Microsoft has recently published a new build for the Xbox Insider Program which improves boot times for Xbox Series X/S consoles by up to 5 seconds. The improvement only applies to consoles with Energy Saver mode enabled with the total boot time decreasing from 20s to 15s including a new boot animation that has been reduced from nine seconds down to four. The changes will not impact users who are using Standby mode as the console never fully powers off with this enabled which results in higher power consumption. Microsoft made Energy Saver the default power option for consoles earlier this year so these changes should benefit most users when they are rolled out.

Get ready to connect with your Discord friends and communities on Xbox! Discord Voice chat is coming to your Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles. You will be able to chat with anyone on Discord via voice channels or group calls directly from your console making it easy to connect with friends across mobile, Xbox, and PC. The update will start rolling out to Xbox Insiders today and will be available soon for everyone.

Today's update enables a highly requested feature - Discord Voice on Xbox consoles allows you to talk with your friends and community while you play your favorite games. Planning a few rounds of multiplayer action in Halo Infinite with buddies on both console and PC? Exploring new biomes with your friends in Minecraft? See them already playing a game that supports cross-play? Connect to their voice channel and chat as you all play.

Turtle Beach Corporation today unveiled the all-new Designed for Xbox Turtle Beach REACT-R Controller, plus a new Arctic Camo colorway for the brand's Designed for Xbox Recon Controller. The new REACT-R and Arctic Camo Recon Controller are the first of Turtle Beach's new controller products launching in 2022 as the leading gaming accessory maker further expands into the ~$600 million third-party gamepad market.

Last year, Turtle Beach debuted its award-winning Designed for Xbox Recon Controller which was lauded by fans and reviewers alike for blending game-changing controls with the brand's signature audio technologies for an affordable $59.95 MSRP. IGN awarded the Recon Controller a 9/10 plus the publication's Editors' Choice designation, while CNN Underscored included it their Best Xbox Series X|S Accessories story. The Recon Controller for Xbox is currently available in Black or White, and the all-new Arctic Camo colorway is available for pre-order today and will be available August 10, 2022 in the UK and Europe, and on August 24, 2022 in the U.S.

PowerA, a leader in enhancing interactive entertainment with officially licensed gaming accessories, today announced the availability of the MOGA XP7-X Plus, the newest controller in their popular mobile and cloud gaming line. The XP7-X Plus delivers precision gameplay on PC and mobile devices. Featuring an integrated charge-while-you-play wireless power bank, two mappable Advanced Gaming Buttons, and a detachable playstand for Tabletop mode, the versatile XP7-X Plus is now the preeminent controller for serious gamers-on-the-go. Designed for Xbox, the XP7-X Plus is engineered to extend and expand the Game Pass Ultimate experience on Mobile and PC platforms.

Staying true to PowerA's mantra of "Play Your Way", the MOGA XP7-X Plus boasts an ergonomic design, allowing users to game in comfort while playing in one of two ways. Handheld mode puts a cinematic gaming experience in users' hands. The telescoping center section is compatible with phones as large as 7.13 in. (18.1 cm). In Tabletop mode, a thoughtfully integrated playstand that supports phones and tablets lets users sit back and play anywhere. The XP7-X Plus connects wirelessly to compatible Bluetooth devices and features a USB port for wired PC play. Perhaps best of all, the controller features a 2000mAh rechargeable power bank, letting users wirelessly charge their phone while gaming with the flip of a switch.

Microsoft has discussed upcoming additions to Xbox Cloud Gaming including mouse and keyboard support along with latency improvements during a recent developer event. The current list of Xbox titles supporting keyboard and mouse input is currently quite short but as Microsoft promotes this new feature we would expect this lineup to grow. Microsoft also announced a new Direct Capture feature in their Display Details API that can reduce latency by up to 72 ms to as low as 2 -12 ms compared to 8 - 74 ms with the current pipeline.

This new API does come with some limitations however such as only allowing a maximum resolution of 1440p and not supporting dynamic resolution or HDR yet. These limitations should have a minimal effect on developers as streams are currently limited to 720p on mobile and 1080p on other platforms. Microsoft also plans to launch several new tools soon to assist developers in adding Direct Capture support to their games.

