Ex-Bungie executive Christopher Barrett — a longtime developer at the studio that majorly contributed to Halo, Destiny, and Marathon before he was fired last year due to a dispute over complaints of inappropriate workplace behavior — has revealed that the original idea behind Marathon actually stemmed from an MMO my parents played 20 years ago: Dark Age of Camelot (DAoC).

I have fond memories of watching my family enjoy the acclaimed 2001 title when I was a kid, and even dabbled in it myself a bit when I grew older, but I haven't heard it mentioned by anyone for years. Thus, to learn that it was primary inspiration for Marathon came as quite a surprise. After reading why, though, I immediately understood.

"The original inspiration was not Tarkov or extraction shooters. It was Dark Age of Camelot. A tense living world experience filled with co-op player stories and the potential danger of other players," wrote Barrett in a post on social media. "Extraction was just a convenient mechanic leveraged to create a ~15 minute game loop where players in the same session have multiple opportunities to succeed or fail."

That description sounds exactly like DAoC's realm vs. realm (RvR) zones in which players from the MMO's three distinct realms — Albion, Midgard, and Hibernia — could encounter each other and engage in PvP while fighting through dungeons and other points of interest filled with PvE mobs.

It also sounds a whole lot like the foundation of extraction shooter gameplay in general, which made me realize the core concept of the genre can be traced back to RvR MMO experiences as much as it can be to early-2010s ARMA and DayZ modding.

Barrett went on to list some of his "original design goals" for Marathon, some of which include persistent servers players can always spawn onto or extract from — think ARC Raiders sessions, but without a timer — a player-driven "living world" with "emergent dynamic events," a focus on facilitating unique player stories and experiences, and survival elements like broken limbs or leaking gas tanks to keep players on their toes and push them to creatively adapt.

He also imagines a game that draws on the lore and story of the original Marathon titles to present "a compelling, deep, interesting world that feels worthy of your time," an experience with completely unique and customizable player characters ("no heroes"), "live service robustness" and consistent updates, and win conditions that ensure playstyles beyond "PvP twitch dominance" have a "path to success."

Barrett concluded by noting that "I obviously can’t speak to the current game direction," and indeed, Marathon has deviated from this original vision in some ways. For one, the game has distinct Runner characters ("personality matrixes," if you will) with hero shooter-esque abilities, and it also features timed raids instead of persistent servers.

With that said, it also seems to be leaning in the direction of this original concept a bit compared to the game we saw earlier this spring. As revealed in a recent ViDoc showcase, proximity chat is coming to promote more social interactions between players, and PvE encounters are being made more dynamic and dangerous too; I expect these will encourage on-the-fly decisions to team up and help ensure each match feels unique.

We'll know for sure how the finished version of Marathon plays when it launches at some point in March 2026. It was originally scheduled to release on September 23, 2025 this year, but was delayed in June.

What do you think of Christopher Barrett's original vision for Marathon, and how it compares to the version of the game that Bungie is making now? Let me know in the comments.

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With numerous accolades secured, Sandfall has now shifted its focus to future projects like its next game. But notably, those who expect the developer to grow in size following Expedition 33's massive success will be surprised to learn that the studio has no plans to do so whatsoever.

That news comes from comments from director Guillaume Broche (thanks, GamesRadar) in which he details why Sandfall isn't aiming to make a "larger-scale production" moving forward. "No, I think it's good to have limitations when you are creative," he said. "It's the best way to be the best version of yourself."

While the developer could "scale up" with all the funding and acclaim it now has, Broche explains that Sandfall would rather focus on "making games" instead of contending with all the management that running a larger, wider team would entail.

"We could scale up now that we have a lot more money, but I would say it's not tempting for us because even the management team and myself, we'd have to be hands-on and doing things for ourselves," he said. "We love making games more than we love managing, so we want to keep doing that. These past five years were some of the best of my life, and I want to be happy like that again."

I'm sure the thought of expanding Sandfall significantly and ambitiously trying to tackle a bigger and bolder project than Expedition 33 is, at the very least, a little tempting, but I fully understand why Broche and others at the studio hold the position they do, and I admire them for it.

While Expedition 33 wasn't made by a team of just 30 developers as is so often rumored — external contractors contributed majorly to the award-winning RPG — Sandfall does have a tight core team, and undoubtedly, that small size helps the studio stick to a unified vision and focus on development rather than management.

The decision to steer clear of some very strong opportunities for growth in order to retain the same development process that led to the creation of Expedition 33 speaks to Sandfall's prioritization of passion and enjoyment over maximizing profit and success. That stands out at a time when it seems like big-name studios publishers are continually pushing for larger and larger games, and at a time when more than a handful of those ambitious projects don't work out.

It's worth noting that despite ending 2025 on a somewhat sour note — it was disqualified from The Indie Game Awards for briefly using AI-generated placeholder textures — Expedition 33 was the year's biggest third-party Xbox Game Pass game, and is available to play on Microsoft's buffet-style gaming service now.

If you'd rather not play Expedition 33 through Xbox Game Pass, you can alternatively pick up a full copy of the game. It's usually $49.99, but thanks to a nice deal, you can pick up the PC version for $29.49 at Loaded.

Do you think Sandfall Interactive is making the right call in choosing to remain the size that it was when it developed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33? Or do you believe the developer should grow and "scale up?" Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Arkane Austin's shutdown was a tragic end for the studio's employees and for fans of its creative, systems-driven games, and it's also one we haven't gotten much of a behind-the-scenes perspective off. At least, not until now.

Recently, former director Harvey Smith — known for contributing to System Shock and Deus Ex, in addition to Arkane Austin's projects — went on the My Perfect Console podcast to discuss his time in the gaming industry, and recounted what it was like for him and for other Arkane devs to get the bad news.

"I got a call the night before and spent a very stressful night thinking about that, every company makes the decisions they make for the reasons they make them," Smith said. "I don't agree with them often."

"It was a shock, because we had done really good work, and this is a group of people, in some cases, who had worked together for one project [and] in other cases, like me and Ricardo Bare [Prey and Prey: Mooncrash writer] for instance, had worked together since the late nineties," he continued.

But while the closure of Arkane Austin led to many painful breakups of longtime developer partnerships, Smith noted that he was worried most about the effects of the shutdown on younger devs.

"Who I really felt for were the people that were new, like, this was their first project, or they'd only been in the industry for a little while," he explained. "Mostly it was shock and it was trying to help, especially the people that, for whom, this was just a mind-blowing experience."

Smith then told host Simon Parkin that for a time, he hadn't processed the shutdown on a personal level much, as he was "head down" on improving Redfall before Arkane Austin's impending dissolution. Redfall infamously had disastrous stability issues in addition to its controversial gameplay design; Smith and others worked intensely to resolve these, and "only really a couple of months into it did I stop and breathe."

Ultimately, he believes Redfall may have been more positively received if the game launched in its improved 1.4 state, and is thankful that Microsoft and Xbox allowed the devs to patch the title up after launch. However, he argues that closing the studio was the wrong call.

"It was not a decision I agreed with. I did believe very much in the future of the studio. We were working on something very cool," Smith said.

It ultimately wasn't confirmed what that "very cool" project was, though he did go on to note that Arkane Austin was, at one point, creating a new Thief game, though development stopped after Eidos Interactive retained control of the property.

Interestingly, he also made mention of a Blade Runner game that the studio was working on for a time. "We were working for a while on a Blade Runner game, which was super exciting to me," he said. "What we could have done with Blade Runner…"

As a huge fan of Dishonored and Prey myself, losing Arkane Austin was crushing, and has me worried for the future of immersive sims like those titles. One excellent one you can play right now is the Early Access game Gloomwood from DUSK developer David Szymanski and publisher New Blood Interactive, and there's a chance Marvel's Blade — in development at Austin's sister studio Arkane Lyon, responsible for Deathloop and Dishonored 2 — could be one as well.

Was Microsoft and Xbox wrong to close Arkane Austin after Redfall flopped with critics and consumers? Do you think it made the right call? Let me know what you think in the comments.

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It is no secret that Halo Infinite was originally positioned as a 10-year live service platform, intended to grow and evolve over time. What ultimately shipped fell well short of that ambition.

While it took roughly four years for Halo Infinite to reach feature and content parity with Halo: Reach, it is now generally accepted as a solid entry in the series. Some even regard it as 343 Industries’ strongest contribution to the franchise to date, and that contribution just got its sequel, but it isn’t what you think.

How Halo continues its story outside of games

I will avoid spoilers here for anything post Halo Infinite, but the Halo games since 343 Industries took over, and now under Halo Studios, have unfortunately felt increasingly disjointed. While the studio got off to a strong start, despite my own issues with the gameplay, Halo 4 delivered a largely cohesive story that directly continued from the events of Halo 3.

Sadly, this was the last time the mainline Halo games felt meaningfully connected. The jump from Halo 4 to Halo 5 proved confusing for anyone who had not kept up with the expanded universe through books, with the introduction of Blue Team for the first time in the games, leaving some players confused.

That confusion was only compounded by the fact that Halo 5’s story is widely regarded as the weakest in the franchise. As a result, large portions of its narrative were quietly abandoned in favour of the direction taken with Halo Infinite. While that was likely the right decision, very little was done to bring game-only players up to speed, especially when Halo 5’s ending is picked up directly in a book rather than a game.

This is not a new phenomenon either. Halo 3: ODST also received its narrative follow-up outside the games, with Halo: New Blood focusing on Buck, a fan favourite character, whose story is continued in Halo: New Blood following on from the events of ODST and detailing his eventual recruitment into the Spartan IV programme.

The Halo Infinite sequel

If you have not pieced things together yet, the sequel to Halo Infinite is, in fact, a book. Halo: Edge of Dawn was released within the past week and is written by Kelly Gay.

She is a well-established name within the Halo universe, having authored several well-regarded entries, alongside her own Gods and Monsters and Charlie Madigan series.

The book picks up immediately after the ending of Halo Infinite, acting as a direct continuation of the campaign rather than a standalone side story. It expands on the Endless, reveals the chosen name of the Weapon, Master Chief’s new AI companion following Cortana’s departure, and provides deeper insight into Zeta Halo itself.

Without spoiling any details, the story raises an important question about the future. When Halo 7 eventually releases, will players be expected to already understand these developments, or will the game retread ground that has already been covered in the books, something the series has rarely, if ever, done before?

As a lifelong fan who also enjoys the novels, because they are all genuinely great books, it is still disappointing to see major story developments reach only a small portion of the audience. At times, it genuinely feels as though Halo has become a book series first, with the occasional game used to move things forward.

Halo’s story has increasingly continued outside the games, with major plot developments now unfolding in books rather than playable campaigns. Does that approach work for you, or does it make the series harder to follow if you only play the games? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and take part in the poll below.

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Likely helped by weaker Xbox performance overall due to its lack of sales, Nex Playground edged past Xbox Series X|S to claim third place in units sold for the month, I’m sure in part thanks to its $250 price tag.

Devices like this serve as a stark reminder, at least to me, of how short-sighted Microsoft can sometimes be. The shutdown of Windows Phone, which could have strengthened Microsoft’s broader ecosystem efforts, and the eventual closure of Cortana, an early AI voice assistant, both stand out as missed opportunities that feel especially relevant in hindsight.

Nex CEO says Wii lessons and subscriptions are key

In an interview with The Game Business, the CEO of Nex, David Lee, said the company set out to learn from the rise of Nintendo’s Wii, but also from the challenges that followed. While Wii succeeded in bringing new audiences into gaming, Lee explained that many of those players only ever bought a handful of games, creating long-term Sustainability issues for the platform. Lee goes on to say:

Building on this, Lee added:

The Nex Playground has since found success with younger audiences, offering games based on popular IP such as Bluey, Peppa Pig, Fruit Ninja, and more.

Access to that library is handled through Play Pass, a subscription service that unlocks a growing catalogue of games for a recurring fee. The parallels with Xbox Game Pass are clear, although the focus here is firmly on families and younger players rather than a broader gaming audience.

Oh, how this could have been Kinect

As mentioned at the start, Microsoft’s ability to be short-sighted can be impressive at times. Here, it is easy to imagine an alternative reality where Microsoft repurposed Kinect toward a more family-oriented audience, expanding what an Xbox could be years before the phrase “this is an Xbox” was ever coined.

Instead, Kinect was discontinued in 2017, and we do not live in a world where Microsoft can see the future. With the benefit of hindsight, Nex Playground makes it hard not to wonder whether that decision was too hasty, and to add insult to injury, their vision aligns with just what Microsoft wants to do, with Lee adding:

As Nex’s CEO makes clear, the console’s success wasn’t an accident In an industry that often chases power over play, its Kinect‑like approach proved there’s still room for hardware that prioritizes inclusivity over specs.

Whether this strategy can be replicated in today’s market is another question entirely, but its unexpected victory over Xbox stands as a reminder that sometimes the biggest wins come from thinking outside the traditional console race.

Do you think Microsoft should have repurposed Kinect rather than discontinuing it, or did it make the right call at the time? Share your thoughts below, and let us know how you feel about Microsoft’s ongoing tendency to end support for hardware and software that later feels more relevant than ever.

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Blizzard already has two big launches set for the first half of 2026

Looking ahead, Blizzard already seems set with two big launches coming fairly early next year. World of Warcraft: Midnight is set to arrive on March 2, 2026.

Meanwhile, Diablo 4 is getting its second expansion with the launch of Lord of Hatred on April 28, 2026, bringing new story and two new classes, including the Paladin, which is available now for anyone that preorders the expansion.

I'm curious what the teams have further down the line, as it seems unlikely that new expansions will be ready for Diablo 4 and World of Warcraft in 2027. Might we see Blizzard launch some entirely new games?

Do you think Blizzard can actually hit that pace without sacrificing quality, or is this just corporate optimism talking? Drop your thoughts below and hit our poll — what do you want Blizzard’s new release era to look like?

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It would ultimately go on to become the best-selling game of 2025, with Season 1 updates and the launch of the free-to-play battle royale Battlefield REDSEC helping to maintain the game's popularity. Its numbers have tapered off and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 outsold it in November, but it still maintains a very strong player base and all signs point to it remaining the year's overall best seller.

It's within this context that Battlefield Studios has revealed what's coming to the game in future seasons and 2026, including Season 2 and beyond, in a new Community Update post (Season 1 is expected to end mid-January). Alongside some interesting multiplayer statistics and spotlights of fan-made Portal creations, we got an idea of what to expect from upcoming content updates.

The devs say they're "refining core gameplay, balance, and quality-of-life improvements across Multiplayer, REDSEC, and Portal," while also building new maps and weapons "that introduce fresh tactical opportunities and keep the experience evolving in meaningful ways." There will also be "fresh experiences for future seasons," implying more experimental, limited-time modes like Winter Offensive's Ice Lock are on the way.

Beyond that, Battlefield Studios is also looking to integrate Battlefield Labs testing into the live version of Battlefield 6 in some way (currently, its playtests run on separate builds), and hopes to introduce solo REDSEC battle royale play "at a quality level that feels right for Battlefield."

Oh, and the nimble minigun-equipped Little Bird helicopter is still on the way, too: "And for those keeping an eye on the skies…yes, a certain little bird is eager to say hi again."

"Whether you’re reading this between matches, on the way to see family, or taking a well-deserved break from the battlefield, thank you for being here. Your support throughout launch, your energy during Season 1, and all of your Only in Battlefield moments have made this year unforgettable," the studio wrote in its post.

"Your reports and thoughtful discussions have helped us iterate quickly and focus on the things that matter most. We will continue to build on this collaboration as we move into the new year."

The developers also noted that from now until New Years and the arrival of 2026, "the team will be taking a short breather to recharge," and that "communication may be quieter during this time." They assure players that support services and anti-cheat operations will continue as normal, though.

"From all of us on the Battlefield team, thank you for an amazing year. Happy holidays, stay safe, and we will see you on the Battlefield again soon," they added.

This is a nice letter to fans from the devs, and also a good overview of what we can expect to see from Battlefield 6 in 2026 and beyond. As for the new types of content mentioned? Fresh maps, weapons, and the eventual return of the Little Bird are all exciting, as are new modes to enjoy. I don't care about battle royale solos (or REDSEC in general), but for those that do, it's good to see that's in the oven as well.

Some additional things I really want to see from Battlefield 6 is an official server browser with official persistent Battlefield Studios-maintained servers, as well as better spotlights for creative community Portal maps and modes. Hopefully we'll get both in the new year.

Have you been enjoying Battlefield 6 since its launch in October? Do you still play often, or have you moved on to other games? Let me know in the comments.

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Impacted games included Rare's new IP Everwild as well as The Elder Scrolls Online-maker ZeniMax Online's new MMO, and tragically, the Perfect Dark reboot as well. Microsoft also shut down the studio it formed in 2018 to make Perfect Dark, The Initiative, at the same time.

The revival of Rare's dormant stealthy sci-fi FPS series was announced in 2020, and had just gotten a gameplay reveal trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase 2024 months before the axe came down. Thus, while it was understood the game went through development struggles, its cancelation nevertheless came as a complete shock to most — and not just to players, either.

In a new interview with TheGamer, Alix Wilton-Regan — the actress that would have starred as protagonist Joanna Dark, also known for roles in Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and Cyberpunk 2077 — revealed that the news of the layoffs, cancelation, and closure of The Initiative came out of nowhere, and that she found out "at the same time as everybody else."

"I was as shocked, surprised, and devastated as everyone else was when the funding was pulled, and the studio was closed," she said. "I did not see it coming. I was absolutely blindsided when the project was defunded."

"It was devastating. So many people lost their jobs. An entire workforce was disbanded. There was an ecosystem of creativity and collaboration that was in place that we lost overnight," she continued. "It was really difficult, really difficult for everybody."

Wilton-Regan explained she'd recorded "bits and bobs throughout '23," and that The Initiative was also "doing lots of performance capture for it in '24," giving her the impression that the project had progressed a lot.

She'd "done entire chapters of this universe" and noted that the team "had delivered several milestones that the client was really happy with," but she ultimately didn't know how far Perfect Dark had come. Evidently, Microsoft didn't consider further development to be viable after seeing where it was at.

There was hope when Take-Two tried to save Perfect Dark from Microsoft's cancelation, but after that rescue attempt fell through due to disagreements about ownership of the IP, Wilton-Regan felt crushed.

"That was the day I was really sad because that was the day I lost hope," she said. "I couldn't say too much about it ... But certainly, everyone was working really hard behind the scenes to bring Perfect Dark back. And then one day, I heard from the creative director that the deal hadn't gone through, and that really everything had fallen apart, and production was fully stopping."

"I've never experienced in my career before what I experienced with Perfect Dark. And I guess now that I know that it can happen, you become really frightened that the same thing could happen again," she added.

