Microsoft News Articles
Friday20th Sep 2019
News Demo Ori And The Blind Forest Before It Launches On The Switch Next Week
Download it from the European eShop
Update (Fri 20th Sep, 2019 23:29 BST): The demo for Ori And The Blind Forest is now available on the North American eShop. Original Article (Fri 20th Sep, 2019 00:45 BST): After an exclusive run on Microsoft systems, next week the definitive edition of Ori And The Blind Forest launches on Nintendo Switch. In...
Sunday8th Sep 2019
News Microsoft Focused On Launching Ori Sequel Exclusively On Xbox One And PC
Could we still see a Switch release in the future?
Following the recent announcement of Ori And The Blind Forest for the Nintendo Switch, there have been requests for the sequel to also make the transition across to the hybrid system in the future. So, what are the chances of this actually happening? Microsoft previously stated it had no plans to...
Thursday5th Sep 2019
Random Sakurai Tells Nintendo Fans To Check Out The Original Banjo-Kazooie On Xbox One
Seriously.
During the special Banjo-Kazooie presentation today, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai explained how Microsoft was more than happy for the bear and bird to join Nintendo's all-star brawler. Sakurai himself was "extremely grateful" and also noted how Rare welcomed the idea with open arms. With the iconic duo now...
Wednesday21st Aug 2019
News Microsoft Has "No Plans" To Bring More First-Party Exclusives To Other Consoles
Ouch!
Current relations between Nintendo and Microsoft appear to be better than ever, but there's a chance Ori And The Blind Forest might be the last Xbox title published on the Nintendo Switch. In a statement provided to GamesIndustry.biz yesterday, Microsoft played down the idea of more games from Xbox Studios coming across to other consoles...
Monday19th Aug 2019
News Xbox Title Ori And The Blind Forest Is Making The Leap To Switch Next Month
And we're getting the "Definitive Edition" to boot!
Well, this is nice. Moon Studios' dream-like Ori And The Blind Forest is coming to the Nintendo Switch, and it's being published by Xbox Game Studios. Set in the Forest of Nibel, this award-winning action-platformer boasts gorgeous artwork, a fully-orchestrated score and tight, rewarding gameplay...
Saturday17th Aug 2019
News Conker's Creator Doesn't Think There Would Be As Much Noise For Other Rare IP On Switch
The bear and bird are the favourites
Conker’s creator, Chris Seaver, recently shared his thoughts about Banjo-Kazooie being announced as a playable DLC fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Switch. While he believes it was a “significant” moment, he doesn't think there would be as much interest in the return of other Rare IP: It is...
Saturday10th Aug 2019
Random Gears 5 Achievement Tips Hat To Retired Nintendo Of America President
"My Body Is Ready"
Despite being competitors within the video game industry, Nintendo's North American branch maintains healthy relations with Microsoft's Xbox division. In recent times, the two parties have united to get certain games published on the Switch and Banjo-Kazooie featured as a DLC fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Now, Xbox Game...
Tuesday16th Jul 2019
News Banjo-Kazooie Composer Grant Kirkhope Doesn't Know If There's A Market For A New Game
"I just don't know"
Around the time of E3 2019, when it was revealed Banjo-Kazooie would be added as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the composer of the bear and bird's original Nintendo 64 outing spoke with VGC about the possibility of a new entry in the series. In a more recent interview with the same website, the one and only...
Sunday30th Jun 2019
News Sony Doesn't See Nintendo As A Major Rival, More Worried About Microsoft Next Generation
And the potential threat of Google
The Wallstreet Journal has published a detailed report about Sony's next-generation PlayStation. According to the source, the company's aim is to target hardcore gamers and double down on big exclusives and publishers. In regards to market competition, a Sony representative explained how Microsoft was seen as its...
Thursday27th Jun 2019
News Nintendo, Sony And Microsoft Band Together To Fight Tariffs On Video Game Consoles
United as one
If you keep up with global politics or happen to live in North America, you might have heard about recently proposed tariffs on Chinese goods by the Trump administration. In a rare display – Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft have joined forces (in a seven-page letter) to warn the American government about the impacts this could...
