Xbox to your Discord friends

We heard that you wanted more Discord features! Starting this week, you can stream gameplay directly from your Xbox to your Discord friends. With a simple click on “Stream your game,” your Discord friends can now watch as you play your favorite console games.

To get started, first link your Discord account. Then you can join voice channels from your Discord servers directly from your Xbox console. To navigate there, press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide, scroll to Parties & chats, and select Discord. Then scroll through your available Discord servers, jump into a voice channel with friends, and share your gameplay!!

Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) update for Xbox Series X|S consoles

Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) allows your TV or monitor to dynamically adjust its refresh rate based on the frame rate of the content you’re viewing to give you a smooth, artifact-free experience while you game. However, if you’re using your Xbox Series X|S for entertainment experiences, you may not always want VRR enabled.

Starting this week, you can choose how you want VRR enabled on your Xbox Series X or Series S console. To select your option, go to General > TV & display options > Video and then go to the dropdown menu for VRR. You can select if you want VRR to be “Always On,” “Gaming Only,” or “Off.”

New places to view and redeem Rewards

Rewards are now easier to find on your Xbox with the new Rewards tab. You can jump to them quickly by pressing the Xbox button to open the guide, choosing Profile & system, selecting your profile, and then choosing My Rewards, where you’ll find your Xbox Game Pass Quests.

Additionally, you can now find the Redeem Rewards catalog directly from the Rewards tab in your profile. To check it out, open the guide and go to Profile & system > your profile > My Rewards.

Ask to join your friend’s gaming session

Want to check if there’s room in your friend’s gaming session before joining the party? Now you can go over to your friend’s profile and select the ‘Ask to join game’ option.

Your friend will receive a notification of your request to join, and they can respond back to you with a game invite, a party invite, or a message.

Xbox voice reporting – support a safer community for all Xbox players

In July we announced platform-wide voice reporting to give players the option to capture and report inappropriate in-game voice chats. Voice reporting equips Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One players with the ability to capture a 60-second video clip of an in-game voice incident that they believe violates Xbox Community Standards and submit it as evidence to the Xbox Safety Team for review.

This feature is purpose-built to support the wide variety of in-game interactions between players and works across thousands of games that offer in-game multiplayer voice chat, including Xbox 360 backward compatible titles. Voice reporting is available starting this week to Xbox console players in select English-language markets (U.S., UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand).

New wish list notifications – Microsoft Store on Xbox

Getting updates on your wish list is getting easier. Want to be the first to get the game when it’s available? Now you can get a notification when your wish list games go from pre-order to release, and when your wish list games enter Game Pass.

The new wish list notifications will show up in the guide and as a pop-up to let you know when your wish list games are available. In Settings > Preferences > Store notifications, you can decide if you want to see notifications in the guide, when your wish list items are released, when they are available with Game Pass, and more.

Easily pair new accessories to your Xbox console

You can now easily pair new accessories to your Xbox console without having to move from your couch to push your Xbox console’s Pair button. To get started, open the Xbox Accessories app, and use the new “Connect a Device” option.

PC Gaming | Xbox app on PC experience updates

We just updated the Xbox app on PC with new features, faster performance, and celebrations for upcoming games. There are also improvements to game details page load times so you can get to the install button even faster, in addition to new fonts, button styles, and animations across the app. You’ll also see updates for your Library and Installation queue, including filters for Installed, Owned, and In Game Pass, so that you can quickly find your favorite games. Other updates to the Xbox app on PC include a collapsible Play Later list, while the Installation queue now has a consolidated settings menu to make it even easier to manage your preferred installation drive, automatic updates, and more.

The game launch countdown is back so you can track a game’s release to the minute – no more guessing! You can find the countdown on a game’s details page before it releases.

Are you ready to jump into Starfield? The Xbox app’s launch screen has a new Starfield-inspired key art to celebrate Bethesda’s first new universe in 25 years.

The post September’s Huge Xbox Update Adds Discord Streaming And Voice Reporting appeared first on Press Start.

The Xbox Series S launched alongside the Xbox Series X, and I’ve often thought that it’s a great console. Even if not as your main next-gen console, for casual gamers or maybe those that want a console in their bedroom or office, it’s a great option due to its size and cost compared to the Xbox Series X and PS5.

The one bugbear with the original though, was without doubt the storage at 512GB with only about 360GB being useable, which will be eaten up very quickly if you’re installing games such as Call of Duty.

Another potential issue (up for debate) is the fact that it did have quite a polarising design due to it being white with a black grille, but both of these things have been rectified in the new Carbon Black Xbox Series S.

Just looking at the design, now in an all-black unit, this is definitely a sleeker design that screams high-end, comparing the two on a range of surfaces, it’s hard to imagine a world where someone wouldn’t pick the Carbon Black unit over the original. It follows the same design principles as it’s bigger brother which is a huge compliment given how nicely I think the Xbox Series X works in any entertainment unit.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $550 WITH FREE SHIPPING FROM AMAZON

Aside from that, the big one is that for only $50 more, you’re getting double the storage, which is honestly a steal given the cheapest 1TB SSD that is compatible with the Xbox Series S is $300, so it’s a no-brainer to make that jump up rather than buying the base Xbox Series S.

You’re more than doubling the useable storage of 360GB to 800GB of useable space which in an all-digital console is a big deal, especially with the amount of great games hitting Game Pass at the moment.

More than anything though, it’s great to have choice. As we transition to a digital world, it’s great to see both big console manufacturers offering discless versions for less. You can grab the Xbox Series S 1TB Carbon Black off Amazon for $550 including free shipping HERE.

@shannongrixti

The new Carbon Black Xbox Series S is an absolute no-brainer. For $50 more you get twice the storage, a much better colour and that same nifty little next-gen console #XboxSeriesS #Xbox #XboxSeriesX #Gaming #Tech #Unboxing #CarbonBlackXboxSeriesS

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post Here’s A First Look At The Gorgeous New Carbon Black Xbox Series S appeared first on Press Start.

Update #2: Microsoft has issued a statement to VGC in response to these listings, saying they’re part of its usual process of upkeep on ratings boards and not indicative of a new SKU for the game impending.

“Given the number of platforms and geographies in which Minecraft is available, we periodically go through rating reviews and updates with different regional boards. This recent rating is not indicative of any new versions or platform support for Minecraft in the near future.”

Update: It looks like we’re closer to learning more about a possible new-generation upgrade for Minecraft on console with another ratings board now publishing a new listing for the game on Xbox Series X|S – and this time it’s the ESRB.

You can find the listing here, which seems to have been published within the last week (at least according to the ESRB website’s filtering) and is again specifically rated for “Xbox Series” separately to other platforms.

Original Story: A current-gen upgrade for Minecraft could finally be on the way, if a recent rating for an Xbox Series X|S version of the game by the German entertainment regulation body is any suggestion.

The rating as published on the USK website was spotted by VGC’s Andrew Marmo, and gives the game a USK 6 rating which is identical to its rating on other platforms, including Xbox One, but is specifically flagged as being the “Xbox Series” version of the game.

While it could turn out to mean nothing, there’s every chance this points to Minecraft finally getting a SKU for Microsoft’s newer hardware – potentially including the ray-tracing features that Microsoft “accidentally” included in the code of a preview build of the game early last year. Xbox console players have been waiting for Microsoft to update the game to include new visual features since the Super Duper Graphics Pack was first revealed to target the Xbox One X and subsequently cancelled, so news of a current-gen port would be massive.

Given Microsoft is gearing up for a big presence at Gamescom this year (which also happens to be in Germany), there’d also be no better time to reveal something like this – and with no matching PS5 rating in sight it might be a nice feather in its Game Pass cap.

Minecraft for Xbox Series has been rated in Germany (USK).

There is currently no native Xbox Series X or S version of the game. This suggests a current-gen upgrade for the game is imminent. pic.twitter.com/r1tHEL4LOr

— Andrew Marmo (@the_marmolade) August 17, 2023

Xbox is touting the largest booth it’s ever brought to Gamescom, saying it’ll have over 150 gaming stations featuring 30 titles at the show, along with a 300-seat theatre, photo opportunities, and Xbox FanFest action. Of the games featured, 25 will be playable for show attendees, including the likes of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Payday 3, Persona 5 Tactica, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty and – somewhat surprisingly given it’s been a little radio silent lately – S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2.

You’ll also be able to catch any big announcements or new trailers at Gamescom’s Opening Night Live this Wednesday morning, so head here to see the times you’ll be able to catch that and any other big showcases over Gamescom week.

The post Minecraft Has Been Newly Rated For Xbox Series X|S [Updated] appeared first on Press Start.

With discourse continuing to burn around video game performance standards, especially when it comes to high-profile console games targeting the lower end of framerates, attention naturally turns to the impending three-year anniversary of the current PS5 and Xbox Series X|S console generation and whether there’s a need for a PS4 Pro/Xbox One X-style hardware refresh.

It’s become especially topical with recent blockbuster titles like Baldur’s Gate 3, which is (for now) skipping an Xbox release entirely thanks in part to the less-powerful Series S making feature parity across all platforms difficult.

Speaking to Xbox Daddy, Phil Spencer, at this year’s Gamescom in Germany though, IGN has learned that upgraded models of the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S aren’t really a consideration for Xbox right now.

“No, no. We’re focused right now on the increased storage Xbox Series S,” Spencer told IGN in response to questions around the possibility of a mid-generation refresh for Xbox Series X/S. “But no, like I said, we’re kind of at the end of the beginning in my mind. So I think we need to let devs settle on this hardware and get the most out of it.

“But in terms of increased frame rate and increased resolution, I just look at what goes on on PC with high-end GPUs and high-end CPU, and it’s not always just about pixel count or frame resolution. I think there’s lighting techniques. There’s a bunch of things that go into what makes a game look and feel great. And we have a ton of headroom as an industry there.”

Xbox boss Phil Spencer has reiterated to IGN that there really isn't a need for a mid-generation refresh for Xbox Series X/S right now. https://t.co/etWC4QIpfV#gamescom2023 pic.twitter.com/RJNI0bQwjf

— IGN (@IGN) August 23, 2023

Xbox does, of course, have something of a “refreshed” console on the horizon with the 1TB Xbox Series S Carbon Black console launching in just a week on September 1st, for $549. While this new version will feature double the storage of the current Xbox Series S it won’t come with any performance benefits.

The post Phil Spencer Still Reckons Xbox Isn’t Ready For A Mid-Gen Console Refresh appeared first on Press Start.

Final Update: And so the last piece of the price increase puzzle has fallen into place, with Xbox Series X consoles officially having gone up in price from $749 AUD to $799 AUD across local Aussie retailers, Amazon and the official Microsoft store.

The price increase seemingly hasn’t affected bundles, like the Diablo IV Xbox Series X bundle at $849, technically making it the better value option if you’re newly in the market for a console.

It comes after price increases also hit Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass for Console subscribers, which you can read about below. As a more positive part of the restructure, Microsoft will also be introducing Xbox Game Pass Core which replaces Xbox Live Gold and gives members access to a limited library of Game Pass titles. You can read about that here.

Update 2: And it’s happened – Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will now cost $18.95 per month for new subscribers while Xbox Game Pass cost $11.95 per month. Current members with an active sub won’t see the change until either August 13th or whenever their subscription comes up for renewal at a later date.

The front page of the Xbox Game Pass portal still shows the old prices at the time of writing, but clicking through to actually sign up will give you the new ones:

Update: July 6th has rolled around, which means these price changes will start affecting new Xbox Game Pass subscribers very soon. At the time of writing (9:30AM AEST) you can still sign up to an Xbox Game Pass subscription at the old price of $15.95 for Game Pass Ultimate or $10.95 for Xbox Game Pass. Those prices will jump up to $18.95 and $11.95, respectively, as soon as the next billing cycle comes around.

Xbox does allow members to stack up to three years of Game Pass, so if you’re desperate to lock in the current value we’d suggest checking with your local retailer about the availability/validity of existing prepaid cards today.

Original Story: Two major price increases are set to hit Xbox customers, with both the Xbox Series X console and Xbox Game Pass seeing price increase in select territories around the world – including Australia.

As reported by The Verge, the Xbox Series X console will be increasing in price from $749 AUD to $799 AUD, putting it in line with the increase that the PlayStation 5 saw last year. The price increase will take effect in Aussie stores starting from August 1st.

Meanwhile, Xbox Game Pass subscription prices will be raised across both the Xbox Game Pass for Console and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership tiers. The monthly price for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will move from $15.95 AUD per month to $18.95 AUD per month, and the base Xbox Game Pass for console pricing will see a jump from $10.95 AUD up to $11.95 AUD per month. These changes will take effect from July 6th for new members, or as of August 13th for anyone with an existing, recurring subscription. There won’t be any change to pricing for PC Game Pass subscriptions.

We already pay a pretty favourable amount for Xbox Game Pass locally, with the new US price for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate working out to around $25 AUD per month, so things could certainly be worse.

“We’ve held on our prices for consoles for many years and have adjusted the prices to reflect the competitive conditions in each market,” said head of comms, Kari Perez, in a statement to the outlet.

With Bethesda’s enormous Microsoft-exclusive RPG, Starfield, on the horizon and set to push sales of both Xbox Series X consoles and Game Pass subscriptions, there’s definitely never been a more appropriate time for Microsoft to try to claw back some cash on their Xbox offerings. We’ll be sure to update this story if there are any other developments.

The post The Xbox Series X Console Has Officially Gone Up In Price appeared first on Press Start.

After a few months of Xbox Insider users having access to the much-improved Home experience on Xbox consoles, Microsoft is finally ready to roll out the new dashboard to all Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One users around the globe.

The rollout begins today with a “subset” of consoles, and will gradually continue to be pushed to all players over the coming weeks until everybody is covered. The new UI aims to improve the user experience with a cleaner, simplified layout that better shows off custom backgrounds, easier access to games in your library, better game discovery/curation and more (I’ve personally been using it since the Insider Alpha launch and it’s a vast improvement over the previous iteration).

Here’s what Microsoft reckons you’ll get out of using the new Xbox Home dashboard:

Xbox Dashboard Update July/August 2023

• Makes it easy to go to your Library, the Microsoft Store, Xbox Game Pass, Search, and Settings at the very top of your Home by introducing a quick access menu.
• Creates more space for your personalised background by simplifying the layout and putting the games you recently played and other content and apps towards the bottom of the screen.
• Adds an option to change your background to match the game you are highlighting in the recently played list.
• Improves game discovery by introducing lists of games curated and personalised for you.
• Allows you to customise your experience by pinning your favourite games, curated groups, and system groups like Quick Resume to Home.
• Helps you find what’s going on in your community through the updated Friends & Community Updates row.
• Shows you what media apps and content are available to you via a Watch & Listen spotlight and list of entertainment apps.

You can learn more about what’s different and improved in the new and fresh Xbox dashboard right here.

The post The New Xbox Home Experience Is Being Rolled Out Now And It’s A Huge Improvement appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has just released a new experimental update to its “Alpha” ring of Xbox Insider users, which gives select players early access to an impending feature before it’s rolled out in a wider update.

This time around, the update is adding the ability to players to map keyboard keys or even whole shortcuts (with some exceptions) to their Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller or Xbox Adaptive Controller, which should open up some interesting possibilities in-game for people using things like the Elite Series 2’s back paddles as well as furthering the potential when it comes to the Adaptive Controller helping all players enjoy games to the fullest.

Here’s what the Xbox Wire blog has to say about the new update:

Keyboard Button Mapping for Xbox Controllers

For the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and the Xbox Adaptive Controller, the Xbox Accessories app now supports mapping keyboard keys to your controller!

To get started, open the Xbox Accessories app > Configure > create a new profile or edit an existing one > select a button to map > choose Primary or Shift > then move over to the new Key tab.