Notably, Wilton-Regan is playing Lara Croft in the newly announced Tomb Raider: Catalyst. But while that role has helped keep her spirits afloat, she has a fear of that opportunity collapsing as well (Tomb Raider dev Crystal Dynamics has experienced three layoff waves this year).

"The saving grace for me when Perfect Dark fell apart was that I'd already been shooting Lara for about a year as well," she told TheGamer. "I was playing Joanna over here, and I was playing Lara over here, which was wonderful and genuinely one of the most creatively exciting times of my life. And I just felt so relieved that I still had Lara, but I also felt really frightened about losing Lara. I'm still frightened of losing Lara."

I wish nothing but the best for Alix Wilton-Regan and everyone else who worked on the canceled Perfect Dark reboot, and was affected by The Initiative's closure. Note that recently, two of its lead devs joined Take-Two to make a new 2K studio.

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Indeed, excitement for the series seems just as sky high as it was when Season 1 came out, though this time around, the new season is releasing episodically every week on Wednesdays — and one surprise Season 2's later episodes may have in store could be a performance from one of the most legendary actors in Fallout history.

That actor is Ron Perlman, best known by film and TV audiences for his performances as Hellboy in movies from that franchise and Clay Morrow in Sons of Anarchy. To Fallout fans, though, he's the iconic narrator of the opening cutscenes in nearly every game, including 1, 2, Tactics, 3, New Vegas, and 76. He also voiced Butch Harris in The Hub in the original RPG, the newscaster at the start of Fallout 4, and most endings in the titles he did intros for.

Outside of Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel, Perlman's distinctive deep and resonant voice has been audible in every Fallout game ever made, with his most notable delivery being the series' "war never changes" tagline. Naturally, that's had fans wondering if he'll appear in the TV show at some point — and when Dexerto recently asked Bethesda's Todd Howard about that, his response suggests that it's a very real possibility.

"Look, love Ron, we've worked with him a lot," Howard said (after reiterating the showrunners' intention to avoid canonizing any one New Vegas ending). And so, I think when you think about him and you think about that voice, you know, you think about like, 'Hey ... is there a place and what's the right one?'"

That's hardly an indication that Perlman will appear in Season 2, though it does, at the very least, signal that the producers at Bethesda and Amazon are thinking about ways he could be brought onto the show in a way that feels fitting.

It's important to note, though, that Perlman was present at the Los Angeles premiere of Fallout Season 2 earlier this month, and was in a photo taken with all the show's cast members. This implies he may actually have a role in Season 2 — one that Howard didn't want to spoil in his interview.

Earlier this year at Corpus Christi Comic Con, Perlman also noted he "can't talk about number two" when asked about Fallout, suggesting the possibility of a Season 2 appearance. "But just in 'not talking' about it I think I just talked about it," he added.

If Perlman is in Fallout Season 2, what role might he be playing? It's impossible to say for sure, though many fans believe he's behind the extremely deep, gravelly voice heard in Season 2's official trailer (read our full breakdown). This voice is extremely similar to those we've heard from Super Mutants in the games, so if that is Perlman, he could be playing the beloved Super Mutant Marcus from Fallout 2 and New Vegas, or perhaps an entirely new character.

Of course, this is all just speculation. But even if Perlman isn't in Fallout Season 2, I do hope he appears in the show in one way or another in the future.

Note that if you've never played the Fallout games he lent his voice to, all of them are playable on both Xbox and/or PC through Xbox Game Pass.

Would you like to see Ron Perlman play a role in the Fallout TV show? Do you want him to reprise his role as a narrator in some way, or play a character in the show itself? Sound off in the comments.

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Today, however, Owlcat Games has decided to release a new gameplay trailer for Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy, showcasing its systems in action to celebrate the launch of the game's Alpha Test (it was originally supposed to go live on December 16, 2025, but Owlcat Games delayed it to December 18, 2025, for some quick fixes).

The gameplay shows a montage of the various dark adventures the player will embark on in the game, narrated by Anton Zerbe, an Inquisitor Lord the player will serve under as an Acolyte of the Inquisition.

Scenes include the player Acolyte meeting recruitable companions they'll meet, like Laarthyr Cairnareth, the Aeldari Corsair, and snippets of the game's Investigation system, where the player must collect and piece together evidence to solve mysteries and deal punishments to suspects.

There are also quick scenes showing off the game's combat system, which aims to be an evolution of Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader's as there are now mechanics where you can target enemy limbs to deal extra damage or debuffs.

These combat scenes also give the player a glimpse at some of the enemies they'll face, like malfunctioning members of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the savage Kroot race, and mutated Daemons who worship the Chaos Gods.

Players who pre-ordered Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy's Digital Founder's Pack or Collector's Edition will be able to experience these gruesome scenes firsthand, as the Alpha Test has gone live for the Steam version of the game.

If you haven't pre-ordered and wish to join the Alpha Test for Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy, details for how to do so can be found on the game's Steam Page.

For people who haven't joined, they will have to wait until the game releases sometime in the future on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam, GOG, and Epic Games Store.

Are you looking forward to playing Owlcat Games' next CRPG adaptation of Warhammer 40,000? Then let us know in the comments below!

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Now, I thought this would be fairly straightforward — load up each game in both Steam and the Xbox App, tweak settings, and see what kind of performance I can get on the lowest TDP possible to maximize battery life while maintaining a relatively comfortable 60FPS — but it really wasn't that easy.

But fear not, I took the time to find some workarounds for each of the Fallout games on both Steam and the Xbox App, and have detailed step-by-step instructions for them on this page.

Without further ado, here's how to get Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76 to run on handheld gaming PCs like Xbox Ally X.

Prerequisites: Handheld system settings

Before you attempt to play any of these Fallout games on handhelds, you're going to want to change your handheld's system settings. I highly recommend you manually adjust VRAM allocation and enable the HYPR-RX graphics suite to get the best game performance.

I've included instructions on how to change VRAM on ASUS ROG handhelds below. If you have one of Lenovo's handhelds, follow our Legion Go VRAM guide instead.

How to change VRAM allocation on Xbox Ally X (and other ASUS ROG handhelds)

1. Start by pressing the Armoury Crate button to open the Armory Crate Command Center. Select Open Armory Crate SE.
2. Once Armoury Crate opens, head to Settings using the cogwheel icon.
3. From there, select Performance.
4. Next, tap the GPU Settings tab.

5. Tap the dropdown box to the right of where it says "Memory Assigned to GPU."
6. Change VRAM to 6G.
7. Wait while the handheld automatically restarts.

For Fallout games, allocating 6GB to VRAM is generally okay. Some titles may struggle at the default 4GB, while 8GB is rarely necessary and can reduce available system memory.

If the VRAM option does not appear, make sure your device is fully updated and then reboot your handheld before trying again.

How to enable HYPR-RX on Xbox Ally X

Most handhelds with an AMD Z1 or Z2 series processor can enable HYPR-RX, a graphics suite that enhances game performance.

More specifically, AMD Software lets you apply a single graphics preset that affects all games system-wide, which is useful if you want consistent performance without tweaking each title individually.

1. To enable HYPR-RX, open the AMD Software app, by searching for it (this is easier in Windows Desktop mode).
2. Go to the Gaming tab.
3. Select Graphics.
4. From here, turn on HYPR-RX.

On the Xbox Ally X, ROG Ally, and Legion Go handhelds, HYPR-RX is the recommended option as it applies a balanced set of performance-focused features automatically. The base Xbox Ally does not support HYPR-RX, but it does offer a Performance preset instead.

This menu also gives you access to other features like Radeon Super Resolution, Anti-Lag, Fluid Motion Frames, and Radeon Boost. These apply across all games, so it is best to treat them as options you set and forget about, as opposed to changing them per game.

Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 handheld optimization

If you want to play Fallout 1 or Fallout 2 via the Xbox App or Steam, you'll either need to use the workaround I've detailed below or be willing to map the controls yourself, using this keyboard layout for Fallout 1 and this layout for Fallout 2.

Be warned, the fix for getting both Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 to work on handhelds is on the tedious side.

Whenever you try to launch these games on either the Xbox App or Steam, you're prompted with a terrible-looking launcher, and when you select Play, you're prompted with "Error initializing video mode: 1024x768."

To fix this, we have to do either of the following (I did both just in case):

1. Open the Xbox App and navigate to the Fallout game page.
2. Select the More Actions button that has the three dots on it.
3. Select Manage.
4. Once here, go to Files and select Browse.
5. When the File Explorer comes up, select Fallout (PC) or Fallout 2 (PC), depending on which you're fixing (also choose your language of choice).
6. Go to Content.
7. Select f1_res_Config or f2_res_config.
8. A new Window will open. In here, select "Manually Edit Config," or choose your target resolution and select Enable if available.
9. This should open in Notepad, but if prompted, select Notepad.
10. Next, you want to change SCR_WIDTH to 1920.
11. After that, change SCR_HEIGHT to 1080.
12. If you encounter other issues, try setting the options WINDOWED=1 and WINDOWED_FULLSCREEN=0 to match here.
13. Now, save and close the file.

If you're playing through Steam, you should be done and able to correctly launch the game. If you're playing via the Xbox App, however, like I was then, you may need to do one extra step.

This step is where things got tricky for me, as the earlier step didn't work for me via the Xbox App. Instead, I had to take it one step further and edit the files within the WindowsApps folder, which can be done like so:

Additional steps for Fallout 1 & 2 on the Xbox App

1. Within File Explorer, select View, then Show, and make sure Hidden items is enabled.
2. Next, open File Explorer and go to your C drive.
3. Open Program Files, and locate WindowsApps.
4. Right-click WindowsApps.
5. Select Properties.
6. Go to the Security tab, then select Advanced.
7. At the top, next to Owner, select Change.
8. Select Advanced.
9. Choose the option Find Now.
10. You'll want to select your user account and click OK.
11. Click on the box next to Replace owner on subcontainers and objects.
12. Select Apply, then select OK.
13. Return to the Security tab and select Edit.
14. Select your user account, then enable Full control.
15. Select Apply, then select OK.
16. Now open WindowsApps, and you should be able to browse it normally.

Now follow the first steps again and apply it to your language of choice, and that should mean you can launch the game through the Xbox App now.

This fix will also work on Steam; however, the location of the folder is different. You should simply be able to install the "Fallout1_High_Resolution_Patch_4.1.8." However, I will cover what to do if this does not work in the next section.

Additional steps for Fallout 1 & 2 on Steam

Here's how you get to the same folder but if you installed the game via Steam:

1. Within Steam, right-click Fallout 1 or Fallout 2 in your library and select Properties.
2. Select Installed Files from the menu on the left.
3. Click Browse to open the game’s install directory in File Explorer.
4. Now try to install the Fallout1_High_Resolution_Patch_4.1.8 or Fallout2_High_Resolution_Patch_4.1.8 patch.
5. You will be prompted to extract files. Select Yes and then select Yes to all.
6. If this doesn't work, follow the same guide as above and open up f1_res_Config or f2_res_config.
7. A new window will open. In here, Select "Manually Edit Config".
8. This should open in Notepad, but if prompted, select Notepad.
9. Next, you want to change SCR_WIDTH to 1920.
10. After that, change SCR_HEIGHT to 1080.
11. Make sure WINDOWED=1 and WINDOWED_FULLSCREEN=0 are like this.
12. Finally, save and close the file.

With all that done, you should be able to play Fallout 1 or Fallout 2 on your handheld gaming PC regardless of if you're playing through the Xbox App or Steam.

Fallout 3 handheld optimization

In my experience, Fallout 3 actually performs fairly well at 1080p using a mix of high and medium settings, maintaining a stable 60FPS at 17W TDP.

The performance issues I previously ran into turned out to be caused by the FPS overlay being enabled in Armory Crate, which had a significant negative impact on frame pacing and overall performance.

1. Launch Fallout 3. Note that the game opens its external launcher rather than booting straight into gameplay.
2. From here, select Config to access the video settings.
3. Change settings to your preferred options (we've included recommended settings below).
   1. Note that you must either use Desktop Mode or tap the screen to interact with the launcher. You can change to Desktop Mode by pressing the Armoury Crate button and then tapping the Control Mode button until it changes from Gamepad to Desktop.
4. Once your settings are configured, select Okay.
5. Double-press Play to launch the game.

RECOMMENDED FALLOUT 3 SETTINGS FOR HANDHELDS:

At 1080p, the launcher’s auto-detected settings were mostly usable, but I still recommend double-checking them manually. I settled on the medium preset as it still looks great to me. I also usually disable vertical sync here, although this is optional.

I initially attempted to cap the frame rate to 60FPS using Armory Crate, but this did not reliably limit FPS.

More importantly, enabling the Armory Crate FPS overlay introduced heavy performance issues, so I recommend leaving it disabled entirely when playing Fallout 3.

NOTE: Fallout 3 does not allow graphical changes once in-game, so all adjustments must be made through the launcher beforehand.

If you do run into performance drops in heavier areas, increasing TDP from a lower wattage to a higher wattage can help significantly, but it will drain the battery much faster. I found that 35W was ideal on my Xbox Ally X.

Fallout: New Vegas handheld optimization

Fallout: New Vegas behaves very similarly to Fallout 3, and once again, my initial performance issues were not entirely down to the game itself.

With the Armory Crate FPS overlay disabled, Fallout: New Vegas runs comfortably at 1080p using medium settings. With this, I am able to hold a steady 60FPS at 17W TDP and even higher than 60FPS in some instances.

Here's how to change Fallout: New Vegas settings for handhelds:

1. Launch Fallout: New Vegas, to bring up the game's external launcher.
2. Select Config to access the video settings.
3. Now it's time to change settings to your preferred options (we've included setting recommendations below).
   1. Note that you must either use Desktop Mode or tap the screen to interact with the launcher. You can change to Desktop Mode by pressing the Armoury Crate button and then tapping the Control Mode button until it changes from Gamepad to Desktop.
4. When you're done making changes, select OK.
5. Select Play to start the game.

RECOMMENDED FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS SETTINGS FOR HANDHELDS:

At 1080p, the launcher’s auto-detected settings are mostly okay, same as Fallout 3. However, they are still worth checking manually. I avoided Ultra settings and stuck to Medium. Disabling vertical sync here is optional, but like Fallout 3, I leave it off.

More importantly, enabling the FPS overlay caused noticeable performance and frame pacing issues, so it is best left disabled entirely.

NOTE: Like Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas does not allow graphical changes once in-game, so all adjustments must be done through the launcher before launching.

If performance still isn't the best here, increase your handheld's TDP. Just remember that your battery drains faster when TDP is set at a higher level.

Fallout 4 handheld optimization

Fallout 4 behaves very differently from Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. The traditional launcher is disabled, and in-game Graphics menus can sometimes be missing entirely on handhelds.

If you booted up Fallout 4 and you can see the graphics settings options, then check out our guide on the best Fallout 4 settings for Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Legion Go gaming handhelds.

However, if you do not see the graphic settings, then continue reading. As a heads up, to fix this, you'll need to manually configure things via a config file. Here's what to do:

1. Before making any changes, make sure you have launched the game at least once so the necessary config files are generated on your handheld.
2. Locate the Fallout4Prefs.ini and Fallout4.ini graphics settings files for Fallout 4.
   1. Graphics settings for the Xbox App version of Fallout 4 are stored in Documents\My Games\Fallout4 MS.
   2. Graphic Settings for the Steam Version of Fallout 4 are stored in: Documents\My Games\Fallout4 MS.
3. Before editing anything, create a backup of these files and store them somewhere safe.
4. Once the backup is created, download the files from NexusMods.
5. Once downloaded, extract the contents of these new files.
6. Choose the Low options.
7. Once extracted, replace the Fallout4Prefs.ini and Fallout4.ini files that were in either Documents\My Games\Fallout4 MS or Documents\My Games\Fallout4 MS with the files from whichever preset you choose.

Note that I still experienced some hitches here and there with these low settings, likely as assets were loading in, but it was still an improvement over the base settings.

It is also important to note that the above is strictly for if you're having issues at all, and should help devices that aren't as powerful as an Xbox Ally X or other similar spec hardware.

RECOMMENDED FALLOUT 4 SETTINGS FOR HANDHELDS:

I ran into significant performance issues again whilst testing Fallout 4 that are similar to what I experienced with Fallout 3 and New Vegas. These issues were caused by the FPS indicator being enabled in Armoury Crate, so I recommend turning it off when playing Fallout 4.

Otherwise, Fallout 4 will autodetect your settings and should run fine for most users. If that doesn't seem to happen, then dive into the graphics settings and change everything to low.

Fallout 76 handheld optimization

When launching Fallout 76 for the first time, you will be prompted to log into your Bethesda account. In my case, the on-screen keyboard did not appear automatically. To fix this, do the following:

1. Press the Armory Crate button
2. Select the Keyboard option.

The on-screen keyboard does block what you are typing, so it is worth taking your time. The backspace option during this step also doesn't work, meaning any mistake requires closing the game and starting again.

Alternatively, you can connect a physical keyboard and enter your details normally, which is the smoother and less frustrating option overall.

By the way, we highly recommend the Artciety Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard for handheld users.

How to adjust Fallout 76 settings on handhelds

Fortunately, unlike Fallout 3, New Vegas and Fallout 4, you can change graphical settings in-game with Fallout 76.

1. Run Fallout 76.
2. Press the Start button whilst in-game.
3. Tap LB to move across the menu and select Settings.
4. Then go to Display.

Note that you can also access these options from the main menu before loading into the game by going to Settings and selecting Display.

By default, Fallout 76 sets most options to Ultra for me. The Xbox Ally X handles this better than expected, but I prefer to prioritise performance over visual fidelity to maximise frame rate and overall smoothness. I suggest putting the graphics down lower, but you can experiment and see what you prefer.

You should be ready to play Fallout on your handheld now

That is how you get every major Fallout title running on a Windows-based handheld, and hopefully this guide has been useful.

It is worth mentioning that while these settings worked best for me, your mileage may vary depending on the device you are using. You may be able to push higher settings or lower your TDP further, but my goal here was to prioritise battery life while still maintaining a smooth experience above 60FPS.

Each setup should give you a solid baseline, with room to tweak further if you want more performance or longer battery life.

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2026 will be a big year for Xbox Game Studios

Gears of War: E-Day is far from the only big Xbox title slated to launch next year. Alongside the new Gears of War game, teams across Xbox Game Studios are working on an array of games pencilled in for 2026.

That includes Halo Studios' Halo: Campaign Evolved, an expanded remake of the original game that is also bringing the franchise to PlayStation for the first time.

