Microsoft has revealed the next set of titles that will be coming to Xbox Game Pass for PC, Cloud, and Xbox Series X/S. The list includes Need for Speed Unbound, The Bookwalker, Bramble: The Mountain King and FIST: Forged in Shadow Torch, and several other titles.

Xbox Game Pass will also be getting new DLCs and game updates, new Ultimate Perks, and new Xbox Game Pass Quests. There is also a list of games that will be leaving the Xbox Game Pass on June 30th.

Celebrate French Aviation with new Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) cities and the Latécoère 631 The Microsoft Flight Simulator team is delighted to introduce the free City Update II: France, which captures five beautiful cities: Amiens, Angers, Nantes, Nîmes, and Reims; and to celebrate the Paris Air Show, the update also includes the famed Paris-Le Bourget Airport (LFPB) in both standard and festival configurations.

City Update II: France is now available free to all owners of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Ensure that your simulator is updated to version 1.32.7.0, download City Update II, and experience some of the very best sights that France has to offer.

Polish development studio, People Can Fly, announced yesterday that it has signed a production and publishing agreement with Microsoft's Xbox Game Studios. The teased future title goes under the moniker "Project Maverick," and the company press release reveals a "total production budget for the Game" of $30-50 million. The terms agreed upon include: "The development of the Game by the Company will be performed under the work for hire model, based on the intellectual property rights owned by the Publisher and will be entirely financed by the Publisher when advancing by the Company of the development works under the milestones." Industry insiders reckon there is a good chance that People Can Fly are set to work on Microsoft's Gears IP. The Coalition, an Xbox first party studio (located in Vancouver, Canada) is said to be working on the next mainline Gears title, but a diversified lineup could include more side projects. Splash Damage's Gears Tactics was a previous example of this—a turn-based title that arrived on PC in April 2020, followed by Xbox console versions later that year.

The team has prior experience of developing older Gears of War series entries on Unreal Engine 3—the PC port of the original 2007 game and 2013's spin-off GoW: Judgement (an Xbox 360 exclusive). People Can Fly has had a difficult time lately with the release and support of its online-only cooperative action role-player "Outriders" (with Square Enix), and a terminated Take-Two Interactive publishing deal. Company investor information has recently revealed that Outriders (2021) has not yet become a profitable property for the independent studio: "The Group received no royalties from the publisher (Square Enix) for the period to March 31st 2023, which means that as at the reporting date net proceeds from the sale of Outriders were insufficient to recover the costs and expenses incurred by the publisher to develop, distribute and promote the title." People Can Fly confirms elsewhere in the investment document that Gearbox Publishing holds an exclusive license for Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition (a 2019 remaster of the original 2011 base game).

Watchers of the current Xbox Series have expected Microsoft to eventually issue a mid-life refresh of one of the gaming consoles (preferably the X), given the company's history of releasing upgraded variants of past generation products—with 2017's Scorpio GPU-equipped Xbox One X being a notable example. The company's recent showcase revealed a very minor upgrade for entry level Xbox Series S—the new 1 TB SSD model was presented in a black finish, with no big changes under the hood beyond a bump up in internal storage (from 512 GB), which commands a $50 upcharge from the (now) baseline white model. Bloomberg sought a couple of comments from Xbox chief Phil Spencer post showcase presentation.

When asked about the prospect of a proper hardware upgrade for Xbox Series, his reply included the view that he does not "feel an imperative" for a significant update of the existing Microsoft games console range. He thinks that the current Xbox userbase is satisfied with the status quo: "That's not the feedback we're getting right now. Right now, we're pretty set on the hardware we have." Arch rival Sony is reported to be deep into the development of an alleged "PRO" refresh of its existing PlayStation 5 console, with insider sources claiming that the more powerful variant will arrive in 2024. Spencer could be keeping quiet about his company's potential answer (as a stealth tactic) to any future competitor, but his more immediate goal is to get the Activision Blizzard takeover deal over the finishing line.

Bethesda has unveiled the first gameplay trailer for Starfield during the Starfield Direct after the Xbox Games Showcase yesterday, showing some impressive graphics from this upcoming sci-fi RPG. Shortly after, we got the confirmation from the Game Director, Todd Howard, that the game will actually be locked at 30 FPS, which does not sounds surprising, especially after the full PC system requirements got revealed.

