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Xbox Developer_Direct broadcast returns Jan. 22

Athima Chansanchai, Writer — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:29:56 +0000

To start off the celebration of Xbox’s 25^th anniversary, the fourth installment of the Developer_Direct broadcast airs Jan. 22. Game creators will once again deliver an inside look at games coming this year and the studios working to bring them to life. Playground Games will show a first extended look at Fable and the debut of gameplay for Forza Horizon 6. A new title also emerges from one of Japan’s most beloved studios, Beast of Reincarnation from Game Freak. Find out more at Xbox Wire.

Tips on getting started with your new ROG Xbox Ally

Athima Chansanchai, Writer — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:17:47 +0000

It’s the holiday season, and perhaps you’re planning to give (or receive!) a ROG Xbox Ally or ROG Xbox Ally X. To help get you playing as quickly as possible, Xbox Wire has updated its guide to the best ways to get started with your brand-new han

The post Tips on getting started with your new ROG Xbox Ally appeared first on Windows Experience Blog.

Biggest new third-party launch for Xbox Game Pass 2025: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Athima Chansanchai, Writer — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 17:02:08 +0000

Sandfall Interactive’s debut role-playing game, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, is the biggest new third-party launch on Xbox Game Pass in 2025, based on number of unique users in the first 30 days it was available. Sandfall Interactive creative director Guillaume Broche says Game Pass allowed them to reach a much wider audience. Set in a whimsical fantasia that belies dark secrets, the game follows the eponymous Expedition on a doomed mission to save their city from the mysterious Paintress, a godlike being that has obliterated the city’s eldest cohort every single year for decades following a cataclysm. If you haven’t yet joined the Expedition, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, handhelds (such as the new ROG Xbox Ally) and Xbox Cloud. It’s an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Read more about it on Xbox Wire.

Xbox full screen gaming experience now available for Windows 11 handhelds and in preview for PCs

Athima Chansanchai, Writer — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 17:29:33 +0000

If you have a Windows 11 gaming handheld, you can try out the Xbox full screen experience, now available for a smoother, more seamless way to play. Designed to minimize friction and get players into their games faster, this update helps deliver a console-like experience on handheld devices. That experience is also now available in preview for more Windows 11 PC form factors, such as laptops, desktops and tablets, tailored for the PC experience. Find out more on Xbox Wire.

Help game developers build trusted communities

Athima Chansanchai, Writer — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 17:55:52 +0000

With the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Xbox Wire has published a guide on the latest security features and actions as a timely reminder to uphold the integrity of play. While most modern PCs include essential security features for gaming, Windows 11 takes protection a step further with advanced defenses tailored for players and developers. By keeping firmware and security features up to date, players help developers maintain a trusted environment for everyone. When security features stay on, it becomes easier for developers to differentiate genuine gameplay from cheating and keep the community competitive and fun. Head over to Xbox Wire to find out how to ensure your PC is ready for secure, fair play.

What to know about Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 before it launches

Athima Chansanchai, Writer — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 20:01:31 +0000

When Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches Nov. 14, it’s going to available day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass as an Xbox Play Anywhere title. The game introduces an 11-mission co-op campaign that supports up to four players. For those looking for something bigger, Endgame mode drops up to 32 players into the city of Avalon for time-limited objectives, blending large-scale coordination with high-stakes action. Cross-play and cross-progression allow PC gamers to team up with friends on other platforms without losing progress. Head over to Xbox Wire to find out more about the game, including key storytelling moments, post-game content and pre-ordering.

Fun, fantasy and dedication to role-playing games reign supreme at Obsidian

Athima Chansanchai, Writer — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:03:50 +0000

Joe Fielder has had a subversive agenda for almost 20 years. Like most secret plots, it probably went unnoticed that he’s been good at executing it. Unlike such plots, though, his intent is decidedly more wholesome: to make people laugh. “I’ve tried to sneak humor into games that shouldn't by any rights have any humor within them,” says Fielder, a principal narrative designer for The Outer Worlds 2, which launches Oct. 29 on Xbox Series X|S, PCs, PlayStation 5 and cloud gaming. “This is the first time where it's a part of my job to do that.” The Outer Worlds 2 is a role-playing game (RPG) set in a wild west-like sci-fi future in a colony called Arcadia, where multiple factions vie for control. Being a good subject of one of those factions means proactively engaging in “mental refreshment” – aka brainwashing. “There’s a lot of Protectorate humor that comes from how much people are willing to give up for a sense of security. Would you give up any shred of independent thought if you could eat surf-and-turf every night?” Fielder says. Read the rest of the story over on the Source channel.

Tips and games for ROG Xbox Ally handhelds

Athima Chansanchai, Writer — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 16:34:46 +0000

Those of you who pre-ordered the new Windows-powered ROG Xbox Ally could be holding it in your hands when it's available Oct.16. What will you do with it when you get it? Luckily, Xbox Wire has two posts that will help make the most out of your new handheld gaming device. Jeff Rubenstein delivers tips such as setting up the fingerprint reader, mastering menus and browsing the games library. You can also find out how to: add titles from leading PC storefronts, play without Wi-Fi and personalize your setup. Xbox Wire also has a helpful post about games you can play right away on your ROG Xbox Ally or ROG Xbox Ally X. They’ve put together a list of some of their favorite games that are handheld optimized or mostly compatible, such as DOOM: The Dark Ages and Forza Horizon 5. Finally, there's a post on a new line-up of Designed for Xbox accessories to make it easier than ever to expand your library, safeguard your device and customize your setup. Editor's note -- Oct. 17, 2025 -- Added additional links and information published on Oct. 16.

New multiplayer mode on Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 encourages competitive fun

Athima Chansanchai, Writer — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:11:15 +0000

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, which launches Nov. 14, comes with a new multiplayer mode that encourages competitive fun: Overload. In Overload, two teams of six fight over an Overload Device that must be escorted into enemy control zones to score a point. “It creates a constant series of mini objectives throughout a match that I must consider, which really keeps me engaged: anticipating where a chokepoint might be, the best route to track down an enemy carrier, or where to set up shop to take out enemies who are lured to a device location,” writes Xbox Wire editor Mike Nelson. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will be available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC and Cloud – with support for Xbox Play Anywhere and day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass – as well as PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Battle.net and Steam. Find out more on Xbox Wire.

NPU paves the way toward a more intelligent Windows

Athima Chansanchai, Writer — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 16:30:58 +0000

Inside Copilot+ PCs is a tiny but powerful AI engine, an innovation originally used in smartphones and now applied to Windows PCs: a neural processing unit Microsoft developed with silicon partners for its latest line of personal computers. These NPU chips speed up AI tasks locally – which means they happen on the device – and can enhance the Copilot+ PC’s digital experiences. What sets Copilot+ PCs apart is the requirement for the NPU to be capable of 40+ Trillion Operations per Second. (TOPS measures trillions of operations a system can perform per second.) NPUs specialize in processing machine learning and small language models efficiently to power features such as image creation and smart camera effects while drawing less power from other areas of the PC, helping extend battery life when unplugged. “AI features available on Windows create novel experiences, and we developed the hardware needed to support those experiences,” says Steven Bathiche, a corporate vice president and technical fellow who established the Applied Sciences team that develops much of the AI technology in Windows. Read the rest of this story over on Microsoft Source.