While Forza Horizon, Age of Empires, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Sea of Thieves, Grounded, and The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered were “major wins” for Xbox, titles like Avowed, Kiln, Keeper, South of Midnight, Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga, Forza Motorsport, and The Outer Worlds 2 allegedly didn’t meet Microsoft’s sales expectations. Sources told Corden that this includes sales data and player engagement through Game Pass.

Other games noted as having missed targets include Ninja Gaiden 4, Minecraft Legends, Minecraft Earth, Bleeding Edge, Battletoads, Towerborne, and Ara: History Untold, “among others”.

The cancellation of other titles, like Perfect Dark, Everwild, and Zenimax’s Project Blackbird, have also been major investments that didn’t pay off. Perfect Dark developer The Initiative was reportedly a “huge drag” on the profitability of the Xbox division before its closure. Interestingly, Undead Labs also seemingly contributed to this, but it seems to be back on track, having recently unveiled gameplay from State of Decay 3.

Long development cycles have played a huge role in this, with Corden bringing up Fable, which required developer Playground Games to make major changes to its in-house engine, ForzaTech (originally meant for developing racing games). There were also discussions about using Unreal Engine, but Playground Games’ expertise in ForzaTech helped it win out. Interestingly, this is also reportedly a good thing, since Microsoft might be looking to cut down on licensing costs from using third-party game engines.

As for the 30 percent “accountability margin” that Xbox has to hit, Corden has noted that the number is actually an average, split across various divisions and game studios. Some studios, in fact, had accountability margins of 40 percent to help offset losses from other parts of the company.

When it comes to hardware, Microsoft has struggled to obtain enough memory and storage modules to build more Xbox consoles. According to Corden, the prices for these components have risen so much that Microsoft is allegedly losing “hundreds of dollars per Xbox Series X/S console sold right now.”

A report from earlier this week has indicated that, due to the current health of Xbox’s business, the company might be looking to shut down a studio under the Xbox Game Studios banner. While no official announcement has been made yet, this closure, along with layoffs, is slated to happen shortly after Microsoft’s current fiscal year ends on June 30th.

Taking place six years after the original, the heroes of the Overworld will take on a new threat “unlike anything” faced before. While mum’s the word on what it could be, these souls are flying around, possessing different enemies and making them stronger. That includes the Twisted Warden, which grows exponentially in size.

Those who didn’t like the first game’s way of breaking up the world into missions should take note – Minecraft Dungeons 2 takes place in an interconnected world. Which is all well and good, but what about the combat? This is where new mechanics like jump attacks come in, and they’re especially strong.

Another big change is that players now have four armor and three Talisman slots, per Xbox Wire. You still get three Artifact slots for different spells and skills alongside a melee and ranged weapon, but the build-crafting viability has shot up exponentially with the new additions. Talismans are especially interesting because they can provide notable passives.

And they’re far from just stat bonuses – one of these includes summoning a dog companion that also serves as a pseudo-tank. It takes time to respawn after dying, though, so be warned.

Minecraft Dungeons 2 launches on September 29th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 for $30. Unlike the original, it launches with cross-platform play enabled

The Skulls are a fascinating bunch, with three of them hidden on each of the game’s levels. They’re essentially modifiers that can let you tweak things to your liking, ranging from those that give you infinite ammo to others that let you play a very interesting version of “The Floor is Lava”. There are 42 of them in total, and we can only imagine what things might look like if you have them all active at once. We imagine most of you are going to pick a few favorites and run with them once you roll the credits on the campaign.

Campaign Remix is another great addition, immediately giving you a lot of replay value if you can’t get enough of the game. It alters enemy behaviour, adds randomized weapons, and even switches up enemy placements to make each run through a level feel fresh every time. Combining them with a few Skulls could make things even better if you’re looking for a more varied experience.

Of course, the option to bring up to three of your buddies along might be the star of the show, with online co-op and two-player local splitscreen options working well with cross-platform support across all available platforms. Check out the trailer below with none other than Sergeant Johnson explaining it all in his trademark style.

