Tag: Microsoft - Page 3
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,...
News Microsoft And Activision Will Continue To Support "A Variety Of Platforms" Despite Acquisition
But does that include Switch?
Well, who was expecting that? Microsoft has agreed to acquire Call of Duty publisher Activision Blizzard in a deal thought to be worth $68.7 billion. Announced just a couple of hours ago, the news has already led to much confusion and speculation amongst gaming fans. Is purchasing Activision, which is currently...
News Microsoft Buys Activision Blizzard, Now Owns Call Of Duty And Crash Bandicoot
Deal cost a cool $68.7 billion
Microsoft has purchased embattled Call of Duty and Crash Bandicoot publisher Activision in a deal worth a whopping $68.7 billion. To give some perspective on the astonishing size of that figure, Disney paid $4.05 billion for Star Wars studio Lucasfilm in 2012, with half of the money paid in cash and the other half in...
And so Kinect was born
Xbox's new six-part documentary series celebrating the 20 year history of Microsoft's console gaming division has a lot of company secrets and industry insights and one highlight from a Nintendo perspective is a brief segment about motion gaming in Chapter 5. In the holiday 2006, Nintendo launched its new motion-controlled...
Random Xbox's 20th Anniversary 'Metaverse' Acknowledges The Time It Tried To Acquire Nintendo
And the rest is history
Update: Our friends at Eurogamer have gone an extra step and transcribed part of the letter from within Xbox's virtual museum. The letter was sent by Xbox's Rick Thompson to NoA's business boss Jacqualee Story and attempts to set up a meeting with Nintendo's boss Hiroshi Yamauchi and hardware chief Genyo Takeda. "Dear...
News Sega And Microsoft Are Teaming Up To Make "Super Games"
Sonic the Cloudhog
Metaverses are so hot right now, and it looks like Sega is making the moves to create their own. You might know the concept of 'metaverse' from Fortnite, Space Jam, or Ready Player One — it's basically a hub where you can find all of your favourite brands and fictional characters, all in the same place. Unsurprisingly, with...
News Banjo-Kazooie Is 'Coming Home' To A Nintendo Console Via Switch Online
Bayonetta's great and all, but B-K's back baby!
You could be forgiven for missing the biggest news buried in the latest Nintendo Direct — the real megaton that turned it into the finest 40-minute presentation Nintendo has ever assembled. No, we're not talking about a gameplay reveal for the elusive Bayonetta 3 or the long-awaited
Random Xbox's Phil Spencer Reveals His Favourite GameCube Game
In an insane world, it was the sanest choice
As you may have noticed, today marks 20 years since the Nintendo GameCube launched in Japan and we (along with the rest of the internet) have been getting all nostalgic for Nintendo's purple box. As is customary on these significant anniversaries (or any anniversary when it comes to social media —...
Random We're Getting Major 'Nintendo DS' Vibes From Microsoft's Surface Duo Running Xbox Game Pass
Dual-screen goodness
This week, Microsoft pushed a new update to its Android-based Surface Duo which allows owners to run Xbox games via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. So far, 50 titles are available, but the really cool thing about this is that it effectively turns the Surface Duo into a Nintendo DS-style games console. The catch here is that the Duo...
News F4F Reveals Banjo-Kazooie Mumbo Jumbo And Crocodile Banjo Statue
Pre-orders are now live
Update [Wed 12th May, 2021 04:55 BST]: Following on from last week's teaser, First 4 Figures has now officially revealed its Mumbo Jumbo statue and a Crocodile Banjo one. Pre-orders are now live on the official F4F website. The Mumbo Jumbo statue will be available as a standard and exclusive edition. Crocodile Banjo can be...
But thought a deal with Nintendo would be a "moonshot"
Take this with a grain of salt, but at some stage, the Fortnite creator Epic Games was apparently eager to get Sony, Microsoft and even Nintendo's first-party titles on its digital storefront - and for all we know, it could still be interested in making this happen one day. According to yet...
Random You Can Buy A Fake "Animal Crossing New Horizons" Game On The Microsoft Store For Just $2.99
Redd would be proud
We've seen a lot of games attempting to cash in on the success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons but this shamelessly takes it to the next level. If you've browsed the Microsoft Store at all in recent times, you might have stumbled across a page for...you guessed it, a PC and mobile game with the same name. Yes, the Microsoft...
Random Halo Instagram Shows Off Amazing Mario X Master Chief Fan Art
Hmm, interesting timing...
Phil Spencer's shelf has become a bit of a talking point over the past week. First, we heard how Hideo Kojima might be doing something exclusively with Microsoft, and now, the latest focus is the Switch on the top run. We've already noted how Jeff Grubb said "pretty much everything" is a reference to something or other,...
News Xbox Says It's "More Important Than Ever" To Preserve Gaming Icons And Classics
You hear that, Nintendo?
The digital era of gaming should have made video game preservation easier than ever, but as we've slowly been learning over the past decade, it appears to come with a number of setbacks. Some companies aren't interested in reviving older libraries of games, others put odd restrictions and limitations in place, and then...
