GoKawiil
Tech News
Microsoft confirmed that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, the first chapter in Square Enix's FF7 Remake trilogy, will be added to Xbox Game Pass on Oct. 29. The addition is part of a wider October lineup that also includes the detective game The Seance of Blake Manor, arriving Oct. 27 for Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Premium subscribers.
According to a Fortune profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, Microsoft's next-generation console, codenamed Helix, is now targeted for the 2028 holiday season rather than 2027, with internal pricing estimates ranging from $1,200 to $1,800 unless subsidized. A separate Xbox-branded handheld capable of running digital console games could still arrive in 2027. Sharma is also reportedly planning to restructure Game Pass into an à la carte model with optional add-ons.
Microsoft has made its Disc to Digital tool available to all Xbox users after a month of Insider beta testing, letting players convert physical Xbox One and Series X game discs into digital licenses tied to their account rather than their console. The feature does not require an Xbox Game Pass subscription and is triggered manually by selecting 'Claim Digital License' from a game's menu rather than automatically on disc insertion.
Sony has announced that Mafia: The Old Country, Horizon Forbidden West and Poppy Playtime: Chapter 2 are joining the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium catalogs. Most titles arrive October 20, with Poppy Playtime: Chapter 2 following on October 27. PlayStation Plus plans start at $11 a month and include access to a rotating library of games.
Microsoft has introduced the Xbox Nano Controller, a smaller version of its standard gamepad measuring just over five inches and weighing 3.5 ounces. It features a rechargeable battery, a programmable action button, and Bluetooth support for use with Xbox consoles, PCs, mobile devices, and smart TVs. Pre-orders are open now, with shipping in the US starting November 4 at $50, followed by availability in 35 more countries next month.
Microsoft is forming a new internal group called Xbox Labs, led by Scott (a games executive), tasked with turning emerging AI techniques—like decompiling and rebuilding games for new hardware, porting PC titles to browsers via WebAssembly and WebGPU, and remixing one game's code into another—into experiences for players and developers. The initiative follows recent community experiments that rapidly ported and transformed major titles using AI tools.
On October 13, Xbox Game Pass will add Battlefield 6 for subscribers on Xbox Series X, Series S, Xbox One, and PC, while Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be removed a few days later. The new additions include a mix of multiplayer and single-player experiences, with other titles like Valor Mortis and Bluey’s Happy Snaps arriving mid-month.
Microsoft has reportedly obtained exclusive rights to stream Grand Theft Auto VI via Xbox Cloud Gaming, making it the only cloud service offering the game at launch. The deal coincides with Microsoft's new pay-as-you-go streaming option launching next month and revised streaming-hour limits for Game Pass tiers starting in November, the same month GTA 6 is due out.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told staff at an internal all-hands meeting that Microsoft has struck a deal giving Xbox Cloud Gaming exclusive rights to stream Grand Theft Auto VI when it launches in November. Rockstar has not yet announced a PC release for the game, and the timing coincides with Microsoft's rollout of a pay-as-you-go option for Xbox Cloud Gaming alongside new limits on streaming hours for Game Pass subscribers.
Sony announced that PlayStation Plus subscribers will get access to three games starting Oct. 6 through Nov. 2: extraction shooter Hunt: Showdown 1896, racing title F1 25, and Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2. The games are included at no extra cost across all PlayStation Plus membership tiers, which start at $11 a month.
Microsoft has restructured Xbox Game Pass into four tiers—Essential ($9.99/month), Premium ($14.99/month), PC Game Pass ($13.99/month) and Ultimate ($22.99/month)—each offering different game libraries and features. Throughout 2026, Microsoft adjusted subscription prices and altered cloud gaming access, including new streaming limits, changing what subscribers get at each price point.
Microsoft laid off 268 employees across its gaming division this week and restructured major studios and franchises, including cutting most of Halo Studios' staff while keeping a small team to support existing titles like Halo Infinite. According to sources cited by the reporter, the next mainline Halo game was years from release, prompting Microsoft to shut it down rather than continue development.