Tag: Xbox

Today, Team Xbox is excited to celebrate Earth Day. Our mission is to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet. We also recognize the impact that gaming has on our environment. Microsoft has set ambitious commitments to significantly reduce the company’s environmental impact and operate as a carbon negative, water positive, and zero waste company by 2030. In support of this, Xbox is also working to reduce its negative environmental impact while continuing to produce the high-quality gaming products and experiences our fans know and love.

Team Xbox is making changes across all stages of the product lifecycle in order to meet our corporate sustainability commitments. You can read more about these efforts and what you can do to help reduce your impact in our recent Xbox Sustainability wire post.

To find more ways you can reduce your impact on the environment while playing in the Xbox ecosystem, check out what you can do in our latest blog post. We also recently launched our all new Xbox Sustainability Hub. We invite the community to visit and stay current with the latest updates from Xbox.

We look forward to celebrating all that Xbox is doing to drive change and make positive impact in sustainable gaming. Here are some of the ways that team Xbox is celebrating and increasing environmental awareness on Earth Day:

Gaming and Impact with Microsoft Rewards: World Wildlife Fund, Water.org, and The Nature Conservancy

Microsoft Rewards members in the United States can earn and donate points to support select environmental organizations with Xbox. The below organizations will be featured on console throughout April:

• World Wildlife Fund ​– As the world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in nearly 100 countries. At every level, they collaborate with people around the world to develop and deliver innovative solutions that protect communities, wildlife, and the places in which they live. Their mission is to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.  
• Water.org – 1 in 10 people lack access to safe water and 1 in 4 people lack access to a toilet. Water.org is a global nonprofit organization working to change this. They help people living in poverty get access to safe water and sanitation at home – giving women hope, children health and families a bright future. 
• The Nature Conservancy – The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. Their mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.
  • Additionally, for every dollar that Microsoft Rewards donates in April, The Nature Conservancy will plant a tree as part of their Plant A Billion Trees program. Learn more about this program here and plant your tree today!

Xbox gamers can earn Microsoft Rewards points in various ways, such as playing or purchasing games after downloading the Microsoft Rewards app on Xbox. Earn points and redeem them for real rewards. Join us today and donate through Xbox. 

Xbox Plays Celebrating Earth Day week with Streamer Takeovers

During the week of April 18 through 22, the Xbox Twitch Channel celebrated Earth Day by featuring environmentally focused streamer takeovers.

Explore Amazing Worlds This Earth Day with Xbox Game Pass

While many fans continue to experience widespread social distancing and isolation, we invite our Xbox community to explore amazing worlds through gaming! From building, crafting, or exploration on earth or other worlds, Xbox Game Pass has created an Earth Day inspired collection. Other games feature survival themes in challenging environments and elements of creating or caring for life in sustainable ways. Enjoy exploring! 

Featured Games 

• Jurassic World Evolution (Cloud, Console): Bioengineer dinosaurs that think, feel and react intelligently to the world around them and face threats posed by espionage, breakouts and devastating tropical storms in an uncertain world where life always finds a way. 
• Subnautica: Below Zero (Cloud, Console, PC): Dive into a freezing underwater adventure on an alien planet. Below Zero is set two years after the original Subnautica. Return to Planet 4546B to uncover the truth behind a deadly cover-up. Survive by building habitats, crafting tools, & diving deeper into the world of Subnautica. 
• Craftopia (Cloud, Console, PC): Arrive at a small island packed with animals, resources, and infinite possibilities. What you do in this game is completely up to you—gathering resources, harvesting crops, automating productions, fighting against bosses, capturing enemies, building a lovely house, unlocking new islands, exploring the world, and more! What will you do when you can do anything you’ve ever dreamt? 
• Fe (Console, PC): Discover a world you will never want to leave.  Run, climb, and glide your way through a dark Nordic forest to explore its living, breathing world – one filled with secrets, legends, and mystical creatures. 

Platform and game availability will vary by region. Learn more about platform and game availability.