News Rare Gives Us A Side-By-Side Comparison Of Banjo-Kazooie's amiibo And Totaku
Who wore it better?
Last week saw the arrival of three brand new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate amiibo. For many, the highlight of the lot was the release of Banjo-Kazooie - you know, the Microsoft-owned character. While we think the overall design of this particular amiibo is already fantastic, Banjo's creator, Rare, has now gone one step further,...
News Bethesda's Future Games Will Be "Where Game Pass Exists"
So that's Xbox, PC and devices that support the service
It's been a big week in the video game industry, with Microsoft officially finalising its $7.5 billion acquisition of Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media. Microsoft is expected to limit Bethesda's third-party support at a certain point in the future and in a special roundtable discussion,...
News Bethesda Will Make "Some" New Titles Exclusive To Xbox And PC
Exact games not yet revealed
Last year, Microsoft announced it would be acquiring Bethesda's parent company ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion. It's now a done deal - with the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, confirming everything has been finalised. So, what does this mean for Bethesda games on other platforms such as the Nintendo Switch? In the same Xbox...
News Niantic Showcases Pokémon GO Proof-Of-Concept HoloLens Demo At Microsoft Ignite 2021
"We’ve only scratched the surface"
At Microsoft Ignite 2021, Niantic announced it would be collaborating with Microsoft and showed off a proof-of-concept Pokémon GO demo on a HoloLens 2 headset. Niantic founder and CEO, John Hanke, appeared in a video illustrating how AR can enrich daily routines. Keep in mind, this demo is not intended for...
News Microsoft's Edge Extensions Store Has Reportedly Been Hosting Illegal Copies Of Nintendo Games
Sonic, Pac-Man and Minecraft also spotted
Microsoft's Edge extensions store is believed to have been hosting "illegal copies" of classic games like Mario Kart 64, Super Mario Bros. and various other titles like Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man and Tetris. Even the Microsoft-owned IP Minecraft
News Microsoft Was Simply Exploring "Every Angle" When It Approached Nintendo About A Buyout
"it wasn't like we had to make a long trip to go see them"
Earlier this month, Bloomberg ran a story about how Microsoft attempted to buy out Nintendo many years ago. EA, at the time, apparently told Microsoft it had "no clue" how to make a console, while Nintendo supposedly thought Microsoft's proposal was hilarious, according to Xbox's former...
News This Free Software Lets You Play Minecraft With Your Eyes
Making the game accessible for those who can't use their hands
The past few years have seen some incredible leaps and bounds in technology, and many of those improvements have been focused around accessibility. You may remember the story about inclusivity advocate, developer, artist, and gamer Becky, AKA EyeGazeGirl, who hooked up the Xbox adaptive...
News Nintendo "Laughed Their Asses Off" At Microsoft's Buyout Offer
You say Halo, I say goodbye
We love a good oral history, and Bloomberg's latest is all about the Xbox. Wait, come back! It's still Nintendo Life, don't worry, we haven't changed teams. It turns out that Microsoft had big plans back when the Xbox was in development, and those plans involved trying to buy out a bunch of gaming companies. Long story...
News Minecraft Was The Most-Watched Game On YouTube In 2020
Also one of the most-watched live games
It's that time of year once again where companies are revealing stats of this and that. On the YouTube front, it's all about what's been watched the most. In terms of video games, Minecraft is still the top dog - with the game being viewed on the platform 201 billion times throughout the year. Roblox was in...
News Microsoft Won't Be Taking Bethesda's Games Away From Nintendo Platforms
But wants to offer "best" experience on its own platforms
There have been some concerns about the future of Bethesda games on certain other platforms since the third-party video game giant responsible for the likes of Doom and The Elder Scrolls series was acquired by Microsoft in September. Fortunately, there's no need to worry (at
Xbox games should have access to full ecosystem, says Phil
Microsoft and Nintendo have collaborated a lot lately, but there are no guarantees moving forward, according to Head of Xbox Phil Spencer. When asked by Kotaku this week about the possibility of more Microsoft published games coming to other consoles - like the Nintendo Switch, Phil replied...
Quiz How Well Do You Know Minecraft?
Soon to be Smashin'
With the announcement of Steve, Alex, Zombie and Enderman coming to Smash Bros. Ultimate as DLC Challenger #7, it's the perfect time to test on your Minecraft knowledge. As the best-seling video game of all time, many of you will likely have a deep understanding of the game mined from years of experience, and there'll be a few of...
Random Microsoft Shuts Down Rumours That It's Buying Sega Next
Sonic X?
Microsoft shook the gaming world to its very core recently by announcing that it was gobbling up ZeniMax, the parent company of video game giant Bethesda – a purchase which gives it control of million-selling brands such as The Elder Scrolls, DOOM and Fallout. When you drop a cool $7.5 billion on a company, it's almost inevitable that...
News Microsoft Has Just Bought Bethesda, Giving It Doom, Fallout, Elder Scrolls And Wolfenstein
2020 sure is wild
Update: Xbox boss Phil Spencer has confirmed that future Bethesda games will still come to other consoles on "a case by case basis" (thanks, Jason Schreier). Original Article: Microsoft has just purchased Bethesda parent company ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion, giving it ownership of franchises such as DOOM, Wolfenstein, Elder...
