Category: Xbox News

In advance of the Forza Racing Championship (ForzaRC) 2018 season start on April 2, we’re kicking things off with the ForzaRC 2018 Pre-Season Invitational presented by IMSA on March 24 in Seattle, WA, home of Turn 10 Studios. We’ve invited some of the best drivers and teams in the world to compete and set the stage for a season of exhilarating races. The Pre-Season Invitational will include traditional, Individual competition and for the first time in ForzaRC history, Team competition. The Pre-Season Invitational will showcase the best drivers in the world and give fans an early look at the drivers to follow in the upcoming ForzaRC 2018 season. Starting Saturday, March 24 at 10 a.m. PDT, players can tune in to the Pre-Season Invitational on our Mixer stream at watch.forzarc.com to catch all of the action live, win awesome in-game rewards and even influence the day’s races through in-stream voting.

In addition to ForzaRC’s all-star lineup of on-air talent, we’re welcoming legendary motorsport broadcaster John Hindhaugh to the desk for the Pre-Season Invitational. Hindhaugh, whose voice is heard throughout the 2018 IMSA season, will join us on the livestream as a guest caster. You’ll also get a view of the #73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche GT3 R GTD and we’ll chat with David Kolkmann, fresh off a run from the 12 Hours of Sebring. Also joining us for the Invitational is Ben Williams, vice president of The Online Racing Association (TORA), one of the premier competitive racing organizations within the Forza Motorsport community.

Voting & Rewards

Tune in to the Invitational livestream at watch.forzarc.com and you’ll have the chance to directly impact which IMSA cars and tracks are used during the event. Will you choose day or night? Sunshine or rain? The Aston Martin or the Audi? The choice is yours (and the rest of chat) to make!

Getting to choose the conditions for the drivers not enough? Anyone tuning in during the livestream will also have the chance to unlock awesome in-game rewards for both Forza Motorsport 7 and Forza Horizon 3. Just log into your Microsoft account and participate in the in-stream quests to unlock a variety of in-game gear, including the limited edition ForzaRC driver suit and livery for Forza Motorsport 7!

Compete in ForzaRC 2018

Interested in joining the competition in ForzaRC 2018? Just head over to ForzaRC.com to register and start racing when Series 1 of the 2018 season starts on April 2!

To catch every minute of this action-packed event showcasing some of the best driving skills in the world, tune in tomorrow, March 24, at 10 a.m. PDT on watch.forzarc.com. For more information including Individual and Team competitions, head over to ForzaRC.com and follow us on Twitter for the latest news and updates. We hope to see you there!

Releasing a PC classic like Titan Quest on modern console generation seems like an easy task, but in fact the way technologies and user expectations shift over time can mount to a herculean effort.

There is no straightforward approach when it comes to such a “re-modernized” porting goal – since as such there isn’t really a thing like an “easy” port. Consequently we approached Titan Quest for consoles & handheld with the mental and infrastructural readiness that we would re-write a good amount of code, have the necessary tools ready for diverse applications to, for example, increase the quality of textures (and redo them where useful).

As we dissected the original PC version of Titan Quest, we realized we had to change a bunch of features and implementations. The first one we addressed was the input system which handles how a game is controlled and with what hardware it is controlled. Simply said, we had to have gamepad controller input management in order to make sure we can test this new incarnation of Titan Quest as early as possible. We then dived into changing all the bits and pieces of the navigation system to ensure it was working properly with the gamepads.

This led to the next big area, the user interface. Having a controller used in a UI that was originally designed and implemented for mouse & keyboard use only is one of those points where your mental preparation comes into play. You take a critical look at what you have from the original, which is a great game, and make sure that you move forward with two considerations in mind: How do we keep the usability of the original? As you answer this by understanding what made the original good, you ask the next question: What has changed in a decade that shifted gamers’ behavior and expectation?

This where you sneakily modernize the original game: Some will never notice it, but we added a bunch of new features into the UI and the HUD. Threw in a new loot window to make sure the player can actually see everything he is looting because this time around, there is no mouse cursor to hover finely on those pixels, choose the item and then click to loot. Good, but modern gamers will still want some direct information on what they are looting from the ground as well.