Minecraft Celebrates Earth Day with New Recycled and Organic Content Product, Learning Content, and Build Challenges

In celebration of Earth Day, Mojang Studios is launching new learning content and a monthly build challenge for Minecraft: Education Edition. Classrooms around the world are tuning in for virtual lessons where students meet sustainability experts and explore Climate Futures, a set of Minecraft worlds created in partnership with Met Office. Microsoft and Xbox worked with the UK Government’s Environment Agency to develop a flood preparedness world for Minecraft: Education Edition, which was also launched in UK schools this month. Mojang is also launching a new Earth Day collection of products on Minecraftshop.com that are made from organic or recycled content, including a new Minecraft playset by Mattel. Mattel shares our sustainable vision by highlighting that the new Minecraft Transforming Turtle Hideout Playset is made from a minimum of 20 percent recycled ocean-bound plastic. Find more activities for Earth Day with Minecraft. 

Hog Wild Nameplate for Halo: The Master Chief Collection

In Halo: The Master Chief Collection, our players can customize their profile with special nameplates commemorating in-game activities or celebrating special events. To bring awareness to the celebration of Earth Day, any players who log in from April 20 to 27 will receive this special ‘Hog Wild’ nameplate, a not-so-subtle nod to the Warthog vehicle! 

Celebrate Earth Day with Forza

Inspired by Xbox’s Earth Day and sustainability visual design, this chameleon-themed livery (with polychromatic rims) adorns the 2015 BMW i8, a hybrid, plug-in electric vehicle. The Earth Day livery is being gifted today to players in Forza Horizon 5 and Forza Horizon 4. Keep an eye on the Forza Horizon Twitter to see when it’s been delivered to your in-game Message Center.

In Forza Motorsport 7, players will receive the same car and themed livery, as well as rare Earth Day-themed driver gear, by participating in the “Celebrate Earth Day” Rivals event set on the picturesque rolling hills of Virginia International Raceway. The event ends April 26th.

Obsidian’s Grounded Celebrates Earth Day with Art Contest and T-Shirt Sales Benefiting Captain Planet Foundation!

For Earth Day, Grounded hosted the #FrankenArtContest benefitting the Captain Planet Foundation! During this event, we asked our community to create a design worthy of being printed on a t-shirt using the in-game Frankenline. The finalists are announced, and the winners’ voting will happen live at PAX at the Main Theater and on Twitch! Everyone can tune in on April 23 at 10 a.m. PDT/1 p.m. EDT to watch the vote and check out upcoming unreleased content to the game. Which design will be placed on a t-shirt and sold in our store, with proceeds going to the Captain Planet Foundation? Check out the PAX panel live to find out! Learn more about the contest and read the rules here. Buy your Grounded Gear here! 

Age of Empires Honors the History of Earth Day

Over the last few decades, sustainability has become a relevant topic discussed across the globe. An urgency to protect the world’s resources, habitats and ecosystems has rapidly increased as the impacts of global climate change and finite resources become more noticeable with each passing day. International Mother Earth Day was established as a day to recognize, educate and urge people to act, protect, and respect the nature surrounding them. Learn more about International Mother Earth Day with Age of Empires as they explore how the world is standing united to save our planet.

Microsoft Casual Games Celebrates Earth’s Beauty

This month we celebrate our vast and unique planet, and those who work to care for and sustain its health and beauty for generations to enjoy. Experience panoramas of our world through the brilliant brush strokes of artists who have captured its beauty in the newest Microsoft Jigsaw collection – Earth on Canvas. Click here for collection details. To learn more about Microsoft’s commitment to Sustainability and how you can contribute through your own conservation efforts, click here. 

Xbox Honors Earth Day with a New Gamerpic, Profile Theme, and Avatar Items! 

In partnership with the Sustainability team at Xbox, we’re introducing a new gamerpic, profile themes, and avatar items! The gamerpic and profile theme will be available on console and the Xbox PC app. The profile theme and gamerpic will be visible on all platforms (including mobile and Game Bar), but gamers can change the profile theme on the console and the Xbox app on PC. Get your avatar items here.

We invite you to join us on our continued journey and learn more about Xbox’s sustainability efforts at our all-new Sustainability Hub.

When we started the [email protected] program (almost nine years ago!), we really didn’t know much. We knew that independent developers were driving the pace of video game innovation faster than we’d ever seen, and we knew the work they were doing was incredibly progressive and important. We also knew that our players on Xbox loved the artistry and diversity delivered by these developers, and that to make sure our players got the best, most diverse array of games possible, we had to do everything we could to help developers maximize their success on the Xbox ecosystem.

