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Microsoft has unveiled two new products aimed at students — Windows 11 SE and a low-cost Surface Laptop SE. The company positions the software and new Surface hardware as a great option for students and educational institutions, which sounds a lot like a way to take on Google’s Chromebooks.
Starting with Windows 11 SE, Microsoft says it built the new OS with feedback from teachers and school IT admins to make the software simple, distraction-free, secure and easy to deploy. Further, Microsoft says it optimized Windows 11 SE for “the most-used education experiences,” which, naturally, includes Microsoft 365.
Interestingly, Microsoft touted that Windows 11 SE devices don’t need persistent internet access, noting that up to 16 million K-12 public school students in the U.S. don’t have persistent internet access outside of school. As such, Microsoft says Office apps, like Word and PowerPoint, work offline on Windows 11 SE. OneDrive also stores files locally and can back files up when students can reconnect to the internet.
Although this all sounds like a no-brainer, it seems like a shot at Google’s Chromebooks, which tend to rely more heavily on web-based platforms and can lose functionality without an internet connection. Still, Google has also done a lot to make Chromebooks less dependent on internet connections in recent years.
Another benefit to Windows 11 SE is that it supports third-party apps. I was particularly surprised by that announcement (especially because Microsoft mentioned Zoom and Chrome as examples, both of which directly compete with Microsoft services like Teams and Edge).
That should allow schools that opt to use Windows 11 SE to work with whatever tools they want, even if that means they won’t use Microsoft’s services. That said, the choice is left up to schools, since Microsoft says only IT admins can download and install apps and services.
Surface Laptop SE and other low-cost Windows 11 SE devices
To showcase the new education-oriented operating system, Microsoft announced its most affordable Surface device — the Laptop SE. Coming in at $319.99 in Canada, Microsoft says the tiny laptop is made specifically for K-8 students.
The Laptop SE offers an 11.6-inch screen, 720p HD front-facing camera, stereo speakers and “the same high-quality typing experience as the rest of the product portfolio.” Moreover, Microsoft says the Laptop SE offers “new levels of repairability,” allowing IT admins to easily repair the laptops on-site.
While the Surface Laptop SE will lead the charge for Microsoft’s new education push, the company also announced that other partners would launch education devices. That includes Acer, Asus, Dell, Dynabook, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo and more will soon offer Windows 11 SE laptops running on Intel or AMD platforms.
Ultimately, it sounds like Microsoft will soon have an extensive fleet of education options tailored for schools. It remains to be seen if Windows 11 SE and the new education-oriented laptops from Microsoft and partners will sway schools away from Google and ChromeOS. Either way, the education space just got a lot more interesting.
Those interested can learn more about Windows 11 SE and the Surface Laptop SE here.
Update 11/09/2021 at 12:42pm ET: Added Canadian pricing to the article.
Microsoft is celebrating Native American Heritage Month by highlighting games, movies and TV inspired by Indigenous creators, cultures and protagonists around the world on Xbox and Windows.
The Microsoft Store on Xbox and Windows in countries like Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Colombia, the UK, the US and more can find Indigenous community picks by searching for “Indigenous” in the Stores.
Microsoft is warning Windows 11 users that some of the operating system’s features are failing due to an expired certificate.
Following the expiration on October 31st, Windows 11 is currently preventing apps like the touch keyboard, Snipping Tool and emoji panel from opening.
It’s unclear exactly how many users are affected by these issues, but for now, Microsoft has a patch (‘KB4006746‘) available in preview, which needs to be installed manually. However, while this fixes most issues, like the touch keyboard and emoji panel, Microsoft notes that the Snipping Tool app remains dysfunctional.
“To mitigate the issue with Snipping Tool, use the Print Screen key on your keyboard and paste the screenshot into your document,” says Microsoft. “You can also paste it into Paint to select and copy the section you want.”
The company says this is its suggestion in the meantime until it rolls out a formal resolution, which it will provide an update [on] when more information is available.”
As promised, Microsoft is close to rolling out a microphone mute switch to Windows 11. The latest dev channel build for the recently released operating system has finally added the mic switch to the Taskbar.
This suggests that the button will soon ship to all versions of Windows 11. If you can’t wait for the update, Microsoft also offers a tool app called PowerToys with a similar feature and other cool extras.
How the new button works
Once the actual button does roll out, it will be located next to the Wi-Fi and volume icons in the bottom right of the Taskbar.
