Latest Features
Talking Point Should Microsoft & 343 Carry On With Halo Infinite?
What's next?
Yesterday, Microsoft confirmed its plans for roughly 10,000 layoffs throughout the company, with Halo developer 343 Industries reportedly "hit hard" by the job losses. While the company restructure hasn't been fully detailed by Microsoft, and some of what's coming out regarding 343i are just reports right now, the whole situation does...
Talking Point Who Would You Cast As 'Delta Squad' In The Upcoming Gears Of War Movie?
Let's hear your suggestions!
Our new Video Producer Craig has been over on the Pure Xbox YouTube channel laying out some of his top casting suggestions for the upcoming Gears of War movie, which is being produced by Netflix. You can check out his picks in the video above, which include a perhaps surprising choice for Marcus Fenix; a character many...
Pick One Which Game Are You Most Excited For At The Xbox 'Developer_ Direct' Event?
Redfall? Forza? Minecraft? Tell us!
It's time for another round of Pick One! This week, to celebrate the announcement of the Xbox Developer_Direct event happening on January 25th, we want to know which of the four confirmed titles you're most excited for. Microsoft has revealed information about what we can expect from Forza Motorsport, Minecraft...
Feature These Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (January 16-20)
Ready to go on a hunt?
Welcome to your new Xbox games roundup for January 16th to 20th! The big highlights of next week are obviously the three Xbox Game Pass launches in the form of Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 Golden and Monster Hunter Rise, but we're also keepin
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 14-15)
We're trying to finish off Jedi: Fallen Order
Welcome to another 2023 weekend! It's been a fairly quiet week for Xbox outside of the Developer_Direct announcement, but we've still got a few new things to check out over the next few days, including a free demo for One Piece Odyssey, a
Talking Point Are Games Announced Too Far In Advance?
Microsoft, CDPR, we're looking at you
Today's 10-year anniversary of the teaser trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 got us thinking about about game announcements and how long we often have to wait between reveals and releases. CD Projekt Red's almost eight-year gap between teaser trailer and launch might be
Poll What Will Be Xbox 'Game Of The Year' In 2023?
We've got a huge year ahead of us
With 2022 behind us we can start looking ahead at what is set to be a huge year for gaming. We have some incredibly hyped third-party games scheduled for this year, alongside a slew of Xbox exclusives that should finally see the light of day in 2023. Last year, the first few months brought us some of 2022's biggest...
Feature These Games Are Coming To Xbox This Week (January 9-13)
Including a free upgrade for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot!
Welcome to your new Xbox games roundup for January 9th to 13th! Things are still looking pretty quiet as we slowly roll back into a new year of releases, but the likes of One Piece Odyssey, Breakers Collection and the free next-gen upgrade for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot are definitely worth looking...
Soapbox Forza Horizon 5 Expansion 2 Should Take Notes From 'Fortune Island'
The FH4 add-on remains a series highlight
Forza Horizon 5 has been an enjoyable ride so far, with Playground Games delivering a thrilling rendition of open world Mexican racing followed by a major DLC pack in the form of Hot Wheels 2.0. While our reviewer very much enjoyed their time with the series' second Hot Wheels outing, the community is now...
Pick One What's Your Most Anticipated January Game Pass Addition?
Of the titles announced so far
As Xbox is being rather coy on Game Pass announcements this month so far, we've found ourselves looking ahead at the January slate as it is right now. While the first half of the month is rather barren (although random drops do keep appearing), the back half of January is already looking pretty fantastic. We've got...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 7-8)
Still tackling the holiday backlog?
We're now firmly into 2023 (which still seems weird to say) and any new year's resolutions we've set ourselves certainly don't include playing less video games. In fact, quite the opposite - we all have plenty to tackle over the next year! But, let's not get ahead of ourselves, and focus on the now. Here's what...
Feature Our Top Deals From The Xbox 'Last Chance' Sale
Some big new releases are heavily discounted
Xbox's ongoing 'Last Chance' promotion is running for the next 10 days or so, and there are some pretty good deals scattered throughout its 300+ game selection. We've already highlighted the steepest discounts available, but some recent releases are sticking out to us as real highlights as well. So, in...
Video Six Essential Games For New Xbox Series X|S Players
From our new video producer Craig!