So, we did a lot of listening – directly learning from developers what they wanted, and what they needed. They were never shy about telling us what worked, and what didn’t. Innovations like cross-play across other consoles, for example, came directly from [email protected] partners. Stemming from their feedback and requests, we made a lot of changes to our back-end publishing systems and even our app framework. These changes may seem mundane but are really important as we seek to enable independent developers to ship their game easily across Xbox and PC.

The results have exceeded our wildest dreams. Since the program’s inception, independent developers have earned more than $2.5 billion in royalties and total revenue generated by [email protected] partners on Xbox almost doubled over the last three years. These are staggering numbers, and it speaks to the power of independent developers. 

We’ve also paid developers and publishers across Xbox hundreds of millions of dollars in Game Pass license fees. There are amazing games out today on Xbox (and other platforms!) that would never have existed without the support of Game Pass members, and that’s really been an incredible phenomenon. Ensuring that millions of Game Pass members get to experience some of the best independent games ever created has been transformational for Xbox players and developers.

We know talent is universal, and supporting developers of all sizes, from start-up, single-person studios to veteran indies with multiple successful games in the market is crucial. We’re proud that more than 4,600 developers from 94 countries worldwide are looking to deliver experiences to players via Xbox, including more than 1,000 creators who signed up to the [email protected] program over the last two years.

Even with over 3,000 games from independent developers on Xbox, we still have a long way to go. One area we talk to developers and players about a lot is “discoverability.” Teams across Microsoft work every day to help solve discovery challenges so players can find games they love, and in turn, ensure developers find the audience for their games. Whether it’s helping announce games like WrestleQuest or Escape Academy to millions of viewers in a /[email protected] Showcase with /twitchgaming, providing opportunities for creators to highlight their games on Xbox channels or including their titles in themed sales and promotion, we’re always looking for ways to connect creators with new audiences.

Game Pass is another avenue that helps encourage Xbox players to discover new genres and games. After joining, the average member plays 30% more genres and plays 40% more games, with a majority of those games being outside of Game Pass.

Beyond that, we’re investing a lot in marketing and merchandising programs all the time to ensure that Xbox players anywhere discover the more than 3,000 independent titles available on Xbox.

This GDC, Microsoft also introduced a new program that was born out of feedback from developers – [email protected] It’s led by Nick Ferguson, Director of [email protected], (who was an original [email protected] team member back in 2013, when we were just a virtual team with an idea), and it’s for developers on any platform, from iOS and Android to Switch, PlayStation, and PC (and Xbox, of course!) who want to use Microsoft’s cloud gaming services in their games. If you’re a developer, please check it out at http://www.azure.com/id

Nine years ago, we made a promise to independent developers that we’d work as hard as we could on their behalf, because we knew Xbox players would be stoked to support their work. We don’t by any means consider that promise fulfilled, because we see our work as an ongoing commitment from Xbox to independent developers. But through [email protected], the launch of [email protected], our work with Game Pass and beyond to help developers bring their games to Xbox, and with the community response to the amazing games we’re seeing come to the platform, we feel we’re making progress in the right direction. 

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate continues to be the best place to experience Halo. As a member, you can play Halo Infinite campaign and multiplayer, claim monthly Halo Infinite exclusive Perks, and now, we are bringing you even more.

Starting today, Ultimate members will be able to stream A Mountain of Entertainment, including the Paramount+ Original Series, “Halo,” premiering on March 24, along with other exclusive originals, big movies, and more with a 30-day free trial to Paramount+ via Perks*.

Ultimate members who are new to Paramount+ will be eligible to claim the 30-day subscription trial through the Perks gallery on their Xbox console, on the Xbox app on Windows PCs, or through the Xbox Game Pass mobile app on iOS and Android. Once the Perk is claimed, members will be directed to the Paramount+ site to activate their trial. The Paramount+ app is also available to download and use on your Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One consoles, as well as Windows PCs in select regions.

And don’t forget to go claim this month’s Halo Infinite Perk, the Pass Tense Mongoose Bundle, which includes the exclusive “Pass Tense” Mongoose Vehicle Coating, four 2XP Boosts and four Challenge Swaps!

*New Paramount+ subscribers only. Credit Card required. Offer expires 5/23/22. After the free month period, subscription automatically renews on a monthly basis and your credit card automatically charged either U.S. $4.99 or $9.99/month (+tax) as applicable, at the start of each billing period unless you cancel. Other restrictions may apply. Available in AR, AU, BR, CA, CL, CO, DK, FI, MX, NO, US, SE.

