▲ Pictured is the current Xbox Series X

In contrast, Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s gaming division, recently claimed in an interview that there is no immediate need to upgrade the Xbox lineup, but didn’t completely rule out the possibility of new Xbox hardware or a new version of the Xbox Series X|S.

It was previously reported, in data released by Microsoft earlier this month, the total sales of Xbox Series S|X reached 21 million, and the total sales of the Xbox One series (One first generation / One S / One X combined) exceeded 58 million.

Microsoft also said that there are more than 15.6 million monthly Xbox subscriptions, more than 248.6 million active Windows-powered gaming PCs worldwide, and more than 168.3 million monthly Microsoft Store visitors.

Meanwhile, it should be noted that the publishing director of the recent hit Baldur’s Gate 3 tweeted that the game won’t be coming to Xbox until 2024 as the development team is overcoming a “huge technical hurdle,” and plans to provide an update on development by the end of 2023.

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Microsoft gaming PR lead Kari Perez told foreign media outlet VGC: “Our console prices have remained the same for many years, and this price adjustment reflects the competition in each market.”

The Xbox Series X will be priced from £449.99 to £479.99 in the UK, from €499.99 to €549.99 in most of Europe, from CAD $599.99 to CAD $649.99 in Canada, and from AUD $749.99 to AUD $799.99 in Australia. While the Xbox Series S will not be adjusted in any market and will remain at $299.99.

As for game subscription services, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will increase from $14.99 to $16.99 per month (€14.99 / £12.99), while Xbox Game Pass for Console will increase from $9.99 to $10.99 per month (€10.99 / £8.99). Microsoft has not changed the price of PC Game Pass. For those who are already monthly Game Pass members, the new price will take effect on August 13 (September 13 for Germany). For those who subscribe to Game Pass through an annual redemption code, the new prices will take effect at the time of renewal. All markets will be affected by the Game Pass price increase, except for a few countries such as Norway, Chile, Denmark, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia.

Microsoft emphasized that the Game Pass price adjustment is unrelated to its acquisition of Activision Blizzard and is simply a response to local market conditions. Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pas price increase follows the general trend of entertainment subscription service price increases in recent years, with video streaming services such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu and others all raising prices last year or the year before. Music streaming services such as Apple Music and Spotify have also raised prices in most markets in recent years. Nintendo hasn’t adjusted prices since launching its Switch Online subscription service in 2018, while Sony updated its PlayStation Plus subscription service last year with three packages for PlayStation Plus Essential, Plus Extra and Plus Premium for PlayStation subscribers can choose.

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In the latest episode of the Digital Foundry Weekly podcast, Microsoft mentioned that the Xbox Series X is their mid-generation upgrade because they regard the Xbox Series S as the standard model, but the XSX was released in advance.

Microsoft stated that the reason why they released the Xbox Series X early is to allow players to “experience the mid-term upgraded console” from the beginning of this generation.

Considering the performance differences between the two consoles and the fact that developers aren’t exactly happy with the Xbox Series S, this is a rather interesting disclosure.

It’s worth mentioning that while Microsoft doesn’t plan to update the Xbox Series X|S, Sony is indeed working on a redesigned PlayStation 5.

Referring to previous revelations, @Tom Henderson said that Sony will launch the 2023 PS5 with a detachable optical drive in September this year, and release an upgraded model at the end of next year (tentatively called PlayStation 5 Pro, but the performance upgrade should not the point).

Not much information is available about this new system at the moment, but more information may flow out in the future as development kits have been delivered to developers.

In addition to the rumored PlayStation 5 Pro, Sony also announced Project Q, a streaming handheld specifically for the PS5, last month.

The handheld uses a large 8-inch screen, has all the buttons and functions of the DualSense wireless controller, and can stream PS5 games on the handheld via Wi-Fi (provided you have a PS5).

However, there is currently no more detailed information about this handheld. Sony said that this product is planned to be launched at the end of 2023. More details will be announced in the future, so stay tuned.

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Unlike the PC version, the console version of “Company of Heroes 3” is a “scratch” remake of the game’s control scheme, with a new “command wheel” function specially created for gamepad players, which can quickly issue orders to soldiers , it is possible to take into account the fast maneuvering and flexible strategies.

It is worth mentioning that the host version of “Company of Heroes 3” also has the “Global Tactical Pause” function (only in single-player mode) that can freeze time, so as to gain a respite to re-examine the combat plan and issue new orders.

