Xbox has been "restructuring" over the past summer, which has seen thousands of job losses via cuts and divestitures, and has left Xbox fans wondering what the aftermath will ultimately look like.
Sharma's comments about Xbox's biggest franchises have left many wondering if there'd still be space for creativity and newness at Xbox, and it seems the answer is "yes," complete with a warning on over-relying on existing franchises.
InXile Entertainment's upcoming "Clockwork Revolution" potentially represents one of Xbox's most unique new franchises in a long time, set to hit Xbox Series X|S exclusively next year. (Image credit: Xbox Games Studios)
"On content, I think this is probably the thing that you are all seeing the most about as we're making a lot of changes," Sharma said at the Xbox Town Hall this past week, in wholly unauthorized transcripts shared to Windows Central via multiple trusted sources.
Sharma reiterated the plan to focus on the biggest Xbox franchises, but also noted that relying on past victories won't help Xbox win the future.
"We're backing our strongest franchises. I want our great games to become great global billion-dollar franchises. I would also like to see us continue to create enduring new IP. We will not survive if we only revive on the past. We have to find new ways, and courage, to have invention on new IP, that reaches new sets of audiences."
Sharma remarked upon opportunities to grow King and the casual gaming segment in general, where titles like Monopoly Go and Block Blast have eaten into Candy Crush's casual gaming market share in recent years. Asha Sharma also talked about simplifying their studios, reiterating decisions to move some IP, like Halo and Sea of Thieves under Activision, hinting that more "simplification" could be on the way ... what that "simplification" might look like remains to be seen.
"Everything big once started as something small."
More games than ever, less free time, less spare cash. Is there still room for Xbox to grow? (Image credit: Windows Central | Jez Corden)
Xbox has been aggressively exploring ways to drive down costs in general this year. The opportunity within Xbox's ecosystem has diminished as hardware stock levels collapse, owing to the RAMpocalypse. Xbox's disastrous multi-platform strategy of yesteryear saw the platform lose relevancy while boosting competitors, leading to declines for major third-party games like FIFA, Fortnite, and NBA 2K titles on Xbox Series X|S as well.
Moving back to exclusive games has given Xbox a boost, with users returning to the platform for titles like Gears of War: E-Day and Forza Horizon 6, but growing Xbox again will probably take a multi-year, multi-game, multi-franchise effort, coupled with some sort of miracle on the hardware side. Xbox Series X|S and console hardware in general has moved wholly to being a luxury purchase, putting pressure on Xbox's chances.
It'll be interesting to see if Sharma's Xbox does more in this space ... even if Xbox has made stark, quite devastating cuts within its existing teams. AI is muddying the water and blowing up component costs. There are more games than ever, and for many, less free time and money than ever. Micro-spend in service games continue eating up all the spend and users, and finding new cohorts seems more difficult than ever ...
The challenges on Xbox's plate are numerous, but being able to land exclusivity over the next Fortnite, Roblox, or indeed, Minecraft, is doubtless the dream of every major entertainment company. Does Sharma's Xbox have it in them? As usual, only time will tell.
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For the second time today, I’m writing about PlayStation, and I have a feeling this won’t be the last time I discuss Sony’s console. The jailbreaking scene is offering a whole slew of reasons to revisit what I once considered Sony’s worst console to date. Thanks to community efforts, it’s quickly becoming a machine I might actually pick up secondhand.
I’ll be honest, I do have concerns over where all this eventually leads, especially with people reportedly making open-source versions of Microsoft Office and Adobe’s suite of apps, all made thanks to AI. But for now, seeing the PS5 do all these things is impressive at the very least.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Do you find this cool, or does it worry you? And don’t forget to take part in our poll!
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The PlayStation 5 is currently going through a bit of a nightmare, at least for Sony. For fans, however, they’re in for quite the treat.
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t particularly like PlayStation. The PS5 is the first Sony console I’ve actively avoided. But there’s been a lot happening in the jailbreak scene that actually makes it seem like it could be the best console to buy, at least second-hand anyway.
For those unfamiliar with what I’m referring to, the PlayStation 5 has basically been cracked open. Users can now install custom software and do as they please, though that comes at the cost of accessing PlayStation’s servers for games on the console.
It’s not the only thing developing in the PlayStation scene, either. The console is also being emulated on PC lately, much to Sony’s dismay, I imagine. But let’s get back on topic. Users who jailbreak their PS5 can now play Xbox games with the console, thanks to a new app that’s appeared on GitHub: PSBox Cloud Gaming. It natively runs Xbox’s cloud gaming service on the PlayStation 5.
A year or so ago, this wouldn’t have really mattered much. Xbox was in full swing with its multiplatform strategy. But given recent changes, specifically with the return of Xbox exclusives like Gears of War: E-Day never releasing on PlayStation, fans of the franchise who are willing to jailbreak their console can experience what I’d personally describe as a fantastic game. I finished it myself on Insane difficulty last week with a friend, and enjoyed every second.
Of course, cloud gaming isn’t as good as actually playing the game on the console itself. But I’d say it’s a pretty good compromise, and something I’ve started to come around to lately. Granted, Xbox just threw a massive spanner in the works by egregiously limiting cloud gaming hours to pitiful numbers. But if you’re willing to put up with that, you can play through E-Day on Insane and get all the collectibles in about 20 hours or so. At least that’s what it took me.
Let me know your thoughts. Would you jailbreak a PS5, or do you think this is all far too silly? At the very least, it’s interesting to see. So do be sure to leave a comment and take part in our poll!
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Gears of War: E-Day is out, and I’m personally having a fun time with it. I’ve been running through the campaign on Insane with a friend, and while it hasn’t been a struggle, collecting everything has genuinely been fun.
So much fun, in fact, that I’d be disappointed if the next Gears of War was years away. Luckily, we might not have to wait that long. In a recent interview with the BBC, The Coalition studio head Mike Crump discussed what it means for the series to be exclusive to Xbox, whilst also hinting that the development timeline could be shorter going forward.
“The next game will not take nearly as long,” Crump said, noting that E-Day provides a “great foundation” for future entries.
There have, of course, been concerns floating around online about whether Gears will perform at the level it needs to, with some even speculating about potential layoffs at the studio.
Critics have questioned the exclusivity strategy given the game’s long development cycle and estimated budget, arguing that keeping it away from other platforms could make it harder to recoup those costs. However, contrary to that, I believe titles like this are essential in proving that Xbox deserves to stay around.
That said, current numbers seem to be good. According to Circana, E-Day is off to a strong start on console. That’s without even mentioning its solid performance on Steam, where it peaked at 30,000 concurrent players.
I’m currently enjoying the game through Game Pass on my PC, but it’s definitely a title worth purchasing. As I typically do when I enjoy a game on Game Pass, I’ll probably pick it up at some point. Who knows, I might even grab the physical version thanks to Xbox’s generous disc-to-digital program.
As for Crump’s remarks on exclusivity, he emphasized the franchise’s long history with the console. “Gears has been an exclusive franchise to Xbox for 20 years now. It's sort of entwined deeply with the brand... and we’re proud of that,” he said. He added that the series gives people a “reason to be in the Xbox ecosystem.”
It’s great to see one Xbox flagship franchise deliver this year. Yes, I am a longtime Halo fan, and I can’t resist taking a slight jab at a franchise I’ve seen butchered over the years, but at least Gears of War fans have been treated well, and I really do hope the next installment is no more than three years away at most.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Are you enjoying E-Day, or are you finding it a slog?
