Microsoft

Rare Says Sea Of Thieves Will Run Well Even On Crappy PCs

Usually, when developers talk about PC ports of big games, they emphasize top-tier performance. The best possible graphics, the highest resolutions. God rays, 4k, a million frames per second. Rare, though, has taken a different approach with Sea of Thieves The game, Rare says, will run capably on a whole host of different PC configurations…

When a game owned by Microsoft is available on a Nintendo console, things are sometimes going to get awkward.

Xbox Game Pass Now Gets New Microsoft Games On Day One

Microsoft’s $9.99 a month Xbox game subscription service just got a bit more attractive. Starting with the March 20 release of Sea of Thieves, all new Microsoft Studios games will be available on the service on launch day. TheXbox Game Passoffers subscribers access to more than 100 games from throughout Xbox history, allowing them to…

Xbox One’s Backward Compatibility Is Fantastic

We often criticize gaming platform makers for their missteps, so let us also praise them when they do something great: Xbox One’s backward compatibility feature is nothing short of perfection. Setting up my Xbox One X over the holiday reminded me that I had been meaning to get around to playing Lost Odyssey, an Xbox…

The State Of The Xbox One In 2017

When we talk about the Xbox One in 2017, which Xbox One are we talking about? The original big black box? Last year’s streamlined One S? The ultra-powerful One X? It’s probably best to focus on this year’s model, the Xbox One X. Introduced in 2016 as Project Scorpio, the “world’s most powerful console” is…

If you picked up on Xbox One X during launch, check your console messages. Microsoft’s been passing out codes for a free download of The Lego Batman Movie in all its ultra HD glory. HDR really makes the darkness pop.

The Xbox One X Is A Tough Sell

The Xbox One X does exactly what it’s meant to do, but who is it for? Is it worth buying the most powerful game console ever? Let’s discuss on today’s Kotaku Splitscreen First Kirk and I talk about World of Warcraft Classic, the end of Miiverse, and whether the video game industry is really unsustainable.…

Xbox One X: The Kotaku Review

The Xbox One X is a box filled with powerful components that’s designed to do the same thing as a box with less powerful components, only a little bit better. That’s a weird place for the “world’s most powerful console” to be. In an simpler time, the Xbox One X might have been Microsoft’s next-generation…

What Is The Plural Of Xbox One X? [Update]

Look, I’m not suggesting that many people are going to buy more than one Xbox One X console. But if you did… how would you say that? The question of how to pluralize “Xbox One X” came up today in Kotaku’s work Slack. I asked Microsoft PR for their official stance, though I haven’t yet…

Ronda Rousey’s Xbox One X Spot On Conan Is Painful To Watch

FormerMMA champion and all-around gamer Ronda Rousey appeared on Conan O’Brien last night to “demonstrate exactly what it feels like to experience true 4K gaming on the Xbox One X.” The two-minute segment, with promotional consideration paid by Microsoft (i.e. it’s a paid ad), is awkward and embarrassing. Conan brings Ronda and friend up on…

Cuphead Developers Talk Cut Bosses And What’s In The Cups

Designing a game that manages to be both tough and fun is a difficult task, but Cuphead designers Chad and Jared Moldenhauer, along with the rest of StudioMDHR, managed to pull it off. I spoke with the two brothers over the phone to learn about boss design, cut concepts, and life after a successful indie…

The Xbox One X Is Great So Far, But Waiting For Game Updates Is The Worst

After spending a week with the Xbox One X, Microsoft’s “world’s most powerful console,” I know three things for certain. It’s definitely an Xbox One, it makes enhanced games look lovely, and waiting for Xbox One X enhancement updates sucks. The $500 Xbox One X is a ridiculously powerful console, but in order to actively…

Four Years, Three Xbox Ones

Xbone, Xbones, Xbonex. Three iterations of the same console, each with slightly different specs, released within a four-year window. The Xbox One X has arrived in Kotaku’s Southeastern office, and while we can’t talk about how it performs yet, we can at least show you how it stacks up to the Xbox Ones that came…

Microsoft Hasn’t Been Supportive For Japanese Games, Says NIS America

According to Nippon Ichi Software America president Takuro Yamashita, Microsoft “hasn’t been very supportive of Japanese games.” Since this is NIS America, Yamashita is talking about bringing Japanese games to the Xbox One and not selling loads of Xbox Ones in Japan. In an interview with MCV, Yamashita said, “Honestly speaking, Microsoft’s approach to Japanese…

Forza 7 Turns The Series’ VIP Upgrade Into Something Not Worth Paying For [Update]

Forza Motorsport 6‘s $20 VIP upgrade gave players exclusive cars, special online events and, best of all, double credit earnings for races. Forza 7‘s $20 VIP upgrade swaps the always-on double credit bonus for five limited-use “mod cards.” Boo. Update: Big changes coming in response to player feedback. The double racing credit bonus has been…

Xbox Live’s Indie Games channel officially shuts down tomorrow. If you’re interested in cool games off the beaten path, dive in and check it out before it’s too late.

Minecraft’s “Better Together” update launches today It allows players on Xbox, mobile, VR, and Windows 10 to play together. It also adds a host of new features like new host options, game start rules, and parrots (!!!). The Nintendo Switch version, unfortunately, isn’t ready yet, but Mojang says it’ll be out this winter.

Xbox’s Upcoming Line-Up Is Disappointing But Has Some Bright Spots

Microsoft showed off its Xbox holiday line-up at a showcase in Manhattan last week. They spotlit several games and the new, more powerful Xbox One X version of the console. While the games were fun, a lack of flagship titles left me wondering how strong the new console’s launch will be. There’s no denying the…

Anime-Style Illustrations Created In Microsoft Excel 

Game scenario director Hiroo Otsubo has an interesting work process: he creates anime-style art in Excel. According to Otsubo, he can do a drawingin about four to five hours. If that sounds incredibly difficult, just look at how they’re put together in Excel. (This clip from another artist should shed light on how drawing in…

Xbox One S Sold As Ultra HD Blu-ray Player In Japan 

Yes, things are terrible for the Xbox One in Japan. Everybody knows that. But did you know that one major retailer is selling the console as an Ultra HD Blu-ray player? It’s true. The Bic Camera in Yurakucho, one of the biggest electronics stores in Tokyo, is selling the Xbox One S as first and…