As of press release, this game has accumulated 54% of positive reviews on Steam. The China price is 299 CNY and the deluxe version is 399 CNY.

About this game

Company of Heroes 3 is out now! Reaching unprecedented levels of scale and quality, Company of Heroes 3 will deliver its acclaimed blend of action, tactics and strategy to millions of players around the world. Immerse yourself in two epic campaigns, four unique multiplayer and co-op factions, and a breathtaking new battlefield that spans from the endless deserts of North Africa to the rolling hills of Italy. When it’s time to jump into battle, new features like Global Tactical Pause and Dynamic Campaign Map put you in complete control of the battlefield.

Game overview

The Legendary Tactics series is back! Company of Heroes 3 is the perfect blend of action, tactics and strategy. Take control of real-time battles as a general and lead an all-out offensive – every choice you make counts.

Lead new and old factions, units and multinational battle groups to crush your opponents! Command the armed forces of land, sea and air, establish supply lines, and crush opponents’ attacks on the new dynamic map-every game is a new experience that is different! Play at your own pace in campaign and skirmish modes, then jump into the action of multiplayer action! Discover untold stories in the picturesque Mediterranean battlefield – the game uses the proprietary Essense game engine developed by Relic, allowing you to experience the next generation of destructible environments.

Award Winning Strategic Gameplay

Company of Heroes 3 brings you next-gen, award-winning tactical gameplay. Popular combat mechanics, combined with innovative new gameplay features, combine to create the deepest tactical experience yet.

Use bold flanking attacks to expose the enemy’s side armor; experience the new infantry breakthrough mechanism to drive enemy units out of garrison buildings; seize high ground, gain excellent visibility, and take the lead in battle.

Stunning new battlefield

Welcome to the Mediterranean Sea – this new battlefield is not only beautiful, but also hides countless untold war stories. The steep Italian mountain paths, the beautiful Mediterranean coast, and the vast North African desert are all battlefields for you to fight fierce enemies! The exquisite game screen combined with the careful game design brings you a highly restored and extremely complex combat environment, so that you can’t relax your vigilance for a moment.

The difference in altitude will have a huge impact on the unit’s field of vision (True Vision system), so the combat strategies required for mountain maps and coastal maps are also very different. The desert plain terrain requires careful scouting and bold armored combat tactics. On this new front, intelligence matters more than speed. And clever use of the terrain can sweep enemies around and wipe them from the battlefield.

New level of strategy

Experience the largest single-player campaign ever in the series. The newly launched “Dynamic Battle Map” system brings players a “full sandbox” game experience – players can manipulate the overall situation of the war and enjoy an unprecedented depth and level of strategic decision-making. Establish key supply lines and set up rearguard lines to ensure a hassle-free advance. You can choose to launch air and sea strikes to weaken and disperse the enemy forces, or you can choose to liberate nearby towns and develop a guerrilla spy network. Choose your troops and upgrade your company of seasoned veterans to match your playstyle. At the same time, the optional function of “Comprehensive Tactical Pause” also allows players to fully control the rhythm of the single-player game. Make an attack plan, form a queue of various precise and deadly operations, and seize the opportunity in the battle.

Rich and colorful camps and units

Company of Heroes 3 joins the largest number of starters the series has ever seen, and there’s something for even the most hardcore World War II fan. The newly launched army customization mechanism allows players to call various professional units to assist in combat at any time. American and Canadian Special Forces, the venerable Commonwealth Gurkha Force, and elite teams from all over the world are waiting for you to command.

From powerful anti-tank guns to stealthy scout vehicles, Company of Heroes 3 has the highest variety of vehicles ever in the series. The super lightweight “Weasel”, the armor-piercing “Rhino”, the “Jiafei” light tank and many other vehicles will debut in this game for the first time! And of course, don’t forget about a bunch of classic vehicles that have been fully reworked. The M3 Halftrack Recovery Vehicle returns to the game, and can now be used to repair and steal abandoned vehicles from the enemy!

