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Xbox

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Source: Xbox / Series S Toaster
Xbox is making a solid push to take over your home entertainment centers and kitchens.
The Microsoft-owned gaming company also sells a Series S toaster to compliment your Xbox Series X Compact Fridge that you can still pick up for only $199.

For just $40 bucks, you can show your allegiance to Team Green with this next-generation toaster, and it comes with many features to help you unlock many achievements in your toasting game.

Thanks to the Series S Toaster’s ability to toast the Xbox sphere logo on your bread, you can showcase your love for Xbox. The toaster can fit two slices of bread, has six browning levels, an LED countdown to eliminate those surprise jump scares, and a removable crumb tray to keep things tidy around the kitchen.
There is also an anti-jam function and automatic temperature control.
It can also toast your bagels or English muffins and features a defrost setting.
The Series S Toaster was originally only available in France in March 2023. Wario64, who dedicates time to sharing video game-related deals on X, formerly Twitter, the toaster’s wide availability.

With the arrival of the Series S Toaster, Xbox continues to push out exciting items and collaborations. Ahead of the launch of Starfield, the company linked with Tempur for a one-of-a-kind “Dream Chair.”
Xbox also dropped mini hoodies for Xbox controllers.

There were also insane console collaborations with movies like Barbie, Wonka, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

It would be nice to see PlayStation doing something similar with appliances.
Just saying.
You can pick up the Xbox Series S toaster by heading here. It will make the perfect gift for the gamer in your life.

Photo: Xbox / Series S Toaster

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Source: SOPA Images / Getty / PS5
When it comes to moving consoles, Sony remains king.
Sony has a lot to be happy about. Roughly three years after its release, the popularity of the PS5 console remains high, and according to Reuters, the company has reportedly sold over 50 million units.

The Japanese tech giant also says it has the best-ever Black Friday period for the video game console.
Per Reuters reporting, Sony expects to finish the year on a high note thanks to a strong holiday performance, putting the company on pace to reach its sales target of a record 25 million units to close out the current financial year ending March 31.

Eric Lempel, senior vice president for global marketing, sales, and business operations at Sony Interactive Entertainment, said, “Given the momentum we’ve had in November and a lot of what we’re seeing in December, just in general, we’re feeling very good about sales overall.”
Remember that this number could have been higher, but PS5 sales were hampered due to supply chain issues when the console first hit the market.
Still, despite that, you can expect to see a PS5 in a home thanks to a solid first-party game lineup with games like God of War: Ragnarok and, most recently, Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Xbox & Nintendo Are Not Seeing The Same Success With Its Consoles
The outlook isn’t so rosy for the PS5’s direct competitors, Microsoft’s Xbox Series S | X and the Nintendo Switch.
IGN reports the Xbox sales have hit a snag. According to the website, PS5 sales are up “65% to 22.5 million units,” while Xbox’s sales took a dip to “about 15% to 7.6 million.”
The Nintendo Switch, which at one point was impossible to find on shelves during the pandemic, has fallen nearly 20%.
We are curious to see if Sony can continue its dominance in the gaming space in 2024.

Photo: SOPA Images / Getty

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. It’s that time of the year again! Colder weather, hot chocolate at night and, of course, holiday gift-giving. However, it seems […]

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The third installment in the reboot series Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III drops on Friday, Nov. 10

Ready for pre-order for $69.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and Target, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III — for current generation consoles PS5, Xbox Series X, as well as previous generation PS4 and Xbox One — is a first-person shooter with open-world elements from Sledgehammer Games and Activision. Modern Warfare III is the reboot of 2011’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Modern Warfare III follows a multinational special operations unit called Task Force 141. The unit is on the trail of Vladimir Makarov, a Russian ultranationalist and terrorist who wants to start World War III. Task Force 141 must stop him and his roaming armies.

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The game has 16 base maps from the previous installment Modern Warfare II, and also features a new special Zombie Mode that’s open world — a first for any Call of Duty game. Players can select linear missions, which are straightforward and on rails, or “Open Combat Missions,” which are open world. And of course, Modern Warfare III has online multiplayer with up to 24 players at once.

One of the best features is “Carry Forward,” which imports inventory from Modern Warfare II to Modern Warfare III. This is ideal for those who don’t want to spend the time to re-collect or upgrade their weapons and gear.

