September2023
Random Xbox Marketing Wanted To "Avoid Calling Switch A Console"
Wish upon a Star(field)
In an attempt to ensure that Microsoft's Xbox is easily differentiated from the Switch, the company once attempted to make a shift in terminology when it comes to what constitutes a "console" — because that couldn't possibly lead to confusion, right? In a 2019 email from Xbox's head of marketing, Aaron Greenberg (and...
News Nintendo Reportedly Briefed Activision On 'Switch 2' Back In 2022
Specs comparable to PS4 and Xbox One
Oh boy... The 'Switch 2' hype train is picking up some speed now, huh? According to The Verge, Nintendo has reportedly already briefed Activision Blizzard on its next console and had in fact done so back in December last year. The news has been brought to light thanks to internal emails from the FTC Vs...
Random Xbox's Phil Spencer 'Had A Blast' Playing Super Mario Bros. Wonder
High praise
With Nintendo Live now taking place in Seattle, many folks are getting hands-on sessions with the highly anticipated Super Mario Bros. Wonder, launching next month on October 20th, 2023. One particularly notable attendee just so happens to be the Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, and he had some high praise for Nintendo's latest flagship...
August2023
Random Xbox Legend Major Nelson Visits Nintendo
Fans are already speculating...
Last month, Xbox's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb announced he would be departing Microsoft and team Xbox after 20 years at the company. In his parting message on social media to more than one million followers, the senior director of corporate communications mentioned how he needed to "take a step back and work on the...
July2023
News Microsoft Given All-Clear In The US To Acquire Activision Blizzard
Call of Duty is back on the menu
Update #3 [Sun 16th Jul, 2023 16:30 BST]: Microsoft gaming head Phil Spencer today confirmed a binding agreement with Sony has been made to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This is a 10-year deal, as confirmed by Stephen Totilo of Axios. "We are pleased to announce...
June2023
News Minecraft's Switch Version Earns More Revenue Than Xbox And PlayStation
Apparently it's "four times as big as" Xbox's earnings
Minecraft is still insanely popular and has been a huge form of revenue for Microsoft since its acquisition of Mojang. While PC and mobile is still seemingly the most popular way to play the game, during the final part of the 'Microsoft v FTC' hearing today, it's been revealed Nintendo's...
News PlayStation Boss Doesn't Think Call Of Duty Appeals To Nintendo's Core Audience
You know, the fans who enjoy "Mario and Zelda"
As part of the Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft's aim is to bring Call of Duty to as many platforms as possible. This includes Nintendo's devices, with a 10-year legal agreement already penned. The only thing Xbox has got to overcome first is the FTC and Sony's attempts to block the deal. The...
News Xbox Boss Says Call Of Duty Would Run "Relatively Great Compared To Other Switch Games"
Microsoft previously announced a "10-year commitment"
In December last year, Microsoft entered a "10-year commitment" to bring the Call of Duty series to Nintendo platforms if its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard passed. There have been many questions about if the series could even run on Nintendo hardware, and now during the current...
May2023
News Minecraft Trails & Tales Update Coming To Nintendo Switch This June
Camels, a new biome and much more
Minecraft will be getting a free update next month - with Mojang announcing "the Trails & Trails Update" is launching on 7th June. Players can look forward to the new cherry grove biome, new wood sets (including bamboo and cherry), camels and "the sniffer" mobs, new plants (torchflower & pitcher plants),...
April2023
News Nintendo Switch Is Not "Technically Capable" Of Running Call Of Duty Games, Says CMA
Despite Microsoft's confidence otherwise
Yesterday, Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard was officially blocked in the UK by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). This was accompanied by a 418-page final report that elaborates on how the authority reached its decision. The report outlines several reasons for the block, including...
March2023
News Microsoft "Confident" Activision Could Optimise Call Of Duty For Nintendo Switch
Including titles like Warzone & Modern Warfare II
Believe it or not but Activision's Call of Duty series is actually coming back to Nintendo platforms after a 10-year commitment was finalised in February. Since then, Microsoft has mentioned how it aims to bring the "best version" of the Call of Duty to Nintendo device
February2023
News Call Of Duty Will Run As You "Would Expect" On Nintendo Platforms, Says Microsoft
The 10-year commitment is now legally binding
Earlier this week, Microsoft officially locked in a deal to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms for the next 10 years. Microsoft president Brad Smith has now answered some questions regarding this new deal. While Smith admits he's "not the right person" to dive into a discussion about system...
January2023
News Xbox Acknowledges "The Journey" It's Been On To Revive GoldenEye 007
It's been a long one
No, you're not dreaming - Rare's legendary N64 shooter GoldenEye 007 is actually coming to the Nintendo Switch this week. After ongoing requests, it's finally making a comeback on the Switch Online Expansion Pack service this Friday. Although we'll never truly know just how difficult it has been to revive this classic...
