When it launches this holiday, Xbox Series X will be the most powerful console the world has ever seen. One of the biggest benefits of all that power is giving developers the ability to make games that are Xbox Series X Optimized. This means that they’ve taken full advantage of the unique capabilities of Xbox Series X, both for new titles built natively using the Xbox Series X development environment as well as previously released titles that have been rebuilt specifically for the console.
In our Inside Xbox Series X Optimized series, these creators will share the behind-the-scenes accounts of how they’re optimizing their titles for Xbox Series X and what that means for the future of gaming.
Today, we’ll be chatting with Manuel Fernández, Cofounder & Programmer at Out of the Blue about optimizing Call of the Sea for Xbox Series X.
Q: What excites you most about developing and bringing Call of the Sea to life on next-generation hardware?
A: It is always exciting to see how old limitations are overcome and try to find new ones. The feeling of adventure when exploring something new is what we like best.
Q: In addition to benefiting from the power and performance of Xbox Series X for quicker load times etc. what Xbox Series X features were you most excited to explore leveraging in the development of Call of the Sea?
A: Without a doubt, benefiting from the power and performance of the new generation is something that everyone is looking for, but it is not the only thing that calls our attention. We believe that some features like Smart Delivery are building the future of gaming by putting the players first and we are happy to be a part of this.
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Watch Major Nelson’s interview with Tatiana Delgado above for more on Call of the Sea.
Q: How will these enhancements impact a player’s experience with Call of the Sea?
A: With the Smart Delivery feature you’ll always have access to the best version of the game. Sharing settings and games between different systems. That makes you design the game thinking as a whole and not as something that is tied to a single platform. On the other hand the power and performance of Xbox Series X will allow us to offer the game at beautiful 4K at 60fps, leveraging the rich game environments and making the art really shine.
Q: Why did your development team choose to focus on 4K Resolution, 60FPS and DirectX Raytracing as enhancement areas for Call of the Sea?
A: We are focusing on delivering the most beautiful game possible. Although we have a stylized art style, we are giving it a next-gen look, full of visual effects and movement in the scene. With DirectX Raytracing, we will have the chance to make the island even more present, almost come to life. Players will have the opportunity to enjoy the island’s stunning environments in beautiful 4K, allowing for a greater immersion and an overall better experience.
The power of this new hardware allows us to not have to make compromises between frame rate and resolution. We can finally offer the best of the two worlds to Xbox Series X players!
Q: How do you expect fans of Call of the Sea will respond to playing it on Xbox Series X with these enhancements?
A: We hope fans are delighted by the visuals, spend more time in the game and enjoy exploring every corner of the island.
These enhancements will also allow us to tune the environments, weather, and make the environments evolve as the story does. We consider the island a character in Call of the Sea and enhancing all the visual effects helps us convey the player’s emotions in a fantastic way.
Q: What is it like developing on Xbox Series X?
A: We are still in the first stages of experimenting with the new hardware and we are exploring how far we can go. We are working in line with the advances in Unreal Engine, the engine in which we are developing the game, towards implementing them in the Xbox Series X version of the game. Both Microsoft and Epic Games are doing an excellent job of giving developers tools to make it as smooth as possible to develop on their platform.
Q: Which enhancement were you most excited about to explore leveraging for Call of the Sea on Xbox Series X?
A: The graphic power that allows us to show our scenarios in 4k at 60fps is something we are really excited about. Sometimes it allows us to take our visuals to where our only limit is creativity.
Q: What does Smart Delivery mean for your game and how you’re bringing Call of the Sea to fans?
A: We want our players to enjoy the game at its best, so we love the idea that those who have the game on Xbox One, can continue playing it on Series X when they will be ready to jump into the next generation. We love how easy it will be for players to do this transition without having to worry about their save game and game progression, as they will carry over between the two platforms. We love being part of this new norm as the generation shifts.
Q: What does Xbox Series X/next-generation development enable in current or future projects that you could not have achieved with the current generation of consoles?
A: We want to explore in future projects the opportunity to cross the barriers of the game itself, not as something that starts when you press play and ends when you go out, but as something that is alive inside the console and uses the new user interface to extend the game experience.
Here at Xbox, we’re building the future of gaming by putting players first, ensuring that you are at the center and in control of your gaming experience. Whether you’re exploring an expansive library of Xbox Game Pass titles with more than 10 million of your fellow gamers or taking your gaming on the go with Project xCloud, it’s clear that the future of gaming is brighter than ever.
Nowhere is that more evident than with Xbox Series X, our fastest, most powerful console ever. Not only will Xbox Series X set a new bar for performance, speed and compatibility, it will empower the world’s greatest developers to create games that launch us into the future of gaming. Putting players first also means introducing a host of new features and technologies to improve their experience.
Optimized for Xbox Series X is the indicator for games that take advantage of the full power of Xbox Series X. Since Xbox Series X offers developers unparalleled power and speed, this empowers them to create the experiences they want and embrace a range of features and capabilities based on what is best for their individual titles. When you hear a game has been Optimized for Xbox Series X, you’ll know that the developer has either natively designed or fully rebuilt their game to take full advantage of the unique capabilities of our most powerful console ever.
Games featuring the Optimized for Xbox Series X badge can showcase anything from virtually eliminating load times via the Xbox Velocity Architecture, heightened visuals and hardware-accelerated DirectX raytracing powered by our custom, next generation GPU, to steadier and often higher framerates up to 120fps. Titles displaying the Optimized for Xbox Series X badge can include:
Brand new games built natively for the Xbox Series X such as Halo Infinite.
Previously released titles in which a developer has enhanced their title using the Xbox Series X development environment to dramatically leverage the power and features Xbox Series X has to offer, like Gears 5.
Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll be getting when you’re playing a game that’s been Optimized for Xbox Series X:
Groundbreaking Visual Fidelity Immerses You in Your Games
Powered by DirectX 12 Ultimate and with support for hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing—a first for consoles—select games will produce more dynamic, realistic environments. DirectX Raytracing means that you’ll see true-to-life lighting, accurate reflections and hear 3D spatially accurate acoustics in real time as you explore the game world. Ultimately, DirectX Raytracing enables developers to create more physically accurate worlds. To give a better feel for what this may look like in practice, we asked Manuel Fernández, Co-founder and Programmer from Out of the Blue to share what they’re most excited about for leveraging DirectX Raytracing in Call of the Sea:
“In Call of the Sea, the island has a great importance as we tell the story as a dialogue between the player and their environment. Thanks to the power of Xbox Series X and DirectX Raytracing, we will have the chance to make the island even more present, almost come to life. Players will have the opportunity to enjoy the island’s stunning environments in beautiful 4K, allowing for a greater immersion and an overall better experience.” – Manuel Fernández, Out of the Blue
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Next Generation Framerates Offer the Pinnacle of Precision
Games that have been Optimized for Xbox Series X use the power of the new console to deliver higher, steadier framerates, with a performance target of 60 frames per second at 4K resolution. Some games will even be able to support framerates up to 120 fps or variable refresh rates, allowing developers to offer players heightened realism and more precise controls for fast-paced action. We also talked to Technical Director at Codemasters David Springate about optimizing DiRT 5 for Xbox Series X, to give you a better feel for how increased framerates could improve next gen games:
“DIRT 5 is a fast, action-packed amplified off-road racing game and being able to play it with 120fps options on Xbox Series X is incredible. The power of Series X means that the game looks stunning at 60fps, and we’re also able to offer amazingly smooth, responsive gameplay at 120fps while still looking gorgeous. Racing fans know frame rate is king and DIRT 5 will deliver on this. Players will experience the strongest sense of speed and responsiveness at the highest frame rate. It’s such a great, smooth experience – I hadn’t experienced another racer like it.” – David Springate, Codemasters
Faster Load Times Will Get You Gaming More Quickly than Ever
Optimized for Xbox Series X isn’t just about gorgeous visuals and better framerates. It’s also about virtually eliminating in-game load times thanks to our Xbox Velocity Architecture technology. XVA combines a custom solid-state drive, custom hardware and integrated software to greatly decrease load times both in and out of games, meaning gamers will be able to spend more time playing and less time waiting. As an example, for titles that have large, open-world environments, these experiences will feel even more dynamic, as developers will be able to leverage the massive increase in processing power and the ability to stream assets in extremely quickly to not break immersion. Developers will also be able to effectively eliminate loading times between levels and create fast travel systems that are just that: fast. We talked with Mike Rayner, Technical Director at The Coalition to hear what he’s most excited about for leveraging the XVA for Gears 5 and here’s what he had to say:
“As a game developer one of the most exciting improvements that far exceeds expectations is the massive I/O improvements on Xbox Series X. With the Xbox Series X, out of gate we reduced our load-times by more than 4x without any code changes. With the new DirectStorage APIs and new hardware decompression we can further improve I/O performance and reduce CPU overhead both of which are essential to achieve fast loading. As we look to the future, the Xbox Series X’s Sampler Feedback for Streaming (SFS) is a game changer for how we think about world streaming and visual level of detail.” – Mike Rayner, The Coalition
Wondering which games are Optimized for Xbox Series X? Below you’ll find a list of titles confirmed to be Optimized for Xbox Series X to date. As this list grows in the weeks and months leading up to Xbox Series X launch, we’ll keep it updated to reflect any additions.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Bright Memory Infinite
Call of the Sea
Chivalry 2
Chorus
Cyberpunk 2077
Destiny 2
DiRT 5
FIFA 21
Gears 5
Halo Infinite
Hitman 3
Madden NFL 21
Marvel’s Avengers
Outriders
Scarlet Nexus
Scorn
Second Extinction
The Ascent
The Medium
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
We hope this gave you a better idea of what it means when you purchase a game that’s been Optimized for Xbox Series X, which ensure that the player is at the center of the gaming experience. We’ll be sharing more on Optimized for Xbox Series X and adding titles to the list above in the coming months.
Here at Xbox, we’re building the future of gaming by putting players first and ensuring that you are at the center and in control of your gaming experience. Whether you’re exploring an expansive library of Xbox Game Pass titles with more than 10 million of your fellow gamers or taking your gaming on the go with Project xCloud, it’s clear that the future of gaming is brighter than ever.
Nowhere is that more evident than with Xbox Series X, our fastest, most powerful console ever. Not only will Xbox Series X set a new bar for performance, speed and compatibility, it willempower the world’s greatest developers to create games that launch us into the future of gaming. Putting players first also means introducing a host of new features and technologies to improve their experience.
One of the most exciting of the technologies we’re introducing with Xbox Series X is Smart Delivery, which will ensure that you always play the best version of the games you own for your console, across generations. This technology is available for all developers, and all Xbox Game Studios titles that are Optimized for Xbox Series X, including Halo Infinite, will support Smart Delivery.
But what does that mean for you, the player? Well, it means that if you purchase the Xbox One version of a supported title, we will deliver the best version of it to your Xbox One, as usual. If you decide to jump into the next generation with Xbox Series X, we will automatically provide the Xbox Series X version of the game at no additional cost when it becomes available. You won’t need to do anything in terms of choosing a version to download. We’ll take care of all of that. And it’s not just limited to games that you purchase digitally; physical discs of Xbox games can also support Smart Delivery if the developer or publisher decides to implement it.
Below are a few different scenarios in which Smart Delivery will work across generations with the games and consoles you own now and those you may own in the future. Smart Delivery will ensure that only the best version of the game will be installed on your hard drive, so you don’t have to manage your storage space:
If you own Gears 5 or are loving it via Xbox Game Pass now, you can play it today on Xbox One. Then, if you pick up an Xbox Series X this holiday, all it takes is a push of a button to download it and you’ll have the Optimized version of Gears 5 – available on day 1 at launch with the console – at your fingertips.
When Halo Infinite launches alongside Xbox Series X and Xbox One this holiday, you only have to buy the game once and you’ll get the best version for whichever console you own, or both. If you pick up Xbox Series X for your living room, Smart Delivery will recognize that and deliver you the Optimized version there. If you decide to move your existing Xbox One to a bedroom or the office, Smart Delivery will recognize that too and deliver that version when you’re playing on Xbox One.
Lastly, some new and existing Xbox One titles will be Optimizing their games after the Xbox Series X launches. For example, if you buy Cyberpunk 2077 when it launches on September 17, you’ll be set to explore Night City on Xbox One. If you pick up Xbox Series X at launch this holiday, you can play it there too in compatibility mode picking up exactly where you left off. Then, when CD PROJEKT RED delivers an Xbox Series X Optimized version of Cyberpunk 2077, you’ll automatically get upgraded once it’s available at no additional cost.
We’re also happy to confirm that Smart Delivery will be enabled for Xbox Game Pass titles that leverage it. Outside of our Xbox Game Studios titles, it will be up to the individual developer to determine whether they take advantage of Smart Delivery.