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Surprise! Here's a quick look at Xbox's new PC app, potentially set to go live to Xbox Insiders before the end of the year.
Over the summer, Microsoft began testing a new Xbox Cloud Gaming interface codenamed Bastion, which aimed to bring the user experience closer to the Xbox Series X|S console. The Xbox PC app looks a lot different from this general ident at present, and has a variety of performance concerns, particularly when loading into large libraries or the general Xbox PC game store.
Microsoft is preparing to ship the below interface, codenamed Garrison, some time in the near future. I got access to an early version of the app this evening, and thought I'd give you a quick run through.
In the video above, I give you a quick tour guide of the new app's interfacing on PC, which includes designs for both mouse and keyboard and controller. You can set this app as your default home screen when loading into Windows 11's new "Game Mode" setting, and it will default to the controller scaling — ideal for devices like the Xbox Ally.
First impressions revolve around performance for me. This is a lot faster than the previous app, particularly when it comes to loading in my large 1400+ library of Xbox titles from across the years. It's a lot easier to see when something is actually installable now, or just stream-capable from Xbox Cloud Gaming.
The navigation between game listings is also a lot more streamlined. There's no longer two separate pages for games, and both the store listing and game listing now share a single interface.
It's early days, but there's not a ton of new functionality here yet. (Image credit: Windows Central | Jez Corden)
For the most part, there isn't a ton of new functionality on offer just yet. This seems to be about boosting performance and usability first and foremost.
Xbox's PC offering has diverged immensely from Steam, as Steam offers a lot more community tooling, developer dialogue systems, and more visible reviews. Steam arguably has better curation too, and while the store pages on this version of the app aren't fully implemented yet, I'm eager to discover if Microsoft has improved visibility for developers through this app. It would be good if developers end up with more tools to communicate with their audiences on the Xbox PC app too, and Microsoft has an opportunity to integrate Minecraft and its other live service games more deeply to boost its community-building chops potentially.
I suspect this version of the app could go live to Xbox Insiders on PC in the coming weeks given that it's already getting bundled into Windows 11 builds now.
One of my favorite Xbox games this year has been, without a doubt, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Reflection, the latest entry in Capcom's JRPG series that combines the monster-capture gameplay of Pokémon with the action-hunting thrills and awesome beasts of Monster Hunter.
However, when Monster Hunter Stories 3: Reflection launched earlier this year on Xbox Series X|S, many of my Xbox friends (including Jez Corden) were sad it didn't have Xbox Play Anywhere support, as this game was made for gaming on the go due to it being on Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is heading to XBOX on PC November 18, 2026, with XBOX Play Anywhere support. Take a look back at the Monster Hunter Stories series on its 10th anniversary:https://t.co/VxUtF44a2UOctober 8, 2026
However, Microsoft has come forward to rectify that missed opportunity by announcing via Xbox Wire that Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection will finally receive Xbox Play Anywhere support and also launch on 'Xbox on PC' on November 18, 2026.
With this, Xbox players will be able to play Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection on Xbox consoles, Windows 11 PCs, and compatible gaming handhelds like the Xbox Ally with just one purchase on Xbox digital storefronts at no additional cost.
Plus, Xbox players can carry over their save data, achievements, and DLC content seamlessly across all the aforementioned platforms, so they won't have to worry about losing progress.
Here's hoping Monster Hunter Stories 3 gets a DLC expansion in the future
It has an intriguing plot with charming characters, beautiful anime-style graphics that performed amazingly at launch, a fun turn-based combat system that isn't afraid to put the player in danger early on, and an incredibly addictive Habitat Restoration system that puts a unique twist on the monster-taming genre.
However, I was extremely annoyed that this game didn't come with a proper High Rank post-game like previous titles, and its post-launch support has been middling at best, with just cosmetics, beefier versions of regular monsters called Royal Monsters, and a single DLC quest chain.
I'm hoping that this game gets a proper DLC expansion like the mainline Monster Hunter games because Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection's base game has an extremely solid foundation that deserves to be expanded upon with more areas, challenges, gear, and playable Monsties.
So, if you've been holding out on Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection's Xbox version because of a lack of Xbox Play Anywhere support, you'll have no more excuses to sleep on one of my personal Game of the Year contenders when it receives it on November 18, 2026.
Ride on to save your kingdom from war and a life-threatening phenomenon turning all life into crystal in the biggest, most ambitious entry in Monster Hunter Stories to date.
A brand-new desktop interface prototype codenamed “Garrison” represents Xbox’s fresh approach to native PC gaming software. Engineered to solve longstanding performance bottlenecks, Garrison delivers a lightning-fast ecosystem capable of handling massive game libraries without sluggish menu delays or memory bloat. Beyond under-the-hood engine overhauls, Garrison bridges input gaps with a rebuilt dual UI optimized for […]
In among the litany of failures across Xbox and Microsoft in general, there are at least a few dozen undeniable epic business wins. One of those is undoubtedly Minecraft.
The blocky craft 'em up adventure already had huge momentum when Microsoft acquired it, but the firm has since turned Minecraft into a cultural powerhouse, with a merchandising and licensing empire that is often overlooked in general gaming discourse. Microsoft thinks there are more opportunities like this ... and that's why it is creating a new division under Xbox today.
"XP" is a new department under Microsoft's gaming team, led by new XP CEO Kayleen Walters, former president of Minecraft.
It's virtually impossible to go to any city or toy store in the world and not see mountains of Minecraft merch. (Image credit: Mojang Studios)
Microsoft put out a blog post today outlining the vision for XP, which will essentially operate as a licensing pipeline across all of Xbox's major franchises.
"Xbox Pictures" will focus on opportunities to bring Microsoft gaming franchises to the big and small screen, in the forms of movies and TV shows. Microsoft has already revealed a range of content in this area, including content for Gears of War, Wolfenstein, Diablo, among others. Big wins here include the Minecraft movie and Fallout TV show, both of which were huge successes in their own right, and vastly boosted interest in the games.
"Xbox Products" will extend what Walters has already done for Minecraft in the form of merchandising and other product lines. Microsoft says that these will be "authentic" to the fandoms. Toys 'R' Us recently announced plans to open dozens of new stores, focusing on the new adult toy-collector cohort. I suspect Microsoft may seek to join in here ... perhaps we could see Skylanders return?!
Could the Overwatch map "Blizzard World" theme park become a reality?! (Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
"Xbox Places" will be a new division focusing on fan events and theme park experiences. Microsoft specifically referred to BlizzCon in the press release here, and I recently heard whispers that Microsoft was interested in extending the BlizzCon model to other major Xbox franchises. Microsoft also has a theme park for Minecraft going live in the UK next year, set as a test bed for this type of thing. Perhaps the Overwatch map "Blizzard World" will become a reality some day ...
Finally, we have "Xbox Partnerships," which will continue the work Microsoft already does bringing its universes into other brands. The recent IKEA Xbox furniture line is an example of this, as well as the Blizzard McDonalds promotion in the UK, and the recent Fanta Xbox Game Pass integrations.
Kayleen Walters spent 13 years at Lucasfilm doing the same kind of work between Disney's theme parks and merchandising empires for Star Wars, and delivered the same for Minecraft during her tenure at Xbox. Now, Microsoft is hoping to extend that even further to franchises like Fallout, Call of Duty, Candy Crush, and more.
