This Week on Xbox May 18, 2018 Small Image

This Week on Xbox: May 18, 2018

We know you’re busy and might miss out on all the exciting things we’re talking about on Xbox Wire every week. If you’ve got a few minutes, we can help remedy that. We’ve pared down the past week’s news into one easy-to-digest article for all things Xbox! Or, if you’d rather watch than read, you can feast your eyes on our weekly video show above. Be sure to come back every Friday to find out what’s happening This Week on Xbox!

Accessible Gaming with the Xbox Adaptive Controller
At Microsoft, we believe in empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our CEO, Satya Nadella, has spoken about how essential it is that we push the boundaries of what technology can do in a concerted effort to be inclusive of everyone around the world. These principles have the deepest impact in how we are building products that are designed for everyone. We have been on a journey of inclusive design, which celebrates and draws inspiration from people who are often overlooked in the typical design process. As I discussed at the annual DICE conference in February, when we truly design for all, we help make the world more equal. That’s why I’m so… Read more

State of Decay 2 Early Access Starts Today
Today, fans who purchase State of Decay 2: Ultimate Edition will get a head start to surviving the apocalypse before the May 22 global launch with early access on Xbox One and Windows 10. In addition to four-day early access, State of Decay 2: Ultimate Edition includes two add-on packs: Independence Pack and Daybreak Pack (available at a later release date) on both Xbox One and Windows 10 PC. The Independence Pack will let you celebrate independence with new vehicles, weapons and gear that have been modified to give you patriotic new ways to mow down zombies; while the Daybreak Pack lets you take the fight to the zombies in an all-new game mode that introduces a new map with new siege… Read more

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Sea of Thieves and Xbox One X Mark the Spot with Chips Ahoy!
This Summer, Xbox and Chips Ahoy! are teaming up to offer exclusive Sea of Thieves in-game items along with access to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold with the purchase of specially marked Sea of Thieves packages of Chips Ahoy!cookies. These exclusive in-game items provide everything you need to plot a course, dig up treasure and bail out the lower decks if attacked along the way! And just to make sure you can put these new items to good use, each pack includes free 5-day access to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold, giving immediate access to Sea of Thieves which is included with Xbox Game Pass along with access to over hundred other great titles. These codes are stackable up to 30 days… Read more

Caleb McLaughlin Puts His Skills to the Test During Xbox Game Pass Challenge
Today, we’re excited to announce that Xbox is partnering with Caleb McLaughlin, also known as Lucas Sinclair on Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” for our second-ever Xbox Game Pass Challenge. Last month, Usain Bolt kicked off the first challenge and we’re looking forward to seeing Caleb bring his A-game and watching him as one of the few people in the world to take on Usain in gaming! On May 20 at 3:00 p.m. PT, fans can check out how Caleb’s supernatural sensibilities stand up as he competes in challenges throughout the Xbox Game Pass library. At only 16 years old, Caleb is no stranger to the gaming world. This past November, he joined us in New York for the launch of the Xbox One X… Read more

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Inside Xbox Episode 3 News Recap
Earlier today Inside Xbox Episode 3 aired, continuing to pull back the curtain on Team Xbox to celebrate our games, features, and fans. This episode was full of a variety of projects Xbox is working on, like new content coming soon to Sea of Thieves and updates to The Master Chief Collection, as well as the official reveal of a specially designed controller allowing more gamers to enjoy video games despite any restrictions they may have. So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at some of the biggest news coming out of this month’s episode of Inside Xbox. First Look at Sea of Thieves: The Hungering Deep Sea of Thieves hit the open water just two short months ago, starting… Read more

The Gears Pro Circuit and Halo Championship Series Are Coming Together
This summer, two of Xbox’s largest gaming franchises are coming together as the Halo Championship Series and Gears Pro Circuit unite for a unique esports event in New Orleans. Working with Major League Gaming (MLG), The Coalition and 343 Industries will host simultaneous standalone tournaments at the New Orleans Convention Center from July 13th-15th. The event will feature hundreds of players, two main stages, multiple feature stations and two open bracket areas for what’s sure to be a historic spectacle. Fans of both franchises will witness non-stop action and high-quality gameplay all weekend. Gears Esports Pro Circuit “Gears of War 4” players will compete for a $250,000… Read more