You can click on it to mute/unmute your mic or see what apps are accessing your microphone currently. That said, the beta version only works with Microsoft Teams currently and it looks like it’s going to be up to individual developers to add support for the feature. With this in mind, I wouldn’t expect it to work in Google Meet or Zoom at launch.
This is similar to how macOS, iOS and Android all handle microphone access now. If an app is using your mic, you’ll see a small orange or green dot along the top of your screen on these platforms. The other major platforms also display a notification of some kind of they’re using your camera too. As it stands right now, Windows doesn’t offer a similar feature.
Microsoft is, surprisingly, bringing back ‘Clippy’ to Microsoft Teams. Microsoft revived the paperclip about two years ago and then killed it just after a couple of days.
Again, Microsoft is planning on launching a sticker pack that’ll be available on its Teams service that offers a lot of different versions of the original emoji.
On Microsoft’s feedback portal, company representative Alex O gave the following statement: “Yes, it’s true – Clippy has agreed to come out of retirement! Whether you loved him or hated him, Clippy is back with a Retro Sticker Pack in Teams. By the way, be sure to checkout the nostalgic Teams background featuring Clippy as well at https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/blog/2021/07/08/get-nostalgic-with-new-microsoft-teams-backgrounds.”
It’s worth noting that the link doesn’t work.
The sticker pack looks similar to what was available on the retro sticker pack that was available on Teams two years ago.
The first Clippy sighting was in Office 97 that would offer hints for those using Microsoft Office software.
The October system update for Xbox consoles has begun to roll out.
As detailed in an Xbox blog post, the update adds features like a 4K dashboard, a night mode, and new Quick Settings. Keep reading for a more detailed breakdown:
4K dashboard
To start, Xbox Series X owners can take advantage of a dashboard that now outputs in native 4K resolution; previously, they only upscaled from 1080p to 4K.
Provided that you have a 4K display, you’ll be able to see this change reflected on Home, My Games & Apps, Guide, and many other places. Xbox says UI elements like game art and buttons will also “have increased sharpness and improved text readability.”
Night Mode
Next up is Night Mode, a suite of settings that adjusts light sources for those playing in the evening or are just generally sensitive to light. Xbox says lights can be dimmed for your connected display, the power button on your controller and even the light on the console. This is available on all Xbox consoles, but Series X and S owners also get an exclusive customizable blue light filter.
Xbox notes that these changes will apply across your Xbox system, games and apps, although they do “not impact performance, screenshots or game clips.”
What’s more, there’s also the option to create a night mode schedule so these changes will be automatically toggled depending on a given time. You can manually toggle this at any time and choose to have it apply at sunrise/sunset or based on a custom time.
These features can be found by heading to Settings > Accessibility > Night mode or Settings > TV & display options > Night mode.
Quick Settings
With the new Quick Settings menu in the Xbox Guide, you can now quickly toggle accessibility features without leaving your game or app. This menu will let you easily switch features on or off. Xbox says these changes will only apply to the particular active user profile, so families who share a console can still have their experiences tailored the way they like.
The console arms race only heightens by the day. Over the past couple of years, Xbox and PlayStation have done everything to gobble up as many first-party studios in an effort to outdo the other.
While in generations past it may have seemed like Sony and company had been winning the exclusive game; however, the team at Microsoft has assembled quite the stable of in-house studios themselves. Acquisitions like Double Fine, Obsidian, and of course all of Bethesda’s amalgam of development teams have headlined an age of big spending from the Washington-based console giant.
Sure, the fruits of Xbox Game Studios’ recent efforts are only just starting to show, but the future is bright for games rocking a Series X/S in their entertainment centre. So without further ado, here is everything we know about what each first-party Xbox team is currently working on:
343 Industries
Location: Redmond, Washington Last game: Halo Wars 2
One of Microsoft’s crown jewels, 343 Industries is a pretty easy studio to guess when it comes to the type of projects it is currently working on. The Redmond-based team was initially assembled to take the torch on the Halo franchise from Bungie after it broke away from Xbox, and it’s followed Master Cheif and co. ever since.
As for what the team is currently working on, it’s Halo Infinite, of course! Infinite is set to launch on December 8th and will mark just the beginning of this title. 343 has made it known that Halo Infinite is going to be a living organism of a game, with series staples like co-op campaign and forge mode coming sometime in the new year.
Master Chief’s latest adventure is sure to keep 343 Industries busy for a long time with the potential for expansions and new modes (like a battle royale, perhaps?), so predicting what comes after is a moot point. Yes, it would be nice to nice to see the team venture away from the world of Spartans and Elites, but at this point, that seems highly unlikely.
