Microsoft has cut the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $29.99 to $22.99 per month, effective immediately, reversing a chunk of the steep increase that angered subscribers last year. PC Game Pass also drops from $16.49 to $13.99 per month. The trade-off, and there is one, is that new Call of Duty games will no longer land on Game Pass at launch starting this year.

The announcement came via a blog post on Xbox Wire from Asha Sharma, the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, who stepped into the role after Phil Spencer retired in February. It is the first major consumer-facing move of her tenure, and it directly addresses feedback that Game Pass had simply become too expensive.

What Is Changing With Game Pass Pricing

The new pricing applies globally, although Microsoft notes figures may vary by region. Both reductions are live now, so existing subscribers should see the lower rate reflected on their next billing cycle.

For context, Microsoft pushed Ultimate up by $10 to $29.99 in October, a roughly 50% hike that landed badly with the community. The new $22.99 price still sits above the pre-October rate, but it claws back most of the gap.

Call Of Duty Is No Longer A Day-One Perk

The catch is tucked into the same announcement. Starting with this year’s release, new Call of Duty titles will not be included on Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass at launch. Instead, they will be added roughly a year later, during the following holiday season.

Any Call of Duty titles currently in the Game Pass library are unaffected and remain playable for subscribers. If you want to play the newest entry on day one, you will need to buy it outright, presumably at the standard $69.99 price point.

That shift is significant because day-one Call of Duty access was one of the main selling points Microsoft leaned on after the Activision Blizzard acquisition closed in 2023. Removing it reshapes what Game Pass Ultimate actually offers at the top tier.

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Why Microsoft Is Pulling This Lever Now

The move lines up with internal messaging that leaked earlier this month. Sharma reportedly told Xbox staff in a memo that Game Pass had become too expensive for players, and that the team needed a better value equation. The same reporting flagged that leadership was weighing removing Call of Duty from day-one availability, which is exactly what has now happened.

It is also a response to the shape of Microsoft’s gaming business. Gaming made up 7% of total revenue in the company’s fourth quarter, and that unit’s revenue was down around 10% year over year while other divisions like Azure and Microsoft 365 grew by double digits. Hardware sales fell 32%, and the broader Xbox content and services line came in below internal projections. CFO Amy Hood also flagged an unspecified impairment charge tied to the gaming business on the earnings call.

In her blog post, Sharma framed the decision around player feedback rather than financials:

Our players cover a wide breadth of geographies, preferences, and tastes, so while there isn’t a single model that’s best for everyone, this change responds to a lot of feedback we’ve gotten so far. We’ll continue to listen and learn.

What Subscribers Still Get At The New Price

Even with Call of Duty pulled back from day-one, Ultimate keeps the rest of its feature set intact. That includes hundreds of games across Xbox console and PC, in-game benefits, online console multiplayer, unlimited Xbox Cloud Gaming, and major day-one releases from other first-party and third-party studios.

Game Pass had 34 million subscribers based on the last figure Microsoft shared in 2024, and the service still spans four tiers: Ultimate, Premium, Essential, and PC Game Pass. Only Ultimate and PC Game Pass have been repriced in this round.

Sharma’s Early Direction For Xbox

This is not Sharma‘s first visible course correction. Since taking over from Spencer, she has already wound down the “This is an Xbox” advertising campaign, saying it did not feel like Xbox. The Game Pass price cut pushes in the same direction, trying to rebuild goodwill with the core player base after a bruising year for the brand.

The Call of Duty trade-off is the part that will define how this announcement ages. For players who subscribed mainly to play the new Call of Duty on day one, the maths has changed. For everyone else, Ultimate just got cheaper without losing anything they already had access to.

Whether this brings lapsed subscribers back, or whether the holiday-season Call of Duty additions feel like enough of a headline draw a year from now, is the next thing worth watching. Microsoft has signalled it is willing to listen, and the pricing itself is clearly still a moving target.

The post Xbox Game Pass Price Drops by $7, But Call of Duty Loses Day One Access appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Xbox’s indie-focused showcase is back this week. The ID@Xbox April 2026 Showcase has been locked in for Thursday, April 23, with IGN once again hosting the livestream alongside Microsoft. The event will spotlight a fresh batch of indie titles heading to Xbox and PC, with a handful of games already confirmed and plenty more being kept under wraps until showtime.

It is the latest in a string of Xbox events the company has been lining up, sitting between the recently announced Xbox Games Showcase 2026 in June and the dedicated Gears of War: E-Day Direct that’s expected to follow. For indie fans, though, this Thursday is the one to circle.

When Is the ID@Xbox April 2026 Showcase

The showcase kicks off on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 5pm GMT. For local audiences, that lands at 5am NZST on Friday, April 24, which is admittedly a rough one for anyone hoping to watch live in New Zealand. A daytime catch-up via VOD is the more realistic option for most Kiwi viewers.

Runtime hasn’t been officially confirmed, but ID@Xbox showcases have historically run somewhere between 30 minutes and an hour, so expect a tight, trailer-heavy presentation rather than a sprawling Direct-style event.

How to Watch the ID@Xbox Showcase

The stream will be available across a wide range of platforms, with IGN leading the broadcast as the official partner. You can tune in via:

• IGN.com
• IGN’s YouTube channel
• IGN’s Twitch channel
• IGN’s Facebook page
• IGN on X (formerly Twitter)
• IGN mobile apps
• Eurogamer
• VG247
• GamesIndustry.biz
• Rock Paper Shotgun

Microsoft’s own Xbox channels are also expected to carry the broadcast, as they have for previous ID@Xbox events.

