Xbox has a ton of features and bonuses lined up to help celebrate its 25th anniversary, including a huge new drop of original Xbox titles that are now playable through Backward Compatibility on the PC library.

Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC Now Supports 21 More Titles

Xbox teased a push into more Backward Compatibility support earlier this year when four classic Xbox titles arrived on the supported list of PC titles, but now the team is taking a big leap forward and adding more than twenty titles to the catalog.

“Today, there are more familiar favorites to revisit, and more classics to discover. We’ve also improved performance and stability for the first four games and every game now supports mouse and keyboard too.”

The 21 additional games available to players in supported countries starting today are:

• Armed and Dangerous
• Disney’s Chicken Little
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (also available with XBOX Game Pass)
• Grabbed by the Ghoulies (also available with XBOX Game Pass)
• Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb
• Red Faction II
• Secret Weapons Over Normandy
• Star Wars Battlefront
• Star Wars Battlefront II
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
• Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
• Star Wars Jedi Knight II Jedi Outcast
• Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords
• Star Wars: Republic Commando
• Star Wars: Starfighter – Special Edition
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars
• Thrillville
• TimeSplitters 2
• TimeSplitters: Future Perfect

The new drop brings the list of original Xbox titles supported on PC through Backward Compatibility up to 25 to help celebrate Xbox’s 25th anniversary. The update introduced achievements for four original XBOX games, with more titles planned over time.

Players can now earn achievements in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords, BLiNX: The Time Sweeper, and Conker: Live and Reloaded.

The update also promised that there are plans to bring even more original Xbox games to PC in the future. Fans should also keep in mind that the support now includes handhelds such as the ROG XBOX Ally family, rather than just the traditional PC experience.

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Xbox new and updates.

The new Xbox Backward Compatibility titles should all be available now.

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Close to a decade after the last numbered installment in the franchise, Wolfenstein is preparing to return in a big way.

Wolfenstein 3 is in Production at MachineGames

Xbox is busy celebrating its 25th anniversary with a flurry of announcements that highlight key moments from the past and look forward to the future. Included in that second category was a very exciting reveal that MachineGames is currently hard at work on development of Wolfenstein 3.

As announced by Asha Sharma, Wolfenstein 3 is officially in production at MachineGames: “This is a franchise with an important place in gaming history, and I’m excited to see the team continue its story.”

In response, MachineGames confirmed they are hard at work on the next entry in the franchise with actors Brian Bloom and Debra Wilson reprising their roles as BJ Blazkowicz and Grace Walker. The studio shared their excitement about what lies ahead and said they will share more as soon as they’re ready.

The small teaser of a script didn’t offer very much detail about the game’s plot or any key gameplay mechanics, but it did confirm the return of B.J. Blazkowicz who is very likely going to be the protagonist once again.

The most recent Wolfenstein game, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, released all the way back in 2019. Before that, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus arrived to rave reviews and was a fan-favorite in 2017.

It’s exciting to see this franchise get the resources needed for a new project and it will be very interesting to see how long it remains in development. Xbox seems to want more aggressive release windows, so it’s possible this game may be closer than expected, even though it’s only entering the early stages of production right now.

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Wolfenstein 3 news and updates as development on the project continues.

Wolfenstein 3 is currently in production and has not confirmed a release window at this time.

The post Wolfenstein Franchise Gets Huge Development Update appeared first on VICE.

Some Xbox players are having trouble signing in on November 13, even though Xbox’s official status page shows its services are up and running. The reports come as Microsoft deals with a widespread outage affecting Outlook and Teams. Here’s what we know about the Xbox sign-in issues and whether they’re connected.

Is Xbox Live Down Right Now?

At the time of this article, Xbox hasn’t confirmed an Xbox Live outage on November 13. The official Xbox status page lists all of its services as operational, including account sign-in. However, some players have reported login problems on third-party outage trackers.

According to Downdetector enough players have reported issues with Xbox Live that the site has now updated its status to being partially down. Over on X, many users have also begun reporting getting an error when trying to login to their Xbox and its online services.

So, if you’re having trouble getting into your Xbox account, other players have reported the same issue. It’s still unclear how widespread the sign-in problems are. Although from what we tested, most trackers are also saying Xbox Live is currently operational.

Is the Microsoft Outlook Outage Affecting Xbox Live?