Morgan Brown - Software Engineer @ XboxXbox has been supporting keyboard and mouse for a few years now, and we're working on adding it to streaming for PC users

The Riot Games and Xbox communities are coming together to bring amazing content for Game Pass members. Today, Riot Games and Xbox announced that Riot's biggest titles are coming to Game Pass this winter. We're bringing together two of the biggest communities in gaming onto one platform. In a first for Game Pass, the partnership extends beyond Riot's PC games to include Riot's mobile-only and mobile-accessible titles.

We've always respected Xbox's relentless push to drive gaming forward, and we're proud to add our games to the Xbox catalog through Game Pass. We're also thrilled to welcome Xbox players into Riot's ecosystem of diverse and passionate gamers across the world. In the coming months, we'll share more about the partnership and how members can access the Game Pass content.

Today, at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, we went under the hood to share what we've been working on: The next generation of Forza Motorsport to immerse you in the spectacle of racing like you've never seen before. Captured in-game and running on Xbox Series X, we unveiled a brand-new trailer, which debuted alongside the first ever gameplay of Forza Motorsport, showcasing how Maple Valley - a beloved, fan-favorite track since the very first Motorsport game launched in 2005 - is being brought to life in stunning detail and beauty.

In addition to Maple Valley, our trailer introduced players to returning fan-favorite tracks Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and Laguna Seca Raceway. We also revealed Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, a South African track making its Forza Motorsport debut, and the all-new Circuit Hakone set in Japan, an original, high-speed Grand Prix circuit built to showcase the technically advanced, state of the art immersion of the new Forza Motorsport.

2K and Marvel Entertainment today announced Marvel's Midnight Suns will launch on October 7, 2022. Created by Firaxis Games, the legendary studio behind the critically-acclaimed, world-renowned Civilization and XCOM franchises, Marvel's Midnight Suns is an all-new tactical RPG set in the darker side of the Marvel Universe. It will be available on PlayStation 5 (PS4 ), PlayStation 4 (PS4 ), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. The Nintendo Switch version of the game will be available at a later date. Rated T for Teen by the ESRB, Marvel's Midnight Suns is now available for pre-order.

When the demonic Lilith and her fearsome horde unite with the evil armies of Hydra, it's time to unleash Marvel's dark side. As The Hunter, your mission is to lead an unlikely team of seasoned Super Heroes and dangerous supernatural warriors to victory. Can legends such as Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and Blade put aside their differences in the face of a growing apocalyptic threat? If you're going to save the world, you'll have to forge alliances and lead the team into battle as the legendary Midnight Suns - Earth's last line of defense against the underworld.

Today, 2K and Supermassive Games announced that The Quarry, an all-new teen-horror narrative game from Supermassive Games and the award-winning team behind Until Dawn, is now available worldwide on PlayStation 5 (PS5 ), PlayStation 4 (PS4 ), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC via Steam. The Quarry follows a group of nine teenage counselors stranded at Hackett's Quarry on the last day of summer camp. Featuring an ensemble of Hollywood stars and horror legends, including David Arquette ("Scream" franchise), Ariel Winter ("Modern Family"), Justice Smith ("Jurassic World"), Brenda Song ("Dollface"), Lance Henriksen ("Aliens"), Lin Shaye ("Insidious" franchise), Ted Raimi ("Creepshow") and more, players play as each of the nine camp counselors in a thrilling cinematic tale, where every decision shapes their unique story from a tangled web of possibilities. Any character can be the star of the show - or die before daylight comes.

"It's been almost seven years since we released our last teen-horror game, and we've challenged ourselves to advance interactive storytelling and take full advantage of technological leaps with The Quarry," said Will Byles, Director at Supermassive Games. "The Quarry offers you the chance to see what choices you would make when encountered with the unthinkable and unimaginable. I can't wait to see what stories you create!" "The team at Supermassive Games have once again raised the bar for the interactive narrative genre," said David Ismailer, President at 2K. "With an incredible cast and nail-biting story, it's been fantastic to partner with them to bring fans what's sure to be one of the most engrossing summer teen horror thrill rides of the summer."