Confirmed Games at the ID@Xbox Showcase

Four titles have been officially confirmed for the April 23 lineup so far. The rest of the slate is being held back as a surprise reveal during the show itself, which is fairly standard for ID@Xbox presentations.

Mistfall Hunter

An extraction-focused multiplayer title that has been building quiet momentum on the PC indie scene. Its inclusion suggests a console announcement or playable build update is on the cards.

There Are No Ghosts at the Grand

A narrative-leaning indie with a distinctive title that has been generating curiosity since its first reveal. Expect a deeper look at gameplay or a release window during the showcase.

Aphelion

Aphelion has already been confirmed as a Day One arrival on Xbox Game Pass as part of the April 2026 Wave 2 lineup, so a fresh trailer here would line up neatly with the launch push.

Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive

A console-flavoured spin on the wildly popular Solo Leveling: Arise mobile and PC action RPG. This one carries the most mainstream pull of the confirmed lineup, given the franchise’s anime crossover audience.

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What Else Could Be Featured

Beyond the four confirmed titles, ID@Xbox has a track record of using these showcases to surface games well outside the usual indie spotlight. The October 2025 event leaned on a mix of breakout hits and lower-profile reveals, with MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, Invincible VS, Vampire Survivors, TCG Pocket Simulator, and Sledding Game all featured. Several of those have since worked their way onto Game Pass.

That pattern is worth keeping in mind on Thursday. The unannounced portion of the lineup is usually where the more interesting reveals land, whether that’s a surprise shadow drop, a Game Pass announcement, or a first look at something genuinely new.

Where the Showcase Fits in Xbox’s 2026 Plans

This event sits at the lighter end of Xbox’s 2026 calendar, sandwiched between bigger beats. The Xbox Games Showcase 2026 is locked in for June and is expected to carry the major first-party reveals, while the Gears of War: E-Day Direct will follow with a focused look at one of the platform’s tentpole releases.

The ID@Xbox showcase is a deliberately smaller affair, but it’s also where Microsoft has historically used Game Pass leverage to sign Day One indie deals and surface games that might otherwise get lost in the noise. With Aphelion already confirmed for the Game Pass April Wave 2 drop, expect at least one or two more Day One announcements to land during the show.

The livestream goes live on Thursday, April 23 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 5pm GMT, which is 5am NZST on Friday, April 24 for New Zealand viewers.

The post ID@Xbox April 2026 Showcase Date, Time, How to Watch, and Confirmed Games appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Xbox has pulled back the curtain on the second half of April’s Game Pass drop, and it’s a mixed bag of cosy indies, a Vampire Survivors spin-off, a Don’t Nod sci-fi adventure, and a classic Final Fantasy landing on the service for the first time. Ten games are rolling in between 21 April and 5 May 2026, and another nine are heading out the door on 30 April.

Wave 2 isn’t quite the marquee lineup that kicked off the month with Hades 2 and Football Manager 26, but there are four Day One titles in here and a few genuinely interesting picks buried in the list. Here’s everything joining and leaving Xbox Game Pass for the rest of April 2026.

Every Game Coming To Xbox Game Pass In Late April 2026

The full wave spans Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Premium, with a handful of titles available Day One. Two games, Little Rocket Lab and Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato, are already on the service but are now expanding down to the Premium tier.

The Day One Highlights Worth Paying Attention To

Four of this wave’s titles arrive on Game Pass the same day they launch, and they cover a pretty wide stretch of genres. If you’re trying to figure out where to spend your time first, these are the ones doing the heaviest lifting.

Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard From Vampire Survivors

Vampire Crawlers is the big draw of the wave. Poncle’s follow-up to the 2022 roguelike phenomenon ditches the bullet-heaven format and turns the same chaotic, build-obsessed energy into a turn-based, deck-driven first-person dungeon crawler. You still build broken combos and explore familiar dungeons, but now it’s served up one turn at a time, either slowly and tactically or as fast as your fingers can mash buttons.

Kiln

Kiln is the one almost nobody saw coming. It’s a pottery game where you sculpt ceramics and then throw those exact creations into online arena battles as your fighter. The studio is pitching it as a celebration of creativity and destruction in equal measure, and it’s the kind of weird, hook-first indie that Game Pass tends to surface well.

Aphelion

Don’t Nod, the studio behind Jusant and Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, is back with a third-person sci-fi adventure built in collaboration with the European Space Agency. You play as astronaut Ariane after a crash landing on a frozen planet, controlling both her and her injured partner Thomas as they push through shifting realities and grounded real-world science. It’s easily the most prestige-leaning entry in the wave.

Heroes Of Might & Magic: Olden Era

This one lands in Game Preview on PC only, and it’s the official prequel to the turn-based strategy series that basically invented its own subgenre. Expect grand armies, devastating spells, and both solo and multiplayer campaigns. A must-look for HOMM veterans, even in its preview state.

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Final Fantasy V Finally Joins Game Pass On 5 May

The one non-Day One headliner is Final Fantasy V, landing on 5 May via the Pixel Remaster version. It’s the first time the game has been available on Game Pass, and it arrives across Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass at once. FFV has long been the cult-favourite entry of the classic run, mostly thanks to its Job system, which a lot of fans still point to as the best iteration Square Enix ever put together.

The Rest Of The Wave: Cosy Builders, FPS Throwbacks, And Multiplayer Chaos

The non-Day One additions lean heavily into comfort food and variety.

Little Rocket Lab is a cosy machine-building RPG where you play an aspiring engineer helping your family finish a rocket.

Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato is a narrative adventure set across a magical-realist South America.

TerraTech Legion takes the block-based vehicle builder formula and drops it into a bullet-heaven roguelite.