You can also find this feature in the Xbox Accessories app on your Windows PC by joining the Windows Gaming preview from the Xbox Insider Hub. Learn more about joining the Windows Gaming preview in the Xbox Insider Program FAQ.

Note:

• You may only map a given controller button to a single key, along with any combination of modifier keys (Win, Shift, Ctrl, Alt). For example, you could map Ctrl+Alt+W, but not Ctrl+Alt+W+E.
• Keyboard input support is game dependent, so you may notice some games will offer full support, partial support, or no support.
• Using or mapping keyboard keys via Bluetooth on PC is not supported. Learn more about the Xbox Accessories app and Bluetooth connections here.

The update also introduces a number of fixes and improvements specific to Xbox Insider update releases.

The post Xbox Will Soon Allow Players To Map Keyboard Shortcuts To Their Controller appeared first on Press Start.

Nearly three years into the new generation of consoles, Microsoft has given the official word that its first party Xbox Games Studios developers are done creating games for its previous-generation Xbox One platform and is full-steam ahead on producing titles just for Xbox Series X|S and PC.

In an interview with Axios’ Stephen Totilo, Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty confirmed that Microsoft’s internal studios are finished with making games for Xbox One, saying “We’ve moved on to Gen 9.”

It was reiterated that those who haven’t made the jump to a new Xbox will still be able to play its new titles via cloud streaming to the older machine. “That’s how we’re to maintain support,” Booty told the outlet.

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With 23 studios in its stable, many are yet to actually release a game for the new generation of Xbox hardware but, with the likely exception of support for ongoing games like Minecraft and Sea of Thieves, they’re all now completely focused on the Series X and S.

When questioned about whether there are concerns about the lower-powered Series S continuing to hold projects back, Booty admitted that it’s more work but that the Xbox Games Studio teams have been able to squeeze more out of the Series S hardware over time and knowing where the pinch points are.

No internal teams are now working on games for the older generation consoles outside of support for ongoing games like Minecraft, Microsoft's game studio chief Matt Booty says.https://t.co/ioJXs7sHVi

— Axios (@axios) June 15, 2023

At the recent Xbox Games Showcase, a number of Xbox Games Studio titles were shown including Fable, Avowed, Forza Motorsport, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, South of Midnight, and of course, Starfield, all of which are coming exclusively to the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.

You can read the full article and interview with Matt Booty on Axios right here.

The post Microsoft Has Confirmed It’s Done Making Games For Xbox One appeared first on Press Start.

Many were hoping that Avowed, the new fantasy RPG from Obsidian (The Outer Worlds, Pentiment, Fallout: New Vegas), would make an appearance at today’s Xbox Games Showcase, and it certainly did.

Bringing with it a two-and-a-half minute trailer packing plenty of actual in-game footage, the Avowed gameplay trailer also reveals the game’s release target of 2024.

Avowed will expand the universe of Obsidian’s Pillars of Eternity, letting players loose in a huge and diverse world called the Living Lands. It’ll carry a lot of the familiar Obsidian RPG DNA like first-person combat, helpful and richly-written companions, dense environments to explore and deep player progression. The new gameplay trailer looks to show off a heap of environmental, enemy and weapon variety and seems like a ton of fun to boot.

Avowed is due to release in 2024 for Xbox Series X|S and PC. Take a look at the new gameplay trailer below:

Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.

Explore the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger. As an envoy of Aedyr, you are sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague with a secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save the island and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them apart?

The post Avowed Is Coming In 2024 And There’s A New Gameplay Trailer appeared first on Press Start.

Hot off the official reveal of only the second brand to offer an Xbox Expansion Card, the previous sole proprietor of officially-licensed Xbox Series X|S storage expansions, Seagate, has dropped the prices on its cards.

Although retailers have steadily been offering deals on them already, the RRP of both the 1TB and 2TB Seagate Expansion Card for Xbox has officially been lowered. The 1TB version now carries a recommended retail price of $299 AUD (originally $359) and the 2TB is $549 (originally $699.

For comparison, the upcoming WD_Black C50 cards for Xbox have been priced at $79.99 USD (approximately $120 AUD) for 500GBB or $149.99 USD (approximately $225 AUD) for 1TB, with final local pricing still to be determined.

You can find the Seagate Storage Expansion Card at the below prices at local retailers:

• Amazon  – 1TB $254
• EB Games  – 1TB $288 | 2TB $528
• JB Hi-Fi  – 1TB $289 | 2TB $529

Key features of the Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S include:

• Add up to 2TB of peak performance storage to Xbox Series X or S without sacrificing performance
• Compatible with the Xbox Velocity Architecture – providing faster load times, richer environments and more immersive gameplay
• Replicates the performance of the Xbox Velocity Architecture when playing games that have been optimised for Xbox Series X
• Quick resume. Gamers can switch between multiple titles in seconds from either the internal SSD or the expansion card
• Easy plug in and play, or remove the card and take games on-the-go

You can find out more here.

The post The Seagate Xbox Expansion Card Has Officially Dropped In Price appeared first on Press Start.

Once PlayStation timed exclusive and Game of the Year nominee, Stray, looks to be headed to Xbox consoles after receiving ratings for Series X/S and Xbox One.

Notable Xbox insider Klobrille shared the news on their Twitter account.

Stray has received an ESRB rating for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.https://t.co/QugzMsqorq pic.twitter.com/eyISg8DgXj

— Klobrille (@klobrille) May 16, 2023

Although there’s no indication of when the game will be coming to the big green machine, it’s a possibility an announcement could take place during Xbox’s Games Showcase that’s confirmed to be taking place next month.

Once officially confirmed, Stray will join Solar Ash in a shortlist of indies confirmed to be coming to other consoles following a timed exclusivity deal with PlayStation.

The post Stray Looks To Be Headed To Xbox After Being Rated By The ESRB appeared first on Press Start.

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS

The Gamesmen has started listing its Xbox Series X console bundles on eBay, including the yet-to-be-released Diablo IV bundle and the current Forza Horizon 5 bundle. Both are priced at their usual $849 tickets but thanks to a current eBay promotion you can score $50 off of either of them, which isn’t a massive discount but it’s definitely not bad on the Diablo IV version in particular.

You can get either of them from The Gamesmen’s eBay Store at the below links, using the code HGMAY at checkout:

Xbox Series X Bundles At The Gamesmen (via eBay)

• Xbox Series X Diablo IV Bundle – $799 using the code HGMAY (ends May 15th)
• Xbox Series X Forza Horizon 5 Bundle – $799 using the code HGMAY (ends May 15th)

Here’s what’s included in each of these bundles:

Diablo IV Bundle

• Xbox Series X Console
• Diablo IV (Full Game) Digital Download
• Light-Bearer Mount with Caparison of Faith Mount Armour for Diablo IV
• Inarius Wings & Inarius Murloc Pet for Diablo III (game sold separately)
• Amalgam of Rage Mount for World of Warcraft (game sold separately)*
• Umber Winged Darkness Cosmetics Set for Diablo Immortal (game sold separately)

Forza Horizon 5 Bundle

• Xbox Series X Console
• Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition (Full Game) Digital Download
• Hot Wheels Expansion DLC
• Rally Adventures Expansion DLC
• Welcome Pack DLC
• VIP Membership DLC
• Car Pass DLC

The discount code will also increase to $100 for single transactions over $1000, so you can save a bit more if you need extra accessories or games to go along with your new Xbox Series X console.

If the current “HGMAY” code expires, eBay Plus Members can also use the code “PWESNS” to get the same discount.

If you’re not already an eBay Plus member, it’s only $5 a month to sign up and there’s a 30-day free trial, so you can easily join to grab this deal.

Thanks OzBargain!

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS

The post The Diablo IV Xbox Series X Bundle Is Already Discounted On eBay appeared first on Press Start.

In recent days, Xbox players have discovered they’re no longer able to share screenshots directly from their Xbox consoles or the Xbox Game Bar on Windows PCs, with Microsoft confirming via replies to user tweets that it’s had to disable the feature.

It’s widely assumed, though not outright confirmed, that this is a result of the ongoing changes over at Twitter which include a new paywall for companies to access and use the new Twitter API – the interface that allows third parties to access and create data on Twitter directly. It seems that rather than fork out the roughly $62,000 AUD per month that Twitter is asking for, Microsoft opted to instead skip the feature altogether. It’s not clear at this stage whether it will return, and both PlayStation and Nintendo seemingly haven’t dropped it as of yet.

We have had to disable the ability to share game uploads to Twitter directly from the console and Game Bar on Windows. You can still share your favorite moments to Twitter via the Xbox app for Android and iOS.

— Xbox (@Xbox) April 20, 2023

Xbox console users can still upload screenshots from their consoles to other destinations, like OneDrive, or access them via a smartphone and the Xbox mobile app to upload them to Twitter manually – a fact that Xbox has highlighted in the wake of the native feature being disabled. Of course, on PC it’s still as simple as grabbing the captured images directly from their computer’s storage.

A quick lesson on sharing your screenshots & clips to Twitter via your phone (we love to see them!)

– go to the Xbox mobile app
– select 'My Library' -> 'Captures'
– choose your screenshot/clip
– select 'Share' & then 'Twitter'

Full #XboxShare details: https://t.co/hlNHcCPEIl

— Xbox (@Xbox) April 20, 2023

In happier Xbox news, the rest of this month’s Xbox Game Pass line-up was recently revealed, with a couple of great-looking titles still to come this week including Cassette Beasts and The Last Case of Benedict Fox, with Arkane’s exciting-looking open world co-op vampire slaying game, Redfall, set to debut on the service on its launch day of May 2nd – right around the corner.

The post Xbox Has Disabled Twitter Screenshot Sharing appeared first on Press Start.

With around a month a half to go before its June 6th launch, Diablo IV has officially gone gold.

This means that development on the game has essentially finished, making it ready for launch with final builds being sent to be pressed to discs or uploaded to digital storefront servers. Naturally, the team will more than likely be working on day one updates or subsequent support but the big task is done.

“Going gold is a landmark milestone for the incredible Diablo IV team, who have all worked so hard crafting the next-generation instalment of this iconic franchise. This is a concrete, meaningful step toward our 6 June launch” said Rod Fergusson, general manager of Diablo. “Whether players are veterans of the franchise or jumping in for the first time, we can’t wait for everyone to experience the full game: taking part in the incredible storytelling, experimenting with character classes and builds, and exploring what the endgame and the dark world of Sanctuary has to offer.”

#DiabloIV has Gone Gold. Can you feel her presence now?

See you in Sanctuary. 6.6.23 ? pic.twitter.com/OGX8oACUCr

— Diablo (@Diablo) April 17, 2023

In our hands-on preview of the game late last year, we said, “Player autonomy is a clear focus in this new title, and allowing players to enliven their unique Diablo fantasies and play the game the way they want to play it is at the forefront of this. As such, Diablo IV is the first in the series to be built for both PC and console and offers a range of accessibility options to suit the needs of most gamers.

I honestly believe Diablo IV will go a long way to please long-term fans of the series and still be a great starting point for lapsed or new players. At its core, Diablo IV is a fun, fantasy-driven experience with a lot to offer to those who are open to the genre.”

WHERE TO BUY THE XBOX SERIES X DIABLO IV BUNDLE

• Amazon
• Microsoft Store
• EB Games
• JB Hi-Fi

The post Diablo IV Has Officially Gone Gold appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has announced the new features coming in its rollout of the April Xbox update, which brings with it just a couple of fairly new features/changes.

Heading up the update is a “refreshed search experience” that promises to improve searches with a new look, better-formatted results, better navigation and YouTube integration into the movie/TV search.

The only other change is the ability for users to adjust the active hours in their console’s power saving setting, meaning that you’ll be able to choose which hours your console remains active and ready to quickly boot or install games, and when it goes into full shut down.

Take a look at all the details for the April Xbox Update below:

Refreshed Xbox Search Experience 

Looking for your next favourite game, movie, and more? You can search for games, entertainment, and apps using the refreshed console search page. This includes a sleek new look, gallery-style results, visible filter categories navigable with RB/LB, the option to “search on YouTube” within the Movies & TV tab, and more. To open the search experience, tap the search button on the top of the dashboard, find the magnifying glass icon within the guide, or press Y on your controller anywhere within the console UI.

Adjustable active hours power setting for your Xbox console  

You can adjust your power settings at any time by going to Settings > General > Power options. If you select Shutdown (energy saving), it will help conserve power and enable carbon aware updates on your Xbox. If you select the Sleep power option, you can now adjust active hours to have the console ready to wake up when you’re likely to use it and shut down at the times you select to save energy. When your Xbox’s active hours are done for the day, the console will fully shut down and draw 0.5 watts as compared to 10-15 watts while active.

With the Xbox April Update, if you have the Sleep power option selected on your Xbox, you can configure your console active hours, which default to “always active” unless you change them. During your selected active hours your Xbox will boot quickly and be available for activities like Remote Play and mobile game installs.

The post The April Xbox Update Is Bringing A Better Search Experience appeared first on Press Start.

Arkane has announced overnight that Redfall, its upcoming multiplayer open-world shooter set in a vampire-infested Massachusetts, won’t ship with a 60 FPS mode on either the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S at launch.

Revealed via the game’s social media, it’s been clarified that the game will run in 4K resolution at 30 FPS on the more powerful Xbox Series X, and 1440p with 30 FPS on the smaller Xbox Series S. A “performance” style visual mode running in a much more preferable 60 FPS will be arriving at a later date via an update.

Redfall is launching on Xbox consoles with Quality mode only:
Xbox Series X: 4K 30 FPS
Xbox Series S: 1440p 30 FPS
60 FPS Performance mode will be added via game update at a later date. pic.twitter.com/NLaGsMbwdW

— Redfall (@playRedfall) April 12, 2023

The news has caused some disarray amongst eager fans that were expecting an option to be available at launch, especially given that much of the game’s marketing – though not necessarily shown running on console – has been displayed at the higher frame rate. Being a fast-paced first-person shooter with up to four players in co-op, it also lends itself to more fluid performance.

Recently, Redfall’s Director Harvey Smith addressed the game’s always-online requirement, saying the studio is looking into how it can change it after launch. “We do take it with a lot of empathy,” Smith told Eurogamer. “We listen. And we have already started work to address this in the future. We have to do some things like encrypt your save games and do a bunch of UI work to support it. And so we are looking into – I’m not supposed to promise anything – but we’re looking into and working actively toward fixing that in the future.”

We also went hands-on with Redfall in a single player capacity and came away tentatively eager to play more – you can read all about our experience with the game right here.

Redfall launches on May 2nd for Xbox Series X|S and PC, and will be launching into Xbox Game Pass on day one.

The post Redfall Won’t Have A 60 FPS Mode On Xbox At Launch appeared first on Press Start.

After more than two years of Xbox Series X|S players only having a single option when it comes to expanding their console’s storage, it seems like the reign of Seagate is coming to an end.

As reported by The Verge, a new option has been spotted recently via a now-deleted Best Buy product listing, revealing the existence of a Western Digital 1TB expansion card for current-gen Xbox consoles.

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According to the original listing the new WD version of the Xbox Series X|S Expansion Card is set to retail for $180 USD (around $270 AUD) which, provided it releases locally without too much mark-up, is a good $80 AUD cheaper than the Seagate equivalent which currently sells here for $349.

So far we don’t know much else about the WD expansion card, as far as release dates or any other potential capacities are concerned, but we’ll definitely keep you updated when more information arrives. Seagate has expanded its offering since it first launched the 1TB cards in late 2020, with 512GB and 2TB options being made available (if you’ve got a spare $700+ handy for the latter).

By comparison, storage prices for PlayStation 5 owners are coming down every day thanks to the PS5’s non-proprietary M.2 SSD slot, which lets users buy any compatible Gen 4 NVMe that has an appropriate heatsink and slot it into the console’s internals.