Wednesday26th Jun 2019
News Toy Story Mash-Up Pack Now Available In Minecraft
To infinity and beyond!
To promote the arrival of Toy Story 4 in cinemas, Disney has teamed up with Mojang to release a special Toy Story themed mash-up pack in Minecraft. Here are the details from the Minecraft blog: Woody, Bo Peep, Buzz Lightyear, and some of the other charismatic characters you know and love have taken a detour to the world of...
Saturday22nd Jun 2019
News Banjo-Kazooie's Smash Bros. Reveal Was One Of The "Biggest" Moments In Grant Kirkhope's Career
Up there with Mario + Rabbids
In a recent interview with the YouTube channel Shesez, Banjo-Kazooie composer Grant Kirkhope was asked about how he felt when he heard his music in the character reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and how it compared to his other career highlights. According to the living legend himself, it’s on par with...
Friday14th Jun 2019
News Phantasy Star Online 2 "Will End Up On All Platforms" Eventually
No longer a fantasy?
When Phantasy Star Online 2 was announced for North America during the Xbox conference, it left a lot of western fans of the series wondering if the game would also be released on other platforms locally. Now, based on a comment made by Phil Spencer during an interview on Giant Bombcast, it has seemingly been confirmed the game...
News Phil Spencer Says Microsoft Had No Problem With Banjo-Kazooie Appearing In Smash Bros. Ultimate
The two companies are on "great" terms
Following the official reveal of Banjo-Kazooie as a DLC fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer caught up with Kotaku to discuss how exactly the Microsoft and Rare-owned character was able to make an appearance in the popular Nintendo fighter. According to Spencer, the story isn't as...
Wednesday12th Jun 2019
News Grant Kirkhope Explains How He Got To Compose Banjo-Kazooie Music For Smash Bros. Ultimate
The Mario + Rabbids creative director got in contact
Not long after Banjo-Kazooie was revealed for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate during Nintendo's E3 2019 Direct presentation, VGC reached out to the composer, Grant Kirkhope, to hear his side of the story and find out what it was like create music for Nintendo's all-star fighting game. It all started...
Saturday11th May 2019
Random Xbox's Major Nelson Seemingly Confirms The Next DLC Character For Dragon Ball FighterZ
Say what?
Earlier this week, Arc System Works and Bandai Namco released the latest update for the superb brawler, Dragon Ball FighterZ. Alongside this, was the launch of the new paid DLC fighter Goku , based on the much-younger looking version featured in the Dragon Ball GT anime series. Now, in a completely unexpected reveal, the last fighter for...
Thursday2nd May 2019
Rumour Forza Street Source Code Suggests A Switch Release Has Been Given The Green Light
Racing ahead
A few weeks ago, Forza fans got a surprise when the Windows 10 game Miami Street by Electric Square was rebranded Forza Street. While the free-to-play game is only accessible on the Microsoft Store at the moment, it will soon be made available on Android and iOS devices. There’s now a rumour suggesting this new entry in the Forza...
Tuesday30th Apr 2019
Random Minecraft's Creator Won't Be Invited To The Game's Anniversary Celebrations
Erasing history
The original creator of the survival crafting game Minecraft will be excluded from the title's 10-year anniversary celebrations due to his "comments and opinions" on social media, according to Microsoft. Since Marcus "Notch" Persson sold Minecraft to Microsoft for $2.5 billion back in 2014, the tech giant has released the game on as...
Wednesday17th Apr 2019
News The Live-Action Minecraft Movie Is Due Out In 2022
It's going to be a blockbuster
In case you forgot, a live-action Minecraft movie is on the way. It was actually confirmed by the game's creator Markus "Notch" Persson back in 2014 and has since experienced multiple delays. In an official update on the Minecraft website, it's now been revealed the movie will arrive on 4th March 2022. To be precise,...
Friday29th Mar 2019
News Security Researcher Avoids Prison After Hacking Into Nintendo's Network
And Microsoft's servers
Nintendo and Microsoft are once again making headlines together, but this time around it's not exactly what you might expect. 24-year-old security researcher Zammis Clark – also known as Slipstream or Raylee online – has pleaded guilty in London's Crown Court to hacking into Nintendo and Microsoft networks. The former...