Additionally, Standard and Cross-Gen are the two editions of the game that are available. First is the Standard Edition, which just has the game. The second is the Cross-Gen Edition, which has the game itself and five different content packs, which includes early access, new locations, new missions, new characters and more — all unlocked.

Dropping on Nov. 10, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III comes out for PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4 and Xbox One, and is available for pre-order for $69.99 each. In the meantime, watch a trailer for the game, below.

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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / PlayStation
You can now add Sony as the latest company that will no longer play nice with Elon Musk’s mess of a social media platform X.

PlayStation is killing off its X (formerly known as Twitter) integration. So what does that mean? Well, PS4 and PS5 owners used to enjoy being able to share screenshots and clips directly to their Twitter accounts from those two consoles.
Now, that will no longer be the case.
Spotted on The Verge, Sony announced the significant change to social sharing via a message on its website.

“As of November 13, 2023, integration with X (formerly known as Twitter) will no longer function on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles, Sony said.
“This includes the ability to view any content published on X on PS5/PS4 and the ability to post and view content, trophies, and other gameplay-related activities on X directly from PS5/PS4 (or link an X account to do so)” the message continues.
Notable gaming news source Wario64 shared a screenshot of the message PS5 owners are receiving about the change on X’s biggest competitor, Threads. 
As to why Sony is making this decision, the company didn’t give an exact reason for its decision, but many believe it has something to do with X’s ridiculous API pricing the company introduced earlier this year.
Sony did share how gamers could still share their screenshots and clips on X through other means, specifically through the PlayStation app, where you can download your content to your phone and directly post it to your social media accounts.
Xbox Also Made A Similar Move
Sony’s decision to no longer support Twitter’s API is not unheard of. Xbox also announced earlier this year that it was removing the feature.

Threads, it’s your time to shine.

Photo: NurPhoto / Getty

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Source: picture alliance / Getty / Xbox / Microsoft
Microsoft is cracking down on “unauthorized” controllers and accessories on Xbox consoles.
Xbox console owners were hit with a rude awakening last week.
Posters on Resetera began sharing last week that they were being greeted with a warning informing them their third-party controller would be blocked, with the message “connected accessory is not authorized.”

The Verge reports it is unclear if Xbox’s intention with this move is to target cheaters or push Xbox console owners to use accessories that are a part of its official partner program.

“From the moment you connect an unauthorized accessory and receive error code 0x82d60002, you’ll have two weeks to use the accessory, after which time it will then be blocked from use with the console,” Microsoft said in a support note about the warning message gamers are receiving.
Microsoft continues, “At that time, you’ll receive error code 0x82d60003. We encourage you to contact the store or manufacturer where you obtained the accessory to get help with returning it.”
Specific Devices That Could Be Affected
Third-party accessories that have a “designed for Xbox” label on the box are not affected by the block. Any devices not authorized by Xbox could see the message and be blocked.
Gamers using third-party cheat devices like XIM, Cronus Zen, and ReaSnow S1 could also be affected.
The above devices are used mainly by PC players to imitate controller inputs, allowing mouse and keyboard users to utilize aim assist and reduced recoil from controllers combined with the fast movement mouse and keyboard fans enjoy.
Before Xbox made this move, Activision, Bungie, and Ubisoft had worked diligently to block these devices from being used in first-person shooters like Call of Duty, Destiny 2, and Rainbow Six Siege.
Brooks Gaming, which makes an adapter that allows users to use PlayStation controllers on Xbox, warns of “functional disruptions in the near future” for a number of its products, including the fighting board, steering wheel, and Wingman XB 2 converter in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Reactions From The Gaming Community
Of course, news like this is already getting reactions from the video game community and the implications of who this block will hurt.
Fight video game enthusiast Maximillian Dood directly hit Xbox chief Phil Spencer and Matt Booty on X, begging them to have a change of heart by pointing out how this could be extremely harmful to local fighting game events that use Xbox consoles.

“Heyo @XboxP3 @Xbox @mattbooty This is essentially a death sentence for local fighting game events that run on Xbox, much less, others that can only afford one arcade stick. The @brookgamingfans converters are not cheat devices. They’re a huge boon to the FGC. Please reconsider!” Dood wrote.