Right now, the PS5-compatible Samsung 980 Pro SSD is going for only $250 for a 2TB capacity.

The post A Cheaper Xbox Series X|S Expansion Card Is Coming appeared first on Press Start.

Although we weren’t sure what form it would take when its existence leaked earlier in the week, the Xbox Series X Diablo IV bundle has been officially unveiled and it’s pretty much what you’d expect – a standard Xbox Series X console bundled in with a digital download for Diablo IV.

The bundle is set to hit Aussie stores on June 6th, the same day as the game itself, and pre-orders have begun to open at local retailers today. If you’re keen on picking up the bundle, which retails for $849, you can do so at any of the below retailers:

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Where To Buy The Xbox Series X Diablo IV Bundle

• Amazon
• Microsoft Store
• EB Games
• JB Hi-Fi

The bundle will also include bonus items for redemption in Diablo IV as well as other Blizzard games, including Light-Bearer Mount with Caparison of Faith Mount Armour for D4, Inarius Wings & Inarius Murloc Pet for Diablo III, Amalgam of Rage Mount for World of Warcraft and Umber Winged Darkness Cosmetics Set for Diablo Immortal.

Diablo IV recently ran its two beta weekends, one for players who’d pre-ordered the game and one open to everyone, and despite some initial queuing issues due to its popularity the reception has been fairly positive.

In our own hands-on preview last year we said, “Diablo IV is unmistakably Diablo-esque in feel and appearance, and nobody should be fooled into believing they are playing anything but a classic Blizzard banger. Still, the developers have made great strides in ensuring that this new entry honours the legacy of the Diablo franchise while shaking it up just enough to meet the expectations of the modern gamer.”

Diablo IV launches on June 6, 2023, on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. Amazon currently has the cheapest pre-order at $79 with free shipping.

The post The Xbox Series X Diablo IV Bundle Is Available To Pre-Order Now appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox might be getting ready to unveil a special edition Xbox Series X console themed on the Blizzard’s upcoming and hotly-anticipated sequel, Diablo IV.

That’s according to trusted, regular PlayStation Plus library-leaker, billbill-kun, who posted that references to an “Xbox Series X Diablo IV Edition” console have been spotted. They make particular note that this product listing doesn’t include the word “bundle” which could imply it is indeed a unique console and not just a package with the game, although no designs have leaked so that’s not concrete just yet.

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According to billbil-kun, the console will be launching on June 6th (the same day as Diablo IV) and will retail for $559.99 USD – $60 USD more than the standard console and the same price as the Forza Horizon 5 bundle – meaning this couldjust be another box with a code for the game in it, but this one at least comes with a game that’s not already included in Xbox Game Pass.

EXCLUSIVE
?UPCOMING RELEASE?

A new " Xbox Series X Diablo IV Edition " is on the way !
No idea about its design but it hasn't the word "Bundle" in its reference

??Announcement date: TBD
??Release date: June 6th, 2023
?Price in US: 559.99$#Xbox #DiabloIV #Diablo4 pic.twitter.com/O4RNg933wC

— billbil-kun (@billbil_kun) March 28, 2023

Diablo IV recently ran its two beta weekends, one for players who’d pre-ordered the game and one open to everyone, and despite some initial queuing issues due to its popularity the reception has been fairly positive.

In our own hands-on preview last year we said, “Diablo IV is unmistakably Diablo-esque in feel and appearance, and nobody should be fooled into believing they are playing anything but a classic Blizzard banger. Still, the developers have made great strides in ensuring that this new entry honours the legacy of the Diablo franchise while shaking it up just enough to meet the expectations of the modern gamer.”

Diablo IV launches on June 6, 2023, on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. Amazon currently has the cheapest pre-order at $79 with free shipping.

The post A Special Edition Diablo IV Xbox Series X Console Might Be Coming appeared first on Press Start.

Bethesda’s next blockbuster RPG and one of Xbox’s tentpole console exclusives for 2023, Starfield, has been slapped with the almighty R18+ rating in Australia.

The rating, which means that sales of the game are restricted to persons aged 18 or older, comes mostly as a result of “high impact” drug use, as depicted in the below chart.

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Everything else, from “strong impact” violence to “moderate impact” themes and language, and “none” sex, looks as though it would’ve had the open-world sci-fi behemoth pegged at an MA15+ rating at worst, so whatever drugs are in there must be pretty good:

Famously, Bethesda’s own Fallout 3 was initially refused classification in Australia when it was gearing up to launch in 2008, due to one of the in-game items being labelled after the real-world prescription drug, morphine. Because Australia didn’t have an R18+ rating available at the time, Bethesda wound up renaming the item to Med-X across the board in every region, dropping Fallout 3’s local rating down to an MA15+ and making it sellable here.

Bethesda announced just a week ago that Starfield will be delayed from its H1 2023 release window to a solid release date of September 6th, 2023.

It’s also been confirmed that we’ll get an extended look at the game in the Xbox + Bethesda Games Showcase which is taking place on Monday, June 12th.

For all, into the starfield ? pic.twitter.com/i9Ppie7dV0

— Starfield (@StarfieldGame) March 8, 2023

In a two minute video that was posted on social media, Todd Howard said that “We are so excited to finally tell you when Starfield is coming out this year. We have poured ourselves into this game and even I’m surprised how much we can pour. It is large”.

It’s said that the delay is to ensure that the game runs as well as possible on Xbox consoles, with Microsoft no doubt wanting the game to be a visual showpiece for Xbox Series X.

The post Starfield Has Been Given An R18+ Rating In Australia appeared first on Press Start.

You know that Shape dust that’s always getting all over your Xbox Wireless Controller? Just me? Well, either way, the folks over at Xbox ANZ and Arnott’s have teamed up to turn the tables and make it so your Shapes are covered in Xbox Wireless Controller!

Yep, a very limited run of BBQ Shapes in the shape of little Xbox controllers is a real thing that’s happening and you could win yourself one of just 10 boxes by heading to the Xbox ANZ Instagram and giving them a follow, then doing the same on the Arnott’s Instagram page and tagging a friend in their post (entries close March 23rd):

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shapes (@arnottsshapesau)

Okay, so even though we said our Xbox Shapes weren’t real… we went ahead and made a limited batch anyway! ??

Run, don’t walk. Follow Xbox (@xboxanz) and Shapes (@arnottsshapesau) and tag a friend in the comments below for your chance to win 1 of 10 Limited Edition Xbox Controller BBQ Shapes – the perfect gaming snack.

The post Xbox Controller-Shaped BBQ Shapes Exist And You Could Win A Box Of Your Own appeared first on Press Start.

After its existence was leaked a couple of weeks ago, Xbox has officially lifted the lid on the next in its ever-growing line of Xbox Wireless Controller colourways with Velocity Green.

The controller seemingly joins the family of not-quite-limited coloured Xbox controllers like Shock Blue, Deep Pink, Electric Volt and Pulse Red, sporting a very striking green front with white back and black d-pad, bumpers and face buttons.

While you could feasibly design a controller in Xbox Design Lab with the Velocity Green shell, you won’t get the matching view, share and menu buttons or the green lettering in the face buttons, and it’ll likely cost you a little more.

"Touch grass" they said. So we did!

Get our new Velocity Green controller, available now: https://t.co/zhD6re4JEc pic.twitter.com/Z7gZh0ShI2

— Xbox (@Xbox) March 7, 2023

The Velocity Green Xbox Wireless Controller will be releasing locally on March 24th, with pre-orders available now at the below retailers:

• Microsoft Store
• JB Hi-Fi
• EB Games

Iconic “Xbox Green” colour, the seventh colour for the evergreen colour series!

Experience the modernized design of the Xbox Wireless Controller, featuring sculpted surfaces and refined geometry for enhanced comfort during gameplay. Stay on target with a hybrid D-pad and textured grip on the triggers, bumpers, and back case. Seamlessly capture and share content such as screenshots, recordings, and more with the new Share button. Use the Xbox Accessories app to remap buttons and create custom controller profiles for your favorite games. Quickly pair with, play on, and switch between devices including Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Windows 10 PCs, and Android. Plug in any compatible headset with the 3.5mm audio jack.

The post The Xbox Velocity Green Controller Is Real And Available For Pre-Order Now appeared first on Press Start.

To celebrate Mardi Gras, Xbox has created a custom pride Xbox Series S console which will be on display this weekend at the Microsoft Store in Sydney.

Following its display in the Microsoft Store, it will be auctioned off in partnership with ACON.

You can view some more photos of the stunning console below:

The post A Custom Pride Xbox Series S Console Has Landed In Sydney appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has revealed the next batch of Xbox Game Pass games that will take us into the last week of February and first few weeks of March.

• Atomic Heart (Console/PC/Cloud) – Today
• Merge & Blade (Console/PC/Cloud) – February 28th
• Soul Hackers 2 (Console/PC/Cloud) – February 28th
• F1 22 (Console/PC) – March 2nd
• Wu Long: Fallen Dynasty (Console/PC/Cloud) – March 3rd

GAMES LEAVING XBOX GAME PASS ON FEBRUARY 28TH

• Alien: Isolation (Console and PC)
• Crown Trick (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Dragon Ball FighterZ (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Far: Changing Tides (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (Console and PC)
• Madden NFL 21 (Console and PC) EA Play
• Octopath Traveler (Cloud, Console, and PC)

The post The Next Batch Of Xbox Game Pass Games Have Been Revealed appeared first on Press Start.

Microsoft has announced that the February Xbox update is now available to all users, bringing with it the new power saving and “carbon aware” download options that were made available to Insiders last month.

The update also adds a couple of other handy new features, like the ability to stop the home screen from displaying game art when hovering over a title, or control simple actions like navigating menus and playing media using a virtual remote in the Google Home app.

Take a look at the details on each new feature (from the Xbox Wire website) below:

Carbon aware game downloads and updates

• Xbox is now the first console to offer carbon aware game downloads and updates. When your console is plugged in, connected to the internet and regional carbon intensity data is available, Xbox will schedule game, app, and OS updates for your console at specific times during the nightly maintenance window that may result in lower carbon emissions because a higher proportion of electricity is coming from lower-carbon sources on the electric grid. This decreases fossil fuel dependency and CO2 emissions and could potentially save you money.
• You can choose what works best for you and adjust your settings at any time. Shutdown (energy saving) cuts power use by up to 20x when it’s off compared to the Sleep power option. For every two consoles that switch to Shutdown (energy saving) for one year, we will save the equivalent amount of carbon removed by one tree planted and grown for a decade. This is based on an average of Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles on Shutdown (energy saving) for 20 hours per day for 1 year.

Hide game art when selecting tiles on Home

Some players find game art distracting or prefer a more simplified background while navigating their Home screen. With this new feature gamers can hide game art so it will no longer replace the Home background each time you move to select a game tile. Instead, the Home background will always remain the solid colour of your choice. To adjust your background, navigate to Settings > General >  Personalization > My background > Solid colour and game art. On this page you can choose to show or hide game art with the toggle in the bottom right of the screen.

Use the Google Home app as a touch remote control for your Xbox console.

Since 2019, you’ve been able to control your Xbox console using voice commands with Google Assistant. Now, you can use the Google Home app as a touch remote control for your Xbox console. When you add your Xbox console to your Google Home app, you’ll be able to easily turn your console on and off, navigate on-screen, control media playback, and more. You can use the Google Home app to command your Xbox like you do for other Smart Home devices.

To get started, go to the Google Home app on your phone. Pull down to refresh your devices and tap on your Xbox console to bring up the touch controls. Remote control features include: power on/off, directional navigation, navigate home, navigate back, play/pause, skip/previous, volume up/down, mute/unmute, and record game clip.

Jump back into a party with your friends

Xbox is experimenting with some different experiences to make it easy to jump back into a party with your friends. As this happens, a random subset of users will be able to give it a try. To get started, go to the “Parties & Chats” tab in the guide on your Xbox console. Click on the “Party” or “Party History” button. You’ll see a list of your previous parties, which you can use to restart one of those parties or create a new one. You can also easily select which friends you want to invite.

The post The February Xbox Update Rolls Out Carbon Aware Game Downloads And Google Home Controls Today appeared first on Press Start.

Update: Nine months later, the Deep Pink Xbox Wireless Controller is finally set to hit ANZ stores on February 10th.

It’ll set you back $95 when it lands in stores, and you can pre-order it now at the below:

• Xbox Wireless Controller Deep Pink at Amazon
• Xbox Wireless Controller Deep Pink at Microsoft Store
• Xbox Wireless Controller Deep Pink at EB Games
• Xbox Wireless Controller Deep Pink at JB Hi-Fi

The Xbox Series X Forza Horizon 5 console bundle is also in stock now at Amazon.

Although there’s currently no local listing or pricing for it, the next colour variant of the Xbox wireless controller is going to be Deep Pink.

The controller is currently only listed for pre-order on the US Xbox Store for $64.99 USD, making it once of the more premium controllers we’ve seen out of Microsoft, their Elite models withstanding.

As is usually the case, the controller is expected to be compatible with the Xbox Series X/S consoles, as well as Xbox One, PC, iOS and Android devices.

We’ve seen plenty of different controllers out of Xbox and while this isn’t nearly as eye-grabbing as the furry Sonic controllers or the Aqua Shift variant, the Deep Pink controller certainly looks nice.

We’ll update you as soon as we receive news of local listings.

The post The Deep Pink Xbox Controller Colour Is Finally Coming To Australia This Week appeared first on Press Start.

The cheapest copy of Dead Space starting with local retailers and finishing off with digital-only prices. We will update with new & special prices as they come in up until launch day.

AMAZON HAS THE CHEAPEST PRICE AT $75 WITH FREE DELIVERY

Physical:

Amazon – $75 with free shipping

JB Hi-Fi – $89

EB Games – $109.95

Big W – $89

The Gamesmen – $89.95

Mightyape – $69 (not incl shipping)

Digital:

PlayStation Store – $109.95 | $114.95 Digital Deluxe Edition

Xbox Store – $109.95 | $119.95 Digital Deluxe Edition

Steam – $89.95

The post Bargain Guide – Dead Space appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has announced some changes to the Xbox Series X|S power modes that will allow it to perform similarly whilst asleep, yet use power more efficiently to work towards a more sustainable future.

The first of these is that starting today, Xbox Series X|S consoles on the Xbox Insider program will update to a new Shutdown (energy saving) option that will reduce power consumption whilst your power is off, but will not affect performance, gameplay or your console’s ability to update your system, games or apps overnight. This cuts the energy usage of Xbox consoles by up to 20X when compared to sleep mode.

Xbox has also announced a new “Active Hours” setting. This will allow you to still use the Sleep power option, but now adjust what hours your Xbox remains active. Your Xbox will remain active and ready to boot instantly during the hours your select to be active, whilst fully shutting down whilst in sleep mode. This can be customised to your choosing.

The last bit is a little bit more lost on me, but Xbox has also said that starting today, when your console is connected to the internet and regional carbon intensity data is available, Xbox will schedule your game, app and OS updates for your console at specific times during the night that will hopefully result in lower carbon emissions because of a higher proportion of electricity is coming from lower-carbon sources on the electric grid.

Obviously, we trust Xbox in making this decisions for the environment, so it’s great to see more variety and options, without much of a loss of anything on the console front.

The post Xbox Is Introducing New Low Power Modes On The Xbox Series X|S To Lower Emissions And Power Usage appeared first on Press Start.

As we dive into the third full year of the current generation of consoles, the slate of future game releases is becoming more and more stacked with exciting-looking titles.

We recently ran a list of what we think are some of the biggest games on the calendar for 2023, but we also wanted to break it down and highlight the future Xbox console-exclusive games (at least the ones we know about) that are set to making being an Xbox owner worthwhile over the next year and further beyond. Plus, most if not all of these titles will be dropping on Xbox Game Pass, so it’s also a great chance to look at the immense value subscribers will be getting in the year/s ahead.