Playground Games has a double-feature on deck, with the collection of three U.K. studios working on the Japan-bound open world racer Forza Horizon 6, as well as the long-anticipated reboot of Fable, a role-playing game series that's been dormant for years.

That's in addition to updates and DLC planned for multiple games that launched in 2025, including Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds 2.

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The fiasco began when a Bloomberg interview with Larian CEO Swen Vincke suggested "Larian has been pushing hard on generative AI," though both Vincke himself and publishing director Michael Douse clarified the studio isn't "pushing hard" for AI and is offering it as an optional tool for devs that want to generate a reference image for Larian's concept artists to use. It was also stressed that there will be no AI content whatsoever in Divinity itself.

Many still argue that Larian's use of AI is problematic, however, and maintain that the way it crawls the entire internet to generate a mock-up image is unethical compared to the way a concept artist might organically search Google or art books for inspiration. Thus, the controversy hasn't died down much, and many fans and devs alike — such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 director Daniel Vávra — have weighed in varied opinions about the ordeal and AI use in game development at large.

Now, for the first time since his original reaction to the debacle, Vincke has responded once again in an attempt to explain Larian's position in detail, while also noting that the studio plans to hold an "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) session. You can read the full post below.

During this AMA, fans will have an opportunity to ask different departments at Larian questions about "Divinity and our dev process directly." A date for it hasn't been given yet, but it's coming "after the holiday break" and we'll get an announcement about a date "in the New Year."

"It’s been a week since we announced Divinity, our next RPG, and a lot has become lost in translation," wrote Vincke. "Larian’s DNA is agency. Everything we work towards is to the benefit of our teams, games, and players. A better work day, and a better game. Our successes come from empowering people to work in their own way and bring the best out of their skill & craft, so that we can make the best RPGs we can possibly make."

He then went on to explain that, with this in mind, he believes it would be wrong of Larian not to explore "new technologies" — though he also noted that the studio isn't above "making changes" when those technologies aren't a good fit, suggesting it's open to moving away from the use of AI.

"In that context, it would be irresponsible for us not to evaluate new technologies," he asserted. "However, our processes are always evolving, and where they are not efficient or fail to align with who we are, we will make changes."

"To give you more insight, we’ll do an AMA featuring our different departments after the holiday break, in which you’ll get the opportunity to ask us any questions you have about Divinity and our dev process directly," Vincke added. "We’ll announce the date in the new year. In the meantime, I wish you all happy holidays!"

Ultimately, it's good that Vincke and Larian as a studio is remaining open to conversation with the gaming community about this issue, though I'm not surprised given its glowing reputation up to this point. Personally, as someone who detests AI art of any kind, I hope the developer abandons its adoption of the technology, but only time will tell if that happens.

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Season 1 was so popular that it attracted over 100 million viewers and led to a resurgence for the Fallout video games, and Season 2 is poised to not only continue that success, but elevate it even higher, also. In fact, now that its first episode has released, the second season's critic scores have gone live on Rotten Tomatoes — revealing that it's now broken two of the platforms records.

Firstly, the Fallout show now has the highest-rated Season 2 of any live-action video game adaptation, with its sky-high 96% critic score beating out The Last of Us Season 2's 92% rating. Notably, that score is also higher than Fallout Season 1's 93%, meaning critics have, on average, rated it a bit more favorably than its debut set of episodes.

The series as a whole is also now the highest-scored live-action video game adaptation ever produced, with an average 95% critic rating for both seasons that narrowly beats The Last of Us' 94% score. The next closest project is the Halo show at 80%, followed by Twisted Metal at 79% and The Witcher at 75%.

Something unique about Fallout, though, is that it also has a 95% audience score to match its critic rating — something most of these other adaptations can't boast. The Last of Us comes in at 62%, Halo's is at 61%, and The Witcher's ranks the lowest at 46%. The exception is Twisted Metal, which has an audience rating 10% higher than its critic score at 89%.

This signals that the Fallout show is resonating with regular viewers — many of which include longtime fans of the games it's adapting — as much as it is with critics, which brings us to the fact it's now tied with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners as the highest-rated video game adaptation by audiences (live action or animated) with its 95% score.

The first episode of Season 2 has a 96% audience rating, and if its seven other episodes rank this highly, too, we could see the second season give the Fallout show's overall score a boost past the Cyberpunk 2077-inspired show. That would be a third Rotten Tomatoes record broken by Amazon's acclaimed series.

It remains to be seen if that will actually happen, but based on how strongly the premiere of Season 2 was received, I have a feeling we're in for another highly rated season of post-apocalyptic TV. Note that unlike Season 1, which dropped all at once, Season 2's new episodes are releasing weekly on Wednesdays.

Also note that the news of Fallout's record-setting performance comes soon after Bethesda's Todd Howard confirmed that the events of the show will have an impact on Fallout 5. "Fallout 5 will be existing in a world where the stories and events of the show happened or are happening," he said.

Speaking of the Fallout video games, they're all available to play through Xbox Game Pass on Xbox and/or PC if you've never checked them out before. Fallout 1 and 2 are PC-only, but Fallout Tactics, 3, New Vegas, 4, and 76 are all on Xbox consoles, too.

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A couple of weeks ago, I opened my banking app to see how much damage Christmas had done to my finances thus far, only to find that my bank now does a "Wrapped" style "celebratory" overview of the past year of poor financial decisions. I was mortified, but it was also a reminder of how popular Spotify's "Wrapped" has become.

If you live under a rock, you may be unaware that every year, music service Spotify analyzes your musical habits over the past year and presents them in a shareable video format, showcasing your favorite artists and songs of the past year. Spotify Wrapped proved so popular that every company begun doing its own "Wrapped," from PlayStation, to YouTube, and occasionally Xbox too — but not for 2026.

Some of you have been asking me if Xbox would be doing its own "Year in Review" style recap of your gaming habits for 2025. My sources suggest that (as you might expect given that it's now the 18th), that Xbox is not doing a "Wrapped" this year. And there's potentially a good reason.

Next year will kick off a confluence of major anniversaries not just for Xbox, but some of its subsidiary properties too. Xbox is having its 25th anniversary, alongside Halo itself. Blizzard is also having its 35th anniversary, and Bethesda is having its 40th anniversary too. Xbox was launched as a brand on November 15, 2001. Blizzard launched in February, 1991, and Bethesda launched in June, 1986 (ironically sharing a 40th anniversary with me!)

As such, a lot of the "marketing budget" that would've typically been allocated to something like an "Xbox Wrapped" is being poured into efforts to celebrate these major milestones for Xbox, its brands, and some of its games.

For sure, I'm told Microsoft has some big plans to celebrate Xbox's 25th anniversary in 2026, which is why you've seen some decreased activity for Xbox community events in 2025. Some of that budget was moved through to next year to accommodate.

Blizzard is having its first public Blizzcon event next year for a while, which is tipped to its its biggest ever (and most expensive ever), as it reveals new content for Diablo, World of Warcraft, and quite possibly StarCraft too. The promo materials I received for Blizzcon included logos for Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and StarCraft as well — signifying that Blizzard still regards the sci-fi game series as a pillar franchise.

Bethesda is also planning to launch new Starfield content in 2026, including a PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 version I'm told. Bethesda recently teased that Fallout is being worked on in a big way, and perhaps we'll catch a small glimpse at Elder Scrolls 6 next year as well. We also have a new Halo remake dropping in 2026, alongside other new potential entries in classic Xbox franchises like Fable, Gears of War, and Forza as well.

I imagine that Xbox will do a bigger and more impressive "Xbox Wrapped" style moment for 2026, similar to what it did for Xbox's 20th anniversary back in 2021 with the Xbox Museum. Xbox seems to do these types of things for bigger anniversary beats, rather than an annualized program.

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If you're sad about missing out on an official Xbox Wrapped this year, consider this alternative from True Achievements. True Achievements has access to the Xbox API, and its systems catalog and collect your official play data and achievements via Xbox log in. It uses Microsoft's authentication systems, so it's completely secure and accountable.

RELATED: #MyYearOnXbox via True Achievements

I played a ton of games this year, with highlights being Clair Obscure: Expedition 33, The Alters, Atomfall, and Ball x Pit. My favorite games of 2025 were, ironically, older games launched prior, though. I'd been hitting Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader pretty hard, running through all of its released DLC and prepping for the Dark Heresy sequel. I've also been loving Valheim this year, and I suspect that will probably replace Rogue Trader as my most played game of the year as well soon.

What have you been playing this year? What are you looking forward to seeing most in 2026? Let us know in the comments!

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Apple has been fighting Epic Games and other developers for years over access to its iOS platform. Apple has famously been operating iPhone and iPad development in a closed format since its inception, gouging developers with exorbitant fees and restrictions designed to give it complete control over how money flows through its borderline monopoly.

Companies like Epic games took the fight to Apple over this, and actually won repeatedly. Apple isn't backing down, though, making a mockery of legislation designed to lower costs for consumers and creators alike.

Fortnite is the biggest game in the world right now, and Apple has been fighting tooth and nail to prevent Epic from reaching customers on mobile without paying huge fees to the iPhone maker. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney took to X to describe what's going on.

"Sadly, Fortnite will not return to iOS in Japan in 2025 as promised," Sweeney lamented. "Apple was required to open up iOS to competing stores today, and instead of doing so honestly, they have launched another travesty of obstruction and lawbreaking in gross disrespect to the government and people of Japan."

"They're charging a competition-crushing 21% junk fee on third-party in-app payments, and 15% for purchases made on the web (a practice the US District Court already found to be illegal in the contempt of court proceeding that Apple lost and the 9th Circuit Court upheld)," Sweeney explained on X. "They're introducing new anticompetitive warning screens meant to mislead customers into believing their privacy and financial security are at risk when dealing with Apple competitors."

Tim Sweeny rightfully examines what would happen if Microsoft attempted to pull shenanigans like this with Windows. Microsoft was famously slapped down by regulators in the late 90s and early 00s for bundling Internet Explorer on Windows, "supressing" competing browsers like Google Chrome from reaching customers. Microsoft was forced by regulators to offer a browser choice when Windows launched, as some of you older readers might recall. Ironically, it led to Google ending up with a monopoly over practically the entire internet — but that's a discussion for another article.

Microsoft does levy a fee for developers accessing Xbox Series X|S consoles, but it would be insane to call Xbox a monopoly controlling access. The business model for consoles revolves entirely around that fee, as Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 devices are effectively sold at cost. iPhones are definitively not sold at cost, providing Apple and its shareholders large margins on both the hardware, and the software via huge developer fees — fees which customers like you end up having to pay usually.

On Windows PC, Microsoft takes a 0% cut for apps and services going through the platform. Windows is fully open, as it should be, and developers and creatives are free to build businesses without restrictions. Even on the Microsoft Store itself, app fees are only levied if you actually use Microsoft's payment systems. For traditional core games, Microsoft takes only a 12% cut on transactions for games sold specifically through the Xbox PC app, vs. Apple's ~30% standard fees and 27% external payment link fees. The EU forced Apple to lower its fees to 13%, matching Epic Games' and Microsoft's, while opening up the platform to alternative store fronts on top.

Microsoft and Xbox customers have benefitted from Apple vs. Epic

Thanks to court rulings targeting Apple and Google Play alike, Microsoft has now been able to begin selling Xbox games directly on its Xbox mobile app once again, thanks to these court rulings. That means Microsoft and its creator partners have a new vector to access customers, without having to pay arbitrary fees to Google in the process.

Mobile gaming remains the fastest growing industry segment, so for Google and Apple to have complete control over this limits creativity and has encouraged developers to opt for predatory business models (pay to win, etc.) in order to remain viable.

Microsoft and its Xbox Cloud Gaming platform has been effectively blocked on these platforms as well for native play, as Apple and Google's rules work against competing stores. Imagine if Microsoft attempted to block Steam from running on Windows all up? Customers and regulators would be (rightly) in total uproar — yet for some reason, we accept Apple and Google doing the same thing across their mobile phone duopolies. Microsoft has also cited Apple and Google's draconian rules for preventing its own mobile game store launch.

Microsoft is hardly innocent of doing things like this in the past (and even the present), but these "junk fees" and arbitrary costs end up being passed onto consumers. Microsoft obviously benefits from iOS and Android becoming fully open platforms in a universe where it has no mobile platform of its own, but customers and developers alike should also benefit from removing unnecessary added costs. Decreasing the barrier to business viability will boost creativity and innovation on top, and will serve to (hopefully) only hurt Wall Street in the process.

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"In short, yes," says Todd Howard, executive producer and director at Bethesda Game Studios, speaking with BBC on all things Fallout in the wake of the season's debut.

"Fallout 5 will be existing in a world where the stories and events of the show happened or are happening," Howard says. "We are taking that into account."

This makes sense, as it's worth noting for those who haven't yet watched it that the Fallout TV series isn't a direct adaptation of the events of one of the games. Instead, it's treated as another entry in the universe altogether, and is in fact the latest sequence of events in the Fallout timeline.

With that in mind, of course, the team at Bethesda Game Studios would take care to note and possibly reference the events of the series in Fallout 5.

Of course, the elephant in the room here is that Fallout 5 isn't close. Bethesda Game Studios has grown since its parent company, ZeniMax Media, was acquired by Microsoft, but the developer is divided into multiple teams, with some continuing to work on updates and a new expansion for the 2023 science-fiction RPG Starfield, while others continue to work on Fallout 76.

By far the largest team at Bethesda Game Studios is the one working on The Elder Scrolls 6, which is the studio's next mainline game. It's still a ways away, but production is underway.

In the meantime, the second season of the Fallout TV series has premiered, and is currently exclusively available through Prime Video.

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Starfield was the first new IP from the legendary team behind Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 3 and 4. Led by Bethesda's Todd Howard, Starfield promised to bring the company's signature sandbox RPG gameplay to the vastness of the entire galaxy. It was also the first core Bethesda game published by Xbox since Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax.

Bethesda games have been notorious for their breadth, but for many, Starfield might've bitten off a little more than it could chew. The game's engine didn't really gel well with the space travel systems Bethesda envisioned for the game. The abundance of loading screens between planetary hops marred the experience. Many felt that the vastness of the play space made finding high-quality hand-crafted content a little sparse to find.

The game's first DLC, Shattered Space, also didn't live up to expectations for many either, who were hoping for an overhaul of some of the game's key systems and features to coincide with extra story content. As such, Bethesda fans have been waiting with baited breath to hear from Bethesda on what the future might hold for Starfield.

Last March, Bethesda began teasing the future of Starfield, before essentially going radio silent. The team behind Starfield did ship some updates to the game throughout the year, but it was hardly inline with the previous teases on X. Last September, Tim Lamb of Bethesda continued the Starfield teases saying "I can't go into all the details just yet, but I will say, part of the team has been focused on space gameplay to make the travels there more rewarding. We're also adding some new game systems and a few other smaller delights."

It seems we shouldn't have to wait much longer to find out more. I saw a post from @LukeStephens on X that crystalized rumors I'd been hearing that Bethesda recently held an event behind closed doors to showcase some of its plans for Starfield. I've spoken to a few people with first and second hand knowledge to try and catch a glimpse at what we can expect.

As rumored, it seems that Starfield will break free of its loading-screen heavy space flight systems. Space flight will now feel more free-form and continuous if the rumors are accurate, and various other systems pertaining to space travel and exploration will be improved as well. Creation Engine has reportedly undergone some large technical improvements to facilitate some of these types of systems, that will also carry forward to future games.

For those wondering if Bethesda was going to join Oblivion Remake and make the switch to Unreal Engine, it seems that Creation Engine upgrades will remain the focus, at least for Starfield.

Also, Starfield will not only be getting its PlayStation 5 version in 2026, but also a Nintendo Switch 2 version on top. The game has already undergone some optimizations for "low power" devices like handhelds, so hopefully it'll be a good experience on the Nintendo Switch 2 as well.

Some of my sources have suggested that the expansion for Starfield was previously planned for 2025, but Microsoft's busy holiday period coupled with the delay of Grand Theft Auto 6 made them feel more comfortable to drop it in the first half of 2026 instead. Although, others such as @DetectiveSeeds on X have reported that the updates will come later in 2026.

Indeed, I've heard some conflicting opinions on some of these Starfield rumors, so it's worth taking them with a pinch of salt. One conflict pertains to the scale of the upgrade, too. Some of my sources have sought to downplay how much of an overhaul it could be, shying away from claims that it will be a "Cyberpunk 2.0 moment" for the game. Others who attended the event, reportedly led by Todd Howard himself, were far more upbeat about the content being offered.

It seems that the Starfield expansion, possibly teased as "Terran Armada," might continue to divide opinions.

Starfield doesn't really need a "Cyberpunk 2.0" moment

I really enjoyed Starfield, and while it didn't have the staying power of Skyrim or Fallout 3 or 4 for me, it was a more than capable sandbox RPG that had plenty of grand moments to discover among its vast stars. It never needed a "Cyberpunk 2.0 moment," but there are a lot of things that could elevate Starfield with more time and investment.

In a lot of ways, Starfield feels like it has vast amounts of untapped potential. Its lore and world building has solid foundations, and the scale of the game's ambition is undeniable — on a scale more typical of MMORPGs or multiplayer games. I think the lack of density is what primarily hurt the game, and the sense that its points of interest (POIs) were too few in number and variation.

Fighting through large mercenary camps only to find nothing useful gets tiring after a while. I can appreciate human facilities being pre-fabricated 3D-printing sci-fi style, but it's a little jarring when entire natural cave systems feel identical despite being at opposite ends of the galaxy.

I'm still investigating the finer details of what the future holds for Starfield, and will be sure to share once I find out more. Tim Lamb teased a variety of new "gameplay systems and smaller delights" to go along with Starfield's next big update, which unfortunately missed its 2025 window. Hopefully that means improvements to the variety on offer in general exploration, and maybe enhancements to itemization and things like that. As soon as I learn more, I will let you know.

I'm told that Bethesda is quite stretched attempting to capitalize on the massive success of the Fallout TV show across multiple existing and future projects, while also building Elder Scrolls 6 — leaving less room for Starfield. If true, when DLC 2 emerges for Starfield, hopefully it'll be a good send off for what ended up being one of this generation's most polarizing games.

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Specifically, content inspired by Season 2 of the Fallout TV show is headed to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Call of Duty: Warzone, with the official Call of Duty account on X (Twitter) posting a short teaser video for the crossover.

"Okie dokie — stay focused, stay alive," reads the post's caption. The content coming in the collaboration hasn't been specified, though the video does show clear silhouettes of the TV series' protagonist Lucy MacLean, as well as main characters The Ghoul and Brotherhood of Steel member Maximus in a suit of Fallout's iconic power armor.

