Tag: Call of Duty

Have you subscribed to Xbox Game Pass (XGP) yet? I encourage you to do it!

Have you subscribed to Xbox Game Pass (XGP) yet? I encourage you to do it!

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There is no doubt that Xbox Game Pass (XGP), a subscription service that allows customers access to lots of games for their enjoyment in return for paying a flat monthly fee, is here to stay. I myself have been subscribing to XGP since I started playing my Xbox Series X console and I can confirm to you readers that I’ve been playing a whole lot of games while saving myself a lot of money.

Along the way, I am constantly having a whole lot of fun as an XGP subscriber and I am look forward to playing highly anticipated new games like Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, Starfield (Xbox-exclusive) and Forza Motorsport (2023) (Xbox-exclusive) through the service in 2023! And then there are many, many other games from other game publishers – including the small and independent game makers – who signed up with Team Xbox to add their games for XGP subscribers to enjoy!

This week alone, several games will debut on Xbox Game Pass which should interest gamers who love adventure, first-person shooters, narrative gaming, mysteries, puzzles, tactical gaming, golf, ice hockey and more! Check out the new XGP additions in the Xbox.com article and also be reminded that enjoyable games such as As Dusk Falls, Deathloop and  Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered are now available in the service.

Watch out for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on XGP in 2023.
Starfield alone should attract a lot more people to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass.
Have you played this acclaimed JRPG yet? It’s now available on XGP!
As Dusk Falls is a great narrative-driven game to play on Xbox Game Pass.

As I mentioned earlier, Xbox Game Pass is here to stay and its credibility as a stable and growing form of business cannot be dismissed. To understand the business aspect of XGP, there is this in-depth article published by Windows Central. Posted below is an excerpt from the article with some parts in boldface…

Flying in the face of traditional gaming revenue models, with Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft is offering thousands upon thousands of dollars’ worth of content for $10 dollars a month. It’s potentially even cheaper if you factor in the upcoming Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family accounts as well. 

In any case, Xbox Game Pass isn’t going anywhere. I’ve seen analysts and pundits rally around the idea that the service must be burning through cash hand over fist in order to offer the value it does, and that may still be true. But as noticed by Tweaktown, we now have a glimpse at roughly how much revenue Xbox Game Pass is actually generating. 

Microsoft is currently trying to get its massive Xbox Activision Blizzard merger through regulatory bodies around the globe. In order to make its legal arguments, certain data points Microsoft typically doesn’t share with its shareholders publicly is making its way into the public domain, as a result of these discussions. It turns out that Xbox Game Pass is making a fair bit of dosh. 

According to Brazil’s regulatory body CADE, Xbox Game Pass’ revenue from subscriptions stands at $2.9 billion dollars in the fiscal period ending January 2021. Tweaktown noted that it accounts for 18% of Microsoft’s revenue from gaming for that fiscal year, which would have put Xbox Game Pass subscribers at around the 18-19 million mark. The last official figure we got on Xbox Game Pass subscribers came last January, where Redmond revealed it had hit 25 million users. 

It should be noted, however, that this figure only includes users on the console versions of Xbox Game Pass, with PC Game Pass figures omitted. It’s also hard to know the exact breakdown of this revenue figure. Does it include purchases of games in the post-Game Pass discount period? Does it include microtransactional sales and in-game content sales for titles that are in Xbox Game Pass? Or is it representative purely of the subscriber figures across Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which are $10 and $15 apiece? 

No matter how loud and emotional the Xbox-hating gamers out there get, it cannot be denied that Xbox Game Pass is a tremendous value-for-money subscription service for those who own Xbox consoles, Windows PC and – by extension – mobile devices. Already, several games from Xbox-controlled Bethesda have been added into XGP (and sibling PC Game Pass) which is the positive result of the publisher’s integration into Microsoft’s gaming division. For these factors alone, it is sensible and right to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass now.

XGP will become even greater once Microsoft’s seismic acquisition of Activision Blizzard finally closes! Recently the regulators of Brazil approved the deal without restrictions and that alone should make the arrogant PlayStation executives at Sony desperate and worried. The Brazilian regulators declared that Sony can compete without Call of Duty (COD) games from Activision.

Even though they have great 1st party game studios that produced several exclusive blockbusters, Team PlayStation under Jim Ryan is very worried about the acquisition because their business benefited so much by depending on Activision’s Call of Duty games (note: remember the last time you played a new Killzone game from Sony?). Ryan and the PlayStation executives know their current contracts with Activision will eventually expire and certainly there will be no more extensions under Microsoft-controlled Activision Blizzard. It is also clear to me that Team PlayStation is very afraid of the idea that Call of Duty games and other Activision Blizzard games will come to Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. Simply put, Team PlayStation is way, way behind competing with XGP on the subscription service model of business.

In concluding this article, posted below for your enjoyment are Xbox-related videos.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Raiden IV x Mikado remix is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One in early 2023

Raiden IV x Mikado remix is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One in early 2023

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If you are the kind of gamer who loves playing vertical scrolling 2D shooters that have that unique arcade aesthetic, then you should be delighted to know that Raiden IV x Mikado remix will be released on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One early next year, according to the official announcement at Xbox.com.