SteelSeries has released a pair of new headsets that builds on its well known Arctis-series, but brings with it a much more modern and premium looking design. Besides the overhaul of the design, SteelSeries has added support for 360 degree spatial audio and the company has also updated its GameDac, which is built around the ESS Sabre 9218PQ40 Quad-DAC. Other new features include an "AI-powered" noise cancelling microphone and a new headband design that's meant to be more comfortable. The wired Arctis Nova Pro comes in a PC and Xbox version, both sporting multi-system connect with dual USB inputs, although 3.5 mm jack input is also supported. A nice touch is that the ear pads are attached with magnets and should as such be easy to replace.

The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless on the other hand comes in three different versions, with a dedicated Xbox and Playstation version, as well as a PC version. Here, SteelSeries has also added active noise cancelling, which is not a feature you find on many gaming headsets. The ANC is using a 4 microphone hybrid system and has support for transparency mode. SteelSeries has replaced the GameDac with a wireless base station for the three wireless versions, which also charges the batteries, as SteelSeries has gone for user swappable battery packs. A 15 minute charge gives you three hours of usage, and a fully charged battery is good for up to 44 hours. Interestingly there's also an eight second power buffer, which allows you to hot swap the batteries, if you're fast. The wireless side of things consists of a proprietary low latency 2.4 GHz radio, as often is the case for wireless gaming headsets, as well as Bluetooth 5.0 support. There's support for simultaneous use of both wireless standards, which is a nice touch and something we've seen from a couple of SteelSeries competitors. The Arctis Nova Pro has an MSRP of US$249.99, with the wireless version costing US$349.99.

Hello, bean fans. We're so excited to share that soon you'll be able to play Fall Guys for free on all platforms—including the introduction of Nintendo Switch, Xbox and the Epic Games Store. Since Fall Guys first hurtled into the world in August 2020, we've come together for six Seasons of stumbles, united in a ridiculous quest for the Crown. Through jungle-dome japes by way of Medieval mayhem. From Custom Lobbies hype to that very first Squad win with your pals, we couldn't have done any of this without the support, dedication and compassion of our incredible community.

From June 21, we're welcoming more players than ever before to the Blunderdome to compete for the Crown - and we've been working hard behind-the-scenes to make sure that everyone enjoys the same great Fall Guys experience no matter where you play. If you haven't checked out our reveal event stream, feast your eye on this marvelous motion picture broadcast immediately.

System Shock Remake developer Nightside Studios has announced that the modern-graphics rendition of the original immersive sim is "largely complete" - at least when it comes to its PC version. The developer has announced that PC content development of the game is finished, and is considered to be in a pre-Beta stage as the developer aims to bring up development for the games' console releases for a cross-platform launch (PlayStation, Xbox and PC) later this year.

The System Shock Remake being developed by Nightdive Studios has had a relatively troubled development, with the developer previously announcing it had to scale back production on the game due to an unintended "feature creep" as they strove to update the games' mechanics towards our current videogame design expectations and sensibilities.

Leading gaming accessories provider Turtle Beach Corporation (NASDAQ: HEAR) today announced the Designed for Xbox Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX as an all-new entry to the best-selling brand's Stealth 700 series of premium wireless gaming headsets. By simply flipping a switch, the Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX offers players the ability to connect lag-free via wireless USB or Bluetooth to more gaming systems, including Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, PS5 and PS4, plus Nintendo Switch, Windows PCs and Mac, and compatible iOS and Android mobile devices. Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX also increases battery life to 40+ hours, with 15-minutes of charge delivering over eight hours of playtime.

The Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX continues delivering the superior high-quality audio with powerful 3D spatial surround sound and ultimate comfort that have made it the best-selling and highly acclaimed premium wireless gaming headset. IGN recently included the Stealth 700 Gen 2 in its latest Best Gaming Headsets 2022 story, naming it the Best Xbox Series X|S Gaming Headset. The Stealth 700 Gen 2's premium features like large and powerful 50 mm Nanoclear drivers, Aerofit cooling gel-infused memory foam ear cushions, ProSpecs glasses-friendly comfort, Superhuman Hearing, a metal-reinforced headband, as well as Bluetooth for talking on Discord, taking calls, listening to music, and connecting to the mobile companion app - all make a return with the Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX. The Designed for Xbox Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX is available for pre-order today from www.turtlebeach.com and at participating retailers worldwide. Available in Black or Cobalt Blue, Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX for Xbox launches globally on May 8, 2022 for a $199.99 MSRP.