As was the case with our current backwards compatible titles, you won’t have to worry about losing any progress either. Thanks to our commitment to compatibility across generations, you can be assured that when you purchase a game on Xbox One today, your game library, progression and entire gaming legacy moves forward with you if you jump into the next generation with Xbox Series X.
But what about the games? Below you’ll find the initial list of new and existing titles that will be Optimized for Xbox Series X and confirmed to support Smart Delivery. Please note: this is in addition to the thousands of games you’ll be able to bring with you to Xbox Series X via back compatibility on day one. As this list grows in the weeks and months leading up to the Xbox Series X launch, we’ll keep it updated to reflect any additions.
Halo Infinite Cyberpunk 2077 Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Destiny 2 DiRT 5 Scarlet Nexus Chorus Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 Yakuza: Like a Dragon The Ascent Call of the Sea Gears 5 Second Extinction Metal: Hellslinger
We hope this gave you a better idea of what we’ve got planned for Smart Delivery and how this new technology will ensure that the player is at the center of the gaming experience. We’ll be sharing more on Smart Delivery and adding titles to the list above in the coming months.
As we launch into a new generation of gaming with Xbox Series X, we see a future where you’re instantly absorbed in your games and worlds are even more lifelike, immersive, responsive, and surprising. This detailed post contains everything we’ve shared so far about Xbox Series X and the future of Xbox. Keep this post bookmarked; we’ll update here as we make more announcements over time.
Xbox Series X, the most powerful gaming console, empowers developers to deliver on their creative visions and dreams. It packs an unprecedented 12 teraflops of GPU power and enables new technologies and features like hardware-accelerated Direct X raytracing, variable rate shading, framerates up to 120 fps, and Quick Resume for multiple games, all of which cumulatively will deliver a new level of fidelity, immediacy, precision and accuracy never before seen in console gaming.
Xbox Series X is now in the hands of our 15 Xbox Game Studios teams and the biggest names from our network of game development and publishing studios worldwide, ensuring Xbox Series X will power a new generation of blockbuster games, like Halo Infinite. Additionally, we’re empowering you to play thousands of games at launch because we believe strongly in delivering compatibility across four generations of Xbox and we know you want this too.
Importantly, more than 80% of console gamers also play on PC and mobile. That’s why we’re building out services like Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Live and Project xCloud across console, PC, and mobile so you and your friends can play and discover your next great adventures together – on any device. All of this is part of our commitment to give you the greatest gaming experiences and more value from your games.
Players are at the center of our vision for gaming. Every day we think about giving you and your friends more value from your games and gaming experiences on Xbox. We believe gaming has the power to unify the world through games—but only if it’s accessible and inclusive of everyone.
MORE IMMERSIVE AND RESPONSIVE GAMES FROM THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL CONSOLE
The Xbox Series X will be the ultimate console for players who want the most immersive games from a device designed, built and optimized for gaming with zero compromises. Powered by our next generation, custom designed processor including an 8 core Zen 2 CPU, delivering more than 4x the processing power of an Xbox One, and a 12 TFLOP RDNA 2 GPU, more than 8x the performance of the original Xbox One, Xbox Series X will enable a new level of visual fidelity and immersion. Pair that with the highest bandwidth GDDR6 memory of any next generation console, and a custom, next generation solid state drive (SSD), Xbox Series X will provide developers the power to push their creative visions to the limit. With next generation innovations including DirectX hardware-accelerated raytracing, variable refresh rate and ultra-low latency input, Xbox Series X sets the stage for a new level of fidelity, precision and accuracy never before seen in console gaming.
The bold and unique industrial design enables us to deliver the most powerful console in the quietest and most efficient way, enabling it to fit seamlessly into your home. The Xbox Series X is also designed to support both vertical and horizontal orientation.
The new Xbox Wireless Controller features improved ergonomics for a wider range of people, better cross-device connectivity, and reduced latency. It also features a new Share button to make capturing screenshots and game clips simple and a new hybrid d-pad inspired by the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2. The new Xbox Wireless Controller will be compatible with Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs, and will be included with every Xbox Series X.
THE TECHNOLOGY AND SPECS
While technical specifications for any product resonate differently depending on your level of interest and understanding, at Xbox it’s all about the details. In partnership with tech experts Austin Evans and Digital Foundry, we dove deep into some of the technologies that are powering the Xbox Series X and shared specifics on the choices the team has made when defining the next generation of gaming. Xbox Series X is defined by three primary characteristics: power, speed and compatibility.
Raw power is just part of the beginning
Xbox Series X delivers over 12 TFLOPS of sustained, consistent GPU performance, making it the most powerful console ever. Designed to deliver games in 4K at 60 FPS with support for up to 120 FPS, Xbox Series X represents a superior balance of power and speed with no compromises for developers. Beyond the raw horsepower, the custom designed processor at the heart of Xbox Series X includes brand new innovative capabilities such as Variable Rate Shading (VRS), hardware-accelerated DirectX raytracing, and more, advancing console gaming on all technological fronts to deliver amazing, dynamic, living worlds that players want to be immersed in.
Improving immersion and embracing speed
From how quickly you can move between games, to how long it takes to traverse a huge environment without long loading screens, to being able to resume a game right where you left off instantly, the Xbox Series X is built to enable players to spend less time waiting and more time playing. The Xbox Velocity Architecture – which unlocks a new level of performance through the groundbreaking combination of the next-generation custom SSD, hardware accelerated decompression and deep software integration, to enable richer and more dynamic living worlds unlike anything ever seen before – the Xbox Series X is fast and virtually eliminates load times.
Quick Resume is a new platform feature enabled through the Xbox Velocity Architecture and our custom OS architecture that enables players to resume a game exactly where they left off, across multiple titles, ensuring gamers can get right back to the fun in an instant.
We also know many gamers demand ultra-low latency to be as immersed and precise as possible. With HDMI 2.1 innovation, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Dynamic Latency Input (DLI), the team analyzed every step between player and game, from controller to console to display, and optimized each stage of the pipeline.
THE WORLD’S MOST-COMPATIBLE CONSOLE—WITH THOUSANDS OF GAMES AT LAUNCH
The benefits of the next console generation extend in every direction, bringing greater visual fidelity and improved loading speeds to your existing games library, in addition to new games specifically optimized to take full advantage of the Xbox Series X. With thousands of games from four generations available at your fingertips from day one, plus the library of over 100 titles available with Xbox Game Pass , we’re continuing our commitment to compatibility with Xbox Series X.
