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Microsoft has begun testing several new Xbox features with Insiders, including the option to select startup animations from Xbox One through Xbox Series X/S consoles, though not the original Xbox or Xbox 360 boots. The update also adds a local search tool for games and achievements, higher-resolution Remote Play, background downloads during cloud streaming, and a Voice Clarity feature to reduce background noise in chat.
Microsoft announced it will end unlimited Xbox Cloud Gaming access, replacing it with monthly hour caps tied to subscription level: 15 hours for Ultimate, 10 for Premium, and 5 for Essential, beginning in November. The company says rising cloud gaming costs are driving the change, and about 4% of subscribers will be affected, with an option to buy extra hours—also available to non-subscribers.
Microsoft will end unlimited cloud streaming for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, replacing it with monthly hour allotments: 15 hours for Ultimate, 10 for Premium, and 5 for Essential. Users who want more can buy extra cloud playtime hours through the Xbox Store, a feature now open even to people without a Game Pass subscription, including Xbox One owners wanting to try newer titles.
Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto VI is set to launch November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, and multiple fans told The Wall Street Journal they're taking extended vacation time to play it immediately. Examples include a software engineer taking five days off before Thanksgiving, a medical-sales rep blocking out a full week, and a Brazilian civil servant cashing in ten vacation days.
At gamescom 2026, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told BBC News that Project Helix, the code name for Xbox's next-generation hardware, actually refers to a whole lineup of devices rather than a single console. She declined to give specifics or say whether the discless-versus-disc question applies to the entire family, only confirming that all Helix hardware will support both console and PC games and that performance will keep improving.
Netflix's unusual decision to premiere an extended Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer drew such heavy traffic that both Netflix and Twitch experienced access and bandwidth problems on Thursday. Take-Two Interactive shares climbed in premarket trading following the reaction, with analysts describing player sentiment as largely positive. The game, set for a November 19 launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, has already generated an estimated $260 million in global preorders.
Microsoft is rolling out a new feature, starting with Xbox Insiders on August 31, that lets players convert eligible Xbox One and Xbox Series X discs into permanent digital entitlements simply by inserting the disc and launching the game. Once claimed, the game becomes playable without the disc and gains access to Xbox Play Anywhere and Cloud Gaming, though the physical disc still works as before. Each disc carries only one revocable license, meaning reselling or lending it can transfer the digital entitlement to whoever uses it next.
Microsoft confirmed a new feature launching for Xbox Insiders on August 31 that lets players claim a digital entitlement for eligible disc-based games by inserting the disc and launching the title. The digital copy unlocks benefits like Xbox Play Anywhere and Cloud Gaming, while the physical disc still functions normally and remains tied to that license.
Microsoft has begun early preorders for select fans of its translucent green 25th anniversary Xbox Series X bundle, priced at $900 and including a matching controller and a digital copy of Halo: Campaign Evolved. Wider preorders open August 27, with shipping set for November 15, close to the original console's 2001 launch date.
Microsoft has officially introduced a disc-to-digital feature that lets Xbox One and Xbox Series X owners convert physical game discs into digital copies by inserting the disc and launching the title. The feature rolls out to Xbox Insiders on August 31, supporting thousands of titles at launch, and unlocks digital perks like Xbox Play Anywhere and Cloud Gaming access.
Microsoft has confirmed a new Xbox feature that converts physical disc games into digital entitlements tied to the disc itself, allowing ownership to transfer between accounts if the disc changes hands. The feature begins testing with Xbox Insiders on August 31st before a wider rollout, and supports thousands of titles at launch with more to follow as publishers opt in.
Microsoft is expanding its Xbox 25th anniversary celebration beyond the translucent green Series X console with a matching accessory collection. Third-party partners Razer, 8BitDo, Backbone, PowerA, and GameSir are releasing limited-edition peripherals like mice, keyboards, earbuds, controller docks, and mobile controllers, mostly in the same translucent green theme, available now for pre-order at a price premium over standard versions.