Phil Spencer, Matt Booty, or Xbox have yet to issue a statement on the block, but we do expect some comments to arrive very soon.

Photo: picture alliance / Getty

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Source: Nacon / Teyon Games / RoboCop: Rogue City
Xbox has some new pep in its step after finally closing its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard King. To show its focus is back on what’s essential, games, we got a glimpse of what’s to come during the Xbox Partner Preview.
Like PlayStation’s State of Play presentations, the Xbox Partner Preview spotlighted the games coming to the Xbox Series X and Series S console from third-party studios.
During the 30-minute presentation, we got trailers and gameplay footage from Xbox’s third-party partners like Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, Remedy Entertainment, Studio Wildcard, Nacon, Konami, and more.
Gamers were happy to see the first in-engine footage from Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, island activities from Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, more gameplay footage from RoboCop: Rogue City, the first footage from Ark: Survival Ascended, and so much more.
In case you missed the Xbox Partner Preview program, we are here to break it down for you.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Source: Konami / Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Snake is back, and he looks better than ever. No, this isn’t a new game, but a revisit to a game many say is the greatest entry into the Metal Gear Solid franchise, Snake Eater.
Now called Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Konami has reimagined the tactical espionage stealth action game using the powerful Unreal Engine 5, giving the game a complete graphics overhaul.
The in-engine look gave us a glimpse of the dense jungle vegetation that will help Snake hide and take out his enemies and the predatory animals that not only pose a danger to Snake but also could be his next meal and help him survive.
Unlike the original game released in 2004, Metal Gear Solid Detla: Snake Eater will not only feature cutting-edge graphics but 3D audio as well when it arrives.
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RoboCop: Rogue City
Source: Nacon/Teyon Games / RoboCop: Rogue City
RoboCop: Rogue City is high on our list of games to play in 2023. While we don’t think this one will be on the level of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 or Diablo IV, it looks fun as hell, dishing out justice and handing out parking tickets as the cyborg.
In the latest look at the game, we get some more story beats, a look at Alex Murphy, aka RoboCop, his partner Lois, some gunplay action, and even a showdown with ED-209.
RoboCop: Rogue City is now available for pre-order—no release word on a release date.
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To see the rest of the announcements from the Xbox Partner Preview, hit the gallery below.

Photos: Konami / Nacon

1. Alan Wake II Launch Trailer

Per Xbox: 
Ritualistic murders in a small town. An FBI agent looking for answers, and a writer looking for an escape from the nightmare he is writing. Who is the victim, and who is the monster? Follow the horror story into the dark when Alan Wake 2 launches on October 27th. Play as the writer, Alan Wake, and the FBI agent, Saga Anderson. Explore two beautiful and terrifying realities, and solve a deadly mystery before it’s too late. Alan Wake 2 is available October 27th on Xbox Series X|S.
For more, head here.

2. ARK: Survival Ascended – Xbox Partner Preview

Per Xbox: 
Respawn into a new dinosaur survival experience beyond your wildest dreams… as ARK is reimagined from the ground-up into the next-generation of videogame technology with Unreal Engine 5! You awake on a mysterious island, your senses overwhelmed by the blinding sunlight and brilliant colors bouncing off every surface around you, the azure waters of a verdant Island lapping at your bare feet. A deep roar echoes from the misty jungle, jolting you into action, and you stand up – not afraid, but intrigued. Are you ready to form a tribe, tame and breed hundreds of species of dinosaurs and other primeval creatures, explore, craft, build, and fight your way to the top of the food-chain? Your new world awaits… step through the looking-glass and join it!
For more head, here. 

3. LIKE A DRAGON: INFINITE WEALTH | DONDOKO ISLAND REVEAL TRAILER – Xbox Partner Preview

Per Xbox: 
Too many street punks getting you down? Time for the getaway you deserve? Dondoko Island is the destination for you. Create the resort of your dreams in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth when it launches January 26th, 2024.

4. Still Wakes the Deep – Gameplay Reveal – Xbox Partner Preview

Per Xbox: 
Still Wakes the deep is an upcoming survival horror game from The Chinese Room. Set on an oil rig, this game pushes you through claustrophobic environments and freezing waters escaping an unthinkable horror. Still Wakes The Deep is coming to XBOX in 2024. Secret Mode are a Video Games publisher under Tencent and Sumo Group. Our goal is to delight and inspire you, and that’s why we are Secret Mode.