STARFIELD

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Release Date: TBA 2023

25 years in the making, Starfield introduces an entirely new frontier to explore—space. In 2330, you join Constellation, the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy. Venture through the stars and get to know a memorable cast of characters on a quest to answer humanity’s greatest question—what is out there?

This is without a doubt the biggest upcoming Xbox console exclusive that we know of, and it’s finally coming this year. Hopefully.

REDFALL

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Release Date: TBA 2023

Redfall is an open-world, co-op FPS from Arkane Austin, the award-winning team behind Prey and Dishonored. Continuing Arkane’s legacy of carefully crafted worlds and immersive sims, Redfall brings the studio’s signature gameplay to this story-driven action shooter.

FORZA MOTORSPORT

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Release Date: TBA 2023

Forza Motorsport has been built from the ground up to showcase the Xbox Series X|S consoles. The accuracy of the overhauled physics, the beauty of the cars and tracks, the new dynamic time of day, advanced car damage, and real time ray tracing on track lead to a generational leap in immersion. Forza Motorsport is the most technically advanced racing game ever made.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 : HEART OF CHERNOBYL

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Release Date: TBA 2023

The Cheapest Copy: $79 at Amazon with free shipping

Discover the vast Chernobyl Exclusion Zone full of dangerous enemies, deadly anomalies and powerful artifacts. Unveil your own epic story as you make your way to the Heart of Chernobyl. Choose your paths wisely, as they will determine your fate and shape the future of the humankind in the end.

ARK 2

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Release Date: TBA 2023

Survive the past. Tame the future. Suddenly awakened on a primal world filled with dinosaurs and humans struggling for dominance, you must team-up with legendary heroes to confront powerful dark forces. Saddle up and join the definitive next-gen survival experience with ARK 2!

REPLACED

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: TBA 2023

REPLACED is a 2.5D sci-fi retro-futuristic action platformer set in an alternate 1980s America, with free-flow action combat and a dystopian story wrapped up in incredibly slick pixel art. One look at screenshots and gameplay footage and its easy to see why we’re excited about this one.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition/Age of Empires IV (Console Release)

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

Release Date: January 31st (Age of Empires II) / TBA (Age of Empires IV)

Two Age of Empires games are finally making their way to modern Xbox consoles! Both games will feature optimised controls with support for mouse and keyboard input, optional cross-play and will be playable through Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition will feature brand new mechanics optimized for controller for both new and seasoned players alike, 200+ hours of historical campaign gameplay, 1,000 years of human history and 35 civilizations all from the comfort of your living room.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Release Date: TBA

Senua’s Saga, the highly-anticipated sequel to Ninja Theory’s fantastic Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, was among the earliest announced games for Xbox’s new generation of console hardware, so it’s somewhat surprising we’ve still seen so little of it. Every morsel of footage in trailers and teasers has looked bloody brilliant though, so here’s hoping we get a little more clarity around a release date this year.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide (Console Release)

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S

Release Date: TBA

From the developers of the best-selling and award-winning franchise Vermintide, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a visceral 4-player co-op action game set in the hive city of Tertium. Fight together with your friends against hordes of enemies in this new Warhammer 40,000 experience. Launching to acclaim and popularity last year on PC in early access, it’s coming to Xbox Series X|S “soon.”

Planet of Lana

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: TBA 2023

A young girl and her loyal friend embark on a rescue mission through a colourful world full of cold machines and unfamiliar creatures. Planet of Lana is a cinematic puzzle adventure game framed by an epic sci-fi saga that stretches across centuries and galaxies.

The Outer Worlds 2

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Release Date: TBA

The Outer Worlds was an underrated gem from Obsidian in 2019, and the sequel comes following the studio’s acquisition by Microsoft. We still don’t know much outside of the very pretty cinematic reveal trailer, save that we’ll be exploring a new solar system with a new crew. It’s about time we learned more about this exciting sequel, so here’s hoping that’s what we get in 2023.

State of Decay 3

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Release Date: TBA

Announced over two years ago, the next in Undead Labs’ series of compelling zombie survival strategy/sims is still shrouded in mystery. Beyond the initial cinematic teaser and the promise of zombie deer, there’s little else to go off of. Hopefully 2023 is the year we learn more about State of Decay 3, if not see it release in some form.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Release Date: TBA 2023

Take on the last case of Benedict Fox and dive into a twisted world of secret organizations, forbidden rituals, and cold-blooded murders. Explore the memories of deceased victims as you search for clues and fight demons in this fantastical Lovecraftian Metroidvania.

INKULINATI (EARLY ACCESS)

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: January 31st

Inkulinati is an ink-based strategy game straight from medieval manuscripts, where a rabbit’s bum can be deadlier than a dog’s sword. Take your turn in Inkulinati duels filled with unexpected tactical depth (and humour!). Embark on an ever-changing journey, build your own bestiary, defeat medieval superstars and collect perks to unleash special powers. Become a master of the Living Ink, grab your quill and build your unique strategy time after time.

Ravenlok

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Release Date: TBA 2023

Ravenlok’s life takes a turn for the unexpected when she stumbles through a magical mirror into a troubled kingdom. Explore fantastical realms, meet mad characters and defeat dark monsters to end the Caterpillar Queen’s reign of terror. Your destiny awaits in an action-packed, coming of age adventure. This gorgeous-looking adventure with its voxel-esque visuals should be quite a treat when it launches this year.

Everwild

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Release Date: TBA

Rare’s next big game is a third-person adventure game that we still know next-to-nothing about. The most recent rumours peg it as having some degree of god-game elements and zero combat, and since there’s been absolutely no official indication of a release date we wouldn’t expect this any sooner than 2024. Who knows, though? Miracles can happen.

Indiana Jones

Platforms: TBA

Release Date: TBA

Another incredibly long shot to expect this in the next couple of years, but Bethesda/MachineGames’ Indiana Jones tie-in was announced nearly two years ago, so we’re sure to at least learn more soon. Bethesda Game Studios Director, Todd Howard, reckons the team responsible for the modern Wolfenstein games is the perfect fit for the license, which has us all kinds of excited and waiting (im)patiently to dig up any new info.

Of course, there are plenty more big Xbox exclusives in the pipeline that we’re keen to learn more about, like Perfect Dark, Avowed, Contraband and of course, Fable. Hopefully we’ll hear a lot more about those soon.

The post The Most Exciting Xbox Exclusives Coming In 2023 And Beyond appeared first on Press Start.

It’s not just the PlayStation 5 getting new console bundles in 2023. Microsoft recently revealed a Forza Horizon 5 bundle for their flagship Xbox Series X, and it’s now available for pre-order at most Australian retailers.

The bundle launches on January 24th and contains the Xbox Series X console and everything it normally comes with, as well as download codes for the Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition, which comes with Forza Horizon 5 and its add-ons including the Hot Wheels expansion, Welcome Pack, VIP Membership, Car Pass, and second expansion when it becomes available.

It’ll set you back a bit more than the standalone console with an RRP of $849.95, which might be a bitter pill to swallow considering Forza Horizon 5 is on Xbox Game Pass, but if you’re keen on all the added extras and prefer to have a copy of the game that doesn’t require staying subscribed to play then it could be a decent proposition.

You can pre-order the Xbox Series X Forza Horizon 5 bundle at the below retailers with:

• Amazon – Xbox Series X Forza Horizon 5 bundle – $849 with free shipping and pre-order price guarantee
• Microsoft Store – Xbox Series X Forza Horizon 5 bundle – $849
• EB Games – Xbox Series X Forza Horizon 5 bundle – $849
• JB Hi-Fi – Xbox Series X Forza Horizon 5 bundle – $849
• The Gamesmen – Xbox Series X Forza Horizon 5 bundle – $849

If you don’t want to wait and don’t need the extras, Amazon still has the standalone Xbox Series X in stock right now:

• Amazon – Xbox Series X console – $749 with free shipping

The post The Xbox Series X Forza Horizon 5 Bundle Is Up For Pre-Order At Aussie Retailers appeared first on Press Start.

It’s a great time of the year to be a gamer. Not only has awards season come and gone, which affords us the opportunity to look back on a year of releases and reflect on what we loved while identifying which bonafide classics we might have missed, it’s also the time when gamers everywhere are receiving new games and consoles as gifts, or gift cards and cash to go and acquire new ones during the big Boxing Day sales.

To that end, we figured we’d celebrate both by taking a look back at our favourite and best-reviewed games of 2022 and trawling the internet for the hottest deals on them while sales are still on to help you pick up any gems you might have pissed at the best possible price. Take a look at our recommendations below:

The Callisto Protocol

Our Score: 8/10

“The Callisto Protocol is a modest starting point for what I hope will flourish into another heavy-hitting horror franchise. It’s gory and gratuitous, with an endlessly satisfying combat system.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $69 PS5/XSX, $59 PS4/XB1 at Amazon with free shipping

The Callisto Protocol Review – A Satisfyingly Tense Newcomer

Evil West

Our Score: 8.5/10

“An all-round excellently paced main campaign, ridiculously fun combat, and flexible character progression make for one of 2022’s best games, and one of the best third-person shooters in recent years.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $69 at JB Hi-Fi

Evil West Review – High Voltage Vampire Slaying

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion

Our Score: 9/10

“Whether you managed to catch it on the PSP or you’re diving in for the first time – this is without a doubt the definitive way to experience the excellent prequel to Final Fantasy VII.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $73 at Amazon with free shipping

Crisis Core –Final Fantasy VII– Reunion Review – Absolutely Worth A Revisit

Need For Speed Unbound

Our Score: 7.5/10

“I loved the commitment to modern car culture aesthetics, events like the takeover are a great addition along with the distinct visual and musical style choices.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $59 at Amazon with free shipping

Need For Speed Unbound Review – High Stakes Racing

God of War Ragnarök

Our Score: 9.5/10

“God of War Ragnarok is a triumph. Santa Monica Studio has successfully taken everything that was great about the last game and amplified it while correcting just about every problem area and then some.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $86 PS4 / $89 PS5 at Amazon with free shipping

God Of War Ragnarok Review – A Triumph Of Godlike Proportions

Sonic Frontiers

Our Score: 7.5/10

“It’s not perfect, but it tries its heart out and I came away with warm memories of an uneven game.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $59 PS5/PS4/Xbox, $49 Switch at Amazon with free shipping

Sonic Frontiers Review – Brave New Zone

Pokémon Scarlet/Pokémon Violet

Our Score: 7.5/10

“New ideas, some quality of life improvements, and some excellent new Pokémon designs make the trip to Paldea worthwhile.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $62 at Amazon with free shipping

Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Review – A Tantalising Lens Into The Future

The Chant

Our Score: 7.5/10

“The Chant combines a unique setting and premise with striking art direction to offer an experience that feels wholly unique as a game.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $47 at Amazon with free shipping

The Chant Review – A Surprising And Psychedelic Adventure

Bayonetta 3

Our Score: 9/10

“Bayonetta 3 successfully reinvents itself in many ways to offer an experience that feels worthy of the title of sequel.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $68 at Amazon with free shipping

Bayonetta 3 Review – An Experience You Won’t Forgetta

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Our Score: 7/10

“As a sequel to the Modern Warfare reboot, Modern Warfare 2 feels like both a celebration of the series’ original trilogy as well as “the team” at its core.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $79 at Amazon

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Campaign Review – Playing It Safe

A Plague Tale: Requiem

Our Score: 8.5/10

“Smart iteration on established mechanics and pitch-perfect pacing lead the way to a journey across some breathtaking locales that ups the ante in nearly every way by its shocking conclusion.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $69 at Amazon with free shipping

A Plague Tale: Requiem Review – A Provencial Tail

Gotham Knights

Our Score: 7.5/10

“Gotham Knights is both something different and something familiar for Batman fans. While the new role-playing elements create some pacing issues throughout the story, the breadth of abilities and ease of progression stop the experience from being as tedious as it could have been.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $59 at Amazon with free shipping / $59 SteelBook edition at JB (while stocks last)

Gotham Knights Review – Batman Without Batman

Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope

Our Score: 9/10

“While Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a markedly different game than Kingdom Battle, it’s a more than worthy sequel that successfully steps into its own space within the realm of turn-based strategy. It’s undoubtedly one of the best games on the Switch, and one of the best showings from Ubisoft in recent years.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $49 at JB Hi-Fi with bonus Steelbook / $89 Gold Edition at Amazon with free shipping

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Review – An Adventure Worth Raving About

Splatoon 3

Our Score: 8.5/10

“This is the most feature-complete and tightly designed Splatoon to date, and you’d be missing out if you choose to pass it up.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $59 at Amazon with free shipping

Splatoon 3 Review – A Splattin’ Good Time

The Last of Us Part I

Our Score: 9/10

“The Last Of Us: Part I is without doubt the most definitive version of The Last of Us on the market.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $69 at Amazon with free shipping

The Last Of Us Part I Review – Makes Every Shot Count

Saints Row

Our Score: 7/10

“The new Saints Row doesn’t break any new ground, however it’s still a relatively fun time. If you’re a fan of the series, there’s no reason not to give this one a spin.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $39 Day One Edition at Amazon with free shipping

Saints Row Review – An Enjoyable Reboot

Two Point Campus

Our Score: 8/10

“Two Point Campus is another excellent entry from Two Point Studios that showcases not only more of the team’s penchant for humorous and accessible management sim gameplay but genuine love for the genre.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $29 at Amazon with free shipping

Two Point Campus Review – A New Twist On Management Sims

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Our Score: 8/10

“Whether you’re new to the series or a veteran, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is stylish, intriguing, super fun, and well worth checking out for RPG fans.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $59 at Amazon with free shipping

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Review – A Darker Expansive Adventure

Stray

Our Score: 9/10

“Stray is a brisk and relentlessly charming adventure that offers a very unique window into a gorgeous sci-fi world. It won’t challenge your mind or your reflexes too much but it’ll absolutely delight your senses. Importantly, it’s a video game with a dedicated ‘meow’ button, and what could possibly be better than that?”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $32 on the PlayStation Store (free for PS Plus Extra Subscribers)

Stray Review – A Meow-mentous Adventure

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football

Our Score: 7.5/10

“Mario Strikers: Battle League is a fun time that is easy enough for anybody to pickup and play but still with enough depth to mean it should keep players engaged for a long period of time.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $50 at Amazon with free shipping

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football Review – Full Of Personality

Nintendo Switch Sports

Our Score: 7.5/10

“Nintendo Switch Sports feels familiar, yet still remains fun after all these years, especially when played with groups of friends.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $54 at Amazon with free shipping

Nintendo Switch Sports Review – Still A Fun Time

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Our Score: 8.5/10

“I’ve been around the block(s) with TT’s games for some 15 years now, and this is without a doubt the best thing they’ve ever snapped together. If you’re a gamer who’s young or young-at-heart-container, I’d be very surprised if this didn’t instantly click with you.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $44 at JB Hi-FI

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review – Feel The Co-Op Within You

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

Our Score: 8/10

“While Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands doesn’t offer a vastly different experience from what came before, it does venture outside of its comfort zone enough to establish its own identity. It’s an excellent extension of the already great Assault On Dragon Keep, and is a worthwhile adventure for any fan of the series, with extensive build crafting, an entertaining cast of characters, and a world worth exploring.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $36 at Amazon with free shipping

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Review – More Than A One Shot Adventure

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Our Score: 7.5/10

“A compelling concept and a beautifully realised world, Ghostwire: Tokyo leverages Japanese folklore and a unique combat system to provide a unique open-world experience.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $19 at Amazon with free shipping
• $19 at JB Hi-Fi with bonus gift pack