That translates to a whopping 28 minutes of new first-person gameplay. Besides showcasing Master Chief driving a Scorpion Tank alongside the UNSC Marines and clearing house, we also get to see some extensive Wraith gameplay. It won’t be anything surprising for those who played later titles, but this marks a notable first for the original campaign.

Otherwise, the sheer attention to detail and visual splendor is something to behold, whether it’s the weapon shots’ lighting in darker areas or glass realistically breaking under enemies. Performance also seems to be holding up pretty well, which is good news this close to launch.

And fortunately, you won’t have to wait much longer to experience Halo: Campaign Evolved, as it’s available on July 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. In the meantime, you can check out a cinematic trailer with gameplay captured on PS5 Pro or the three new Prologue missions, which are new to the remake.

Thanks to a new Skull called “Perspective,” you can now experience classic missions from a completely new point of view. Some pre-release gameplay from The Silent Cartographer mission looks pretty solid, and even if Sprint proves divisive, it’s nice seeing the animations from this new perspective. Other touches, like the glowing hue around Chief’s armor with an overshield, are also nice.

This should also address a criticism that modern Halo titles have faced for a while – the inability to see the different armor sets due to the first-person nature of gameplay. While Campaign Evolved doesn’t have an in-game store, you can unlock new skins for Chief to wear, and thanks to third-person, you can finally admire them in all their glory.

It launches on July 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC for $49.99. Premium Edition owners get five days of advanced access and the Alpha Armory Pack, which includes five skins, including one comprised entirely of Needler shards.

Owning a business carries its share of consequences as well. You’ll gain the Rich and Entrepreneur Reputations – great for charming certain folk, but Rhiannon the tailor in Oakshire won’t like you, resulting in heavily increased prices. On the bright side, there are over 120 different shops in the world, each with unique stock, so you can always go somewhere else (or venture to more dangerous places since they carry “rare” outfits).

The overview also showcases Blacksmithing, which you can take up at any time to earn cash. Hit the hotspots just right, and you’ll gain a gold modifier, though being quick is also good. Purchasing properties is another key element, and you can evict tenants or pay them to leave.

And while some houses are quaint, Playground Games promises a lot of variety, including mansions. So with all this being a nice guy, what’s it like when you’re not? Firing an employee bestows the Heartless reputation, and shooting arrows everywhere will make people think you’re Reckless.

But what about injuring someone or committing crimes like murder? Not only does that attract the guards, but you’ll gain Reputations like Killer and need to pay a fine. As long as you’re a criminal, you’ll constantly be under attack, but it’s a great opportunity to unleash magic like suspending targets, slamming them back down, teleport slashing, or just turning them into chickens to then cook with fireballs.

With over two hours of high-quality performance cinematics equivalent to those seen in the trailers, Fable promises a very deep experience with production values to match. It’s out on February 23rd, 2027 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

You’ll visit many different-sized settlements with their own traits, landmarks and populations, but for now, the objective is Silverbrook. Your mission is to investigate the connection between Isabel and the magic incidents occurring in the settlement. Associate game director William Kennedy notes that the 1,000 handcrafted NPCs in Fable aren’t scripted, touting emergent behavior based on real-time systems.

They’re also affected by your reputation, so if you walk up to a random stablehand and ask him to follow, he’ll decline due to indifference. However, intervene in a commotion that involves a butcher and a talking pig named Colin, and you can slowly build your reputation with “hundreds” of branching dialogue choices. Careful though, as every decision has a consequence.

Saving Colin, for example, requires paying the butcher. Alternatively, you can fight him. Take the less violent route, and you gain various reputations like Merciful, Shrewd and Virtuous. This in turn will affect how NPCs view you – like Jack the Beggar thinking you’re principled if you’re Virtuous. Give some gold to him, and you’ll gain the Kind reputation as well.

