Hey Insiders, let’s talk Game Pass! Starting today, we’re offering Xbox Insiders the option to try out and provide feedback on our new membership, Xbox Game Pass Standard.
We created a new membership option in the Game Pass family to give players more choice in how they discover and play games and provide different prices and plans so players can find what works best for them. For those looking for a larger library with hundreds of games to play on your console, plus all the benefits of Game Pass Core including multiplayer access, Game Pass Standard may be the option for you. Game Pass Standard also includes select member deals and discounts, including up to 50% off select games.
Hundreds of great games will be available with Game Pass Standard at launch. Players will get access to select titles as part of the new Game Pass Standard library, with more games being added throughout the preview period. Once you join the preview, you can look up the Game Pass Standard library to find your next favorite game.
During this Xbox Insiders preview, you can sign up for just $1. Any renewals during the preview period will also be $1 per month. At launch, Game Pass Standard will be available for $14.99 USD per month (pricing varies by market).
If you’re looking for other console membership options, Game Pass Core has a select collection of over 25 Game Pass games, online multiplayer access, and select member deals and discounts. Game Pass Standard includes everything available in Game Pass Core, plus hundreds of great games. If you are looking for those benefits plus day one titles, specific entries to Game Pass Ultimate library, access to EA Play, cloud gaming, Perks, Quests, and additional discounts for games in the Game Pass library, Game Pass Ultimate might be the best option for you.
Some games coming to Game Pass Ultimate (day one games or other game entries) will not be immediately available with Game Pass Standard and may be added to the library at a future date (can be up to 12 months or more and will vary by title). We’ll continue to share with all Game Pass members when games are being added and available to play for each plan.
If you’re interested in joining the Insiders preview, please go to the Xbox Insider app located in the Microsoft Store. Terms and Conditions are located there. Game Pass Core members with less than 2-months stacked onto their account, Game Pass for Console and PC Game Pass players who are a part of the Xbox Insiders program can participate and share their feedback.
As always, huge thank you to all our Insiders – you are a wonderful community, and we appreciate all your feedback. If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please join our community on the Xbox Insider subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help.
We’re excited to hear from those that join Game Pass Standard during the preview, and we’ll have more to share on availability for all players coming soon!
Coming to Game Pass: Atlas Fallen, Core Keeper, and Star Trucker
Megan Spurr, Senior Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass
Welcome back, friends! We have more games for you, new Perks, and a limited time beta to talk about! Available to those who pre-order Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, as well as Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass members, the Early Access Open Beta will be downloadable for Black Ops 6 on Xbox consoles, the Xbox app on PC, or Battle.net starting August 28. Now let’s get to all the games!
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Early Access Open Beta Starting August 30
Get your first taste of the next-level action coming to Black Ops 6. You can start downloading the Beta on August 28, 2024, before the early access open beta kicks off on August 30, 2024. Feel Omnimovement for yourself, explore several brand-new core 6v6 maps, and try out new weapons and gadgets. Earn in-game rewards playable in the Beta and in Black Ops 6 once the full game launches on day one with PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate.
Coming Soon
Atlas Fallen (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – August 22 Unleash the storm in this open world action-RPG adventure, enriched by the recently released major free update, Reign of Sand! Enjoy new voice acting, a reworked campaign, and face even more formidable creatures armed with new Essence Stones. Challenge the gods with the long-awaited “New Game +” difficulty mode.
Core Keeper (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – August 27 Dive into Core Keeper, an underground adventure where you shape your journey. Craft, build, and explore in a dynamic world. Develop your character, uncover ancient secrets, and engage in thrilling co-op or competitive play. Embrace the challenge and unearth the mysteries that await!
Star Trucker (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 3 Available on day one with Game Pass! Hop into the driver’s seat of your rocket-powered big rig as you haul cargo, scavenge for salvage, and interact with an eclectic cast of star-hopping truckers in this Americana-infused journey on the ultimate open road – space!
More Games Coming to Game Pass Core on August 21
Game Pass Core members can look forward to three more games coming to the library on August 21! Build the city of your dreams in Cities: Skylines, experience the award-winning third-person action-adventure in Control: Ultimate Edition, and jump into the driver seat to conquer extreme open environments in SnowRunner.
DLC / Game Updates
Vampire Survivors Darkasso Update – Available now With this update, Vampire Survivors are getting Darkanas! Like Arcanas, but Dark. There’s five to unlock and just like Arcanas, these modifiers can change the outcome of your run significantly. This update also includes Room 1665, a new stage made of 16 rooms that will challenge players to fight their way through all the floors of this devilish room.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks
New perks are being added every week! Check them out in the Game Pass section of your console, Xbox app for PC, or the Xbox Game Pass mobile app.
Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realm: Five Champions – Available now Unlock 5 Champions, 80 Gold Champion Chests, a Familiar, and a Skin for Lae’zel to use in Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realm, a strategy management game uniting characters from throughout the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse into a grand adventure.
XDefiant: Crimson Pack – Available now This combo will have you seeing red! The Crimson Pack includes the Deep Red Samir Character Skin, Deep Red MP5 Weapon Skin, Ember M870 Weapon Skin, Pelagic ACR 6.8 Weapon Skin, and Amber M9 Weapon Skin.
The Elder Scrolls Online: 10-Year Anniversary Pack #3 – Available now Celebrate 10 years of the Elder Scrolls Online with the 10-Year Anniversary Pack #3! This bundle includes 1x Attribute Respecification Scroll and 3x Gold Coast Experience Scrolls.
Leaving August 31
The following games will be leaving the Game Pass library soon, so don’t forget to jump back in before they go. Remember to save 20% on your purchase to keep them in your library if you want to keep the fun going!
Atomic Heart (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Guilty Gear -Strive- (Cloud, Console, and PC)
NBA 2K24 (Cloud and Console)
We’ll be back with more games, but until then be sure to stay tuned to @XboxGamePass, @XboxGamePassPC, and @Xbox for updates when these games are available! Catch you next time.
Summer Spotlight: Celebrating the More Than 200 New Games Released on Xbox This Season
Meredith Ingersoll, Xbox Games Marketing
Summer may be starting to cool down but that doesn’t mean we’re done celebrating all the amazing games launched this season on console and PC.
There have been more than 200 games launched this summer like Pizza Bar Tycoon, Sam & Max: The Devils Playhouse, Just Crow Things, and the releases just keep on coming – with many having launched day one with Game Pass!
We’re highlighted a few of the more recently released titles for you below, and a few that are on the way, so be sure to check back every Tuesday on your Xbox console, Store on Windows, and the Xbox app on PC to see the latest summer releases as we head into fall.
Pizza Bar Tycoon – Lookout! This pizzeria will soon become the talk of the town! Well… at least that’s the plan. Your customers are already queuing up, so you’ll have to serve them as quickly as possible. However, that’s easier said than done! Everyone’s in a hurry and you’ll have to prepare each order correctly, or else your customers are going to get crossed! Give it your all and you’ll come out on top!
Sam & Max: The Devils Playhouse – The final game in Telltale’s Sam & Max trilogy, beautifully remastered! Explore odd locales, meet eccentric characters, and solve brain-tickling puzzles in this bizarre paranormal adventure with a surprise around every corner. Jump into Max’s brain and use the Toys of Power to see the future, teleport, and read minds.
Just Crow Things – You’re a little crow trying to prove herself to the world. Make new animal friends, poop on unsuspecting hoomans, and steal all the shiny trinkets! Each level is a little sandbox full of fun items to discover and puzzles to solve, while leaving a bit of chaos behind. Why? Just caws!
Here are a few titles in pre-order that are coming soon:
Visions of Mana– A new adventure begins in Visions of Mana – the first mainline title in the Mana series in over 15 years! Immerse yourself in the vibrant graphics of this beautiful world, where the powers of nature blend with the elemental aspects of mana to create a rich tapestry of life. Journey through enchanting locations with near-seamless transitions in a semi-open field that’s yours to discover. Brace yourself for fast-paced, multi-dimensional actions in battle to enrich your fighting experience. Use the magic of the Elementals to explore this vast world to your heart’s content!
Casting of Frank Stone– The storytelling prowess of Supermassive Games meets the Dead by Daylight universe in a haunting horror game that won’t soon be forgotten. The shadow of Frank Stone looms over Cedar Hills, a town forever altered by his violent past. As a group of young friends are about to discover, Stone’s blood-soaked legacy cuts deep, leaving scars across families, generations, and the very fabric of reality itself.
Perks for Ultimate Game Pass Members.
MultiVersus – The MultiVersus MVP Pack offers in-game content to further customize and boost your play for subscription members. MVP Pack 2 includes a Legendary Leave me Alone Ringout and an Epic Respects Sticker Emote.
Stampede: Racing Royale– Join the herd in style! Kit out your kart with the Xbox KartCore 3000 Wrap, update your avatar with the Xbox Pic and get a head start with 25,000 coins! This Perk content requires Stampede Racing Royale to use.
The First Descendant– Play a next-generation looter shooter, The First Descendant now and claim an exclusive launch edition bundle: Elevate your weapon with a stunning weapon skin and customize your Descendants with vibrant paints and a stylish back accessory!