Xbox gamers will get to play Raiden IV x Mikado remix in early 2023.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from Xbox.com announcement by Nicholas Odmark. Some parts in boldface…

High-octane action soars onto the scene in Raiden IV x Mikado remix, coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One in early 2023! The core gameplay of this series includes the classic vertical scrolling and top-down aerial combat that the shoot ’em up genre is famous for. However, this title’s arsenal of gameplay modes, remixed music, new play styles, and more are what set it apart from the competition.

Arcade Origins – Raiden was first released in Mikado Game Center arcades throughout Japan in April 1990 by Tecmo. After a few decades of additional titles and a new developer in Moss, Raiden IV was first released in 2007. By 2008, it had made its way from arcades to the Xbox 360. And now, over six years after the release of Raiden V on the Xbox One, Raiden IV x Mikado remix aims to establish itself as the most definitive version of this title on Xbox to date.

Game Modes – Raiden IV x Mikado remix comes outfitted with several exciting game modes. Arcade Mode hails from the original release of Raiden IV, and sports two difficulties, Light for beginners and Original for advanced players. It also utilizes the Flash Shot scoring mechanic, meaning the faster you take down enemies, the higher your score will be. This encourages playing near the top of the screen to hit enemies as they spawn, which of course brings with it a high level of risk. Additional Mode has the same mechanic, but adds two new stages along with new enemy bullet patterns.

This is what the game will look like on Xbox.

OverKill Mode, first introduced in Raiden IV: Overkill, adds two new missions and replaces the Flash Shot scoring system with one of its own. After destroying a larger enemy, they’ll remain on-screen for a few seconds, offering you a chance to earn a higher score bonus the more you keep attacking them. However, that means turning your attention away from new enemies who spawn during that time. In Score Attack Mode, every stage is available to replay for the highest score. And finally, Boss Rush offers you a quick shortcut to every end-of-stage boss without having to fuss with completing every level again.

Turn Up the Volume – Named for the addition of remixed background music in collaboration with Game Center Mikado, Raiden IV x Mikado remix features tracks from legendary artists such as the Go Sato Band, Heavy Metal Raiden, O.T.K., and more. This soundtrack also includes live performances, new arrangements, and allows players to choose between the original Raiden IV background music or the remixed version.

Choose your Ship – On top of selecting your game mode and music preference, you also have three different ships to choose from, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The Fighting Thunder ME-02 is the most balanced, with respectable weapon strength and speed. The Raiden MK-II is the classic ship of the series, sacrificing speed for higher damage. And finally, the Fairy is the smallest and fastest of all the ships and is meant for players who are seeking a challenge.

Play Your Way – While you might think those are enough options to choose from, Raiden IV x Mikado remix isn’t done yet. You also get to select a play style, each of which drastically changes the game. Solo Play is pretty self-explanatory, while Dual Play lets you and a buddy play together, complete with couch co-op. Double Play on the other hand allows one player to control two ships at the same time, offering a unique and challenging spin on whichever game mode you pair it with.

It’s really nice that Raiden IV x Mikado remix is coming to Xbox consoles sometime early next year. I missed out on Raiden IV when it was released on Xbox 360. I also missed out on Raiden V on Xbox One. Anyway, having more arcade games on the Xbox ecosystem is always a welcome development.

Watch out for Raiden IV x Mikado remix on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One in early 2023.

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos – including details about Sony’s pathetic reaction to Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard –  for your viewing pleasure.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard shakes gaming industry!

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard shakes gaming industry!

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It has been a few days since the industry shaking announcement was made – Microsoft will acquire gaming giant Activision Blizzard for almost $69 billion and that means major additions (games, intellectual properties, game development talents, technologies and more) coming to Team Xbox for gamers to enjoy within the Xbox ecosystem.

This is easily the most unbelievable and most intriguing video game business development since the Xbox-Bethesda deal (deal completed in 2021). Unbelievable because nobody (other than the Microsoft and Activision Blizzard executives) saw this deal would happen at all even though Team Xbox made clear it would push on with acquisitions. Intriguing because Activision Blizzard itself has been controversial in very negative ways (for references, click here, here and here) which brings major challenges for Team Xbox to solve once the acquisition has been completed.

To begin with, let’s take a look at the reactions and analysis of Xbox YouTubers and gaming media in the videos below…

And now, for even greater perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the official Xbox-Activision-Blizzard announcement on Xbox.com written by none other than Phil Spencer himself and he now has a new work title…CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Now pay close attention to the details below. Some parts in boldface…

As a team, we are on a mission to extend the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet. We all know that gaming is the most vibrant and dynamic form of entertainment worldwide and we’ve experienced the power of social connection and friendship that gaming makes possible.

As we pursue that mission, it is incredibly exciting to announce that Microsoft has agreed to acquire Activision Blizzard.