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Introducing Halo: Fireteam Raven
For some gamers, their fondest and earliest memories are of long hours and countless quarters spent in a local arcade blasting through their favorite adventures. And for Halo fans, some of their best memories are of uncovering the secrets of an enigmatic ringworld and battling the twin threats of the Covenant and the Flood during their initial foray into Halo: Combat Evolved. Today, we’re excited to combine these two cherished memories into one brand-new unforgettable experience. Enter Halo: Fireteam Raven, a cooperative arcade sci-fi shooting game from arcade legends Raw Thrills and Play Mechanix in a unique partnership with 343 Industries. Set in the timeframe of Halo: Combat… Read more

No Man’s Sky Coming to Xbox One July 24, First Multiplayer Details
Hello from Hello Games! We are busily working on Next for No Man’s Sky, but wanted to share a little news from behind-the-scenes. Today, we’re letting people know that you’ll be able to play No Man’s Sky as a full multiplayer experience with your friends in Next. We wanted to share our new cover art too (see above) and announce the release date: No Man’s Sky will launch on Xbox One July 24. We were delighted by the reaction to Next, even though we just shared the name so far, it means so much to see that people were already pumped about it. The reaction that No Man’s Sky is coming to Xbox One was lovely too. I’m excited for new players to be able to play such an expanded… Read more

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May Xbox Update Becomes Available Today
Today the May Xbox One update arrives for gamers around the world.  As part of our ongoing effort to continually improve the Xbox experience, we’ve got a feature-packed update that enables you to get even more out of your console with some exciting new features. Here’s what’s new: Connect with Gamers Across Xbox Live and Discord In response to your feedback, you now have the option to link your Discord account to your Xbox account, making it easier than ever to see what your friends are playing. Starting from the Discord app on PC or on a mobile device, you will see an option to link your Xbox account with your Discord account through the Connections tab under User Settings…. Read more

DC Universe Online Celebrates Superman’s 80th Anniversary with New Content
DC Universe Online, the free-to-play action combat MMO set in the iconic DC universe, is celebrating Action Comics #1000 and the 80th anniversary of Superman! How does a game celebrate? With new content of course! Starting May 16, The Death of Superman: Part I will be available to all Xbox One players level 10 and above, taking you to an updated area of Metropolis that shows a city under attack by Doomsday, the supervillain notoriously associated with Superman’s iconic death. Fight alongside Superman and others as you confront, and ultimately try to stop Doomsday and his destruction of Metropolis. On top of new content, there are new rewards for players to earn, like a new… Read more

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Xbox Live Free Play Days for All This Weekend
Xbox is happy to invite all Xbox Live players without a Gold membership to play online with friends for free during our Free Play Days For All event from 12:01 a.m. PDT on May 17 to 11:59 p.m. PDT on May 20 on Xbox One and Xbox 360. This is a great opportunity for players across both consoles to experience one of the most-popular benefits of Xbox Live Gold membership — when it comes to multiplayer gaming, network reliability is everything. Log in now to play on a network that delivers as well as you do. Great Games Unlocked for a Limited Time And how about two free Xbox One games to play during this event? All Xbox Live members will have free access to play Rainbow Six Siege and… Read more

Inside Xbox One X Enhanced: Below
Many of gaming’s most compelling stories come from those who’ve helped to create our favorite Xbox One games. In our Inside Xbox One X Enhanced series, these creators will share the behind-the-scenes accounts of the work involved in enhancing these epic games for Xbox One X, how they’ve helped chart the course of the world’s most powerful console, and what that means for the future of gaming. Today, we’ll be chatting with Nathan Vella, Co-founder & President at Capybara Games about enhancing Below for Xbox One X. What specifically is your development team doing to enhance Below for Xbox One X (textures, draw, framerate, resolution)? The big ticket enhancement for Xbox… Read more