Microsoft’s wider outage started on November 12 and continued into November 13. Outlook users reported trouble opening their inboxes and sending or receiving emails, while some Microsoft Teams users also had connection issues.

Microsoft said part of its infrastructure was under heavier-than-normal load across several regions, which it said was likely contributing to the connection errors. The timing has raised questions about whether the Microsoft outage is also affecting Xbox players.

All that said, Microsoft hasn’t confirmed a link between the Outlook outage and the Xbox sign-in reports. There’s also no official estimate for when the reported Xbox login issues will clear up.

What to Do If You Can’t Sign In to Xbox Live

If you can’t log in, try restarting your Xbox and signing in again. You can also test your console’s connection under Settings > General > Network settings > Test network connection. If your connection passes and you still can’t sign in, check the Account & profile section of the Xbox status page for updates.

The post Is Xbox Live Down Right Now? November 13 Outage Explained appeared first on VICE.

It's been nearly a decade since Bethesda's MachineGames released Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus in 2017, and now Xbox is ready to announce a sequel from the studio. Wolfenstein 3 was officially announced today, just days after Bethesda also confirmed that the next Elder Scrolls game will be called The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel.

In a post, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced the name and a photo of a script. "Looking forward to sharing more," she said. MachineGames also announced the game in a post, saying the game is "in production" and sharing a photo from a motion-capture session. IGN reports that Brian Bloom (who plays protagonist William …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Microsoft is starting to test new customization options for Xbox consoles today. Xbox Insiders will be able to start testing new rotating backgrounds, new library options for digital games, and the ability to move the Xbox Guide menu to the right-hand side.

"Xbox Insiders can now save favorite dynamic backgrounds and shuffle through them automatically," says Eden Marie, principal software engineering lead at Xbox. "You can also choose Shuffle at the start of any background category. Have your background change each time you sign in, or set it to change hourly, daily, or weekly."

Microsoft is also improving how you organize disc-to-digital …

Read the full story at The Verge.

For the 25th anniversary of Xbox, Microsoft is beginning to make good on its paid "next-gen game preservation" promise. Starting today, you can play 25 different original Xbox games on your Windows PC, as long as you have (or are willing to pay) for digital copies.

In July, Microsoft originally launched the idea with just four Xbox games, so 25 is progress, and Microsoft says all these games are now playable with keyboard and mouse.

Plus, Microsoft says it's adding achievements to original Xbox games for the first time, starting with four games: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel, Blinx: The Time Sweeper, and Conker: Li …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Spotify Wrapped may not have arrived yet, but Xbox is kicking off recap season early with Playback videos that recap Xbox gamers’ history going back up to 25 years.

Where to Find Your Xbox Playback Video

Xbox has been celebrating its 25th birthday all year and as the end of 2026 begins to get closer, the latest anniversary special feature offers players a chance to get a little nostalgic.

the Xbox Playback video is similar to Spotify Wrapped and other end of year recaps, but instead pulls data going all the way back 25 years to the start of the Xbox era. My video, for example, reminded me that Madden 07 was the first title I ever played on the original Xbox.

The video goes on to include interesting stats about which games have been played the most, which years included the most playtime, and other fun facts. After watching your Playback, viewers can scan the QR code at the end of the console video or select “share” on web to get your personalized Playback card.

“Your Playback includes your first XBOX game, total time played, most-played game, top years, longest streak and more. As no two players are the same, everyone’s Playback will be different.”

Starting today, you can watch your Playback directly on your console (look for the option on your dashboard) or watch your personalized video on the web by signing in with your XBOX account.

Xbox Playback is rolling out gradually, so some players may not see it live on their consoles just yet.

Players can also dive even further into the weeds by checking out the Playback Archive on the web version of the feature.

Playback is based on available account data, so some parts of your history may be incomplete or take time to appear. Playback is available in 15 countries from today through December 31.

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Xbox news and updates.

The Xbox Playback videos are available now for gamers with an Xbox account.

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Microsoft has spent the past 25 years trying to shake up the game console market. The original Xbox, which launched on November 15th in 2001, took on an industry dominated by Sony and Nintendo. Twenty-five years later, Xbox finds itself in a similar position. It's not starting from scratch this time around, but to reach another 25-year milestone, it needs to do something radically different.