Over many decades, the studios and teams that make up Activision Blizzard have earned vast wellsprings of joy and respect from billions of people all over the world. We are incredibly excited to have the chance to work with the amazing, talented, dedicated people across Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment, Beenox, Demonware, Digital Legends, High Moon Studios, Infinity Ward, King, Major League Gaming, Radical Entertainment, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Toys for Bob, Treyarch and every team across Activision Blizzard.

Until this transaction closes, Activision Blizzard and Microsoft Gaming will continue to operate independently. Once the deal is complete, the Activision Blizzard business will report to me as CEO, Microsoft Gaming.

Upon close, we will offer as many Activision Blizzard games as we can within Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, both new titles and games from Activision Blizzard’s incredible catalog. We also announced today that Game Pass now has more than 25 million subscribers. As always, we look forward to continuing to add more value and more great games to Game Pass.

The fantastic franchises across Activision Blizzard will also accelerate our plans for Cloud Gaming, allowing more people in more places around the world to participate in the Xbox community using phones, tablets, laptops and other devices you already own. Activision Blizzard games are enjoyed on a variety of platforms and we plan to continue to support those communities moving forward.

As a company, Microsoft is committed to our journey for inclusion in every aspect of gaming, among both employees and players. We deeply value individual studio cultures. We also believe that creative success and autonomy go hand-in-hand with treating every person with dignity and respect. We hold all teams, and all leaders, to this commitment. We’re looking forward to extending our culture of proactive inclusion to the great teams across Activision Blizzard.

Around the world, there is no more exciting venue for fun and connection than video games.

Wow! That was once massive and strategically worded announcement there by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer! Not only does this great development prove that Microsoft continues to go all-in on gaming through Team Xbox, it also shows partially what the long-term video gaming business will be for them, Activision Blizzard’s teams and the consumers who collectively own game consoles, desktops, laptops, smartphones and other devices with access to the Xbox network and ecosystem. The acquisition, once approved, will help Team Xbox gain a strong presence in the lucrative mobile gaming industry.

Very clearly, the business of video games is no longer limited to game consoles, software and online gaming networks which is something that Japan-based Sony and Nintendo should realize. The console-only approach of business is itself a hindrance on reaching out to billions of people who play games, as well as an obstacle to achieve massive business growth not for the short term but for the long term.

The most recent games of Activision Blizzard franchises like Call of Duty, Starcraft, Warcraft, Crash Bandicoot and Spyro have been released on game consoles and Windows PC. There is also the mobile gaming titan Call of Duty: Mobile under Activision. These facts proves that the acquisition by Microsoft makes business and technical sense.

When it comes to Xbox gaming, I believe that in due time, future installments of established Activision Blizzard game franchises as well as brand new intellectual properties will become Xbox-exclusive after the completion of the acquisition and as long as Activision Blizzard has no signed agreements with PlayStation or Nintendo related to console exclusivity of games. What is the basis for this? Take a look back at what Phil Spencer said before…

“We have games that exist on other platforms, and we’re going to support those games on the platforms they’re on. There are communities of players. We love those communities and will continue to invest in them. And even in the future, there might be things that have either contractual things, or legacy on different platforms, that we’ll go do. But if you’re an Xbox customer, the thing I want you to know is this is about delivering great exclusive games for you that ship on platforms where Game Pass exists, and that’s our goal, that’s why we are doing this,”

Going back to Spencer’s Xbox-Activision-Blizzard announcement, he specifically confirmed that Xbox Game Pass (XGP) subscribers has reached 25 million already, and things will only get exciting as more Activision Blizzard games will be added into the service! Expect lots of Call of Duty games, Crash Bandicoot games, Tony Hawk games and more! Xbox Game Pass will become even more varied with its game selection from the Xbox game studios and that means the subscription service will become even more attractive, even essential, to gamers who want great value for their money.

Apart from Activision Blizzard’s games and intellectual properties, Microsoft will also inherit the many employees working under AB’s game studios as well as their proprietary technologies (game engines, rendering software and the like) and have them integrated into Xbox Game Studios.

Easily the biggest video game development of 2022!

Right now, there is still a long road ahead for the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard deal to endure first heading towards competition. Don’t forget that the deal is still subject for review by the regulators. The people who hate Xbox and even Activision Blizzard out there can always rant a lot, complain a lot and spew lots of nonsense but nothing changes the fact that the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard deal does not really constitute a monopoly in the video game industry. The said industry is much bigger than most people know and there are several other game publishers out there whose combined market values heavily outweigh Microsoft, Activision Blizzard and even Bethesda combined. As for the internal side of things, I believe that Microsoft has what it takes to end the negativity within Activision Blizzard, solve the related problems and straighten things out. It will take a few years but I believe improvements will happen. By then, more entertainment content will flood the Xbox ecosystem as well as Xbox Game Pass!

Truly now is a great time to be part of the Xbox ecosystem as more great games will be coming in! Personally, I am looking forward to play Activision Blizzard’s games on my Xbox Series X through Xbox Game Pass!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/