We all take it for granted that a modern game will somehow highlight what the player is focusing on and there again we modernized the usability of the game by adding a seemingly tiny feature that highlights that object for you. We then went one more step beyond for readability and accessibility and revised all of this specifically for the Xbox One. So technically, the goal was to port a circa 2006 computer screen (think 19 to 21 inches as standard back then) game to the new norm of 37 to 43 inches TV set screens.

Throughout this process, we increased the quality of the textures on one side of the fence, and streamlined the streaming system for performance on the other – whilst reworking the gameplay system features wherever needed.

Expanding the same approach to fighting, we realized that now there is no longer a mouse cursor to actually fight enemies! So we added a target cone system that allows you to better focus your attention for item interactions and fighting. It does work like a charm for those AoE attacks…

Modernizing the game required us to revisit the way the graphics were handled as well: SSAO, improved shadows and anti-aliasing was implemented to make sure that the visual richness of the game was properly transferred to larger screens to maintain a high quality result. This is relevant for the gamers, however it also made it possible that as much rendering work is done on the GPU rather than the CPU of the consoles – and this is a must for console projects, as it is naturally a must for the players because you want to enjoy a stutter-free game.

What about those HUD or keyboard shortcuts to pop a potion in the midst of combat? While we reworked the quick-slot system, we realized that we are missing a crucial modern feature: Enter the player behavior and expectations shifting, and implement the multifaceted and versatile idea of radial menus. We added radial menu support where needed, and did the user-interface elements around them. Skill assignment screen was also another new feature added into the midst as well as a bunch of options to make the player experience more accessible and modern.

First announced in December 2017, Street Fighter 30^th Anniversary Collection is officially coming on May 29 to Xbox One. Experience 12 iconic titles in the series that each have their place in making Street Fighter the legendary series it is today. This collection’s culmination of 30 years of Street Fighter history carries significant meaning to everyone at Capcom, and we hope to share that feeling with players all over the world.

The 12 titles included in Street Fighter 30^th Anniversary Collection are Street Fighter, Street Fighter II, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting, Super Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter II: Turbo, Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter Alpha 2, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Street Fighter III, Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact, and Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.

Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting, Super Street Fighter II: Turbo, Street Fighter Alpha 3, and Street Fighter III: 3^rd Strike are all playable online, so get ready to take on opponents you never had the chance to fight in your local arcade. These four games also feature a recreation of the classic arcade experience as potential opponents can step in and challenge you as you play through Arcade Mode. Once the online match ends, you’ll be sent straight back to Arcade Mode. Online play also features rollback technology that provides low-latency matches with the ability to adjust your own input buffer speed via the in-game menu to keep your online experience smooth.

Even if you have only experienced the classic Street Fighter II, this collection helps bring you up to speed on what the series has achieved these past 30 years with the Interactive Timeline, which allows you to sift through important dates year over year. Visit the Museum to feast your eyes on gorgeous concept art, pitch documents, and learn detailed facts behind each title. Head to the Music Player to treat your ears to iconic tracks that have garnered their own place in gaming history. You can even save the game now in any of the single-player modes!

Street Fighter 30^th Anniversary Collection contains 12 titles that have each shaped the history of the Street Fighter. The most recent game in the collection is Street Fighter III: 3^rd Strike, which launched in 1999. However, this is where the pre-order bonus steps in! When you pre-order Street Fighter 30^th Anniversary Collection on Xbox One, you’ll receive Ultra Street Fighter IV to complete the legacy! Street Fighter IV busted into the North American scene on the Xbox 360 in 2009 and received its final updated version with Ultra Street Fighter IV in 2014.

Pre-order the physical or digital copy of Street Fighter 30^th Anniversary Collection to receive two separate codes: one for Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition and the other for Ultra Street Fighter IV, which is playable due to backward compatibility. The codes will be on the receipt during in-store pickup of the physical copy and will be delivered to the Message Center 7-10 days after launch for the digital copy.

We’re incredibly humbled by these past 30 years of fighting legacy and are looking forward to seeing you explore Street Fighter 30^th Anniversary Collection on May 29!