Alpha Dog Games
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Last Game: Mighty Doom (mobile)
Alpha Dog Games is one of the lesser-known studios at Xbox. The team was a part of the Bethesda/Microsoft deal and focuses entirely on mobile experiences. The studio’s last project, Mighty DOOM, launched earlier this year on iOS and Android, offering a top-down touch screen take on the iconic id Software shooter.
Being such a small studio, nothing has leaked from or been said about Alpha Dog’s next game. However, having been brought into the ZeniMax family in 2019 to bring Bethesda IP to smartphones, the team’s next project will likely be related to a name we already know.
Arkane
Location: Lyon, France Last game: Deathloop
Arkane is currently coming off the high of putting out one of the best games of the year in Deathloop. However, with its most recent outing being a timed PS5 exclusive, Microsoft is sure to make sure the French team puts it in the rearview as fast as they can.
Arkane’s stock is on the rise. Over the past decade and change, the studio has put out hit after hit, perfecting a style of gameplay known as the “immersive-sim.” And earlier this year, we got a tease of what the Dishonored studio has coming down the pipeline.
Announced as a part of the Xbox/Bethesda E3 showcase this past June, Redfall is next in Arkane’s sights. Not much has been said about the urban vampire action game other than to expect it next summer, but judging from its brief reveal trailer, it has Arkane’s signature blend of stealth, combat, and player agency written all over it.
Bethesda Game Studios
Location: Rockville, Maryland (main location, also has three other wings, including one in Montreal) Last game: The Elder Scrolls: Blades (mobile)
While there are plenty of prize pumpkins among the Bethesda/Zenimax group of studios that Xbox purchased back in fall 2020, Bethesda Game Studios (BGS) would be considered by many to be the cream of the crop. BGS is the team that the majority of people think of when they hear Bethesda. These are the folks behind mega-hits like Skyrim and Fallout 3. To put it bluntly: when Bethesda Game Studios puts out a new game, heads turn.
And 2022 will be one of those head-turning years, as the team steps away from familiar names like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout and puts out something completely new. Interplanetary RPG Starfield is set to launch on November 11th, 2022 and will usher in a new era for BGS, running on a new engine, and being the first from the studio to come out exclusively on Xbox.
It doesn’t stop there. After the luster of Starfield has worn off and gamers move on to play whatever comes next, Bethesda has another card up their sleeve in The Elder Scrolls VI. However, according to Todd Howard, the game’s director Todd Howard, it’s still “a very long way off” and is “something that’s going to take a lot of time.”
The Coalition
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Last game: Gears 5
While The Coalition has been mostly known for recent entries in the Gears of War series, something new could be on the horizon for the Canadian studio. The Vancouver-based development house most recently put out the stellar Gears 5 back in 2019, but in the time since has been very quiet about what’s up next.
Other than helping support 343 on Halo Infinite, The Coalition’s two other teams are apparently hard at work on something Gears-related, as well as something brand new. If this new Gears of War title is in fact in development, fans could expect to see it as soon as next year. A three-year development pattern has emerged since The Coalition took over the Gears franchise, so it would only make sense that a sixth game in the mainline series launch in 2022.
Taking a look at the potential brand-new project being worked on by the studio’s third team, it really could be anything. Back in May, known gaming insider Jeff Grubb revealed the team could be tackling a galaxy far, far away, saying “it could be a Star Wars thing.. but [he hasn’t] been able to confirm that.” However, mere days later when chatting about the studio’s move to Unreal Engine 5, Coalition senior community manager TC Shauny took to Reddit, clarifying the team is “not working on any such title” and that it has “nothing else to announce at this time.”
Yes, the above remark is coming right from the mouth of the developer, saying it has nothing to do with a digital dive into the Lucasian lore; but if a Coalition Star Wars project were to be announced, it would not be the first time a studio has lied about what it’s working on. It’s also worth noting that EA is losing its exclusive hold on the Star Wars gaming license in 2023, which would open it up to studios like The Coalition.
Compulsion Games
Location: Montreal, Quebec Last game: We Happy Few
Compulsion Games is one of the lesser-known studios in the fold at Xbox, but there is no reason to think that it couldn’t achieve great things in the near future. The French-Canadian team was acquired by Microsoft back in 2018 and has been pretty much radio silent since. Other than a few remarks praising Xbox Game Pass, the We Happy Few developer has kept things pretty quiet.