We believe that not only should gamers be able to play all of their games from the past without needing to purchase them again, but they should play better than ever before. Backwards compatible games run natively on the Xbox Series X hardware, running with the full power of the CPU, GPU and the SSD. No boost mode, no downclocking, the full power of the Xbox Series X for each and every backward compatible game. This means that all titles run at the peak performance that they were originally designed for, many times even higher performance than the games saw on their original launch platform, resulting in higher and more steady framerates and rendering at their maximum resolution and visual quality. Backwards compatible titles also see significant reductions in in-game load times from the massive leap in performance from our custom NVME SSD which powers the Xbox Velocity Architecture.
We are also investing in technology that makes game ownership easier across generations. This is especially true with our new Smart Delivery technology, which ensures you only have to purchase a title once, knowing you will get the best version of the title on whatever Xbox console you choose to play on. This will allow players to seamlessly move between multiple consoles and console generations as they see fit. All our exclusive Xbox Game Studios titles that are optimized for Xbox Series X, including Halo Infinite, are committed to using Smart Delivery too. Gamers can have confidence when they purchase games in the Xbox ecosystem that your investments and progression move forward with you to the next generation.
THE MOST IMMERSIVE AND RESPONSIVE GAMES
When a developer’s creativity is backed by the most powerful gaming platform in the world, the possibilities are endless. We know you expect the next generation of consoles to set new standards in graphical fidelity, immersion and performance, converging together in games that look incredible, feel alive and are immediately immersive. We know you want frictionless access, across generations, to new stories and content that surprise and delight in ways you never dreamed imaginable.
We also know you don’t want to be cut off from the games and experiences you have invested money and time in for years or are currently playing just because a new generation of consoles has arrived. With the significant leaps in CPU performance, graphics innovation with over 12 teraflops of raw power, next gen storage technology powering our Xbox Velocity Architecture, and technologies delivering the most responsive gameplay experience – not to mention our commitment to backward compatibility and Smart Delivery feature – will make all of these ambitions for games a reality.
We know this firsthand from our own development teams. Xbox Game Studios consists of 15 game development studios around the world, developing and publishing games based on popular franchises like Halo, Forza, Age of Empires, Gears of War, Minecraft, Hellblade, The Outer Worlds, Psychonauts, Flight Simulator, State of Decay, Wasteland 3, and Sea of Thieves – and many more new games in early development.
Xbox Game Studios represents an amazing array of creators across the industry who are exploring new ideas and games only possible with Xbox and our technology. Our global studios are empowered to realize their full creative visions and to leverage the power of Xbox Series X to do so. This means a non-stop supply of games for years to come, built from the ground up to capitalize on features like hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing, 4K resolution running up to 120fps, and more.
The power of Xbox Series X was first demonstrated with the unveiling of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. The team will be building the game on Unreal 5 and leveraging the power of Xbox Series X to bring the Hellblade franchise to levels never before seen. The footage shown was captured in-engine and reflects the power of Xbox Series X available to developers to deliver new universes, experiences and games in ways you have never imagined.
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Fans also got a sneak peek at a wide variety of Xbox Series X games look like in action from our development partners across the industry including Electronic Arts Madden NFL 21, Bandai Namco’s Scarlet Nexus, Deep Silver’s Chorus and Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. From Xbox Game Pass day-one launches like Scorn, and The Medium running in 4k with DirectX Raytracing only possible with next generation technology to titles supporting Smart Delivery like DiRT 5 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon – in addition to previously confirmed titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 – fans have so much to look forward to when Xbox Series X launches this fall.
Many existing titles will be optimized to take advantage of everything Xbox Series X can do also. For example, the team from The Coalition announced that Gears 5 will have an Xbox Series X Optimized version available at Xbox Series X launch and they will leverage Smart Delivery technology to deliver fans the best version of the game regardless of which Xbox they play on. Gears 5 optimizations will feature improved visuals only possible on Xbox Series X, including higher resolution textures, screen space global illumination, contact shadows and 4K cutscenes running at 60 fps. The team also shared that they are investigating 120 fps gameplay for multiplayer modes, giving players an experience never before seen on consoles. And Gears 5 is just the beginning in terms of titles that will be optimized that will be revealed in the coming months.
The Xbox Series X was built for games beyond players imagination and is unlocking creativity and innovation like never before at our studios and with thousands of development partners across the world. We can’t wait to show you 343’s Halo Infinite and more in July.
XBOX SERIES X + XBOX GAME PASS – MORE THAN 100 GAMES, LED BY HALO INFINITE
Xbox Game Pass fundamentally changes how people play games. Think about all the constraints that gaming operates under today. Your games will only play on the device you bought them on and you can only play with your friends if they each buy the same games, too. And every game either requires a big up-front investment or an even bigger investment down the line to access all the content. Xbox Game Pass is changing all that. One low price, a common library of the best games across all your devices for you and your friends on the same plan to enjoy.
More than 10 million members have joined Xbox Game Pass across Xbox and PC. All Xbox Game Studios titles launch into Xbox Game Pass on the same day they release, so you decide whether to purchase each game separately or play them all on launch day on Xbox Game Pass. Xbox Game Studios franchises that will launch into Game Pass day one of release include Halo, Forza, Age of Empires, Gears of War, Minecraft, Hellblade, The Outer Worlds, Psychonauts, Flight Simulator, State of Decay, Wasteland, and Sea of Thieves – and more new games in early development. So, when Halo Infinite launches, you and your friends decide whether to purchase the game or play it in Xbox Game Pass.
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We’re also working with giants in the industry to add top games, like NBA 2K20, Red Dead Redemption 2, and The Witcher 3 – which are in Game Pass today. And independent developers and players also love Xbox Game Pass because it’s a powerful engine for discovering your next favorite game.
We continue to grow Xbox Game Pass into the most compelling service in gaming. We want you to discover new games, play favorites with family and friends, and experience new ways to play on the console, PC, and, in the near future, your mobile device. All of this is possible with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. In the fall, you’ll have the biggest launch day library of games at your fingertips. You’ll feel the power of Xbox Series X with all these games as they load faster and look even more amazing than they do today.
With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks, members now regularly receive even more new benefits including DLC, in-game content and more – all free and included with membership.
THE WORLD’S FIRST CONSOLE DESIGNED WITH THE CLOUD IN MIND
With Project xCloud, we’re not just building the most powerful and compatible console, we’re building the fastest, most powerful, and most compatible gaming cloud as well. When it launches later this year, Project xCloud will empower Xbox Game Pass members to play with their friends anywhere, no download required.