Sledding Game is a proximity-chat snow sports hangout with yetis, ragdolls, and custom animal avatars.

Trepang2 is probably the wildcard for shooter fans. It’s a gory, fast, genuinely hardcore FPS that flew under a lot of radars on release, and getting it in front of Game Pass’s audience should give it a proper second wind.

Every Game Leaving Xbox Game Pass On 30 April

Nine games are cycling out at the end of the month, so if you’ve been putting any of these off, now’s the time. Xbox is offering up to 20% off if you want to keep any of them in your library permanently.

• Citizen Sleeper (Cloud, Console, PC)
• Creatures of Ava (Cloud, Console, PC)
• Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 (Cloud, Console, PC)
• Endless Legend 2 (PC)
• Goat Simulator (Cloud, Console)
• Goat Simulator Remastered (Cloud, Console, PC)
• Hunt Showdown 1896 (Cloud, Console, PC)
• NHL 24 via EA Play (Cloud, Console)
• Revenge of the Savage Planet (Cloud, Console, PC)

Citizen Sleeper is the standout departure for anyone who hasn’t played it yet. It’s one of the most acclaimed narrative RPGs of the last few years and genuinely worth clearing a weekend for before it vanishes.

What Wave 2 Says About Game Pass Right Now

Wave 1 carried the month on name recognition. Wave 2 is doing something different, stacking indies, one cult-classic JRPG, and a couple of strategic Day One bets, and letting the catalogue breadth speak for itself. With the rumoured first-party cloud-gaming tier and ongoing conversation around pricing, how Game Pass handles smaller, weirder releases like Kiln and Vampire Crawlers is arguably more revealing than which AAA names it can grab on launch day.

The post Xbox Game Pass April 2026 Wave 2 – Vampire Crawlers, Aphelion, Final Fantasy V And Every New Game appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

New Xbox chief Asha Sharma has openly acknowledged what subscribers have been saying for months: Game Pass costs too much. In an internal memo to Xbox staff, Sharma confirmed that Microsoft is actively looking at reworking its subscription model, describing the current pricing as unsustainable and promising a “more flexible system” down the line.

What The Leaked Memo Actually Says

The memo, obtained by The Verge, lays out Sharma’s position on Game Pass in surprisingly direct terms. “Game Pass is central to gaming value on Xbox. It’s also clear that the current model isn’t the final one,” she wrote. “Short term, Game Pass has become too expensive for players, so we need a better value equation. Long term, we will evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system which will take time to test and learn around.”

Sharma also acknowledged the “online chatter” surrounding rumours of Game Pass pricing changes, telling employees she would “go deeper” on the topic in the coming week. No specific pricing adjustments or structural changes were outlined in the memo itself, but the tone suggests Microsoft is past the denial stage and actively working on solutions.

How Game Pass Got This Expensive

Game Pass has come a long way from its 2017 launch, when US$9.99 per month got you access to the full library. Today, the service is split across Ultimate, Premium, and Essential tiers, each with different content access, and the pricing reflects that fragmentation. Game Pass Ultimate currently sits at US$29.99 per month following a 50 percent price hike last year, while PC Game Pass jumped from US$11.99 to US$16.49.

A significant factor behind the cost increase was Microsoft’s decision to fold Call of Duty into the subscription. The Verge’s Tom Warren reported nearly two years ago that Microsoft had internally debated whether adding new Call of Duty releases to Game Pass would cannibalise the franchise’s retail revenue. Microsoft went ahead with it in mid-2024, and the subscription price climbed accordingly.

Microsoft attempted to soften the blow of the latest increase by bundling additional perks like Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft Classics into higher tiers. But the value proposition has clearly not landed with everyone, and Microsoft does not publicly share subscriber numbers to gauge the real impact.

Call Of Duty Could Be On The Chopping Block

One of the more notable rumours circling right now is that Microsoft might pull Call of Duty from Game Pass entirely. Windows Central’s Jez Corden raised the possibility on the XB2+1 podcast over the weekend, saying it would “reveal some of the cracks in the strategy” if it happened this year.

Beyond the Call of Duty question, there have been whispers about new Game Pass tiers, including one that would focus exclusively on first-party titles. A straightforward price reduction has not been widely speculated on, though it remains the most obvious lever Microsoft could pull.

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The Broader Industry Problem With Pricing

Sharma’s admission does not exist in a vacuum. The wider games industry is grappling with the same tension between rising costs and consumer tolerance. Sony has been experimenting with personalised dynamic pricing to tempt PS5 owners with tailored discounts. Nintendo recently announced it would sell digital versions of first-party titles at a lower price than their physical counterparts, starting with Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. Epic Games also drew criticism for increasing the cost of V-Bucks in Fortnite.

The subscription model itself has also faced growing scepticism from developers. The director of Revenge of the Savage Planet noted that the game performed well on Game Pass but failed to generate meaningful revenue, arguing that giving content away for free trains players not to pay for it. Former Bethesda VP Pete Hines similarly acknowledged that most Game Pass adoption comes at the expense of retail sales.

What Comes Next For Game Pass

Sharma’s memo does not commit to a timeline or a specific plan, but the language strongly suggests changes are being shaped internally. Immediate price drops in the coming days seem unlikely, though a restructuring of tiers or content access could materialise in the weeks ahead.

The stakes are high for Sharma personally. She faced criticism from parts of the Xbox community over her perceived lack of gaming credentials when she was appointed, and delivering a tangible improvement to Game Pass value would go a long way toward building trust with the player base. Under her leadership, Xbox also appears to be refocusing on console hardware, having quietly shelved the “This is an Xbox” marketing campaign while confirming its next-generation console effort, Project Helix.