Newer Games That Launched Day One with Game Pass
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn – The Door to the Great Below has been opened unleashing the Gods and their armies of the Dead. The lands of Kian are besieged, the city of Dawn is on the brink of destruction. It’s time for the Coalition army to fight back. Embrace vengeance, gunpowder and magic as you embark on an epic journey to defeat the Gods, close the door and retake the world. Your battle begins now.
Still Wakes the Deep – Return to the first-person narrative horror genre for The Chinese Room, creator of critically acclaimed games such as Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, and Dear Esther. You are an offshore oil rig worker, fighting for your life through a vicious storm, perilous surroundings, and the dark, freezing North Sea waters. All lines of communication have been severed. All exits are gone. All that remains is to face the unknowable horror that’s come aboard.
Palworld – In this game, you can peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate. Pals can be used to fight and breed, or they can be made to work on farms or factories. You can even sell them or eat them. Collect all kinds of exciting Pals to fight, farm, build, and work for you in this completely new multiplayer, open world survival and crafting game! In the Sakurajima update you can find new pals, features, and map. The update also introduced Xbox dedicated servers, a new building and level cap, new subspecies, a new raid, faction, boss, and more.
This is just a small taste of the over 200 new games on Xbox this summer. Make sure you check your Xbox console, Store on Windows, and the Xbox app on PC every Tuesday to discover the new titles to play. Perks offers vary by region and game, so make sure you check the Perks gallery on your Xbox console or the Xbox app for more details.
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!
A single-player, story-driven action-adventure game about hope, love, friendships, robots…and the power of words. You play Pax: exile, con-artist, Anomal — with the ability to weaponize language. Looking for a new life and a way out, Pax has been hired to transport an important package from Pacifica to Nova Scotia, across the Justice-controlled American Republic. Sounds like a legit reason for a road-trip, right?
A Lovecraftian survival horror game with disturbing and brutal gameplay, enveloped by the psychological horrors that exist somewhere between reality and the beyond. With a fractured mind you must: Investigate, explore, and fight for your life as you lose yourself trying to survive the unimaginable horrors within the walls of Clover Hill.
A side-scrolling shoot ’em up with retro aesthetics, dynamic combat, HD visuals and intense combat inspired by classic elements from both run ’n gun and shooter genres. Take on your adversaries solo or team up with a friend in local co-op! Float and maneuver through zero gravity stages, blast enemy swarms, take down screen-filling bosses and use companion cyber drones to increase your forward fire rate, cover your back and more!
An old school action platformer with pixel art graphics. Join the adventure as Yuhiko, a young ninja who has gone to the underworld to find a cure for his brother. Find Spirits in secret places – they will tell you a story or give you advice. Explore dungeons, fight monsters and meet new friends!
You are Emperor Hong, the esteemed Emperor of the Crimson Empire, and you have experienced profound loss. Faced with no other options, you are compelled to summon and seek the aid of the Yaoguai, forbidden but powerful creatures of the north with a taste for human souls, to assist you in resolving imperial challenges, enforcing your will, and supporting the welfare of your citizens.
He’s a dad and a radish. Dadish’s kids are missing and he needs your help to find them. After his children are lured away by dubious pop-up advertising, Dadish sets out to find them in his craziest adventure yet. Explore an exciting world, face off with fast-food themed foes, and reunite Dadish with his missing children in this challenging 3D platforming adventure.
Welcome to Parking Masters, where you’ll face the ultimate test of your parking skills in a variety of challenges! Maneuver vehicles through numerous levels, all designed with realistic physics and a captivating visual style.
A challenging game in which you defeat enemies on the board according to the numbers on the dice. Choose your moves using cards, position yourself strategically to defeat enemies on the board squares, and create tactics using action cards.
Build your own farm full of village houses, sheds and granaries. Build roads and design optimal fields with various crops. Choose what you want to plant or sow: apples, beetroots, cabbages, carrots, corns, leeks, onions, pepper, pumpkins, sunflowers, tomatoes, wheat.
Guide Arthbane’s campaign against the occupying Athracian army, balancing strategy and resources to defeat cunning rival generals. Recruit up to 16 units, visit the Chuckwagon to feed your troops, rally 11 legendary heroes – both new and returning favorites – to command in battle, and fight through 40+ missions in a race to turn the tide of invasion.
Rise to the top of the ATP and WTA world rankings as you smash through season after season as a world class competitor. Embody an official player or create your own. Train, strategize and win your matches one after the other, learning from your losses and building on your victories. Seize every opportunity to build your reputation, dazzle during press conferences, develop hard-fought rivalries and let your fans drink it all in.