As we move into 2023 and the console stock situation continues to improve globally, current generation machines are now pretty easy to pick up (finally). We're now expecting most of you fine folk to own either an Xbox Series X or an Xbox Series S, which means you've got plenty of games to be playing right now! If...
Pick One Which Xbox Game Studios Title Are You Most Excited For Right Now?
Looking at the upcoming slate
It's no secret that Xbox's first-party developers have had a quiet year, especially when it comes to the big AAA experiences we all expect from a platform holder like Microsoft. Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic certainly hasn't helped, with game delays largely contributing to such a barren year on Xbox. However, the...
Soapbox I Can't Wait For Forza Motorsport's Grand Return This Year On Xbox
When the wheels touch ground
It feels like an eternity since I was eagerly unwrapping my brand-new Xbox One X, in anticipation of trying out my first ever 4K, 60FPS gaming experience in the form of Forza Motorsport 7. Turn 10's most recent racer launched more than five years ago at this point, making this the longest gap in series history so far...
Talking Point What's The Most Underrated Xbox Game Of 2022?
Come yell at us about your hidden gems!
It's the final day of 2022, and we're sure most of you have already thought long and hard about your favourite games that've launched over the last year or so. Despite the narrative of a quiet year for AAA gaming, we've seen some real bangers launch in that space (cough Elden Ring), and of course, plenty of...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 31 - January 1)
Festive pickups
By the time this weekend is done we'll be into a brand spanking new year - one hopefully filled with plenty of Xbox Game Studios goodness! In the meantime though we've still had lots to be playing over the festive period, including a couple of Christmas pickups via the huge 'Countdown' sale currently ongoing on Xbox Live. Here's...
Talking Point Is It Time For Xbox To Sunset The 'Games With Gold' Program?
Diminishing returns
Back in October 2022, Microsoft decided to pull the plug on, well, half of its Games with Gold program. From that month onwards, the company opted to start delivering just two Xbox One or Series X|S titles, forgoing Xbox 360's inclusion within Games with Gold. In theory, cutting the monthly selection down to just two games could...
Soapbox 'Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3' Is Actually A Pretty Great Mario Kart Alternative On Xbox
Slime Speedway
As the festive cheer flows within me (and I got some spare Christmas cash from family & friends of course), I decided to dip back into the Xbox 'Countdown' sale this week and pick up a few more gaming bargains. While Resident Evil Village has been my biggest buy so far, I decided to also go for Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 on a whim,...
Feature How Would You Grade The Xbox Series X|S Generation So Far?
Two years in
As we approach the end of 2022, we're looking back at a year in which the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S finally began to look past their stock issues that dominated 2020 and 2021, with the generation properly in full swing. The question is, how successful has that generation been so far? We kicked things off in a good way back in...
Feature Looking Ahead To A Brighter 2023 For Xbox Game Studios
On track
A lot has been said about Xbox Game Studios this year, with Microsoft's first-party output dropping quite significantly from last year - especially when talking big AAA titles. While that's true and has indeed been disappointing, we want to look ahead to 2023 as we all hope for a much stronger output from Team Xbox. The first offerings...
Soapbox Elden Ring Is My GOTY, But It Was Incredible Indie Games That Kept Me Playing In 2022
AAA in the streets, indie between the sheets
Without a shadow of a doubt, FromSoftware's majestic Elden Ring has quite comfortably earned my own personal GOTY spot for 2023 (with Obsidian's amazing Pentiment in second place) and, really, it's been an easier choice to make than in any other year in recent memory. Nothing else really came all that...
Soapbox This Game Pass Gem Is My Xbox Game Of The Year For 2022
On the road
I've played a lot of great games this year, with Xbox Game Pass helping me discover some proper gems thanks to its consistent work in adding high-quality titles. A Plague Tale: Requiem was an absolute delight back in October (well, aside from the rat waves of course), as was the Xbox-exclusive As Dusk Falls which really surprised me this...
Poll How Many Xbox Games Have You Actually Bought This Year?
Have you mostly stuck to Game Pass?
Over the past few years, we've started to hear more and more that Xbox owners are buying fewer games and sticking to the offerings on Xbox Game Pass instead — and to be honest, we tend to do the same thing here at Pure Xbox HQ! That said, we've seen a lot of Xbox sales throughout 2022, including the current...
Feature Pure Xbox's Game Of The Year 2022
You voted, and here are the results!