News Minecraft Legends To Feature At Xbox's New 'Developer_Direct' Broadcast
Tune in January 25th
After a number of rumours and reports, Microsoft has officially confirmed it will be broadcasting an Xbox & Bethesda 'Developer_Direct' later this month on January 25th. As part of this, it seems Minecraft fans will be getting an "inside look" at the upcoming action-strategy game, Minecraft Legends. This title will be...
December2022
News Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Explains Microsoft's Plans For Call Of Duty On Nintendo Platforms
It will take some time
Yesterday, Microsoft Gaming CEO and Xbox head Phil Spencer announced the company had entered a 10-year agreement to bring Activision's Call of Duty series to Nintendo platforms. If you're wondering how exactly it will work, Phil has now shared some insight in a new interview with The Washington Post. Apparently, it could take...
September2022
News GoldenEye 007 Is Returning To Nintendo Switch
James Bond returns, finally
Nintendo has announced that GoldenEye 007 is finally coming back. During its September 2022 Nintendo Direct, the company confirmed that Rare's seminal N64 first-person shooter — which has never been officially released on any other console — is "coming soon". The Direct announcement was light on specifics, with no...
June2022
News Minecraft Legends Is Coming To Switch In 2023
Dat Switch logo
As rumoured earlier this week, Microsoft has revealed an action-strategy Minecraft spin-off, and it's called Minecraft Legends. Check out the trailer above, as featured in the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022.
Random It's Been Four Years Since The Elder Scrolls VI Was Announced
But will it even come to Switch?
Four years ago, The Elder Scrolls VI was announced, with little more than a title and a bit of concept art. It's not a huge surprise that there's an Elder Scrolls sequel in the works at Bethesda — Skyrim is one of the most ubiquitous games out there, and it's even rumoured to be coming to Switch for a second
April2022
News Bethesda Sale Kicks Off On Switch eShop, Up To 67% Off Doom, Skyrim, Wolfenstein
And don't forget Quake
Bethesda has launched a Switch eShop sale of all its titles, with discounts of 50% being the minimum while Doom Eternal (and its Deluxe Edition, which includes both DLC packs) both get a chunky 67% sliced off their full price. In real money, that brings the base game down to $19.79 and the Deluxe Edition to $29.69. Elsewhere,...
February2022
News Microsoft Wants Call Of Duty On Switch, Along With Other "Popular" Activision Blizzard Games
"Bring it to more people, bring it to more platforms"
Microsoft president Brad Smith has said that it wants to bring the Call of Duty series to Switch, assuming its purchase of Activision Blizzard goes ahead as planned. Smith made the comments in an interview with CNBC, in which he once again made clear that Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition of...
Rumour A "Certain Super Spy" Could Return Within The Next Few Weeks
The name's...
Apparently, a "certain super spy" could be making a return in the coming weeks. This is according to VGC editor and former Playtonic Games writer Andy Robinson, who shared a message over on Twitter. While it's unclear who exactly this spy could be, one obvious guess is James Bond. Some have also referenced SNK's '90s release The Super...
Soapbox Don't Cheer For Corporate Takeovers - It's Not A Game
Monopoly isn't just for fun when it's real money
Back in September 2020 when Microsoft announced its acquisition of Bethesda for around $7.5 billion, it was a big move — one that some fans would have been excited by, and others less so. It was a huge deal at the time, with that purchase giving Microsoft Gaming / Xbox a number of new studios and...
January2022
News Banjo-Kazooie Is Available Now On Switch Online's Expansion Pack
Rare's iconic duo return
Update [Fri 21st Jan, 2022 01:45 GMT]: Banjo-Kazooie has now been added to NSO's N64 Expansion Pack service. Enjoy! Original article [Wed 19th Jan, 2022 01:30 GMT]: Xbox isn't the only one that has some exciting announcements to share this week. Nintendo (with the cooperation of Rare and Microsoft, we guess...) has just...
Back Page After Spending $70B On Activision Blizzard... What If Microsoft Buys Nintendo Next?
We don't talk about Bobby
In the magazine business, the Back Page is where you'd find all the weird goofs that we couldn't fit in anywhere else. Some may call it "filler"; we prefer "a whole page to make terrible jokes that are tangentially related to the content of the mag". We don't have pages on the internet, but we still love terrible jokes —...
Talking Point How Does Microsoft's Purchase Of Activision Blizzard Impact Nintendo?
The latest extraordinary power move by MS
Microsoft caused a stir last year when it confirmed that its intended purchase of Zenimax had gone through, known better as the Bethesda deal. For over $7 billion Microsoft picked up Bethesda and a range of talented studios, with lots of discussion at the time over the impact of franchises like Fallout,...