Play as a little bird-like spirit that watches ancient civilizations evolve. You will discover unknown, giant, and beautiful environments and you will be able to enjoy the feeling of flying while exploring a whole world filled with beauty and little secrets. Within every area of the world, you must find a certain amount of memory shards to remember the path that leads to your destination and advance with the story. Once you have found all the memory shards you are free to explore the next area.
The Eightfold Path is an immersive puzzle and exploration adventure steeped in the teachings of Buddhism, inviting you to embark on a quest towards enlightenment. To reach the ultimate state of pure bliss, you must navigate through the labyrinth of desires and suffering that obscure true harmony.
In this tiny fantasy building experience, it is easy to do and very relaxing, just like a 3D jigsaw puzzle. Carefully observe the island, try to memorize it, then shuffle the blocks. Swap blocks to reproduce the desired island and the city will emerge. There is no time limit, logic challenges, or resources to manage, so you can calmly focus on the core mechanics while listening to a soothing soundtrack.
A series of three visually captivating and emotionally immersive visual novel games, each with its own unique narrative and hand-drawn graphics. The Trilogy invites players to explore the depths of the human psyche, confronting them with unsettling themes and thought-provoking storytelling.
Become a master general. Strategically assemble your army from a selection of unique units and abilities to deploy into fast paced battles. Watch your masterplan play out, adapt as the battle progresses, all without the hassle of micromanagement.
A fusion of a classic arcade game and an action roguelike. The action is relentless. The soundtrack gets your blood pumping. The enemies are brutal, and the bosses are massive but that just makes eventual victory feel so much sweeter!
You are an ordinary citizen who missed the evacuation due to illness, and now you need to understand the situation to leave the city. The game is imbued with the atmosphere of the late USSR, combined with mysterious and mystical elements characteristic of the horror genre.
As a member of a mega-corporation, use this ultimate weapon to defeat your opponents and end the Third World War. Explore procedurally generated levels across the globe and face a range of enemies, from mutants in ruined cities to soldiers and robots in military factories. Only by upgrading your cyborg and unlocking new abilities can you defeat the malicious Allfather AI and put an end to the war.
A whole new Rocky Mountain biome, enemies, performance upgrades & more.
Play Now through August 19 with Free Play Days.
Beneath the shadows of the Rocky Mountains in an all-new Colorado biome, the next chapter of 19th century horror unfolds. Hunt: Showdown 1896 has officially arrived on Xbox Series X|S! Players are invited to fight for survival and profit in a world where supernatural horror and the thrill of the bounty reigns supreme.
What’s more, right now through August 19 you can try your best to survive during the Hunt: Showdown Free Play Days event, so let’s jump in!
Leaping forward chronologically and heading West of the Bayou, the launch of Hunt: Showdown 1896 also brings the power of Cryengine 5.11 with highly anticipated improvements across the whole gameplay experience.
With upgraded visuals, audio design, rendering performance and more, this is a whole new era of Hunt.
A New Hellscape: Mammon’s Gulch
Our brand-new map, Mammon’s Gulch, drags you into a brutal, unforgiving landscape with a battleground that tests every ounce of a Hunter’s tactical knowledge.
Adding verticality and many new vantage points, you can take to the high ground for long sightlines across sprawling vistas or venture into the Gulch’s deep mines to move through the tortured landscape with less exposure.
Investigate 16 unique compounds, passing through the torched towns, oil fields and mining operations as you face new threats emerging from the spreading corruption.
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Hunt: Showdown 1896 brings with it a complete overhaul of the console gameplay experience. With the power of Xbox Series X|S, experience every gruesome detail, every flicker of torchlight, every raging howl rendered in glorious high definition:
4K and 60 FPS on Xbox Series X:
2K and 60 FPS on Xbox Series S.
Full HDR Support
Beyond graphical improvements, reimagined the UI, and enhanced the audio and lighting to drag you deeper into the immersion of Hunt.
New Wild Target: Hellborn
As if the treacherous terrain wasn’t enough, a new Wild Target roams these cursed lands—the Hellborn.
An amalgam of fire and flesh, Hellborn stalks the mountains until provoked into explosive response. Posing an entirely new threat, the Hellborn moves frantically to unleash an unrelenting assault against trespassing Hunters, scorching everything in its considerable reach.
Be warned—the Hellborn is best dispatched quickly, as its raging howls attract the attention of other Hunters across the Gulch, multiplying the threat minute by minute.
Scorched Earth Event
With the launch of Hunt: Showdown 1896, we’re unleashing a new event, Scorched Earth.