The original Xbox was radically different. Born out of a fear of Sony putting a PC in the living room, Microsoft built its first game console around familiar PC technology. A custom Intel Pentium III processor powered the original Xbox, alongside an Nvi …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Microsoft is now rolling out Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR), an upscaling technology that competes with Nvidia's DLSS, for the Xbox Ally X, Xbox Ally X20, and select Windows Copilot Plus PCs, the company announced today. Auto SR is also getting some new features alongside this official release.

In April, Microsoft started testing Auto SR on the Xbox Ally X, but you could only use it while docked. The full release of Auto SR announced today now works while you're playing handheld and running on battery, and it also supports games running at 1080p. Microsoft does note that playing in handheld and at 1080p might lead to performance that …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Rockstar Games is making Grand Theft Auto VI available on Xbox Cloud Gaming when it launches next week. While you'd normally assume that would mean Grand Theft Auto VI would be available to stream on phones, PCs, the web, Xbox consoles, and even TVs, it appears to be restricted to just Xbox Series X / S and Xbox One consoles.

That does mean that anyone with an older Xbox One console can stream Grand Theft Auto VI instead of having to upgrade to a PS5 or Xbox Series S / X console to play. Rockstar notes that Xbox Cloud Gaming will use the Xbox Series S graphics settings to stream to Xbox consoles.

Xbox's own announcement blog post only men …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Microsoft is unveiling a new Xbox PC app that launches "up to 60 percent faster" than before, with an overhauled design to match new updates to Xbox Cloud Gaming on the web and smart TVs. Xbox Insiders will be able to start testing the updated Xbox PC app today, and the updated Xbox Cloud Gaming interface will start rolling out over the next few weeks.

Ever since Microsoft launched its Xbox Ally handheld devices last year, it was clear the Xbox PC app still needed a lot of work to feel more like an Xbox console experience on Windows. Microsoft has greatly simplified the app now, with a design that no longer feels like you're clicking a mous …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The deal is expected to support the development of DBX Agent Cloud, a new storage platform aimed at developers building AI models and agents.

The system can supposedly answer queries four times faster, with 20% fewer errors and 90% fewer tokens used.

“See you later, alligator” takes on a whole new meaning with this gator-themed console from Xbox. An homage to Florida, home to many of the behemoth creatures, the console is waiting for a lucky gamer to grab it – being mindful of the teeth, of course, which already have an Xbox controller balanced between them. 

Measuring five feet long from scaly snout to thrashing tail, the X-BITE looks so real that anyone unfamiliar with its origins could be forgiven for jumping on the phone to their local animal control. Gleaming green eyes, complete with X-shaped irises, peer out from the top of the shovel-shaped head, which is complete with two rows of bright white teeth. The Xbox controller perched between its jaws has tooth marks on it, perhaps evidence of an ill-advised fight on the part of the original owner attempting to keep it. 

In the video on the Xbox website, the X-BITE is perched on its own stand, lifting it up in the air so that its clawed feet are poised as if in mid-swim. Or mid-charge, depending on the point of view. The silhouette of an Xbox Series X is visible in its stomach, stretching the green scales into a rectangular shape, the amber glow of the power button visible even through the gator’s thick skin. 

Xbox Just Made a Giant Alligator-Shaped Series X Console, and You Can Win It for Free

Despite the fact that an alligator appeared to treat the console like an appetizer, the post on the Xbox news site makes it clear that the Xbox Series X within is entirely functional. All the player would need to do is press the button to turn it on. The alligator itself was crafted with care, designed by the same studio – John Nolan Studio – which is behind animatronics and other creatures for The Witcher. This unique console was built with a combination of 3D modeling and fabrication, along with sculpting. 

For anyone interested in combining their love for gaming with a perennial conversation starter, Xbox is offering the Xbox Series X-BITE for free, as part of an online contest. Here’s the catch (no pun intended) – there’s only one. Interested gamers have three options to enter, though, including X, Instagram, or TikTok. 

Whatever social media platform they choose, the directions are simple. After making sure to follow the @XBOX account, just share the sweepstakes post. Don’t forget to add the #XbiteSweepstakes hashtag to the post before it goes live. 

It’s also important to note that the winner has 48 hours to claim their prize. “Miss the window,” according to the Xbox post, “and this gator makes a clean getaway.” 

