An Xbox manager stated that generative AI is already being used in game development, aligning Microsoft with large publishers like Capcom, Square Enix, Sega, Nexon and Activision that have adopted or pledged to adopt the technology. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has also publicly promoted AI use, while smaller independent studios such as Finji, ConcernedApe and Strange Scaffold have resisted it. Industry surveys claiming roughly 90 percent AI adoption are noted as having limited and possibly unrepresentative sample sizes.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-31
Microsoft is encouraging owners of unused Xbox consoles to trade them in through Best Buy rather than let them sit idle. The push comes alongside Microsoft's own trade-in and refurbished-console programs, but this effort specifically highlights Best Buy's retail network.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-31
Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 Insider build that lets users adjust Bluetooth, WiFi, and power settings directly within Xbox gaming mode, without exiting to the full desktop. The update also overhauls search, adding filters for files, actions, and web results, the ability to trigger actions like changing volume or brightness, detailed result previews such as file edit history, embedded stock and weather charts, and thumbs-up/down feedback buttons to refine results over time.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-31
DroidDeck, an Android app offering a SteamOS-like PC gaming experience, released version 0.6.7 on GitHub adding Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming and Battle.net storefront integration. The update also improves sleep-mode battery efficiency, second-screen functionality on dual-screen handhelds, and adds Steam-style brightness/volume controls and quick-access menus.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-30
Virgin Media is hiring one person to play Grand Theft Auto VI for eight hours and provide an honest review of the game, paying €100 (about $112) per hour, roughly $900 total, plus a free copy of the title. Applicants must be 18 or older and can split the gameplay hours across the week; the broadband provider is accepting applications through its website.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-29
Sony will add Dead Island 2, Monster Train 2 and the Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered collection to PlayStation Plus for all subscribers starting November 3. The games will be available across all three PS Plus membership tiers at no extra cost.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-28
The HakuX original Xbox emulator has released version 1.2.0, bringing notable performance gains especially on Adreno-based Android devices. Testing on a Retroid Pocket 5 reportedly showed 80% of supported games hitting their original frame rate caps at double resolution, including titles like Halo: Combat Evolved, Jet Set Radio Future, Forza Motorsport, Crazy Taxi, and Call of Duty 3.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-28
8BitDo has released the Ultimate 3E, a $150 controller for Xbox and PC that includes drift-resistant TMR joysticks, extra shoulder buttons, rear paddles, motion controls, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a 1,000Hz wireless polling rate on PC. The package ships with a carrying case, a wireless charging dock that stores the USB dongle, and swappable modules including two four-button pads, two D-pads, and three joystick tops.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-28
Xbox Series X pricing has risen sharply since its November 2020 launch at $499, with current models ranging from $725 to $900 depending on storage configuration. The 1TB disc version now sells around $799 and the digital-only white edition for $750, a roughly 60 percent increase from launch price.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-27
Microsoft has extended a voluntary exit offer to roughly 60,000 employees at level 70 and below in the US, Canada, India and the UK, according to sources cited by CNBC. The program expands on a smaller buyout round launched in April, which Microsoft called its first Voluntary Retirement Program in 51 years, and includes financial support and job-placement assistance. The eligible group represents about 27% of Microsoft's 228,000 global employees as of June 2025.
techspot.com
· 2026-10-27
Acer confirmed its Predator Atlas 8 gaming handheld will launch in the US on November 1st exclusively through Best Buy, priced at $1,299.99. The Intel Arc G3 Extreme model features Arc B390 graphics with 12 Xe3 GPU cores, 24GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and an 8-inch 120Hz display, running Windows 11 with Xbox Game Pass support. Preorders launched last week have already sold out, with Acer saying online and in-store orders reopen on launch day.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-27
Microsoft is offering a voluntary exit package to roughly a quarter of its global workforce, covering eligible employees at level 70 or below in the US, India, Canada and the UK. Chief People Officer Amy Coleman said eligible organizations were chosen based on each business's priorities, customer commitments and workforce needs. This follows an earlier 2026 retirement offer to 8,750 US employees in April and July layoffs of 3,200 Xbox staff.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-10-26
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