Hunters are invited to face the fire to earn new equipment, ammo, and weapons, including the 1865 Carbine, the Infantry 73L base rifle with a sniper variant, Bear Traps as a new Tool, and a Crossbow Deadeye scoped variant.
We’re also welcoming a completely new Weekly Challenge system to better support players joining the action mid-event, as well as a Battle Pass full of both free and premium rewards are available to unlock.
A Word to the Wise
So, Hunters, the time has come. Strap on your gear, load your weapons, and steel your nerves. Mammon’s Gulch and all its atrocities await, filled with horrors that defy description and enemies that will stop at nothing to claim your bounty.
Hunt: Showdown 1896 is here, and it’s not just a launch – it’s a call to arms. Will you answer?
Hunt: Showdown 1896 is a new era of the addictively unforgiving extraction shooter. In corrupted backwaters lost to history, fight back alone – or with friends – against timeless evil. Twisted monsters and other ruthless Hunters stand between you and your Bounty. Risk everything as Hunt consumes you.
Bounty Hunt: Take rich bounties and kill anyone that tries to stop you – and they will try. Race competing Hunters to track down bosses, send them to hell, claim their bounty, and fight your way to extract. If others only slow you down, go alone. If you find strength in numbers, take up to two teammates along.
Progression and Permadeath: Risk everything to unlock dark powers and forbidden wealth. Every bullet counts. Every wound hurts. And every death is permanent. But if you succeed, every victory will be unforgettable.
Atmosphere and Sound Design: Hear footsteps squelch in the mud as you wait with bated breath to strike. The world speaks. Every gunshot is a message; every howling dog a klaxon. Gramophones murmur with the haunting melodies of Port Sulphur Band. Listen, and you might live to die another day.
Constantly Evolving Game: Keep striving for more, the world is always growing. Frequent updates challenge you with new Events, expand your arsenal of weapons, introduce new characters, and offer the chance to get ornate rewards. Join the thriving Hunt community, stay informed, and get an edge over the Corruption.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 makes a grand return to the series’ beloved Round-Based Zombies mode with two brand-new maps at launch, and we’ve been learning a lot about what’s in store for our latest bout with the undead.
Ahead of a live gameplay reveal of the upcoming Liberty Falls map at the Call of Duty NEXT event on August 28, the Black Ops 6 team has been teasing us with new information in Intel Drop videos over the past week for their other Zombies map coming at launch: Terminus, telling us more about the story, setting, and systems of the highly anticipated new Zombies experience. To find out everything we’ve learned so far, read on:
Story
Set in 1991, five years after the events of Black Ops Cold War’s own Zombies mode, Black Ops 6’s Zombies campaign begins with a prison breakout – previous heroes Weaver, Dr. Gray, and Carver form an uneasy alliance with new character Maya (who’s on a desperate hunt for her missing brother, and has allied with the villainous Dr. William Peck) and set out to escape the combined jail/research outpost, Terminus Island. Along the way, they’ll discover a lot more about the horrifying work that’s gone into creating this outbreak.
It’s not just a new story for Zombies, but includes new ways of telling that story. While the mode will still allow you to play as any Operator, playing as the four members of the dedicated Zombies crew will open up new in-game dialogue interactions, deepening the plot and revealing more about each character as you play.
Terminus
A remote island in the Philippine Sea, Terminus could have been a tropical paradise – if it hadn’t been used as clandestine location to house prisoners and use them for unethical science experiments. On one of the biggest maps ever made for Round-Based Zombies, players will begin their time on Terminus Island during an outbreak – it’s a chaotic, ruined location, stuffed with the shambling corpses of scientists, security guards, and experiment victims alike.
The team has gone all out to make this feel like a living (or unliving) location, with set pieces built across the island – from testing areas where zombies will break out of their chambers to attack, to seeing the evolutionary cycle of the zombies themselves. Players will even face off against the Amalgam, a grotesque mass of combined body parts that’ll provide a stern challenge.
The team also wanted to make use of the whole island; from the prison, to its jungles, to the beach, to the sea – you can go just about anywhere.
Equipment
You might be fighting against the odds in Terminus, but there are some new ways of evening those odds to find. Most notably, the new Beamsmasher Wonder Weapon offers a very fun way of thinning the hordes you come across. With three attacks to use (a devastating sonic beam attack, a wave-based secondary that slows enemies and has them take extra damage, and a shockwave effect when reloading after expending your ammo) it’s a versatile way to get through the horrors of the island.
A more passive way of surviving is the Tentacle Trap, which is placed over doorways. When activated, the Trap will scoop up any passing zombies with, well, tentacles, reducing them to a far less threatening pile of gore.