Earlier this year, rumours were swirling that a new Compulsion game announcement was imminent; however, nothing has happened yet. The team has been seen hiring for a Brand Manager responsible for “all… marketing initiatives in the studio and liaise with [the] Microsoft marketing team.” Could that mean a marketing plan is coming together for as a We Happy Few follow-up? It’s entirely possible.
In a September 2021 interview with French site XboxSquad, it was mentioned that the studio’s next title would be third-person, utilize Unreal Engine, and is about halfway done. So, a first tease and reveal is likely just around the corner.
Double Fine Productions
Location: San Francisco, California Last game: Psychonauts 2
Of course Double Fine is going to be difficult to dissect in an article such as this simply because it just released a long-awaited title in Psychonauts 2. Founder Tim Schafer’s development house has become one of the most beloved in gaming. Double Fine has honed this out-there, yet very emotionally real brand of storytelling, all wrapped in some incredibly colourful and bombastic packages.
Though it has barely been two months since their last game shipped, the team is already looking on the horizon at what is next. When speaking to GamesIndustry while promoting the Psychonauts sequel, Double Fine founder Tim Schafer let slip that their next endeavour would be “something new and original and surprising.”
In most cases, it’s hard to glean anything from nebulous adjectives like “new,” “original,” and “surprising.” That effort becomes herculean when dealing with the enigma that is Tim Schafer. With a studio that has tackled everything from platforming through people’s psyches to Jack Black-led adventures into the world of heavy metal, this next Double Fine game could be anything.
id Software
Location: Richardson, Texas Last game: Doom Eternal
Another of the megatons that came in the Bethesda/Xbox deal was id Software. The studio that practically invented the first-person shooter has not stopped churning out pulse-pounding action games for more than twenty years. id has recently been on a roll, reviving the Doom franchise with Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal.
As for where the team goes next, it might not be where you expect. According to rumours, the team is currently hard at work on a revival of another groundbreaking FPS, Quake. The Quake reboot supposedly will feature a new female protagonist and will offer both multiplayer and single-player modes.
Nothing of this potential Quake title has been confirmed; however, Xbox’s Phil Spencer has mentioned that he has seen id’s three-year road map and it looks “fun.” Does this mean the Quake revival — if real — could be seen in the next 36 months? That looks to be the case. For now, though, all fans can do is wait with bated breath for another white-knuckled adventure from the id Software team.
The Initiative
Location: Santa Monica, California Last game: N/A
The Initiative has been one of the biggest news stories in the gaming world for quite some time. Announced as the first-ever “AAAA” studio, the Santa Monica team was assembled by Microsoft with the sole purpose of taking on the likes of Naughty Dog and Guerilla at Sony. This studio has been the beacon of hope for Xbox gamers, as it will potentially offer the big-budget, prestige exclusives that Microsoft’s console competition has seemingly had on lock in recent years.
Back in December 2020, nearly three years after its inception, it was announced that the team would be reviving the Perfect Dark franchise. Now, not too much is known about the upcoming return of Joanna Dark, but it has been described as a “reinvention of the series” with an “eco sci-fi” backdrop.
Perfect Dark has been fairly quiet since its unveiling back at last year’s Game Awards. The Initiative team has let out a tidbit here and a nugget there about the project. Most recently, it was announced that Crystal Dynamics (known for its work on the Tomb Raider reboot and Marvel’s Avengers) would be brought on to help with the project, but other than that, news on The Initiative has been lacking as of late.
inXiles Entertainment
Location: Tustin, California Last game: Wasteland 3
inXile joins the likes of Obsidian and Bethesda Game Studios as the RPG music makers of the Xbox first-party. For some reason in Microsoft’s acquisition spree, the tech giant has leaned into picking up some of the best role-playing-based studios out there, and inXile is no exception.
Taking a peek at what the team is working on, inXile is coming hot off the heels of launching the classic Fallout spiritual sequel Wasteland 3 in the latter half of 2020. Just because the studio has only recently put something out, though, does not mean that it’s not working hard on its next title for Microsoft.
Speaking on a podcast in August 2021, Windows Central’s Jez Corden said the Wasteland studio is currently plunking away on a “steampunk RPG” known as “Project Cobalt.” The game is rumoured to be coming out sometime in 2023 and if a pair of recent job listings are to be believed, it could be first-person instead of the classic isometric view the studio’s titles are known for.