Reaching Xbox fans outside of Xbox
Speaking on the appointment, Kayleen Walters had this to say about XP and the potential that exists in Xbox's franchises.
"XP was created from a simple but powerful belief: the world's most beloved gaming franchises have an opportunity to reach people far beyond the boundaries of the game itself. Fans don't just play our franchises. They watch them, wear them, attend them, celebrate them, and connect with them in countless ways. XP brings together the teams responsible for helping XBOX franchises show up in the world in bigger, more meaningful ways."
Microsoft has also appointed former Reddit and Meta executive to run Minecraft in Walters' stead, with a goal of growing Minecraft's chops as a developer platform, taking on Roblox and the like.
This era of Xbox revolves around synchronizing and utilizing Microsoft's acquisitions of the last few years, identifying the clear opportunities that the Minecraft movie and Fallout TV show has presented. Other big media properties of recent years, spanning Cyberpunk, to Castlevania, to Resident Evil, have all seen significant uplift as a result of successful delivery of these shows and movies.
The Halo TV show was universally panned by fans as a huge missed opportunity. (Image credit: Microsoft / Paramount+)
Of course, those movies and TV shows have to actually be good. And as the Halo TV show has taught us ... a flop can actually do more harm than good to a gaming brand and its potential. There's no guarantee Microsoft and its partners can easily emulate the success of the Fallout TV show and Minecraft movie with other properties. I would like to see them take another stab at a Warcraft movie, though.
In any case, Microsoft has explored this segment before with Xbox Entertainment Studios, which fell apart quite rapidly. Microsoft knew this segment was going to be big, as far back as 2012. Although it seems Microsoft now has the good sense to work with external experts (like Netflix and Amazon Prime) rather than try to develop some of these products in-house.
It remains to be seen if the results of this venture will actually deliver. There's definitely a clear and obvious opportunity here, and Xbox's primary competitors, Nintendo and PlayStation, are leaning heavily in this direction already.
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Splitting up with your partner usually leaves both parties on rather poor terms, or is that just me? In the case of Undead Labs, the developer behind State of Decay, that seemingly isn’t the case.
In a recent interview with Game File, Undead Labs Studio Head Philip Holt was asked why the studio is still sticking with Game Pass, and here’s what he said:
I don’t know that we’d be in the place we are today if not for the Game Pass audience
Philip Holt - Undead Labs Studio head
Shocking many I'm sure, as again another developer comes out in defence of Game Pass, but Holt does go on, stating:
"Even today, we have several thousand people coming through the door every day. The benefit of State of Decay is that it’s a very retentive game. Last time I looked, something like half of our monthly active users have been in the game for close to two years, and a quarter for more than five. A lot of players from Game Pass come in and they’re like ‘this isn’t for me’ and leave. There is a high churn rate. But of the players we capture, we capture for a long time. And then they become franchise fans and consume other titles, and they’re excited for State of Decay 3. It’s really helped us achieve scale."
He continues, lamenting Game Passes reach:
"How do we make the most of that for State of Decay 3? Our biggest investment by far is the four-player co-op shared world, so a large audience that comes through Game Pass becomes a huge benefit. They play State of Decay 3, it is a great experience with friends, they invite their friends, and many of them will be on other platforms. It is a vector of growth for us."
The full interview dives into a plethora of additional details, including how the studio is working with three co-development teams to keep the project on track, so I do suggest you dive in and read it yourselves. But it’s great for us Xbox fans to see Holt take this position and recognize the value of a service like Game Pass despite the split with Xbox.
Thankfully, State of Decay 3 is full steam ahead for next year. As quite the zombie fanatic, I’m excited and hopeful that the game does well. It remains the one game I wish Xbox hadn’t chucked out amid their restructuring, but alas.
Do let me know your thoughts on Holt’s comments down below!
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Xbox CTO Scott Van Vliet has taken to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm that more is coming to make development on the platform easier. Despite already rolling out numerous positive changes for developers, Van Vliet states that the company is actively working to remove further friction.
“We’ve heard the feedback from developers: bringing a game to XBOX should be easier than it is today. We agree, and we’re working to make it better. We care deeply about ID@XBOX and the developers who build for XBOX. We’re starting with some of the areas we know can create unnecessary friction, including our concept and publishing processes, and simplifying them so developers can spend less time navigating process and more time bringing great games to players. More soon.”
It’s great to see Xbox address developers directly here and whilst what exactly will change is kept rather vague for now, and doesn’t give much away, outside of simplifying concept and publishing processes, it's still nice to see acknowledged, and publicly no less.
At the same time, Microsoft expressed confidence that developers could now get working within the Xbox development environment in about 30 minutes, making the onboarding process significantly simpler than before.
For folks like me, and you, it won’t really mean much if you just play games. But for developers, Xbox is making serious strides to lower as many barriers as possible. Eventually, maybe skipping Xbox won’t be an option anymore? Who knows?
Hopefully, we hear more soon about the specific changes Van Vliet is referring to. Despite not being all too technically inclined with game development, I do enjoy dabbling here and there, and as an Xbox fan, it’s exciting that more and more developers might see the platform as more viable in the future.
With that said, let me know if things like this excite you or not by commenting down below, and be sure to take part in our poll.
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After the double-whammy launch of Gears of War: E-Day and Minecraft Dungeons 2, things are quietening down for Xbox Game Pass as its next batch of new titles includes a mixture of older AAA titles like Battlefield 6 and intriguing new IP like the soulslike FPS, Valor Mortis.
Here's the full list of Xbox games coming and leaving Xbox Game Pass for the second half of October 2026.
Game
Date Available
Available on (Game Pass versions)
Echo Weaver
October 8, 2026
Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC(Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass)
Forever Ago
October 8, 2026
Cloud, Console, and PC (Ultimate, PC Game Pass)
Neon Abyss 2
October 8, 2026
Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Premium, Ultimate and PC Game Pass)
Battlefield 6
October 13, 2026
Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Premium, Ultimate and PC Game Pass)
Deep Dish Dungeon
October 13, 2026
Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC(Ultimate and PC Game Pass)
Valor Mortis
October 13, 2026
Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC(Premium, Ultimate and PC Game Pass)
Bluey’s Happy Snaps
October 15, 2026
Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC(Ultimate and PC Game Pass)
Chained Beasts
October 15, 2026
Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Ultimate and PC Game Pass)
Beyond These Stars
October 15, 2026
PC (Premium, Ultimate and PC Game Pass)
Games leaving Xbox Game Pass (October 15)
A Plague Tale: Requiem (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Crime Scene Cleaner (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Donut County (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Evil West (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Nova Roma (Game Preview) (PC)
Pacific Drive (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Superball (Cloud, Console, and PC)
The Casting of Frank Stone (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Windows Central's take
The biggest game on this list is Battlefield 6, the latest entry in EA's long-running military FPS series. The game has received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising its tight gunplay and multiplayer, but felt the single-player was lacking in the character writing and plot departments.
Battlefield 6 will arrive on Xbox Game Pass on October 13, 2026, which will be the same time the game launches its fifth season.
This season will have players battle in Las Vegas with several new maps, weapons, and vehicles, a new Operation, a Halloween event, a Server Browser, a #REDSEC: Rapid Royale mode, Platoons, and more.
However, I'm not sure players will have time to play this game because three days after Battlefield 6's induction into Xbox Game Pass...will mark the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, one of the most anticipated Xbox titles of 2026.