So, this is pretty exciting, isn’t it? Launch day! Sea of Thieves is now available around the world for everyone to play. This has been an amazing journey for Rare as a studio and for our team who have delivered an entirely new type of multiplayer game that we’re incredibly proud of. We’re thrilled to be entering a new phase for Sea of Thieves and to see where this voyage takes us next.

We’ve taken a unique approach with Sea of Thieves, from launching our Insider Programme in December 2016, where we invited our first 1,000 players into the first Technical Alpha, through a series of Alpha tests, our Closed Beta and Scale Tests, to the recent Final Beta where everyone was given the opportunity to play. We have worked with our community throughout this process, taking their suggestions and feedback to deliver the best experience we could, and this will continue for as long as people are playing Sea of Thieves. I personally love how many of our community I know by name (or face!), and I’d like to extend a special thank you to the Deckhands who have worked so hard within our community to help manage everyone’s questions, feedback and discussions.

The week of launch is basically one long celebration of Sea of Thieves, with an array of cool activities across the world. We have our launch events across all Microsoft Store locations in the U.S., with special events at the flagship Microsoft Store in New York and Sydney, The Quest for the Golden Bananas, which is mind-blowingly awesome and features an amazing prize for some lucky members of our community, and The Voyage live stream in the UK. There are too many others to mention! It’s been brilliant to partner with everyone across the Xbox team with their crazy ideas and to see them come to life.

With the game now live, we will continue our approach to working with our community to grow and evolve the game. We ask everyone to continue their discussions, to keep offering us feedback, to tell us where we can improve and we’ll keep listening. We are expecting a lot of interest in Sea of Thieves, and if anyone experiences any problems, we will be working 24/7 to resolve, so please ensure you report any issues you have here, and follow our community channels for updates and the latest status.

The game is available to buy now for $59.99/£49.99/€69.99 and you have the ability to choose to purchase it for your personal library or become a member of Xbox Game Pass. As a reminder, Sea of Thieves is also an Xbox Play Anywhere title so if you purchase digitally on either Xbox One or Windows 10 PC, or acquire via Xbox Game Pass, you can play on either platform. We are also completely embracing the magic of cross-play, with players seamlessly playing together regardless of platform of choice.

We’ve also got a variety of bundles and accessories to support the Sea of Thieves launch. If you’re in the market for a console, the Xbox One S Sea of Thieves bundle features a digital copy of Sea of Thieves and 1 month of both Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass, while the purchase of a new Xbox One X now until March 24 also comes with a digital copy of the game. If you’re looking to further embrace the pirate life, check out the amazing Xbox Wireless Controller – Sea of Thieves Limited Edition, the “Tales from the Sea of Thieves” lore book, our beautiful “Art of Sea of Thieves” book, the Comic range, a Seagate Special Edition 2TB Game Drive and a bunch of other items that I’m running out of space for!

If I could summarise how I personally feel right now, it is pride in the community that has grown around Sea of Thieves, the game experience we have delivered, and unbelievable excitement about what is yet to come. In one way this is the culmination of years of work, but in another it is also the first step of an entirely new part of the journey. Everyone at Rare is excited to take it with you, and to see where the next map leads us to.

We’ll see you in the tavern.

Cheers,

Joe

Starting at 6 p.m. PDT today, members of the Xbox One Preview Update Alpha ring will begin receiving the latest Xbox One system update (1804.180314-1900). Read on to learn more about a new features, fixes and known issues in the latest system update.

Fixes:

Audio Issues

• We have resolved the issues that some users with Spatial Audio experienced unexpected game volumes when playing games or apps.
• We have resolved the issue in which the Mono output feature was not working as expected.
• We have resolved the HDMI-in volume is lower issue that users have been experiencing for TV Input and some media apps.

 Home – Guide

• We have resolved the issue in which some users have been experiencing the Guide crash.

Game Install Progress

• We have resolved the issue in which the Game Progress status shows over 300%.

Vudu

• Users should no longer encounter any issues playing 4k content in the Vudu app.

Settings – Accessory App

• We have resolved  an issue in which some users were not able to assign controller configurations in the Xbox Accessory app.