Bethesda has put a lot of effort into Starfield, and it shows it the seen trailer. The team is also claiming that this game will have "the fewest bugs of any Bethesda game ever shipped," according to an interview that the Xbox Game Studios Head, Matt Booty, gave to Giant Bomb. He also added that there are a lot of people internally playing Starfield, and Phil Spencer, head of Xbox Games Studio, told the same outfit that the game had a much earlier release date, and was delayed twice, so hopefully we'll have a solid game at launch. Unfortunately, Todd Howard, also confirmed that the game will run at full 4K on the Xbox Series X and at 1440p on the Xbox Series S, but will be locked at 30 FPS on both consoles.

Embark on a journey into the stars with the Starfield Limited Edition wireless controller and headset, essential navigation pieces in every voyager's collection. The crisp, clean designs are inspired by real world spacecraft, and are custom built to transport you right into the cockpit of a true space explorer. The Xbox Wireless Controller - Starfield Limited Edition features transparent triggers with visible bronze rumble motors underneath, full side and back grips designed to resemble spaceship panels, and a sleek Constellation-inspired color mark around the Xbox button. With up to 40 hours of battery life, you'll have more than enough fuel for your voyage into the deepest reaches of space.

Experience superb audio and chat quality with the Xbox Wireless Headset - Starfield Limited Edition. Secure your space fit with the Constellation red-and-white striped headband, communicate with your crew using the transparent mic boom, and feel fully immersed with audio tones custom made for your adventure. Enjoy ultra-soft large earcups that make for a comfortable experience with convenient on-ear controls for all your exploration needs.

We at Obsidian Entertainment know players have been anticipating an updated look at Avowed and we're excited to show off what we've been working on with a first-ever gameplay trailer today at Xbox Games Showcase 2023. Expanding the universe that we created for the original Pillars of Eternity games, Avowed brings a new perspective, a new way to fight, and a new land to explore in the world of Eora. The Pillars games are near and dear to us and we can't wait to share Avowed with everyone next year.

In Avowed, you'll explore the Living Lands, a plagued, wild island set in the world of Eora. The Living Lands are full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choice and consequences. Unique to the world of Eora, the Living Lands is home to bustling port towns and rolling hills adorned with weird and fantastical plant life. Every part of the Living Lands is home to its own ecosystem. Around every corner there are creatures, sentient mushrooms, or tribes of lizard-like Xaurips looking to make you their next meal…

This weekend, at Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct, we showed the exciting future for players and game creators - dozens of new games, a new 1 TB Series S console and new ways for players to get their games anywhere with PC Game Pass coming to NVIDIA GeForce NOW later this year. After our double feature, Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox Creator Experience, Sarah Bond, Head of Xbox Game Studios, Matt Booty, and Game Director at Bethesda Game Studios, Todd Howard also addressed the future of gaming at Microsoft in our What's Next for Gaming event.

Players are discovering and playing games like never before - we have reached new records for monthly active users and monthly active devices, and just last quarter we saw a 46% increase year over year in people playing PC games on Game Pass. Game Pass continues to grow - our revenue from subscriptions overall reached nearly $1 billion last quarter. We're excited about the future of Xbox, and we see the opportunity to grow not only our own business, but the entire industry as a whole - through creating groundbreaking new games, inviting creators to build their dream projects on our platform, and opening gaming up to everyone, no matter where they are in the world. These are our key pillars to help continue that growth.

In Cities: Skylines II, players build detailed cities at an epic scale. Intricate economic systems present players with choices that have ripple effects across the city. Dynamic maps set in various biomes present both challenges and opportunities for city builders. High-fidelity visuals showcase the beauty of cities like never before, from a humble city block to an iconic city skyline. For the first time ever, each citizen has their own individual life, including occupation, household, relationships and more, making cities feel alive. Players can now follow how their choices affect citizens' lives, adding weight and immediate impact to every strategic decision.

Players start by picking a map, with each environment presenting its own challenges, climate, and opportunities. From there, players manage a series of interconnected simulation systems as they build and grow their city. Build roads, lay out districts, set up infrastructure, and manage citizens' needs as the population grows from a small town to a sweeping metropolis.