To catch these controllers, you better be faster than Sonic and more powerful than Knuckles! Xbox and Paramount Pictures have teamed up to celebrate the upcoming film “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” to release a limited time only, custom Xbox Series S console and Xbox Wireless Controllers through two enter–to-win sweepstakes, (see rules) inspired by Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz, and Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba.

The customized black Xbox Series S console features a golden portal ring shining on its surface alongside an embossed Sonic the Hedgehog 2 logo. With textured coatings reminiscent of the “bristly” texture of hedgehogs in the wild, the new Xbox Wireless Controllers come in Sonic Blue and Knuckles Red.

Together over the past 20 years, Xbox and Sonic have been a storied part of how gaming has evolved into the most popular form of entertainment – a beloved and nostalgic character across generations and among families. Sonic fans can explore some of the iconic zones of the franchise, like the Green Hills Zone, with the Sonic the Hedgehog Minecraft DLC available for download in the Minecraft Marketplace. With 24 themed Minecraft skins to try out, achievements to unlock, and characters to meet, players can collect rings and speed toward a high score as their favorite hedgehog. On April 5, be sure to check out the Minecraft Marketplace for an exciting update to the DLC, with six new skins and a new challenge in the Labyrinth Zone, to celebrate the release of “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” For even more Sonic games, including your favorite classics, check out the Microsoft Store on Xbox.

Fans can enter two sweepstakes for a chance to win the exclusive custom Xbox Series S and both the Sonic Blue and Knuckles Red Xbox Wireless Controllers by either (1) retweeting the official Xbox sweepstakes tweet and including the hashtag #XboxSonic2Sweepstakes, or (2) for fans in the US, by redeeming Microsoft Rewards points. Visit the official terms and conditions for more information on both the Twitter and Microsoft Rewards sweepstakes.

Don’t forget to check out “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” in theatres in the United States on April 8, 2022. For more information and to watch the trailer, visit sonicthehedgehogmovie.com.

At Xbox, we are always looking for new ways to surprise and delight our gamers. From new product categories to finding new ways to play your favorite games, we strive to offer our gamers choice.

The Designed for Xbox team has been collaborating closely with our partners at PowerA, OtterBox, and 8BitDo to create a unique selection of pastel products that embody the playfulness and whimsy that Springtime brings. Sit back, relax, and jump into your favorite game with these soft, soothing pastel accessories with next-gen gaming features perfect for gaming on Xbox or PC.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controllers for Xbox Series X|S

Reach new heights with the PowerA Enhanced Wired Controllers for Xbox Series X|S. These beautifully designed controllers bring a soft pastel touch to up your gaming setup. Brilliantly engineered, they feature two fully mappable Advanced Gaming Buttons on the back that allow you to program your essential in-game actions at any time, even in the middle of the game. The ergonomic design, intuitive-feel button layout and silky-smooth anti-friction rings around each thumbstick let you game in comfort during those long gaming sessions. You’ll feel your favorite games come to life with the hyper-realistic dual rumble motors in each grip. Whether it’s a pounding, pulsating vibrations or a subtle quiver, you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into an entirely new world every time you play. Plug your favorite wired headset into the 3.5mm stereo headset jack and enjoy an easily accessible volume dial with one-touch mic mute to control the audio of your wired headset without the need to take your hands off the controller. No next-gen controller is complete without the intuitive Xbox Share Button to capture and share your most epic screenshots and clips. A high-quality, detachable 10-foot cable gives you the freedom to play from your favorite spot in the room, then wrap it up with an attached hook-and-loop strap until the next time you play.

The PowerA Enhanced Wired Controllers for Xbox Series X|S are compatible with Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PCs and are available in five new playful pastel colors:

• Lavender Swirl – mesmerizing, swirly, psychedelic goodness.
• Cotton Candy Blue – sugary sensation inspired by the sweetest of childhood treats.
• Pink Lemonade – icy cold and refreshing design to brighten up any gaming session.
• Purple Camo – pastel purple meets rough-and-tumble camo.
• Pastel Dream – soothing fades that turn even the most stressful session into a smooth symphony of gaming prowess.

The PowerA Enhanced Wired Controllers for Xbox Series X|S in their new pastel colors are available for pre-order today in the US and CA for $37.99 USD from Microsoft Store and other retailers.