Terminus also sees the first ever drivable vehicle introduced in Round-Based Zombies, letting you commandeer a Tactical Raft and zip from island to island – but beware, the open sea might be even more dangerous than the land…
New Systems
As you’d expect, the new Zombies experience makes some key improvements to the winning formula fans are already familiar with. Augments are a major addition, allowing you to upgrade your Perks, Ammo Mods, and Field Upgrades in different ways. Augments come in Major and Minor forms, and you’re able to use one of each per item. A Minor Augment might offer a stat buff to an existing ability, like a more powerful Napalm Burst, while a Major Augment can drastically change how you play. With a Major Augment, you might be able to summon a set of damaging orbs that surround you and damage enemies that get too close.
GobbleGums make a return after last appearing in Black Ops III – each one a consumable item that offers gameplay changes and upgrades. Ahead of a match, you’ll be able to choose from a set of five GobbleGums and, once you find a GobbleGum machine in your match, it will dispense one of your chosen Gums, to be used whenever you like. The effects here can be huge – whole-team revives, temporary unlimited ammo, or unlocking every Perk at once, just as a few examples.
Weapon Builds also help you customize your Zombies experience. Before you enter a round, you can create your ideal build of weapon, including Blueprints, attachments, and more, before specifically designating it a Zombie Build. When in a game of Zombies, if you find that weapon at a Wallbuy or Mystery Box, it will be your build of that weapon you receive.
Fan-Requested Features
Black Ops 6 also brings some improvements that fans have been asking for. Several HUD Presets will allow players to tweak their onscreen experience – you could remove the mini-map if you prefer to play without it, change the location of your health bar, and generally offer exactly the information you need, where you need it. Enemy damage numbers and health bars can even be toggled as global settings in Zombies on day one.
In a major change for solo Zombies players, you’ll also now be able to save and quit your match, meaning you can take a break from a high-round all-nighter and continue the next day, rather than having to commit yourself to a multi-hour session in one go.
Liberty Falls
Terminus may be the starting point for this instalment’s Zombies story, but Black Ops 6 will launch with two Zombies maps – Liberty Falls is the next step. Set almost simultaneously with the events in Terminus, Liberty Falls is a small West Virginian town that becomes the epicenter of a new zombie outbreak. But you’ll have to wait to learn more about that, when the map gets a full reveal at Call of Duty NEXT on August 28…
Pre-order any digital edition or subscribe to select Game Pass plans* and receive:
– Early access to the Open Beta**
— Early Access is August 30 – September 4
— Open Beta access is available for all players from September 6 – September 9
– Items for immediate use in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III, Call of Duty®: Warzone and Call of Duty®: Warzone Mobile***:
— Woods Operator Pack – unlock the Classic Woods Operator Skin. Plus, get access to unlock the Zombie Woods and Numbers Woods Skins.
— Reflect 115 Camo Pack – unlock the Reflect 115 Weapon Camo. Plus, get access to 9 acquisitions for Modern Warfare® Zombies.
Includes:
– Cross Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6
— Includes Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6.
Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.
The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.
In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.
Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.
*Requires active subscription to Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass Console. Subscribers must login to Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III or Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S by October 25th, 2024 to redeem the Woods Operator Pack and Reflect 115 Camo Pack.
**Actual launch date(s) and platform availability of MP Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only. Internet connection required. Game Pass Core subscription may be required for MP Beta.
***Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III or Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by October 25, 2025.
Activision may modify or discontinue online service in the future, which may impact the continued availability of online gameplay. Online services may be discontinued due to factors including number of players.
Additional storage space may be required for mandatory game updates.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
– Early access to the Open Beta*
— Early Access is August 30 – September 4
— Open Beta access is available for all players from September 6 – September 9
– Items for immediate use in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III, Call of Duty®: Warzone and Call of Duty®: Warzone Mobile**:
— Woods Operator Pack – unlock the Classic Woods Operator Skin. Plus, get access to unlock the Zombie Woods and Numbers Woods Skins
— Reflect 115 Camo Pack – unlock the Reflect 115 Weapon Camo. Plus, get access to 9 acquisitions for Modern Warfare® Zombies
The Vault Edition includes:
– Cross Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6
— Includes Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game
– Hunters vs. Hunted Operator Pack
— 4 Operator Skins: Adler, Park, Brutus and Klaus
– Mastercraft Collection
— 5 Mastercraft Weapons
– BlackCell (1 Season)***
— Includes: Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP and more
– GobbleGum Pack for Zombies
— 12 GobbleGums of high rarities
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6.
Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.
The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.
In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.
Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.
*Actual launch date(s) and platform availability of MP Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only. Internet connection required. Game Pass Core subscription may be required for MP Beta.
**Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III or Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by October 25th, 2025.