The post Xbox CEO Admits Game Pass Is ‘Too Expensive’, Signals Pricing Overhaul appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Xbox Game Pass is stacking April 2026 with one of its strongest monthly lineups in recent memory. Headlined by Hades II finally arriving on Xbox alongside a remastered Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the service is adding over 20 titles across its various tiers this month, with a mix of heavy hitters, day one indie launches, and a few beloved classics making their Game Pass debut.

The Headline Additions

Supergiant Games’ Hades II lands on Game Pass on 14 April after spending six months as a Switch console exclusive following its full launch. The roguelike sequel, widely considered a 2025 Game of the Year contender, is now making the jump to Xbox Series X|S, Cloud, Handheld, and PC through Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. If you missed it on Switch or PC Early Access, this is arguably the single best reason to fire up your Game Pass subscription this month.

Two days later, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered arrives on 16 April, modernising the 2006 Game of the Year with completely overhauled visuals and refined gameplay. It joins Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, with Game Pass Premium subscribers gaining access at the same time. For anyone who has been itching to revisit Cyrodiil (or experience it for the first time), this is a significant get.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) rounds out the big three on 17 April, joining Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass across Cloud, Console, and PC. The 2019 reboot remains one of the most acclaimed entries in the franchise, with its grounded campaign and fluid gunplay still holding up well.

Day One Launches Worth Watching

Beyond the marquee names, April’s lineup includes three day one Game Pass launches that deserve attention. Replaced (14 April) is a long-awaited HD-2D pixel art cyberpunk thriller set in an alternate 1980s America, blending cinematic 2.5D platforming with free-flow combat. You play as an AI trapped inside a human body, which is exactly as unsettling as it sounds.

Vampire Crawlers (21 April) comes from the creators of Vampire Survivors and reimagines that formula as a hyper turn-based, card-driven dungeon crawler. Early demo impressions suggest it is dangerously addictive, leaning into busted deck-building and world-ending combos while letting you play at whatever pace suits you.

Kiln (23 April) is Double Fine’s pottery-themed party game where you sculpt ceramic creations and then bring them into online arena battles. It is a bizarre concept that sits right in Double Fine’s wheelhouse of creative, offbeat game design.

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Every Game Coming To Xbox Game Pass In April 2026

Game Pass Essential Additions

Game Pass Essential subscribers are not left out entirely. On 8 April, Warhammer Vermintide 2 joins the Essential tier on Cloud and Console, offering four-player co-op combat against the forces of Chaos and Skaven. DayZ also becomes available on PC for Essential subscribers on the same date.

The Other Highlights You Should Not Sleep On

Tiny Bookshop (10 April) is a cosy narrative management game about running a second-hand bookshop by the sea. It originally launched on PC and Switch last August and is now making its way to Xbox. If you are after something low-stakes and charming between bigger sessions, this is the one.

The Thaumaturge (14 April) is a character-driven RPG set in a city on the brink of change, with morally ambiguous choices and turn-based combat. You use mystical powers to read emotions, command folklore-inspired demons, and navigate a story that rewards careful decision-making.

Football Manager 26 (13 April) is the first entry in the series built on the Unity engine, promising a redesigned interface and a more immersive matchday experience. Both the PC and Console versions arrive on the same day, each tailored to their respective control schemes.

FBC: Firebreak (8 April) is a cooperative first-person shooter set within the world of Control, tasking players with plunging into the Federal Bureau of Control’s strangest crises to contain otherworldly chaos.

Notable Game Updates And In-Game Benefits

Dome Keeper receives its multiplayer update on 13 April, adding four-player co-op to the tower-defence roguelike. You can now defend your dome with friends or go head-to-head in versus modes focused on survival and resource delivery.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 03 is live now, adding new maps (Beacon and Abyss), new weapons, and the Ashwood Survival Map for Zombies. EA Sports NHL 26 arrives via EA Play on 16 April, and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can claim an EA Play Supercharge Bundle until 16 May alongside a 10% discount on EA digital purchases.

Albion Online also expands to Cloud and Console on 21 April, with Game Pass subscribers unlocking an exclusive Green Knight vanity set, mount, 100,000 Fame, three days of Premium status, and 3,000 Victory Emote charges.

Games Leaving Game Pass On 15 April

As always, some titles are rotating out. Grand Theft Auto V, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, Ashen, My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery, and the Game Preview build of Terra Invicta all leave the library on 15 April. GTA V leaving is a notable loss, and Terra Invicta is worth a look for 4X strategy fans before it goes. All departing titles are available at up to 20% off for those who want to keep them permanently.

A Month That Sets A High Bar

April 2026 is shaping up as one of Game Pass’s most compelling months in a long time. Between Hades II, Oblivion Remastered, and a string of creative indie day one launches, there is something here for practically every type of player. The real challenge this month is not finding something to play, it is finding the time.

The post Xbox Game Pass April 2026 Reveals Hades II, Oblivion Remastered, and Every New Game This Month appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Xbox has officially revealed the Xbox Game Pass February 2026 Wave 2 lineup, and it is stacked with heavy hitters. Headlining the second half of the month are The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, alongside EA Sports College Football 26, Final Fantasy III, and several day one releases.

Games Available Today On Game Pass

February 17 kicks things off with three titles landing immediately.

Aerial_Knight’s DropShot is available day one for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members across Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC. It blends high speed racing and first person shooting, following Smoke Wallace, who gains dragon powered abilities after a radioactive bite.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora also joins the library today for Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Set in the Western Frontier of Pandora, the first person action adventure follows a Na’vi raised by the RDA who must rediscover their heritage. The game now includes a new third person mode, offering a fresh way to explore the world.