This all-but-confirms that, at the very least, there will be Operator skins that allow you to play as these three characters in Black Ops 7 and Warzone, though there may be other types of cosmetics like weapon charms, decals, emblems, and more on offer, too.

As for when the crossover is coming, Call of Duty says it will be included as part of the Season 1 Reloaded update that's expected to come to Black Ops 7 and Warzone in early-to-mid January. We don't have a specific date for that patch yet, but we'll likely get one from developers Treyarch and Raven Software soon.

The contents of the Fallout crossover will likely be delivered in a premium event pass (these are usually 1,100 COD Points, or $10) or an Operator skin pack (typically 2,800 COD Points, or $25 worth). We won't know for sure until more official details are given, though.

Notably, this IP collision is coming at an opportune time, as Season 2 of the Fallout show just premiered on Amazon Prime Video and is now set to air new episodes weekly on Wednesdays. If the Reloaded update comes out when it's expected to, we'll be about halfway through the eight-episode season.

The debut season of the Fallout show passed a whopping 100 million viewers last year, and kicked off a massive resurgence for the RPG games it's an adaptation of. It's safe to say that Fallout as a series has never been more popular than it has been in recent months, in fact (take our Fallout quiz and test your knowledge).

Thus, a crossover with Call of Duty — one of the biggest and most profitable franchises in gaming history — makes plenty of sense, with Microsoft and Xbox no doubt hoping that its huge user base eagerly spends money on these cosmetics.

Note that Call of Duty vowed to avoid wacky skins in Black Ops 7, though later admitted they wouldn't be entirely "grounded"; I do think a Fallout crossover is less anachronistic than one with American Dad or Beavis and Butt-Head, but if I had a say, I'd fully return the series to its grounded, military-themed roots. But, y'know, that kind of game would probably make less money. Then again, Battlefield 6 is the best-selling game of 2025...

Anyway, Black Ops 7 was the best-selling game in November in the US, though it's performed worse than last year's Black Ops 6 and previous Call of Duty entries.

Part of the reason why is because Black Ops 7 — and all of the Fallout games too, by the way — is on Xbox Game Pass (you'll need Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass specifically). Alternatively, you can pick it up for just $45 at GameStop right now.

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November 2025 Circana sales charts: Here are the top 20 best-selling games in the U.S.

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
2. Battlefield 6
3. NBA 2K26
4. Madden NFL 26
5. EA Sports FC 26
6. Pokémon Legends: Z-A*
7. Ghost of Yotei
8. EA Sports College Football 26
9. Minecraft****
10. Kirby Air Riders*
11. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment*
12. The Outer Worlds 2
13. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
14. Donkey Kong: Banaza*
15. Marvel's Spider-Man 2
16. Red Dead Redemption 2
17. Grand Theft Auto 5
18. Borderlands 4
19. Forza Horizon 5
20. Digimon Story: Time Stranger

November 2025 Circana sales charts: Here are the best-selling games of the year in the U.S.

1. Battlefield 6
2. NBA 2K26
3. Monster Hunter Wilds
4. Borderlands 4
5. EA Sports College Football 26
6. Madden NFL 26
7. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
8. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
9. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
10. Ghost of Yotei
11. EA Sports FC 26
12. MLB The Show 25**
13. Elden Ring Nightreign
14. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
15. WWE 2K25
16. Minecraft****
17. Forza Horizon 5
18. Split Fiction
19. Helldivers 2
20. EA Sports MVP Bundle (2025)

*Denotes no digital sales data
**Denotes no digital sales data on Xbox or Nintendo Switch
****Denotes no digital sales data on Nintendo Switch

Where will Call of Duty be as the year closes?

I'll be absolutely fascinated to get the next round of numbers from Piscatella, as well as any other details on how Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 performed as 2025 draws to a close.

Earlier in the month, Activision published an update, confirming that the Call of Duty franchise will no longer see back-to-back entries in the Black Ops and Modern Warfare sub-series.

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Larian’s stance on the matter — as explained by both publishing director Michael Douse and studio founder and CEO Swen Vincke — is that AI is an optional tool its developers can use if they want to, and that “they can experiment with these tools to make their lives easier.” It’s also promised that there will be no AI-generated content in Divinity itself, and compares its use to the way artists might search Google or art books for a reference to look at.

These assurances have done little to assuage outrage, however, with many arguing that using AI to make references drawn from art across the web is unethical, and not the same as someone taking inspiration from specific works they see.

Notably, though, the situation has inspired a lot of debate about what kinds of AI use are — if any — and aren’t okay in game development, with many in the industry weighing in.

One particularly lengthy take comes from Daniel Vávra, lead on the acclaimed 2025 RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and co-founder of its developer Warhorse Studios. In a post made on Wednesday morning, Vávra argues that while he doesn’t like AI-generated content, AI itself is here to stay, and that he looks forward to the ways it can make developing games more efficient even if it “may mean the demise of humanity.” You can read the whole thing below:

“Larian said they were doing something that absolutely everyone else is doing and got an insanely crazy shitstorm,” Vávra noted. ”I'm no fan of AI generated art, but anyway, it's time to face reality. AI is here to stay with us. As frightening as it may be, that's the way it is.”

He went on to voice his frustration with how long making games makes in the modern industry, and said he’s “all for it” whenever AI can handle “the tiresome and boring tasks,” leaving creatives “to focus on the essentials.”

“On the other hand, you know what I hate most about making games? The fact that it takes 7 years and 300 people and tens of millions of dollars to make. And the fact that [Tom McKay, actor of protagonist Henry] had to spend 500 hours in the studio recording completely generic heckling and generic bars,” he continued. “If AI can help me make an epic game in a year with a smaller team like in the old days, I'm all for it.”

Personally, I believe there's valuable character and artful performance even in simple dialogue lines like "ordering a sausage in a pub or when asking how to get to the castle," but I digress. Vávra then expressed excitement for the potential of AI to allow you to "ask ANYONE ANYTHING in an RPG," suggested it threatens the work of programmers the most, and asserted his belief that it could lead to a boom of game development enabled by the low cost of using AI (though he didn't mention factors like its substantial environmental impact).

"The whole AI revolution may mean the demise of humanity, nobody knows now, but it may also mean that ANYONE, at a fraction of the current cost, will be able to implement virtually any grand idea," he wrote. "What we saw with boom of indie scene thanks to Steam, we will see with AAA games thanks to AI. Or Skynet will destroy us before all that. Either way, there's no stopping it."

"I used AI to translate this text from my native language," he added. "Let the sh*tstorm begin!"

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Circana, which regularly tracks and reports on industry sales, recently published figures showing total U.S. game spending fell 4% year over year to $5.9 billion. That decline spans hardware, software, and accessories, rather than being isolated to one segment.

While this data only reflects the U.S. market, the historical context is striking. November 2025 marked the worst November for U.S. hardware unit sales since 1995, an era dominated by systems like the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and SNES, long before the modern console landscape took shape.

The data behind the downturn

According to Circana, hardware spending dropped 27% year over year to $695 million, with unit sales falling to 1.6 million. That makes November 2025 the weakest November for U.S. hardware unit sales since 1995.

Xbox Series hardware sales declined by 70% year over year, while PlayStation 5 sales fell by more than 40%. Combined Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 unit sales were down by around 10%, which stands out as relatively resilient by comparison.

Pricing appears to be a major factor. The average price of video game hardware reached $439 per unit in November, up 11% year over year, making consoles more expensive than ever during what is usually a peak buying period.

Xbox saw average price increases of over 30%, highlighting how higher entry costs can quickly suppress demand. The Switch 2, despite being the fastest-selling console in U.S. history, still saw its November unit sales trail the original Switch’s first November, likely due to its higher price point and fewer meaningful discounts.

US video game hardware total units sold and average price paid, Nov 1995 through Nov 2025.

— @matpiscatella.bsky.social (@matpiscatella.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-12-17T17:15:43.009Z

Software trends offer little comfort. Physical game sales fell 14% year over year, making November 2025 the worst November for physical software sales since 1995, even as subscription spending rose by 16%.

Call of Duty provides a clear example of the wider slowdown. Black Ops 7 topped the monthly charts, but full game dollar sales declined by a double-digit percentage compared to the prior year, showing that even the industry’s biggest franchises are not immune.

Accessories followed the same downward trend. Spending in that category fell 13% year over year, reinforcing that consumers are pulling back across the entire ecosystem, not just on consoles themselves.

2025 Year-to-Date Top 20 Best-Selling Premium Games - U.S. (Dollar Sales, Physical and Digital from digital data sharing publishers, excludes add-on content)

— @matpiscatella.bsky.social (@matpiscatella.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-12-17T17:15:42.943Z

What’s next for the gaming industry?

November may not be a one-off either. Circana notes that December and full-year data will be critical, but current trends already point to warning signs rather than a short-term blip.

It is no secret that hardware prices continue to rise, and the era of consoles becoming cheaper as a generation matures appears to be over. These pressures show little sign of easing, and rising RAM and storage costs could create further strain across the console industry. Alumni from PlayStation, Xbox, and others have cited everything from TikTok to evolving user habits for the decline in console sales, but PC gaming continues to dominate the conversation as well. The versatility of PC is why Microsoft is increasingly investing in its Xbox PC platform with devices like the Xbox Ally. But even PC isn't safe from these issues.

DRAM prices and NVME storage ballooning in price will hit PC builders too. Valve's own gaming PC could be holding out on revealing the price of the Steam Machine due to rising costs for memory. Recent reports suggest DDR5 RAM prices are set to increase further, with Samsung already reportedly doubling the price of their DDR5 RAM for suppliers. There are new rumors that NVIDIA is going to scale back its gaming products too.

If price continue to spike for these components, it’s very likely that Xbox won’t be the only high-end "premium" priced console next generation as Sony’s stock of supplies can only last so long and as for how this will impact the Nintendo Switch 2, only time will tell.

It's hard to imagine the prices of these components not continue to increase, and therefore console prices paying the price. Especially as AI continues to consume every sector it even slightly touches as billion dollar companies, Microsoft included continue to throw money at what appears to be an infinitely deep hole with no end in sight.

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However, we do have ways to install these games all at once without being forced to delete most of our library to make room for them, and one such example is the Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S.

What's even better is that all storage size versions of this Xbox accessory are now on sale. For a limited time, you can grab the 1TB cards for $139.99 at Amazon, the 2TB cards for $229.99 at Amazon, and the 4TB cards for $429.99 at Amazon.

No more will I have to worry about running out of space when downloading all my Xbox games

2026 is stacked with all kinds of big-time upcoming AAA Xbox games like Grand Theft Auto VI, Resident Evil Requiem, 007: First Light, and more.

No doubt these games will require dozens, or more likely, hundreds of gigabytes to install, so you're going to need the Seagate Storage Expansion Cards for Xbox Series X|S, as their default internal 1TB SSD isn't going to cut it.

Now granted, these expansion cards are expensive, but, as someone who owns one myself, I can guarantee they're 100% worth the price of admission.

They will save you hours of hassle from deleting old Xbox games to make room for new ones. Plus, these cards will allow you to launch and play games directly from them, as opposed to normal external SSD units where you have to spend time moving games from the SSD into the Xbox console to play them.

So, if you need the best Xbox accessories to upgrade your Xbox Series X|S's storage unit, then the Seagate Storage Expansion Cards are your best bet.

The 1TB cards are available for $139.99 at Amazon, the 2TB cards are available for $229.99 at Amazon, and the 4TB cards are available for $429.99 at Amazon.

Alternative discounts on the Seagate Expansion Card

If Amazon's discounts for the Seagate Storage Expansion Cards for Xbox Series X|S run out of stock or their discounts expire, there are similar discount options available elsewhere that you can use as backup options:

Best Buy

• $139.99 at Best Buy(was $159.99) for the 1TB card.
• $229.99 at Best Buy(was $259.99) for the 2TB card.
• $429.99 at Best Buy(was $499.99) for the 4TB card.

FAQs

Arrives after Christmas and need a gift sooner? 

If your item won't arrive in time for Christmas or you're looking for a quick and easy add on, buying an Amazon eGift Card is a fast, flexible way to give purchasing power now—send instantly or schedule delivery by email or text, choose any amount from $5 to $2,000, and the balance never expires, making it ideal when a deal’s item won’t ship until after the holidays.

Amazon eGift Cards let you pick a design, set a custom amount, add a personal message, and choose delivery by email or SMS with the option to schedule the exact delivery date—including immediate delivery or a future date up to a year ahead. There are no fees, and gift card balances never expire, so recipients can redeem the code and apply the funds to their Amazon account whenever they’re ready, across millions of eligible items.

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Fortunately, retailers have been finding discounts to help Xbox Game Pass Ultimate more affordable this winter season, such as this early Christmas 15% discount code of HAPPY6288, which has reduced Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's MSRP of $19.99 to $16.99 at Newegg.

To access this discount, you must sign up for a Newegg account and type in the promo code HAPPY6288, during checkout on Newegg's website.

Is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate still worth it in 2025?

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate was once the ultimate value-for-money service in gaming, but it has lost its distinguished title thanks to Microsoft's controversial 50% price hike.

It's a real shame that this tier of Xbox Game Pass has become less financially viable for consumers tight on budgets, as it's packed with plenty of awesome features that enhance the Xbox gaming experience.

It can grant you free access to hundreds of Xbox games to play on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming through not only its Xbox Game Pass library, but also those found on Ubisoft+ Classics and EA Play.

Other benefits include:

• Online multiplayer access
• The ability to stream games on compatible devices with priority access and 1440p resolution.
• Access to first-party Xbox games on the day they launch.
• Access to exclusive DLC and discount deals on the Xbox store.
• Monthly V-Bucks and Battle Passes with Fortnite Crew.
• Xbox Rewards will allow you to earn gift vouchers and other items by playing and buying Xbox games.

Being able to play games you weren't sure about for free before buying them was the coolest feature of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and it played a major role in helping humble indie titles get mainstream attention like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which has become its biggest third-party title and won GOTY at The Game Awards 2025.

With this discounted price tag of $16.99 at Newegg for one month of Xbox Game Pass, Xbox fans will be able to enjoy this wonderful service at a somewhat more affordable cost.

What's more is that the HAPPY6288 promo code can be used five times at Newegg checkout, meaning you can buy five One-Month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate codes and enjoy five months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $84.95.

That's over $15 cheaper than if you were to pay five months of the service through its now default MSRP of $19.99. Now that's what I call a Christmas day bargain.

FAQ

Arrives after Christmas and need a gift sooner? 

If your item won't arrive in time for Christmas or you're looking for a quick and easy add on, buying an Amazon eGift Card is a fast, flexible way to give purchasing power now—send instantly or schedule delivery by email or text, choose any amount from $5 to $2,000, and the balance never expires, making it ideal when a deal’s item won’t ship until after the holidays.

Amazon eGift Cards let you pick a design, set a custom amount, add a personal message, and choose delivery by email or SMS with the option to schedule the exact delivery date—including immediate delivery or a future date up to a year ahead. There are no fees, and gift card balances never expire, so recipients can redeem the code and apply the funds to their Amazon account whenever they’re ready, across millions of eligible items.

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Admittedly, $38 is probably a bit much for a stocking stuffer if you plan to include other items. But on its own, the Xbox Wireless Controller is a great accessory. Whether you play games on a PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, or even on your phone or tablet, it's an excellent way to enjoy your favorite games.

Despite its relatively low price, the Xbox Wireless Controller remains one of the best Xbox controllers. Unsurprisingly, it's also one of the best Xbox accessories.

Ergonomic, responsive, and surprisingly affordable, the Xbox Wireless Controller provides a great way to play. Whether you need a gamepad for player two, a replacement for the controller that came with your console, or want a controller in a different color, the Xbox Wireless Controller is the first device you should look at.

The most affordable Xbox Wireless Controller is the black model, which is on sale for $38. But the Electric Volt version is discounted to $39.99 and the Shock Blue variant is $42. You don't have to spend much more to add some color to your gaming setup.

The Xbox Wireless Controller supports wireless connectivity to Xbox consoles and can also use Bluetooth to connect to a PC, tablet, or phone. If you have an Amazon Fire TV Stick or a TV with Xbox Cloud Gaming built-in, you can just connect your Xbox Wireless Controller and start playing.

Many of the best Cyber Monday deals on Xbox accessories remain live. We also have a collection of all the best Xbox controllers that are on sale. But if you just want an affordable Xbox controller that works well and feels good in your hand, the Xbox Wireless Controller at $38 is the deal for you.

If you have a gamer in your life (or you're one, and you'd like to treat yourself to a gift), a great option to consider is Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Newly released last month by Xbox Game Studios, Treyarch, and Raven Software, the action-packed shooter has already become one of the biggest games of the year, especially on Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

That makes physical copies of the FPS an excellent stocking stuffer for folks that play on those systems, and wouldn't you know it, GameStop is selling the $69.99 title for $25 off. That means you can score it for just $45 at GameStop on Xbox, with the PS5 and PlayStation Cross-Gen Bundle versions going for the same price (more on those below).

Get one of 2025's biggest new games for less

If the gamer you're looking to buy a gift for is big on shooter games, they'll be very happy to unwrap Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on Christmas morning or to pull it out of their stocking. After all, Call of Duty is one of the biggest gaming franchises in the entire world, and Black Ops 7 is one of the most ambitious new entries in it in years.

A direct sequel to 2024's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, the latest title from Treyarch and Raven Software features a co-op multiplayer-focused story campaign, a new iteration of Call of Duty's beloved PvE horde mode Zombies, traditional PvP multiplayer fans of the series know and love, experimental modes such as the Battlefield-like Skirmish game type and the large-scale extraction shooter-inspired Endgame experience, and more.

Notably, Black Ops 7 also has deep integration with the free-to-play battle royale shooter Call of Duty: Warzone, as its operators and weapons are usable in the experience.

While the game isn't as grounded as I'd personally like it to be — indeed, Call of Duty is a far cry from the gritty military-focused series it once was, with plenty of fantastical elements now — I won't deny that this is one of the most varied releases from the franchise in a long time. Whether someone prefers PvE co-op, competitive PvP, or a mix of both, there's something for everyone in Black Ops 7.

Perhaps that's why Black Ops 7 is the biggest Xbox Game Pass game of 2025, and why it has a strong base of fans even with stiff competition from other big name titles like Battlefield 6 and ARC Raiders that also came out in autumn. And with plenty of post-launch updates planned by the game's developers, it's only going to get better with time.

Before you buy it, though, something important to note is that there's a key difference between the PS5 and PlayStation Cross-Gen Bundle versions of the game. The former has better visuals and performance and only works on PS5, while the Cross-Gen Bundle is playable on both the last-gen PS4 and PS5.