Known Issues:

Pi-Hole

• Pi-hole users may encounter issues signing in, creating, or recovering accounts upon downloading the 1804 update. This is due to a new configuration file which is downloaded from a URL Pi-hole blocks by default.
• Workaround: Add clientconfig.passport.net to the Pi-hole allowed IP address list.

Audio Issues

• We continue to identify issues with Dolby Atmos for Home Theater and certain AVR models that will result in random sound cut outs. If a sound cut out ever occurs you can change your audio format settings to something else and then back to reset it.

Netflix

• Netflix on Monitor only works at 1080p and does not support 1440p – Netflix is aware of the issue.  Workaround : If watching Netflix on a Monitor/LCD please set the display output to 1080p.

System

• We are investigating an issue in which some users are experiencing the console shutdown after you turn it on.  Workaround – Simply turn the console back on.

Virtual Keyboard

• The virtual keyboard disappears randomly when inputting text.Workaround – Plug in a wired or wireless keyboard

HDR Issues

• Some users are discovering that some games are not showing in HDR – Please file feedback when you encounter this to help in the investigation and please provide the make and model of your TV and the firmware version.

Spotify Search

• Some users are discovering that the search function in Spotify is not working. Please file feedback when you encounter this to help in the investigation.

Controller sharing/ Co-pilot vibration issues

• Some users may experience a problem with a controller vibrating non-stop when using the share controller or the co-pilot feature.

Mixer – Games UWP Games

• There is an issue with broadcasting UWP Games. If you start a game then proceed to load Mixer and the broadcast fails we are tracking this issue.  Workaround – Start Mixer to broadcast then start the game and you can broadcast while the game is running.

Welcome to Next Week on Xbox, where we cover all the new games coming soon to Xbox One! Every week, the team at Xbox aims to deliver quality gaming content for you to enjoy on your favorite gaming console. This coming week we’ll take to the high seas of adventure in the Xbox exclusive title Sea of Thieves, embark on a unique co-op adventure in A Way Out, and swing for the fences in R.B.I. Baseball 18 — and these are just a few of the excellent games coming to Xbox One next week! Read more below and click on their profiles for pre-order details.

Games

March 20, 2018

Xbox Exclusive / Xbox One X Enhanced / Xbox Play Anywhere / Windows 10 / Xbox Game Pass – Set in a glorious world of exotic islands, hidden treasures, and dangers both natural and supernatural, Sea of Thieves immerses you in a new type of multiplayer game for you to live the pirate life you’ve always dreamed of. It’s an adventure that will grow and evolve over time, with new content arriving regularly to ensure a fresh, exciting experience whenever – and wherever – you choose to set sail. Sea of Thieves is set to be the next unforgettable adventure for players on Xbox One and Windows 10 PC, with enhanced features on Xbox One X and also available for Xbox Game Pass members.

Games

March 20, 2018

Inspired by the hit anime series, Attack on Titan 2 lets you experience the anime first-hand alongside Eren and his companions as they fight to save humanity from the threat of the deadly human devouring Titans. Take control of the mobility gear, maneuvering and flying through the sky to counter the Titans, and feel the thrill and satisfaction of battling giant opponents.

Games

March 20, 2018

A new Franchise mode, enhanced ballparks, in-season roster updates, and redesigned player models R.B.I. Baseball 18 takes a big leap this year for you to play as your favorite team. And once you’re done beating up the CPU, take your game online to jump into online ranked or friendly games.

Games

March 20, 2018

The Titans have escaped their eternal prison, wreaking havoc upon the Earth. The gods seek a hero who can turn the tide in an epic struggle that will determine the fate of both men and gods. Are you ready for the quest? Battle mythical beasts in a story-driven campaign that will determine the fate of all existence in this epic ARPG.

Games

March 21, 2018

Prepare to get hooked on an immersive tale, where every decision counts and every clue is a piece to solve the puzzle and get the treasure. Join Hans as he unravels the sordid secrets of the castle, meet colorful characters, and remember: horror always lurks beneath the surface in this unique fantasy adventure game full of surprises and challenges.

Games

March 21, 2018

A game that mixes four genres in one game — runner, metroidvania, point-n-click, and puzzle-platformer — you will take control of Wheye who is in search of his friends on this strange planet that’s about to blow. Face each of these unique trials to survive full of original visual styles and an atmospheric soundtrack.