Built to play. Not to pet. Enter for a chance win!

Follow and repost with #XbiteSweepstakes for a chance to win the one-of-a-kind playable XBOX Series X-BITE.

No Purchase Necessary. US/DC/PR 18+. Ends on 11/10/26. Rules: https://t.co/tngcGpYvRR pic.twitter.com/rmumLc3rAH

— XBOX (@XBOX) November 3, 2026

The post Xbox Is Giving Away a Free Giant Alligator-Shaped Series X Console. Here’s How to Win It. appeared first on VICE.

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I revealed yesterday that the new Xbox Nano controller supports a Wi-Fi connection directly to Xbox Cloud Gaming, and now Microsoft is making it official today. Two new Xbox previews will let players try out using a phone as a controller on smart TVs, as well as cloud connect on the Xbox Nano to connect directly to cloud servers.

"Instead of a Bluetooth connection to your TV, cloud connect uses your Wi-Fi to connect directly to the cloud server running your game," says the Xbox team. "That can help reduce input latency, so gameplay may feel more responsive."

Players in the US will be able to preview the new cloud connect option for the Xbo …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Halo Infinite is offering players a surprising content update that may tempt some gamers back into the most recent installment in the franchise for some exciting action.

Halo Infinite Adds 10 Maps This Week

Things have been quiet on the Halo Infinite beat for quite a while, but the game isn’t dead yet. A surprise update arrived this week and delivers 10 new multiplayer maps to the game.

All 10 new maps were part of the Halo Fest Forge Contest that took place earlier this year, and they’ve specifically been added to a Halo Fest Showcase playlist.

Here is a full list of all the new maps players can access after downloading the latest update:

• Abundance
• Bits and Pieces
• Cascade
• Eulogy
• Hierarch
• Sanctum
• Shade’s Promise
• Sluff
• Sojourn
• Unconveyed

Players can dive into CTF: Arena, King of the Hill: Arena, Oddball: Arena and Slayer: Arena modes if they want to see any of the new maps in action.

Xbox hasn’t announced the next official installment in the Halo franchise yet, but the reorganization did move development of the next project to Activision, which will be responsible for producing the next mainline game for the franchise.

The remaining Halo Studios team has been scaled down and the remaining members are now responsible for community support and multiplayer maintenance on existing games like Halo Infinite.

Leadership at Xbox is trying to develop games for the tentpole franchises more frequently, so it will be very interesting to see how long it takes for Activision to get a Halo title off the ground and how different that project might look from the previous games in the series.

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Halo news and updates.

Halo Infinite is available now on PC and Xbox Series consoles.

The post Halo Infinite Gets A Big Content Update Five Years After Its Launch appeared first on VICE.

November is officially here and Xbox is ready to share the additions that are coming to Xbox Game Pass early this month with the latest wave of titles.

Every Title in Xbox Game Pass November Drop

The next big wave of Xbox Game Pass additions has officially been revealed and, although it’s a long list, there aren’t as many blockbusters, day ones, or exclusives to make the first November wave terribly exciting.

Sports fans may be happy to find Football Manager 27 on the list and there are a few titles that had previously been limited to Ultimate subscribers that are making their way to the Premium tier, as well.

Warhammer Survivors could be an interesting addition and the 1.0 release of Void/Breaker could potentially appeal to fans of roguelites.

Here is the full list of additions…

• Football Manager 27 (PC)
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Pit of Goblin (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC)
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 4
  • Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
• Void/Breaker (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 4
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 5
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Firefighting Simulator: Ignite (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 5
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass
• MySims Cozy Bundle (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 5
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Football Manager 2027 Console (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 10
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Warhammer Survivors (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 10
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Tanuki: Pon’s Summer (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 10
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Hope in the City (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 11
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Thronefall (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 11
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 12
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Aphelion (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 17
  • Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Paw Patrol: Dino World (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 17
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Additionally, Game Pass Essential subscribers will find the following additional titles in the Essentials library beginning November 15:

• Banjo Kazooie (Cloud and Console)
• Banjo Tooie (Cloud and Console)
• Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (Cloud and Console)
• Gears of War: Judgement (Cloud and Console)
• Halo: Spartan Assault (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Perfect Dark (Cloud and Console)
• Viva Piñata (Cloud and Console)
• Viva Piñata: TIP (Cloud and Console)

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Xbox Game Pass news and updates.