Project xCloud will also help us reach the 2 billion gamers in the world – making Xbox more accessible to more players. With game streaming, we’re unlocking the ability to play console games on all types of devices so everyone has the chance to play.
PUTTING YOU AT THE CENTER
Xbox Series X—the world’s most powerful and compatible console, the most immersive and responsive games – including Halo Infinite this holiday, and the combination of Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud are all converging to create an entirely new future for gamers – a differentiated future that puts you and your friends – not a device – at the center of the Xbox experience.
Xbox is uniquely positioned to deliver on our player-at-the-center inspired vision because we’re deeply committed in the key areas: Console, Content, Community, and Cloud.
We have so much more to share in the coming months.
Until then, stay tuned to Xbox Wire for all the latest on everything Xbox.
Gaming leaves an indelible mark on all of us. From the epic stories and universes we experience playing as our favorite heroes, to the heat of intense competition, victory and defeat. Through the shared accomplishments we achieve as a worldwide community, gaming brings us together.
Thousands of developers from across the globe are currently creating the next generation of transformative games, many of which can only be realized through the power and innovation of the Xbox Series X. Led by Halo Infinite, our 15 Xbox Game Studios teams are hard at work creating the biggest and best line up of exclusives in Xbox history. We are incredibly excited to show many of the new games in development for Xbox Series X soon.
Preserving Your Gaming Legacy
As gamers, we also know how important it is to preserve and respect our gaming legacies. Your favorite games and franchises, your progression and achievements, and the friendships and communities you create through gaming should all move with you across generations. Not only that, your favorite gaming accessories and peripherals should also move forward with you as well.
Our goal has always been to empower gamers to play the best versions of games from across four generations of Xbox at the launch of Xbox Series X. These principles were key to us from Day 1 and influenced many of our design decisions as we started on our journey to create our most powerful and compatible console ever.
Compatibility Journey
Our compatibility journey began with the announcement of Xbox 360 Backwards Compatibility coming to Xbox One at E3 2015. I clearly remember that first magical experience of jumping into one of my favorite Xbox 360 games, Final Fantasy XIII, and instantly resuming where I had left off years before as if no time had passed at all. I was instantly transported back to that special time and all the great memories and personal connections I have made through gaming. The energy and passion from the community continues to motivate us to this day.
Through a tremendous amount of hard work, technical innovation, and partnership with the industry’s leading creators we were not only able to bring more than 500 Xbox 360 games to Xbox One, we were able to go back even further into the archives and resurrect some of your favorite franchises from the original Xbox. The very same team who created new innovative ways to preserve and enhance your existing catalog of games on Xbox One is the same team pushing the envelope again with Xbox Series X.
Maintaining compatibility presents a massive technical challenge as fundamental system and chip architectures advance across generations. Developers highly optimize their games to the unique capabilities and performance of a console to provide the best experience for their players. To make the Xbox Series X our most compatible console ever required both significant innovation in the design of the custom processor as well as the unique design of the Xbox operating system and hypervisor at the heart of our next generation platform.
With more than 100,000 hours of play testing already completed, thousands of games are already playable on Xbox Series X today, from the biggest blockbusters to cult classics and fan favorites. Many of us in Team Xbox play on the Xbox Series X daily as our primary console and switching between generations is seamless. By the time we launch this holiday, the team will have spent well over 200,000 hours ensuring your game library is ready for you to jump in immediately.
All Games Play Better on Xbox Series X
Not only should gamers be able to play all of these games from the past, but they should play better than ever before. Backwards compatible games run natively on the Xbox Series X hardware, running with the full power of the CPU, GPU and the SSD. No boost mode, no downclocking, the full power of the Xbox Series X for each and every backward compatible game. This means that all titles run at the peak performance that they were originally designed for, many times even higher performance than the games saw on their original launch platform, resulting in higher and more steady framerates and rendering at their maximum resolution and visual quality. Backwards compatible titles also see significant reductions in in-game load times from the massive leap in performance from our custom NVME SSD which powers the Xbox Velocity Architecture. As I play through my personal backlog as part of our internal testing, all of the incredible games from Xbox One and earlier play best on Xbox Series X.
The team was not content to just rely on the increased hardware performance to improve your playing experience. The team developed new platform level capabilities to ensure all of your games continue to get even better. In partnership with the Xbox Advanced Technology Group, Xbox Series X delivers a new, innovative HDR reconstruction technique which enables the platform to automatically add HDR support to games. As this technique is handled by the platform itself, it allows us to enable HDR with zero impact to the game’s performance and we can also apply it to Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles developed almost 20 years ago, well before the existence of HDR.
In addition, the new Quick Resume feature was designed to not only work with new games, but it can also be enabled for backward-compatible titles. Quick Resume enables players to resume exactly where they left off, across multiple titles, ensuring gamers can get right back to the fun in an instant.
All of these advances happen at the platform level and require no additional work from title developers.
Advancing the State of the Art of Game Preservation
In addition to preserving the legacy of our loyal fans who have been with us since the beginning, we enable entirely new generations of gamers to play and enjoy the timeless games from our past while respecting and honoring their creators.
Beginning with Xbox One X, the compatibility team developed brand new innovations that could be applied to a hand curated list of titles to enhance them even further than what was possible when they were first created. Techniques such as the Heutchy method, which enables titles to render with increased resolutions up to 4K, or applying anisotropic filtering to improve the final image quality bring these classic games up to modern standards, better than ever before.
With all of the additional power and advancements of the Xbox Series X, the compatibility team now has a veritable playground of new capabilities to innovate and push the limits of game preservation and enhancement. The compatibility team has invented brand new techniques that enable even more titles to run at higher resolutions and image quality while still respecting the artistic intent and vision of the original creators. We are also creating whole new classes of innovations including the ability to double the frame rate of a select set of titles from 30 fps to 60 fps or 60 fps to 120 fps.
The team also continues to listen to feedback from the community on additional titles you would like to see added to the compatibility program. Resurrecting titles from history often presents a complex mix of technical and licensing challenges, but the team is committed to doing everything we can to continue to preserve our collective gaming legacy.
We can’t wait to share more with you as we get closer to the launch of Xbox Series X this holiday.
Safety is a huge priority at Xbox, and we’ve worked for years to offer families tools to find the right balance of gaming in their lives and to fit their unique needs. Family settings on Xbox include more than 20 customizable features to help parents set screen time limits, set content filters and manage who their children can play and communicate with. This provides parents with the choice and flexibility to decide what settings are right for their children. Today, I’m excited to announce an update in our safety offerings: the Xbox Family Settings app, available now in preview on Android and iOS, which makes it easy to manage family settings from anywhere. See here for more details.