Starfield players can now explore the depths of gaming - and open space - while making Constellation proud. Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ: STX) today announced the company's Starfield Special Edition Game Drive and Game Hub for Xbox, taking Seagate's popular line of storage for gamers to the next level. The new external hard drives deliver speed and high capacity to make the Xbox gamer's journey through the universe unforgettable.

Officially licensed by Bethesda and wrapped in exclusive artwork commemorating the explorers from Constellation, the Game Drive and Game Hub display a design that feels pulled directly from the Settled Systems of Starfield. Featuring customizable RGB LED lighting, the drives bring the majesty of the stars to the gamers' ecosystem. Available with up to 5 TB of capacity, the Game Drive is lightweight in design, making it easy to take an entire library on-the-go. The Game Drive and the Game Hub are connected and powered with high-speed USB 3.2 Gen 1, and the Game Drive does not need a separate power cord, making it easy for gamers to play from anywhere. Designed to work with Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, both drives are easily installed through Xbox OS in under two minutes so gamers can launch into action.

Publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive are thrilled to reveal John Carpenter's Toxic Commando, coming in 2024 to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via the Epic Games Store. Tag team with up to four players in this intense first-person shooter and battle massive hordes of mutated monstrosities to eradicate a supernatural outbreak before it's too late.

Watch the exhilarating reveal trailer, which premiered at the Summer Game Fest live showcase, for a first taste of the title's over-the-top gameplay and John Carpenter-inspired '80s vibes, packed with tons of action, humor and horror. "We're happy to team up once again with our historical partner Saber," said John Bert, Managing Director at Focus Entertainment. "After World War Z, Space Marine 2, Insurgency, SnowRunner, and many others, Toxic Commando is a new entry into the successful long-term relationship between Focus and Saber. We cannot wait to unveil more about this new amazing IP created by the talented teams at Saber and leverage Focus' expertise in turning new franchises into worldwide hits."

At Xbox, we have the fundamental commitment to provide all players with a safe and secure experience on our platform - and this is especially true for our youngest players. We frequently iterate on our safety measures, in collaboration and with feedback from the community, regulators and partners. We recently entered into a settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to update our account creation process and resolve a data retention glitch found in our system. Regrettably, we did not meet customer expectations and are committed to complying with the order to continue improving upon our safety measures. We believe that we can and should do more, and we'll remain steadfast in our commitment to safety, privacy, and security for our community.

Our two decades of safety experience has taught us that all players want, and need, safety and privacy protections. Since 2005, when we launched the first console that could connect players online, we've continued to invest in tools and technologies to protect our community. That work evolved into a multifaceted safety strategy. Our suite of safety, privacy and security measures are designed to respect player privacy and safety, and empower players, as well as parents and caregivers, to have control over their gaming experiences.

The season of hot sun and longer days is here, so stay inside this summer with 20 games joining GeForce NOW in June. Or stream across devices by the pool, from grandma's house or in the car - whichever way, GeForce NOW has you covered. Titles from the Age of Empires series are the next Xbox games to roll out to GeForce NOW, giving members plenty to do this summer, especially with over 1,600 games part of the GeForce NOW library.

NVIDIA released the first Xbox games to the cloud last month as part of its ongoing partnership with Microsoft. Now it's the first to bring a smash hit Xbox series to the cloud with Ensemble Studios' Age of Empires titles. Since the first release in 1997, Age of Empires has established itself as one of the longest-running real-time strategy (RTS) series in existence. The critically acclaimed RTS series puts players in control of an entire empire with the goal of expanding and evolving to become a flourishing civilization.

Select Samsung Smart TV and Smart Monitor owners will now gain access to nearly 3,000 games as Antstream Arcade and Blacknut have been added to the Samsung Gaming Hub partner lineup, with the rollout starting today. Samsung makes it easy for players of all ages to find content and choose apps from industry-leading game streaming partners: Xbox, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Amazon Luna, Utomik, and now over 1,400 games with arcade classics from Antstream Arcade, and over 500 premium family titles and exclusive games from Blacknut.

"Samsung Gaming Hub offers players more ways to access the titles they love and discover new ones to play from our game streaming partners, no console required," said Mike Lucero, Head of Product Management for Gaming at Samsung Electronics. "With Antstream Arcade and Blacknut, we've made games even easier to jump into. Now all you need to do is pick up your Samsung TV remote to enjoy great games like "Pac-Man" and "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?", or pair your Bluetooth controller to access thousands of world-class games across genres. With more games and more ways to play, there has never been a better time to play games on Samsung Gaming Hub."