MSI, the world's leading manufacturer for true gaming hardware, is proudly expanding hardware possibilities for all gamers. We are excited to announce a special edition of our 4K gaming monitor, the Optix MPG321UR-QD Xbox Edition. This special edition monitor features UHD (3840x2160) resolution and supports up to 144hz with HDMI 2.1, serving as the perfect companion for next-gen consoles. Equipped with Quantum Dot Technology, Adobe RGB 99% and DCI-P3 97%, it has great color range and color gamut providing an immersive gaming experience.

The Xbox Edition comes with various features especially designed for console gamers to provide an amazing experience on the Xbox series X/S. The MPG series also features MSI exclusive Gaming intelligence which includes Sound tune, Smart Brightness, and also KVM features which also includes controller support.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers (Hong Kong Stock Code: 1337), is kicking off 2022 with new Razer Blade gaming laptop models including the Razer Blade 14, Razer Blade 15, and Razer Blade 17. The world's fastest laptops for gamers and creators are equipped with the recently announced NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series Laptop GPUs, up to an RTX 3080 Ti, making the new Blades better than ever, now shipping with Windows 11. All new Razer Blade gaming laptops now also include groundbreaking DDR5 memory, providing blistering clock speeds up to 4800 MHz, an increase in frequency by up to 50% compared to the previous generation.

"The Razer Blade series continues to be the best gaming laptop by providing desktop-class performance on-the-go," says Travis Furst, Senior Director of Razer's Systems business unit. "Additionally, we've enabled creators to work anywhere with gorgeous displays, available NVIDIA Studio drivers, and up to 14-Core CPUs. Users will have the ability to choose any model or configuration that best fits their gaming or creating needs, while getting the latest and greatest in graphics, memory and processing technology."

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announces the Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming Platform, a purpose-built platform that allows gamers the best place to play their favorite games. The platform delivers cutting-edge performance to run all Android games, play content from cloud gaming libraries, stream games from your home console or PC, and enjoy entertainment from your favorite Android apps. Amassing the entire arsenal of Snapdragon Elite Gaming technologies together to create a premium category of dedicated consumer gaming products, the platform is designed to power incredible experiences for gamers on-the-go.

To showcase the platform, Qualcomm Technologies partnered with Razer to build the first Snapdragon G3x Handheld Gaming Developer Kit, which is available exclusively for developers starting today. Razer is a global leader in gaming hardware and has already constructed one of the world's largest gamer-focused ecosystems of hardware, software, and services.

More than a year after the release of Microsoft's Xbox Series X console and demand still hasn't abated - many customers are still trying to get their hands on a piece of Xbox Series X hardware, which is continually sold-out at most retailers and e-tailers that actually practice sane pricing. Many companies have tried to adapt to the new world of scalping by adding queue systems, locking inventory behind subscription services such as Amazon Prime, or via private buy links sent out via email. Microsoft seems to have chosen the latter as the 2021 holiday season fast approaches - the company has been sending links for Xbox Series X bundles to "valued Xbox customers", allowing them to purchase an Xbox Series X directly from Microsoft without having to compete with the scalpers or bots in the general Microsoft store.

The Xbox Series X bundles include an Xbox Series X with two controllers and one game. The Verge notes customers can choose one game out of Madden 22, GTA V, Rust, Far Cry 6, Hasbro Family Fun Pack, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, Insurgency Sandstorm, or Diablo 2 Resurrected. There's no real way to tell how Microsoft is choosing which customers to send these links to - it sounds plausible that it's targeting users that have purchased either Xbox software or hardware via the U.S. Microsoft Store. Even with this mailing campaign, consoles will be sold in a first-come, first-served basis - the link may lead users towards a page where the Series X is out of stock all the same, but it certainly does give users that slightly higher chance to finally score a latest gen Xbox console.

