Latest news with #XboxGamePass


CNET
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
You Can Play Diablo 4 for Free in July With PlayStation Plus
Diablo 4 is Blizzard's latest entry in the dark-fantasy RPG series. And on July 1, all PlayStation Plus subscribers can fight cultists and demons, loot and collect powerful weapons and explore an expansive mythical world in this popular game. PlayStation Plus is Sony's version of Xbox Game Pass, and it offers subscribers a large, constantly expanding library of games. Subscribers can choose from the Essential, Extra and Premium tiers, which each have their own unique perks and benefits. The plans start at $10 a month, and each tier gives subscribers access to monthly games and rewards. Here are the games all PS Plus subscribers can play starting on July 1. You can also check out the games Sony added to the PS Plus Game Catalog in June, including FBC: Firebreak. Diablo 4 PlayStation has quite a treasure in its Horadric PS Plus. The latest installment in the successful action RPG series brings endless nightmares and horrific dungeons to PS Plus subscribers. After being drugged by followers of Lilith, the daughter of the Prime Evil Mephisto, you join a group of others to stop her from taking over Sanctuary. But will your choices bring peace to the realm or stir more chaos? The King of Fighters XV For more than 30 years, the King of Fighters series has been a popular fighting game franchise filled with memorable characters and unique 3-on-3 team matches. And the latest installment of the series expands on this gameplay with a new Shatter Strike mechanic that causes opponents to crumple or get blown away. So step into the ring and see if you have what it takes to win it all. Jusant This action-puzzle game offers a unique blend of meditative yet challenging gameplay. You're on a journey to climb up a tower using different tools and skills along the way. You'll climb at your own pace, explore different biomes and paths in the ever-changing tower, and learn what happened to an ancient civilization. For more on PlayStation Plus, see everything to know about the service and a rundown of other games PS Plus subscribers can play now. You can also check out the latest and upcoming games on Xbox Game Pass and Apple Arcade.


Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Saudi Gazette
A new collaboration between Ubisoft and Xbox Game Pass to support Rainbow Six Siege X and BLAST R6 esports
The ES Times — Ubisoft has officially announced an exciting partnership with Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft's popular subscription platform. This partnership spans the entire 2025 season and includes integrated support for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege X and the BLAST R6 esports program. A strong start in Rio de Janeiro The partnership kicks off during Reload 2025 in Rio de Janeiro, the first competitive stop for Rainbow Six Siege X. From now on, fans can expect advanced integration of Game Pass into several key moments of the BLAST R6 season. Among these moments are the November Major and the Six Invitational 2026, where players will notice a distinct presence of the Game Pass brand. Community events and exclusive experiences Throughout the season, Ubisoft and Xbox Game Pass will offer special community activities and dedicated play areas during major esports tournaments. Additionally, players will be able to meet their favorite content creators through exclusive sessions and unique giveaways. As a player who has been following the series for years, I find these initiatives give us, the community, closer opportunities to interact and participate. Special benefits for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers Starting June 2025, Game Pass Ultimate members will receive unique benefits in Rainbow Six Siege X. New offers will also be released continuously throughout the season to celebrate major competitive milestones. While these benefits will launch with Ultimate subscribers, the plan is to expand this support to a broader segment of users in the future. Official statements confirm the importance of the collaboration. François-Xavier Daniel, Ubisoft's Vice President of Esports, said: "We are excited to work with Game Pass to enhance the entire experience within Rainbow Six Siege X. Thanks to BLAST's support, we have the means to deliver enhanced features and premium content to a global audience." Chris Lee, Vice President of Xbox, added: "Our goal is to deliver even more value to Game Pass subscribers around the world. Partnering with Rainbow Six Siege is a strong step in that direction." More details coming soon Additional content, new events, and in-game surprises will be revealed throughout the 2025 esports season.


Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 climbs chart after 'unusual' sales boost
One of the breakout games of 2025 is soaring up the charts even a month after launch, surpassing Doom: The Dark Ages in revenue. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 surprised everyone by being an early contender for game of the year, but its sales have also surpassed expectations. Developed by Sandfall Interactive, the French turn-based role-player managed to sell one million units within three days following its launch on April 24. Since then, in very apt timing, the studio announced it had surpassed 3.3 million copies after 33 days. The success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has now taken an 'unusual' turn, as despite coming out in April, it has ascended on Newzoo's revenue chart for May. As reported by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 moved up five places to number eight on the chart, which lists the top 20 games by revenue in the US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy across PC and consoles. Newzoo described this movement as 'unusual for a premium title' as they usually drop in sales after their release month. As for the reason behind the increase, the firm believes it is 'a showcase of the strength of a high-quality game and continued word-of-mouth marketing'. Along with these factors, the mid-range £44.99 price of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has also likely contributed to its success – at a time when many new games cost £70. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Notably, the game managed to beat Doom: The Dark Ages, which debuted at number nine. According to Newzoo, the shooter's placement was due to 'a big portion of revenues being tied to Xbox Game Pass'. More Trending While over 95% of full sales for Doom: The Dark Ages came from PlayStation and Steam, Xbox players accounted for 72% of monthly active users on Newzoo's engagement chart. In other words, only a small portion of players actually bought the full game. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 also launched on Xbox Game Pass, but considering Doom: The Dark Ages is significantly more expensive to buy at £69.99, it's perhaps unsurprising that the majority of players went down the Game Pass route instead. The other new addition on the chart was Elden Ring Nightreign, which managed to hit the number four spot despite being released on May 30, 2025. You can check out the top 10 of Newzoo's revenue chart for May below. Fortnite EA Sports (up two places) Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2/3/Warzone/Black Ops 6 Elden Ring Nightreign NBA 2K25 (up two places) Counter-Strike 2 & Go Forza Horizon 5 (up two places) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (up five places) Doom: The Dark Ages Minecraft (down two places) Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Time Crisis and Point Blank lightgun console smashes Kickstarter goal within hours MORE: EA Sports FC 26 cover star leaks and they've been on before MORE: The Alters review – send in the clones


India.com
3 days ago
- Business
- India.com
Microsoft Layoffs 2025: Tech Giant Likely To Fire Employees Next Week In Xbox Division, Fourth Major Job Cuts In Past 18 Months
Microsoft Layoffs 2025: Microsoft is likely to layoff employees within its Xbox division next week, as per media reports. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier and additional details by Tom Warren, the tech giant is reorganizing its Xbox gaming division and other key departments, including sales However, the exact number of job cuts remains uncertain, the layoffs are expected to be significant. They are part of a broader company-wide restructuring effort that may also impact employees in Microsoft's global sales operations. If confirmed, this would mark the fourth major wave of job cuts within Xbox in the past 18 months, following three significant layoffs last year and the shutdown of several subsidiary studios. These upcoming layoffs come as Microsoft continues to revamp its gaming strategy in preparation for the next generation of Xbox consoles. Microsoft Layoffs Date The layoffs are likely to be announced early next week, just before the end of Microsoft's fiscal year on June 30. The company is under increasing pressure to boost profitability, particularly in the wake of its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023. What Is Xbox Division The Xbox division is Microsoft's gaming arm, responsible for Xbox consoles, exclusive games through Xbox Game Studios, and services like Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Network. It also includes cloud gaming (xCloud) and gaming accessories. Now part of Microsoft Gaming, it oversees major acquisitions like Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, playing a crucial role in Microsoft's global gaming strategy. Microsoft Massive Job Cuts Microsoft recently eliminated over 300 more jobs, further extending its ongoing wave of workforce reductions. These latest cuts come just weeks after the company carried out its largest round of layoffs in years, which saw 6,000 roles eliminated. In total, Microsoft has now cut more than 6,300 jobs in recent weeks. This marks the company's second-largest workforce reduction since 2023, when it laid off 10,000 employees.

Engadget
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Engadget
Xbox's VR headset with Meta could release sooner than we thought
Xbox has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a chunky console. It's recently taken on the form of an Asus gaming handheld, and it might even be packaged as a VR headset soon. According to an image leaked on X and Game Sandwich , Xbox is reportedly teaming up with Meta to release an Xbox-branded Quest 3S headset in the coming days. The rumored specs show a very similar build to the base model Quest 3S with 128GB of storage, but will reportedly be bundled with an Xbox wireless controller, a Meta Quest Elite strap and three months of Xbox Game Pass. There's been no official announcement from Xbox or Meta yet, but a blog post from 2024 noted that the two companies were working together to "create a limited-edition Meta Quest, inspired by Xbox." While it's important to take this rumor with a grain of salt, Xbox seems interested in opening up its hardware for collaboration with other companies, as indicated by the recent release of the ROG Xbox Ally. As for the rumored Xbox version of the Meta Quest 3S, those who already own the base model headset might not be the target demographic since you can already run Xbox Game Pass on it. Instead, this VR headset could be marketed as a convincing entry point for anyone looking to get into VR and is already familiar with the Xbox ecosystem. According to Game Sandwich 's sources, this Xbox-branded VR headset will cost $399 and is set to drop on June 24. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.