Machine Games
Location: Uppsala, Sweden Last game: Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot
Another of the development houses acquired in the blockbuster Zenimax/Xbox deal, MachineGames has garnered quite the reputation for its FPS titles. Similar to sister studio id Software, MachineGames has spent recent years breathing life into a classic shooter franchise. Where it was Doom with id, here it is Wolfenstein. Both of the mainline games in the MachineGames Wolfenstein reboot have received mostly positive reviews. Though some of the subsequent spin-offs have not fared as well, the Swedish studio does not look like it’s going to slow down.
The next announced project for MachineGames is Indiana Jones, though not much has come out on Indy’s next adventure. Fans have seen a brief teaser trailer and heard confirmation from Zenimax that it will be an “original, standalone tale set at the height of the career of the famed adventurer.” As for when gamers can expect to see Indiana Jones, Bethesda’s Pete Hines said at E3 2021 that the title is still in the “very, very, very early stages of development,” so it will likely be years before it sees the light of day.
And a look at Harrison Ford’s famed adventurer is not the only thing MachineGames has cooking up. It has been more than four years since the conclusion of the team’s Wolfenstein trilogy was teased by the studio. Though no concrete details are known and no trailer has been released, Bethesda’s Pete Hines has mentioned that Wolfenstein 3 is “absolutely” something they would want to release. Hines also commented that “You can put [him] at the head of the list of people who want to see another Wolfenstein game.” So a Wolfenstein 3 is bound to happen, it’s just a matter of when.
Mojang Studios
Location: Stockholm, Sweden Last game: Minecraft Dungeons
Monetarily speaking, Mojang may be the biggest studio at Xbox Game Studios. Minecraft continues to be a monster hit for the developer, transcending video games and becoming one of the biggest brands in pop culture. Since Minecraft launched in 2011, the team has released plenty of updates to the title, a couple of standalone digital card/strategy games, and last year debuted the Diablo-esque Minecraft Dungeons.
Now, “Minecraft 2” is probably not coming for a while longer, but that doesn’t mean the Stolkholm-based team is not working on something new and exciting. According to Windows Central, “two all-new projects that aren’t Minecraft or Minecraft Dungeons” are on the way from Mojang.
As of late, teases of a 2D Terraria-looking project have surfaced on the official Minecraft Instagram. This could simply be the studio’s social team showcasing art inspired by its digital block-building empire, or it could be hinting that an announcement may be imminent.
Ninja Theory
Location: Cambridge, England Last game: Bleeding Edge
Ninja Theory is primed and ready to break through into the mainstream with its next project. The team released Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice in 2017 to rave reviews, with many critics praising the game’s harrowing first-hand account of someone dealing with severe mental illness. Since then, the studio stumbled a bit with multiplayer brawler Bleeding Edge. The team’s first Xbox-exclusive title failed to capture the audience needed to sustain an online game like that and was shut down less than a year after release.
But Bleeding Edge is in the rearview and the future looks bright for Ninja Theory.Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is the most imminent project for the English developer. Though no release date has been announced for the title, it is rumoured to be coming sometime in 2022.
Aside from the Hellblade sequel, Ninja Theory is also working away at two more things. The first, Project: Mara, has received a brief proof-of-concept video and looks to be some sort of modern sci-fi horror game. The second, known as The Insight Project, doesn’t look to be a game at all and has been described by the studio as ‘an ambitious combination of technology, game design, and clinical neuroscience brought together with the aim of treating mental suffering.” It’s unclear when either might release.
Obsidian Entertainment
Location: Irvine, California Last game: Grounded
Acquired back in 2018 and kicking off this era of acquisitions for Xbox, Obsidian Entertainment has specialized in the western RPG for decades. The team behind hits such as Pillars of Eternity, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and Fallout: New Vegas has already put out a couple of games since being purchased by the ‘Big M.’
The studio’s first Xbox exclusive, Grounded, has been in early access on console and PC for over a year with constant updates to keep players enticed. The team has said that an official 1.0 release of the game is coming in 2021, but sitting here in mid-October with no news of a full Grounded release, that 2021 window seems more and more unlikely.
Other than Obsidian’s shrunken survival early access adventure, the Irvine, California-based team has already unveiled its next two projects. Revealed back at the Xbox Games Showcase in July 2020, Avowed looks to be a classic Obsidian RPG set in a fantastical fantasy world. Also, the studio is also hard at work on the follow-up to 2019’s The Outer Worlds. Other than brief teasers for both games not much is known about either project. However, according to a recent tweet from Obsidian design director Josh Sawyer both are currently in some sort of playable state. A recent report from Windows Central offered some more details while noting that the game is still in the “early” phases of development.