Intel's Arc Alchemist lineup of graphics cards, based on Xe-HPG GPU configuration, is nearing the launch. With the current situation with AMD and NVIDIA GPUs outputting graphics card prices over the default MSRP, we wonder how Intel would place pricing of its upcoming GPUs and fit inside the market. And today, we got the first round of speculations based on Intel's Arc Alchemist GPU giveaway called Xe-HPG Scavenger Hunt. There are two principal bundles: one worth $900 that includes Intel Arc merchandise, Xbox Game Pass PC for six months, Intel Premium Arc Alchemist graphics card, and one worth $700 that consists of three months of Xbox Game Pass PC, Intel Arc merchandise, and Intel Performance Arc Alchemist graphics card.

According to some preliminary calculations from Tom's Hardware, we assume that with the $900 bundle containing one Premium Arc Alchemist GPU and other prizes, the card will cost as much as $825 when all things get removed. Going down the ladder, Intel has paired a bundle worth $700 with a Performance Arc GPU, which is roughly worth $650 on its own. It indicates that the two Intel Performance and Premium Arch Alchemist graphics cards are respectfully worth $650 and $825. What will the final pricing look like? We don't know. However, we assume that it could be very similar to this. For more information we have to wait for the official launch.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced an all-new gaming peripherals lineup that channels the minimalist feel of monochrome through a striking Moonlight White color scheme. The ROG Strix Scope NX TKL 80%, tenkeyless mechanical RGB gaming keyboard, ROG Strix Impact II ambidextrous gaming mouse, ROG Strix Go Core gaming headset and ROG Cetra II Core in-ear gaming headphones are all now available in North America in this stunning colorway.

ROG has a long history of weaving Aura Sync into a huge ecosystem of devices to let gamers shine a light on their personalities through their gear - but many players also seek a minimalist look. That's why the ROG color palette is expanding to include the Moonlight White series, providing a commanding counterpart to the signature red-and-black color scheme.

The new Surface Laptop Studio features what Microsoft calls a boundary-pushing design, yet we felt like we'd seen the easel before. Lo and behold, Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel launched last year with a very similar design and HP launched the similar Spectre Folio in 2018. Not to belittle Microsoft here, as they have designed a much slicker hinge mechanism than Acer, while seemingly also improving upon the materials used and unlike HP's Spectre Folio, this is a "full fat" laptop and not a glorified tablet.

The Surface Laptop Studio is a strange looking machine, as it has an overhang, something I never expected to see on a laptop and although it appears to have been designed to allow for better cooling, there's just something about it that irks me. Yes, it makes it appear thinner than it really is and Microsoft uses the overhang to tuck away and charge the optional Surface Slim Pen 2 underneath, but it just looks odd for a lack of a better word. Oddities aside, it should be Microsoft's most powerful Intel powered laptop to date and it even packs a discrete NVIDIA GPU.

Stephanie Brenham, Team Lead Programmer for Ubisoft's upcoming AAA Far Cry 6, recently spoke to WCCFTech on the upcoming Far Cry installment. Stephanie went into some detail regarding the graphics and performance options, and an interesting fact that surfaced was that neither Sony's PS5 nor Microsoft's Xbox Series consoles will feature ray tracing enabled on their respective versions of the game. Apparently, ray tracing will be a PC-exclusive feature, as console versions of the game are targeting higher render resolution and more fluid framerates over expensive graphics options such as ray tracing. And even on PC, it'll be a hybrid form of it, and not a full implementation: ray tracing is supported for both shadows and reflections, but Ubisoft opted for a hybrid approach here, marrying traditional rendering with ray tracing so as to improve performance in mainstream PC hardware.

"Ray tracing is a PC-only feature," Stephanie Brenham said. "On console, our objective has been to take advantage of new hardware capabilities, optimizing performance targeting 4K and achieving 60 FPS." This does somewhat fall in the face of performance expectations set by both Sony and Microsoft; both companies made (and still make) extensive use of ray tracing support on the marketing campaigns for their consoles. However, as we've seen in the past, enabling ray tracing comes with severe performance penalties in even the latest and greatest PC hardware (sometimes not to best effect, even), which still outclasses even the latest consoles' powerful innards (compared to their predecessors, of course).

