Microsoft is preparing to expand its backward compatibility ecosystem by bringing Xbox 360 games to Windows PCs. According to internal developer documentation obtained by The Verge, the strategic initiative will allow classic console titles to run on PCs, handheld gaming devices, and Project Helix, Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox platform. Expected to roll out gradually between 2027…
When Microsoft announced its latest round of Xbox price bumps in June, it only gave US pricing. Now we know the pricing increases for the EU and UK, and they’re dramatic. Depending on the model, Xbox prices are increasing by up to €200 or £170. The 1TB Xbox Series X with a disc drive is…
Microsoft has officially announced a new testing phase for an ad-supported tier of Xbox Cloud Gaming, offering players free access to stream select titles in exchange for viewing advertisements. This move follows other recent platform developments, including expanded backward compatibility for older Xbox titles on PC, and aims to broaden accessibility for gamers who prefer…
Gears of War: E-Day. This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on the bleak state of the video game industry, follow Andrew Webster. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes on Sunday at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started…
Microsoft has introduced its latest artificial intelligence model, MAI-Image-2.5, aiming to challenge the current industry benchmark for realistic image generation, Google’s Nano Banana 2. Announced on Tuesday, June 2, during the Build 2026 developer conference, the new technology enters a highly competitive digital media landscape. The technology is deployed in two distinct versions designed to…
Microsoft has officially unveiled the Surface Laptop Ultra, marking one of the first premium computers to integrate NVIDIA’s newly announced RTX Spark platform for Windows on Arm. Positioned by the manufacturer as the most powerful Surface device ever built, this hardware release aims to challenge the Apple MacBook Pro directly by delivering a competitive combination…
This shadowy render is the best glimpse Microsoft is giving us so far. | Image: Microsoft Once upon a time, Microsoft had to write off $900 million betting an Arm-based Nvidia chip could power its first flagship Windows portable, the original Microsoft Surface. But today, it’s trying again. Microsoft and Nvidia have just announced the…
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang with an RTX laptop at CES 2025. | Image: Getty Images It’s the world’s worst kept secret that Nvidia is about to announce its own Arm-powered laptop chips at Computex this weekend, and now Microsoft, Nvidia, and Arm are all openly teasing the announcement. The Windows and Nvidia GeForce accounts on…
Microsoft has officially introduced the Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8, focusing primarily on the business market. Moving away from an exclusive ARM architecture, these enterprise-tier devices launch with Intel’s Panther Lake processor platform. This strategic update establishes premium baseline pricing ahead of anticipated Snapdragon X2 releases. The Surface Pro 12 for Business The…
Microsoft launched Teams’ Together Mode during the pandemic to give the illusion of a bunch of people sitting in a conference room together, even if they were really sitting at home without pants on. But times have changed, and it’s now being retired in favor of a more simplified Teams experience. The feature used AI…
