“Our goal is simple”: Xbox unveils major push to simplify Unreal Engine development

Xbox launches new Unreal Engine 5.8 plugins to strip away development friction and pave the way for Project Helix.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/our-goal-is-simple-xbox-is-making-unreal-engine-development-much-easier

Read More

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has new competition from... Google Earth?!

Google Earth has added a flight simulator to its web app, which is very much not a competitor for a more serious sim but is still fun nevertheless.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-has-new-competition-from-google-earth

Read More

On this day: Microsoft’s unreleased Moonraker smartwatch still feels ahead of its time

Ten years ago, we revealed Moonraker, Microsoft’s unreleased smartwatch built during the height of the Windows Phone era. It was colorful, Metro‑driven, and surprisingly forward‑thinking, offering a wearable vision that never made it past the prototype stage. A decade later, Moonraker still represents one of Microsoft’s most intriguing “what if” moments — a stylish device that hinted at a wearable strategy that vanished just as the market took off.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/hardware/windows-phone/on-this-day-microsofts-unreleased-moonraker-smartwatch-still-feels-ahead-of-its-time

Read More

This The Elder Scrolls Online story is getting new content 10 years later in Season 1 — the MMO gets a slick new trailer at Xbox Games Showcase 2026

The Elder Scrolls Online Season 1 got a sweet new trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase, with the devs teasing a brand new Thieves Guild storyline.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/this-the-elder-scrolls-online-story-is-getting-new-content-10-years-later-in-season-1

Read More

XBOX shows off darkest Fable trailer yet and finally revealed its new release date

Fable launches February 23, 2027, on Xbox, PC, and PS5, featuring a star-studded cast led by villain Hayley Atwell.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/fable-showed-off-darkest-trailer-yet-and-finally-revealed-new-release-date

Read More

"Guardians make their own fate": As a Destiny 3 petition surges, Destiny 2 dev calls on players to log in for its final content update on June 9

Ahead of Destiny 2's final content update Monument of Triumph, one dev is rallying players to log in for it as a Destiny 3 petition surges.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/as-a-destiny-3-petition-surges-destiny-2-dev-calls-on-players-to-log-in-for-its-final-content-update-on-june-9

Read More

NVIDIA drops the Control Panel for Windows 11 after 20 years of faithful service and goes all in on its newer app

With the release of the latest NVIDIA driver the classic Control Panel app is being retired. The features aren't going away, instead being folded into the newer NVIDIA App.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/nvidia-drops-the-control-panel-for-windows-11-after-20-years-of-faithful-service-and-goes-all-in-on-its-newer-app

Read More

Flashback: The 2016 Chrome and Android‑apps story that predicted today’s Googlebooks moment

A 2016 warning about Android apps on Chrome feels newly relevant as Googlebooks pushes Android PCs into the agentic era and challenges Microsoft again.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-10/flashback-the-2016-chrome-and-android-apps-story-that-predicted-todays-googlebooks-moment

Read More

Diablo 4 has fixed its controversial shop problem by giving me a violent knife-wielding crab

Paid skins prove you have cash, but Diablo 4’s hidden grinds prove dedication beats a wallet every time.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/diablo-4-has-fixed-its-controversial-shop-problem-by-giving-me-a-violent-knife-wielding-crab

Read More

I reckon Asha Sharma wants to give Xbox its exclusive games back — but these PlayStation comments reveal why Microsoft probably won't let her

It's the year of GTA6. The game has an exclusive PlayStation marketing deal. Call of Duty is also not launching on PS4 this year, giving holdouts a reason to upgrade ... so why is Sony warning investors of decreased sales? And why is this relevant to Xbox exclusive games? Let's talk.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/i-reckon-asha-sharma-wants-to-give-xbox-its-exclusive-games-back-but-these-playstation-comments-reveal-why-microsoft-probably-wont-let-her

Read More

Xbox posts the Forza Horizon 6 launch trailer a week before its Early Access release date — I love this tribute to a beloved racer the series partnered with

A week ahead of Forza Horizon 6's Early Access release date, Xbox has posted the game's official launch trailer — and it's got some neat references.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/forza/xbox-posts-the-forza-horizon-6-launch-trailer-a-week-before-its-early-access-release-date

Read More

I was wrong about Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred is the pinnacle of the series, and I'm so happy to be wrong about my fears.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/i-was-wrong-about-diablo-4-lord-of-hatred

Read More

Windows Phone 8 is getting a second life thanks to 8Marketplace, patched Twitter app, and more

Windows Phone 8 is seeing a surprising revival through community efforts like 8Marketplace, which restores app downloads, alongside patched apps that connect to modern services like Bluesky.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/hardware/windows-phone/windows-phone-8-is-getting-a-second-life-thanks-to-8marketplace-patched-twitter-app-and-more

Read More

"Inspired by the winding Touge roads of Japan": This limited Forza Horizon 6 Xbox gear caught my eye, and I'm tempted

Xbox has officially revealed the Forza Horizon 6 Limited Edition controller and wireless headset, now available for pre-order ahead of the game’s launch on May 19

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/forza/this-limited-forza-horizon-6-xbox-gear-caught-my-eye

Read More

“This update broke BitLocker for me” — Windows 11’s April patch is locking out PCs, but here’s the fix that works

Some Windows 11 PCs hit BitLocker recovery after the April 2026 update. Here's what's causing it and how to fix this problem before or after installing the system update.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/windows-11-april-2026-update-breaks-bitlocker-for-some-pcs-heres-the-fix

Read More

“You’ll get good performance with the OmniBook X Flip” as HP’s AI‑focused 2‑in‑1 pairs long battery life with dependable speed for real‑world workloads

The HP Omnibook X Flip 14" laptop is a well-made laptop that's a safe bet for work with dependable performance rates, a durable build, long-lasting batteries, and multiple configurations to suit your needs, which are now on sale.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/hardware/laptops/youll-get-good-performance-with-the-omnibook-x-flip

Read More

Windows 11 no longer forces you to install updates when setting up your PC — ending mandatory 30 minute update process forever

A new update now rolling out globally will give users the option to skip the update process when setting up a new Windows 11 PC, speeding up the experience two-fold.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/windows-11-no-longer-forces-you-to-install-updates-when-setting-up-your-pc-ending-mandatory-30-minute-update-process-forever

Read More

Windows Wrap: Snapdragon X PCs are the latest victims of lazy takes and willfully ignorant tech journalists

Windows 11 on Arm has come a long way, but many reviewers and commenters fall back on horror stories of incompatibility that haven't been true for years.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/windows-wrap-snapdragon-x-pcs-are-the-latest-victims-of-lazy-takes-and-willfully-ignorant-tech-journalists

Read More

Is Valve prepping its own AI for Steam?

Reference to something called SteamGPT has appeared in a datamined Steam update, which could mean that Valve is bringing in AI to help speed up support requests and to buff anti-cheat. Here's what you need to know.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/is-valve-prepping-its-own-ai-for-steam

Read More

STALKER 2 is getting a free new content update this month ahead of its Cost of Hope DLC — it's expanding one of the original game's spookiest locations

Ahead of STALKER 2's upcoming Cost of Hope DLC, dev GSC Game World is releasing a free Sealed Truth content update for the open-world survival shooter.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/stalker-2-is-getting-a-free-new-content-update-this-month-ahead-of-its-cost-of-hope-dlc

Read More