Essentially, you'll want to buy the PS5 version if the game's recipient (or you) uses that system, and the Cross-Gen Bundle one if they play on PS4 now but plan to get a PS5 at some point. Thanks to Xbox Smart Delivery, the best version of Black Ops 7 is used on current-gen Xbox Series X|S consoles by default even though it remains playable on Xbox One, so there's no need for two separate versions.

FAQ

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Square Enix and Xbox have had something of a tumultuous relationship over the years. Final Fantasy has sporadically appeared on Xbox systems here and there, but never in a consistent way as it has with PlayStation or Nintendo platforms in years past.

As a result, Xbox never build up the same audience for JRPG and other popular Japanese genres and games that its competitors enjoy, and never achieved the same traction in the region with its ecosystem and hardware. It's a chicken and an egg scenario essentially for both companies — as Microsoft seeks to build up a bigger user base for gamers who enjoy these types of titles, and Square Enix seeks to find new users on new platforms.

As part of that, the team at Square Enix has been quite receptive to Xbox-oriented press beats recently. We interviewed We interviewed Final Fantasy director Naoki Hamaguchi a short while ago, and Hamaguchi shared some of his favorite recent Xbox titles with us while explaining why Final Fantasy has returned to the Xbox platform. Today, Square Enix shared a video with us from Final Fantasy 7 producer Yoshinori Kitase, also giving some shoutouts to Xbox.

"As a developer, I've always been drawn to platforms that allow us to push into new frontiers, and Xbox is truly putting that into practice. That is why being able to release Final Fantasy VII Remake Integrate on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Ally, is something that makes us extremely happy."

"Please allow me to introduce three titles that are especially memorable to me, I believe these titles that really showcase the appeal of Xbox hardware."

First up, Kitase talked up Flight Simulator 2024, "It's incredibly realistic, it reproduces the entire world at scale. It really is more of a flight simulator than a game. You know how in movies, sometimes the pilot dies in an accident or becomes unable to fly the plane, and then a passenger suddenly has to take the controls. I'm sure you've seen scenes like that. I often travel overseas on business trips by plane, and I'm always imagining what I would do if something like that happened. I always play while imagining that scenario."

Kitase also had positive things to say about Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, noting how the original movie had left a huge impression on him back in the 1980s. Like many of us, Kitase found the nostalgic recreation of Indiana himself and the opening sequences from Raiders of the Lost Ark to be "incredibly moving," and hailed the franchise for originating many modern video game mechanics. "Even if you haven't seen it, the treasure-hunting mechanics, dungeon gimmicks, or puzzle-solving mechanics ... in a way, the origin of those ideas, the original inspiration, can be found in Indiana Jones."

Finally, Kitase gave a shoutout to the recently-released Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. "This is a strategy game set within the Final Fantasy series, with the original creator, Yasumi Matsuno, supervising the game design. It unfolds with an extremely deep and weighty story."

Can Xbox build a bigger fanbase for Japanese games?

It's no secret that Xbox is virtually non existent in Japan, and is hardly doing that well in the West either. Xbox hardware sales have been flagging for some time, and Xbox has become something of a pariah with a string of unpopular decisions this year.

Despite that, Japanese developers have been lending stronger support to the Xbox platform as of late. Franchises like Yakuza, Persona, and indeed, Final Fantasy are arriving on Xbox a lot more consistently in-line with other platforms, even if service games like Fortnite and Call of Duty continue to dominate the way the console is used.

Xbox has been expanding its horizons to PC to grow its userbase and find some of those "variety" gamers again, who have increasingly flocked to Steam in recent years. Xbox Game Pass has been a vehicle for delivering some of that variety too, although the big Xbox Game Pass price hike from a few months ago has eaten into its value proposition.

Whether it's Xbox PC, OEM devices like the Xbox Ally, or Xbox Cloud Gaming, Microsoft and its Japanese partners could have a strong position on some of these new frontiers. Xbox Cloud Gaming is a great way to experience turn-based JRPGs like Final Fantasy Tactics, Persona, and the recent Dragon Quest remakes. They're also strong on battery-limited devices like the Xbox Ally, since they can be experienced in lower power modes.

I think it's around these types of experiences that Xbox could find new audiences for these types of games more and more over time, but it's hard to know for sure if they will be able to move beyond being a simple niche. Time will tell.

You can preorder Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on Xbox Series X|S today with some nifty bonuses (available until January 31, 2026), as well as try out this new demo. FFVII Remake launches on January 26, 2026 for Xbox Play Anywhere.

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Like Fallout Season 2, New Vegas takes place in and around post-nuclear Las Vegas, and is notable for arguably being the most popular of all the Fallout games in terms of player reception. Many applaud its deep RPG systems, complex faction narratives, branching questlines, and emphasis on total player freedom, and consider it a cut above titles like Fallout 3 and Fallout 4 that were made by Fallout's primary studio, Bethesda.

Because there weren't many references to New Vegas, its events, or what it added to the series' lore in the developer's games, some in the Fallout community believe that Bethesda hates or resents Obsidian's RPG for being generally more well-liked by fans. There's never been any proof of this, mind, but the idea still took root as fans debated which Fallout games are better, and it's persisted over time.

Speaking with PC Gamer, though, Bethesda director and executive producer Todd Howard has now addressed this infamous misconception that the studio keeps New Vegas "at arm's length," making it clear that the two developers are on good terms and that there's no truth to the whispers.

"Huge respect to the folks at Obsidian. Had them out to the set to see [Fallout Season 2]. And they've had an incredible year, if you look at the year they've had," Howard said, referencing Xbox and Obsidian's release of Avowed, Grounded 2, and The Outer Worlds 2 throughout 2025.

"But again, this is something we asked them to do, right? And so, they just did an incredible, incredible job on the game," he added.

A few moments earlier in the interview, Howard discussed how New Vegas ultimately came to be, and seemed to speculate that the source of this misconception were "factions" of fans engaging in discourse about which Fallout games are better.

"Well, look, when we went to do that game [New Vegas], we were coming off of Fallout 3. We knew we were going to do Skyrim. We know the folks at Obsidian well, love their work. And so, you know, reached out to them and said 'Hey, would you like to do this? We see something else coming off of Fallout 3,'" he explained.

"So I just find it — I think fans debate what their favorite one is, which is understandable. I think it's great that you can have, we'll call it factions in the fans," Howard continued. "'Oh, I like 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or Vegas or 76 now.' And so, I think that's really healthy for a franchise where people can say which one is their favorite."

Frankly, I've always found this idea that Bethesda shuns New Vegas to be ridiculous, and it's unfortunate that negative disinformation like that tends to spread like wildfire — resulting in misconceptions like this one that ultimately have no actual proof behind them.

It's good, then, that Howard has addressed it directly, and hopefully this will be the end of it (though there will inevitably be some that vehemently believe he lied for the camera, because of course there will). I mean, Bethesda is heavily involved with the TV show that just made New Vegas Season 2's main location. I think it's safe to say this assumption is unfounded.

Note that every Fallout game — including New Vegas — is available to play through Xbox Game Pass, either on Xbox consoles or on PC.

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It's been in the oven for a long time; it was announced over seven years ago during E3 2018 with a short teaser trailer, and we've heard very little about it since then, as much of Bethesda's development efforts were focused on Starfield for many years. Now, though, we actually have a new update from game director and executive producer Todd Howard, as well as a few other Bethesda devs.

"It’s progressing really well. The majority of the studio’s on VI, but I’ll say this: We always overlap. So, we’re very used to overlapping development," Howard told Game Informer when asked about the upcoming title.

"And we have long pre-productions on things so that we feel good about them. And it’s a process," he added. "We all wish it went a little bit faster — or a lot faster — but it’s a process that we want to get right."

Howard's mention of "overlapping development" no doubt alludes to the fact that Bethesda is also developing more Starfield DLC (it teased the "Terran Armada" on social media earlier this year) alongside The Elder Scrolls 6, and has begun early work on Fallout 5 as well. That game is ages away, I'm sure, but it has been confirmed.

Studio director Angela Browder and studio design director Emil Pagliarulo shared their own thoughts about the development of The Elder Scrolls 6 as well, expressing excitement about its gameplay advancements and possibilities with how far the gaming industry has come in the last 15 years. They also maintained that Bethesda is making the right choice by taking their time with the game, and not rushing.

“It’s wonderful to be back in this Elder Scrolls universe. As the internet likes to tell us, it’s been a while," commented Browder. "And the industry and the hardware and all of this have made such huge leaps and bounds since the last time we made one of these, like, I’m actively excited about what’s in front of us, because the opportunities, the hardware, the rendering, all of this stuff has just…the possibilities are crazy!"

She went on to say that The Elder Scrolls 6 "is this endless set of possibilities" that's exciting for someone working on the game, and also for those admiring the way the industry has progressed. "It’s gonna be dope. It’s dope!"

"I can say that it’s going! It’s funny, because the time pressure that players put on us, we don’t put on ourselves. And I know that can be frustrating for players who are dying to play a game," noted Pagliarulo, before highlighting GTA 6's recent delay and applauding Rockstar's decision.

"And so, what do fans really want? Do they want a game that comes out before it should and doesn’t meet their expectations? Or do they want the turkey that is in the oven for long enough to be delicious when it finally comes out of the oven, you know? That’s what I think people are going to want," he continued. "So, we’re going to take our time and as long as it needs to be to be great."

Indeed, as Howard indicated last month, The Elder Scrolls 6 is still "a long ways off." With that said, it's still reassuring to hear that development of the game is going well, and that the team working on it is excited to share it with the world once it's ready in a few years. It's expected on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation, and will be available on Xbox Game Pass as a Microsoft first-party title.

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That is, until I came across the Hyperkin Competitor. This is an amazing Xbox controller that has a button layout better suited for 2D games and includes gameplay-enhancing features like Hall Effect analog sticks and Impulse Triggers, and it's now on sale for $42.49 at Amazon.

What's so special about the Hyperkin Competitor?

For many years, I thought there was no wired Xbox controller that could replace my beloved Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma, but boy was I glad to be proven wrong when I reviewed the Hyperkin Competitor.

This is one of the best Xbox controllers I've ever used. It's got a tough build, its design is very ergonomically comfortable, the controls feel so responsive and good to use, it has Impulse Trigger with haptic feedback that pleasantly increases immersion, and it has a couple of reprogrammable extra back buttons.

It also features Hall Effect sensors in its analog sticks to increase their input accuracy and durability, while preventing "stick drift" so your character doesn't move unintentionally in the wrong direction when your thumb's off the sticks.

My favorite part of the Hyperkin Competitor is its PlayStation 5-style segmented D-Pad and control scheme layout.

Controlling my character on a 2D plane in games like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, and Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons, and performing complicated special moves in fighting games like Street Fighter 6 or Killer Instinct, felt so much better than using the Hyperkin Competitor's D-Pad compared to using a normal Xbox controller's D-Pad.

So, unless you're strongly against using wired-only or PlayStation-styled controllers, then I highly recommend the Hyperkin Competitor.

I guarantee you will not regret using it or getting one for your friends during Christmas, as it's now on sale for $42.49 at Amazon after having its $49.99 MSRP cut down by 15%.

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Notably, this does not include anyone playing the game through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, of which Team Cherry says there are "millions more" — Hollow Knight: Silksong was included in both tiers of Microsoft's subscription service at launch — meaning the total number of players who have ventured into Pharloom is truly massive.

To celebrate this milestone, the developers have also shared some news about what players can expect next. The team has been working on some DLC (downloadable content), and now, the first expansion is officially on the way.

Dubbed Sea of Sorrow, this free expansion includes new areas, boss fights, tools, and more. You can check out the teaser trailer for the Sea of Sorrow expansion below:

There isn't much to go on, but the developers note that the expansion is "nautically themed" and will be launching for all players at some point in 2026.

Yet, that isn't all! In addition to having more to come for Silksong, Team Cherry is updating its original game, with Hollow Knight getting a variety of improvements on all platforms.

In addition to a variety of bug fixes, this update will also allow Hollow Knight to run at 16:10 and 21:9 aspect ratios, perfect for Steam Deck owners and players that use ultrawide monitors, respectively.

This update is currently available in beta on Steam and GOG, and is slated to launch for all players at some point in 2026.

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Bungie notes that the game is leaning into a darker science-fiction tone. Instead of players leaving a duffel bag of goodies once killed, the Runner bodies remain, leaving corpses that decay over time. This adds to the gameplay, giving players a warning about possible nearby threats depending on how fresh a corpse appears to be.

Several new features have been implemented following player feedback from the alpha testing, including the addition of a solo queue, allowing a lone Runner to dive in without being teamed up in a squad.

Marathon also now supports proximity chat, leading to new encounters as players can communicate with others out in the wild. Maybe two squads might decide to team up, or instead go their separate ways?

While Bungie isn't committing to a new release date just yet, the game does have a pretty precise release window, and Marathon is now slated to launch at some point in March 2026.

Marathon will not be a full-priced game, and is instead launching at $40 in the U.S. Rewards Passes will not expire, and players will be able to purchase and finish prior passes, taking a page from similar systems in Halo Infinite and Helldivers 2.

There aren't any details right now, but Bungie notes that any players who buy the game will get access to numerous free updates throughout the year, including new maps, Runner shells, and more. Bungie says more information on the roadmap will be available "closer to launch."

When it arrives, Marathon will be the first full new game that Bungie has launched since Destiny 2 in 2017.

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However, you can cheat your way into enjoying Xbox's immense library of games with just a TV and this bundle featuring one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, an Xbox controller, and an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, now on sale for $89.97 on Amazon.

How do I use the items in this bundle to play Xbox games with just a TV?

The method to use this bundle of items to transform your TV into an Xbox console may seem strange at first, but it's straightforward once you understand it.

All you have to do is plug the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4k into your TV, have your TV download the Xbox app, pair up the bundled Xbox controller with your TV, and finally, activate Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

After that's done, your Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K will become a beacon that can stream Xbox Game Pass titles onto your TV. However, do note that you will only be able to play Xbox games that have been enabled with Xbox Cloud Gaming support.

With this method, you can skip out on having to pay the full $599.99 MSRP for an Xbox Series X or $299.99 MSRP for an Xbox Series S, and enjoy playing award-winning games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and The Outer Worlds 2 for a fraction of their costs.

On top of that, Xbox Cloud Gaming can also let you buy, stream, and play non-Xbox Game Pass titles like Helldivers 2, thanks to its "Stream Your Own Game" feature.

So, if you want an affordable way to play Xbox games without breaking the bank for a console, then this Gaming Bundle for $89.97 on Amazon makes for a great, money-saving option, especially since this option from Amazon will be shipped to you two days before Christmas.

Alternative discounts

Amazon is selling alternative bundles of this collection with different colored Xbox controllers at various discounts if you prefer having a controller that matches your favorite color.

Do note that some of these alternative discounted bundledbundles may be delivered to you long after the Christmas holidays during January 2026:

• $87.98 at Amazon (was $139.97) (Carbon Black Xbox Controller) (Delivery January 2, 2026 - January 14, 2026)
• $98.98 at Amazon (was $139.97) (Deep Pink Xbox Controller) (Delivery December 20, 2025)
• $114.97 at Amazon (was $139.97) (Pulse Cipher Special Edition Xbox Controller) (Delivery December 20, 2025)
• $99.97 at Amazon (was $139.97) (Pulse Red Xbox Controller)(Delivery December 21, 2025 - December 23, 2025)
• $91.98 at Amazon (was $139.97) (Shock Blue Xbox Controller) (Delivery December 24, 2025 - January 2, 2026)
• $91.98 at Amazon (was $139.97) (Velocity Green Xbox Controller) (Delivery December 21, 2025 - December 23, 2025)

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Original article: For fans of single-player FPS titles, one of the biggest releases in recent memory was STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl — GSC Game World's 2024 survival-horror shooter, and sequel to the original trilogy of STALKER games. STALKER 2 has been supported since launch with extensive fixes and improvements alongside small additions like night vision goggles and tougher difficulty options, but hasn't gotten any significant content updates yet. This week, however, that's changing.

That's because it's getting a surprise "Stories Untold" patch on December 16 (tomorrow, at the time of writing) that's bringing several hours' worth of free new content to the Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 (it just came to Sony's console last month) shooter.

At the core of the update lies a new storyline that will feature eight quests "that can take hours to complete," along with seven additional locations to explore, six new characters "with their own backgrounds and stories," a unique new weapon, and a hub area that you can create based on the choices you make.

Based on its description in this new blog post from GSC as well as its trailer (you can watch it below), we know this questline will focus on a mysterious radio signal causing scientific research teams in the Malachite area of The Zone — as well as other stalkers — to experience "headaches, nose bleeds, and hallucinations," and even death in some cases.

The story will also take you to the infamously dangerous Red Forest region to the northeast of Malachite, with two new characters — a scientist named Professor Medulin and "radio enthusiast" Banzai — seemingly playing a central role in the narrative.

As you progress through the questline, you'll have the opportunity to pick up a unique version of the GP37 rifle called the GP37V2 that features a pre-installed suppressor and a low-magnification scope, along with the option to switch between single and burst-fire modes.

In terms of locations to visit, GSC says exploring both the Fairy Tale Pioneer Camp and the Old Mine in Red Forest is "worth your time," and on top of that, the narrative "will lead you through Car Dump, Army Warehouses, City Boiler Room, Rail Depot near Malachite, and Volkhov SAM." Certain choices you make in the story may also bring you to "completely uncharted places."

Your decisions can also lead to an outcome where an entirely new NPC hub gets formed in a barren section of the Burnt Forest zone, complete with a trader, technician, medic, and guide, along with a bed to sleep in and a stash you can manage your loot with. Right now, it's unclear what alternate outcomes there will be that don't lead to this hub's creation and instead bring about something else, but with the update coming tomorrow, we're sure to find out soon enough.

Overall, this sounds like quite a substantial update for one of my favorite FPS titles, and I'm excited to check it out as soon as I get home from a visit to see family for the holidays. We'll have to wait until 2026 for the game's first major story DLC, but this new questline will serve as a nice appetizer ahead of what's on the way.

Note that between this imminent content update and a new 40% off sale on Xbox and Xbox on PC (also playable with Xbox Ally) that runs until January 7, there's never been a better time to jump into STALKER 2 if you're involved with the Xbox ecosystem (except for when it was on Xbox Game Pass, before it left the service).

That brings the $59.99 FPS down to just $35.99, though notably, you can get the Steam version for even cheaper thanks to a deal that knocks it down to $33.49 at Loaded.

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The biggest improvement this upgrade brings is 60 FPS gameplay, which makes the action and exploration far smoother on the latest consoles. I also noticed that the Xbox Series X version is significantly smaller than the backward-compatible Xbox One X version that was previously present, so you'll save a bit of space on your SSD with this upgrade, too.