Ghostwire: Tokyo Review – A Dense And Wild Tour

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Our Score: 8.5/10

“Kirby and the Forgotten Land takes the Kirby franchise to new heights in new and interesting ways.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $59 at Amazon with free shipping

Kirby And The Forgotten Land Review – A Decent Step Forward

Gran Turismo 7

Our Score: 9/10

“Gran Turismo 7 is a car-lover’s dream. Whether you love cars already or have just started your journey into being a car person, GT7 wants to welcome you to the community with open arms, get you up to speed and give you everything it can to help you enjoy cars in whatever ways it’s able.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $39 at Amazon with free shipping

Gran Turismo 7 Review – Approachable Simulation

Elden Ring

Our Score: 9.5/10

“Elden Ring is without a doubt, FromSoft’s most ambitious undertaking yet, and like Dark Souls before it, I believe it will leave a permanent mark on both the open-world genre and the games industry in general.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $59 at JB Hi-Fi

Elden Ring Review – A Formula Perfected

Horizon Forbidden West

Our Score: 10/10

“Horizon Forbidden West is an exceedingly clever sequel, a deep and addictive action RPG, a dense world that unfolds with an impeccable sense of pace, a visual tour de force and the masterful delivery of a promising concept.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $39 at Amazon with free shipping

Horizon Forbidden West Review – An Exceedingly Clever Sequel

Dying Light 2 Stay Human

Our Score: 8/10

“Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a solid step-up from Dying Light in almost every way.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $39 at Amazon with free shipping

Dying Light 2 Stay Human Review – A Fluid & Frenetic Adventure

POKEMON LEGENDS ARCEUS

Our Score: 8/10

“While it might not provide the visual fidelity and exploration we might wish for in an open-world-esque Pokémon game, it does provide a satisfying and addicting gameplay loop, alongside a surprisingly enjoyable narrative to boot.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $59 at Amazon with free shipping

Pokémon Legends: Arceus Review – The Evolution We’ve Been Waiting For

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

Our Score: 9.5/10

“Naughty Dog’s finest shine on the PS5 hardware and if you haven’t played these games, you’re in for an absolute treat, and if you’re returning to these games, you can expect to be blown away all over again, if not for the enhanced visuals alone.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $28 at Amazon with free shipping

Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Collection Review – A Visual Delight

FIFA 23

Our Score: 8/10

“This year’s FIFA is a comprehensive package for football fans thanks to HyperMotion 2, big reworks to FIFA Ultimate Team and the introduction of the FA Women’s Super League and the French Division 1 Feminine.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $49 PS4/Xbox Series X, $44 PS4/XB1 at Amazon with free shipping / $39 Switch at JB Hi-Fi

FIFA 23 Review – A Much Needed Refresh

NBA 2K23

Our Score: 8/10

“Refinements to core aspects of NBA 2K23’s gameplay make for some of the most fluid and enjoyable action seen in some years, and it’s all capped off with the excellent Jordan Challenge.”

The best Black Friday deal:

• $49 PS5/Series X or $39 PS4/XB1 at Amazon with free shipping, $39 Switch at JB Hi-Fi

NBA 2K23 Review – A Solid Step Forward

The post Our Favourite Games Of 2022 To Pick Up During Boxing Day Sales appeared first on Press Start.

Update: Thanks to everyone who entered, the winners for this competition have been selected and contacted.

Major Winner

• Chris H.

Runners-up

• Tiernan W.
• Rebecca M.
• Denny K.
• Patrick M.
• Christopher P.
• Justin Y.
• Alesha K.
• Barry J.

Don’t forget to follow us on social media and keep tabs on our Competitions page for all the latest giveaways!

To celebrate Xbox ANZ’s PC Game Pass Season of Giving, we have partnered with them to bring you an epic giveaway of our own.

One major prize winner will walk away with the below:

• Razer BlackWidow V3 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard HALO Infinite Edition
• Razer DeathAdder V2 Wired Gaming Mouse HALO Infinite Edition
• 2x 12-month PC Game Pass codes

Eight minor prize winners will each walk away with the below:

• 1 x 3-month PC Game Pass codes

WIN: 12 Month PC Game Pass Codes + Razer Halo Infinite Accessories

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THIS FORM DOESN’T LOAD. THIS COMPETITION WILL END ON DECEMBER 19TH AT 11:59AM.

For your chance to win even more PC Game Pass codes and see some epic creators playing a wide variety of PC Game Pass games, you can tune in to the below streams from some wonderful ANZ creators at the below times:

• Monday, December 12, 7:30 PM AEDT: Jenz
• Tuesday, December 13, 6:00 PM AEDT: Rudeism
• Wednesday, December 14, 10:00 PM AEDT: Cuzb0t
• Thursday, December 15, 8:00 PM AEDT: Caaaaate
• Friday, December 16, 9:00 PM AEDT: Jurdman

Good luck and happy playing.

The post The Winners Of Our PC Game Pass + Halo Infinite Razer Peripheral Competition appeared first on Press Start.

It’s hard to believe, but we’re inches away from the biggest gifting day of the year. With December 25th in sight, there’s no doubt just about all of us know a child, friend, parent, grandparent or shamefully-familiar Uber Eats delivery driver that’s begging to find a video game console under their trees this year.

With that in mind, and with deadlines looming, we figured we’d put together a quick list of places to shop for the three major consoles this Christmas – especially given that that is the year we’re finally seeing the PS5 and Xbox Series X in good supply in stores.

Where To Buy A PS5 In Australia For Christmas

It’s been a wild couple of years for anyone trying to get their hands on the PS5 since it launched in November 2020, but your chances at snagging one are now the best they’ve ever been. If your loved ones are pining after the newest PlayStation, you’ll be glad to know it’s just about as simple now as walking into a store and grabbing one or adding it to cart online. The toughest part will be deciding which version you need, with the console coming in both disc-based and digital-only forms as well as the current bundle containing the disc-based PS5 and a digital download for God of War Ragnarök.

Whatever the decision there, you’ll be able to find all 3 SKUs in pretty good supply at the below retailers, just don’t wait too long to commit or you may see them start to sell out prior to Christmas or miss shipping cut-offs:

Amazon: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

JB Hi-Fi: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

The Good Guys: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

Harvey Norman: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

EB Games: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

Big W: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

The Gamesmen: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

Sony Store: God of War Ragnarök Bundle | Horizon Forbidden West Bundle

Where To Buy An Xbox Series X Or Xbox Series S In Australia For Christmas

Much like the PS5, the Xbox Series X is starting to flood back into retailers just in time for Christmas 2022. When it comes to which one you should be buying though, it’s a slightly different story to Sony’s console. Rather than two identically-powerful consoles with different disc configurations, the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are different in a number of ways.

The Series X has a disc drive, more storage and more powerful hardware to deliver a premium gaming experience while the Series S is incredibly small but digital-only far less powerful and works best as a first gaming console or a secondary machine for the kids/games room paired up with an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Amazon: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S (Gilded Bundle)

JB Hi-Fi: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S (Gilded Hunter Bundle)

The Good Guys: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S

Harvey Norman: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S (Gilded Hunter Bundle)

EB Games: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S

Big W: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S (Gilded Hunter Bundle)

The Gamesmen: Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S (Gilded Hunter Bundle)

Microsoft Store: Xbox Series X + Accessory Bundle | Xbox Series S (Gilded Hunter Bundle)

Where To Buy A Nintendo Switch In Australia For Christmas

The Nintendo Switch has been an evergreen Christmas hit since it launched back in 2017 and it’s still going strong, propelled by the launch of the OLED Model that features a bigger, brighter screen.

You shouldn’t have much trouble finding a Switch this year but it’s worth noting that many retailers are still ranging the Black Friday bundle that packs in a digital download for the excellent Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and 3 months of Nintendo Switch Online, so do a bit of shopping around and make sure you’re getting the best value for money. At the time of writing, all of the below stores are running the bundle.

Amazon: Switch OLED | Switch (MK8 Bundle) | Switch Lite

JB Hi-Fi: Switch OLED | Switch (MK8 Bundle) | Switch Lite

The Good Guys: Switch OLED | Switch (MK8 Bundle) | Switch Lite

Harvey Norman: Switch OLED | Switch (MK8 Bundle) | Switch Lite

EB Games: Switch OLED | Switch (MK8 Bundle) | Switch Lite

Big W: Switch OLED | Switch (MK8 Bundle) | Switch Lite

K-Mart: Switch (MK8 Bundle)

The Gamesmen: Switch OLED | Switch (MK8 Bundle) | Switch Lite

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING AND TECH BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS

The post Where To Get Your Hands On A New Gaming Console This Christmas appeared first on Press Start.

Microsoft has confirmed that it plans to raise the prices on its first-party games developed specifically for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S next year.

Games such as Forza Motorsport, Redfall and Starfield will have their US prices raised from a USD $59.99 price point to a $69.99 price point, in line with other publishers’ new-generation game pricing like PlayStation, Activision, Take-Two and EA. As of yet, we don’t know how this will affect Australian retail prices but it’s more than likely they’ll come up to meet the threshold of those other publishers at AUD $124.99

This news comes following Phil Spencer’s admittance that price increases were a likely occurrence for Xbox products in the future, just a few months after Microsoft said it wasn’t raising the cost of its new consoles following a $50 PlayStation 5 price hike.

“This price reflects the content, scale, and technical complexity of these titles,” a Microsoft spokesperson told IGN. “As with all games developed by our teams at Xbox, they will also be available with Game Pass the same day they launch.”

Of course, with all of these games rolling into the Xbox Game Pass service on day one, the news of a price hike is going to affect far fewer consumers than on competing platforms.

The post First Party Xbox Series X/S Games Are Going To Increase In Price Next Year appeared first on Press Start.

CD Projekt RED has finally lifted the lid on its much-awaited “next-gen” update to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

The update, which is totally free to existing owners of the game, is coming on December 14th and brings a host of new visual features to the game.

On the PC side, players are getting a new Ultra+ detail setting, ray-tracing features, FSR/DLSS, a new SSR solution, dynamic resolution scaling and more. On PS5 and Xbox Series X the ray-tracing, ambient occlusion, SSR, FSR and dynamic resolution features carry across with a choice of two modes – a ray-traced Quality mode in 30fps and a 60fps Performance mode. PS5 players will also benefit from haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support.

The game itself will also receive quite a few new content updates including a dedicated Photo Mode, new camera options, UI improvements, cross-saves, new quests and gear inspired by the Netflix series and more. A gorgeous two-minute trailer for the update is below, but if you’re keen to learn even more then check out the 30-minute breakdown from some of the development team right here.

The post Here’s The First Proper Look At The Witcher 3’s Next-Gen Update appeared first on Press Start.

The Xbox November update is rolling out to all users as of today, bringing with it some great new improvements especially when it comes to connecting and sharing with others.

Among the laundry list of new features and updates is the ability to quickly join Discord voice channels directly from the guide menu, provided you’ve linked your Discord account to Xbox. I’ve been using this feature in the Alpha version of the update for a little while and it works wonderfully, plus it includes automatic noise suppression no matter what headset or microphone you’re using which is really neat.

There’s also a brand-new Captures app that should come as a massive relief to anyone (hello, games media!) that regularly needs to view, share or transfer screenshots and captured video from their Xbox console. It’ll allow easier browsing of capture as well as direct transfer to external drives – yay!

Elsewhere, direct streaming to Twitch, Lightstream and Streamlabs, new power options, wishlisting and gifting features, tweaks to settings menus, rumble support in Xbox Cloud Gaming and more round out the rest of this massive Xbox update.

You can read all about it right here.

The post The Xbox November Update Is Out Now With Some Great New Features appeared first on Press Start.

It’s been a long time coming and not without development dramas, but the new-gen update for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is nearly here!

Coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, the free update is launching on December 14th, 2022 and will feature a host of visual, performance, and technical enhancements including ray tracing support, faster loading times on consoles, and even select mods integrated into the game. There will also be new content inspired by The Witcher series on Netflix.

CD Projekt Red will be covering the various updates to the game in a dedicated stream on Twitch next week, during which fans will be able to catch the first gameplay footage of the update in action:

The next-gen update for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is coming on December 14th, free for everyone who already owns the game.

For more details and gameplay reveal, tune in to REDstreams next week on https://t.co/IpFERTohi9. pic.twitter.com/fg3yfGeNih

— The Witcher (@witchergame) November 14, 2022

The update will be free to owners of any version of the game on applicable platforms, and will also be available for purchase as a new “Complete Edition” of the game – including a physical version with more details coming at a later date. Select updates as well as the Netflix-inspired content will also be coming to the last-gen versions of the game for fans that aren’t able to upgrade yet.

The post The Witcher 3 Is Finally Getting Its PS5 And Xbox Series X/S Update Next Month appeared first on Press Start.

It was only two months ago that Microsoft stated that Xbox Series X|S console prices wouldn’t see an increase, following a recent $50 AUD jump in price on both the digital and disc-based versions of the PlayStation 5 console earlier.

It sounds like the good times may not last forever though as Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has admitted that price increases may well be a part of the future of the Xbox ecosystem after all.

Speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s annual WSJ Live event and in response to the topic of more expensive video game software (thanks VGC), Spencer addressed the matter of pricing across the Xbox brand and products:

“I do think at some point we’ll have to raise the prices on certain things, but going into this holiday we thought it was important to maintain the prices.”

“We’ve held price on our console, we’ve held price on games… and our subscription. I don’t think we’ll be able to do that forever. I do think at some point we’ll have to raise some prices on certain things…”

"We've held price on our console, we've held price on games… and our subscription. I don't think we'll be able to do that forever. I do think at some point we'll have to raise some prices on certain things…" pic.twitter.com/jRt5ifKpE5

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) October 26, 2022

Reassuringly, this isn’t an indication of any immediate changes as Spencer reiterates that the company wants to hold firm on pricing going into the holiday season this year, but with continued global challenges in production, shipping and markets it’s not at all surprising that Microsoft would be keeping its options open.

With subscription services in every corner raising prices as of late, it would make the most sense to see Game Pass become the first Xbox product with a price increase, if any.

Now might be the right time to get that custom Design Labs Xbox Elite Series 2 controller order in, don’t you think?

The post Phil Spencer Has Admitted That Prices On Xbox Products Are Likely To Increase appeared first on Press Start.

As part of its Fallout 25th Anniversary celebrations and announcements, Bethesda has dropped the news that Fallout 4 will be getting a shiny new current-gen upgrade that’ll be free for anyone who owns the game on relevant platforms.

The upgrade will be coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC and will bring a new 4K quality visual mode, new Creation Club content and some extra bug fixes and improvements. The upgrade will be coming some time in 2023, but we’re still awaiting further details at this stage.

You can read more about this and the rest of the Fallout 25th Anniversary announcements at the official Fallout website.

Hopefully it’ll be enough to tide fans over until Fallout 5, which reportedly is the next big Bethesda RPG coming after the release of The Elder Scrolls VI, which in itself is a long ways off.

In other recent Fallout news, we interviewed Design Director, Mark Tucker about Fallout 76’s latest free expansion, The Pitt. You can read that here.

The post Fallout 4 Is Getting A Free 4K Upgrade For PS5 And Xbox Series X|S appeared first on Press Start.

World’s Edge and Xbox have announced that Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires 4 are both coming to Xbox consoles next year. Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition will launch on January 31st, 2023 with Age of Empires 4 to release later in 2023. This has been a long time coming with Xbox fans waiting years for Age of Empires to finally grace consoles.

It was said that the team has been working hard to bring an experience that not only feels great whilst using a controller, but also teaches players, new and old to play the game on Xbox. A new tutorial designed specifically for controller input paired with a new user experience will be added to the game, and a new game AI has been introduced which helps make resource management easier.

As with all first-part Xbox games, these titles will be available on Xbox Game Pass and also through Xbox Cloud Gaming.