Will Battlefield 6 manage to capture player retention away from its biggest rival in the military shooter genre with its Xbox Game Pass inclusion and Season 5 content? Will Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 sweep Battlefield 6 under the rug with its massive campaign mode, intense PVP modes, and new DMZ extraction mode?
Only time will tell next week.
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Xbox stated recently that its restructure is "75% complete," with staffers still wondering what additional layoffs might be on the table. But for now, Asha Sharma took to the internal airwaves to give Xbox staffers an update on what to expect in the coming months from Xbox's overall plan. The quotes below were transcribed to us and verified with multiple sources.
Xbox's big plans for PC and gaming in general: easier publishing, and a Battle.net boost
Battle.net now contains a range of first-party Xbox games, and now also includes its first third-party game in the form of The Witcher 3. (Image credit: Windows Central | Jez Corden)
Sharma spoke on a range of topics at the event, some of which we covered yesterday which you can read up on here. There, Xbox's Asha Sharma spoke on the need to strengthen Xbox's core user base: console users, with plans to boost Xbox Series X|S and the next-gen Xbox Helix "family of devices." But today, I'd like to highlight her comments on Xbox PC and its future, which includes boosted publishing powers for developers, more support for Battle.net, and more.
"On PC historically, we've taken a one-shot approach. We've had one app, and that's what we've focused on. As we have dug in, we're leaving a lot on the table," Sharma said. "It turns out that Battle.net supports an audience that we're not reaching outside of it, and it is awesome at it. The retention is nearly as good as Steam's retention, and we've never really put any work behind it as a platform. And so, we are doing that. We are doing it the right way for that community. It'll be great for our first-party games, and great for select third-party games too."
Indeed, Battle.net recently picked up its first third-party game in the form of The Witcher 3. Activision previously experimented with Battle.net, putting Call of Duty and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater up on the service, and Xbox chimed in with DOOM and Avowed, among others. Blizzard seems to be taking a more curated approach to content on Battle.net, as opposed to opening the flood gates Steam or Xbox PC-style. Retention refers to return users, and not necessarily total users. Sharma is saying that once they're in the ecosystem, Battle.net users stick around at a rate almost as good as Steam.
None of this means Xbox plans to ditch Steam, though.
Xbox will continue to operate on Steam, although it's increasingly exploring its options to grow on PC. (Image credit: Windows Central)
"We will continue to invest in other PC apps as long as they reach distinct audiences," Sharma emphasized. "The Windows app [Microsoft Store] reaches a lot of people around the world. In fact, in China, it is the number one store," Sharma said, although it's unclear by what metric they're measuring this. It's true that Fortnite, Roblox, and some other major service-type games are available on the Windows Microsoft Store, and not on Steam. I'm told many users in China access Steam via a VPN, which probably clouds some of these figures.
"We're collaborating across the board," Sharma said, "we're doing a lot this fall [in terms of offers] through OEMs. We have an offer going out to 14 million OEMs. I saw some great pre-install work that's happening for [World of Warcraft], and some great conversion numbers. We will continue to succeed on Windows. There are a billion Windows PCs. There's no reason we shouldn't be serving our audiences there."
OEMs refers to companies that build and ship Windows-based devices. It sounds to me like Sharma and Xbox are working to bundle other content with upcoming laptop launches. Many laptops come with PC Game Pass codes these days, for example, and it sounds like World of Warcraft may come with launchers and gametime pre-installed on some devices to celebrate the launch of WoW: Forever and further boost Battle.net in general.
Microsoft's systems are often confusing for developers. Tainted Grail recently picked up the Xbox Play Anywhere tag, but the cloud saves are broken, and the game delivers two separate packages when installed on PC, one PC version and one Xbox console version which naturally won't run and reads as "corrupted." This shouldn't be possible. (Image credit: Jez Corden | Windows Central)
Finally, Sharma spoke about making it easier to "work with Xbox," echoing complaints I've heard from developers big and small about building games for the Xbox ecosystem.
"Right now, it is simply very hard to work with Xbox," Sharma admitted. "So, we are simplifying the targets, we're moving to a headless partner center, we're taking the cruft out of our APIs, and we're making them machine-readable. There's a lot of work here. We need developers to be able to work with us, understand how they are performing, and have tools that actually grow their business. There's a lot we can do here. I'm encouraged by the work happening."
The idea here is to make Xbox's publishing programs as simple and automated as possible, reducing the need for human-intervention and bottlenecks. You might notice on Metacritic that PS5 and Steam reviews of games often vastly outstrip their Xbox counterparts. One reason for this is that developers' games often seem stuck in certification until the last minute on Xbox, with reviewers and content creators opting for PS5 and Steam versions as codes usually come in much earlier there.
More problematically, Microsoft's publishing requirements often just see indie developers rejected without providing any clear reasoning, despite obtaining clearance on Steam and PS5. It's often only when the Xbox community gets involved and makes noise that some publishers get their work cleared through cert, which is absolutely stupid. It sounds like there's an effort to fix this, thankfully.
PC gaming is a huge opportunity for Xbox, both on and off Steam
Yesterday, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma spoke of working with partners on hardware, likely in reference to more Xbox Ally-style devices. (Image credit: Jennifer Young - WIndows Central)
Microsoft's core focus is rebuilding its Xbox Series X|S console business ahead of the Xbox Helix launch, but it's encouraging to see they're not abandoning efforts to strengthen their PC offering.
In years past, Microsoft earned itself a reputation of hostility among PC players, with services like Games for Windows Live remaining notorious to this day. As of 2026, Xbox's offering on PC is far far better. The Xbox PC app is in a much better place (although could still be better), the Xbox Ally X handheld is a fantastic console companion for Xbox Play Anywhere fans. And perhaps ironically, Microsoft's disc-to-digital program on Xbox consoles is offering a way to acquire physical PC games for the first time in years, strangely.
Microsoft still has a way to go on building trust with PC gamers for sure. I would argue having more open dialogue with the community there and having a more public, prominent feedback program similar to what we've seen on Xbox Series X|S would help. PC Game Pass is still a very strong offering, and Battle.net is arguably the best of the publisher-focused launchers, vastly outstripping stuff like Ubisoft Connect and EA Play.
PC gaming is a very different culture to console gaming, and arguably more competitive. Steam is absolutely beloved, and outside of that, we have an arrangement of publisher-focused launchers like the Riot Client and HoYoverse launchers. Xbox PC still needs a lot of work on the performance side, especially on handhelds, and the integrations with external launchers like Battle.net itself aren't always the best. But as an Xbox-first, Xbox PC-second gamer, I've been encouraged by the work here. I'd love to see Xbox boost publisher relationships and discoverability for indie games, improve the search functionality on Xbox PC, and also streamline processes for getting Xbox Play Anywhere functional.
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A major report claimed Xbox had secured exclusive cloud streaming rights for Grand Theft Auto VI at launch, potentially giving PC players a way to play the game without a console. Xbox has now pushed back on that claim. The gaming world briefly got some huge news for Grand Theft Auto VI fans. A report […]
You can now beat the scalpers and ensure that you get what I believe is the most stunning Xbox controller ever made. Pre-orders for the Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition are live right now!
A translucent green design lets you see the internal components of the controller while also giving you a shot of nostalgia. Fans have wanted a green controller like this for years, and Xbox finally delivered.