There’s so much more to cover, so stay tuned for updates. Fable launches on February 23rd, 2027 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

But it doesn’t stop there. A post-launch story expansion, Order of the Hero, is also in the works. As announced on the official site, it sees players drawn into “the secrets of a dark, ancient cult hidden deep within the perilous beauty of Albion.” You’ll explore a dangerous new region which also seems to hold some mysterious, forgotten power.

It’s also possible for you to win over the cult and become their overseer, thus guiding its direction and conducting rituals. Of course, as the developer teases, there must be a reason why the position is vacant, and it could mean dire circumstances for Albion’s one true hero (read: You).

Order of the Hero doesn’t have a release window just yet – obviously, since the base game isn’t even available – but it is included in the Premium Edition. Unlike Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution, Fable will launch on PS5 alongside Xbox Series X/S and PC next year. Stay tuned for updates and further gameplay in the meantime.

It also offers a look at several new features absent from the original Halo: Combat Evolved (or CE Anniversary). Notice Master Chief hijacking a Ghost from a Covenant foe? This was introduced in Halo 2 but is now part of the remake. You can also spot the SMG, a weapon that would be introduced in the sequel.

Of course, Halo: Campaign Evolved breaks the established canon in other ways, allowing Chief to use Energy Swords, sprint, and even pilot a Wraith tank. You can also experience it with up to three other players for the first time courtesy of online co-op, though there’s sadly no competitive PvP.

Halo: Campaign Evolved launches on July 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PC, and PS5. Those who purchase the Premium or Collector’s Edition will receive five days of advanced access. You also get a digital art book, Halo: Hungry Buzzards by Troy Denning, the Alpha Halo Armory Pack, and a manual based on the original game.

The titles were confirmed to be console-exclusive to Xbox Series X/S when their new trailers were shown off during the recent XBOX showcase. Both trailers lacked any indications that Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution would be coming to PS5. The company said in its statement that the decision to potentially keep both titles permanently exclusive to its consoles is part of its larger focus to “return to XBOX”.

“As part of our focus on the return of Xbox, we also announced that Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution will be Xbox console exclusives,” said the company, according to VideoGamesChronicle. “These are not timed exclusives. Games already announced for multiplatform releases will stick to that plan – we’re committed to investing in and growing Xbox both on console and beyond.”

XBOX CEO Asha Sharma followed this statement up with a social media post where she wrote about wanting more players to choose Xbox as their platform of choice, which has led the company to “giving you something that was made for XBOX.”

The decision to keep both Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution exclusive to Xbox platforms might have been a recent decision, since there have been quite a few reports about Sharma discussing the potential of the company going back to having exclusive games for its consoles.

In a recent interview, she said that the decision isn’t one that the company will make lightly, since it has to strike a balance between making its consoles more attractive for potential buyers and getting its games in front of as many people as possible.

“It’s a tough topic,” said Sharma when asked about the company’s plans for exclusive releases during a Bloomberg Live event. “Look, we’re the number two publisher in the world, and in order to be a great publisher, you must have your games reach large audiences to play. At the same time, we’re increasingly becoming a platform, and in order to become a platform, you must have exclusive content and services. And so, we’re looking at that very closely.”

“I think that we have to be very thoughtful about each title, on how we want to think about it, and learn from some similar cases in the industry, and that’s what we’re doing.”

As for the two titles, Gears of War: E-Day got a rather extensive showcase over the weekend. In its gameplay trailer, we got to see Marcus and Dom trying to fend off the Locust and arming civilians so that they can help out on the streets of Kalona. The trailer also confirmed that many franchise mainstays, like the active reload system, would be returning.

Clockwork Revolution also got a new trailer giving us a look at one of the potential crews that the player can run around with, planning out heist. As the trailer continues, we see their plans falling apart, and Nazim, Frasmus, and Anne Darrow have to take on a giant mech that has been sent to kill them.

Along with Xbox Series X/S, both titles are also coming to PC. Gears of War: E-Day is out on October 6th, while Clockwork Revolution is slated for release in 2027. Both titles will be available on Game Pass.