Game Pass
The latest Game Pass coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Xbox Handheld Confirmed? Microsoft Adds 'Xbox Handheld' Badge to Gears of War: E-Day Page
Microsoft has quietly added a new platform label—“Xbox Handheld”—to the official game page for Gears of War: E-Day, signaling the company’s clearest move yet toward a dedicated portable...
Xbox Game Studios Head Craig Duncan and Chief of Staff Exit as Microsoft Gaming Reset Intensifies
Craig Duncan, the head of Xbox Game Studios, and Louise O’Connor, chief of staff for Microsoft’s gaming division, will leave the company in mid-June 2026, according to multiple reports. Their...
Report: Xbox to Shutter Compulsion Games, Makers of South of Midnight, in Latest Cost-Cutting Move
Microsoft’s Xbox division is preparing to close Montreal-based Compulsion Games, the studio behind the recent action-adventure title South of Midnight, according to a report circulating among...
Microsoft in Talks to Spin Off Double Fine, Ninja Theory in Major Xbox Studio Restructuring
Microsoft is in preliminary discussions to spin off or find buyers for several of its Xbox Game Studios, including Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Compulsion Games, as part of a strategic reset aimed...
Xbox Cloud Gaming Library Tops 1,000 Titles as Stream Your Own Game Adds 51 More
{ "title": "Xbox Cloud Gaming Library Tops 1,000 Titles as Stream Your Own Game Adds 51 More", "content": "Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service has quietly passed a major milestone this week,...
Xbox to cut thousands after June 30, 2026, in Sharma’s Game Pass profitability push
Microsoft’s Xbox division is bracing for a sweeping workforce reduction set to take effect after the company’s fiscal year closes on June 30, 2026. The move, first reported by internal sources,...
Gears of War E-Day PC Release Confirmed Despite "Console Exclusive" Label
Microsoft has finally put an end to a brewing semantic storm. In a June 2026 statement that should clarify years of mixed messaging, Xbox leadership confirmed that the term “Xbox console...
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy pre-orders open at $59.99 with Xbox Play Anywhere and Game Pass on August 27, 2026.
Pre-orders for Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy are now live on the Microsoft Store, locking in an August 27, 2026 release date for the Sophia-centric prequel. Priced at $59.99, the title supports...
Microsoft reverses Copilot key lock and restores Xbox controller audio jack
Microsoft released two small but telling hardware updates this week that reveal a company learning from its mistakes. On May 23, 2026, Windows 11 build 26200 rolled out to Insiders with a...
Xbox Mode for Windows 11 Arrives: Controller Gaming Goes Mainstream, But Is It Bloat?
Microsoft began pushing Xbox mode to Windows 11 PCs on April 30, 2026, bringing a full-screen, controller-first gaming interface to desktops, laptops, and tablets. The update, previously exclusive to...
Xbox Goes All-Caps: Inside Microsoft's Bold XBOX Rebrand Under Asha Sharma
Microsoft’s flagship gaming brand has undergone a subtle but striking transformation. In mid-May 2026, the Xbox organization began styling its name as “XBOX” across official channels,...
Microsoft shelves Xbox Copilot after backlash, bundles Game Pass Ultimate with Discord Nitro
Microsoft has quietly shelved its controversial plan to integrate the Copilot AI assistant directly into Xbox consoles and PC gaming experiences, following months of sustained community backlash. The...