5. Manor Lords – Release Date Announcement Trailer – Xbox Partner Preview

Per Xbox: 
Manor Lords, the highly anticipated historical city-building game, is coming on day one to PC Game Pass! Manor Lords launches in Game Preview on April 26th, 2024.

6. IKARO: Will Not Die – Announce Teaser – Xbox Partner Preview

Per Xbox: 
From Futurlab, the award-winning creators of Powerwash Simulator and Velocity, in partnership with Thunderful, comes IKARO: Will Not Die, a momentum-based, fast-flowing action rogue-lite.

7. Spirit of the North 2 – Announcement Trailer – Xbox Partner Preview

Per Xbox: 
Embrace the aurora and save the guardians in Spirit of the North 2, coming to Xbox Series X|S. Unveil the mysteries of a beautiful ancient world in this breathtaking 3rd-Person Adventure, a sequel to the acclaimed ‘Spirit of the North.’ Take on the role of an isolated fox with a raven companion on a quest to restore the lost guardians and return home. In an ancient world left in ruin, embark on the journey of an isolated fox far from home. With the help of a wise Raven companion, seek out the lost legendary guardians and release them from the grasp of the dark shaman Grimnir.

8. Dungeons of Hinterberg Social Gameplay Reveal – Xbox Partner Preview

Per Xbox: 
Join us for a deeper dive into the social side to Dungeons of Hinterberg gameplay! In this new trailer, we explore a day in the life of Luisa, what she gets up to and who she meets.

9. THE FINALS – Open Beta Trailer – Xbox Partner Preview

Fight alongside your teammates in the world’s biggest, loudest, and most anticipated combat entertainment game show. Experience destruction in a way you haven’t before. THE FINALS Open Beta kicks off on Xbox Series X|S on October 26 – November 5, 2023.

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Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
Still on the fence about entering Sanctuary and taking down Lilith? Well, thanks to Xbox Free Play Days, you can take the game for a spin without opening your wallet.

Diablo IV is currently in its second season, The Season of Blood, and many players have already taken down the game’s big bad Lillith, but many still have not yet experienced the greatness that is Diablo IV.

Kicking off on Thursday, October 19, Xbox Free Play Days gives gamers a chance to play 10 hours of Diablo IV for free, and when the trial is up, buy the game for 25% off.
Players will have access to Diablo IV’s content, and your progress will carry over if you purchase the game.
In our review of Diablo IV, our resident gamer, Beanz, wrote, “I’ve been through hell and back and enjoyed every minute of my hellishly addictive journey in Diablo IV.”
Diablo IV Is Rewarding Players In A Unique Way
In more Diablo IV news, players are encouraged to donate real blood to save lives and earn in-game rewards to celebrate the Season of Blood.
The new season sees Lord Zir use his Blood Seekers to raid the Sanctuary to procure blood for him using Blood Harvest rituals where players must defeat mini-bosses.
Diablo offers players in the United States residents a chance to donate “666 quarts of actual donated blood (equaling around 1,332 separate donations, with 1 pint per donation) into in-game rewards, while ultimately helping to save lives.”
Once the goal is reached, players who donated and those who didn’t will be entered in a contest to win a new custom-built PC infused with real human blood in its liquid cooling, which pays tribute to the game.
Well damn.
Here is a breakdown of the giveaway:

Tier 1: At 33% participation of the total 666-quart goal, all players will receive weapon cosmetics which include:
Dagger – Bloodpetal Anlace
Axe – Bloodpetal Sever
Necro Offhand – Bloodpetal Heart
Sword – Bloodpetal Blade
Druid Staff – Bloodpetal Bludgeon
Tier 2: At 66% participation, all players will receive the aforementioned rewards plus The Loch Raeth Maor Barbarian armor set.
Tier 3: At 100% participation, all players will receive the aforementioned rewards plus the Vermilion Eye Piebald mount, and the custom real human blood-infused PC sweepstakes will become available to enter.

So what are you waiting for? Download the gamer and start a journey in Sanctuary to spill some demon blood and guts.