Premium members can also access Avowed on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This update marks the end of a year of post launch support, adding new playable races, New Game Plus, Photo Mode, custom game options, a new quarterstaff weapon type, and multiple gameplay improvements.

February 19 Brings EA Sports College Football 26 And The Witcher 3

February 19 is one of the biggest days in this wave.

Death Howl arrives on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC. Already available on PC through Game Pass, this soulslike deck builder follows a grieving mother travelling through a spirit world in an attempt to bring her son back from death.

EA Sports College Football 26 joins The Play List for Game Pass Ultimate members on Cloud and Xbox Series X|S. The game features 136 FBS schools, more than 300 authentic coaches, 2,700 new plays, and 10,000 college athletes with upgraded abilities. Ultimate subscribers can also claim a Supercharge Pack between February 19 and March 20, and receive a 10 percent discount on EA digital purchases through EA Play.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition also lands on February 19 for Game Pass Ultimate and Premium members on Cloud and Console. The Complete Edition includes the full base game plus expansions, letting players experience Geralt of Rivia’s search for Ciri across its branching dark fantasy storyline.

The timing is interesting, as rumours continue to circulate about a potential third expansion that could bridge the gap between The Witcher 3 and CD Projekt’s upcoming Witcher 4, which is not expected before 2027. For now, though, subscribers are getting the definitive version of one of the most celebrated RPGs of the last decade.

Late February Releases And Game Preview Titles

The second half of the month continues with a mix of new releases and expanded previews.

TCG Card Shop Simulator enters Game Preview on February 24 across Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC for Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass members. Players run their own local game store, stocking booster packs, setting prices, hosting events, and even cracking packs for their own collection.

Dice A Million launches day one on February 25 for PC Game Pass and Ultimate subscribers. The core idea is simple but chaotic, build the right dice bag and aim to roll one million, using powerful rings and abilities to stack the odds in your favour.

Towerborne officially exits its in progress preview with a full game release on February 26. Available on Console, Handheld, and PC, the launch version adds new story content, areas, enemies, progression systems, offline play, optional online co op, and rebalanced difficulty options. Cosmetic rewards are now earned through gameplay rather than external systems.

March Additions: Final Fantasy III And Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

March 3 brings two notable RPG additions.

Final Fantasy III joins Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The classic entry follows four chosen adventurers empowered by crystals, tasked with restoring balance between light and darkness.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 also launches on March 3 for Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass members. Set in 15th century Bohemia during a civil war, players once again step into the role of Henry of Skalitz. The sequel continues its grounded historical action RPG approach, focusing on revenge, betrayal, and survival in a politically unstable world.

Recent Additions And Game Updates

In case you missed earlier February updates, several other titles have already joined the service.

Menace entered Game Preview on PC on February 5, putting players in command of a strike force in the isolated Wayback system.

Diablo II: Resurrected arrived on Console and PC on February 11, bringing the remastered base game and Lord of Destruction expansion to subscribers.

High on Life 2 launched on February 13 across Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, continuing its chaotic alien shooter story.

Overwatch also kicked off Season 1: Conquest on February 10 for Console and PC players, introducing five new Heroes and a faction driven event that pushes the game’s narrative forward.

Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass On February 28

As always, new additions mean some departures.

Leaving the Game Pass library on February 28 are Monster Train, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, Injustice 2, and Middle Earth: Shadow of War across Cloud, Console, and PC. Subscribers can save up to 20 percent on these titles if they wish to purchase them permanently before they leave.

With major RPGs, sports titles, simulators, and day one indies all arriving within weeks of each other, Xbox Game Pass February 2026 Wave 2 is shaping up to be one of the strongest second half drops in recent memory. And if Microsoft keeps this pace up heading into March, subscribers are not going to have much downtime between releases.

The post Xbox Game Pass February 2026 Wave 2 Adds The Witcher 3 And Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

After years of silence and speculation, Fable is finally stepping back into the spotlight. Playground Games has delivered its most detailed look yet at the long awaited reboot during the latest Xbox Developer_Direct, confirming platforms, release timing, and exactly why this new take on Albion could be one of the most ambitious RPGs of the generation.

Fable launches this Autumn on Xbox Series X and S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It will also support Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning a single purchase carries across Xbox and PC. For the first time in franchise history, Fable is releasing on PlayStation 5 alongside Xbox platforms, opening the gates of Albion to a much wider audience.

Developed by Playground Games, best known for the Forza Horizon series, this is not a remake or sequel. Instead, it is a full reboot, designed as a new beginning for one of Xbox’s most iconic RPG franchises.

A New Beginning For Albion

According to Fable general manager and game director Ralph Fulton, the decision to reboot was intentional. It has been nearly two console generations since the original trilogy ended, and Playground wanted the freedom to rebuild Albion without being tied to existing timelines or characters.

This fresh start allows the team to honour the spirit of the original games while crafting their own version of the world. The result is a familiar yet reimagined Albion, one that keeps Fable’s identity intact while modernising its systems, storytelling, and scope.

At its core, Playground’s Fable is built around a simple idea inherited from Lionhead Studios. Fable is fairytale, not fantasy. Rather than epic political drama or world ending stakes, the game focuses on smaller, more personal stories about ordinary people, and what happens when magic disrupts their lives.

Story Setup And Player Freedom

Fable begins, as tradition demands, with your character as a child. Early on, your heroic powers awaken, setting you apart from everyone around you. A time jump then moves the story forward, reintroducing your hero as an adult returning to their home village of Briar Hill.