Beautiful cutscenes

With the cutting-edge Essence game engine developed by Relic, you will feel the violent bombing and impact whether it is mortar shells or naval gunfire. In Company of Heroes 3, each location is a fully destructible sandbox, offering countless in-game tactical and tactical options for you to battle wits with your enemies. A brand new and updated Destruction mechanic has now been added – use a heavily guarded structure to Tarzan an enemy squad, and Soldiers will be able to use the newly formed ruins as dynamic cover. The game adopts exquisite and realistic new rendering technology and particle special effect technology, whether it is fire, sand or smoke, the visual effect will be improved to a higher level! The upgraded version of artificial intelligence combined with realistic and smooth soldier animations allows each team to show the most realistic battlefield response in front of your eyes. Relic’s new engine technology is specially optimized for DirectX 12 and multi-core processors, and will bring you a movie and TV experience comparable to Hollywood blockbusters.

The post Company of Heroes 3 is now on PS5 and Xbox Series X appeared first on TechGoing.

The April update does not introduce much improvement and is available for the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One game consoles.

Redesigned Xbox Search Experience

A redesigned Xbox search experience allows you to search for games, entertainment and apps.

It is learned from the official logs that the search results page offers a sleeker look, gallery-style search results with RB / LB navigation filters, and a new “Search on YouTube” option on the Movies & TV tab.

Xbox game console can adjust active time power settings

Xbox has improved power consumption by adding an active time feature. This feature is aimed at gamers who continue to use Sleep Mode, which saves energy by putting them into shutdown (power saving) mode during inactive hours. It will still go into Sleep Mode during the user-set active hours.

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The news is that the package is called “Xbox Series X Diablo IV Edition,” and it’s not clear what the differences will be in its appearance, and the word “Bundle” will not appear in the information.

Microsoft has previously launched a lot of custom Xbox Series X game console, but currently consumers can really buy only “Halo: Infinite” (Halo Infinite) theme Xbox, so users should not have too high expectations.

The post Microsoft to launch Diablo 4 theme Xbox Series X game console on June 6 appeared first on TechGoing.

The new colour scheme features a bright green front panel, and the rocker and button text is green, which looks more compatible with the Xbox’s signature colour scheme.

Microsoft says the Xbox wireless controller is modernized with a sculpted surface and delicate geometric graphics to help improve comfort during gameplay; the use of textured grips and hybrid directional keys can make players stay more focused. Players can capture and share content through a dedicated “Share” button.

The grip supports quick pairing and switching between devices such as Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, Windows 10 PCs, iOS and Android, and playing games on different devices.

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343i said that in Halo: Infinite Season 3, the ray tracing function provided by the sunlight shadow will also be added to the PC version. Players with eligible devices can enable this in the settings for more realistic sun shadows in multiplayer maps.

In order to obtain sunlight shadows, you need an AMD Radeon RX 6000 series or GeForce RTX 2000 series graphics card or a stronger configuration.

343i announced the main new content of “Echoes Within” in the third season of “Halo: Infinite”, mainly adding two arena mode maps “Chasm” and “Cliffhanger”, and a Oasis’ large team battle mode map.

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Microsoft said, “We regularly assess the impact of local pricing to ensure reasonable consistency across regions. This change is the result of adjustments based on that assessment.”

Xbox Series X.

Original price: 54,978 yen (including tax), approximately RMB 2,853

New price: 59,978 yen (tax included), about RMB 3113

Xbox Series S.

Original price: 32,278 yen (tax included), about RMB 1,675

New price: 37,978 yen (including tax), about RMB 1971 RMB

The current version of the national Xbox Series X for 3899 RMB, Xbox Series S for 2399 RMB, relatively more expensive, so the possibility of the national line price adjustment is not high.

According to the introduction, the difference between the two game consoles mainly lies in the performance, Xbox Series X can experience the fastest and most powerful Xbox games, while Xbox Series S focuses on compact and stylish, to enjoy the fun of the new generation of fully digital games at an affordable price.

Xbox Series X: A combination of performance and extreme speed

The Xbox Series X is powered by AMD’s new Zen 2 processor and RDNA 2 architecture. With up to 12 Teraflops of GPU processing power, Xbox Series X delivers a 4K HD realistic, immersive gaming experience with up to 8K resolution output, giving gamers two times the performance of Xbox One X and eight times the performance of the original Xbox One. With top-notch technology for higher frame rates and more expansive and complex game worlds, Xbox Series X will bring gamers cross-genre graphics processing and performance, and a better immersive gaming experience.

