A new Microsoft Flight Simulator game is coming to PC (Windows 10) and Xbox One platforms through Xbox Game Pass in 2020. In the announcement trailer, we get a preview of a variety of flyable planes, including small two-seaters to massive 747s, complete with satellite data, thanks to Microsoft’s Azure engine, which brings the world to life, including real-world locations like the pyramids at Giza as well as the Seattle Space Needle. Read more for a flight test video and additional information.
Slated for release in Q4 2020, Microsoft’s Project Scarlett will use a semi-custom AMD Zen 2 processor architecture with Radeon RDNA architecture, and GDDR6 memory, which is plenty of power for 8K graphics, real-time ray tracing and even 120 frames per second gaming performance. Say goodbye to loading times, this console will utilize SSD storage that doubles as virtual memory to for blazing fast performance. “We’ve created a new generation of SSDs. We’re using the SSD as virtual RAM,” says an Xbox representative. Read more for another video of Xbox’s Phil Spencer on the new console, another picture and additional information.
Microsoft officially launched its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription today ahead of the company’s E3 press conference. At $14.99 per month, users gain access to Xbox Live Gold as well as Xbox Game Pass for both Xbox and PC. How good of a deal is Ultimate? Well, considering that Xbox Game Pass for PC / Xbox costs $4.99 / $9.99 respectively as well as Xbox Live Gold for $9.99 per month, that is a combined total of $24.97 per month. Read more for a Microsoft press conference livestream direct from E3 2019 and a link to where you can buy it now.
Meta Threads, a clothing company which hosts top styles from influencers and esports teams, has partnered with Microsoft for their second generation of Xbox apparel, launching June 11th during E3 2019. The pieces found in this line highlight both athletic and technological influences, all the while maintaining an urban stylish tone to create functional modern clothing for gamers everywhere. “Working with a team as talented as Xbox has made the creative development process an incredible experience. Gaming remains a dominant force in pop culture and our goal is to capture the lifestyle beyond just the screen, bringing it into our fan’s every day lives. We are excited to announce our second collection with Xbox at E3 and are looking forward to future projects,” said Steve Nabi Co-Founder and President of Meta Threads. Read more for a video, additional pictures and information.
Microsoft Inc. has teamed up with the makers of Axe body spray (Lynx in markets outside the US) to release a line of Xbox-branded personal care products that include a body wash, deodorant and shower gel. “Lynx Xbox is a fresh scent of pulsing green citrus, featuring top notes of kaffir lime and winter lemon, aromatic herbal middle notes of mint and sage, and woody bottom notes of patchouli and clearwood. Containing a range of natural essential oils, the Xbox Lynx range comes with a sleek new look and features a body spray, deodorant, and shower gel,” according to the official description. Unfortunately (or fortunately), it will be exclusive to Australia when it launches in July. Read more for an Xbox One X extreme drop test video with a $1,900 Samsung parachute and additional information.
Programmer Voxel9 managed to get the XQEMU Xbox emulator running on a Nintendo Switch and uploaded a video showing a few games running, including the first Halo. “Yep, you read the title right, XQEMU successfully compiles and runs on a Nintendo Switch running the new updated Linux4Tegra Ubuntu…I’m running mborgerson’s performance WIP branch…For those wondering what exactly I was using for input, I had to use a PS4 controller, as joy-cons connected as a pair don’t appear to have an SDL2 gamepad mapping for them, making them undetectable by the emulator,” said Voxel9. Read more for the video and additional information.
Photo credit: Yeong seok Go
Industrial designer Yeong Seok Go has some interesting ideas for next-generation Xbox controllers, and it’s basically a split-design inspired by smooth pebbles. Simply put, rather than using several different types of game controllers for various titles (shooters, racing, etc.), this design enables you to move your hands in a natural manner, whether it be punching out combos, aiming in an FPS, or even driving a supercar. Read more for additional pictures and information.
Photo credit: Wccftech
Microsoft and Nintendo are teaming up to publish more Xbox games on the Switch, involving both direct ports and a Switch app to allow for Game Pass, the Netflix-like subscription service for video games. To be more specific, Microsoft is looking to publish Ori and the Blind Forest, which is currently an exclusive for Windows 10 and Xbox platforms, on Switch. That’s not all, project xCloud, the cloud-based game streaming service Microsoft showcased at E3 2018, could be coming to Nintendo’s console, too, enabling you to play games on the Switch that its limited hardware otherwise wouldn’t be able to handle – like Halo – provided you have a reliable and high-speed internet connection. Read more for another video and additional information.
Playing games between the Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android players may soon expand beyond “Fortnite,” “Minecraft” and “Rocket League,” as Microsoft plans to release a new cross-platform developer kit that will bring its Xbox Live functionality from 400 million gaming devices and over 68 million active players to “over 2B devices.” The company is “looking to plan a multi-platform strategy that brings the most active, engaged players into a community where they can watch, buy, play, pause, and continue their games from one device to the next on top of the most reliable social and multiplayer network in the world.” Read more for a video and additional information.
NetherRealm Studios’ upcoming Mortal Kombat 11 game is the eleventh main installment in the series and a sequel to 2015’s Mortal Kombat X. It’s scheduled for release on April 23, 2019, across the Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One platforms. Those who pre-order the game will be given access to the character Shao Kahn, and, on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, access to the game’s beta phase, which is set to start in March 2019. There will also be a Mortal Kombat 11 Kollector’s Edition that includes the main game, Kombat Pack, Scorpion mask bust, exclusive steel case, commemorative magnet coin and authenticity plate. “I’ve been a lifelong Mortal Kombat fan, and Sonya Blade was the first kick-ass, female video game character that I related to. Now I get to voice her in Mortal Kombat 11. It’s a dream come true to be a part of the Mortal Kombat franchise that I grew up playing,” said Ronda Rousey. Read more to watch the matches from today’s gameplay reveal event.