The post Age Of Empires 2 And Age Of Empires 4 Are Officially Coming To Xbox Consoles appeared first on Press Start.

Thank you to all who entered. The winners of this competition are listed below:

• Tom H.
• Lee S.
• Stephen R.
• Elise A.
• Madison E.
• Nicole F.
• Clark A.
• Nathan H.
• Kelly R.
• Luke B.

Head to our competitions page to enter our other giveaways here.

Thanks to Focus Entertainment we have digital copies of the just-released Hardspace: Shipbreaker on PS5 and Xbox Series X to give away!

Ten lucky winners will each receive a game code (value $59.95) on either PS5/Xbox Series X, with five copies on each console up for grabs in total.

Live out the daily life of a spaceship salvager in Hardspace: Shipbreaker. Set within an immersive, realistic science fiction universe, you’ll slice metal with the laser cutter and use the grapple tool to move salvage with ease in order to pay off your billion credit debt to LYNX corp. Hardspace: Shipbreaker is out now on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

WIN: Hardspace: Shipbreaker On PS5/Xbox Series X

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. THIS COMPETITION WILL END ON OCTOBER 6TH AT 11:59PM AEST.

Hardspace Shipbreaker is out now on PS5, Xbox Series X and PC.

The post The Winners Of Our Hardspace: Shipbreaker Competition appeared first on Press Start.

The Scar’s Kingdom update for Disney Dreamlight Valley is out now along with the promised game improvements and fixes.

The update brings with it a brand-new villager in The Lion King’s Scar, complete with his own set of quests, rewards and a new location to explore. It also adds a ton of fan-requested features including an improved photo mode, the ability to interact with your animal companions and new cosmetic options.

There are also a host of tweaks to some frustrating systems, such as a change in how lightning is presented and how rain affects crops, plus some behavioural therapy for Donald Duck who was aggravatingly prone to constantly tripping over and throwing tantrums wherever he went in the Valley.

Take a look at the full update description courtesy of the official Disney Dreamlight Valley website below:

The rightful king to the Valley is here. ?

Update 1 – Scar's Kingdom is now LIVE! pic.twitter.com/Ven712etS8

— Disney Dreamlight Valley (@DisneyDLV) October 19, 2022

Hey Valley Villagers!

We hope you’re ready for the first free major content update for Disney Dreamlight Valley Founder’s Pack owners and Xbox Game Pass members – NOW LIVE! Make sure your Avatar’s dressed for the heat – in this content update, you’ll be headed to the sun-drenched savannahs of the Sunlit Plateau biome where you’ll encounter the most recognizable villain from Disney’s The Lion King – Scar.

In ‘Scar’s Kingdom’, the iconic savannah of the Sunlit Plateau is in peril! The Pillar of Nurturing, once the key to keeping the Plateau vibrant and green, has dried up and is blocked by mysterious and dark magic. In order to bring the Plateau back to life, you’ll team up with Scar – the would-be usurper of the Pride Lands who was trapped while The Forgetting ravaged Dreamlight Valley. You may want to equip your Royal Pickaxe too, as you’ll be headed to a new area deep within the Plateau’s mines to restore the Pillar of Nurturing and find the source of the problem, all while dealing with Scar’s less-than-honest motivations.

Introducing the Villain Star Path

In addition to Scar’s Kingdom content, you will find a new Star Path awaiting you on the Events page – this time, with a nefarious flair! You will need to tap into your dark side and befriend the villains living in the Valley, or perhaps just skulk around alongside them. As you complete event duties, you’ll be rewarded with tokens that you can spend on exclusive items inspired by Halloween and Disney villains. Sometimes, it’s good to be bad.

Seasonal Content

With Halloween on the horizon, you will find new items in the Scrooge Shop and new craft-able items at your workbench. We also have a few tricks and treats planned – stay tuned for more news soon!

Community Driven Changes

With all the new story, seasonal and Star Path content that has been included in Update 1, we wanted to take a moment to recognize some of the changes that we’ve made to the game based off Community feedback. Listening to the feedback of our passionate Community in the Early Access period is incredibly important to our team and the future of the game. We’re so thankful for everyone who’s taken the time to share their thoughts with us, be it their experiences or feature suggestions! Here’s just a few of the changes and additions that you can expect in Update 1:

– We’ve changed the way that lightning appears in-game due to an accessibility concern for many players.

– We hope that everyone can now enjoy the in-game storms! Plants watered by rain showers will remain watered afterwards – so now even your plants will enjoy the rain much more now.

– Get ready to twin with Ariel and match your hair to even more outfits! We’ve added more hair colour options for you to play around with.

– We know how much love you have for your animal companions, so we’ve added a way for you to interact with them! Go give your pets some well-deserved attention for following you around while you plant 99 Okra.

– Donald Duck has finally found his land-legs. You’ll find that he’s less clumsy, and less likely to trip and have a tantrum.

– Remember the Avatar Designer Tool? You shared with us that you loved the photo mode – so we’ve added many of the same features to Disney Dreamlight Valley! We can’t wait to see all your new pics!

Bug issues and resolution

Finally, yet importantly, we are releasing many fixes for top issues that were reported by the Disney Dreamlight Valley Community. We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who reported their issues, but also for everyone’s patience while we work to resolve them.

As the game is still in early access, we will continue to do our best to address issues as they occur, and proactively prevent further bugs. For a full list of what has been included in this Update, please see HERE.

Should you run into any issues while playing Disney Dreamlight Valley, we first recommend that you check out our known issues HERE. If you don’t see the issue you’re running into, you can get in touch with our Support team via our contact form. Running into issues with a certain quest or objective? Check out our friendly Discord Community for some Disney Dreamlight Valley tips and tricks!

The post Disney Dreamlight Valley Scar’s Kingdom Update Is Out Now With New Content And A Quieter Donald appeared first on Press Start.

Update: Xbox has revealed the rest of this month’s Xbox Game Pass game offering, which now includes Phantom Abyss, Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery and the Amnesia Collection. Check out the full month’s list of games below:

OCTOBER XBOX GAME PASS GAMES

Chivalry 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Available Now
Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer, first-person slasher inspired by epic medieval movie battles. You’ll be thrust into the action of every iconic moment of the era – from clashing swords to storms of flaming arrows, to sprawling castle sieges and more. Charge into battle on horseback and claim glory with your blade!

Medieval Dynasty (Xbox Series X|S) – Available Now
Available now with PC Game Pass and coming soon to Xbox Series X|S. In Medieval Dynasty, you take on the role of a young man who has fled from war and wants to take his fate into his own hands. From being alone, inexperienced, and poor, you will develop into a master of many skills, a leader of your community, and the founder of a prosperous dynasty which is meant to last and prosper for generations to come.

The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season (PC) – Available Now
A five-part game series set in the same universe as Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic book series. Play as Lee Everett, a convicted criminal, who has been given a second chance at life in a world devastated by the undead. Experience events, meet people and visit locations that foreshadow the story of Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes.

The Walking Dead: Season Two (PC) – Available Now
The Walking Dead: Season Two continues the story of Clementine, a young girl orphaned by the undead apocalypse. Left to fend for herself, she has been forced to learn how to survive in a world gone mad. Meet new survivors, explore new locations, and make gruesome decisions in this five-part game series of choice and consequence.

Costume Quest (Cloud and Console) – Available Now
Rediscover Halloween in this imaginative RPG from Tim Schafer’s Double Fine Productions. Explore the monster-filled neighborhood of Auburn Pines, Autumn Haven Mall, and Fall Valley Carnival. Collect magical costumes with superpowers, unique weapons, and special items as you hunt down quests. Level-up your heroic warrior and battle the evil overlords in this epic adventure to save Halloween!

Eville (Console and PC) – Available Now
Betray your friends – and lie your way to victory. In the multiplayer social deduction game Eville you find yourself in a village riddled by a series of murders. Some say it might have been you – or was it? Convince others you’re not a murderer to stay alive!

Dyson Sphere Program (PC) – Available Now
Build the most efficient intergalactic factory in space simulation strategy game Dyson Sphere Program! Harness the power of stars, collect resources, plan and design production lines, and develop your interstellar factory from a small space workshop to a galaxy-wide industrial empire.

Scorn (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – Available Now
Scorn is an atmospheric first-person horror adventure game set in a nightmarish universe of odd forms and somber tapestry. It is designed around the idea of “being thrown into the world.” Isolated and lost inside this dream-like world, you will explore different interconnected regions in a non-linear fashion.

Our review of Scorn.

A Plague Tale: Requiem (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – Available Now
In this direct sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence, embark on a heartrending journey into a brutal, breathtaking world, and discover the cost of saving those you love in a desperate struggle for survival. Strike from the shadows or unleash hell with a variety of weapons, tools, and unearthly powers.

Our review of A Plague Tale: Requiem.

Amnesia: Collection (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 20
The collection contains three Amnesia titles: The Dark Descent, A Machine For Pigs, and Justine. Experience the horror that kickstarted the ‘Let’s Play’ revolution; be immersed in three living nightmares that will chill you to the core.

Amnesia: Rebirth (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 20
A harrowing journey through desolation and despair, exploring the limits of human resilience. Uncover your past and survive the Algerian desert. Fear is your enemy; stay calm to not succumb to an illness threatening you and your loved one. Avoid darkness, hide from monsters, and solve puzzles.

Phantom Abyss (Game Preview) (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 20
Phantom Abyss is a massive asynchronous multiplayer game that casts players into procedurally generated temples and tasks them with retrieving the sacred relics hidden within deadly chambers. Be warned, you only get one attempt at each temple and failure or settling for a lesser relic means you will never see that temple again…

Soma (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 20
From the creators of Amnesia: The Dark Descent comes Soma, a sci-fi horror game set below the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The radio is dead, food is running out, and the machines have started to think they are people. Underwater facility PATHOS-II has suffered intolerable isolation and you’re going to have to make some tough decisions. What makes sense? What is left to fight for?

Persona 5 Royal (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 21
Prepare for the award-winning RPG experience in this definitive edition of Persona 5 Royal, featuring a treasure trove of downloadable content included! Don the mask of Joker and join the Phantom Thieves of Hearts as they stage grand heists, infiltrate the minds of the corrupt, and make them change their ways!

Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery (PC) – October 27
Play as The Detective in three silly mysteries! Finding clues and questioning suspects is just part of the job for such an experienced frog. Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery is a collection of all three Frog Detective cases.

Gunfire Reborn (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 27
Gunfire is a level-based adventure game featuring FPS action, roguelite gameplay and RPG elements. You’ll play as one of six furry heroes, each with their own unique skills and attacks. As you play though each level, you’ll be faced with challenging enemies and collect powerful loot. The more you play, the more powerful you will become!

Signalis (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 27
Awaken from slumber and explore a surreal retrotech world as Elster, a technician Replika searching for her lost partner and her lost dreams. Discover terrifying secrets, challenging puzzles, and nightmarish creatures in a tense and melancholic experience of cosmic dread and classic psychological survival horror.

GAMES LEAVING XBOX GAME PASS ON OCTOBER 31st

• Alan Wake: American Nightmare (Console and PC)
• Backbone (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Bassmaster Fishing 2022 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Nongunz: Doppelganger Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Project Wingman (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Second Extinction (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Sniper Elite 4 (Console and Cloud)
• The Forgotten City (Cloud, Console, and PC)

The post The Next Batch Of Xbox Game Pass Games For October Has Been Revealed appeared first on Press Start.

It has been over two long years of stock updates, consoles selling out instantly and people being upset, but as of this moment, both the PS5 and Xbox Series X have been in stock on Amazon for over a week, which for me at least, marks the end of the great stock next-gen shortage of 2020-2022.

You can grab the PS5 right HERE and the Xbox Series X right HERE. Naturally, I bet seconds after I post this, one or both of them will sell out, but even if that does happen, I feel like at this point in time, we can be confident in the fact that it will come back in stock in the next week or so, and at least stay in stock for days, if not weeks, instead of seconds or minutes like we’ve seen over the last two years.

• PlayStation 5 Console with Horizon Forbidden West – $894
• Xbox Series X Console – $749

This is a great thing as we see next-gen exclusive games such as Gotham Knights, Scorn and A Plague Tale: Requiem release in the next week in what is no doubt going to become more of a common occurrence. There’s obviously God of War: Ragnarok releasing in a few weeks too. With Christmas coming up, it’ll be interesting to see if we do see a bit of a shortage coming up again.

I feel like we’ll always remember how hard it’s been to get a next-gen console in the last few years, and it’ll be interesting to see how that effects upcoming releases such as the PlayStation VR2 and new Nintendo Switch. Just this week we saw RTX 4090s sell out extremely quickly despite their price tag of over $2,000 which is less than what 3080s were reselling for in the months following its launch. It’s absolutely going to create a new level of demand for these devices that we’ll likely see for years to come, but for now at least, hopefully it’s over for the great next-gen shortage.

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING AND TECH BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS

The post The PS5 And Xbox Series X Are Both Readily Available To Buy Right Now appeared first on Press Start.

Hot off the back of the release of Turtle Beach’s Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX wireless gaming headset, the new Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX is available in stores as of today.

The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX wireless multiplatform gaming headset delivers a premium gaming experience on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch or PC.

The headset features a massive 48+ hour battery life over the 15 hours of the previous Stealth 600 Gen 2, lag-free wireless connection, multiplatform compatibility and exceptional game & chat quality for next-level gaming.

Like similar Turtle Beach headsets, the Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX also features Aerofit cooling gel-infused memory foam ear cushions, which makes for a super comfortable gaming experience, especially for those of us who wear glasses. We also think the Midnight Red version is pretty sexy.

You can buy or learn more about the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX right here from the official website, at EB Games and JB HI-FI or check out the video below:

The post The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX Wireless Gaming Headset Is Out Now appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has announced another new special edition controller. It’s called the Lunar Shift Special Edition Xbox Controller and if you couldn’t tell by its name, it’s inspired by the moon.

The controller shifts from silver to gold when the light hits it just right giving it what Xbox calls it a “stylised, smokey atmosphere”. It has rubberised gray and black swirl grips with a pattern that is unique to each controller.

The controller will release on October 25th for $99.95 and you can pre-order it from the Microsoft Store right HERE.

The post The Lunar Shift Special Edition Xbox Controller Changes Colours With Light appeared first on Press Start.

For those that dabble in PC gaming that goes beyond simply looking at the top trending titles on Steam, you might have noticed a burgeoning and ever-expanding world of simulators and games that aim to recreate a specific job, skillset, or pastime. Okay, so that sentence might be wordy, but we’re talking about experiences where you drive bus routes through cities, fix boats in a garage, wash driveways with a power washer, manage train routes, grow crops on a farm, and construct a building. 

And with that, even though Hardspace Shipbreaker features a narrative set in a futuristic world where space travel is commonplace – at its core it’s a sim. With something like Farming Simulator drawing countless fans that aren’t farmers but want to chill and manage a farm, the appeal here is along the same lines. In Hardspace Shipbreaker you are as the title suggests, a Shipbreaker responsible for pulling apart and salvaging valuables from decommissioned spacecraft in low orbit.

Like with many sims, it’s the premise that drives interest. For me, the idea of using a laser cutter and grapple beam, and tethers to rip apart a spaceship for parts sounds pretty amazing. Like, say, describing the premise of Resident Evil to a survival horror fan or Elden Ring to an open-world RPG aficionado. If the premise grabs you, as it did me, then the opening hours of Hardspace Shipbreaker offer up low orbit zen-like bliss as you cut and grapple and move about in zero-g. 