The inciting incident strikes quickly. A mysterious stranger turns your entire village, including your grandmother, to stone. With no clear answers and only fleeting clues, your journey into the wider world begins, driven by the hope of reversing what has been done.

From the moment you leave your village, Albion opens up completely. There is no ticking clock forcing you down the main story path. You can head toward the Heroes’ Guild in Bowerstone, chase rumours, explore distant settlements, or ignore the main quest entirely for hours on end. The story waits for you, giving players full permission to get lost in side activities, relationships, jobs, and exploration.

A Fully Open World Without Level Gating

Playground has built Fable as a true open world RPG. There are no invisible walls or regions locked behind level requirements. Players can travel anywhere in Albion from the start, and the game’s progression systems are designed around that freedom.

Instead of pushing players toward a specific route, the world adapts to where you go. Every settlement offers meaningful activities, regardless of when you arrive. This approach ensures that curiosity is rewarded rather than punished, encouraging players to explore without fear of hitting artificial barriers.

Fluid Style-Weaving Combat

Combat in Fable revolves around what Playground calls style weaving. The classic mix of melee, ranged, and magic returns, but with a modern twist that allows players to seamlessly chain attacks together.

You can swing a sword, fire a ranged shot, and launch a spell in one smooth sequence, without delays or rigid loadouts. Combat encounters are designed around groups of enemies, each with strengths, weaknesses, and behaviours that reward tactical thinking.

Emergent moments play a big role too. Enemies can accidentally damage each other, weak points trigger specific reactions, and slapstick chaos often breaks through during fights. It keeps combat feeling dynamic, unpredictable, and unmistakably Fable.

Morality Reimagined Through Reputation

One of the most important changes comes to Fable’s morality system. Rather than a simple good or evil meter, the reboot introduces a reputation-based system shaped by what you do and who witnesses it.

Every action seen by others contributes to how you are perceived. Kick chickens often enough and you may become known as a Chicken Chaser. Be generous, thieving, romantic, or reckless, and those traits form your identity within each settlement.

Different NPCs interpret these reputations differently. There is no objective morality. The world does not judge you, but the people of Albion absolutely will. Reputations affect dialogue, romance, marriage, shop prices, and how NPCs treat you on the street. You can even manipulate public opinion by paying the town crier to spread a new reputation if you want to reinvent yourself.

A Living World Of Over 1,000 NPCs

Albion is populated by over 1,000 unique NPCs, each with their own routines, jobs, relationships, and homes. This Living Population system means towns function like real places rather than static backdrops.

NPCs wake up, go to work, socialise, return home, and react dynamically to your actions. Over time, players can learn individual names, preferences, and personal stories, forming relationships that feel more grounded than traditional RPG crowd systems.

While the Living Population occasionally references your actions during the main quest, it remains optional. Players focused purely on the story can progress without interference, while others are free to experiment with Albion’s social systems as deeply as they like.

British Humour And A Bold Storytelling Twist

Fable’s British identity remains central to its tone, and Playground has leaned heavily into that heritage. Dry wit, awkward humour, and absurdity flow through the world, supported by a cast that includes familiar British comedic talent.

One of the most distinctive features is a mockumentary-style interview technique inspired by The Office. Characters occasionally speak directly to the camera, allowing jokes and character moments to land naturally without interrupting gameplay.

According to Ralph Fulton, this approach has rarely been used in games before, but it offers a powerful way to deliver humour and personality in a format that feels effortless and authentic.

Character Customisation And Player Expression

Character customisation is fully confirmed, allowing players to shape their hero however they choose. Combined with open world freedom, fluid combat, and reputation-driven morality, Fable is built around player expression in every sense.

You are free to define what kind of hero you become, whether that means noble protector, chaotic troublemaker, or something in between.

What Comes Next

Playground Games says there is still much more to reveal before launch, including deeper dives into progression, weapons, exploration systems, and the main cast. For now, Developer_Direct served as a statement of intent.

Fable is back, rebuilt from the ground up, and aiming to deliver a fairytale RPG where choice, humour, and consequence shape every journey. Albion is opening its doors once again, and this time, more players than ever are invited inside.

The post Fable Returns With A Powerful Open World Reboot, Launching Across Xbox, PC And PS5 This Autumn 2026 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Microsoft has revealed the next wave of titles coming to Xbox Game Pass, and it is shaping up to be one of the strongest starts to a year in recent memory. Rolling through late January and into early February 2026, the service is adding major AAA releases, day-one launches, and cult favourites, while also saying goodbye to several well-known games at the end of the month.

From Death Stranding Director’s Cut landing this week, to the brutal action of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II, there is something here for nearly every kind of player.

Below is the full breakdown of what is available now, what is coming soon, and which games are leaving the Game Pass library.

Available Today On Xbox Game Pass

Two notable titles are available right now across Cloud, Console, and PC, depending on your subscription tier.

Resident Evil Village

The eighth main entry in Capcom’s long-running horror series drops players back into the nightmare as Ethan Winters explores a haunting European village. Expect brutal enemies, tense combat, and a story that builds directly on the events of Resident Evil 7.

MIO: Memories in Orbit
Available day one with Game Pass, this hand-crafted metroidvania follows Mio, a nimble android exploring a decaying world reclaimed by nature and machines. It blends fluid movement, atmospheric storytelling, and challenging combat across maze-like environments.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut

Kojima Productions’ genre-bending adventure arrives on Game Pass this week. Players once again step into the boots of Sam Porter Bridges, delivering hope across a fractured world, now with expanded features and enhancements included in the Director’s Cut.