The Xbox Family Settings app (Preview) empowers parents and caregivers to manage their children’s gaming on Xbox consoles through their mobile device. It provides a simple and convenient way to create child accounts and customize family settings on the Xbox console to ensure your kids have access to gaming that you feel is appropriate. The Xbox Family Settings app (Preview) includes helpful features such as:
Screen time limits – set limits for each day of the week, for example, you have the ability to allow for more time on the weekends or reduce time during the school week
Content filters – set filters based on the age of each child; an 8-year old can only access games rated E, and will be blocked from accessing titles that are too mature
Play and communication settings – 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”
Activity reports – view daily and weekly activity reports for each child to understand how they are spending their time on Xbox
With the app, parents and caregivers can respond to notifications in real time, such as requests from their child to extend the console screen time limit for the day. We have also built in a new feature within the app to easily enable access and multiplayer capability for Minecraft, which is rated E10+. Sometimes parents of younger children want to provide access to Minecraft and possibly enable online play with their friends, and a convenient toggle in the app unlocks those specific capabilities quickly. Based on customer feedback on this feature, we may include similar functionality for other games in the future.
Additionally, once the app is available to broad consumers later this year, parents will be able to view and manage their child’s friends list and approve or decline requests to add new friends via notifications sent to the app.
We know that especially right now, families are facing new challenges in the wake of school closures, working from home and social distancing due to COVID-19. In my own family, we’ve had to navigate this “new normal,” and how our existing rules for screen time might need to be adjusted to better reflect our reality. With the Xbox Family Settings app (Preview), parents can easily relax screen time on Xbox so kids have more time to play, or create a new schedule to help balance time for remote learning. We believe that especially now, gaming plays an important role to help connect friends and family and have fun while staying home. The app makes it easy to find the right balance of gaming time that feels right for your family.
The Xbox Family Settings app (Preview) is available now for all Android users and the first 10,000 people on iOS to test in preview. To download the Preview, go to: https://aka.ms/XboxFamilyBetaAndroid and https://aka.ms/XboxFamilyBetaiOS and then follow the steps to setup on your mobile device.
We encourage you to come along on the journey and share your feedback so we can further improve and refine the experience for all users. We’re always listening to customer feedback, and more features will come to the app over time. We hope you’ll join us!
Everyone here at Xbox is excited to share more about the games and experiences coming in the next generation. Earlier this week, we shared our plans for Xbox 20/20, our new reoccurring series that will be rolling out over the course of the year. We kicked it off today with an episode of Inside Xbox that included a very special First Look at Xbox Series X Gameplay event which highlighted 13 new titles coming to Xbox Series X in the launch window from a variety of our development partners from across the globe. Many of these titles are brand-new properties that are being shown for the very first time, kicking off the new generation in a very exciting way.
We’ve always made a point to showcase great work from developers large and small from around the world, and this is just the beginning. Hundreds of titles are already in development for Xbox Series X thanks to our amazing partner community. We’ll be sharing a lot more in the coming months in our Xbox 20/20 series, not only from those partners but from Xbox Game Studios as well.
We’re also happy to share that all of the games included in today’s show will be Xbox Series X Optimized, meaning they are built to take advantage of the powerful Xbox Series X features that make games look and feel incredible, including 4K resolution at up to 120 frames per second, DirectStorage, hardware-accelerated DirectX raytracing, super-fast load times and much more. Putting the power of the console in the hands of developers to decide what’s best for their games is one of our core beliefs and we’re excited for this first look at how they are choosing to leverage the Xbox Series X.
You’ll also probably note that some of the titles below have asterisks next to their names. This means that these games are confirmed to take advantage of Smart Delivery, ensuring you’ll only have to buy that game once knowing you’ll get the best version of that game for whichever Xbox console you’re playing on. Today, we confirmed 9 more titles leveraging this tech for a great customer experience adding to the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 and all Xbox Game Studios titles.
For a full recap of what was shown, read on below or watch the replay of Inside Xbox episode above when the VOD is available.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla* (Ubisoft): In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, become Eivor, a legendary Viking raider on a quest for glory. Explore a dynamic and beautiful open world set against the brutal backdrop of England’s Dark Ages. Raid your enemies, grow your settlement, and build your political power in the quest to earn a place among the gods in Valhalla.
Bright Memory Infinite (Playism): Bright Memory: Infinite is an all-new lightning-fast fusion of the FPS and action genres, created by FYQD-Studio. Combine a wide variety of skills and abilities to unleash dazzling combo attacks. Bright Memory: Infinite is set in a sprawling, futuristic metropolis in the year 2036. A strange phenomenon for which scientists can find no explanation has occurred in the skies around the world. The Supernatural Science Research Organization (SRO) has sent agents out to various regions to investigate this phenomenon. It is soon discovered that these strange occurrences are connected to an archaic mystery – an as-of-yet unknown history of two worlds, about to come to light…
Call of the Sea* (Raw Fury): Call of the Sea is a first-person adventure puzzle game set in the 1930s that tells the story of Norah, a woman on the trail of her missing husband’s expedition. The search takes place on a strange but beautiful island in the South Pacific, filled with secrets waiting to be unearthed. It is an otherworldly tale of mystery, adventure, and self-discovery.
Chorus* (Deep Silver): Discover Chorus, an immersive single-player experience that tells a mature and dark tale of redemption. Take control of Nara, an ace pilot with a haunted past and Forsaken, her sentient starfighter, as they embark on a personal, redemptive journey to challenge a relentless foe and take down the dark cult that made her. This is a true evolution of the space combat shooter.
DiRT 5* (Codemasters): Ushering in the next generation of racing, DiRT 5 writes a new chapter in the legacy of DiRT – bolder and braver than ever before. New features, new innovations and a fresh approach make DiRT 5 a hub of amplified off-road racing, style and culture, where no two races are ever the same.
Madden NFL 21 (Electronic Arts): EA Sports’ Madden NFL is the defining experience for simulated NFL action, enabling fans to play out their NFL fantasy on the virtual gridiron. For more than three decades, since the original release of John Madden Football in 1988, Madden NFL has continued to evolve and innovate to deliver an even more authentic and fun experience for players. The storied franchise continues with Madden NFL 21, which will make fans feel next level on Xbox Series X. Visit ea.com/nextlevel for more information.