***Battle Pass, BlackCell an Tier Skips will be accessible in Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 once the Season 1 Battle Pass is made available in game. Battle Pass / BlackCell redemption applies to one Season of Black Ops 6 Battle Pass only.
Activision may modify or discontinue online service in the future, which may impact the continued availability of online gameplay. Online services may be discontinued due to factors including number of players.
Additional storage space may be required for mandatory game updates.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
The surviving S.E.E.S. gang faces a new challenge as they explore the mysterious abyss below Iwatodai Dorm.
Players will enjoy a familiar-yet-fresh experience, with new additions such as new ultimate attacks, animated cutscenes, and a new playable character.
Episode Aigis -The Answer- is part of Persona 3 Reload‘s Expansion Pass, available September 10 for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members as a Game Pass Perk.
This past February, Persona 3 Reload introduced a new generation of players to the first “modern” entry in the Persona series, going on to become the fastest selling game in Atlus’ nearly 40-year history. While P3R is a monster of an RPG (providing this writer over 90 hours of entertainment), what’s left for our heroes once they’ve vanquished Tartarus, ended the Dark Hour, and set things right at Gekkokuan High?
Sadness, mostly.
As Episode Aigis -The Answer-, Reload‘s remake of the epilogue from 2007’s Persona 3 FES, kicks off, the mood is decidedly downbeat. Sure, cultish nemesis Strega is gone, and Apathy Syndrome is abating across Tatsumi Port Island. But with Persona 3 Reload‘s main character falling in the final battle, and Iwatodai Dorm closing its doors for good, the vibes feel anything but victorious. At least things are back to normal, right? Right?
As the surviving S.E.E.S. gang hangs out one last time in the dorm, midnight strikes, there’s an earthquake, in bursts another Aigis-like android named Metis, and a giant hole appears in the floor of the dorm’s lobby leading downward. Stuck in a time loop and unable to leave the dorm, the gang has no choice but to explore the mysterious abyss which has appeared beneath the dorm.
While Mitsuru, Junpei, and the gang aren’t exactly thrilled to be thrust back into the center of a supernatural mystery, I couldn’t be more excited to sample the first hour of Episode Aigis -The Answer-, jumping back into a game that I’ve frankly missed since completing it this spring.
Picking the controller back up for more Persona 3 Reload was as familiar and comfortable as settling into my favorite spot on the couch – with one wrinkle. With our main character dearly departed, Aigis visits the Velvet Room, well known as the place only the heroes of Persona games seem to be able to visit. This also means that Aigis can now swap out personas in battle, just like the hero of the full game.
Unlike the endless staircase of Tartarus, there are clear pathways to choose from in the Abyss of Time; appearing as doors in the middle of a desert. Once inside, the moment-to-moment action plays out as you may remember: exploring labyrinths, exploiting enemy weaknesses, and triggering All Out Attacks; more of what people love about Persona.
As for what else is new, the mysterious Metis does join the team, leading to some fun battle banter – she’s a bit of a weirdo! I noted some new music tracks, joining those already imprinted in my brain. The first hour also offers tantalizing hints that Persona 3 Reload‘s main character may not be completely gone from this world. Regardless of how it plays out, Aigis always had main character energy, and we’re in for a fun ride as she takes the wheel for what promises to be a 30-hour epilogue adventure.
Step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an unexpected fate when entering the hour “hidden” between one day and the next. Awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends, and leave a mark on their memories forever.
Persona 3 Reload is a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era.
Key Features:
– Experience the pivotal game of the Persona series faithfully remade with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI.
-Fully immerse yourself in an emotional, gripping journey with new scenes, character interactions, and additional voiceover.
– Choose how to meaningfully spend each day through various activities from exploring the Port Island to forging genuine bonds with beloved characters.
– Build and command your optimal team to take down otherworldly Shadows and climb closer to the truth.
When Green Helllaunched into Early Access in 2018, we here at Creepy Jar had high hopes for our debut title, but we never expected to hit the level of success we’ve seen up to now. Hot on the heels of selling over six million copies, we’re overjoyed to be bringing the Green Hell experience to the current generation of Xbox consoles, Xbox Series X|S.
Arriving as a free upgrade to anyone who owns the game on an Xbox One console, the updated version of Green Hell brings with it content that up until now has only been available to PC players. Harnessing the power of the Xbox Series X|S hardware, we’re able to deliver a more robust experience with dozens of improvements and new content that should satisfy both the biggest fans of the game and the new adventurers coming to our survival experience.
