All articles tagged with #xbox
Xbox Game Pass’s May 2026 lineup currently includes four titles: Mixtape (May 7), Call Of The Elder Gods (May 12), Forza Horizon 6 (May 19), and Subnautica 2 (date TBD). Additional games may join from April’s lineup, and other updates could shift dates before launch.
Microsoft is testing a substantial overhaul of Xbox achievements, including new icons, animations, and a redesigned achievements hub that will let players highlight completed games, hide titles, and filter by mastery. The features are being piloted by Xbox Insiders with a broader rollout expected in the coming months, and readers are invited to vote in the poll on whether they like the changes.
Ex-Bethesda head Pete Hines says he watched the studio be damaged and mistreated after Microsoft’s 2021 acquisition, felt unable to protect staff or execute needed changes, and criticized the lack of authenticity in leadership, while noting some Microsoft colleagues he respects and recalling his FTC trial involvement and debates over platform exclusivity around Starfield and other titles.
From April 9 at 8:00 AM PT to April 12 at 11:59 PM PT, Subnautica is free on Xbox for Game Pass Ultimate/Premium/Essential members, while Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero are 50% off from April 2–16; Subnautica 2, built on Unreal Engine 5, promises a bigger world and optional co-op, with progress saved via Xbox Cloud Saves and continued access requiring a purchase after the Free Play Days.
Xbox is directly soliciting ideas for new console features from fans, with top suggestions including an expanded achievements system (backward-compatible titles, split SP/MP/DLC, easier Gamerscore, and a Platinum-style completion); a remastered dashboard with HDR support; improvements to the Xbox DVR and video editing flow; enhanced social features (screensharing in party chats, camera tools, remote play); and nostalgia/cosmetic upgrades like PiP, ultrawide/multi-monitor support, and updates to Xbox Ally and a new Elite controller.
The Triple-I Initiative Showcase 2026 delivered a wave of Xbox-focused reveals and updates, from new titles and DLCs to console debuts and release windows. Highlights include Sledding Game joining Xbox Game Pass with an April 30, 2026 date, STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions and Solarpunk getting firm release windows, console debuts for Super Battle Golf and Warhammer Survivors, and additional reveals such as Alkahest gameplay, Brotato: Primal Dead, CloverPit’s Unholy Fusion DLC, and Graveyard Keeper 2 among others.
Xbox is sending Project Helix-branded gift boxes to US content creators, including a card signed by new Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma, as part of a promotional push ahead of a broader next-gen reveal. No hardware has been shown yet, but XboxIs signaling more details could come with upcoming events like the June Games Showcase.
During the Triple-I Interactive showcase, Graveyard Keeper is free to add on the Xbox Store for a limited time and yours to keep; claim it before April 13 at 10am PT. The event also revealed Graveyard Keeper 2 for Xbox and other platforms.
Windows and Xbox are signaling a consumer‑first reboot by reviving Insider events and pushing user‑requested features (like the vertical taskbar) after a period of AI‑driven controversy. Jez Corden frames the shift as a potentially panic‑driven pivot tied to OpenAI tensions and the profitability challenges of AI within Azure, suggesting Microsoft may rethink or split from OpenAI to refocus on core Windows/Xbox experiences and win back trust from users. The piece situates this as a strategic turn this year, though the author remains skeptical about its durability.
With Microsoft signaling more Xbox Achievements updates in 2026, fans are pushing for three main changes: separate DLC achievements from base completion to avoid affecting 100% status, introduce or better support a 'platinum' style finish for fully completed titles (plus developer tooling), and allow players to delete games and their achievements from profiles (with safeguards to prevent abuse), while also discussing related options like hiding progress and backwards-compatibility improvements.
Microsoft's Free Play Days for April 9–12 lets Xbox players try Graveyard Keeper (free to download and keep forever if added by April 13), Subnautica (requires Xbox Game Pass to play until April 12), One Piece Pirate Warriors 4, and Project Motor Racing (both free for all Xbox players through April 12). The lineup is complemented by ongoing Xbox Spring Sale discounts across thousands of titles.
Xbox chief Asha Sharma says a new dedicated team has been formed to focus on fan feedback, with multiple achievements updates rolling out now and more features teased for the near future.
Xbox is testing a major Achievements update with Xbox Insiders that brings a visual refresh (new icons and animations with color-matched profile flair) and introduces ways to curate your public trophy list: you can hide certain games from your Achievements history and highlight titles you’ve fully completed, aided by a filter to quickly access mastered games.
Xbox is refreshing its Achievements with a visual overhaul, updated unlock icons/animations, customizable notifications, a new highlight for 100% completions (with sorting), and an option to hide games from the Achievements list. The changes roll out to Xbox Insider members today and are headed for all users later this year, with more updates teased for 2026.
Xbox is testing a long-overdue refresh of its Achievements system, adding smoother notification animations, the ability to hide specific games from the list, and a new 100-percent completion tracker, all part of leadership’s push to address player feedback; the changes are rolling out to Insiders before a wider release.