It has been made known that that studio is not stopping with its two currently announced projects and that it’s working on some sort of third unannounced secret game. For years, fans have been clamoring for a new Fallout from Obsidian, and this very well could be that. One of the people working on said “secret” project is the previously mentioned Josh Sawyer, who directed Fallout: New Vegas. Now, Sawyer has worked his way up the ladder since New Vegas launched in 2010, but if the studio were to be taking on Fallout again, his expertise would be helpful.
Playground Games
Location: Leamington Spa, England Last game: Forza Horizon 4
Playground Games is about to make a statement here in 2021. In a matter of weeks, the studio will launch the fifth entry in the Forza Horizon series, offering players the opportunity to take in another massive open world full of racing, stunts, and fun to be had. The UK team has become known for their more arcadey take on the Forza name, having done it to critical acclaim. And judging from everything we have seen thus far of Horizon 5, it’s going to be another hit for Playground.
Now what’s next for Playground will be an opportunity to leave the engine blocks and asphalt in the rearview for a bit, and flex their muscles. Fable was announced at the 2020 Xbox Games Showcase, serving as a soft reboot for the famed Xbox RPG franchise. Other than that initial CG trailer, nothing has been shown off from the Playground Fable project, but judging from that debut tease, it will blend the series’ signature humour with an expansive fairy tale world.
As for when gamers can expect Fable to release is anyone’s guess. However, on a recent IGN podcast, Phil Spencer did drop that fans can expect it sooner rather than later, saying it would see the light of day before Elder Scrolls VI, and VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb has mentioned that the goal is to have Fable launch in 2023.
Rare
Location: Twycross, England Last game: Sea of Thieves
Rare is one of the most beloved names in gaming. While it hasn’t captured gamers quite the same way it did before being purchased by Microsoft in 2002, the studio’s legacy is one that cannot be taken lightly. Despite a string of lackluster titles within the Microsoft stable, Rare has found its footing a bit as of late with projects like Rare Replay and Sea of Thieves. The latter title has garnered quite the fanbase and has seen various updates and big-name crossovers since its 2018 debut.
Next on the docket for the English studio is Everwild. Dubbed by many as one of the biggest question marks on the Xbox slate of upcoming titles, details on this game are sparse. The project was first announced back in 2019, having been in development for nearly three years at the time. Since then, though, sailing has been less than smooth for Everwild. The title has supposedly been rebooted completely within the studio and now is targeting a 2024 release date.
Roundhouse Studios
Location: Madison, Wisconsin Last game: Rune 2 (PC)
While Roundhouse is a relatively new studio, the team is anything but. Formerly known as Human Head Studios, this development team has been working as a unit since the turn of the millennium. The studio most known for 2006’s Prey had to shut its doors in 2019 but was almost immediately purchased by Bethesda and reopened under the name Roundhouse.
Nothing is currently known about the team’s current project, but it’s working on something. As a part of the acquisition announcement in 2019, Bethesda stated that the studio would “immediately begin work on unannounced projects at Bethesda.” So they rather than working as a support studio they are currently fiddling around with something. Games will just have to wait to see what it possibly could be.
Tango Gameworks
Location: Tokyo, Japan Last game: The Evil Within 2
The funny thing about this next member of the Xbox family is that its most imminent project is a PS5 timed console exclusive. Having been a part of the Bethesda/Microsoft deal, Tango Gameworks’ Ghostwire: Tokyois one of the remnants of a time before ZeniMax’s teams were a part of Xbox. The team has said it will honour the deal it had in place with Sony and will launch the game on PlayStation 5, but after that, it will likely only be Xbox and PC for the Japanese development house.
After initially being given a 2021 release date, Ghostwire is now set to debut sometime in 2022. This delay was likely due to the departure of the project’s creative director in March of this year, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has surely not made development run as smoothly as the team had thought when initially pitching this super-powered horror title.
Aside from Ghostwire: Tokyo, though, Tango has made it clear that they are already working away on what will be their first Xbox exclusive. At Tokyo Game Show 2021, studio head Shinji Mikami revealed that another new game is happening and is being worked on by The Evil Within 2 director John Johanas. When probed on the project, he said that “right now John is in the middle of working energetically on a new game,” but did not make mention as to whether it will be The Evil Within 3.
Turn 10 Studios
Location: Redmond, Washington Last game: Forza Motorsport 7
Similar to Gran Turismo developer Polyphony on the Sony side, Turn 10 is the racing sim specialist over at Microsoft. The team prides itself on pushing Xbox hardware to the brink, creating a stellar simulation driving experience with photorealistic graphics. The Redmond-based studio has only ever worked on the Forza Motorsport series, so it is easy to predict where they will go next.
