All articles tagged with #xbox series x
Rebel Wolves confirms a day-one 60fps Performance Mode for The Blood of Dawnwalker on PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X, with Series S capped at 30fps and PS5 Pro getting visual upgrades; the title launches Sept. 3, 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Microsoft is commemorating Xbox’s 25th anniversary with a limited-edition Series X reportedly priced as high as $900, releasing November 27, featuring a translucent green cabinet, 1TB storage, a special anniversary controller, and hidden easter eggs, with pricing parity to the PS5 Pro and a hint that Microsoft expects further console-price hikes in 2027 as AI-driven memory costs rise.
Microsoft has hiked Xbox console prices worldwide due to rising memory and storage chip costs, with the Series X (disc version) now £670 and the Series S at £430; in the US, base consoles rose to $499 and higher-memory variants to $749, with EU prices up as well, as RAM and GPU costs rise amid AI demand. The moves follow Sony’s PS5 price increase and come amid broader industry cost pressures, while Microsoft also faces gaming-revenue dips and a major restructuring that cut about 3,200 jobs.
Microsoft is hiking EU/UK Xbox prices by up to €200 or £170, with the 1TB Series X Disc rising to €799.99/£669.99 and the 512GB Series S jumping to €499.99/£429.99; the 1TB Series S and 1TB Series X Digital also increase, and a 2TB model is being retired amid a storage crunch, marking the third price increase since May 2025.
Jez Corden previews Gears of War: E-Day’s new Horde Siege mode, calling it a chaotic, cinematic upgrade that supports up to 12 players on sprawling maps with dynamic objectives and raid‑boss sequences. The mode emphasizes squad roles, energy-based defenses, and spectacular firefights, delivering a bigger, more chaotic PvE experience than previous Horde iterations. An Early Access beta is available August 6 for pre-orders, with the full launch on October 6; latency in Europe was noted during testing, but the spectacle and scale suggest a standout multiplayer experience for Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Digital Foundry's tests show Halo: Campaign Evolved runs well on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5 Pro with near-parity between PS5 and Series X; the PS5 Pro delivers sharper visuals and smoother frame rates, while the standard PS5 offers the most cohesive experience.
Bandai Namco released a free update for Digimon Story: Time Stranger across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Switch and Switch 2, adding a 60 FPS Performance Mode on PS5 and Series X (not on Series S), Photo Mode during exploration, a Graphics Mode option, and Terriermon Assist playable; the patch also includes various fixes, with Switch versions arriving with the Switch 2 launch window.
A Polish gaming podcast cites a credible source suggesting Grand Theft Auto VI could include a 60 FPS performance mode on PS5 and Xbox Series X, though it may not be ready at launch; Series S is expected to stick with 30 FPS for now. Rockstar has not officially confirmed the modes, and implementation could arrive via a later patch rather than day one.
GTA 6 pre-orders kicked off with Microsoft claiming Xbox orders have broken records, but there’s no official data yet. Anecdotal signals (including IGN Finds’ 8-to-1 PS5-to-Xbox pre-order ratio) and a temporary PS5 stock-out on Amazon suggest PS5 could lead, though Xbox cautions that affiliate-linked figures don’t reflect true pre-orders. With no concrete data, experts expect PS5 to continue outselling Xbox Series X/S this generation, but the exact split remains uncertain.
Prices for major consoles have risen sharply in 2026 as Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo raise hardware prices amid component shortages and broader economic pressures. PS5 models now hover around $600–$900 (Digital Edition $600, with Disc Drive $650, and Pro around $900), Nintendo’s Switch lineup shows modest increases (Switch Lite $230, Standard $340, OLED $400, Switch 2 at $450 with a $500 target by Sept. 1, 2026), and Xbox Series S/X have jumped (Series S from $300–$400 to $500 effective Aug. 1, 2026; Series X 1TB from $650 to $800 by Aug. 1, 2026). Sony is pursuing new monetization strategies for software/network revenue, while Xbox Game Pass prices are up, signaling a trend toward pricier hardware and ongoing monetization beyond the initial device.
Retailers warn that ongoing chip shortages and the upcoming GTA 6 release could leave current-gen PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles in short supply this fall, with prices rising and refurbished units being suggested as a workaround ahead of the November launch.
Ahead of the 2026 Summer Xbox Games Showcase, Gears of War: E-Day was announced as an Xbox Series X/S and PC exclusive, releasing Oct. 6, 2026. While reports and listings suggested a PS5 version, The Coalition says it never publicly discussed a PS5 release, and Xbox officials dispute a last‑minute change. Officially, the game remains an Xbox exclusive, with other evidence remaining unconfirmed.
Digital Foundry’s early testing of Halo: Campaign Evolved on Xbox Series X shows a rock-solid 60 FPS in Performance mode with dynamic resolution averaging 50–75% of output (often around 1080p), while the Series S version isn’t ready yet and the PC/ROG Ally X build runs ~30–40 FPS on Very Low. It’s initial footage and results could change before the July 23 early access release, with additional XSX vs Series S comparisons expected later.
Gears of War: E-Day is positioned as the potential first UE5 title to truly fulfill the engine’s promise, touting large, varied environments, minimal pop-in, hardware-accelerated Lumen ray-traced lighting, long draw distances, extensive environmental effects, and a target 60fps, following a seven-year gap since the last mainline game. Halo: Campaign Evolved is also highlighted as a UE5 showcase with upgraded visuals, new missions, weapons, and gameplay changes, aiming for a July 26 release across Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. The Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition console is a notable hardware showpiece, and while the Xbox Showcase delivered exciting footage, questions remain about Microsoft’s evolving exclusivity strategy.
Gears of War: E‑Day Collector’s Edition bundles the Xbox Series X Premium Edition disc with a 15‑inch diorama statue, replica COG tags, a SteelBook, and exclusive in‑game perks; it provides up to 5 days of early access starting October 1, 2026 (global release October 6), with pre-orders now open and an open beta beginning August 6, 2026; the edition is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Steam, and via Game Pass, with limited quantities.