This official announcement comes just days after Larian Studios revealed its next project at the Game Awards 2025, Divinity. This will be a new game in the Divinity setting, and while a lot isn't clear right now, the teaser trailer is extremely gruesome, with human sacrifices, an accompanying orgy, and pigs eating slop...and that's before things go wrong.

We don't have a release date or even a vague window to look forward to, but until then, it's a great time to play some of the older games in the series for players who came to know Larian Studios thanks to Baldur's Gate 3.

Larian Studios has noted you don't have to play Divinity: Original Sin 2 before the next Divinity game, but it will help, and the players who are familiar with the setting may notice more connections and hints than anyone who hops in fresh.

Divinity Original Sin 2 is currently on sale for $18 via Xbox, for $45 at GOG on Windows PC, for $60 at PlayStation, and for $25 on Nintendo Switch.

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In this specific use case, the handheld is great, and I can see precisely what Xbox was aiming for. It fits that relaxed, low-effort gaming window perfectly.

Unfortunately, the install process and what I’ll just call the general “jank” have given me a bitter first impression. At this point, I feel only a major update will address my concerns.

The first boot up

I felt like a kid on Christmas morning when I first got my Xbox Ally X. I was excited to open it the moment it arrived, which was around 10 AM on a Monday morning.

My plan was simple. Install every update first. I turned the Xbox Ally X on for the first time and was greeted with the familiar Windows setup process. I had already seen plenty of reviewers complain about this, so I knew what to expect, but it still takes the console feel away straight away.

I don’t want to be pedantic or nitpicky either, but it really does take you out of the experience. When I mentioned I booted up around 10 AM, that was deliberate, because it took me until 7 PM to update everything and install two games to play. I highly doubt my gigabit internet was the issue here.

When all is said and done, though, and you can finally use the device to play games, it is pretty fantastic. It is powerful, and it has not struggled with anything I have thrown at it. Even ARC Raiders, which was only recently released, runs at over 100 FPS.

If you want to stay within the Xbox App ecosystem, you will feel quite welcome. The Xbox App does have its issues, though. Whenever you boot the device from a shutdown, the app feels laggy and unresponsive, and installing games and having to accept Windows prompts again takes you out of the experience.

The Xbox Fullscreen Experience is promising, but the Xbox App is what is holding it back from becoming something special. Luckily, it seems as though we may be due for some kind of refresh next year.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention that the Wi-Fi on my Xbox Ally X was completely broken for an entire week. I ended up troubleshooting it myself and eventually fixed the issue, which led me to put together a handy Xbox Ally X Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide for anyone who might run into the same problem.

Gaming outside of the Xbox App

As you might have guessed when I mentioned Spider-Man: Miles Morales earlier, I do use Steam. The Xbox App has an aggregated library, so your Steam, Epic, and other storefront games appear inside it, but the actual experience leaves a lot to be desired and has a fair bit of what I would call jank.

Ironing things out aside, I’d also like to see the ability to add your own games and apps to the Xbox App, something that Steam already offers.

I have had a Steam account for over 13 years and have built up a library of more than 600 games, so naturally I want to use that library on my Xbox Ally X. Installing those games means going to the Windows desktop and installing Steam, which is fine, and then installing everything through Steam, which is also fine.

The issues start when you need to restart the device to get back into the Fullscreen Experience. Once you are back in, you realise you have to install a Game Bar widget if you want reliable access to Steam (or go to the apps section of the Xbox App). Then, when you launch a Steam game via the Xbox App, the process is long and a bit tedious. When a game finally boots through the Xbox App, it works perfectly, but when you exit, it kicks you back into Steam rather than the Xbox App.

Then we get to multitasking in the Fullscreen Experience. Swiping up from the bottom brings up all your currently open Windows, which is supposed to be easy to navigate with LB and RB, with X to close an app or game, and A to jump back into something.

For me, the LB and RB navigation doesn’t always work. Pressing either often sends me back to the first item I selected, which means I have to tap the screen to move to the next Window. You only see half of each one, and while this issue does not happen every time, it happens enough to notice.

Yet I am still excited for the future of Xbox

I know I have just ranted about my personal experience with the Xbox Ally X, and yes, it has been enough for me to advise people to hold off on buying the device. That is probably not what anyone wants to hear before Christmas and the festivities, but it is my honest takeaway.

Even so, I am still excited about the idea of an Xbox PC. If Xbox can fix the problems I have mentioned and streamline the whole experience, we could be in for something special. That treat may cost an arm and a leg with how things are going, but it's a treat all the same.

I have been with Xbox since the original. While it is easy to doom on Xbox right now because of Microsoft’s decisions, I want an ecosystem of devices that can play my Xbox library and give me access to the endless supply of PC games without feeling janky.

If Xbox can deliver that, it will absolutely keep me as a consumer. I don’t want to say goodbye to my nearly 20-year-old Xbox account, and I don’t care much for many PlayStation games, as they often fall into the same third-person action-adventure formula that stopped working for me after being disappointed by Uncharted 4.

For now, I am choosing to have a little faith that Xbox can deliver what I want from a console, despite my experiences with the Xbox Ally X, because I can feel and see the same vision that Jez sees whenever I am on the device, despite feeling like I’m a beta tester.

All that said, with the 25th anniversary of Xbox next year, we might not have to wait much longer to see what Xbox is cooking.

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id Software is an iconic studio, well-known for its work on games such as the DOOM and Quake franchises. Earlier this year, id Software launched its latest game, DOOM: The Dark Ages, which was well-received and went on win the Innovation in Accessibility award at Game Awards 2025.

Notably, with this undertaking, every North American game studio under ZeniMax Media is now unionized, with Bethesda Game Studios and ZeniMax Online Studios having organized last year.

Over 3,600 game developers under Microsoft are part of a union, with several additional unions across Activision and Blizzard Entertainment.

“Remote work isn’t a perk. It’s a necessity for our health, our families, and our access needs. RTO policies should not be handed down from executives with no consideration for accessibility or our well-being,” says id Software lead services programmer Chris Hays. “With a union, we will have the opportunity to make sure that everyone has a voice in the things that matter most to us.”

This comes as layoffs have been rampant in the gaming industry across the past couple of years, including at Microsoft, with multiple studios being shuttered and numerous employees being laid off.

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There was a lot to take in, and some of it didn't interest me at all. However, there were seven titles that really caught my attention.

I've listed them below, along with any known release dates and platforms. Some are already available for preorder and wishlisting, but others might take a while to release.

7. Solasta II

• Coming to Early Access for PC (Steam) on March 12, 2026.

It's been a few years since Baldur's Gate 3 thoroughly drew my attention away from any other game out there, and since then, I've felt the pull for more turn-based RPGs of a similar vein.

Larian Studios aren't developing Solasta II, but it is a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired CRPG that utilizes the SRD 5.2 ruleset (where BG3 used SRD 5.1).

From what I've been able to see in trailers, this game's general art style, choice-driven gameplay, various classes, exotic locales, and dangerous monsters look like they can potentially scratch that BG3/CRGP itch for me.

Thankfully, I don't have much longer to wait since this strategy RPG is coming to Steam Early Access in a few months.

6. Bradley the Badger

• Coming to PC (Steam) sometime in 2026.

Every once in a while, a game I didn't know I needed thrusts itself in my face, and that's exactly the case with Bradley the Badger.

Decked out in Marty McFly's puffer vest and a vigilante's yellow fingerless gloves, the titular hero finds himself moving between several unfinished games inspired by well-known titles, such as CyberBadger (CyberPunk). Thing is, he has the ability to manipulate certain aspects as he platforms around and explores while trying to find his way home.

Best of all, it seems to serve as a humorous satire for the game industry, specifically with games stuck in development hell. I'm always up for a sarcastic or tongue-in-cheek adventure, and the fact that Bradley is such a cute critter makes this game that much more appealing.

5. Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis

• Coming to PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 in 2026.

I played the original 1996 Tomb Raider game as a kid and was sucked into the thrilling Indiana Jones-like adventure on my beige PC. Now, that same story is being revisited and reimagined in this new game that should offer some surprises and different aspects from the original. It's not just a remake, after all, it's a retelling.

As such, it offers far better graphics and modern mechanics while exploring the jungles, oceans, and other gorgeous landscapes we've come to expect with Lara Croft. And don't worry, a T-Rex is in it, too, of course.

It's worth noting that a brand new Lara Croft game entitled Tomb Raider: Catalyst is also launching sometime in 2027, but since it's further out, I'm setting my sights on Legacy of Atlantis first.

4. Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic

• No exact release date, yet. Rumored to release in 2030 (thanks, Bloomberg).

I really shouldn't get my hopes up too high for this one, considering it's in early development and isn't expected to release for a few years yet.

However, it's a little harder to keep my excitement in check knowing that Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) and Mass Effect trilogy veteran, Casey Hudson, is directing this upcoming game.

To be clear, all we saw at The Game Awards 2025 was a Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic teaser trailer, not gameplay footage. So it's unclear what this game's final mechanics, gameplay, and art style will really look like. Still, I've been waiting to revisit Star Wars' Old Republic for a long time now, and I'm excited that this game is on the horizon.

3. Control Resonant

• Coming to PC (Steam) sometime in 2026.

I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into when I picked up the controller and played Remedy Entertainment's Control back in 2019. However, its unique story, nightmarish enemies, unique visuals, and engaging combat helped make it one of the few games that have really stuck with me over the years.

Now, the sequel, Control Resonant, continues the story set in motion by the original Control and Alan Wake II's DLC, only this time in the shoes of Jesse's brother, Dylan Faden.

I'll be honest, I'm still not entirely sure where this game will take me, but I haven't been disappointed by Remedy Entertainment yet, so I'm excited to check it out.

2. LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight

• Coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch on May 29, 2026.

Whenever I'm not sure what game to play, my inclination is to dive back into one of the Batman Arkham games. This series was pivotal to defining my gaming tastes back in the day, and it's hard to resist the charming duo of (no, not Batman and Robin) the late Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill.

Batman Arkaham games are serious and can get incredibly dark (I'm looking at you, Professor Pyg), so seeing many of these iconic game moments recreated in a lighthearted and silly LEGO manner makes it so I can't help but quirk up the corners of my mouth in a smile.

What's more, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight pays tribute to Batman lore and culture from the movies, comics, and much more. So, there are bound to be references Batman fans will enjoy.

1. Divinity

• No release date or platforms have been confirmed yet. It's possible it might not launch until 2030 or later.

I started off this list mentioning Baldur's Gate 3 and Larian Studios, and that's also how I'm ending it. Like many of you, I've been eagerly awaiting Larian Studios' next big title, and I couldn't have been more intrigued than with the reveal trailer for Divinity.

And what we got was intense.

What started as a pastoral festival scene quickly plummeted into horror and madness as a chained individual not only was set aflame, but had some sort of demonic creature burst out of his body followed by a flood of unsettling matter.

Divinity is in early development and not expected to release until 2030 or later, so we don't really know much about what gameplay will actually look like. Still, I'll be absolutely shocked if it doesn't offer player choices, turn-based combat, an interesting story, and that special polish we've come to expect from the Belgian developer.

What games are you looking forward to?

So, now you know which games I'm most excited for, but which ones caught your eye most? Tell us about it in the comments.

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Whether you're on Xbox, Windows PC, Steam, Nintendo Switch, or PlayStation, one thing unites all platforms: there was a seriously huge amount of high-quality games to play this year.

The bangers came in all shapes and sizes. Whether it was the huge AAA budgeted dozens-of-hours behemoths from the mega-publishers, or small and scrappy teams with viral indie hits — the backlog is absolutely real.

As we head towards 2026 and start giving 2025 a wave goodbye, the team here at Windows Central decided to come together and rank our favorite Xbox and PC games of 2025, chosen wholly unscientifically and ranked based on votes.

What were your favorite games of 2025? Do hit the comments too, and let us know!

Ranking our favorite games of 2025!

This year saw mountains of high-profile games of all types and genres. We don't have a very big team here at Windows Central, so don't be mad if we missed out on your favorite game here. Drop your favorites in the comments below, and let us know what your ranking would've been here.

We've also added some more honorable mentions further below for games that don't quite fit the bill (either because they were remakes, DLC, or ones that didn't get enough votes from the whole team).

10. Silent Hill F

Silent Hill F is an amazing return to form for a franchise that has been practically dormant for over a decade. Set in 1960s Japan, Hinako carves a bloody path through an all-too-familiar nightmare, warped by her familial trauma and relatable school problems.

The twists are extreme, the combat is satisfying, and the atmosphere is on point. Konami has proven that it can still deliver strong games in 2025, and we're here for it. — Jez Corden

9. Elden Ring: Nightreign

FromSoftware is known for its grand, highly structured, methodically paced action RPG adventures, so Elden Ring Nightreign — a co-op roguelike spinoff with an emphasis on zipping around a shrinking map and taking out camps of enemies and minibosses to get as many randomized upgrades as possible — is a hugely experimental departure from that norm. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it when it came out, but my friends and I quickly fell in love with its distilled focus on fast-paced "Soulsborne" combat.

Nightreign combines Elden Ring's refined mechanics and 10 different playable characters (two from the new The Forsaken Hollows DLC with new bosses and a second map as well) that each cater to specific playstyles with different abilities and stat spreads. I'd enjoy greater enemy and boss variety, but all in all, Nightreign is an excellent idea from FromSoftware that is executed well, and is a must-play for any Soulslike fan. — Brendan Lowry

8. Hollow Knight: Silksong

Years in the making, Hollow Knight Silksong took the world by storm this past summer, dropping straight into Xbox Game Pass and launching alongside the Xbox Ally handheld.

This hardcore metroidvania pulls no punches, wears its soulslike inspirations on its sleeve, and isn't afraid to make you rage with its difficulty. From its stunning environmental art, fantastic soundtrack, evocative storytelling, and tight combat, Hollow Knight Silksong is an instant classic and a must-play for fans of the genre. Just take it slow ... — Jez Corden

7. Arc Raiders

I don’t know if it’s because I grew up in the era when DayZ was the game everyone played on PC, but ARC Raiders hits a similar nerve for me. The level of player choice, and the unpredictable people you meet along the way, is something I haven’t felt since DayZ in 2013.

DayZ constantly made you question whether you could trust someone or not. Seeing that kind of tension become more mainstream again is great, and it pulls me back to moments from over a decade ago. ARC Raiders reminds me of the Xbox 360 era of multiplayer gaming, and it definitely carries the same spirit that made DayZ so special. It almost makes me wish DayZ had received the same spotlight ARC is getting now. — Adam Hales

6. Battlefield 6

After a couple of misfires from the only credible alternative to Call of Duty, EA's beleaguered Battlefield franchise came out of the gate swinging this year and was big and bold enough to put a serious dent into Call of Duty for what feels like the first time.

A return to truly grounded warfare, Battlefield 6 offers everything modern Call of Duty doesn't, and players rewarded EA heavily for it this year. — Jez Corden

5. Ball x Pit

It feels like our entire team was addicted to this one this year. Ball x Pit came out of nowhere over the Q3 period and took the world by storm, balls in hand.

Ball x Pit combines classic gameplay from the likes of DX Ball and combines it with the auto-battler addictiveness of titles like Vampire Survivors. Fight waves of enemies with cascading and mutating power-ups in what might be the most addictive game of 2025. — Jez Corden

4. Hades 2

Supergiant Games already delivered a masterpiece with the original Hades, setting the bar extremely high for the studio's first-ever sequel. Launching and updating through early access, the team once again knocked it out of the park with a bigger, grander roguelike experience that merges gorgeous artwork and frenetic gameplay with a fascinating take on Greek myth.

I absolutely adore the new protagonist, Melinoë, who earns her place alongside her brother and the rest of the cast of this imposing tale. No two runs are ever the same, and it's ever-satisfying to build up your godly strength as you tackle the Titan of Time and his menagerie of lieutenants.

Topping it all off is a killer soundtrack, once again composed by Supergiant's Darren Korb. Hades 2 easily stands as one of the best games in an impressive year. — Samuel Tolbert

3. Blue Prince

When thinking about my favorite games this year, I hesitated to include Blue Prince. Its impact on me was unmistakable, but I had such a love-hate relationship with how completely it consumed my brain and broke my spirit on multiple occasions — yet I still went crawling back for more.

Earlier this year, I wrote that I was quitting before I lost my mind, and then, of course, I promptly went back for another 20 hours of punishment. The mansion is a puzzle, and within it lies a myriad of other puzzles, and just when you think you’ve solved one, the mystery continues to unravel.

It’s refreshing in the sense that you need to keep a pen and paper on hand to make notes, and infuriating because solutions often come to you in the middle of the night when you’re trying to sleep. It’s maddening to spend a week trying to figure something out only to realize the solution was staring you in the face all along.

Blue Prince was also an unexpectedly fantastic co-op experience as I compared notes with friends playing the game and pieced clues together. It’s rare for a game to be this clever, and rarer still for me to love something that seems intent on destroying my sanity, but Blue Prince is unforgettable and an absolute must-play for any puzzle and/or roguelike fan. — Jennifer Young

2. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is my pick for Game of the Year, and edges out the juggernaut that is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for me.

Warhorse Studios' colossal medieval open-world RPG is an incredible achievement, with some of the most reactive and dynamic systems I've ever seen in a role-playing experience, alongside terrific combat informed by realistic techniques from the era and a nuanced armor system that factors locational damage against every layer of cloth, chainmail, and plate.

The story, too, is amazingly well-written and fun to engage with, as are the 120+ hours of side quests and activities that flesh out this rendition of medieval Bohemia wonderfully. And the cherry on top? KCD2's gorgeous visuals bring that world to life in stunning detail, as does its grand orchestral soundtrack. I cannot recommend this game enough. — Brendan Lowry

1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a revelation for a variety of reasons. Sandfall Interactive emerged from the minds of ex-Ubisoft vets, tired of the bureaucracy that prevented true creativity from flourishing.

A single vision: create an homage to JRPG greats of the past, albeit with evolving modern flair, visuals, atop a uniquely French setting.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 went on to be one of this year's most successful and most renowned games. It gave long-suffering Final Fantasy fans the spiritual successor to AAA JRPGs that Square Enix inexplicably refuses to offer, while also offering a genuinely unique spin on the formula. It helps that the game's twist-laden story is as evocative as it is relatable, despite its dark and fantastical setting that is as bleak as it can be uplifting.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is our Game of the Year for ascending despite the odds, and standing out from the crowd despite wearing its inspirations on its sleeves. Pure unfettered creativity, and a strong, important reminder of what truly drives the industry forward. — Jez Corden

Honorable Mentions

For games that didn't quite get enough votes to make the top 10, or simply weren't truly full new games that launched in 2025, we've rounded up some honorable mentions here. What would've been some of yours? Let us know in the comments!