Forza Motorsport 8 has been the worst kept secret for a number of years. Turn 10 has made it very clear that the next Forza game is well on its way. And gamers may not have to wait long to get their hands on Forza 8.
Earlier this year, Turn 10 started playtesting for its next project so that could mean that the game is coming sooner than later. If anything is to be gleaned from the last couple releases of Forza Motorsport, they come either a year after or before a new Forza Horizon. With Forza Horizon 5 coming out this Fall, a 2022 release for Forza Motorsport 8 would not be all that surprising.
Undead Labs
Location: Seattle, Washington Last game: State of Decay 2
Undead Labs was founded back in 2009 with the sole purpose of tackling digital dives into the world of the undead. The studio’s State of Decay series, while never blowing critics away, has cultivated quite the cult following. Though the team has only released two games up to this point, the jump from State of Decay 1 to 2 was a welcome one. Undead Labs has continued to innovate on its projects and that trend is showing no signs of slowing.
After allegedly canceling an MMO based in the State of Decay world, Undead Labs has announced its next game will be State of Decay 3. The game has been shown off a couple of times since its debut, yet no release date has been given. If a recent job listing is to be believed, it could still be a while until Undead’s next title hits store shelves. The listing is for a sound designer specializing in work in Unreal Engine 5, meaning the title is still in active development with release still a number of steps down the pipeline.
ZeniMax Online Studios
Location: Hunt Valley, Maryland Last game: The Elder Scrolls Online
For the better part of a decade, ZeniMax Online Studios has been solely focused on The Elder Scrolls Online. The Elder Scrolls MMO has received a number of expansions and updates since its initial 2014 release and still has an active player population filling its servers.
For a long time, it’s felt like ZeniMax Online wasn’t even thinking about what is coming next. They had helped with games like Fallout 76 and Doom (2016), but spoken very little when it came to a new game from the studio itself. Well, turns out that while catering to the ESO audience and aiding on other Bethesda projects the team has been working on something after all.
It’s been out there for quite a while that ZeniMax Online is working on another MMO based on a new IP. Late last year, the studio was seen going on quite the hiring spree and is growing in numbers again as we speak. Now, nothing has been spoken of regarding this brand new IP, but it’s seemingly running on Unreal Engine. It’s exciting to know another game is coming from the Maryland studio; however, do not expect to be playing it any time in the near future.
Playground Games’ upcoming Forza Horizon 5 drops players in the middle of a Mexico-set rich, sprawling open-world map. I had the chance to go hands-on with a preview of the game, and in the short time I spent racing down its winding roads and tracks, I’ve become enamoured with what Horizon 5 offers.
I’ve never been a car enthusiast by any stretch of the imagination, but I’ve always adored the Forza Horizon series. It consistently scratches that racing itch but never takes itself too seriously. With each subsequent entry in the series, Playground Games outdoes itself while maintaining the balance between authenticity and more arcade-style racing.
Along with playing roughly 90-minutes of Forza Horizon 5’s campaign offline, I also chatted with Playground Games’ creative director, Mike Brown.
Forza Horizon 5 offers a full-fledged campaign packed with the horsepower you’d expect from the series. For example, I could fully customize my driver, including selecting a nickname and changing how my avatar looks, complete with several inclusive options.
“It was an objective we gave ourselves right from the start of game,” says Brown. “We want it [Forza Horizon 5] to be the most inclusive Horizon game yet.” Brown cites specific additions to Forza Horizon 5‘s character creator, including several pronouns and prosthetic options for your driver. “This is just really important to gamers. It’s important people feel they are better represented when they see those options. When everyone is included, everybody wins,” said Brown.
“Playground Games’ Forza Horizon 5 looks stunning running on Microsoft’s Xbox Series X.”
At its core, Forza Horizon 5 plays as you’d expect if you’re familiar with the series. As an up-and-comer in the racing scene, you’ll need to complete competitive circuits and activities to gain ‘Accolades’ to rise through the ranks in the Horizon season. During the preview, I tried out a small portion of events in an early section of the game, including Showcase tasks and the Initial Drive.
Earning Accolades plays directly into how you progress through Forza Horizon 5‘s campaign. Each milestone requires you to achieve a certain amount of Accolades, ranging from completing races to other supplemental activities. They’re also tied to Forza Horizon 5’s exploration.