Games

March 23, 2018

In this co-op adventure game, you will take the role of one of two prisoners who are making a daring escape from prison that will lead them down an emotional adventure. A Way Out is an experience that must be played with two players, controlling one of the main characters, Leo and Vincent, in a reluctant alliance to break out of prison and gain their freedom.

Games

March 23, 2018

Choose between bikes, ATVs, UTVs, and refine your rider style at your private compound and blast across massive open worlds to compete head-to-head in various game modes. The all-new Freestyle mode allows you to win with style and crazy stunts, or go all out and show your riding skills in 16-player online multiplayer. Also features local split-screen support.

Games

March 23, 2018

Test your controller layout knowledge and hitch a ride to Western Press. In this unique dueling game, players compete in a button-pressing tournament of 1v1 battles where the winner is whoever can press a random string of buttons the fastest across a variety of modes.

Games

March 27, 2018

Enter a world of mystery, danger, ancient dinosaurs, mythical beasts, and cubes! Work by yourself or with a tribe of others to gather materials, craft useful items, tame wild creatures, and build huge bases to survive in PixARK.

Hello Insiders, and Happy Friday!

We are excited to announce the final Robocraft Infinity Open Beta weekend is upon us. It is open to ALL Xbox Insiders and the servers are live now through Monday, March 19^th at 5am PST (12pm GMT). This is your last opportunity to build and battle your robots, so seize the day! While you’re in there, don’t forget to fill out the available surveys, as we need your valuable feedback (not to mention you get Insider XP).

If you haven’t already, head over to the Xbox Insider Hub on your Xbox One and join Robocraft Infinity. There are lots of spots available for this playtest, but they ARE limited so get in while you can.

If you’ve already joined in the Xbox Insider Hub, simply install and launch the game to get battling against other Insiders, even members of the Insider Program team and the Robocraft Infinity team from Freejam!

What will your greatest creation be? Mine is who I like to call “Hoversaurus”, a T-rex who traded his legs and tail in for dual wings, hovers, and cannons! See you in game and have a great weekend.

Starting at 6 p.m. PDT today, members of the Xbox One Preview Update Beta ring will begin receiving the latest Xbox One system update (1804.180311-1900). Read on to learn more about a new features, fixes and known issues in the latest system update.

New Features:

Video Settings

• In Display- Video Output-Video Modes we have enabled two new Video settings.   Variable Refresh Rate (aka Freesync support) and ALLM (Auto-Low Latency Mode) are enabled.

Fixes:

Casting from the Xbox – Apps such as YouTube

• Automatic discovery over WiFi  is resolved.

Settings

• We have resolved an issue with Settings when selecting  from Dark or Light in Theme.  The setting now stays as selected.
• When accessing the Language & location page in Settings you should no longer see a large time to display.

Store app

• A new version of the Store is available to download which should resolve issues for some users not being able to launch the store.

Now TV

• The Now TV app will no longer have UI elements are disappearing during playback.

Plex App

• We have made changes to ensure the Plex App no longer pauses/buffers.

Known Issues:

Pi-Hole

• Pi-hole users may encounter issues signing in, creating, or recovering accounts upon downloading the 1804 update. This is due to a new configuration file which is downloaded from a URL Pi-hole blocks by default.
• Workaround: Add clientconfig.passport.net to the Pi-hole allowed IP address list.

Audio Issues

• We are aware that some Spatial Audio users will experience unexpected game volumes and are working on a fix.
• We are aware that the Mono output feature is not working as expected in latest builds. The team has identified a fix and is testing. Please turn off the feature if you are using an audio receiver with less than 7.1 audio channels.
• Some users have reported that HDMI in volume is lower for TV Input and some media apps.  We are actively investigating.  Workaround : Sit closer to the TV or Start Background Music and goto the Audio Settings and set the volume slider to 50% rather than 0% and the volume issue is fixed.
• We continue to identify issues with Dolby Atmos for Home Theater and certain AVR models that will result in random sound cut outs. If a sound cut out ever occurs you can change your audio format settings to something else and then back to reset it.