Thursday21st Mar 2019
News Expect More Xbox Live-Enabled Games To Come To Switch Over The Next Year
Cuphead is just the beginning
Last week, Microsoft's Gaming Cloud Chief Kareem Choudhry said the technology giant had no specific Xbox Live announcements for the Switch right now. Despite this, the company has somehow touched on the subject again at the 2019 Game Developers Conference, currently taking place in San Francisco. According to a tweet...
News Cuphead Physical Release Confirmed For Nintendo Switch
Spread the word
If you are excited about the classic run and gun action game Cuphead coming to the Nintendo Switch but aren't particularly interested in downloading it from the eShop, the good news is a physical version is on the way. Studio MDHR will release the digital version on 18th April and a physical copy will arrive at some point after the...
Friday15th Mar 2019
News Microsoft Has No "Specific" Xbox Live Announcements For Switch Right Now
Not completely ruled out
Since February, there have been a series of rumours suggesting Microsoft would be bringing its Xbox applications, subscription services, and video games to the Nintendo Switch. While the tech giant has already been quite busy this week with the reveal of the Halo Master Chief Collection for PC and its streaming service...
Tuesday5th Mar 2019
News Microsoft Eager To "Bring Game Pass To Any Device" People Want To Play On
So, Nintendo Switch?
If recent rumours are to be believed, Microsoft intends to bring its Xbox Game Pass service to the Nintendo Switch and multiple other platforms. During an interview at the start of this month with GeekWire, the head of Xbox Phil Spencer opened up about the company's plans to push cross-device play, with the Game Pass subscript
Sunday3rd Mar 2019
Random Multiple Nintendo Characters Appear In Mixer Banner On Xbox One Dashboard
Not what you might expect
Earlier this week, a Twitter user spotted Marina from Splatoon 2 on the Xbox One dashboard within the Mixer section. As you may or may not be aware, Mixer is a Microsoft-owned live-streaming platform for all types of video games across multiple platforms. The timing of it was definitely odd, coming off the recent onslaught...
Thursday28th Feb 2019
Random Is That Marina From Splatoon 2 On The Xbox One Dashboard?
What the...
An Xbox One user who goes by the Twitter handle DumbDeadDoodles has allegedly spotted the Splatoon 2 character Marina hidden on a banner within the 'Mixer' section of the Xbox One dashboard. As crazy as it sounds, other Xbox users posted images of their own dashboards, showing the exact same banner. Take a look at the right side of the...
Friday22nd Feb 2019
Rumour French Gaming Website Suggests Cuphead Could Come To Switch
Nintendo and Microsoft collaboration rumours persist
Further to last night's rumours suggesting that Microsoft is planning to bring an Xbox app, Project X Cloud and its Game Pass service to Switch, more details have come to light regarding the possible cross-pollination. French gaming website Jeuxvideo has extra details regarding the potential...
Rumour Microsoft Plans To Bring Xbox App And Game Pass To Nintendo Switch
Ori and Project xCloud also expected
At the start of this month, it was discovered Microsoft would be discussing its plans to make Xbox Live compatible with mobile platforms and the Nintendo Switch at this year's Game Developers Conference. Now, in today's update, Direct-Feed Games – known for its strong track record when it comes to rumours –...
Thursday21st Feb 2019
Video Don't Get Your Hopes Up About Project H.A.M.M.E.R. Or Scalebound Making A Comeback
"Very unlikely" to return
Earlier this week, we reported a rumour about Nintendo's plans to revive a "dead and buried" game. This rumour stems from a comment made by Game Informer's Senior Editor Imran Khan on last week's Kinda Funny Games show. According to the source, Nintendo has intentions of reviving a certain project, even though it was...
Monday4th Feb 2019
News Microsoft Eager To Expand Xbox Live Cross-Platform Gaming On Switch
Beyond Minecraft
The upcoming schedule for this year’s Game Developers Conference – taking place between the 18th and 22nd of March – has revealed how Microsoft will be discussing its plans to expand Xbox Live support to Android, iOS and the Nintendo Switch. It wants cross-platform play to go beyond the insanely popular crafting-survival game...