Xbox players can now jump into the latest updates for Green Hell including:
Update 17 – Storage & Transportation
As many of Green Hell’s most experienced players know, efficiency is of the utmost importance if you want to survive the perils of the Amazon. Every trip across the rainforest puts players in untold danger, so why make more trips than is needed? Make organizing and creating your ultimate home base of operations easier than ever with an Elevator, Sleds, new shelving options, and more. Survival still isn’t guaranteed, but at least your home will look organized while you get mauled by a Jaguar, should you meet your fate!
Update 18 – Fortifications
Introducing new fence types and additional constructions aimed at keeping your home safe and secure: fences, palisades, gates, and lookout platforms each add an extra layer of defense and strategy to a player’s base. Have you ever been annoyed that anyone can enter and even try to destroy your cherished base? Protect your camp like never before and fortify your defenses before the next attack on your home, sweet home.
Update 19 – Flamekeeper
Like a moth drawn to fire, so are the hordes of Green Hell’s dangerous enemies drawn to the Eternal Flame in the game’s 19th free update, Flamekeeper. Adding a hectic combat update alongside improved enemy AI, new enemy attacks, entirely new game mechanics, and a coveted new reward weapon, Flamekeeper is designed to challenge even the most experienced of Green Hell veterans.
We couldn’t be more proud of how far Green Hell has come, and in turn, we couldn’t be more excited to continue improving the game for all of our players on Xbox. Whether you’re jumping in as a new player or upgrading your experience from Xbox One, we’re sure you will have tons of fun with the new and exciting content we’ve prepared.
GREEN HELL is an Open World Survival Simulator set in the Amazonian rainforest. You are left in the jungle without any food or equipment, trying to survive and find your way out. On this journey, you won’t get any help from the outside world. Equipped only with your bare hands you’ll have to learn actual survival techniques to build shelters, make tools, and craft weapons in order to hunt and defend yourself. Constantly threatened by the jungle you’ll fight with both wild animals and tropical illnesses. You will strive to not only keep your life but also your sanity.
You can do it alone or with up to four friends in co-op play.
Green Hell contains the complete Spirits of Amazonia prequel (parts: 1, 2, 3) with over 20 hours of additional gameplay.
Now with extra content – the Animal Husbandry Update for free.
We are excited to announce that Compact Mode is now available in Game Bar for Xbox Insiders. Compact Mode is a new experience that simplifies Game Bar, making it more intuitive and easier to navigate on small screens, Windows handhelds, and when playing with a controller. To use this feature, open Game Bar, go to the Settings widget, under General, and turn on the “Compact Mode” toggle.
Better navigation on small screens and more
With Compact Mode enabled, access to widgets and navigation is simplified to ensure you can get access to the content you want as easily as possible. When using a controller, you can switch between widgets quickly with left and right bumpers (LB/RB).
On the Home widget, you can view any running games and recently played games. You can also access common game launchers installed on your system such as Xbox, Steam, Battle.net, EA Play, Riot Games, and Ubisoft Connect.
You can now quit a game that is running by going to the Home widget and selecting the game and pressing close, a faster way than quitting from the game or navigating out to Desktop. In addition, you can leverage the Resource widget to quickly see what other applications are using your device’s resources and close them.
When the focus is on a widget icon in the navigation, you can open the widget’s settings or close the widget.
Finally, you can access the Widget Store and open any installed widget by going to the widgets menu.
How to access Compact Mode on Windows gaming handheld PCs
For devices that support custom physical button mapping, you can map a button to the WIN+G keyboard shortcut. Please refer to your device’s onboarding instructions on how to remap a physical button. To access Game Bar on your desktop, search for “Game Bar” in the taskbar and right click to pin to taskbar.
Share your feedback
A new survey is available here or in the Xbox Insider Hub (open or install here for players enrolled in the PC Gaming preview) to give us your feedback on Compact Mode for Game Bar on Windows PCs while it is on preview. As a reminder, you can always give us suggestions for the app or leave feedback by going to the Settings widget, under Feedback, use the Game Bar feedback link. We look forward to hearing from you as we work to bring more enhancements to Compact Mode for you to enjoy seamless Xbox gaming experiences across all your Windows devices.
How to get Xbox Insider support and share your feedback
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please join our community on the Xbox Insider subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help. We recommend adding to threads with the same topic before posting a brand new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, you can provide direct feedback to Team Xbox by following the steps here under the “Report a problem online” section.
If you aren’t part of the Xbox Insider Program yet and want to help create the future of Xbox and get early access to new features, join the Programtoday by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub forXbox Series X|S & Xbox Oneor Windows PC.
For more information on the Xbox Insider Program, follow us on Twitter at @XboxInsider. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding the PC Gaming Preview.
Note: This feature is being made available to Xbox Insiders enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview.
and Call of Duty®: Warzone