Atomfall

Atomfall is the very definition of AA, but developer Rebellion has proven that it's no one-trick pony with this one. Known for the Sniper Elite franchise, Atomfall is a uniquely British shooter set in a gorgeous, hand-crafted Cumbrian countryside. It celebrates all the quirks and weirdness of Britain, warped through the lens of a lesser-known real-world nuclear disaster that took place in the North of the country.

Despite its title, it's less Fallout and more STALKER, where exploration, stealth, and open-endedness rise to the fore in a fantastic way. — Jez Corden

Dying Light: The Beast

I feel like Dying Light: The Beast unfairly flew under the radar. It launched during a very busy time, and I also feel like its name created some confusion. This is essentially Dying Light 3, and I feel like Techland was a bit shy of using that moniker since it started life as a DLC. It grew, and grew, though, and became its own thing, with a new map, new features, new systems, and a new story.

Following Kyle Crane from the original game, Dying Light: The Beast changes things up by allowing Crane to transform into a hulk-like mutant, punching zombies to death with sublimely satisfying blood-soaked melee. If you loved any of the Dying Light games, don't overlook this one. It's arguably better than Dying Light 2, and the beast mode is infectious. Literally. — Jez Corden

DUSK

This gets an honorable mention purely for the Xbox version. DUSK is the progenitor of the boomer shooter genre, reviving the classic fast-paced FPS format typified by the likes of DOOM. The retro-stylings, masses of secrets, and hyper-violence make Dusk's 2025 arrival on Xbox one of my favorite games of 2025, as someone who missed out on it until now. It's also fantastic on the Xbox Ally. — Jez Corden

The Alters

The Alters is another game that flew under the radar a bit, and I'm a tad frustrated that Jan Dolski's voice actor, Alex Jordan, was overlooked at The Game Awards for his stellar performance here.

Indeed, in The Alters, you don't play as a singular Jan. You play as several incarnations of Jan, cloned and implanted with memories to aid with the maintenance of a giant roaming space station. You're stranded, oxygen and supplies are running low, and you need to rendezvous at an extraction point before the planet's sun turns you into a radioactive crisp.

The game's tense management gameplay and unique and emotional storytelling will be familiar to anyone who played This War of Mine. This deserves your consideration in 2025. — Jez Corden

Keeper

I played dozens of games in 2025, and I only awarded three a perfect 10/10 score — Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, The Alters, and... Keeper.

Years of waiting and building up excitement for Double Fine Productions' next game after Psychonauts 2 didn't dull Keeper's edge at all; if anything, Keeper still managed to exceed my lofty expectations for Xbox's most creative first-party studio.

You can reduce Keeper down to "You're a literal lighthouse that became sentient, grew legs, and went on a rather long walk with your dinosaur bird friend," and every part of that description screams "Double Fine," but Keeper is so much more than that.

This game is devastatingly beautiful, with the most intense, impactful, and imaginative art direction I've seen all year. It's also riveting, weaving an epic tale of history, purpose, and family that will keep you engaged from the opening cinematic to hours after the closing credits roll. — Zachary Boddy

Silent Hill 2

Here's another honorable mention specifically for its Xbox version. Silent Hill 2 launched a while ago on PlayStation and PC, but with the Xbox version finally here, I felt it deserved a mention. It is without a doubt one of, if not the best, Xbox games that launched in 2025 in my view. Bloober Team absolutely killed it here.

Silent Hill 2 is a legendary survival horror franchise that emphasises claustrophobic, exhausting atmospherics atop stressful gameplay and clever puzzling. Its mysterious story, uncanny dialogue delivery, and legendary soundtrack made Silent Hill 2 a timeless and iconic game that has few peers even today. Bloober Team did the franchise and its legacy incredibly proud with this remake, and it's up on Xbox now. — Jez Corden

Dispatch

Hailing from veterans of Telltale Games' first iteration, AdHoc Studio has made a noteworthy first impression with its debut game, Dispatch.

Merging corporate office banality with the quirks of free-spirited antiheroes, Dispatch easily banishes notions of superhero fatigue through awesome character work and some genuinely funny scenes. Tying it altogether is the incredible voice cast, which includes Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) and a large chunk of Critical Role.

Dispatch earns its place alongside The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us as an icon of narrative adventure games, and I already can't wait for a second season. — Samuel Tolbert

Cronos: The New Dawn

I wanted to give another overlooked banger this year a shoutout, and it's a double whammy for Bloober Team. Bloober Team's first home-grown survival horror title is Cronos: The New Dawn, combining gameplay similar to the likes of classics among Resident Evil, The Evil Within, and Dead Space, wrapped in a uniquely Polish sci-fi setting.

In a bleak and lonely apocalypse, you're the mysterious Traveller, exploring past timelines to figure out just what ended the world. The twists and turns are strong, the combat is stressful, and the environmental design is top-shelf. Bloober Team delivered a banger here, and hopefully, we'll see more from this universe in the future. — Jez Corden

WH40K: Rogue Trader — Lex Imperialis DLC

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader hits a special place in my heart as it's not only the first CRPG I've played and completed, but also loved it so much that it became my favorite WH40K game.

The Lex Imperialis DLC managed to take what I already loved about the game and dial it up to 11 with new character Archetypes to experiment with, new weapons to discover throughout the entire game, massive balance changes to every class, more replay value as there's lots of new cutscenes and story-decisions throughout the whole game to discover, and of course, cool new adventures where we get to purge the enemies of the Imperium with the the new Judge Dredd-inspired Arbites companion and Character origin. — Alex Cope

Monster Hunter Stories 1 and 2

I played the original Monster Hunter Stories back on the Nintendo 3DS in 2021, and I loved every minute of it as it perfectly captures the mainline Monster Hunter game's mechanics in a turn-based environment without being a Pokémon copycat.

Fast forward a few years, and I now get to replay it on the big screen through an HD Remaster (along with the Xbox version of Monster Hunter Stories 2), and it's just as fun as I remember it (while including some extra post-game fun the 3DS version didn't have).

It rekindled my love for Monster Hunter after it was briefly snuffed out by how disappointing Monster Hunter Wilds was, and I can't wait to see where this spin-off series will go next when Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection comes out on March 13, 2026. — Alex Cope

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

In an age where games are becoming too scared to drive away audiences if they're even remotely challenging, I'm pleased to see the Ninja Gaiden series stick to its roots of old-school difficulty with Ninja Gaiden Ragebound.

It's brutal from start to finish (to the point where it even injured my wrist with how fast I had to parry incomings), but the levels of satisfaction I gained from understanding the complex level design, mastering the varied combat mechanics, unlocking secret levels, and conquering the tough-as-nails bosses were SO worth the effort.

This game was so much fun and gorgeous to look at, it made me a Ninja Gaiden fan after avoiding the series for decades, and I'm now interested in going back to play previous games to see what I missed out on all these years. — Alex Cope

Happy Holidays from the Windows Central Gaming Team!

That's a wrap on our favorite games for 2025.

This year was a bumper year for game releases, with everything delayed out of the pandemic launching almost back to back at a breakneck pace over the past couple of years. By all accounts, 2026 is set to be absolutely no different, with high-profile games like Fable, Halo Campaign Evolved, Gears E-Day, and much more emerging from Xbox Game Studios. The headline act is, of course, Grand Theft Auto 6, which is slated to drop just shy of a year from now (if it isn't delayed again, that is.).

What games did you love the most in 2025? What games are you most excited for in 2026? Hit the comments, and if you're celebrating, have a Merry Christmas!

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This new Star Wars game headed to PC and consoles (Xbox Series X|S and PS5, most likely, and realistically, whatever next-gen consoles are out when it launches) will be a single-player action RPG set in the Old Republic era of the franchise’s timeline, with players able to drift towards the Light or Dark side of the Force throughout their journey.

Little else is known about the title itself beyond the fact its trailer was made with Unreal Engine 5. But something that makes the game especially exciting is that it’s being made by Arcanaut Studios — a team of veteran developers working with Lucasfilm Games that’s being led by Casey Hudson.

Longtime RPG and Star Wars fans may recognize Hudson as the director of the beloved 2003 BioWare title Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, as well as the Electronic Arts studio's acclaimed Mass Effect trilogy (he also contributed on the soon-to-be-shut-down 2019 action RPG Anthem).

That he's working on an Old Republic-era Star Wars RPG again after 20+ years is incredibly exciting news for KOTOR fans — and Hudson has taken to social media to assuage concerns that Fate of the Old Republic won't launch until 2030.

"Don’t worry about the 'not till 2030' rumors," Hudson said in post on social media, following up on one in which he made it clear Fate of the Old Republic was still in early development stages. "Game will be out before then. I’m not getting any younger!"

The "rumors" Hudson is mentioning stem from a post by Bloomberg's video game reporter Jason Schreier shared early Friday morning in which he suggested expecting a release by 2030 "is an optimistic guess."

"Last night's biggest surprise was Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, led by Casey Hudson, who directed KOTOR (and Anthem)," wrote Schreier. "Exciting news for lots of people... but Lucasfilm says the studio was founded this year, which means that 2030 is an optimistic guess. Maybe it'll be a PlayStation 7 game."

It's exciting to hear that we'll supposedly get Fate of the Old Republic ahead of the turn of the next decade, though Hudson's assurance of "before then" doesn't exactly narrow down a specific release window to look forward to. I can't imagine we'd see the game any earlier than late 2028 or early 2029, but who knows?

Personally, I just want Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic to come out when it's ready, as I really want Hudson and the rest of the team at Arcanaut Studios to land this one. We really haven't had any Star Wars RPGs that match the depth and quality of KOTOR and Obsidian Entertainment's KOTOR 2: The Sith Lords sequel, and I want what sounds like their spiritual successor to be the one that not only does so, but surpasses them, too.

If that means I have to wait until 2030 or even beyond that year? So be it. KOTOR fans deserve to eat well, and the tastiest feasts aren't made quickly. Besides, looking at everything announced at The Game Awards, it's not like we're not going to have plenty of things to play while we bide our time. We might even see KOTOR 1 and 2 remakes, at some point.

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From its innovative blend of turn-based strategy with real-time action mechanics to its amazing boss fights to its impeccably written story and gorgeous audiovisual presentation, it's nothing less than a masterpiece. It's a stunning work of art, and it absolutely deserved to win Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025.

However, I don't believe it deserved to win the Best RPG award, which it of course did (along with eight others, including GOTY). It was up against the likes of Avowed, The Outer Worlds 2, and Monster Hunter Wilds, and while I think you could argue that any of these three had stronger RPG systems than Expedition 33 — The Outer Worlds 2 especially — there's one nominee that handily beats it in this respect.

That game is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Warhorse Studios' gigantic medieval sequel to its original 2018 title, and easily one of (if not the) most expansive, yet deep RPGs I've ever sunk my teeth into. I can understand it losing Best Narrative and Game of the Year to Expedition 33, but Best RPG? No way, man.

Now, that's not to say that Expedition 33 isn't a great RPG in its own right. It's got some very impressive options for building each member of your party — and your party as a whole — with different skills and abilities, and you can further refine your setups with a wide variety of unique and powerful weapons, too. It's an excellent JRPG-style experience, no doubt about that.

But even so, I'd argue that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's systems-heavy depth is far more impressive. Its adventures through medieval Bohemia feature a ridiculous amount of options to approach problems with, "crunch" to engage with, and a world that's remarkably reactive to your presence and your choices.

This is a game in which any time you think "I wonder if I can do that," the answer will almost certainly be "Yes, you can! Go wild." Sneak, steal, scare, sweet talk — all of these and more are options available to you whether you're diving into one of KCD2's countless nuanced side quests or simply trying to figure out how to get your hands on that fancy suit of armor you saw in a shop. Patient players can even brew potions to fortify their skills or smith high-quality weapons and tools to sell.

But engaging with these mechanics isn't as simple as just leveling a skill over time. There's a huge, complex network of systems always working in the background to determine how successful each of these approaches are, with tons of factors you probably wouldn't even think about at first.

Let's take stealth, for example. It probably won't surprise you to learn that lighting in the environment and the color of the clothes you're wearing affects how hard it is to spot you, but the sound of your gear matters too; cloth garb makes far less noise than the rattling of chainmail. Even your hygiene and satiety has an impact. Even if they can't see you, people might smell you if you're covered in muck, or hear the growls of an empty stomach.

These kinds of things also play a big role when you're trying to get your way through dialogue, also. Currying favor with a nobleman or bartering with a trader will be much easier if you're clean and wearing a polished suit of plate or fancy, opulent clothing. But if you're planning to try and intimidate someone? It often pays to be covered in the blood and viscera of your enemies.

The game's NPCs are strikingly intelligent, too, so if you plan to get up to less-than-lawful activities, you'll have to be far more careful than you would be in other games. Even if you manage to kife a valuable from someone's home without getting caught in the act, they'll figure out it was you if they saw you leaving and report you. Wearing stolen gear in eyesight of its owner will expose you, too — obvious when you think about it, but something you can easily forget to think about while playing.

This reactivity of KCD2's medieval life simulation is really what sets it apart — and these are just a few of the many, many ways it manifests across the game's 120+ hour runtime (assuming you're doing side quests). Some others include a broad reputation system at each individual settlement that also factors into how you're responded to, and the outcomes of some side quests affecting the options available to you for resolving others.

One of the game's most interesting systems is how it handles crime. Unless you're caught murdering someone, your first few transgressions for crimes like thievery or loitering in private areas will result in little more than a fine, or perhaps being clapped in the stocks for a day.

But continue to repeat your offenses, and you'll be branded (literally, with a hot iron) as a criminal, which makes people trust you significantly less for the week of in-game time the mark lasts. And if you get caught while you're branded yet again, guards will straight up have you executed by hanging.

A game world like this that gives you ultimate freedom to do whatever you want, but also challenges you to avoid and/or contend with the consequences of your actions? It's an absolute joy to play around in, to test its rules and boundaries and see what you can get away with.

And on top of all of that, it's got a wonderful directional-based melee combat system with several different weapon classes to master, a layer-based armor system, tons of skill perks to build into, and terrific writing of its own with countless meaningful choices to make.

Put simply, it's a phenomenal RPG that pushes the genre forward, and I'd even go so far as to say it's the best RPG I've ever played. I completely understand feeling that Expedition 33 is a better overall game, which is why I didn't mind it taking home Game of the Year, and I do think its story is superior too, so it deserved Best Narrative.

But Best RPG? I just don't see it, not in the same year that we got Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in. This was robbery, straight up (Warhorse jokingly feels the same way), and it bums me out that KCD2 didn't go home with this award. But I am glad, at the very least, that it scored nominations for it and Game of the Year. It absolutely deserved them.

FAQ

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To the surprise of precisely nobody, the biggest winner of the evening was Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Not only did Sandfall Interactive's beloved turn-based, narrative-driven RPG win the coveted Game of the Year award, but it was also nominated for a record-breaking 12 awards in total, and ended up snagging nine of them.

Most people — yours truly included — would agree that the French studio's debut title largely deserved every bit of success it got at The Game Awards. But one developer that gave it some fierce competition in a few categories has suggested it was "robbed" by Expedition 33.

The developer in question is Warhorse Studios, the team responsible for making the colossal medieval RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Its first tongue-in-cheek post on social media came after it lost Best RPG and Best Narrative to Expedition 33, and featured the classic "this is fine" meme of a dog sitting in a burning house.

That was followed by a "and yes it was a double oopsie" comment, all-but-certainly referring to those two awards (Game of the Year hadn't been announced yet). Then, shortly after, Warhorse communications director Tobias Stolz-Zwilling shared an image of The Game Awards trophy, with the caption of "We have officially been robbed!"

After that — and Expedition 33's win of Game of the Year — the main Kingdom Come account on X (Twitter) posted "ggwp [good game well played] Expedition 33," with a winking emoji and a screenshot of a "Blame the French!" dialogue option from KCD2.

Cheeky, to be sure, but also notably followed up with "and thanks to all of you for your support, we truly love and appreciate you, PLEASE STAY KIND."

The sentiment that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 deserved, at the very least, to take home Best RPG over Expedition 33 seems to be quite a popular one, with many players expressing their agreement with it. "I’m an ex33 supremacist but I definitely voted for you guys in the RPG category," wrote one fan. "I’m 58 hours In and I just now went to the wedding [an early-game quest], I enjoy it thoroughly."

Others, though, found the posts from Warhorse and Stolz-Zwilling to be inappropriate, and poor sportsmanship. "I'm not saying KCD2 didn't deserve awards, but sometimes the mature actions to do is congratulate the winners, celebrate gaming in general, and move on," said one player.

"This is unprofessional, immature, and incredibly disrespectful to your peers in the gaming industry who rightfully worked hard for their awards and success," asserted another in a scathing comment. "Maybe if you even remotely tried being a 'team player' in the industry, the 'team' would recognize you more often."

Whether or not these posts are in poor taste is the subject of some debate, but ultimately, I do think they were intended to be lighthearted and not entirely serious. Another comment from Warhorse co-founder and Kingdom Come director and writer Daniel Vávra — this one wholesome — suggests as much: "And on top of all that, I am flying with Air France tomorrow. But of course big congrats to Sandfall Games."

In the end, I'm sure all of this is just some cheeky banter. I certainly hope it is, anyway; I mean, the devs of both games took photos hanging out together after the show, so I'm sure all is well. The creatives in the gaming industry should be supporting each other and celebrating each others' successes. After all, that's what The Game Awards is all about.

Both games are available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5, with Expedition 33 also on Xbox Game Pass. It sells for $49.99, while Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 goes for $59.99. However, both titles are on sale on PC, with Expedition 33 just $30.79 at Loaded and Kingdom Come 2 only $33.49 at Loaded.

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Now that the game is once again in the spotlight and receiving so much recognition, I'm sure many people are going to dive into this incredible story for the first time.

I became absolutely obsessed with Expedition 33 shortly after it released in April, beating it within a few weeks. I'm not exaggerating when I say that developer Sandfall Interactive and publisher Kepler Interactive's turn-based RPG is a masterpiece, from its poignant story and engaging combat to its somber art style and hauntingly beautiful soundtrack.

Like many of you, I ended up listening to its main themes, "Une vie à t'aimer" and "Maelle," sung in French, multiple times on Spotify after starting my first playthrough. These melodies convey an acute sense of longing and awaken a bittersweet emotion, satisfying some unconscious part of my soul.

Thing is, I never took the time to look up a translation for either of these songs until now — and I'm glad I didn't until after beating the game.

It turns out the lyrics for "Une vie à t'aimer" and "Maelle" actually revolve around the main conflict and plot of Expedition 33.