We have, once again, reached the tail end of another year, folks. Where did all that time go? Yes, it's the conclusion of another busy twelve months in the wonderful world of video gaming. There's been highs and lows (no Starfield, but we got Pentiment!), there's been joys and sorrows (Redfall still isn't here...
Talking Point What Xbox Games Are You Playing Over The Holiday Period?
The Witcher 3? High on Life? Need for Speed Unbound? Come tell us!
It's finally that time of year where the lucky ones among us get a little bit of extra relaxation time! Yes, of course, we're talking about the holiday season where we all claim we're going to catch up on a bunch of games we've thrown on the backburner over the last year or so. In...
Poll What Were The Best Xbox Game Pass Additions In 2022?
There's so much to choose from!
It's been another busy year for Xbox Game Pass in 2022! Sure, Xbox Game Studios might not have had much to offer us over the past 12 months, but Game Pass has kept our backlogs very busy with a wide variety of third-party releases. To be honest, we think this poll might be even harder than the
Feature 10 Backwards Compatible Games Transformed By The Power Of Xbox Series S
The little console that could
Some of the very best games for your Xbox Series S hail from generations prior. While we're seeing a vast number of slightly newer titles get optimised for Xbox's digital console, we'd argue that some older games benefit even more so from the power packed into this tiny little system. From dynamic resolution bumps to...
Feature These Games Are Coming To Xbox This Week (December 19-23)
Including the world's first "skateBOATING" game
Welcome to your new Xbox games roundup for December 19th to 23rd! As you can see, it's... really quiet. We've only got a few indie games confirmed for this week so far, although we're hoping Microsoft might also have a few Xbox Game Pass titles to add to the list at some point, so keep an eye out for...
Pick One Which Is Your Favourite Final Fantasy Game On Xbox?
The original FF7? Tell us what you think!
It's time for another round of Pick One! This week, to celebrate the release of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion on Xbox, we thought we'd go back and look at the history of Final Fantasy games on the platform. It's been well documented that we're still waiting for the likes of Final Fantasy VII...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 17-18)
The Witcher 3? High on Life?
Welcome to the weekend! If you're looking for things to play on Xbox over the next two days, look no further than High on Life and The Witcher 3 Next-Gen, although we've also seen various other new releases throughout the week such as Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion. Plus, we've got three fantastic
Talking Point Are You Enjoying 'High On Life' On Xbox Game Pass?
Love it? Hate it? Come tell us!
High on Life has been in players' hands for a few days now, with the game marking one of 2022's final major Xbox releases. Luckily for us, that release has included a day one Xbox Game Pass arrival, allowing millions of Xbox fans to go hands-on this week. There's quite a lot to High on Life — including the ability...
Feature The Best Deals From The Xbox Countdown Sale 2022
Feasting on discounts!
The huge Xbox end-of-year sale is now underway, featuring more than 800 discounts across all sorts of Xbox games and DLC packs. It's a biggie - containing even more deals than last month's Black Friday promotion! With such a gargantuan sale comes the effort to scroll through the entire thing to pick out what you might want...
Talking Point What Did You Think Of Xbox Games With Gold In 2022?
The final two games are now available
So, that's it for Xbox Games with Gold in 2022! Both of December's games are now available (you'll find more details about those below), so we can finally look back at the lineup over the past 12 months and analyse the entire selection. Before we do that though, here are December 2022's Games with Gold that you...
Feature All New Xbox Games Coming Out In December 2022
Release dates for every December Xbox launch
Welcome to our roundup of all new Xbox games coming out in December 2022! Below, we've listed every Xbox game with a December 2022 release date, including all confirmed Xbox Game Pass releases so far. Without further ado, here are all the new games coming to Xbox in December 2022: The Biggest New...
Poll What Is Your Xbox Game Of The Year For 2022?
Get your votes in!
It's that time of year again! We're looking to crown a Pure Xbox Game of the Year for 2022, and in order to do that, we're going to need you to vote for the best Xbox games of the past 12 months — only the top ten will make the final cut! Last year's winner ended up being the much-anticipated Halo Infinite, closely followed by...
Feature These 15+ Games Are Coming To Xbox This Week (December 12-16)
Get ready for a BIG week!
Welcome to your new Xbox games roundup for December 12th to 16th! The two major releases of this week are undoubtedly The Witcher 3 Next-Gen for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, as well as High on Life on Xbox Game Pass. However, we've also got the likes of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion,
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Reveal At The Game Awards 2022?