After the introduction of the current generation of consoles, we've started to see more and more monitors with console support and now Philips has joined the fray with its new 279M1RV 4K, 144 Hz, 27-inch gaming display. It might carry a "Designed for Xbox" logo, but using HDMI 2.1 with a console limits it to 120 Hz and you really need a high-end gaming PC to get the most out of it.

Philips is using an LG Nano IPS panel that covers 98% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, a contrast ratio of 1000:1, 1 ms gray to gray typical response time and 178 degree viewing angles. The display is also HDR 600 certified, although the typical brightness is 450 cd/m². It's also G-Sync compatible, with a slightly disappointing range of 60-144 Hz, which is limited to the DP port. VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and FRL (Fixed Rate Link) are both supported over HDMI 2.1, but ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and QFT (Quick Frame Timing) seems to be absent.

SCUF Gaming, a leader in the design and manufacturing of high-performance gaming controllers, today introduces the Designed for Xbox SCUF Instinct and Instinct Pro, created specifically for the Xbox Series X|S.

SCUF Instinct incorporates all of the innovative features gamers expect from SCUF - including the patented paddle control system that helped make SCUF controllers the premier choice of competitive players everywhere - with an evolved controller design to improve performance for Xbox fans. Both Instinct and Instinct Pro include four embedded back control paddles, which can be programmed to replicate the ABXY buttons. Their refined ergonomic shape enables better control for a wide variety of hand sizes, with millions of customization options to suit all gamers including interchangeable faceplates, thumbsticks, and D-pads.

SCUF Instinct Pro additionally offers new adjustable Instant Triggers, giving gamers the ability to choose between regular or instant-action at the flick of a switch. Instant Triggers eliminate the trigger pull, activating immediately with a one-tap motion, similar to a mouse click - ideal for fast-paced shooters. You can always switch back to regular triggers and be ready to play your favorite racing game. Instinct Pro also includes High-Performance Grip.

Today, we're excited to announce we're bringing Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) to the Xbox App on Windows 10 PCs for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members in 22 countries who are part of the Insider program. Xbox Cloud Gaming with the Xbox App provides the same great Xbox experience you're used to: Play over 100 high-quality Xbox console games with your friends; pick up from a saved game you started on your Xbox; or try out a whole new game from the Xbox Game Pass library to decide if you want to download it to your console.

With Xbox Cloud Gaming, you can turn all types of PCs into a gaming device, from brand-new budget computers to older machines with low specs. All you need to do is connect a compatible controller via Bluetooth or USB, launch the Xbox app, click the "cloud games" button, select your game and start playing. We've also added some new features to help you get started, including easy-to-access information on controller and network status, social features to stay connected with friends, and the ability to invite people - even those also playing on cloud without the game installed - to join you in a game.

According to NPD data, Xbox just set a new hardware sales record the past month of June in the U.S., outselling PlayStation to the tune of a cool $200 million. The Xbox division cumulatively brought in a total $401 million dollars in the past month of June, marking a year-over-year (YoY) revenue growth to the tune of 112%. That large, $401 million number also marks a new record for Xbox and its Microsoft parent - the previous revenue record for the Xbox division was set way back in 2011. ten years later, it can be said that Xbox is better than ever before.

That same $401 million revenue from Xbox hardware clearly puts Sony's PlayStation in the rear-view mirror, as the company "only" achieved a $207 million revenue for June 2021 - a 1% decline YoY. That Microsoft managed to pull this off in the hardware shortage scenario we currently live in is impressive; and it does speak to the amount of pent-up demand that's still vying to enter the company's coffers. The record comes a month after Microsoft announced the deployment of Xbox Series X server blades to its xCloud programme, which occurred on June 26th. It appears likely that the company was distributing its Series X production capabilities between the retail sector and its own xCloud service before June 26th (with the additional time required for installation and all that entails), which would explain the sudden record in June. As Microsoft freed xCloud-bound capacity to the retail sector, the record thus ensued.