Visit PowerA.com or your local retailers for additional information.

OtterBox Easy Grip Controller Shell for Xbox Series X|S Controllers

When you can play your favorite games anywhere and anytime, stay confident by keeping your Xbox Series X|S controller protected against drops and scrapes with the OtterBox Easy Grip Controller Shell. In a brand-new Lilac Dream color, featuring two sets of purple and pink swappable grips and a clear glitter shell, this is sure to add some sparkle to your favorite Xbox Series X|S controller. This first-of-its-kind, highly durable hard shell delivers the protection you’ve come to trust and count on from OtterBox while ensuring your controller feels and plays like a pro-level controller from Xbox. The soft grip pads are easily swapped in for a fresh look or added grip and keep your hands comfortable with sweat-wicking material that is easy to wash. The Easy Grip Controller Shell is the worry-free solution that makes your gaming comfortable and cool.

The OtterBox Easy Grip Controller Shell in Lilac Dream is available for purchase today for $39.99 USD from Microsoft Store in US/Canada and other select retailers worldwide.

Visit OtterBox.com or your local retailer for additional information.

8BitDo Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox

The 8BitDo Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox was designed in a playful pastel pink to add a bit of color to your gaming setup. This controller gives you more ways to play with two programmable, pro-level back buttons so you have easy access to your most valuable actions during gameplay. The 8BitDo Ultimate Software (available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10, Android and iOS) gives you the control to customize button mapping, adjust stick and trigger sensitivity, vibration and more. Create custom profiles to represent your unique styles of gameplay and switch on the fly with the custom profile button. Connect your favorite wired headset directly to the 3.5mm audio jack and mute your mic directly on the controller with the flip of a switch. The 8BitDo Ultimate Wired Controller is compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows PC.

The 8BitDo Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox in Pastel Pink is available for pre-order today for $44.99 USD from Microsoft Store and other retailers in select markets worldwide.

Check 8BitDo.com or your local retailers for more information.

Choose your favorite accessory or gather the entire collection to create a one-of-a-kind gaming setup that is perfect for Spring. With the Designed for Xbox Spring Collection, gaming is more playful in pastel.

This holiday season, the action-adventure film “Wonder Woman 1984” is teaming up with Xbox and Gamers Outreach to create 10 unique Gamers Outreach (GO) Karts, featuring the new Xbox Series S along with two custom Xbox Wireless Controllers inspired by the movie. Each of these GO Karts will be placed in children’s hospitals across the country starting on December 23, just in time to experience the magic of the holidays.

Children at these hospitals will be able to power their dreams as they continue the healing process, while Xbox and Gamers Outreach help bring a sense of normalcy to patients and families alike. As an extra gift of wonder, the GO Karts will include a special message from Wonder Woman herself, Gal Gadot, along with an HBO Max subscription to watch her new movie “Wonder Woman 1984,” streaming exclusively on HBO Max starting on December 25 for a limited time and available in theaters worldwide this holiday season.

The following hospitals will be receiving these specialized GO Karts:

• Phoenix Children’s Hospital
• Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone
• Children’s Minnesota
• Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
• Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
• Children’s Medical Center Dallas
• Children’s Hospital New Orleans
• SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
• Montana Children’s Medical Center
• Children’s National Hospital

Xbox and Gamers Outreach are once again excited to bring an unforgettable experience to children at these hospitals, giving them access to interactive entertainment and the chance to socialize via video games through an amazing collaboration with “Wonder Woman 1984,” bringing joy through the power of play with Xbox this holiday season.

Learn more about Gamers Outreach and their mission to build a world where play is accessible in hospitals by visiting www.GamersOutreach.org.

Perhaps one of the greatest struggles older people face today is a lack of human connection; whether it’s due to living far apart from family members, or even a lack of close family and friends at all, loneliness among our older generation is a growing problem world-wide. While it’s no surprise that the virtual worlds of gaming have become places where gamers can build and maintain real-world relationships, these worlds can also provide a vital connection between older and younger family members. In gaming we believe in the power of play to bring people together.

“Games are a source of joy, inspiration, and social connection,” says Head of Xbox Phil Spencer. “They have the power to bring us together, create empathy, and strengthen our social fabric.”