As such, I recommend you don't look up the translation (or don't focus on it too much if you speak French) before beating the game unless you're okay with spoilers.

And for those of you who have beaten the game already, I recommend looking at the translation to see for yourselves what it was telling you all along.

That all said, listen to these beautiful songs again

To be fair, Expedition 33's plot is incredibly complex, more so than many other video game storylines, so you might not fully understand what the lyrics to these songs are alluding to, depending on where you are in the game.

Still, the sentiments the songs convey might make you come to a realization earlier than you'd like. And I personally like to come into a game plot not knowing anything.

I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say that Expedition 33's ending went somewhere completely different from where I expected it to go. My husband and I have had several long discussions about it, and I won't say more than that, or I'll end up spoiling something.

That all said, as long as you don't speak French (or don't pay attention to the lyrics too much if you do), then I highly recommend giving these songs a listen again. They're too beautiful to only experience within Expedition 33, as wonderful as that game is.

Lyric translations from Google Translate [SPOILERS AHEAD]

For those who really want to know what the lyrics say, I've included them below, one after another. Spoilers ahead.

A Lifetime of Loving You [Une vie à t'aimer]

[Verse 1]
Stop loving me, I will always love you
Put down that brush, leave that canvas, Renoir (Aline)
I will always paint, stop painting
Put down that brush, leave that canvas, Renoir (Aline)

[Verse 2]
Blazing colors
Fiery red, life taken away
A painting I cannot see
Close my eyes, only darkness remains
In black, his sad eyes
Through the gold, his laughter persists
In every color, a part of him
To love him always, even if he is no longer here

[Chorus]
Painting love, painting life, crying in color
On the canvas our love is dying, I love you
Painting love, painting life, crying in color
On the canvas our love is dying (remains), I love you

Maelle

[Verse]
I will always love you
I will still dream I will still cry
To love, to forget, and to dream I will cry for you

[Chorus]
Maelle has a life to paint
Sweet faded star
Alicia has a life to paint
A verse in the night
Moon near him

[Chorus]
Maelle has a life to paint
Sweet faded star
Alicia has a life to paint
A verse in the night
Moon near him

This game is amazing and everyone should play it

If you haven't played this year's Game of the Year winner, then I highly recommend you do so. I've enjoyed playing it on my gaming PC and my Xbox Ally X. It's a title that I'm sure I'll revisit several times in the coming years.

Hell, I think I might start yet another playthrough now that new content was revealed for it during The Game Awards.

FAQ

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The brief look at gameplay is quite revealing, showing a look at massed armies of humanity with Space Marines taking on Orks. Notably, it also reveals that factions will be competing across multiple planets, meaning it's war at a far greater scale than any prior Total War game.

While Total War: Warhammer 40K will be coming to Windows PC like players would expect, it'll also be coming to Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, marking a first for the long-running series.

Creative Assembly previously noted that console releases could be possible in the future, specifically namedropping Xbox and PlayStation when discussing upgrades to the game engine the studio uses.

Titled the Warcore engine, these upgrades have focused on improved physics, pathfinding, and vehicle functionality, among other features.

Looking ahead, Creative Assembly is also working on Total War: Medieval 3, though this game is explicitly extremely early in development, having just entered pre-production as the studio seeks to solicit player feedback on numerous systems.

A team is also continuing to work on Total War: Warhammer 3, with a new expansion called Lords of the End Times bringing Nagash and a variety of dangerous endgame threats to the Warhammer Fantasy world in Summer 2026.

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Before that game arrives though, players will have the opportunity to revisit one of Lara's first outings...well, kinda. Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is a reimagining of the original Tomb Raider from 1996.

Also developed with Unreal Engine 5 and with support from Flying Wild Hog, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is slated to launch in 2026.

Both games are being published by Amazon Game Studios, a deal that was struck all the way back in 2022, and both games will be launching across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Steam), and PlayStation 5.

It's been a minute since a new Tomb Raider game launched, with Eidos Montreal launching Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 2018 as the conclusion to the trilogy that began in 2013.

Since then, Eidos Montreal and its sister studio Crystal Dynamics have changed hands, leaving Square Enix and being sold to Embracer Group. Unfortunately, in keeping with much of the rest of the gaming industry, Crystal Dynamics has also had multiple rounds of layoffs through 2022.

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Players looking forward to playing through the next chapter of the Remedy Connected Universe will hopefully not be waiting too much longer, as Control Resonant is slated to launch at some point in 2026.

When it arrives, Control Resonant will be available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Epic Games Store and Steam), PlayStation 5, and Mac.

If you haven't played the first game, Control Ultimate Edition is currently available on Xbox Game Pass via the Essential, Premium, and Ultimate tiers.

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But in addition to all the celebration for 2025's nominees and winners, The Game Awards show also prominently featured plenty of trailers, announcements, reveals, and world premieres for games coming in 2026 and beyond, too.

Curious about what host Geoff Keighley and the wider industry had to show off for Xbox, PC, and gaming handhelds? Look no further, as I've rounded up everything that was announced for these platforms at The Game Awards 2025 right here. For a complete overview of all the big reveals, scroll down.

The Free Shepherd

This cute stylized indie game from Frame Interactive puts you in the paws of a sheep dog in beautiful open fields, and is heading to both PS5 and Steam in 2027. We know basically next to nothing about it, but it sure does look adorable!

Decrepit

This grimdark medieval melee title from Three Friends Jammerdal Games is heavily inspired by Dark Souls, though the trailer for it reminded me of The Elder Scrolls a whole lot more. It's coming to Steam at some point in the future, and can be wishlisted now.

Audiomech

From the creator of AudioSurf Dylan Fitterer comes Audiomech, a wild new bullet hell title in which you can turn the music you listen to into an action-packed shoot 'em up. It's coming to Steam on PC, with a free demo coming out December 12 (that's tomorrow!)

PRAGMATA

CAPCOM's upcoming action-packed sci-fi adventure about protagonist Hugh and his android companion Diana, PRAGMATA, is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC, and other platforms, and got an April 24, 2026 release date announcement at The Game Awards along with preorders going live. A Steam demo for the game is also available to play now if you want to check it out.

Solasta 2

This tactical fantasy RPG based on the SRD 5e tabletop ruleset features a classic party-driven adventure in the vibrant, threatened world of Neokos. Announced last year at the previous The Game Awards, it's now headed to Steam in Early Access on March 12th, 2026.

TankRat

This nifty vehicular action game with the ability to scavenge wreckages for parts and deeply customize a tank Armored Core-style is headed to Steam in Spring 2026, and looks like an bombastic blast.

Bradley the Badger

This goofy action platformer with exploration and puzzles gives you control of a humorous badger named Bradley, that can also transform into a human(?) It's pretty weird, but also looks kinda awesome, if I'm being honest. It's coming to Steam and can be wishlisted now.

Stupid Never Dies

What if Hi-Fi Rush, but zombies? That's essentially what Stupid Never Dies from the new studio GPTRACK50 is, and it looks pretty darn fun (and also pretty darn silly). It's coming to Steam and PS5 in 2026, with wishlisting available now.

Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic fans will be ecstatic to know that Casey Hudson of BioWare fame is working on a brand new single player Star Wars RPG called Fate of the Old Republic that's set in, you guessed it, the Old Republic era. We know basically nothing about it, but still, a new Star Wars RPG is all I need to hear to get hyped.

Divinity

Well, Larian Studios isn't making Divinity: Original Sin 3, but it is making Divinity — a brand new RPG that's reportedly even bigger than Baldur's Gate 3 (which is crazy). It's also what The Game Awards' mysterious statue was, so it's good to have that confirmed now!

4:LOOP

Bad Robot, Left 4 Dead creator Mike Booth, and J.J. Abrams have collaborated to create 4:LOOP, a brand new wacky sci-fi co-op game headed to PC and PS5. It emphasizes being creative and experimenting, so be ready for plenty of trial and error. You can sign up for playtests at Play4Loop.com.

Coven of the Chicken Foot

This beautiful, artful indie title from Wildflower Interactive tells the tale of an elderly witch working to fulfill her coven's oath in a quiet, stylized world experiencing the aftermath of action between adventurers and monsters. In it, you'll bond with a "peculiar creature" across a thoughtful single player journey. It's coming to Steam, and can be wishlisted now.

Ontos

This spiritual successor to the beloved sci-fi horror game SOMA brings players to a repurposed hotel on the Moon, and is a "sci-fi thriller taking you to the edge of existence" that features the award-winning actor Stellan Skarsgård. Ontos is coming to Steam and PS5 in 2026, and can be wishlisted now.

South of Midnight is coming to PS5 and Switch 2

Xbox's South of Midnight took home the Games for Impact award, and during the show, its developers announced that the game is coming to PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 in Spring 2026.

Order of the Sinking Star

This new narrative-driven puzzle adventure features over 1,000 puzzles from the mind of developer Jonathan Blow, known for making acclaimed puzzle titles like Braid and The Witness. It's coming to Steam in 2026, and is available to wishlist now.

EXODUS

Exodus is a new grand sci-fi adventure about Jun Aslan, "once a lowly salvager, now humanity's last hope against the Celestials." It's an action-adventure RPG from Wizards of the Coast and new developer Archetype Entertainment made up of veterans of Mass Effect, Baldur's Gate, and more. It's coming in Early 2027 to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Steam, Epic) and PS5.

WARLOCK

This third-person single player action-adventure title is set in a dark fantasy world greatly inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, and in development with Invoke Studios. In it, you'll play as Kaatri, "a veteran warrior who makes a pact to wield otherworldly magic against dark powers." It's coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5.

Control Resonant

Remedy Entertainment is back with Control Resonant, a sequel to the beloved 2020 supernatural, story-rich action game that's now connected to the Alan Wake universe. It's coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5 in 2026, and will feature Control protagonist Jesse Faden's brother, Dylan, as its playable character.

Gang of Dragon

Gang of Dragon looks to be an interesting new Yakuza-style action game from Yakuza developers, though there's very little we know about it beyond that. Its platforms and release window are among the things we don't know, but it's worth keeping an eye on nevertheless!

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight

The highly anticipated LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is a brand new comedic action platformer that follows the adventures of the legendary hero himself. It's set to release on May 29, 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PS5, and Switch 2.

Tomb Raider: Catalyst

Legendary explorer and treasure hunter Lara Croft returns in Tomb Raider: Catalyst, a new entry in the beloved action series coming to Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and PS5 in 2027.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis

Catalyst isn't the only new Tomb Raider game coming! There's also Legacy of Atlantis, a reimagining of the very first Tomb Raider title that's coming to Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and PS5 a year earlier in 2026.

Forest 3

Forest 3 is a mysterious new title from Endnight Games, the developer of the intense co-op survival games The Forest and Sons of the Forest. It seems to feature far more sci-fi elements than its predecessors, though beyond that, we know very little about this third entry.

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred

Diablo 4 is getting a new Lord of Hatred expansion on April 28, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5, with two new classes — including Paladin, which is out now — the return of the Horadric Cube, and a climactic battle against Mephisto.

Hogwarts Legacy is free on Epic Games until December 18

The 2023 Harry Potter RPG Hogwarts Legacy is completely free on the Epic Games Store on PC until December 18, so snag it if you don't own it already! The offer was announced during The Game Awards show.

No Law

From the developer of the co-op cyberpunk shooter, The Ascent, comes No Law — an open-world first-person sci-fi shooter in which you play as an "ex-cop forced back into action" named Grey Harker. It's headed to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC on Steam and Epic, and PS5, and can be wishlisted now.

Total War: Warhammer 40,000

Total War: Warhammer 40,000 brings a "brutal fusion of galactic strategy and grimdark warfare" to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5, with the game available to wishlist now on Steam. For fans of either of these legendary franchises, this collaboration is quite a big deal.

ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE

The beloved jet fighter dogfighting series returns with ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE, a brand new entry in the franchise headed to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 in 2026. You can wishlist it now on Steam.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer

Now that's podracing! Star Wars: Galactic Racer brings fans of the legendary sci-fi series "a runs-based, high-stakes reinvention of racing born in the lawless Outer Rim," and will no doubt make fans of the classic Star Wars: Episode I Racer very happy. It's heading to a galaxy near you in 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5.

The Wind Awakening

Little is known about The Wind Awakening is known beyond that it seems to be a Japanese action game of some sort, but it's coming to Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Epic, Windows, and PS5 on December 23.

Phantom Blade Zero

The high-octane Wuxia ARPG Phantom Blade Zero from S-GAME Studio is headed to PC and PS5 on September 9, 2026, and looks to be a perfect game for anyone in love with difficult and engaging action titles. We got a lengthy look at its gameplay at The Game Awards, along with the reveal of its release date.

Mega Man: Dual Override

Finally, a new Mega Man game! At long last, we're getting a fresh entry in this legendary CAPCOM franchise called Mega Man: Dual Override, and it's going to be a 2D side-scroller in the vein of the classic titles. It's headed to Xbox Series X|S, Steam, PS5, and Switch 2 in 2027.

Highguard

From dozens of former Apex Legends and Titanfall developers comes Highguard, a new free-to-play multiplayer FPS that's coming out incredibly soon — January 26, 2026, to be specific. When it releases, you'll be able to play it on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5.

FAQ

The move makes South of Midnight the first Xbox Game Studios title to launch on the recently released Switch 2 console.

South of Midnight is an action-adventure game that presents players with a fictionalized version of the American Deep South and follows Hazel, a young woman who finds herself with an ancient power known as 'weaving'. Hazel must defeat the haints and cleanse the stigma that has taken over her home while encountering classic southern gothic folktale figures like Two-Toed Tom.

The game is the third title from Compulsion Games, who previously released We Happy Few and Contrast. It is the first from the studio following its acquisition from Microsoft in 2018. The game initially leaked under the title Project Midnight.

The announcements came unceremoniously via social media tweets from Compulsion Games just before the start of The Game Awards. It is likely that it was intended to be withheld until the annual game show's broadcast. Farah Brixi and Diane Gullemont of Compulsion Games shared the announcement during their speech following South of Midnight's victory in the Games for Impact category.

"From the start, we listened to stories passed down porch to porch, kitchen to kitchen to build a world that would feel as warm and as rich as the south. A world that would be filled with compassion, kindness, and courage. So we're incredibly excited to launch this spring South of Midnight on PlayStation 5 and Switch 2," said Guillemont.

South of Midnight received critical acclaim at launch, and Windows Central's own Samuel Tolbert adorned the title with a coveted Must Play badge. "I've enjoyed this yarn of a young Weaver aspiring to save her mother, and I truly hope we get to see more of Hazel in the future. South of Midnight is a love letter to Southern Gothic and the South, and it's one I hope people can come away from filled with more meaning," wrote Tolbert in Windows Central's South of Midnight review.

Xbox Game Pass subscribers can play South of Midnight now on Xbox or Xbox PC as part of the subscription service.

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Game of the Year

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Winner
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Hades 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Best Game Direction

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Winner
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yotei
• Hades 2
• Split Fiction

Best Narrative

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Winner
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yotei
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
• Silent Hill f

Best Art Direction

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Winner
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yotei
• Hades 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Best Score and Music

• Christopher Larkin for Hollow Knight: Silkson
• Darren Korb for Hades 2
• Lorien Testard for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Winner
• Toma Otowa for Ghost of Yotei
• Woodkid & Ludvig Forsell for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Best Audio Design

• Battlefield 6 - Winner
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yotei
• Silent Hill f

Best Performance

• Ben Starr as Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Charlie Cox as Gustave in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Erika Ishii as Atsu in Ghost of Yotei
• Jennifer English as Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Winner
• Konatsu Kato as Hinako in Silent Hill f
• Troy Baker as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Innovation in Accessibility

• Assassin's Creed Shadows
• Atomfall
• DOOM: The Dark Ages - Winner
• EA Sports FC 26
• South of Midnight

Games for Impact

• Consume Me
• Despelote
• Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
• South of Midnight - Winner
• Wanderstop

Best Ongoing

• Final Fantasy XIV
• Fortnite
• Helldivers 2
• Marvel Rivals
• No Man's Sky - Winner

Best Community Support

• Baldur's Gate 3 - Winner
• Final Fantasy XIV
• Fortnite
• Helldivers 2
• No Man's Sky

Best Independent Game

• Absolum
• Ball x Pit
• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Winner
• Hades 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Best Debut Indie Game

• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Winner
• Despelote
• Dispatch

Best Mobile Game

• Destiny Rising
• Persona 5: The Phantom X
• Sonic Rumble
• Umamasume: Pretty Derby - Winner
• Wuthering Waves

Best VR/AR

• Alien: Rogue Incursion
• Arken Age
• Ghost Town
• Marvel's Deadpool VR
• The Midnight Walk - Winner

Best Action Game

• Battlefield 6
• DOOM: The Dark Ages
• Hades 2 - Winner
• Ninja Gaiden 4
• Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Best Action/Adventure

• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yotei
• Hollow Knight: Silksong - Winner
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Split Fiction

Best Role-Playing Game

• Avowed
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Winner
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• The Outer Worlds 2

Best Family

• Donkey Kong Bananza - Winner
• LEGO Party!
• LEGO Voyagers
• Mario Kart World
• Sonic Racing CrossWorlds
• Split Fiction

Best Fighting

• 2XKO
• Capcom Fighting Collection 2
• Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves - Winner
• Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
• Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage

Best Sim/Strategy

• The Alters
• Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles - Winner
• Jurassic World Evolution 3
• Sid Meier's Civilization VII
• Tempest Rising
• Two Point Museum

Best Sports/Racing

• EA Sports FC 26
• F1 25
• Mario Kart World - Winner
• Rematch
• Sonic Racing CrossWorlds

Best Multiplayer

• ARC Raiders - Winner
• Battlefield 6
• Elden Ring: Nightreign
• PEAK
• Split Fiction

Best Adaptation

• A Minecraft Movie
• Devil May Cry
• Splinter Cell: Deathwatch
• The Last of Us Season 2 - Winner
• Until Dawn

Most Anticipated Game

• 007 First Light
• Grand Theft Auto 6 - Winner
• Marvel's Wolverine
• Resident Evil Requiem
• The Witcher 4

Content Creator of the Year

• Caedral
• Kai Cenat
• MoistCr1TiKaL - Winner
• Sakura Miko
• The Burnt Peanut

Best Esports Game

• Counter-Strike 2 - Winner
• DOTA 2
• League of Legends
• Mobile Legends Bang Bang
• Valorant

Best Esports Athlete

• Brawk
• Chovy - Winner
• Forsaken
• Kekaru
• Menard
• Zywoo

Best Esports Team

• GEN.G
• NRG
• Team Falcons
• Team Liquid PH
• Team Vitality - Winner

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