Was there a particular highlight for you?
The Game Awards 2022 was a busy night for game reveals, and while Xbox Game Studios unfortunately didn't have anything to offer, we still saw a wide array of titles being announced for Xbox consoles during the event. Some of the highlights included the reveal of
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 10-11)
How about some LEGO Star Wars?
Welcome to the weekend! If you're looking for new games to play over the next few days, don't forget that we've got a bunch of recently added Xbox Game Pass titles, four games included with Free Play Days, a major new update for Halo Infinite, and a variety of ongoing sales includ
Poll How Would You Grade The Game Awards 2022?
Give us your verdict
The dust is now beginning to settle on The Game Awards 2022! If you haven't had a chance to watch it yet, you can catch the full thing over at our live coverage page, as well as check out our recap of everything that happened as part of the show. So, all things considered, what grade would you give The Game Awards 2022? Vote...
Talking Point Do You Think Microsoft Will Be Able To Acquire Activision Blizzard?
Or is it in real danger of getting blocked?
Another day, another set of stories linked to Microsoft's attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard! The focus at the moment is on Microsoft's commitment to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo Switch and Steam over the next ten years, and that also extends to PlayStation if Sony is willing to agree to the...
Feature Our Predictions For The Game Awards 2022
Great expectations
Yep, it's that time of year again already! The Game Awards 2022 circus rolls into town later this week and, as per usual, we're certain to be in for some big announcements and surprises regarding upcoming games amidst all the important awards being handed out. So, in time-honoured fashion, we've put together a quick list of games...
Hands On Need For Speed Unbound Is A Next-Gen Return To Form For NFS
Gotta go fast
As soon as we caught wind that British developer Criterion was back behind the wheel of the latest Need for Speed title, you could say we were pretty excited to see the final result. A number of the series' recent entries have underwhelmed us, so a mix up in the dev department felt like a good choice with 2022's game. While the results...
Feature These 15+ Games Are Coming To Xbox This Week (December 5-9)
It's a great week for Game Pass
Welcome to your new Xbox games roundup for December 5th to 9th! The big spotlight is definitely on Xbox Game Pass this week, which adds Hello Neighbor 2, Chained Echoes, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and Metal Hellsinger (Xb
Pick One What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Game In November?
Pentiment? Battlefield 2042? Vampire Survivors? Tell us!
It's time for another round of Pick One! With November now finally behind us, we're once again going back and looking at the complete batch of Xbox Game Pass games from last month, with the goal of picking an overall favourite. It was another strong month for Xbox Game Pass (as always), with...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 3-4)
Anyone for some Walking Dead?
Welcome to the first weekend of December 2022! We've been spoilt for choice in terms of new additions on Xbox this week once again, including a bunch of new Xbox Game Pass titles, three more Free Play Days games, lots of major new releases including The Callisto Pr
Hands On Soccer Story - Xbox Game Pass's Answer To Golf Story On Nintendo Switch
A charming physics-driven adventure RPG
If you own a Nintendo Switch, then there's a good chance you've heard of Golf Story - it's a popular sports/adventure game with RPG elements, and it's getting a highly anticipated sequel called Sports Story in a few weeks' time. Unfortunately, it's a Switch exclusive series, but
Feature Ubisoft Launched The Best Far Cry Ever 10 Years Ago This Week
The pinnacle of the series still holds up
We can't quite believe it ourselves, but Far Cry 3 is 10 years of age this week! Yes, Ubisoft delivered its fresh take on the open world shooter way back in late 2012, and we were instantly hooked by the game's gorgeous environments, satisfying gameplay loop and engaging cast of characters a decade ago...
Feature These 10+ Games Are Coming To Xbox This Week (November 28 - December 2)
"Survive to escape the horrors..."
Welcome to your new Xbox games roundup for November 28th to December 2nd! There are three huge releases on the way this week in the form of The Callisto Protocol, Marvel's Midnight Suns and Need For Speed Unbound, while Xbox
Pick One Which Is Your Favourite CD Projekt Red Game On Xbox?
The Witcher 3? Cyberpunk 2077? Tell us!
It's time for another round of Pick One! This week, to celebrate the upcoming free next-gen update for The Witcher 3 on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, we thought we'd take a look back at the history of CDPR games on Xbox. CD Projekt Red hasn't created all that many games in its short existence, so there's...