With Xbox: Beyond Generations, our aim is to highlight the relationship-building potential of modern games, and to encourage younger people to start gaming with older family members.

For older people, loneliness has become a serious problem — one that has a knock-on effect on their physical health. According to Age UK, almost 2 million older people in the UK are expecting to feel lonely this holiday. And it is a global issue; a sense of isolation is something many older people all over the world face daily.

Xbox: Beyond Generations aims to bridge that generational divide in families. The initiative launches with a short documentary film, “Howard & Dhillon’s Story,” which follows the story of a real family on their journey towards re-connecting with each other via gaming. Grandfather Howard and his grandson Dhillon, who live nearly three hours’ driving distance apart, used to have a close relationship when both were younger. But as Howard became less physically able to do activities with Dhillon, they drifted apart. 

“My grandad, with his knee injury, can’t run around with us in the garden anymore. We stopped doing the things that kept us really close,” says Dhillon.

Over the course of four weeks, we witness the rekindling of the relationship they once had. Howard and Dhillon’s ability to go on virtual road trips in Forza or sail on virtual ships together in Sea of Thieves—shared activities that are no longer possible for them to do in real life—becomes the catalyst for opening up to each other about their lives and forming a deeper bond, something hard to replicate via regular calls.

To help ignite this spark of connection within families, Xbox is partnering with multiple charities around the globe dedicated to supporting the needs of older people. In the UK, Xbox will support Age UK, and their work internationally through Age International. Donations are being made to enable our charity partners to carry out vital work for older people and their communities providing emotional, social and practical support.

Everyone can bring about change. There are a number of ways in which you can help play a part.  Age UK and Age International are in need of donations to fund their vital work, so if you’re able, please donate today. Or consider becoming an Age UK Digital Buddy – someone who helps older people get familiar with technology and use it to connect with friends, family, and get the support they most need.

“At Age UK and Age International our mission is simple – we support older people who need us the most, especially those who have no one else to turn to,” says Age UK Fundraising Director Laurie Boult. “Technology can really help us all connect, but sometimes the most vulnerable older people need more than that. That’s where we come in. We help provide emotional, social, and practical support to older people in more than 25 countries, with programmes ranging from emergency humanitarian aid, to access income and pensions, healthcare, advocacy and influencing governments to consider the needs of older people.”

Perhaps one of the simplest things many of you can do to make a difference is to see the value and potential in older people, quite literally. This holiday season—a time when many will be booting up a new console- rather than leave an old console to gather dust, consider giving it to an older family member. And maybe challenge them to a game or two. It could be the thing that sparks a whole new chapter in your relationship.

We play for many reasons: to indulge our imaginations, to socialize with friends or family, to test our skills against others, to learn through technology or just to relax and pass the time. Like other social activities, gaming creates meaningful connections with diverse players and reminds us that we have so much in common through the shared joy of play.

We believe gaming is for all people of all ages, including our youngest and most vulnerable players. Technology makes compelling entertainment experiences possible, and we want to ensure that those experiences – especially when they involve interaction with others – are positive and respectful. All players deserve to have fantastic social gaming experiences in settings where respect and safety are mutual.

At Xbox, we are aligned with both Nintendo, on behalf of the community of Nintendo Switch players, and PlayStation in our belief that protecting players online requires a multidisciplinary approach – one that combines the benefits of advanced technology, a supportive community, and skilled human oversight. We can accomplish more when we work toward the same goal, and so we will each continue investing in, evolving, and amplifying our approaches to user safety. As we continue this work, we will prioritize protecting the safety of our players, especially those most vulnerable.

The following principles guide our work. 

Prevention: Empower players and parents to understand and control gaming experiences.

• We provide controls that let players customize their gaming experience.  We support parents with the tools and information necessary to create appropriate gaming experiences for their children.
• We recognize that for safety features to be useful, they must be easy to use. We will promote the availability of our safety tools through our platforms, support channels, services, on our websites and in retail stores to reach more players and parents.
• We continually inform our parents and players through our codes of conduct, terms of use, and our enforcement practices.
• We invest in technology to help thwart improper conduct and content before a player is subject to harm. 

Partnership: We commit to partnering with the industry, regulators, law enforcement, and our communities to advance user safety.