RoadCraft

A physics-driven rebuilding experience where players operate over 40 authentic construction vehicles. Set in disaster-stricken environments, RoadCraft focuses on clearing debris, restoring infrastructure, and rebuilding communities, either solo or in co-op.

Ninja Gaiden Ragebound

A brand-new side-scrolling entry in the Ninja Gaiden series, developed by the team behind Blasphemous. Ragebound delivers fast, punishing combat and classic platforming with a modern twist.

January 27

The Talos Principle 2

This sequel expands on the original’s philosophical themes with more complex puzzles and striking environments. Set in a world where humanity is extinct but its culture lives on through robots, the game explores deep questions about existence and purpose.

January 28

Anno: Mutationem

A stylish 2D-meets-3D cyberpunk adventure starring Ann, a combat-trained lone wolf navigating a neon-soaked metropolis filled with mega-corporations and strange creatures.

Drop Duchy

This inventive rogue-lite blends block-dropping mechanics with strategy and combat. Build your realm piece by piece, recruit troops, and let every decision shape your path to victory.

January 29

MySims: Cozy Bundle

A charming bundle featuring two MySims classics. Rebuild a town, help magical lands flourish, and meet quirky characters across cosy, creative adventures.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II

One of the most anticipated additions this month, Space Marine II puts players in control of Demetrian Titus as he tears through relentless Tyranid swarms. The game features a full campaign, three-player co-op, and brutal PvE and PvP modes with six playable classes.

February 2 And Beyond

Indika – February 2

A surreal, story-driven adventure set in an alternative 19th-century Russia. Indika blends dark humour, religious themes, and symbolic gameplay, including strange encounters with the devil himself.

Final Fantasy II – February 3

A remodelled 2D version of the classic RPG, following four orphans caught in a war between empires. It features an emotional story, iconic characters, and a refreshed presentation.

In Case You Missed It

Quarantine Zone: The Last Check

Available now on PC, this tense management game puts players in charge of a checkpoint in a collapsing city. Every decision matters, and one mistake can doom everyone.

DLC And Major Game Updates

The Sims 25th Birthday Bundle – January 22
Celebrate 25 years of The Sims with re-releases of The Sims and The Sims 2 through EA Play, alongside MySims content later in the month.

Grounded 2 Garden Update – January 27
Adds the Community Garden biome, new creatures, Tier III gear, and the Ladybug Buggy with a mounted water cannon.

Dead by Daylight Stranger Things DLC – January 27
The Stranger Things crossover returns, bringing Vecna, Dustin, and Eleven into the Fog.

Sea of Thieves Season 18 Act 2 – January 22
A new event challenges Emissaries to raid Molten Sands Fortress and recover valuable treasure.

Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass On January 31

Players have until the end of the month to play or purchase these titles at a discount:

• Shady Part of Me
• Starbound
• Lonely Mountains Snow Riders
• Paw Patrol World
• Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
• Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap

A Strong Start For Xbox Game Pass In 2026

With major releases like Death Stranding Director’s Cut and Space Marine II leading the charge, this new batch has already been described by players as a “really good” month for the service. Whether you are playing on console, PC, cloud, or handheld-supported devices, Xbox Game Pass is giving subscribers plenty of reasons to keep their download queues full as 2026 gets underway.

The post Xbox Game Pass Adds Death Stranding Director’s Cut, Space Marine II, And A Huge January Lineup appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is doing something no Halo game has ever done before. In 2026, the iconic sci-fi shooter is launching on PlayStation 5, alongside Xbox Series consoles and PC, marking the franchise’s first ever appearance on a Sony platform.

For a series that has been synonymous with Xbox for almost 25 years, this is a huge moment. But according to the developers at Halo Studios, formerly known as 343 Industries, this move is not about abandoning Xbox. It is about growing Halo, and bringing more players into the universe than ever before.

Why Halo Is Finally Coming To PlayStation

Halo Studios executive producer Damon Conn says the PS5 release is all about reconnecting the community, while opening the door to a whole new audience that has never touched Halo before.

There are players who grew up entirely on PlayStation, players who switched consoles years ago, and players who simply missed Halo the first time around. Campaign Evolved is designed to bring series veterans and first-timers together, letting them experience the start of Master Chief’s journey side by side.

Conn admits the decision carries real weight. Halo has been Xbox’s flagship franchise for decades, and bringing it to PlayStation is not something the team takes lightly. The goal, however, is to honour Halo’s legacy while setting it up for a much bigger future.

A Landmark Release For Microsoft And Xbox

Halo arriving on PS5 is a controversial move for some fans, especially those who see exclusives as the backbone of Xbox’s identity. Creative director Max Szlagor argues the opposite, saying Halo thrives when its community is large, active, and connected.

From Microsoft’s point of view, this fits perfectly with its broader multiplatform strategy. Recent Xbox titles like Forza Horizon 5, Sea of Thieves, and Grounded have performed strongly on PlayStation, proving that expanding beyond Xbox hardware can strengthen a franchise rather than weaken it.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is positioned as the next big test of that strategy.

What Makes Campaign Evolved Different From The Original

Campaign Evolved is a full remake of the original Halo, rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5. It is not just a visual upgrade, either.

Halo Studios has confirmed several gameplay additions that were not present in the 2001 release. Players will be able to use Energy Swords, Fuel Rod Guns, Sentinel Beams, and even drive Covenant Wraith tanks during the campaign. Sprinting is also included, though it can be toggled off for players who want a more classic feel.

The game will also support full four-player co-op with crossplay across all platforms, allowing PlayStation, Xbox, and PC players to squad up together.