X25 Controller: $79.00 This Xbox controller has a translucent "OG Green" shell that lets you see the internal components of the gamepad. It celebrates the 25th anniversary of Xbox with some nice touches, such as its ABXY buttons being the same colors as those on the original Xbox controller.View Deal
An ode to Xbox
Microsoft announced the Xbox Series X25 earlier this year. While that console is gorgeous, those who already have an Xbox Series X may not buy another console just for a refreshed look. But you can celebrate the 25th anniversary of Xbox without spending $899.99.
The Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition is "OG Green" and has a translucent body. Small touches such as the ABXY buttons matching the original Xbox controller add up to make a stunning controller. The bumpers are even black and white similar to the black and white buttons of the "Duke" controller.
The black Xbox button shines a green light as a throwback to the early days of Xbox. The back of the controller has a see-through panel featuring the classic XBOX logo.
Unfortunately, as with most collectible hardware, scalpers will gobble up a lot of the stock of the Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition. Locking in a pre-order early is your best bet to avoid inflated resale prices.
Today, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma addressed all of Xbox in an internal town hall, the transcript of which was shared to Windows Central and verified by trusted sources.
"Why do we exist?" Sharma said, "We exist to be where the world plays, we will know when we have a billion daily active people, and we have a right to win because we're now focused on our fans and franchises."
New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has doubled down on Xbox console as central to the business. (Image credit: Getty Images | Bloomberg)
Sharma noted that Xbox was declining in hours spent, players, and revenue at the start of the year. She now says Xbox has stabilized in hours spent, and she's now said after year-over-year first party declines, Xbox has now returned to growth in this area. She reiterated that the previous Xbox Game Pass strategy sent Xbox into "freefall" declines on the balance sheet, likely referring to the damage at both ends to Call of Duty and Xbox Game Pass.
UPDATE: To clarify, when speaking about growth here, I'm told Asha Sharma was using a chart referring specifically to first party growth, i.e. games that Xbox owns and publishes. I've updated the text to clarify this.
"We're making the right decisions to reinvest in the business, after an all time low, we've started to return to growth, more than 2 to 3 times what we were, and we expect that continue." Asha Sharma also called out Gears of War: E-Day, Minecraft Dungeons 2, and World of Warcraft Forever for having "strong" starts, and noted that Xbox has seen a 30% increase in positive brand sentiment over the past year.
Growing Xbox Series X|S, leveraging Xbox Helix, Xbox Game Pass, and more handhelds?
Xbox puts consoles back at the core of its business. (Image credit: Microsoft)
Core, content, creation, and connection, are the "four C's" Asha Sharma described as leading Xbox forward. She said that Xbox's market position suggests it needs to invest more in Xbox console, despite the fact the segment overall isn't growing in the gaming industry — she says Xbox still has an opportunity to grow in the space. She also said Xbox doesn't have "the right" to grow beyond console if it can't serve their "most valuable players the right way."
Asha Sharma says strengthening Gen-9 (Xbox Series X|S) is key to this, calling out innovations like Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox's disc-to-digital program, and Xbox Play Anywhere growth. She also hinted that Xbox Game Pass will get more "flexible for more players" in the future, reiterating previous hints that users will be able to tailor exactly what types of content they want to access in the service.
Asha Sharma also called out Gen-10, Xbox Helix, describing it as a "family of devices."
"We are moving to a family of devices for Gen-10. There is not one device that fits all. We will certainly have a great console first, but we also know that many players will be on the go. There are some things that we are the best in the world to manufacture, and there are other things that will we partner on. So, we will be sharing more about that as our plans develop. The operating system is starting to look really good. We're very excited about this."
Asha Sharma also spoke about Xbox PC and Battle.net, talking about an intention to grow Battle.net as a platform. She said Battle.net is almost on-par with Steam for user retention, and the recent partnership to bring CD Projekt RED's games like Witcher 3 to Battle.net will grow further. "We will do it the right way for those communities," she said, hinting that Battle.net will remain a more curated store compared to the likes of Steam or Xbox PC.
On further opportunities, Asha Sharma also revealed that Xbox PC is, in fact, the number 1 PC gaming storefront in China (although, it has been suggested to me that this claim likely excludes China-based Steam users using a VPN — I'm exploring this comment a bit more.)
Update: I'm told Asha Sharma was referring to the Windows Store here, not necessarily the Xbox PC store, which while linked are indeed separate technically. For context, he Windows Store is installed by default on Windows 10 and 11 PCs, and contains many games that aren't available on Steam including Fortnite and Roblox.
Asha Sharma also stated that they'll continue to invest in other PC apps where there's a distinct audience, i.e. Steam in general.
Sharma also said that Xbox is "simplifying" the target and streamlining APIs for publishing on Xbox to make it easier for developers to ship on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Helix, and Xbox PC — which has long been a sore point.
Xbox's strategy looks like the right one, for now
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, and Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty. (Image credit: Microsoft (edit by Windows Central))
Microsoft has also doubled down on its core audience, Xbox console players, whose neglect became untenable at the start of the year as Microsoft seemed to focus on future-facing telemetry data at the cost of the current reality.
There are positive shoots throughout Sharma's pitch to Xbox staff, but she still noted upon caution with regards to the state of the economy, the RAMpocalypse, and generalized disruption in the entertainment biz.
How are you feeling about Xbox's new strategy so far? Let us know in the comments.
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Shared by the fine folks at /r/GamingLeaksAndRumours on reddit, it seems the Xbox Design Lab itself might've just giving us the best glimpse yet at what to expect in the new Xbox Elite Controller, and it sounds rather enticing.
Although the APIs were already taken down by the time I saw the listing, it seems reddit was able to scrape the providers of the Xbox Design Lab storefront and discovered a variety of information about what to expect.
The highlights includes "advanced haptics," PlayStation-style, as well as full Design Lab integration for customization. It also comes with options for silent sticks, swappable d-pads as is typical, an adjustable scroll wheel (confirming previous leaks), and full TMR anti-drift Hall Effect thumbsticks — which is great news for accurate movement and aiming.
Here's the Xbox Elite Controller Series 3 spec summary in full from the reddit post.
Xbox Elite Controller Series 3 Specs (Rumored)
Features
Details
Thumbstick Modules
Hall-effect and TMR thumbstick options, with standard, loose and tight tension variants available.
Haptics & Triggers
Impulse trigger motors (ERMs) and "advanced haptics" using VCA motors.
Audio Controls
Dedicated audio scroll wheel.
Faceplates
Multiple faceplate options including metal finishes, named designs, colour variations and engraving.
Silent Sticks
Low-friction/silent stick option alongside standard and long stick variants.
Rear Paddles
Multiple paddle designs including standard, classic, doublewide, short, long and butterfly-style options.
D-Pad Options
Standard, cross and grippy/faceted D-pad designs, with cosmetic and performance variants.
Accessory Configurations
Support for 27 mapped topper and paddle combinations.
Price
Unknown?!
The post alleges that there were four SKUs listed. Two with, and two without the full haptics motors, split between base models and "complete" models that likely come with additional bells and whistles like charge docks, carry cases, and so on. Other features I've been hearing about include direct-to-WiFi connectivity to minimize Xbox Cloud Gaming latency, as well as easier device switching and management between Xbox, Bluetooth, and other sources.
I had heard that the Xbox Elite Controller Series 3 was imminent for a reveal. If this API leak is indeed true, its addition on the Xbox Design Lab suggests Microsoft may want it out in time for Christmas and the holiday shopping season.