Playing on Xbox Series X (which would be the same on PlayStation 5) the zero-g controls take some getting used to in that you’re rarely completely still and have to manage roll, thrusters, aiming, and scanning in a fully immersive 3D workspace. It’s kind of like the old-school PC game Descent, in that it’s easy to get disoriented and lose the sense of which way is up. But, the process of salvaging is kept fairly simple – which is great. The furnace is red and fiery so pieces of a ship that need to be destroyed will be labeled red on the scanner. Blue precious metals go into the blue-coloured drop-off, and green for valuable tech and items like fancy cockpit chairs to salvage. 

All of the deposit spots are large and neatly arranged around the ship you’re working on, which helps keep a sense of flow as you’re working. Once you complete the Campaign tutorial though, things get a lot more involved. Taking on the role of a day-to-day Shipbreaker, a worker, in a satirical and hilariously cynical future is the order of the day. Once a time limit enters the picture, 15 minutes represent a single work day and you’re then tasked with pulling apart more complex ships with pressurised cabins, hazardous conditions, reactors, and more.

Setting-wise you’ve become a Shipbreaker because you’re over a billion dollars in debt, and if you die whilst working on a ship you’ll have to pay to be genetically reconstituted and get back to work. Dealing with fuel tanks is a dangerous business. Likewise, whenever you need to refill your thrusters or get more oxygen, it all gets added to the tab. This then leads into the narrative and progression and almost never-ending feeling that comes with playing Hardspace Shipbreaker. There’s a variety of ships to work on, which can take multiple days, rewarding you with small amounts of money to pay off your debt, experience points, and tokens to spend on upgrades via the Lynx Corporation company store.

And there is a tonne of upgrades to work towards, from simple things like upgrading the capacity of oxygen tanks to improving the strength of your laser cutter and getting new explosive tools to play with. One of the great features is how each new tool added to your Shipbreaker arsenal is met with a detailed tutorial that plays into the story involving other Shipbreakers on comms. With the cynical and over-the-top sci-fi tone, there are themes around labour unions, worker’s rights, and more peppered throughout the Campaign.

As with many games that have a strong sim core, you can opt to simply play without time limits or story elements and enjoy the leisurely pace of pulling apart a spaceship. That said, the pace of the Campaign is glacial, upgrades come thick and fast at first but then slow all the way down. The focus is clearly on being a Shipbreaker, with the narrative serving more as space-window dressing.

And Hardspace Shipbreaker nails the feeling of pulling apart spaceships in low orbit, where everything from the art direction to the country music-inspired soundtrack to the first-person perspective and low orbit sights and sounds add to the immersion. It might be a bit of a grind and repetitive to get your Shipbreaker status all the way up and pay off your debts, but that’s all part of the deal of a life working on rigs in the distant future. And there’s a simple joy that comes with learning a new job.

The post Hardspace Shipbreaker PS5/Xbox Series X Review – Pure Low-Orbit Job Immersion appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer should really know by now that his interior décor is under intense scrutiny after that time he secretly revealed the Xbox Series S months early. But no, the man had the audacity this morning to send fans into a spin with a full-frame photo on Twitter of a set of shelves containing what seemed to be an even smaller console not dissimilar to the Series S.

Vault Boy left the shelter and stopped by my office to celebrate the #Fallout25 Anniversary. Congratulations to the @Fallout @Bethesda teams on this major milestone for an iconic franchise. pic.twitter.com/hGoN1sAQRK

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) October 10, 2022

Naturally, internet sleuths went wild with theories and multiple outlets began positing that this could be the dedicated Game Pass streaming device that Xbox has been talking about for some time. This device was once destined to be a “Stick” format similar to the Amazon Fire TV but Microsoft had since revealed that they’ve pivoted away from that design to a new concept.

It makes sense that something that looks like an even more miniaturised version of the Xbox Series S would make for a nice-looking little device dedicated to streaming-only gameplay through Game Pass, but it seems that Microsoft has already shut these rumours down.

The company has confirmed to Kotaku that “the device on Spencer’s shelf is an older prototype” as well as replied to Phil’s tweet with a statement to the same effect:

Now what did we say about putting old prototypes on your shelf boss

— Xbox (@Xbox) October 10, 2022

For what it’s worth, Game Pass has slowly been creeping its way onto smart devices without the need for any kind of external device at all, like the dedicated app on Samsung’s new TVs or its place on Logitech’s handheld cloud streaming device. So it could very well be that we never see a formal hardware solution and Xbox instead spreads its Game Pass mission this way.

The moral of this story, though? Phil needs to watch what he puts on his shelves (there’s some nice stuff on these ones, otherwise!)

The post Known Shelf Enjoyer Phil Spencer Accidentally Trolled Xbox Fans With An Old Prototype Device appeared first on Press Start.

In an update to its long-term strategy, CD PROJEKT has confirmed work on no less than three brand-new, full-fledged games set in the Witcher universe.

Starting with Codename Polaris, which will be the next mainline Witcher installment, and the beginning of an entirely new saga. CD PROJEKT says this saga will consist of three games, which it intends to publish in a six-year period starting with the release of Polaris. The second and third installment will rely on the technological foundation put in place for Polaris, which should streamline development and enable the studio to focus on achieving its creative vision.

Polaris is a codename for the next installment in The Witcher series of games, which we recently announced was in pre-production. It is the beginning of a new saga: we aim to release two more Witcher games after Polaris, creating a new AAA RPG trilogy. pic.twitter.com/898Ez6Yk79

— CD PROJEKT RED (@CDPROJEKTRED) October 4, 2022

Next up is Codename Canis Majoris, which will reportedly be a full-fledged production produced at an unnamed external studio under the supervision of experienced developers who have previously worked on The Witcher games. This will be a separate title to the new trilogy established with Polaris.

This is the first such product being developed outside of the Group. However, this does not imply that its quality will lag behind our in-house productions. From the technological standpoint it will be based on Unreal Engine 5, along with the toolset created for Polaris. Expect additional announcements soon – says Adam Kici?ski, CEO of CD PROJEKT.

Canis Majoris is a full-fledged Witcher game, separate to the new Witcher saga starting with Polaris. It will be developed by an external studio headed by experienced developers who have worked on past Witcher games. pic.twitter.com/ucy7T073tm

— CD PROJEKT RED (@CDPROJEKTRED) October 4, 2022

And finally, Codename Sirius is set to be another The Witcher title separate to the mainline saga. This one is in development at Boston developer Molasses Flood and will contain a multiplayer component alongside a single-player campaign.

Sirius is a codename for the game developed by @molassesflood, set in The Witcher universe and created with support from CDPR. It will differ from our past productions, offering multiplayer gameplay on top of a single-player experience including a campaign with quests and a story pic.twitter.com/aoX7wlIfRO

— CD PROJEKT RED (@CDPROJEKTRED) October 4, 2022

So there are a lot of new The Witcher games to come, and we still don’t have a release date for the new-gen update to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt! But that hasn’t stopped CDPR from also announcing a full sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 and an entirely new game based on a new, original IP. Read more about all of this here.

The post CD Projekt Just Announced Three New Witcher Games Including A Multiplayer Title appeared first on Press Start.

In an update to its long-term strategy, CD PROJEKT has confirmed work on a brand-new, full sequel to 2020’s divisive sci-fi RPG, Cyberpunk 2077.

Very little has been revealed about the sequel aside from the codename, Orion, and the promise that it will “take the Cyberpunk franchise further and continue harnessing the potential of this dark future universe.”

Orion is a codename for our next Cyberpunk game, which will take the Cyberpunk franchise further and continue harnessing the potential of this dark future universe. pic.twitter.com/JoVbCf6jYZ

— CD PROJEKT RED (@CDPROJEKTRED) October 4, 2022

This new Cyberpunk game will be developed in a brand-new studio, CD PROJEKT RED North America:

Our plans are certainly ambitious, and call for a great deal of work, dedication and further growth. This is why we’re setting up a new team in Boston, which, together with the expanding Vancouver team, will form our new studio – CD PROJEKT RED North America. As a result, we will be able to fully tap into the North American talent pool – says Piotr Nielubowicz, Vice President and CFO of CD PROJEKT, adding – note that The Molasses Flood remains independent, so that, in effect, we will have two separate teams operating in the Boston area.

Cyberpunk has seen a recent renaissance with the release of Netflix and Studio Trigger’s excellent Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime. A major expansion for the game titled Phantom Liberty is also coming to PC and new-gen consoles next year.

Alongside the announcement of the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, CDPR also revealed a slew of new games being worked on including multiple titles set in the Witcher universe and a brand-new IP codenamed “Hadar”. You can read more about these here.

The post The Sequel To Cyberpunk 2077 Has Been Officially Announced appeared first on Press Start.

EA has confirmed that the next Need for Speed game will be officially revealed this week.

In the tweet announcing the reveal trailer, the game is simply called out as “NFS 2022”, indicating that it’s very much still on track to release this year. That’s something of a surprise given we’ve less than three months left in 2022 but we’re certainly excited to see it dropping so soon after the reveal.

You’ll be able to catch the reveal trailer when it goes live at the below times on Friday, October 7th.

• AEDT (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra) – 02:00am
• ACDT (Adelaide) – 01:30am
• AEST (Brisbane) – 01:00am
• ACST (Darwin) – 12:30am
• AWST (Perth) – 11:00pm Thursday, October 6th

Last we heard, this new game is reportedly titled “Need for Speed Unbound” and will feature a blend of photorealistic visuals and anime-style effects for a unique, new style. It’s believed to be headed to new-gen consoles and PC only.

We’ll surely find out these details and more come Friday.

The post The Next Need For Speed Is Being Revealed This Week And It’s Still Set For A 2022 Release appeared first on Press Start.

Spotted by VGC, it appears a new version of Obsidian’s acclaimed space-faring RPG, The Outer Worlds, is headed to new-generation consoles as well as PC.

According to a now-removed listing on the Taiwanese Ratings Board (image below captured by Gematsu), this re-release is coming to current platforms – the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC – and is called The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition.

Presumably both released story expansions, Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos, would be included in this newly-packaged version of the game, though exact details aren’t yet available as nothing has been made official.

We gave The Outer Worlds an 8.5 in our review, saying “The Outer Worlds is the kind of inspired take on a genre that could only come from a team as passionate and talented as Obsidian. It’s not perfect, but it’s creative, succinct, compelling and funny in all the right ways.”

Obsidian’s various teams have been busy of late, having just launched Grounded in its 1.0 release and with the PC and Xbox-exclusive medieval narrative adventure Pentiment just around the corner. A sequel to The Outer Worlds is also in the works, alongside the still-mysterious Avowed.

The post A New Edition Of The Outer Worlds Has Been Rated For PS5 And Xbox Series X/S appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has announced the Xbox Games with Gold line up for October 2022.

Last month, Portal 2 was the final Xbox 360 game to be included in the program, meaning this is the first month with a reduced selection of just two games. They’re both pretty decent little indie titles though, so if you’ve not played either we’d suggest giving them a go:

• Windbound Available October 1 to 31
• Bomber Crew Deluxe Edition Available October 16 to November 15

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Live Gold members can enjoy Windbound and Bomber Crew Deluxe Edition as part of October's Games with Gold! Details here: https://t.co/qcWBtSgvtb

— Xbox Wire (@XboxWire) September 29, 2022

You can find a bit about each game below:

Windbound

Washed up on an uncharted island, you must use your will and skill to survive! Play as Kara, shipwrecked on the Forbidden Islands with nothing but what you can build or find. You’ll need to craft weapons and tools to survive. Spend time building a new boat which you can use in an immersive tactile sailing experience to reach the other islands. Explore the hidden history of each island to unlock their mysteries. Enjoy this delightfully surprising game that takes the survival genre in a totally new direction.

Bomber Crew Deluxe Edition

Listen up fliers! We’re recruiting you to take on extremely high-risk missions in this World War II strategic flying and bombing game. Once you’re up in the air, danger is everywhere. It’s up to you to manage the fuel, ammo, and hydraulics while trying to avoid enemy gunners. Even the weather can bring you down. Keep your crew safe and focused and bring home victory. Bomber Crew Deluxe Edition includes the original Bomber Crew plus the Secret Weapons and USAAF DLC, so there’s plenty of flying to be done.

The post October’s Xbox Games With Gold Have Been Revealed appeared first on Press Start.

Turtle Beach’s latest high-end wireless gaming headset has just landed, with the Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX available in stores as of today.

Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX wireless multiplatform gaming headset delivers a premium gaming experience on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch or PC.

The headset features an upgraded 40+ hour battery life over the 20 hours of the previous Stealth 700 Gen 2, lag-free wireless connection, multiplatform compatibility, Bluetooth connectivity and exceptional game & chat quality for next-level gaming. It’s also specially tuned for the PlayStation 5’s 3D audio capabilities.

Like similar Turtle Beach headsets, the Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX also features Aerofit cooling gel-infused memory foam ear cushions, which makes for a super comfortable gaming experience, especially for those of us who wear glasses. We also think the Cobalt Blue version is pretty sexy.

You can buy or learn more about the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX right here from the official website, at EB Games and JB HI-FI or check out the video below:

We’re also giving away two Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX headsets! Find more details and enter here.

The post The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX Wireless Gaming Headset Is Out Now And Packs Some Impressive Features appeared first on Press Start.

The Chant was one of the best games we saw (and played) at Gamescom in August and the game, developed by brand-new Vancouver studio Brass Token, is finally nearing its November 3rd release.

To remind people that this is one game you should be paying attention to among a stacked holiday release schedule, Brass Token and publisher Prime Matter have released a new trailer featuring glimpses at the game as well as quotes and accolades from media all over the world who went hands-on with it at Gamescom. And yes, that includes us!

Creative Director, Mike Skupa, says of the post-Gamescom reception, “It’s been inspiring to hear people’s impressions after playing The Chant. Seeing fans of the genre reference inspirations from classic survival horror games to weird fiction and beyond reminds us why we created this game in the first place”.

We recently spoke to Mike about the experience of putting together a brand-new horror IP as a small team, and you can read that right here.

Take a look at the preview accolades trailer for The Chant below:

The Chant is a single-player, third person horror action-adventure game set on a remote island spiritual retreat. A peaceful weekend soon turns to dread after a group chant opens The Gloom, a psychedelic dimension of terror that feeds off negative energy. Interact with a recurring cast of characters, untangle the complex history of the island, and witness terrifying revelations about the cosmos. Only you can fight off the creatures, reason with the survivors, and unravel the legacy of a cult from the 1970s to reverse the ritual.

The Chant is due to release on November 3rd for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

A special digital pre-order bonus will grant players a 1970s-themed in-game outfit and VFX filter mode. You can find out more at thechant.com.

The post Find Out Why You Should Be Paying Attention To The Chant In This New Preview Accolades Trailer appeared first on Press Start.

House Flipper, the runaway 2018 sim success, is officially getting a sequel in the form of (you guessed it) House Flipper 2!

Announced earlier in the year, we now have a proper gameplay trailer to flip out over as well as confirmation that the game will also be coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S alongside its PC release in 2023.

It’ll be interesting to see how much parity there is between versions, as traditionally the console ports of the original House Flipper have lagged behind in terms of updates and DLC, but given the popularity of that game we imagine developer Frozen District has a bit more of a backing to really go all-in this time.

The game itself looks significantly nicer and more fully-featured than the original, without losing the oddball charm that makes the rather mundane tasks involved in renovating a rundown home feel oddly fun. Check out the gameplay trailer below:

House Flipper 2 is poised to hit PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2023. You can wishlist the game on Steam here.

The post A Console Release For House Flipper 2 Has Been Confirmed Alongside A New Gameplay Trailer appeared first on Press Start.

If you’ve been pining for Microsoft’s supercharged tower of a gaming machine, the Xbox Series X, and you’ve missed the boat on restocks to date then we have good news.