New Story Content Set Before Combat Evolved

One of the biggest surprises is the addition of three entirely new campaign levels. These missions focus on Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson, acting as a prologue set before the events of the original game, and even before Halo: Reach.

Halo Studios says these new levels feature fresh environments, enemies, characters, and weapons, while still staying true to the tone and atmosphere fans remember. The team is keen to reassure long-time players that this remake is a celebration of Combat Evolved, not a reinvention that loses what made the original special.

That promise matters, especially after Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary received criticism for changing parts of the game’s art direction.

A Foundation For The Future Of Halo

Campaign Evolved is more than just a remake. It is the first step in a new era for Halo, with all future titles being developed in Unreal Engine 5. Halo Studios describes the project as a chance to reignite the spark that started the franchise, while building a technical foundation that supports bigger and more ambitious Halo experiences down the line.

If the PS5 release performs as expected, it would not be surprising to see future Halo games land on PlayStation as well.

Release Window And Platform Details

Halo: Campaign Evolved is set to launch later in 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. While an exact release date has not been confirmed, speculation points to a possible November launch to coincide with Halo and Xbox’s 25th anniversary. That timing would place it dangerously close to Grand Theft Auto VI, a clash that could be tough even for Master Chief.

One thing is certain, Xbox Game Pass access will remain exclusive to Xbox and PC, meaning PlayStation players will need to buy the game outright.

For Halo Studios, though, the focus is clear. This is about expanding the Halo universe, reconnecting its community, and introducing one of gaming’s most legendary franchises to millions of players for the very first time.

The post Halo Campaign Evolved PS5 Debut Marks A Major Shift For Xbox’s Biggest Franchise appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Xbox Cloud Gaming looks set for its biggest expansion yet, with Microsoft preparing to roll out a free, ad-supported access tier later this year. After weeks of user reports and datamined messages appearing inside the Xbox app, multiple sources have now confirmed that ad-supported cloud gaming is not only real, but close to public testing.

Ad-Supported Playtime Messages Begin Appearing

Over the past week, Xbox Cloud Gaming users began noticing a new message while launching games that reads, “1 hour of ad-supported play time per session.” Screenshots shared by users, including The Verge’s Tom Warren, quickly sparked speculation that ads were coming to the entire service.

looks like ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming is coming soon 👀 pic.twitter.com/c8hAERrVB9

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) January 17, 2026

According to sources cited by Windows Central, that message appeared prematurely and was shown in error. However, the reporting also confirms that Microsoft is actively working on an ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming tier as a separate option, rather than a change to existing paid subscriptions.

How The Free Xbox Cloud Gaming Tier Will Work

The upcoming ad-supported tier is designed for players who do not subscribe to Xbox Game Pass. Under this model, users will be able to stream games they already own digitally through Xbox Cloud Gaming, without needing a Game Pass subscription.

Internal testing suggests each session will be limited to one hour, with preroll advertisements shown before gameplay begins. Sources familiar with the tests say ad breaks currently total around two minutes before a stream starts. Early testing has reportedly capped free playtime at up to five hours per month, though final limits have yet to be confirmed.

In addition to owned games, the free tier is expected to support selected Free Play Days titles, Xbox Retro Classics, and other limited experiences delivered with ads.

Xbox Game Pass Remains Ad-Free

Microsoft has been clear that this new tier will not affect existing subscribers. All current Xbox Game Pass tiers, including Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, will remain completely ad-free.

Players with Ultimate subscriptions will continue to benefit from higher streaming quality, including boosted bitrates and up to 1440p resolution streaming, along with access to the full Game Pass library via cloud.

Similar Approach To Nvidia GeForce Now

The structure of Xbox’s ad-supported cloud access closely mirrors what NVIDIA offers through its NVIDIA GeForce Now free tier. Nvidia allows users to start unlimited one-hour sessions per day with ads, while premium memberships remove ads and unlock additional features.

Microsoft has not yet clarified how frequently users will be allowed to restart free sessions, or whether daily limits will apply.

Why Microsoft Is Pushing Cloud Gaming Now

The timing of this move is no coincidence. Rising hardware prices driven by AI demand, DRAM shortages, and increased manufacturing costs have pushed consoles and gaming PCs further out of reach for many players. Cloud gaming offers a way to bypass expensive local hardware, even if running cloud infrastructure still carries significant costs.

From Microsoft’s perspective, ad-supported cloud gaming also helps keep Azure servers active during low-demand periods. Idle compute is costly, and opening Xbox Cloud Gaming to a broader audience helps maintain steady usage while supporting Microsoft’s long-term cloud and AI strategy.

Strong Growth In Key Regions

Microsoft has already confirmed that Xbox Cloud Gaming hours were up 45 percent year over year in 2025. Growth has been particularly strong in regions where tariffs and taxes make traditional consoles less affordable.

Following its expansion into India late last year, Microsoft is reportedly eyeing further growth across Asia and Africa, where free ad-supported access could significantly lower the barrier to entry.

Official Announcement Could Be Imminent

Microsoft has acknowledged that it is testing ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming internally, and sources now expect an official announcement soon. With an Xbox Showcase scheduled for 22 January, some believe the company may formally reveal the new tier in the coming weeks, with Xbox Insider testing to follow shortly after.

While details around ad frequency and session limits are still being finalised, one thing is clear. Xbox Cloud Gaming is about to become more accessible than ever, and Microsoft is betting that free access, supported by ads, will drive the next wave of cloud gaming growth.

The post Xbox Cloud Gaming Reportedly Set To Launch Free Ad-Supported Tier Later This Year appeared first on Shane the Gamer.