Although, the leaks make no mention of price ... and that'll be the big kicker for many.
The new Xbox Elite Controller (Series 3) is doubtlessly imminent
A short while ago, the Xbox Elite Controller (Series 3) leaked in full on social media. (Image credit: Reddit (r/Controller) | Xbox)
I teased on the Xbox Two Podcast last week that I was expecting the Xbox Elite Series 3 out before Christmas, and this leak aligns with what I've been hearing.
I really enjoy the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 for the convenience of having a permanently-charged controller. The battery life on the Series 2 is truly absurd, and the convenient and weighty charge dock beats all the other options I've seen on the market. Although ... the Series 2 is indeed notorious for quality issues. I've gone through at least two of them, maybe even more, with issues ranging from shoulder button failures to rubber grips falling off.
From speaking with sources about the Xbox Elite Controller, quality control and repairability has been a priority for the Xbox Elite Controller Series 3. It remains to be seen of course how it functions in practice. I'll be eager to get my hands on it and do a full review and teardown video so you guys know whether or not this is the one to buy.
I, for one, am pretty excited. Although there's no information yet on price, and the split between haptic and non-haptic versions makes me wonder just how pricy the haptic-based version will be if they're going as far to split them into separate SKUs. 🤔
Take this all with a pinch of salt for now, of course, but it probably won't be long until all of this is confirmed by Microsoft itself.
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XPSemu
est fork de l'
émulateur open source xemu
qui a été porté en app native sur
PS5 jailbreakée
, pour jouer à des jeux Xbox d'origine. Sur cette première release sortie le 1er octobre dernier, le dev ZiZc3 annonce que Halo 2 fonctionne à 30 FPS sans aucune adaptation. Bien sûr ce sont ses propres tests mais je le crois volontiers !
Et surtout avec le patch communautaire à 60 FPS, qui est appliqué en mémoire et ne modifie jamais votre image du jeu, Halo 2 monte ainsi autour de 50 à 60 FPS au début et de 36 à 50 fps lors des scènes d'action. Sur Crash Bandicoot : La Vengeance de Cortex, tout tourne sans accroc quant à Forza Motorsport, ce dernier reste bien à 30 FPS dans les menus mais redescendra à 15-21 FPS lors des courses. Et Fable : The Lost Chapters oscille, quant à lui, entre 22 et 30 FPS, avec des creux à 10-20 FPS dans les endroits chargés.
Le tableau de bord d'XPSemu sur la PS5 : 4 entrées de menu, et en bas la rangée des jeux lancés récemment, Fable en tête
Ces quatre jeux sont les seuls que le développeur a testés, donc ne cherchez pas une liste de compatibilité pour le moment. Un jeu qui plante sur xemu sur PC plantera donc sur PS5 aussi. Et si Forza et Fable rament, c'est surtout à cause du processeur Xbox émulé, dont le thread mouline 85 à 97 % du temps pendant que le GPU de la PS5 se tourne les pouces. C'est la faute à la traduction du code Xbox par le traducteur générique de QEMU, sur des cœurs Zen 2 à 3,5 GHz qui ne valent pas un PC musclé.
Du coup, monter la résolution jusqu'à 4x ne coûte pas grand chose, puisque le GPU a de la marge, mais ça n'ajoute pas un seul FPS non plus. Pareil pour les upscalers de type FSR. Le développeur prévoit d'ailleurs un mode de génération d'images pour afficher du 30 FPS en 60, et d'autres optimisations du côté processeur. Cela a par exemple permis à Fable de passer d'environ 7 FPS à 23-30 FPS d'un build à l'autre.
Côté install, il vous faudra une PS5 jailbreakée, comme je vous l'expliquais dans mon article sur
Relapse
. Ajoutez à cela kstuff qui doit être chargé avant l'outil xpsemu_tools.elf fourni avec l'appli, ainsi que ShadowMountPlus pour monter le dossier, et surtout vos propres fichiers Xbox (le MCPX, le BIOS, une image de disque dur et vos jeux au format XISO). Ça vous oblige donc à convertir d'abord les images complètes de type redump car le projet ne fournit rien qui viendrait de Microsoft.
Et côté limites de cette version Alpha, il n'y a pas de sauvegarde d'état, et l'audio DSP doit rester désactivé, sans quoi Halo 2 se figera et Forza ramera encore plus. Sans oublier que Relapse peut geler la console, et que ça vous fait risquer un bannissement de compte. Donc si votre PS5 sert aussi à jouer en ligne, laissez tomber...
One of my favorite things about the Xbox ecosystem has historically also been one of its most frustrating. Why? Primarily due to a "lack" of adoption.
Xbox Play Anywhere is by far and away my favorite thing about being an Xbox owner. As a heavy (figuratively and literally) Xbox gamer with hundreds upon hundreds of owned games, I'm always excited to see when one of my games supports Xbox Play Anywhere — a feature that allows me to take my game to Xbox Cloud Gaming or Windows PCs or gaming handhelds on the same license, with the same save file.
However, in years past, adoption was pretty anemic. Xbox's first-party titles (mostly) came to the service, but third-party games generally turned their nose up at it. What's worse, the idea of older games getting support was almost unheard of. That changed in a big way in 2026.
Games both old and new are getting Xbox Play Anywhere support out of the blue
One of my most anticipated upcoming Xbox games is Xbox Play Anywhere, and today, 4A announced Metro's predecessors are getting Xbox Play Anywhere too in a free update. (Image credit: 4A Games)
I will remember 2026 as the year Xbox Play Anywhere really saw a watershed moment.
Before, it felt like to expect Xbox Play Anywhere, Microsoft had to drop an Xbox Game Pass deal on the game in order to acquire the rights and convince the developers to play nice. But this year, we've seen a steady cadence of games both large and small hitting Xbox Play Anywhere without any form of Game Pass integration.
Yes, many AAA games still aren't arriving as part of Xbox Play Anywhere (notably ones from the "bigger" publishers like EA and Ubisoft), but it seems even they are coming around to the idea. A few weeks ago, Ubisoft began offering some of its games on Xbox PC "for free" if you own the Xbox console version, making them Xbox Play Anywhere in all but name. Now if we could just get Star Wars Zero Company too ... if you're listening, EA.
Other publishers have been sporadic. Capcom brought Onimusha: Way of the Sword to Xbox Play Anywhere, but not Resident Evil 9 or Pragmata, for example. Others have been fully on board, with Square-Enix pledging virtually every new release, including re-releases like the upcoming Kingdom Hearts remasters and Final Fantasy Resonance.
Increasingly, even older games are getting Xbox Play Anywhere treatment, which is huge. (Image credit: CD Projekt Red)
Indeed, one of the bigger issues with Xbox Play Anywhere revolves around gaps in the overall content line-up. It reminded me a bit of the Windows Phone app gap ... wherein developers didn't see enough users to justify the port, and users didn't see enough content to justify using the store. But somehow, Xbox seems to have overcome this issue with Xbox Play Anywhere.
Witcher 3 recently got retroactively updated with Xbox Play Anywhere support, for example. Today, Metro 2033 and Last Light were announced with HD refreshes, complete with Xbox Play Anywhere support. Baldur's Gate 3 too, also grabbed Xbox Play Anywhere support, with Larian remarking that it's just "a cool part of the ecosystem." Even some of the more obscure games like Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon, a game I was secretly hoping would grab Xbox Play Anywhere, just randomly got certified today. I also had no idea other viral indie hits like TCG Card Shop Simulator were Xbox Play Anywhere until I checked what was available today.