Earlier this month, we shared that PC Game Pass is now available in 40 new countries, the ability to take the expansive Game Pass library everywhere you go with the Asus ROG Ally, and the new PC Game Pass Friend Referral program where you can invite your friends and play together. You can find Friend Referral invitations on the Game Pass Home screen in the Xbox App on PC, just click the "Give PC Game Pass" button to share with up to 5 friends. Now, we're excited to share the latest Xbox app update to improve your PC gaming experience. Let's explore the new features and improvements.

Improved Discovery with Updated Game Card, Filtering, and New Collections
We've updated game cards throughout the app to give you more information and convenience. Now, you can see the game's title along with contextual metadata like publisher, pricing, HowLongToBeat time, coming to Game Pass date, leaving Game Pass date for those games leaving soon, and more! You will see all this information as you browse through games in the app. We have also made it easier for you to filter and sort game collections and your library with new filter options, including accessibility features and game ratings, as well as introducing HowLongToBeat as a new sorting option. This way, you can easily find the games you love and discover new ones that match your preferences.

Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass: Amnesia: The Bunker, Car Mechanic Simulator 2021, Dordogne, and more "available today" notifications! We're excited to bring you some simulators, slayers, stacking, and more. Let's get to the games! Starting off with the "Available Today" category:

Chicory: A Colorful Tale (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Chicory: A Colorful Tale is a top-down adventure game in a coloring book world where you can draw on anything. Use your painting powers to explore new places, solve puzzles, help your friends, and change the world!

Keep the NVIDIA and Microsoft party going this GFN Thursday with Grounded, Deathloop and Pentiment now available to stream for GeForce NOW members this week. These three Xbox Game Studio titles are part of the dozen additions to the GeForce NOW library.

Triple Threat
NVIDIA and Microsoft's partnership continues to flourish with this week's game additions.

Set forth on your grand adventure, Arisen! The PlayStation Showcase brought us the first footage of the much-anticipated action-RPG Dragon's Dogma 2, now in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. There's plenty to unpack in this trailer, and we look forward to sharing more in the future. For now, let's talk about a few of the elements we can reveal so far.

Whether you're new to the Dragon's Dogma series or a seasoned adventurer, well met, Arisen. Set in a vividly detailed fantasy world, Dragon's Dogma 2 is a single player, narrative-driven action-RPG that challenges players to leverage their creativity and curiosity to approach a wide variety of gameplay situations. Dragon's Dogma 2 begins in a subterranean jail, where the Dragon's voice echoes in the fog of lost memories. You play as the Arisen: set on a path to slay the Dragon, a symbol of the world's destruction as it soars through the sky on massive wings, breathing flames that scorch everything in its path. Set out on an epic journey to fulfill your forgotten destiny and claim the throne.

We're continuing to deliver on our promise to bring high-quality, immersive PC games from Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda to more people in more ways. Today, we're announcing that Deathloop, Gears 5, Grounded and Pentiment will be available to play for Boosteroid members beginning June 1. This is another step to ensure players worldwide have access to great content on their terms.

Boosteroid customers in the Ukraine, the United Kingdom, countries across the European Union, and the United States will soon be able to jump in as Kait Diaz to take on the Horde in Gears 5, team up with friends to survive and explore the backyard of Grounded, attempt to escape a seemingly never-ending timeloop in Deathloop, or experience life in an illustrated world with Pentiment. These four titles are just the start - we'll regularly add more hits and fan favorites from our extensive catalog of PC games. Boosteroid members will be able to access games purchased through Steam or the Epic Game Store (for eligible titles) to start, with support for games purchased through the Microsoft Store coming soon.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day is an exciting moment for Xbox to recognize the importance of accessibility, celebrate the players and developers with disabilities that are part of our vibrant, global gaming community, and highlight recent accessibility work at Xbox. To meet the needs of over 427 million players with disabilities, and create a platform where everyone feels welcome, safe, and represented, we know that accessibility awareness and support is something that has to happen every day and has to be part of the community culture. What this support resembles will vary based on the player, but ultimately, accessibility at Xbox is all about creating gaming experiences that everyone can enjoy.