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Build Your Streaming Library with These Indie Favorites
We’re living in the era of the live streamer and it’s never been easier to start broadcasting your gameplay to millions of viewers around the world through Mixer. Which is why ID@Xbox Game Fest Week 3 will feature some of our favorite games to stream, making this week a wonderful time to pick up that game for your favorite streamer (or yourself) who won’t stop talking about: Descenders (Xbox Game Preview) – Launching into ID@Xbox Game Fest with stunning visuals and Mixer interaction. Descenders is extreme downhill free-riding for the modern era with procedurally generated worlds, and where mistakes have real consequences. In Descenders, your team is your life. When you pick a side… Read more

Exploration-Driven Game Shape of the World Launches June 6 on Xbox One
Hi there, I’m Stu Maxwell, and, in high school, I was the nerd who played too much Quake, though I’m proud of all the custom levels I created. Today, I’m an adult nerd who makes small parts of huge shooter games by day and, for the past four years, I have also been developing my own indie game by night. That game is Shape of the World, a dreamy, exploration-driven escape to relax in after a busy day at work, or when life is not really going your way… I’m super thrilled to announce it’s coming to Xbox One on June 6 – of this year! It’s hard to believe I’m here. Shipping a game as part of a big studio is difficult enough but trying to figure out every aspect of making a… Read more

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Xbox Creates World’s First Gaming Bunker for State of Decay 2
To celebrate the release of State of Decay 2, the ultimate zombie survival game on Xbox One and Windows 10, we created an amazing experience for fans to put their survival skills to the test in an environment unlike any other: the world’s first Xbox Gaming Bunker. The bunker is an authentic World War II-era Quonset bunker just seven miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Originally built to house military personnel in 1947, the 4,000 square-foot space perfectly embodies the feeling of the dangerous, unpredictable dystopia inspired by State of Decay 2. To give fans a firsthand look at all the action, “The Walking Dead” star Chandler Riggs will be on hand playing the game and also… Read more

Treasure Hunt Simulator is Now Available for Roblox on Xbox One
There’s something strangely alluring about being here under the shade of these wind-swept palm trees, laying on a mountain of sand warmed by a day’s worth of sun. Is it the soothing ocean breeze? The calming waves? Or maybe it’s the massive pile of treasure chests waiting to be found beneath your feet. Believe me, once you play Treasure Hunt Simulator you’ll know what I mean. Today we’re excited to announce that HenryDev’s breakout hit is now available for Roblox on Xbox One! Dedicated players will have a lot to look forward to as they relentlessly dig their way through the sand in search of valuable loot. As you forge a path, you’ll earn cash by collecting and selling the… Read more

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Celebrating National Solitaire Day on May 22
Solitaire is the classic card game that has been played for hundreds of years, but it wasn’t until 1990 when Microsoft included it in Windows 3.0 that the game truly went viral. Microsoft Solitaire successfully helped teach computer users how to use a mouse and, in the process, ended up becoming one of the most played video games in history. Over the past 28 years, Microsoft Solitaire has been providing great entertainment to hundreds of millions of players in every corner of the world, and we’re happy to announce that May 22 of each calendar year will officially be designated as National Solitaire Day, recognizing the day Microsoft first included Microsoft Solitaire in… Read more

Mixer Tips & Tricks: Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Hey, Xbox gamers! The Tips & Tricks team is here with 5 tips for Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. You play as Senua, a Celtic warrior who is on a quest to rescue the soul of her dead lover from Helheim a.k.a. the Underworld. Senua’s curse causes her to hear voices and see things that aren’t really there – but that doesn’t make the danger any less real. With these tips, we’ll help you start the game off on the right foot, develop a solid combat strategy, plus we’ll show you how to use those creepy voices to your advantage! Check out the video above to learn the tips and tricks for Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. For even more strategies and tactics on today’s hottest games,… Read more