Scarlet Nexus* (Bandai Namco Entertainment): Take on the role of Yuito Sumeragi, a new recruit to the OSF aiming to become an elite psionic like the one who saved him as a child. Armed with a talent in psycho-kinesis, explore the futuristic city of New Himuka and uncover the mysteries of a Brain Punk future caught between technology and psychic abilities in Scarlet Nexus.
Scorn (Ebb):Scorn is an atmospheric first-person horror adventure game set in a nightmarish universe of odd forms and somber tapestry. It is designed around the idea of “being thrown into the world”. Isolated and lost inside this dream-like world, you will explore different interconnected regions in a non-linear fashion. The unsettling environment is a character itself. Every location contains its own theme (story), puzzles and characters that are integral in creating a cohesive world. Throughout the game you will open up new areas, acquire different skill sets, weapons, various items and try to comprehend the sights presented to you.
Second Extinction* (Systemic Reaction): Second Extinction is an intense 3 player cooperative shooter, where your goal is to wipe out the mutated dinosaurs that have taken over the planet. Teamwork is vital as you adopt the role of one of the survivors, using a unique combination of weapons, abilities and skills to take on the vast number of enemies. Fight through a maelstrom of bullets, bombs, teeth, claws and gore, it’s up to you to reclaim Earth!
The Ascent* (Neon Giant / Curve Digital): The Ascent is a solo and co-op action RPG set in a cyberpunk world. The mega corporation that owns you and everyone, The Ascent Group, has just collapsed. Confusion and chaos ensue, security and order are in disarray, and without protection, everyone is left to fend for themselves. Stop gangs and hostile corporations from taking over and discover what really happened in this explosive sci-fi shooter.
The Medium(Bloober Team): The Medium is a next-gen psychological horror game from Bloober Team, the makers of Blair Witch, Observer, and Layers of Fear. You play as Marianne, a medium living in two worlds: the real and the spirit one. Haunted by a vision of a child’s murder, you travel to an abandoned hotel resort, which many years ago became the stage of an unthinkable tragedy. There you begin your search for difficult answers. The Medium’s soundtrack is a collaboration between two composers – Bloober Team’s Arkadiusz Reikowski and Akira Yamaoka of Silent Hill fame – reflecting the game’s most important theme: duality.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2* (Paradox Interactive): What Monster Will You Be? Enter the World of Darkness and rise through vampire society. Experience Seattle – a city full of alluring, dangerous characters and factions. In this sequel to the cult classic, your choices, plots and schemes will change the balance of power.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon* (SEGA): Just announced today, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, an explosive new entry point in the acclaimed Yakuza series, will be releasing as a launch title on Xbox Series X. We are also excited to announce that Yakuza: Like a Dragon will support Xbox Series X Smart Delivery immediately on release. This means that players who purchase the Xbox One version of Yakuza: Like a Dragon will be entitled to a free upgrade to the Xbox Series X version. Cross-save functionality between Xbox One and Xbox Series X is also supported, so no matter when players decide to upgrade, they never have to start over from rock bottom.
And if a first look at next-gen gameplay, trailers and sneak peeks from this wide variety of partners across the globe and industry wasn’t enough, we heard from Ubisoft, Deep Silver, Bloober Team, and more about what they’re doing with their games on Xbox Series X.
We hope you enjoyed the show, and we’ll be sharing more about the next entry in the Xbox 20/20 series soon!
Everyone is looking for ways to give back, to support charities and organizations that are making a difference in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. We are so encouraged by the part Xbox gamers have already played and are energized knowing the community is continuing to make an impact.
Within the first few weeks of announcing Xbox One owners can use Microsoft Rewards points to donate to the CDC Foundation, our gamer community has come together with over a hundred thousand individual donations – an incredible showing of support for the CDC Foundation contributing to hundreds of thousands of dollars donated this month by Rewards members. We are incredibly inspired by the way the community is rallying to provide support in this time of need.
Which is why we’re pleased to announce that launching today in the U.S., Xbox One owners can now use their Microsoft Rewards points to donate to two new global foundations – the United Nations Foundation and GlobalGiving – in support of COVID-19 relief efforts.
Here’s a reminder of how it works: If you are not already a Microsoft Rewards member, sign up for free through the Microsoft Rewards app on your Xbox One or online at microsoftrewards.com and earn points simply by playing games on your Xbox. Then donate your Rewards points to your organization of choice. Hit the donation button on the Xbox One dash, or within the Microsoft Rewards app on your Xbox, to tell Microsoft you want to donate your Rewards points, then Microsoft will match your donation one-to-one. 1,000 Rewards points is equal to $1 donated.
Xbox One owners can earn Microsoft Rewards in many different ways, including but not limited to: completing the limited time “Support A Hero While At Home” punch card, playing select new Xbox games and completing Xbox Game Pass Quests – where new members can sign up for Xbox Game Pass for only $1, renting and purchasing movies and TV through the Microsoft Movies & TV app, exploring new content and entertainment apps, and shopping through the Microsoft Store on their Xbox.
In addition to Microsoft Rewards donations, Minecraft Partners recently announced a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and their partner, Heart17, to share factual information about the coronavirus. Over the next week or so, Minecraft will be devoted to sharing important health advice from the World Health Organization via social media channels and in-game “Creepers.”
We are proud to support these organizations who are making a positive impact on the world and help empower gamers to give back by playing the games they know and love from home. You can learn more about Xbox COVID-19 relief efforts on Xbox.com. To support other causes you care about, Microsoft Rewards members can also donate points through the Give With Bing program to more than one million nonprofit organizations.
Today, on our first Inside Xbox episode of 2020, we got a closer look at the single-player campaign in Grounded, the upcoming survival adventure game from our friends at Obsidian Entertainment, revealed the latest Xbox Game Pass titles, discussed the recently revealed Xbox Series X tech, and gave viewers the skinny on the most important things to know about the upcoming Gears Tactics.
There was also plenty of surprise news dropped on today’s show: Typhoon Studios revealed the Journey to the Savage Planet DLC, Hotline Miami Collection is getting a surprise Xbox One release, and we got our very first look at The Last Campfire, an intriguing new title from developer Hello Games.
For a full recap, read on below or watch the replay of Inside Xbox episode above when the VOD is available.
Go Big or Never Go Home in Obsidian Entertainment’s Grounded
Obsidian Entertainment announced upcoming survival adventure game Grounded will enter Xbox Game Preview with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Steam Early Access on July 28, 2020. As part of today’s announcement, the team also revealed a brand new trailer focusing on the single player experience for Grounded, and a first-ever livestream with Obsidian Entertainment’s Game Director, Adam Brennecke and Social Media Manager, Shyla Schofield, who gave a closer look at the game. For more details, check out the full Grounded Inside Xbox post here.