Gaming is all about the power of connection and play. And it has been incredible these last several months watching the energy our community has put into learning about game accessibility, especially as we continue our own accessibility journey and push for a more inclusive games industry. On Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2023, we're excited to share with you some of the work we've been doing in support of our Gaming & Disability communities, including updated accessibility support pages, new accessibility features on PC, and recognizing the achievements of thousands of Xbox Ambassadors who are showing how easy and fun it can be to learn about game accessibility by completing over one million Accessibility Explorer Path missions!

Dear Combo Breakers - this winter will be Killer Instinct's 10th year on Xbox Live. Throughout that time, Xbox platforms and services have been constantly evolving. We have been able to keep KI operating and adapting to many of these changes behind the scenes. Over the last five years, however, it has become more challenging to deal with issues that crop up due to KI's reliance on legacy services. We have been working on solutions to address these concerns. Thank you for being patient and amazing fans through any bumps in the road.

We have started migrating KI's legacy services to PlayFab services, a process which will happen over the next several months. This is a quality-of-life (QOL) update and does not have any new content or tuning changes: it ensures the game you know and love continues to provide the best possible player experience. Today, we've kicked off the first migration build for Xbox consoles, Windows PC, and Steam.

Get ready for action - the first Xbox game title is now streaming from GeForce GPUs in the cloud directly to GeForce NOW members, with more to come later this month. Gears 5 comes to the service this GFN Thursday. Keep reading to find out what other entries from the Xbox library will be streaming on GeForce NOW soon. Also, time's almost up on an exclusive discount for six-month GeForce NOW Priority memberships. Sign up today to save 40% before the offer ends on Sunday, May 21.

All Geared Up
NVIDIA and Microsoft have been working together to bring the first Xbox PC titles to the GeForce NOW library. With their gaming fueled by GeForce GPU servers in the cloud, members can access the best of Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda titles across nearly any device, including underpowered PCs, Macs, iOS and Android mobile devices, NVIDIA SHIELD TV, supported smart TVs and more.

From the creator of the groundbreaking Arctis line of headsets and the new Arctis Nova franchise, SteelSeries, the original esports brand that fuses gaming and culture and worldwide leader in gaming and esports peripherals, today expands the Arctics Nova universe with the introduction of the Arctis Nova 4 - exclusively available at GameStop stores beginning Saturday, May 20, 2023.

For today's gaming lifestyle, people need access to wireless freedom for gaming, streaming, and entertainment at a more affordable price. The Arctis Nova 4 introduces a new wireless option for players that shares the same meticulously crafted Nova Acoustic System as the entire Nova family, featuring Hi-fi audio, supercharged by the Sonar Audio Software Suite, and delivering 360° Spatial Audio. It's the perfect companion for those living life on the go - offering untethered elite sound and performance.

May has a plethora of genres and game styles coming your way. You can hit the pitch later today, or soon you can build a railway empire, collect monsters, voyage a magical world, or we can stop here and get right into the games. Let's dive in!

Available Today - FIFA 23 (Console and PC) EA Play
The World's Game is available today from 10:00AM PDT with PC Game Pass & Ultimate via EA Play. Hit the pitch today, plus claim monthly FIFA 23 member rewards. Experience HyperMotion2 Technology on Xbox Series X|S that delivers even more gameplay realism, the addition of women's club teams, and more.

Soccer Fans: put your cleats on and get ready to hit the pitch - FIFA 23 is coming to The Play List tomorrow - May 16! The most expansive EA Sports FIFA title to date, FIFA 23 hosts the next evolution of HyperMotion technology on current-gen platforms, setting the standard in realistic and immersive gameplay. In addition, and for the first time in EA Sports FIFA history, players now have the chance to play as their favorite women's club team - so get ready to nutmeg opponents and get on the scoreboard with teams from the Barclays Women's Super League, Division 1 Arkema, National Women's Soccer League, and UEFA Women's Championship League.

Take the pitch now in FIFA 23 to earn great monthly rewards, including the FIFA 23 Ultimate Team Supercharge Pack which features FUT content to help take your club to the next level. This month, members can also show their personality on the field with the Overdrive Lightning Head Tattoo, the FUT Hero Iván Córdoba Tifo Set, and more rewards.