News Image & Form's New Game Is "Permanently Exclusive" To Xbox And Windows
Dev says it wanted a "strong partner"
Earlier this month, Thunderful CEO Brjann Sigurgeirsson confirmed Image & Form's new game - The Gunk, wouldn't be coming to the Switch, as it's exclusive to
Random Some Of Microsoft's New 'Designed For Xbox' Controllers Look Pretty Familiar
Where have we seen these before?
Today, Microsoft has unveiled a new range of controllers and accessories all under a 'Designed for Xbox' banner, coinciding with the news that it'll be launching its Project xCloud streaming service on Android devices next month. You can learn all about the news over on our sister site, Pure Xbox, but it's the...
News Phil Spencer Shuts Down Idea Of Xbox Game Pass Coming To Other Platforms
They "aren't really that interested in having a full Xbox experience"
Last year, you might recall how the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, spoke about bringing Microsoft's Game Pass service to more platforms. While the company has now achieved this within its own ecosystem, these comments have still got many people questioning if the subscription service...
News Blatant Pokémon Rip-Off Appears On Microsoft Store
'Capsmon', apparently
Like a heavy thunderstorm that never seems to end or that pesky piece of dirty chewing gum that you just can't get off your shoe, the trend of blatantly obvious Pokémon rip-offs continues to rear its ugly head. The latest, 'Capsmon Adventure: Brave Heroes Assemble', can be found on the Microsoft Store. Available to download...
News Minecraft Sales Top 200 Million As Developer Mojang Gets A New Logo And Name (Well, Sort Of)
Impressive monthly player figures, too
In a post on Xbox.com Microsoft has announced that over 200 million copies of Minecraft have been sold to date. Not only that, but 126 million people are playing the game on a monthly basis. That's... a lot of people still playing Minecraft! This news, written by head of Mojang Studios Helen Chiang, follows...
News Xbox Adaptive Controller Allows Inspiring Gamer To Play Animal Crossing On Switch
Island life is for everyone
We've heard previously how the Xbox Adaptive Controller is compatible with the Nintendo Switch, and it seems players far and wide have been making good use of this nifty tool ever since. Yesterday, Pure Xbox shared a story about a disabled gamer – by the name of EyeGazeGirl on Twitter – who has been using this...
"I'd rather be able to set more of an Xbox-level expectation for our fans"
Nintendo and Microsoft have teamed up on a number of occasions to achieve the impossible. Last year, for example, Rare's iconic mascot Banjo-Kazooie debuted in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Along with this, was the release of games like the run 'n gun platformer Cuphead and the...
News The Project AM2R Creator Now Designs Levels For The Ori Developer Moon Studios
Life after Nintendo's takedown notices
You might remember a really impressive fan-made overhaul of Metroid II: Return of Samus – better known as Project AM2R (Another Metroid 2 Remake) – that was released in 2016. Ever wondered what the creator has been up to since it was shut down by Nintendo? Well, it was actually a dream outcome for him in...
And a touch of fatherly magic
Time and time again, Microsoft's Adaptive Controller has proven to be a fantastic bit of kit. We've seen a number of cases where it has given people the chance to play their favourite games when they otherwise wouldn't have been able to, and this particular example is sure to lift up your gloomy Monday. Rory Steel has...
Random No, Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Isn't Coming To Microsoft's HoloLens
"Introducing the Robber Run Again!"
A listing for Zelda: Breath of the Wild has hit the Microsoft store, but before you assume that Nintendo has lost its marbles and gone multi-platform, we should point out that it's bogus. While the listing shows the original box art and uses that famous title, the actual game in question doesn't look like...
News Minecraft Was The Most-Viewed Game On YouTube In 2019
Fortnite takes out second spot
The open-world sandbox game Minecraft has had another strong year of support from its developer and playerbase, and to top it off, it's been recognised as the most-watched game on YouTube in 2019, with 100.2 billion views. Since its official launch in 2011, the game has been released on just about every platform at...
Congratulations Microsoft
Microsoft has had a tough time in Japan on the video game front. The latest iteration of its Xbox system shifts a handful of units per week within the region and the company's first-party offerings often struggle to appeal to Japanese players. While it's not going so well for the Xbox or its library of games, one...
News No, Playtonic Games Isn't Making A New Banjo-Kazooie Or Joining Microsoft
Playtonic shares official statement
Over the past few days, you may have stumbled across rumours and speculation suggesting that Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic Games is either working on a new Banjo-Kazooie title, or that it has been acquired by Microsoft. Neither of these things are true. The rumours appear to have started soon after it was...
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...
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...
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...
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...
News New Microsoft Controller Patent Sure Does Remind Us Of The Nintendo Switch
It's all about those "removable input modules"
While they're taking two very different approaches when it comes to meeting the needs of their respective audiences, it would seem that Microsoft and Nintendo are thinking along the same lines on certain hardware features. A new patent filed by Microsoft last month hints at a controller setup which...
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...
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...
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...
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...