Microsoft’s patented Variable Rate Shading (VRS) technology helps game developers harness the power of the Xbox Series X more efficiently. Developers will be able to prioritize character-specific effects or important environmental elements in the game as opposed to assigning GPU processing cycles to each pixel. This technology will result in more consistent frame rates and higher resolution without compromising the final image quality of the screen.

Xbox Series S: Compact and small, for a new generation of gaming

The Xbox Series S also brings gamers the same next-generation processing speed and performance that defined the Xbox Series X. With a similar CPU and identical I/O performance to the Xbox Series X, the Xbox Series S allows developers to bring gamers the same great performance at 1440P. With a similar CPU and identical I/O performance to the Xbox Series X, the Xbox Series S allows developers to bring the same great performance to gamers at 1440P resolution. With Variable Rate Shading (VRS) and hardware-accelerated DirectX ray tracing, the Xbox Series S will also deliver an immersive, dynamic next-generation gaming experience. Additionally, the Xbox Series S 512GB custom SSD will deliver 40 times the I/O bandwidth of Xbox One, faster game loading, more stable frame rates, and Quick Resume support for switching between games, powered by the Xbox Fast Architecture.

The most significant difference between Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X is the resolution support. Xbox Series S has three times the GPU performance of Xbox One and supports gaming at 60 FPS at 1440p resolution with frame rate support up to 120 FPS.

"An immersive experience that starts instantly

Whether it's Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, the new generation of Xbox consoles will give gamers more time to play and less time to wait.

SSD storage: With the new generation of SSDs, almost every aspect of game play is enhanced, resulting in wider, more vivid game worlds and fleeting loading screens. From now on, "fast travel" will mean exactly what it says on the tin: fast.

Quick Resume: The new Quick Resume feature allows players to continue previous progress and run multiple games without long wait times and loading screens.

Xbox Fast Architecture: This revolutionary new architecture will unlock a better gaming experience and immersion for you.

Hardware-accelerated DirectX ray tracing: This technology allows developers to create more realistic physical worlds by simulating light and shadow effects more accurately and in real time, with realistic spatial sound effects.

Smart Delivery: This technology will ensure that players have the best experience available on the different generations of consoles that they own at all times. This means that if you buy an Xbox One game with Smart Delivery, we will continue to give you the best experience for that game on Xbox One, and if you decide to buy a new generation of Xbox Series X|S, we will automatically give you the Xbox Series X|S version of that game.

Xbox Series X|S Exclusive Optimization: Games optimized exclusively for Xbox Series X|S will deliver faster launch and load times, higher resolutions, and frame rates up to 120 FPS. This includes new games built using the Xbox Series X development environment, as well as classics remastered specifically for Xbox Series X|S.

120 FPS support: Xbox Series X supports frame rates up to 120 FPS, allowing game developers to achieve a more realistic and fast-paced gaming experience with higher frame rate output.

With Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, gamers can play exciting titles across multiple generations. Both Xbox One games and new generation titles can be played on the Xbox New Generation console with improved graphics and operability. Gamers' favorite games will get more stable frame rates, faster loading speeds and sharper, more realistic graphics without any additional work from game developers.

With Smart Delivery, gamers will be able to run their games on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S or Xbox One with the most appropriate gaming experience for their current console performance. In the future, all titles from the Xbox Game Studios team, including Halo: Infinite, will be available with Smart Delivery, ensuring that players can enjoy the best gaming experience available on their device with a single purchase. This technology is also available to all game developers and publishers, who can choose to adapt specific games.

Both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S support Seagate expansion cards, which expand the Xbox Rapid Architecture with an additional 1TB of storage space. Games that receive exclusive Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S enhancements must run on the built-in SSD or on a Seagate expansion card."

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Microsoft announced the winning list of the lottery, the actual number of participants in the lottery is 17,465 people, number of winning 110 people, and the winning rate of 0.63%. Players can go to the official Microsoft Store applet to view the winning list.

The Microsoft Xbox Series X officially launches overseas on November 10, 2020. Two years later, the Xbox Series X is still out of stock in China.

Microsoft Xbox Series X is equipped with AMD’s custom APU, Zen2 CPU + RDNA2 GPU, and a graphics card with 52 CU groups, i.e. 3328 stream processors. Memory capacity of 16GB GDDR6, with 1TB custom NVME SSD, expandable storage 1 TB expansion card, performance target 4K @ 60 fps, up to 120 fps.

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