There's been a huge, generalized sprint of solid Xbox Play Anywhere support recently. Blood of Dawnwalker, Control Resonant, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, Aliens Fireteam Elite 2, Beast of Reincarnation, Dispatch, 007: First Light, Subnautica 2, Vampire Crawlers, RuneScape: Dragonwilds, Replaced, Monster Hunter Stories 3, Deep Dish Dungeon, Clive Barker's Hellraiser Revival, Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons, and many more — have all hit the service in recent months, or will in the near future.
There are tons more as well, on top of first-party titles which are all but guaranteed to hit Xbox Play Anywhere by default. Crucially, all of the games play incredibly well natively on Xbox Ally X, optimized for handhelds out of the box in most cases.
Microsoft hasn't been shy about its intentions to improve the Xbox back-end systems to facilitate these kinds of features. But I'm curious what is driving this increased adoption of late ... could it be the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X effect? Is it simply a no-brainer if you're also moving copies via Xbox Cloud Gaming? Is the Xbox PC store seeing more rapid adoption than people think?
Whatever the cause is, as an Xbox Ally X gamer, I'm loving it.
Now if you don't mind, I'm going to rock up with some more Deep Dish Dungeon for a bit while the WoW: Forever servers are in maintenance ...
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Gears of War: E-Day has finally launched on Xbox Series X|S and PC via early access for players who pre-ordered the Premium Edition.
While the rest of the world waits for its public release on October 6, 2026, players can look up whether Gears of War: E-Day is up their alley by checking the mountain of critic reviews now available online.
Sure enough, critics are absolutely adoring this epic prequel to the iconic Gears of War series, as it's scoring high ratings of 88 on Metacritic and 87 on OpenCritic.
Here's what some of the top reviews had to say about this new entry in Xbox's flagship shooter franchise.
Note that all these reviews only cover the single-player campaign, as the multiplayer modes were unavailable to test during the review period.
Gears of War: E-Day Reviews
IGN (9/10): "E-Day pulls off the tightrope act of giving us a heartfelt prequel with strong characters even when we know how it ends. On a more mechanical level, it also evolves the enemies, weapons, and combat you’d expect to deliver a Gears of War campaign that stands toe-to-toe with any of the others."
GameSpot (7/10):"For better or worse, E-Day is distinctly Gears, and I had a good time with it, even if the story is disappointing and the open areas are fairly dull. But that’s all it is: a good game, propped up by combat that hasn’t changed all that much over the past 20 years. That’s enough to skate by, but I wish Gears of War would dig deeper."
VGC (4/5):"Gears of War E-Day's campaign offers balls-to-the-wall action and rarely lets up, but that means the story takes more of a back seat than I'd like. It's good that time is given to the backstories of new protagonists Mags and Lucas, but given that the game is literally the playable Marcus and Dom backstory fans have been waiting decades to see, more time could have been spent on their relationship. In terms of pure gunplay, however, very little beats it this year."
GamingBolt (9/10): "It stumbles sometimes with its story, but thanks to new and improved movement mechanics, Gears of War: E-Day ends up delivering some of the tightest combat and one of the series’ most excellently paced campaigns in a long, long time."
Voxel (90/100):"Gears of War: E-Day hits the mark by getting the basics right: embracing its identity as a Gears of War game and elevating the strengths inherent to the series. The game doesn't revolutionize the genre, but it delivers a fun gameplay experience featuring a cinematic narrative and local multiplayer support."
Gears of War: E-Day returns to the series' roots while having some odd, out-of-place open-world elements.
Marcus Fenix meets a Locust Drone for the first time. (Image credit: Microsoft)
Overall, it seems the general sentiment around Gears of War: E-Day is that it doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but returns to the series' roots with a solid, harrowing war story while refining the core gameplay loop that made Gears of War the household name it is today to great effect.
However, our own Jez Corden was more critical in his review-in-progress article on Gears of War: E-Day. While Jez praised the game's gorgeous visuals, stunning performance, and solid gunplay, he felt like let down by the game's poorly designed open-world-lite elements that break the game's pacing and uninteresting, damage-spongy boss fights.
The real make-or-break point for Gears of War: E-Day, to me, will be its PvP Versus Modes and its much-anticipated PvE Horde Siege mode, where you will be pitted against dozens of Locust enemies and boss monsters at once with 12 players.
If The Coalition can nail the gameplay of its multiplayer modes and its post-launch content, people will be sticking around for Gears of War: E-Day long after they beat the campaign. I know I'll be playing Gears of War: E-Day's Horde Siege mode over Grand Theft Auto 6 any day.
Relive the tragic day that started the long, grueling war between the COGs and the Locust horde in the highly anticipated prequel of the Gears of War franchise, Gears of War: E-Day.
Still, to celebrate this momentous occasion, Gears of War: E-Day's developers, The Coalition, have released an extensive blog post detailing their plans for updating the game's multiplayer content, balance changes, and more.
Here's what you can expect from Gears of War: E-Day's post-launch updates.
First off, The Coalition states that Season 1 of Gears of War: E-Day's multiplayer content, titled Season 1: Emergence, will be running from today all the way up to December 1, 2026.
Season 1 will include all the game's launch maps, games, cosmetics, and three limited-time events called Halloween, 20 Years of Gears, and Thanksgibbing. Each event will last for two weeks and will feature a Versus Event mode, a Horde Siege Event mission, and exclusive, limited-time rewards.
Additionally, Season 1 will include:
Ranked: Versus Ranked will officially launch one week after launch on October 13, giving players crucial time to get up-to-speed with all our maps, modes and sandbox before jumping into competitive.
Weekly Challenges: The weekly challenges Premium Edition owners receive on October 1 are the same challenges all players will receive at launch on October 6, weekly challenges will then refresh on October 13.
Shop: Shop offers will rotate every Tuesday. Be sure to check every week for free featured gifts.
Never Fight Alone Charity Bundle: 100% of net revenue of the Never Fight Alone Year 5 bundle, which includes an exclusive skin and weapon skin set, and the Never Fight Alone Legacy set, goes to our partner Crisis Text Line in our mission to prevent suicide.
Promotional Items: Cosmetic items available exclusively through limited time partnerships will become available in the Barracks for Coins and Iron after the partnership exclusivity term lapses.
Gears of War: Reloaded Rewards: To celebrate the release of the original Gears of War 20 years ago, we’re offering exclusive rewards to commemorate players’ engagement with Gears of War: Reloaded.
Fire and Fenix Pose: Complete the “Prison Breakout” XBOX Achievement in Gears of War: Reloaded.
Old Guard Medal & “Locked n’ Reloaded” Title: Complete the “Re-Up” XBOX Achievement in Gears of War: Reloaded.
Gears of War: E-Day Season 2 and beyond
Corpsers are back and meaner than ever. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
Season 2: Legacy will begin at a later date after Season 1 and will feature content themed around the Gears of War franchise's 20th anniversary. The Coalition has also prepared a birthday gift for players to open on November 7, the day when the original Gears of War launched two decades ago.
Additionally, The Coalition has announced that Season 2 will include a Dead Serious Achievement. Any players who obtain it will be rewarded with exclusive cosmetics like a Medal, a Player Title, a Banner, an Emblem, an Icon, and a Legendary Character skin.