The post Xbox Game Pass Reveals Huge List of Titles Arriving in Early November appeared first on VICE.

Microsoft is about to launch its new Xbox Nano controller tomorrow, and the tiny device has a little secret. The Nano can connect directly to Xbox Cloud Gaming over Wi-Fi to improve latency. It's a feature Microsoft hasn't officially announced yet, but one I've been anticipating since the Xbox Nano leaked earlier this year.

The Nano will be able to connect directly to Microsoft's cloud servers to reduce latency, much like how Google's Stadia controllers used to work. This new cloud connect feature for the Nano is being privately tested on the new Xbox Cloud Gaming website, and it will require you to pair the controller over Wi-Fi to Microso …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Even though I knew Microsoft's new Xbox Nano controller was tiny, I still gasped when I unboxed it a few days ago. The compact controller is small enough to slip into a pocket unnoticed, and it has been designed specifically for younger people, or for anyone with smaller hands.

I'm not young, but I do have small hands, and I've been surprised at how comfortable the Nano is during gaming sessions. At just over 5 inches long, almost everything on this controller has been shrunk down somehow. The ABXY buttons are ever so slightly smaller than a regular Xbox controller, and the thumbsticks feel like miniature versions. Microsoft hasn't changed …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Former Xbox COO and Minecraft executive Helen Chiang has responded to reports about her departure from Microsoft, disputing claims that she was fired for violating company policy. In a public statement, the executive pushed back on speculation about her exit and raised concerns about how her situation was handled.

Former Xbox COO Helen Chiang Disputes Policy Violation Claim

Following her recent departure from Microsoft, Helen Chiang has responded to claims that Xbox fired her in a post on LinkedIn titled “Clarity is Kindness.” The former Xbox chief operating officer directly challenged the claim that a policy violation led to her exit of the company.

“There has been some speculation about my abrupt departure from Microsoft, including claims that I was ‘fired for a policy violation’. That’s not accurate and while I won’t turn this into a play-by-play, silence should not be mistaken for agreement. What has been said about my departure, and what has been left unsaid, has created a picture of me that I hardly recognize. It’s important to me to set the record straight.”

For context, Eurogamer previously reported that a source familiar with the situation alleged Chiang had been dismissed over policy violations. However, the outlet explicitly stated that it had not independently verified that allegation. The claim was subsequently covered by other publications, including Windows Central.

In her response, the former Minecraft executive specifically denied leaking confidential information or leaving to work for a competitor. She also denied engaging in discrimination, bullying, harassment, insider trading, embezzlement, or other fraudulent activity.

“I stand by my record: both the results I delivered and the way I have treated people throughout my career. I won’t let speculation define my character or erase that record,” she wrote.

Helen Chiang Says She Intended to Stay at Xbox

According to Chiang, she had wanted to continue her career at Xbox. Addressing speculation that she had left for another company, the former executive emphasized her connection to the business.

“You don’t spend two decades somewhere without developing a deep loyalty to the people, teams, and businesses you’ve helped build. XBOX was never just another stop in my career. My end game was always to keep building here.”

Chiang also rejected suggestions that she had left because she was passed over for a larger role. She said she had not actively pursued greater responsibilities and had been promoted into the COO position in July without requesting it.

“I went where the company believed I was needed and where I could have the greatest impact. I did not ask for my most recent role, either and was promoted into it in July,” she explained. Her departure came just months after that promotion. Before becoming Xbox’s first chief operating officer, Chiang had spent more than two decades at Microsoft, with her previous responsibilities including leadership of Mojang and the Minecraft business.

While Chiang did not disclose the specific reason for her exit, she questioned whether standards of fairness and accountability had been applied consistently in her case. “I have serious concerns about how they were applied in my case, and I believe those concerns deserve to be taken seriously,” she wrote.

For now, the circumstances surrounding her departure remain unresolved publicly. Her statement disputes the reported policy violation explanation, but does not provide a full account of what happened. After thanking those who had contacted her with support, Chiang closed with a final message: “This is not how I ever imagined my story here would end. And it is not the whole story.”

The post Former Xbox and Minecraft Executive Responds to Reports She Was Fired by Microsoft appeared first on VICE.