• The industry’s commitment to safety is central. We believe that we have an opportunity to collaborate for the benefit of the video game industry and all players to offer a safer gaming experience.
• We work with industry trade organizations, industry members, regulators, law enforcement, and experts to develop and advance online safety initiatives.
• We commit to conducting shared research for the benefit of the industry.
• We believe that hate and harassment or exploitation of younger players in any way have no place in gaming. We partner with our community to promote safe gaming behavior and encourage the use of reporting tools to call out bad actors.
• We partner with ratings agencies such as the ESRB and PEGI to ensure that our games are rated for the appropriate audience.

Responsibility: We hold ourselves accountable for making our platforms as safe as possible for all players.

• We make it easy for players to report violations of our code of conduct and, in addition to removing content, we take appropriate enforcement actions for violations, including restricting players from using our services for misconduct.  
• We comply with all local laws and will respond to all lawful requests from law enforcement. We promptly notify law enforcement if we observe unlawful conduct or where we believe a player is at risk of imminent harm. 
• We publish our rules and requirements and we ensure that players who have been reported understand the requirements for continued engagement with our platforms.  

Protecting players can be challenging in a digitally and often instantaneously connected world. This partnership signifies our commitment to work together to improve player safety and ensure gaming remains truly for everyone. While the video game industry has a long history of taking steps to protect gamers, especially children, we recognize that no one company or industry will solve these challenges alone.

We welcome others to make and share similar commitments to players everywhere.

Gaming has long been a significant source of joy, inspiration, and social connection for players around the world, and social distancing has made this truer now than ever before. With the holiday break on the horizon, many parents and caregivers may be looking for ways to help balance screen time and family time. We know achieving this balance is important to families. That is why earlier this fall, we launched the Xbox Family Settings app for free on iOS and Android. Today, we are taking the next step on our journey to support families by introducing two new app features for child accounts on Xbox Live.

Pause Screen Time

The ability to pause screen time has been our number-one requested feature from parents and caregivers. Today, we are happy to add the Pause Screen Time feature to the app, which empowers parents to temporarily pause screen time for their children’s accounts – even if they have more screen time available for the day.

Whether the feature is used to reinforce asks to set the table for dinner or to make sure homework is completed, this feature will block children from their account until parents decide it’s time to play again, or until the block expires at the end of the day. Children will see the standard “Your screen time is up” notification on their screen when parents press pause, and once parents decide play can resume, the preestablished rules for game time will take effect.

Ask to Buy

As we head into the holidays, it makes sense that children might want to purchase new games to play.  We saw that our Ask to Buy feature – which is currently available via family settings on Xbox via console and PC – helps parents manage their children’s spending. So, we brought the feature to the Xbox Family Settings App so parents can manage from their phone.

If the setting is on, when children choose a game they would like to purchase, a request will be sent to the parent’s phone. This notification will include a link to where they can learn more about the game before approving or declining the purchase. The app will also list approved purchases so parents can keep track of recent purchases.

We hope that this feature helps take one more thing off the plates of busy parents everywhere.

These two features join the existing app’s functionality, which helps to tailor each child’s access to Xbox:

• Screen time limits – set limits for each day of the week; for example, you can allow for more game time on the weekends or reduce it during the school week. And a new feature available today allows parents to proactively grant additional screen time – a great option if they did well on a test or completed their homework!
• Content filters – set filters based on the age of each child; for example, an 8-year-old can only access games that are rated E and will be blocked from accessing titles that are intended for more mature players.
• Play and communication settings – choose the option to block all access to play and communication with other players, limit access to “friends only” or grant permission for older children to play and chat with “everyone.”
• Friends list – new with the app is the ability to approve or decline friend requests your child has made to add friends; parents can also view their friends list.
• Activity reports – view daily and weekly activity reports for each child to understand how they are spending their time on Xbox.

Gaming is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family and have fun throughout the year, but it should also be part of a balanced lifestyle. We hope the Xbox Family Settings app will empower parents to have conversations about the right amount of gaming and appropriate content with their children. We’ll continue to update the Xbox Family Settings app to ensure that it meets the needs of today’s families and help everyone to enjoy fun and age-appropriate gaming.

Download the Xbox Family Settings app today for free for iOS and Android to jump in and easily manage your family’s gaming on-the-go.

For more information about the Xbox Family Settings app, visit Xbox.com/family-app.

Microsoft is committed to empowering families to set boundaries and encourage responsible technology use by offering choices on the tools that are right for each family’s unique needs – learn more here.