The Series X stock situation seems to be levelling out of late, and we’ve seen a pretty consistent flow of stock coming through. Right now, for example, you can pick one up at more than one local retailer without so much as a crowd to push through or a scalper to hand over double the asking price. If you’re ready to drop 749 dollarydoos on a shiny new gaming machine you’ve got the below options:

Amazon

Ever our go-to shopping destination for gaming gear, Amazon currently has the Xbox Series X readily in stock with free delivery promised before Friday, September 30 (depending on your location). That’s only a week away! Get around it here:

• Xbox Series X Console – $749 at Amazon with free shipping

Alternatively, the Xbox Series S is also on special at Amazon right now along with some essential accessories:

• Xbox Series S Console – $449 (was $499) with free shipping
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller Robot White – $79 (was $89.95) with free shipping
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller Carbon Black – $79 (was $89.95) with free shipping
• Xbox Wired Stereo Headset – $68 (was $89.95) with free shipping

Microsoft Store

Or if you’d rather go the official route, the Microsoft Store also has the console available with free delivery in presumably a similar timeframe. Take a look here:

• Xbox Series X Console – $749 at Microsoft Store with free shipping

Likewise you can grab a bunch of the essential accessories from Microsoft as well, including the new and cheaper Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 Core:

• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 – $189.95
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller Robot White –  $89.95
• Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller Carbon Black – $89.95
• Xbox Wireless Headset – $149.95
• Xbox Rechargeable Battery + USB-C Cable – $29.95

The Xbox also just got a big September software update adding a bunch of neat features, read about that here.

The post The Xbox Series X Is Readily Available Right Now So Get Around It appeared first on Press Start.

Earlier this year, Xbox announced that it was working with Discord to provide an update to in-game communications aimed at improving and streamlining the user audio experience. Starting today, Discord Voice is now available on all Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One Consoles.

Do you hear that? That's the sweet sound of @Discord Voice available on Xbox ? https://t.co/sp1tTMrejs pic.twitter.com/r8HTOyzuSr

— Xbox (@Xbox) September 13, 2022

With this update, Xbox players can now chat with anyone on Discord via voice channels or group calls directly from the console, making it easier to connect with friends on mobile, Xbox and PC. The update also features an on-screen overlay that lets you see who is in the call and who is speaking while you are playing on your console. You can also adjust the sound and switch between Discord Voice and Xbox game chat on the fly via the app settings.

To get started, head to the Discord mobile app and link your Discord account to your Xbox. You’ll need to do this step even if you’ve linked accounts before. After that, you can join any Discord voice channel or call and transfer it to your Xbox.

The post Discord Voice Chat Is Now Available On Xbox Consoles appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has announced that it will bring a new home dashboard to consoles in 2023. In a blog post, it revealed that it was working on a new home dashboard, with the first iteration rolling out to some Xbox Insiders today.

The aim of the new home dashboard will be to bring symmetry between the TV and console experience, with a new “jump back in” row that shows your most recently played in games, and important things such as settings, store, search and your games library being more front and centre.

KEY CHANGES IN THE FIRST NEW XBOX HOME UPDATE:

• The new “Jump back in” row gives you quick access to your most recently played games and apps.
• Easily access important system apps like Settings, Store, Search and My Games & Apps with their own dedicated tiles on Xbox Home.
• Consistent design and visual identifiers with updated layouts to keep the experience familiar.
• When you scroll down, you’ll see curated categories and recommendations tailored to your gaming preferences.

We’ll keep you posted as Xbox continue to change this before its eventual release in 2023.

The post A New Xbox Home Dashboard Is Coming appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has announced the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 (Core). The controller will only cost $189.95 AUD instead of the regular $249.95 price tag. The reason for this is that the only thing included in the box is the white Elite controller itself.

Outside of the fact that no components are included in the box (and the controller being white), the controller is identical to the regular Elite Controller Series 2 with a 40 hour battery life, adjustable tension thumbsticks, a wrap-around grip and shorter hair trigger locks.

You can see what is included with each of the Elite Controller Series 2 below:

If you’re still wanting the different components that are normally included with the Elite controller, you’ll be able to purchase an Xbox Elite Controller Complete component pack for $79.95 AUD which includes the dock, case and a bunch of interchangeable components:

• Carrying Case
• Charging Dock
• Classic thumbsticks (2)
• Tall thumbstick (1)
• Dome thumbstick (1)
• Cross-shaped D-pad (1)
• Set of 4 paddles: Medium (2), Mini (2)
• USB-C cable

If you’re buying the Core Xbox Elite Controller plus the Complete Component Pack, you’ll be paying $270 as opposed to the $250 you pay for the regular Elite Controller V2, so if you do want the accessories (and don’t want a white controller), make sure you think about that before you purchase.

The Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 Core is available to pre-order now right HERE and will release on September 21st. 

The Xbox Elite Complete Component Pack is available to pre-order for $79.95 HERE.

The post A Cheaper Xbox Elite Core Controller Has Been Announced appeared first on Press Start.

In addition to the new Xbox Elite Core Controller that was announced tonight, Xbox also announced that the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 is coming to the Xbox Design lab.

Unfortunately, we do have to wait a little bit longer with Xbox confirming that it will join the lineup this coming Holiday. It’ll be interesting to see what options are available with the standard Xbox Elite controller being available in black whilst the new Core controller is available in white. It’ll also be interesting to see if the different additional components can be purchased in different colours.

“Player choice has always been at the core of the elite series design philosophy. That is why we’re also excited to announce that we will be bringing Elite Wireless Series 2 Controllers to Xbox Design Lab later this holiday. We’ll have more details to share at a later date.” said Xbox in an Xbox Wire post.

Xbox Design Lab was finally made available earlier this year in Australia you can find it here.

The post The Xbox Elite Controller Is Coming To Xbox Design Lab appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has revealed September’s Xbox Game Pass games and it’s a great month when it comes to games that we didn’t know were previously coming to the platform. This includes Disney Dreamlight Valley: Founder’s Edition and Metal Helsinger which are two highly anticipated games that are launching on the service.

SEPTEMBER XBOX GAME PASS GAMES

• Grid Legends (Console/PC) – Today
• Disney Dreamlight Valley: Founder’s Edition (Console/Cloud/PC) – Today
• Opus Magnum (PC) – Today
• Train World Sim 3 (Console/PC) – Today
• Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation (PC) – September 13th
• DC League of Super-Pets: The ADventures of Krypto and Ace (Console/Cloud/PC) – September 13th
• You Suck At Parking (Console/Cloud/PC) – September 14th
• Despot’s Game (Console/PC) – September 15th
• Metal: Helsinger (Console/PC) – September 15th

GAMES LEAVING XBOX GAME PASS ON SEPTEMBER 15TH

There’s also a pretty big number of games leaving too and you can see that list below.

• A Plague Tale: Innocence (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Aragami 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Craftopia (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Final Fantasy XIII (Console and PC)
• Flynn: Son of Crimson (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• I Am Fish (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Lost Words: Beyond the Page (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Mighty Goose (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• SkateBird (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• The Artful Escape (Cloud, Console, and PC)

The post September’s Xbox Game Pass Games Have Been Revealed And It’s A Banger Month appeared first on Press Start.

It’s a big night for Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard with the Competition and Markets Authority based out of the UK recommending that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard face a second phase of investigation.

This is due to the below reasons:

• The deal could see Microsoft “withholding or degrading” Activision Blizzard’s content from other consoles or subscription services
• Microsoft could leverage its broader ecosystem together with Activision’s catalogue to “raise barriers to entry and foreclose rivals in cloud gaming services”

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard now have until September 8th to offer substantial reasonings why these two things won’t be the case or it will face a second phase investigation in the UK. The acquisition has already reached a second phase investigation in the US Federal Trade Commission which could extend well into 2023.

Xbox has wasted absolutely no time with Phil Spencer publishing a blog post on the Microsoft Blog detailing how the acquisition will provide more access to these games rather than take it away from existing platforms.

You can read the full blog post HERE, but Phil Spencer confirms what has already been thought, that Call of Duty, Overwatch and Diablo will be available on Game Pass, and also giving access for gamers to play these games through Cloud gaming (on the likes of Samsung TVs), which Xbox believes will open these franchises to even more gamers.

Xbox also goes on to recommit the fact that it does not plan to take the likes of Call of Duty away from platforms such as PlayStation where it already exists. Interestingly, this time around, Spencer does not mention any contracts, simply stating that “we are committed to making the same version of Call of Duty available on PlayStation on the same day the game launches elsewhere.” and then references Minecraft being a Microsoft property but remaining on all other consoles.

Interestingly, Call of Duty is the only franchise called out here. It’s unclear if that is due to the fact that Xbox only plans for this to remain on PlayStation, or if it’s just called out because it’s the largest and most mainstream franchise in the Activision Blizzard staple.

The blog post then goes onto detail that Xbox welcomes the hard questions being asked, but it believes that much like Sony and Tencent continue to expand their deep and extensive library of games, it believes that a thorough review will show that Microsoft and Activision Blizzard combining will benefit the industry and gamers.

The post Call Of Duty, Diablo & Overwatch Have Been Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass If Acquisition Deal Passes appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has announced September’s Xbox Games with Gold and it’s probably one of the better months in recent times with Gods will Fall, Double Kick Heroes, Thrillville and Portal 2 rounding out the lineup.

It’s worth noting that Portal 2 will be the final Xbox 360 game in the lineup, and we can’t really think of a more fitting way to end the 360’s participation.

SEPTEMBER’S XBOX GAMES WITH GOLD LINEUP

• Gods Will Fall: Available September 1 to 30
• Double Kick Heroes: Available September 16 to October 15
• Thrillville: Available September 1 to 15
• Portal 2: Available September 16 to 30

You can find a bit about each game below:

Gods Will Fall

Take up the battle against the very deities themselves in this brutal action & adventure epic. The gods have lorded over the world for millennia ruling with a cruel iron fist that demands unquestioning fealty. You and your fellow Celtic warriors are the very last chance for humanity. Grab your mace, test your spear, and sharpen your ax to battle horrific beasts and minions that dwell in hellish lands of each god. Your decisions can make you a legend or you can be dust.

Double Kick Heroes

The pure power of Metal compels you! Travel the post-apocalyptic freeways battling zombies and militia in your tricked out Cadillac – the Gundillac. It’s a wild game that combos a shoot ‘em up with a rhythm game. Bang your head with your band thru 30 levels of madness and heavy, heavy metal.

Thrillville

Summer doesn’t have to ever end when you get to build your amusement park. You get to do everything from design roller coasters to go-carts, play mini-golf on your own courses, and join friends for party games. Make sure to check in with the guests to ensure they are loving your theme park as much as you are, and make adjustments to keep them happy! It’s non-stop fun in the virtual sun!

Portal 2

One of the all-time classics is available for you to teleport into problem-solving mode. Use your wits over weapons in this sci-fi puzzler. In addition to portals, use tractor beams, lasers, light bridges, and more. With humorous new characters voiced by the likes of Stephen Merchant and J.K. Simmons, the story and humor is as much a joy as the problem-solving. Play single -player or co-op to start bending the rules of physics

The post September’s Xbox Games With Gold Have Been Revealed Including The Final Xbox 360 Game appeared first on Press Start.

After yesterday’s news that revealed the price of a PlayStation 5 console is expected to go up in pretty much every territory except the United States, Microsoft has confirmed to CNET that they wouldn’t be following suit and making a change to the pricing currently in place for the Xbox Series X/S models.

“We are constantly evaluating our business to offer our fans great gaming options,” a spokesperson for Microsoft told CNET in a statement via email.

“Our Xbox Series S suggested retail price remains at $299 (499 AUD) and the Xbox Series X is $499 ($749 AUD). This also applies to other markets and their current pricing.”

In terms of how things stack up locally, this means a PlayStation 5 will be $50AUD more expensive than Xbox’s most premium offering in the Xbox Series X. The biggest difference can be seen between the PlayStation 5’s all-digital console ($649.95AUD) and the Xbox Series S ($499AUD), where a $150AUD gulf now exists.

The post Microsoft Says The Xbox Series X/S Price Won’t Increase Following The PS5 Price Hike appeared first on Press Start.

It’s been a long time between drinks, but the Xbox Series X is available at the Microsoft Store. You can find it right HERE. 

• Xbox Series X – $749

Xbox Series X drops continue to be rather infrequent compared to the PlayStation 5, so if you’re keen it’s a good idea to jump on these while you can.

Don’t forget to check out what’s new on Game Pass this month to check out on your shiny new console if you grab one.

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING AND TECH BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS

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Xbox has revealed the next batch of August Xbox Game Pass games which includes the likes of Immortals Fenyx Rising but a big in this latest drop is just how many games are leaving which includes the likes of Hades, Two Point Hospital, Twelve Minutes, World War Z and NBA 2K22. It’s the biggest list I can remember in recent times.

GAMES COMING TO XBOX GAME PASS IN AUGUST

• Coffee Talk (Cloud/Console/PC) – Today
• Midnight Flight Express (Cloud/Console/PC) – August 23rd
• Exapunks (PC) – August 25th
• Opus: Echo of Starsong – August 25th
• Commands 3: HD Remaster (Cloud/Console/PC) – August 30th
• Immortality (Cloud/Console/PC) – August 30th
• Immortals Fenyx Rising  (Cloud/Console/PC) – August 30th
• Tinykin (Console/PC) – August 30th

GAMES LEAVING XBOX GAME PASS ON AUGUST 31ST

• Elite Dangerous (Cloud and Console)
• Hades (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Myst (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• NBA 2K22 (Cloud and Console)
• Signs of the Sojourner (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Spiritfarer (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Twelve Minutes (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Two Point Hospital (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• What Remains of Edith Finch (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• World War Z (Cloud, Console, and PC)’

16 NEW XBOX GAME PASS GAMES GETTING TOUCH CONTROLS

The post More August Xbox Game Pass Games Have Been Revealed And A Bunch Are Leaving Too appeared first on Press Start.

Thanks to everybody who entered. The winner of the incredible Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle prize pack is:

• Dana Callaghan

Thanks to Bethesda ANZ, we have an incredible Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle prize pack to give away to celebrate the release of the expansion on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC.

Featured is an extremely limited Xbox prize prize pack including a custom Xbox Series S, Xbox wireless controller and Xbox stereo headset which have all been lovingly created by friend of the site We Are Robots.

The prize pack includes:

• Custom Xbox Series S console
• Custom Xbox Wireless controller
• Custom Xbox Stereo Headset
• The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle Collector’s Edition Digital Code

WIN: Custom ESO High Isle Xbox Series S Console + Xbox Wireless Controller + Xbox Headset + ESO: High Isle CE

THIS COMPETITION WILL END ON JULY 10TH AT 11:59PM AEST. CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOEN’T LOAD.

The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle is available now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC.

EB Games Has A Decent Xbox Series S Bundle Deal With Some Epic Console Trade Deals To Boot

The post The Winner Of Our ESO High Isle Xbox Series S Console Competition appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has revealed the first August games for Xbox Game Pass and it includes the likes of Ghost Recon: Wildlands and Two Point Campus.

AUGUST XBOX GAME PASS GAMES

• Ghost Recon Wildlands (Cloud/Console/PC) – Today
• Shenzhen (PC) – August 4th
• Turbo Gold Racing (Cloud/Console/PC) – August 4th
• Two Point Campus (Cloud/Console/PC) – August 9th
• Cooking Simulator (Cloud/Console/PC) – August 11th
• Expeditions: Rome (PC)
• Offworld Trading Company (PC) – August 11th
• Midnight Flight Express (Console/PC) – August 23rd
• Immortality (Console/PC) – August 30th

GAMES LEAVING XBOX GAME PASS IN AUGUST

These games are leaving Xbox Game Pass on August 15th.

• Boyfriend Dungeon (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Curse of the Dead Gods (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Library of Ruina (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Starmancer (Game Preview) (PC)
• Train Sim World 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)

The post August’s Xbox Game Pass Games Have Been Revealed appeared first on Press Start.