Netflix

• The Netflix team are updating the app as it is crashing for some users.  Workaround – Please check for an update for the Netflix app.
• Netflix on Monitor only works at 1080p and does not support 1440p – Netflix is aware of the issue.  Workaround : If watching Netflix on a Monitor/LCD please set the display output to 1080p.

System

• We are investigating an issue in which some users are experiencing the console shutdown after you turn it on.  Workaround – Simply turn the console back on.

Vudu

• We are investigating why some users are unable to play 4k content in the Vudu app.

Virtual Keyboard

• The virtual keyboard disappears randomly when inputting text.Workaround – Plug in a wired or wireless keyboard

HDR Issues

• Some users are discovering that some games are not showing in HDR – Please file feedback when you encounter this to help in the investigation and please provide the make and model of your TV and the firmware version.

Game Install Progress

• We are aware of an issue in which the Game Progress status shows over 300%.  Please note that this is a different scenario to the fix in this build referenced above in fixes.

Spotify Search

• Some users are discovering that the search function in Spotify is not working. Please file feedback when you encounter this to help in the investigation.

Settings – Accessory App

• Some users may experience a problem not being able to assign controller configurations in the Xbox Accessory app.

Controller sharing/ Co-pilot vibration issues

• Some users may experience a problem with a controller vibrating non-stop when using the share controller or the co-pilot feature.

Ahoy! Grab your pirate crew and set sail at your local Microsoft Store to celebrate the launch of Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive Sea of Thieves. Come aboard to a Microsoft Store near you on March 20 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., local time, and celebrate the free-roaming pirate life with your crew. Treasure will be awarded to those with the best pirate costumes. The first 200 attendees at the flagship Microsoft Store in New York and Sydney and 50 attendees across other store locations, starting at 5:30 p.m., will receive an exclusive Sea of Thieves poster!

If you are in New York or Sydney, join us at the flagship Microsoft Store on Fifth Avenue or Sydney flagship Microsoft Store on Pitt Street Mall and get a chance to win some great pirate swag, including an Xbox One S bundle! If you don’t want to dress up or take part in the challenges, but you’re keen to get your feet wet and test the waters, Sea of Thieves will be playable in stores throughout the day. Enjoy extra special pirate experiences at the flagship Microsoft Store in New York, including pirate shanties from the famous pirate band, The Skullduggers, and a pirate themed photo experience.

Don’t miss out on exotic islands, hidden secrets and the chance to become a Pirate Legend. Visit Microsoft Store or order online and be one of the first to play Sea of Thieves!

For the latest updates on gaming events and streams including how you can take part at your local Microsoft Store, check out Mixer.com/MicrosoftStore and the Microsoft Store Facebook page.

We hope to see you there!

Did I just wake up from a crazy dream or did David “The Bullet” Smith really break his own Guinness World Records title for Greatest Distance Travelled as a Human Cannonball for the launch of Sea of Thieves?! Yesterday was such an incredible Xbox livestream event and we’re so happy you viewers at home were able to tune-in!

David launched 195 ft through the air out of the Xbox Pirate Blaster, a 34 ft long cannon at Raymond James Stadium, breaking his old Guinness World Records title of 193.8 ft. The flight was a wild ride for David who was in the air for about five seconds before an impact stop on the landing airbag. On the Mixer Xbox Channel, all of the passion, comments, and use of Mixer sparks (the currency earned through viewing and streaming games) were so helpful throughout this extremely fun and interactive event.

Now it’s your turn at home to feel the thrill and adventure by playing Sea of Thieves and using cannons to take down enemy ships. Cram your pirate into the cannon, take aim at your destination, light the fuse and enjoy the ride! Sea of Thieves is available for pre-order in the Microsoft Store and you can play the game at launch on March 20 as part of Xbox Game Pass. Make sure to grab your copy to experience a rich, fantastical world filled with pirates, danger and discovery – all in native 4K and HDR!

Be sure to keep checking back to Xbox Wire for other unique Xbox experiences and opportunities that you can be a part of just like this one. To read about other amazing gaming record titles, read the “Guinness World Records 2018 Gamer’s Edition” book.