A Closer Look at Xbox Series X Technologies
A few weeks ago, we took an in-depth look at some of the tech powering the Xbox Series X and got our first look at the new Xbox Wireless Controller. On today’s show, our own Major Nelson had a chance to sit down with Jason Ronald, Director of Product Management on Xbox Series X, to break down some of what was shared about our most powerful console ever. They discussed everything from graphics technology like DirectX raytracing and variable rate shading to audio processing, Quick Resume and storage options. Ronald also highlighted the Xbox Velocity Architecture, including what this entails and what it will enables for games.
The Evolution of Xbox Game Bar Continues
We’re continuing the evolution of Xbox Game Bar, the customizable gaming overlay built into Windows 10 for PC. Starting today, Insiders will have access to apps from partners like Razer, XSplit and Intel directly from Xbox Game Bar through new widgets — no more having to Alt+Tab to separate apps while gaming. We’ve seen incredible interest from PC gaming partners in this fan-requested feature, and we look forward to growing the number of available widgets. For more information on the Xbox Game Bar news announced today, please check out this post.
Announcing More Great Titles Hitting Xbox Game Pass
We’re thrilled to announce that on April 13, Xbox Game Pass will be expanding to Japan and Korea. Xbox Game Pass for PC will launch in beta for gamers in Korea and will be included as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate benefits, which is already available for gamers in the region, while all Xbox Game Pass services for console and PC will come to Japan for the first time. We also shared new titles joining the Xbox Game Pass libraries across console and PC, including Alvastia Chronicles, Journey to the Savage Planet, Overcooked! 2, Football Manager 2020, Mistover and Stranger Things 3: The Game. For more details on our Xbox Game Pass news this episode, check out the Xbox Game Pass post here.
Project xCloud Preview Adds More Great Games from EA
We’ve added even more titles to the Project xCloud preview! Beginning today, participants can play three more great games from EA on their Android phones or tablets, including The Sims 4, Unravel Two, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. Additionally, this morning we announced that the Project xCloud preview will be heading to 11 new countries across Western Europe. If you’re interested in joining the Project xCloud preview so you can stream these great games, please visit xbox.com/projectxcloud.
Forza Street Races onto Mobile on May 5
Get your engines ready … Forza Street is coming to your iOS and Android devices on May 5. We’ve received incredible engagement from players during Android pre-registration and are excited to let iOS gamers know they too will hit the streets in just a few weeks. For a limited time, we’ll also be giving out the Founder’s Pack to anyone who plays Forza Street between May 5 and June 5 as a welcoming gift. Pre-register now on Google Play and the Samsung Galaxy Store, and for more information, check out the full Forza Street Wire post here.
Breaking Down Five Things You Need to Know About Gears Tactics
Today, The Coalition celebrated Gears Tactics going gold with a new video highlighting five badass things you need to know before launch and their commitment to a gameplay experience tailored to PC, including new details on a partnership with Intel. Available April 28 on Windows 10 PC, Steam and with Xbox Game Pass for PC (Beta), Gears Tactics has players assume the role of Gabriel “Gabe” Diaz as he recruits, equips, and commands his squad on a mission to hunt down the relentless leader of the Locust army: Ukkon. For more on Gears Tactics, including the latest design collaboration with acclaimed artist Luke Preece, click here.
Set Sail with Sea of Thieves’ Free Ships of Fortune Update
Prospective pirates got a look at the new Sea of Thieves Ships of Fortune update arriving later this month. Ships of Fortune adds new depth to the game’s trading companies, allowing players the option to represent their favorite Trading Companies as emissaries for boosted rewards and exclusive cosmetic items. What’s more, a new and mysterious Company known as The Reaper’s Bones is also making their debut tasking players with pillaging rival ships and taking their Emissary Flags and loot as trophies. For more details on our Sea of Thieves news this episode, check out our full post here.
A New Batch of ID@Xbox Games is Coming to Xbox One
In today’s show, we took a look at a brand-new game called The Last Campfire, a dark fantasy from developer Hello Games that combines a beautiful art style with a wide variety of puzzles to create a wholly unique experience. There was also a new trailer for Atomicrops, an action-packed farming simulator where you must cultivate and defend the last farm in a post-apocalypse wasteland. Finally, it was announced that the action-packed top-down shooter Hotline Miami Collection is not only coming to Xbox One, but is actually available right now. Surprise!
We hope you enjoyed the show, and we’ll see you next time!
Bringing the Project xCloud preview to gamers across Western Europe is a top priority for us. We know gaming is an important way for people to remain connected, particularly during these times of social distancing, but we also recognize how internet bandwidth has been impacted with strain on regional networks as large volumes of people responsibly stay home and go online.
It has been said too many times, but it’s true we are living in unprecedented times due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Here at Xbox, we look to our products to bring joy and connection at all times and particularly during these weeks and months when we’re asked to stay at home. We know we’re in this together and the support we can provide one another is of critical importance now more than ever.
Phil Spencer has talked often about what he sees as the unique power of games to bring people together, to entertain, to inspire and connect. We all believe that in our current circumstances that’s even more true, and we hope that the freedom to discover and play with Project xCloud brings even more joy and connection.
Project xCloud, which has continued to grow and evolve since preview started last year, is our game-streaming technology allowing players to play console games from the cloud on an Android phone or tablet. As we promised at X019 in November, we’ve had our sights set on expanding the Project xCloud preview this year to more countries.
With that in mind, we continue to evaluate the COVID-19 situation and will begin rolling out the Project xCloud preview across 11 Western European countries when we are confident it is sensible to do so. We will take a measured approach to help conserve internet access, beginning the preview in each market with a limited number of people and adding more participants over time.
Upcoming Project xCloud preview countries:
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Spain
Sweden
Today, we’re opening up registration for Android customers in these preview markets and asking players across Western Europe who want to participate in Preview to sign up, then when we’re ready to begin, you’ll receive a notification email with further instructions. We’ll continue to evaluate the situation and will follow up as soon as we can to confirm when selected participants can begin to test the technology and help build the future of game streaming with us. For those interested in joining the Project xCloud preview, please visit www.xbox.com/projectxcloud and register today.
Thank you for your patience at this time. Your participation and feedback is critical as we learn what it means to bring you the very best game streaming platform. We can’t wait to go on this journey with you.