“There’s a lot of Accolades, which encourage you to get from a particular point to another point on the map within an amount of time,” says Brown. “You’ll see really interesting parts of the map because we’ve picked those out intentionally. It’s like, ‘get from this waterfall to the airstrip in two minutes.’ There are probably a few routes that you can take, but the route you’re likely to pick is going to take you on an awesome drive straight through the jungle.”
From a gameplay perspective, Horizon 5 maintains the series’ tight controls, and not much seems to have changed. That said, similar to past entries in the series, it’s the game’s visuals that stand out.
Playground Games’ Forza Horizon 5 looks stunning running on Microsoft’s Xbox Series X. The amount of detail the game renders in its diverse, open-world is something I’m eager to explore more when the full version launches in a few weeks.
“One of the great things about the Series X and S is the power it gives us to play with light,” says Brown. This is especially apparent as reflections and light from the sun bounce off the game’s several vehicles. While I spent most of my time with Horizon 5 driving the 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands and 2020 GR Supra, there’s an overwhelming level of detail present in the title’s cars. All aspects of the game’s visuals, including the environments, vehicles, lighting and particles, come together to offer a stunning showcase of graphical fidelity.
“…these activities remain a great way to organically discover Forza Horizon 5’s map.”
Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico map features various biomes to explore, including vast deserts, lush forests and even snowy mountains. Brown says Playground Games aims to deliver an authentic representation of Mexico and its diverse environments, including dynamic weather conditions. This means that the game features sandstorms, tropical storms and even snowstorms. For example, during my time with the preview build, I drove head-on into a sandstorm.
“You can be on top of a volcano with snow on your car and go down the side. Before you know it, you’re in the desert where it’s probably like 36 degrees or something. It will start to melt away and become all dusty at that point,” says Brown.
In Forza Horizon 5, the experience is seamless as you drive across the map from one point of interest to the next. At times, I simply drove to see where the road took me.
“The process is one of trying to keep people engaged, but also to distract them. So you want to have it all built out in such a way that they’re never too far away from a landmark or a point of interest.” Also sprinkled throughout the map are ‘Speed Traps,’ ‘Danger Signs’ and ‘PR Stunts.’
These supplemental activities provide Accolades to rank up and challenge players to hit certain scores or time limits. It’s relatively standard fare for experienced Horizon players, though these activities remain a great way to organically discover Forza Horizon 5’s map.
Playground Games says Forza Horizon 5 will feature a total of over 500 vehicles. As a huge Halo fan, I was elated to discover that the series’ iconic Warthog will once again be drivable in the game.
Forza Horizon 5 is an ambitious racing game, and that’s abundantly clear from my short time spent with the title. The game’s Mexico map is the series’ most expansive and detailed yet, and its car list rounds things out to offer what seems set to be an impressive experience that takes full advantage of the Series X’s more powerful hardware.
“Something built into the culture and the DNA at Playground Games is that we honestly aren’t ever really satisfied,” says Brown. “We always just feel like it can be more — I want to make the greatest games. The greatest games. Not the greatest driving games. Why can’t we make the best game?”
Forza Horizon 5 releases on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on November 5th, 2021. The game will also release as part of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscription platform.
Microsoft has agreed to study the impact of making device repair easier and act on those findings by the end of 2022.
As reported by Grist(via The Verge), Microsoft’s small but important step forward in the ongoing battle for the right-to-repair started in June when an investor advocacy nonprofit called As You Sow filed a shareholder resolution urging the company to analyze the “environmental and social benefits” of improving device repairability.
Following months of negotiations, Microsoft agreed to comply as well as act on the findings. The study will look at how increasing access to parts and information needed for repair can reduce the company’s contributions to climate change and electronic waste (often called e-waste).
Grist notes that this is the first time a U.S. manufacturer agreed to change repair policies following investor pressure, but it may not be the last time. Green Century, a mutual fund focused on environmentally responsible investing, filed two similar right-to-repair resolutions with other U.S. companies, Apple and Deere & Co., the company behind the John Deere tractor.
Microsoft confirmed to The Verge that it will use the findings from the study to “guide [its] product design and plans for expanding device repair options.” Unfortunately, the public may never see the full details. Microsoft will need to publish a summary of the study by May 2022, but not the full study (the company cited concerns of trade secrets for this).
It’s also worth noting that Microsoft has lobbied against right-to-repair laws in several states, including Colorado and Washington.
All in all, this is an important step forward, but it is just a step. That Microsoft has publicly committed to investigating the impact of right-to-repair is important, but if the company doesn’t change how it makes products, then the commitment won’t mean much.