Lastly, Gears of War: E-Day has been confirmed to receive at least five post-launch seasons. The names of future seasons after Season 2 are:
Season 3: Infiltration
Season 4: Pendulum
Season 5: Devotion
Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer Balance changes
Marcus holding the iconic Chainsaw Lancer for the first time. (Image credit: Microsoft)
Moving on from seasonal content, The Coalition then lays out its plan for updating Gears of War: E-Day's gameplay based on feedback from the multiplayer betas.
Their first move is to change the Gnasher, Gears of War's iconic shotgun that is regarded as one of the best weapons to use in PvP and PvE content throughout the whole franchise.
The developers noticed that during Gears 2 to 5, firing the Gnasher from the hip has often resulted in some shots missing when they clearly should've hit the target. So, The Coalition has decided to finally fix that by introducing a new hybrid muzzle and camera-oriented shooting mechanic.
This means that when you fire the Gnasher, the game will check both the camera and muzzle shots and apply whichever angle is better suited for the shot, which should (hopefully) result in more accurate hits.
BOOM. (Image credit: Microsoft)
Next up, The Coalition states that iconic gameplay features from past Gears of War titles, like Meat Shields, Chainsaw Duels, select fan-favorite weapons, Private Lobbies, and Leaderboards, are being considered to be added to Gears of War: E-Day in post-launch updates or the next game.
Right now, the developers are focusing on making sure Gears of War: E-Day has the most stable launch experience possible.
Finally, The Coalition has laid out a series of patch notes for Gears of War: E-Day's early access launch, which include bug fixes, balance adjustments, Quality-of-life improvements, and more:
Click here to expand the full list ↴
Tuning:
Weapon Tuning:
Adjusted Prototype Lancer damage to a value in-between Beta weekend 1 and 2
Reduced Lancer Mk1 damage
Reduced Vulcan damage
Increased Hammerburst damage
Increased damage of the Gnasher while ADS at range
Improved Gnasher hipfire consistency
Reduced rate of fire for the Snub
Reduced the Gut-Puncher spare ammo amount
Movement & Cover Tuning:
Improved strafe movement responsiveness
Adjustments to cover enter speed and distance of cover-enter cancel
Reduced Cover Slip speed
Reduced Slide distance
Horde Siege Tuning:
Adjustment of brightness and opacity of Energy icons
Adjusted the difficulty of Repair objectives
Decreased the health threshold at which a Boomer, Flayer, or Grinder can be executed with a Prototype Lancer
Reduced Weapon Part Rewards for participation in invasions
Reduced Weapon Part Rewards for Weapon Part Stockpiles
Increased the difficulty of all Invasions
Increased the difficulty of Commander and Allfather difficulties
Adjusted the Medic’s stim duration
Increased equipment costs
Reduced the impact of some Squad Perks
Increased the Energy cost of Squad Perks
Versus Tuning:
Reduced the wave respawn time
Reduced frequency of trading to feel more fair and consistent
Adjusted Scoring in Demolition
Adjusted Scoring in Crucible
Bug Fixes:
Across PC, XBOX and handhelds, we made numerous improvements to stability, performance and optimization across applicable hardware configurations
On PC, we addressed a bug causing graphics settings to reset between launches
Made adjustments to prevent macro abuse of semi-automatic weapons
On PC, we addressed an issue causing missing VFX on explosions when set to Low quality settings
On “Legacy” control settings, fixed an issue causing an inconsistent Sprint release delay
On PC, fixed an issue causing additional input delay when playing on mouse and keyboard
On PC, fixed an issue causing mouse & keyboard lighting effects to not display properly
In Horde Siege, fixed an issue causing Tickers not to be properly flung when kicked
In Horde Siege, fixed an issue causing blast charges delivered during the Corpser Invasion Event to not register
Fixed an issue allowing players to shoot enemies not in front of their barrel when aiming down sights
Fixed an issue causing versus ranked or social players to get stuck at the “Waiting for Other Players” screen
Fixed an issue causing destructible assets to ‘stick’ to players
Fixed an issue where Marksman UAV visual effect might persist
Improved the reliability of starting objectives in Horde Siege
Improved the reliability of switching which squadmate you are spectating when cog tagged in Horde Siege
Fixed an issue where Tickers were immune to Gorehooks
Fixed an issue allowing more than four squad members in Versus
Fixed an issue where abandoned turrets could not be interacted with
Fixed visual issues with ranking up from Onyx 3
Fixed an issue where boss health bars and locators could scale incorrectly
Fixed multiple issues where specific enemies may not be able to path at certain objectives
Fixed multiple issues that would prevent objectives from completing in Horde Siege
Fixed multiple inconsistencies and interaction errors in the Horde Siege lobby and Barracks
Fixed multiple scoring inconsistencies and errors
Fixed multiple matchmaking errors and timeouts
Fixed an issue where Mortar strike vfx could appear without cause
Fixed an issue where TDM matches would end too early
QoL & Feedback:
On all platforms, we added an FOV slider
On all platforms, we improved HDR calibration, made UI paper-white adjustment independent
On all platforms, we added the ability to disable Chromatic Aberration
On all platforms, we added the ability to disable Film Grain
On PC, Max FPS can be set to 30, 60, 90, 120, 144, 240, or Unlimited
On PC, setting Max FPS to “Unlimited” will not cap your framerate
On PC, multi frame generation is now optionally supported
On PC, we added a setting to allow players to enable or disable Lamp device support for mouse and keyboard lighting
On XBOX, “The Lucky Ones Died on E-Day” achievement has been removed in order to support the upcoming Mythic Achievements feature. Players will still earn the “I AM A GEAR” Player Title upon completing all other achievements and the achievement remains on Steam
In multiplayer, adjusted Player XP to better align the rate of progression across Horde Siege and Versus
Made improvement to Backfill AI bot behavior
Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD):
On PC, Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD) is a new feature that significantly reduces the time spent compiling shaders across different PC hardware configurations. It benefits Gears of War: E-Day and other supported games across the Xbox PC app
For launch, ASD will be supported on AMD hardware, with NVIDIA support coming later in October
Playing E-Day outside the Xbox PC app? You may still benefit from ASD if the Xbox PC app is installed on your Windows 11 PC, allowing the required shaders to be pre-installed
LAUNCH KNOWN ISSUES:
Playing through the entire length of the game without reloading checkpoints or restarting may cause memory issues. Please reload a checkpoint if you get blocked at an encounter or objective
Performance Overlay in Benchmark mode does not include generated frames, and can report a lower than accurate FPS
Game process may continue to run after closing, can be viewed and shut down from task manager
New clients joining a lobby working through an existing save will receive all prior secondary objective and hardcase progress in the War Journal and all relevant Forge rewards
On PC, offline play is unavailable until October 6
Are you ready for Gears of War: E-Day?
If you're a fan of Gears of War or third-person shooters, then you won't want to miss out on Gears of War: E-Day when it leaves early access and launches for the general public on October 6, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S and PC.
It's turning out to be one of the best games in the series just from the campaign alone, and judging from these long-term plans for its exciting multiplayer modes, Gears of War: E-Day is going to satiate your craving for video game violence for a long time.
Relive the tragic day that started the long, grueling war between the COGs and the Locust horde in the highly anticipated prequel of the Gears of War franchise, Gears of War: E-Day.
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