Photo: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV

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Source: Microsoft / Xbox / Activision Blizzard
After months of court battles, unfortunate document leaks, and social media discourse, Microsoft can officially welcome Activision Blizzard into the fold.
Call of Duty, Diablo, Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Starcraft, Candy Crush, and other titles have a new home: Xbox. Friday, October 13, Xbox Wire shared a post announcing the news Team Xbox has been waiting months, if not years, to hear the $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition is a done deal.

Phil Spencer happily announced in the blog post that Xbox is now working on bringing Activision Blizzard’s library of games to Game Pass.
“Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms. We’ll share more about when you can expect to play in the coming months. We know you’re excited – and we are too,” Spencer said.
PlayStation & Nintendo Gamers, Y’all Are Safe… For Now
The Xbox Chief also reassured the millions of gamers on other platformers.
“For the millions of fans who love Activision, Blizzard, and King games, we want you to know that today is a good day to play,” he said. “You are the heart and soul of these franchises, and we are honored to have you as part of our community. Whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC or mobile, you are welcome here – and will remain welcome, even if Xbox isn’t where you play your favorite franchise. Because when everyone plays, we all win. We believe our news today will unlock a world of possibilities for more ways to play. Thank you for the ongoing support. We have so much more to come in the months ahead – I’m excited for the future and cannot wait to share it with you.”

With the deal finally closing, that doesn’t mean Call of Duty and Diablo are going to Game Pass immediately. Activision Blizzard made it clear that Modern Warfare 3 and Diablo IV would not be on the gaming streaming service.

Call of Duty Is Coming To Ubisoft+
But thanks to a deal with Ubisoft granting the publisher cloud streaming rights, which helped Xbox secure the deal, Ubisoft announced Call of Duty and other Activision Blizzard games will be coming to Ubisoft+.
“In August, Ubisoft announced an agreement with Microsoft granting the publisher the perpetual cloud streaming rights for Call of Duty and all other current Activision Blizzard games and those released over the next 15 years once Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is complete,” the blog post begins. 

Sayonara Bobby Kotich
Also, with the news of the deal closing, current problematic Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is on his way out. In an email to his employees, he announced he is staying until the end of 2023 to help with the transition period.
“I have long said that I am fully committed to helping with the transition,” says Kotick in the email to Activision Blizzard employees. “Phil has asked me to stay on as CEO of ABK, reporting to him, and we have agreed that I will do that through the end of 2023. We both look forward to working together on a smooth integration for our teams and players.”

Congrats to Team Xbox and Activision Blizzard.

Photo: Microsoft / Xbox / Activision Blizzard

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is the 13th major installment in the very popular franchise, which started back in 2007. There’s a lot of excitement for the game since it’s the first major Assassin’s Creed game in the series since Valhalla was released in November 2020. Moreover, Mirage drops on Thursday (Oct. 5) across platforms.

Best PS5 Deals: Where to Buy the Popular Console & PlayStation Bundles on Sale

10/05/2023

Starting at $49.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Walmart, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is playable on Xbox Series X and PS5, as well as the previous generations Xbox One and PS4 (and Windows PC), in two editions: Launch and Deluxe.

Wondering what the difference is between the two editions? The standard Launch Edition features the game and a DLC (downloadable content) expansion called “Forty Thieves Quest,” while the Deluxe Edition — which goes for $59.99 — comes with both the game and DLC, as well as a digital artbook, digital soundtrack and new Prince of Persia-inspired outfits and skins.

As for the game itself, Assassin’s Creed Mirage takes place during the Golden Age of Baghdad, a few decades before Valhalla. It’s a “coming-of-age story” that follows Basim Ibn Ishaq, played by Lee Majdoub, a street thief who learns the world is much bigger than himself. His mentor Roshan, played by Shohreh Aghdashloo, trains him to join the Hidden One, an order of Middle Eastern assassins.

The game is expected to also be playable for the Apple iPhone 15 sometime in early 2024. Mirage will be the first Assassin’s Creed game to be officially released, natively, for the premium smartphone.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage for Xbox and PlayStation is available now at all sorts of online retailers. The game goes for $49.99 for the Launch Edition and $59.99 for the Deluxe Edition.

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