These past seven days have been quite big for Microsoft’s gaming organization, which underwent a name change. Insider previews and app updates were present, as always. Be sure to catch up below.
If you’re reading this, then it’s highly probable than seven more days have elapsed from this year, meaning a sort of recap is in order. As you’ll see below, the gaming side was quite well represented, previews of all kinds made their way to enthusiasts, and apps have started to implement dark mode more. Find all that – and the usual bit extra – in your Microsoft digest for the week of February 2-8.
For fans of the first-party titles from Microsoft, by far one of the biggest bits of news this past week was the rebranding of Microsoft Studios. The gaming supergroup that reunites thirteen different developers – most recently InXile and Obsidian – has been renamed to Xbox Game Studios. Going the opposite way and instead emphasizing the product rather than the company brand, the renaming was important due to addition of the word ‘game’. Corporate VP Matt Booty underlined that the word ‘studios’ can mean a variety of different things – be it film, or music for example – and that the company really wanted to focus on the gaming aspect of the organization.
On the subject of gaming, the company is working on an Xbox Live SDK to make cross-platform play much easier. The firm has long been a proponent of cross-play, as reflect in its own titles like Minecraft and via the Play Anywhere initiative. More information is rumored to be available during this year’s Game Developers Conference (GDC), which starts on March 18.
Folks that like bundles could check out the newly announced Xbox One S Anthem bundle. It includes BioWare’s upcoming title, a console with 1TB of space, a white Xbox Wireless Controller, as well as one-month free trials for EA Access, Xbox Game Pass, and Xbox Live Gold. The bundle is available for pre-order now – with general availability on February 22 -, and will set you back $299.
Also new on the bundle front, this time as a double pack, is the one for The Division 2. This upcoming Ubisoft title is available with either a 1TB Xbox One S or One X, both of which have the usual assortment of peripherals and subscription trials. The former will cost you $299.99, while the latter comes in at $499.99. Both of these can be pre-ordered, with launch day being March 15.
As part of this announcement, Microsoft also revealed a Sport Red Special Edition controller with a metallic D-pad and rubberized grips. The peripheral itself will cost you $69.99 (available March 5), and the matching charging stand $49.99 (coming May 1).
If you have Xbox Game Pass, you can already play Shadow of the Tomb Raider, The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season, and Pumped BMX Pro, as these three have been added on February 7. On the 14 you’ll be able to play de Blob, followed by Crackdown 3 on the 15 and Batman: Return to Arkham on the 21. The latter includes Arkham Asylum and Arkham City.
To celebrate the release of the third title, Microsoft is also making the first Crackdown free to grab. The 2007 Xbox 360 title is also available on the Xbox One via Backward Compatibility.
On the Xbox One, Insiders in the Omega Ring will get the 1902 update, which is more focused on fixes rather than features.
